Everyone agrees that getting kids to read is a great thing: literacy skills are the foundation of a strong education and critical to success in school and in life. Studies have shown that reading improves empathy and memory as it provides a window into new worlds and experiences.
The Adam Beck Read-a-Thon is a fun and rewarding program that helps students grow a love of reading by engaging them in a friendly reading competition. Students read their favourite books, keep track of the minutes spent reading every day – in class, at home, or elsewhere – and submit their log at the end of the program.
Note the upcoming Read-a-Thon dates by using our Calendar, and read the most recent announcements about Read-a-Thon.
- 1 Get ready to read!
- 2 Design your own Read-a-Thon bookmark
- 3 There are prizes to be won!
- 4 How can parents help?
- 5 Questions?
Get ready to read!
All students can take part in Read-a-Thon. The reading goals for the month for each age group are:
- JK/SK: 150 minutes
- Grades 1-3: 300 minutes
- Grades 4-5: 450 minutes
- Grade 6: 600 minutes
Download a copy of the Read-a-Thon log: Click here.
Design your own Read-a-Thon bookmark
The program also nurtures students’ creative spirit by inviting them to design their very own Read-a-Thon Bookmark to use to mark their place in their favourite books!
You can use this link to design your own bookmark:
https://www.canva.com/create/bookmarks/
Find some great inspiration on the Toronto Public Library website:
https://kids.tpl.ca/designabookmark/2021
Or just get some paper, scissors and coloured pencils and freestyle your very own bookmark! Please feel free to email us at [email protected] with your children’s creative bookmarks and we’ll feature some in our upcoming communications.
There are prizes to be won!
All of the amazing students who submit a reading log will be acknowledged for their participation in the Read-a-Thon. Students who meet or exceed the recommended minutes goal for their grade will have their name put into a draw for their grade to win an Ella Minnow gift card. In addition, for every 50 minutes above their goal, they will receive an additional entry into the draw.
The coveted Dassios Cup – named in recognition of the efforts of Gianna Dassios, a librarian and technology teacher at Adam Beck, now retired – will go to the class that reads the most minutes in the entire school.
How can parents help?
Encourage your children to participate in the challenge! Find and supply them with great books, help them add up their reading minutes or verify their addition skills and make sure they submit their reading log by the deadline.
Here are some helpful links to bookstores and the library to get you started:
http://www.greatescapebookstore.com/
https://www.childrensfrenchbookcorner.com/
https://adifferentbooklist.com/
https://www.nilevalleybooks.ca/
https://oldscoolgeneralstore.com/product-category/books/?orderby=date
https://www.notability.ca/store/
Find some great inspiration on the Toronto Public Library Website:
https://kids.tpl.ca/fun-stuff/contests/2022
Looking to diversify your child’s reading list? Check out the Festival of Literary Diversity’s (FOLD’s) kids books of the month for 2022: https://thefoldcanada.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2021-FOLD-Kids-Book-of-the-Month-Picks.pdf
Questions?
Email the Read-a-Thon Committee: [email protected]
