This post is about setting up a classroom and home reading program in the primary classroom. It includes free printable sheets to create home reading folders.
Setting Up A Classroom and Home Reading Program
Today I am sharing a way of setting up a classroom and home reading program in your classroom. I have been teaching students to read for nearly a decade, and in that time, I have tried a lot of different approaches. This system is the way that I have set it up in my classroom, and I have had a lot of success with it! I hope that I can help you set-up your class and students for reading success!
Daily Read to Self Time
Classroom Reading System
Leveled Book Baskets with “Just Right” Books
Once they understand all about finding the right books, I begin to give them the opportunity of choosing their books for their book baskets. They each have their reading basket that I number (saves me having to relabel each year!), and they LOVE being able to fill it with books they choose. I have them pick three books from their “just-right” reading basket (the one with the clothespin on it) and three books of their choosing from any other bins in the classroom. I should also mention that I have a group of students who are reading chapter books/more difficult material (they are beyond the levels on the bins), so they get to choose their own six books for the week.
Book Shopping and Student Book Bins
At the beginning of DEAR time each day, I have a different guided reading group “book shop” for new books. This system keeps things organized and minimizes the noise and chaos that putting away and taking new books can create.
Home Reading Program
Creating Home Reading Folders
Now this great idea was not my own but came from Rachelle over at What A Teacher Wants. To keep your folders closed, use some Velcro strips cut into pieces (or use dots) and attach to the flap of the envelope. This works like a charm! Such an easy and effective way to keep those books safe inside, and it lasts longer than a Ziplock.
Organizing Home Reading Folders
Create Your Own Home Reading Folder
Grab the FREE Read Every Day Home Reading Folder resource now by clicking the image below.
I have included it with EDITABLE files for you to customize to suit your needs. Enjoy!
Materials to Make the Folders
Reading Comprehension Activities
To get started today implementing reading comprehension practice in your classroom, check out Proud to be Primary’s reading comprehension passages!
Want to give them a try? Click the image below to download a free sample.
More Teaching Ideas
Simple Ways to Teach Sight Words
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Hello! I love the idea you have about using folders instead of book baggies. I used book baggies this year and I can't even tell you how many times I had to replace the ziplock bags. I wanted to know where did you buy these folders? Are they plain shipping envelopes that you just laminated? I would love to buy these. Thanks so much for all of your amazing posts. I really get some great ideas from them.
Hi! Thank for your kind words. The folders are great, aren't they!?
They are plain shipping envelopes I got from my school's supplies and then I laminated them. I then take a pair of scissors and run it across to open it up.
Hope that helps!!
Elyse 🙂
Elyse,
Is it possible to get the Read Every Day cover and the sample questions? I’m only seeing the number labels (which are great!). Can you let me know how I can get this?
Thanks so much!
Hi Lindsey. You may have pop-up blockers on, bc when you click the image a box pops up for you to sign up. You can also sign up here and access this resource inside: https://proudtobeprimary.com/become-a-vit-very-important-teacher/
Elyse
Wonderful idea! I used cheapy folders (actual folders, not envelops) last year and they kept getting torn, plus all the papers and books I put inside would fall out. These look so much more durable and convenient.
Yes, if the folders are not good quality they may last less time, and I think it depends on the laminator used as well. Some better than others! I usually find that I need to remake them half way through the year.
I love your number labels that you have on your reading boxes. They only go up to 24 however. Would you be able to continue them to 30? Thanks!
What a wonderful idea and a great way to get started. I’m planning on starting this in a new classroom. Did you keep track of reading minutes or anything like that?
Hi Tina! I provide a sheet for parents to collect minutes but to be honest I do not really keep track. I make sure to check in with my students and their parents to make sure they are reading. I want reading to be fun at this age and forcing a certain amount of time each day can take away from that.
Hi! I love the plastic book boxes with the numbers! The link for Amazon is not for the same ones, do you remember where you purchased them? I have been using book baggies and they are a mess! Would love to implement this system in my 1st grade classroom! Love all your ideas they are great! Thanks!
