I started this summer certain that we would be "in control" of the laziness, chaos, whining and fussing that usually goes on for those long 2 months by developing the really fun Campbell Summer Camp for my girls. At first they were very excited about the rules and cool activities. That lasted about 2 weeks. I quit my teaching job so we all flunked. No one learned the books of the Bible, we did not get a head start on Bible Drill, we did not do any art projects, go bowling enough, learn about the fruits of the Spirit, or write enough in our journals.
BUT!!! One thing we did do was read tons and tons of books! Part of the draw to that was probably the fact that my kids love to read. Part was probably also that when they read they earned sticks which they could trade in for screen time. So, there was considerable less TV watching this summer! Most of the sticks were used for computer games, and the Wii was free. (as in, no sticks necessary). We did several different accounting things, but the only two rules were that it had to be books you had never read before and no book could be written down on more than one place. Also, the books had to be at or near their reading level. No super easy books to finish fast. In fact, you had to read 50 pages for each stick.
How many books did we read? I don't have an exact number, but they each read 10 books for a free t-shirt, 10 b00ks for a free book at Borders, and 8 books for a free book at Barnes and Noble. We also did a Book Bingo, where each girl was challenged to read 19 different books in various categories for prizes and fun little outings. The categories included sports non-fiction, historical fiction, several award books, just for fun, series book, etc. Leah was the only who actually finished all 19 of those with Katie a close second and Rebecca not far behind for 3rd.
Plus, remember this? Our A to Z Challenge? Well, just this week before school started we finished the task, with very little cheating.
Below I present to you, our Author and Title A to Z reading list.
Authors
Anderson, Laurie
Bunting, Eve
Cleary, Beverly
DuPrau, Jeanne
Emmett, Jonathan
Flournoy, Valerie
Green, Jacqueline Dembar
Holm, Matthew & Jennifer
Ives, Penny
Johnson, Linda L.
Kirk, Daniel
Lucado, Max
Meadows, Daisy
Nolen, Jerdine
Osborne, Mary Pope
Pham, Leuyen
Quattlebaun, Mary
Rue, Nancy
Dr. Seuss
Taylor, Theodore
Urban, Linda
Vaes, Alain
Wikles, Angela
X. J. Kennedey (cheater here...)
Yolen, Jane
Ziefert, Harriet
Title
All the World
Beautiful Ballerinas
Candlelight for Rebecca
Dear Mr. Henshaw
Ella's Big Chance
Falling Up
Giant Pandas
Hooway for Wodney Wat
If Peas tasted like Candy
Jessi's Secret Language
Kristi Yamaguchi
Library Mouse
Mind your own Business, Kristy!
Nothing's Fair in 5th Grade
Gentle Giant Octopus (cheater....)
A Penguin Story
Whatley's Quest (cheater...)
Running Out of Time
Scrambled Eggs Super!
The Three Wishes
Unite or die
V is for Volunteer
What to do about Alice
eXtreme Weather (cheater...)
You can'd see a Dod at the Zoo
Zoobreak
If you are interested in reading things like this, let me know and I'll be happy to share with you more details! Happy Reading!!
O:)
Melissa