Hi Gina! Thanks for your comment. The individual book bins with student numbers are from Really Good Stuff. They are pricey but they will last you a long time, so I recommend the purchase. Plus, you can get them to match your decor. Hope that helps!
I am working on a more efficient way to manage take home readers. I am pulling books from the book room (way across campus, of course) for guided reading, as well as for take home books. I have been sending three leveled books home on Monday, and they are due on Friday. Next year I will scale it down to two. I wish that I had a separate “take home” collection like you do. How do you keep track of which books students have already taken home?
Hi Brenda! Thank you for your comment. Figuring out a management system that works for you can take a while, can’t it!? I find that since kids only take 1 book at a time I do not need to keep track of which books or how many they have out. I let them know and their parents early on that if they want another book to come see me. I also talk about building fluency with rereading a book multiple times. Best of luck!
Hi! I’ve been collecting leveled readers for several years from other teachers who have gotten rid of them. I’ve been hoping to start a program like yours! My first step is to get all the books grouped together by similar levels since they are all based on different levels. I was wondering 1. How many leveled boxes s do you have in the “just right” books? 2. Do you ever change these books out OR change the themed books out?
Hi Jamie! It sounds like you are doing a great job getting set-up. I recommend having a bin of books for each level in the program you are using for assessments. In Canada at our school, we use PM benchmarks and it has almost 20 levels. I taught a combined grade 1/2 class as well so I needed to have a bin for every level, as well as chapter book bins. I have about 10-20+ books in each bin and they are quite small/thin so I keep them in there. The hope is that students progress through each bin and have fresh books at each level. I also have a bookshelf that holds my themed books which I relate each month for the new themes/celebrations. Hope this helps! Best of luck. 🙂
What do you do for the knuckleheads who refuse to keep up with their books? I love this idea but with most of the classes I’ve had it would mean me losing a lot of books. These are the same kids who parents refuse to respond to any form of communication from me. I would hate for those kids to not get the opportunity to have books at home but their parents don’t help them with anything.
Unfortunately there is always going to be this issue. I would keep up with the communications to parents and make sure to have a sample ready during your parent-teacher meetings that you can share and explain to parents. I find they are more involved if they know what is going on and you’re talked about it. Best of luck!
For those kids, I print books from A to Z. They can take home paper books!
A good resource to use for leveled readers is Reading A-Z. You print the leveled readers and you can then easily replace any books that may be lost.
Great suggestion, Jennifer!
Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful idea! What a great way to start and keep children reading. Just a note, however. In your letter to parents, it says, “Please do not let your child to struggle…..” Could you please revise it since editing is locked? Thanks again.
Thank you Maryann. I will edit it shortly so you can redownload.
Thank you!
When you say laminate the envelopes, do you get them professionally done? I don’t think I have our laminater would be big enough for the envelopes. I love your idea so much and want to make it work!
Hi Sabrina. I put the folders through a large laminator we have at school. If you don’t have one of these, perhaps contact a place that does and see if they can run them through for you! Best of luck!!
Our school laminatory works for this, as well if you have a School Box store near you. They’ve got a big one too and its pretty economical (I think done by the foot or yard).
That’s great to hear that you have this accessible to you!
How long do you usually read for during DEAR time? Thank you!
We use the Daily 5 system for reading so we build our reading stamina gradually up to a max of 20-30 min for 1st grade.
HAPPY CANADA DAY! It was great to read your post. I use a very similar system for home reading, however, I do still use the extra large storage bags (cheap at London Drugs) but I put duct tape along the bottom and that seems to fix the tearing problem. I only had to replace 3 bags this year and one was from food spillage! How often do you change out the home reading book? At our school they are changed every day. We also have baskets of levelled books, 1-22, collected over the years. An earlier comment asked about recording minutes. My recording sheet is date, title, returned. Every day the routine is to call each student that has returned their bag/book to come to the exchange. They put their read book back in the basket and choose another, return to the exchange, and put a sticker on the returned column. When they reach the end of their page, 20 titles (once a month IF they read every day), they go to the “treasure box” and select a trinket. Beyond my calling their names to come to exchange, it is entirely an independent exercise and takes about 10 minutes a day for all the students to rotate through. The other students are doing shared reading at the carpet while waiting for their turn. I usually plan for it right after lunch to give the students that few minutes to calm and refocus for the afternoon. Just another slant.
Thank you so much for all the great ideas. We currently use envelopes to send home books for students to practice reading and we have been taping the edges of the envelopes with clear packing tape. Laminating them a couple times will be a lot easier. I’m still trying to figure out how you keep track of what books the students have already taken home to make sure they don’t keep taking the same ones. We were writing them on to the students envelopes and logging them in a book but I noticed you didn’t have anything listed on the students envelopes. Can’t wait to you use your freebies. Thank you again so much!!!
Can you tell me directions how to make the folder!! This is an awesome idea!
Hello,
I absolutely love all of your ideas! Thank you for sharing! I was wondering if you could create a monthly reading log with the same graphics that you have in the other freebie pages? I am going to use all of your ideas. They are Awesome!!
Katherine
This may be a dumb question, but when you laminate the folders doesn’t that laminate them shut?
I love this idea, and am trying to figure out how to make these.
Hi Lauren! That is a great question! I do laminate them shut then I use a pair of scissors or an exacto knife to gently slice open the opening to the folders. Hope that makes sense!
I love how you set up the home reading program. I am working on doing the same in my first grade classroom. I would like to see the freebie you have for the folders. Unfortunately I can’t find it. Is it not working anymore? Thank you for the help!
Hi Melissa! You can access the freebie by clicking the image above and providing your email! You will be sent a direct download. 🙂
Thank you for such an amazing post! I am going to start working putting together this program for my students. They tend to just grab books off of the shelf and then return them several times a week without completing them. Drives me crazy……. 🙂 I did have one question. I need to assess my students to determine their reading level. You mentioned you do an assessment to find their level. Can you post that assessment? I am having a hard time finding something to use. Thank you for taking the time to do this post! It was VERY helpful!
Hi Leah! For assessment I used the PM Venchmark system. It is one that was purchased and used by the school I taught at. I suggest finding out what system your school uses. Speak to your learning support teachers, etc. Something that includes leveled readers and running records is helpful. Best of luck!
Hello! We are beginning this program at my school. I signed up for your email list, but was not sent a direct download for the take-home program and I do not see it listed on the members only page. Please help!
Thanks!
Hi! Can you email me at proudtobeprimary@gmail.com and I will help you out!
I have a quick question. I love your Rainbow Chevron book bin labels. I have 31 students in my classroom. Your numbers go up to 24. Can you add numbers 25-31? If not that is fine too.
Thanks,
Kimbery
Thanks so much for the great ideas! I am looking forward to incorporating some of your procedures in my class next year. Where did you find the white baskets for the leveled readers? I need something for my library and don’t want to commit to a color 🙂
Hi Kim!
Honestly, I found they at a dollar store YEARS AGO lol! I couldn’t even say which one but it was somewhere up here in Canada 😉 I would keep trying your local dollar store or maybe the container store until you find some that would fit your readers! Good luck!!
Hi I subscribed to your blog to get the folder freebies but did not receive them!
You should receive a welcome email from me with a link and password to our VIP zone with that resource in it!
Hi! I LOVE all your ideas! I subscribed to your blog but didn’t get a download for the read every day freebies in my email. Did I do something wrong? Thanks for your help!
Hi!
I’m trying to download your reading at home freebies but it doesn’t seem to be working. Can I get it somewhere else? thanks!
Hi tara! I have fixed the freebie so it will now work when you click on the image and insert your info. You will then be sent it to your inbox. Sorry for the trouble!
Thank you for this very informative post! When they bring the books back, when do you listen to them read them? How does that fit in? Also, how do you see this system adjusted for Kindergarten students?
I try to pull them aside if I have the chance or read with them during small groups. Some days I can’t read with them but if they say they are ready for another book, they can choose another. A child won’t move up to a new level until we have read together though. With Kindergarten, I would make reading books a part of the daily schedule and encourage reading at home. I believe the focus on Kinder shouldn’t be on moving up levels in reading but experiencing books through read alouds, being read to, and doing picture walks “read to self”. Hope that helps!
Hello!
I’m loving everything you write about and share. Thank you so much. I see that you do the daily 5. Would you mind sharing what activities you do for the centers that teaches independence and consistentency? I’m looking for activities that keep them engaged and occupied. My students constantly need to ask me questions about our centers.
Also, do you do Maths daily 3? If so, could you share those ideas as well?
Thank you so much!
Kari Jo
Kindergarten Teacher
Hi Kari! I actually only use the Daily 5 approach for reading and don’t follow the whole system, nor do I follow the Math program. Details on how I teach that are in this post. I will add your question about math centers to my list of future posts. I think it’s one that a lot of teachers struggle with.
Hi there! Love you idea of the home reading program! Going to do it this year with my kids. I am just curious if there is a Spanish version of the letter to send home to parents?
Hi Kelsey! I’m sorry there isn’t but the letter is editable so you can rewrite it.
When you have students return a leveled book early and read it to you, you mentioned you let them choose another book from their clothespin basket. Does this mean you do not give them another leveled book from your separate home leveled readers?
I usually let them choose from their “just right” book box which is essentially the same as the home leveled readers but just in another location that is accessible for the kids. When I change them out myself, I use my own baskets of readers.
I do not have a full set of leveled readers. Can the read at home envelopes be used with printable leveled readers?
Absolutely! Send home the envelops with whatever reading material you want kids to read!
Advice for newer teachers like myself without access to leveled readers?
Hi Laura! I strongly suggest to start your own classroom library by purchasing leveled Scholastic book sets at a super reasonable cost. I would also find out what your school has already…hopefully they have a stocked book room. If they don’t, I would discuss with your admin and see how you can start up a leveled book room. There are also leveled printable books that you could purchase and print yourself. Best of luck!
Hi, I love the idea and appreciate the freebies! I’m wondering if you (or anyone reading) has ideas about how to do this while dealing with language differences. My school has many recent immigrants who speak a different home language than the books we have. I’ve tried having parents listen to them read and ask questions in the home language, but sadly some of my kiddos can’t answer back in their home language, so they use English which the parents can’t understand. I don’t want to create frustration between the kids and their parents. Has anyone figured a successful way around this? Thanks!
That’s a tuff situation you’re in! Hopefully othes can weigh in?!
What reading assessment do you use? Is it possible to get a copy of it?
I used the PM Benchmark assessment system that my school purchased. I recommend checking to see what you have available in your school.
Hello!:). Thank you so much for your great ideas! Do you send home the books you read with your kids during guided reading groups? Or are they always new books that they haven’t read before?
Hi Jessi! That is entirely up to you. If you want them to practice the book you are reading during guided reading you could send that. Kids do though enjoy picking their own “just right” book and I think it gets them more excited about reading.
Thank you for sharing your Home Reading Program ideas. I teach first grade and also send books home with my students. One way I have made it easier for myself is to let the students sign up for one day of the week that will be their day to get their books and return their books. I do this so that I only have 3-4 student book bags to go through each day rather than the whole class on one day. When they bring their books back, I ask them if they didn’t get to any or if they want to keep any for another week. It is also a way for me to find out what types of books they prefer. I send home a lot of books throughout the year. Some teachers think I’m crazy because they say I won’t get the books back. My thought is I’d rather give students a variety of books….. I can always replenish through my Scholastic Book orders or other school funding.
This was a wonderful thing! Children will like it and enjoy it very much, thanks for this ideas! However, I am currently working in Childhope Philippines, a non-government organization or NGO for children in the Philippines. We work to promote the welfare, uphold, and protect children’s rights, particularly children in street situations. And I’m looking for materials to used in our programs for street children, and some of the ideas will be helpful for us. Thanks for this!
Hello
I would love to have the copies of the reading folder info. For some reason when I click on the picture to download them it is blocking me. Is there anyway you can send them to me?
Thank you!
Stacy
Hi Stacy. You may have pop-up blockers on, bc when you click the image a box pops up for you to sign up. You can also sign up here and access this resource inside: https://proudtobeprimary.com/become-a-vit-very-important-teacher/
Elyse