Teen Transliteracy Summer Reading Part 2

Here is a link to the Teen Transliteracy Summer Reading Program Quest Book I created for the 2012 season.

All in all I am really disappointed. Let me preface that with I had really good program attendance but only had 5 teens of the 30 something who registered actually turn in their quest book at the end of the program. All summer long there were more teens who completed quests that I signed-off on but they failed to turn in their book so I could count up how many quests they finished thus awarding them raffle tickets.

Where did I go wrong?
In previous years they write down what they read in a home log book. Each item has a point value, 1 point=1 raffle ticket. They also have an official reading log that stays in the library and that I would keep after the program ended. Each time the teen comes into the library they transfer the info from their home log into the in-house one. This method saw many more teens filling out the official in-house log sheet as they did not have to turn anything in to me. I think where I went wrong this year was the having them turn something in.

What will I change for next year?
For next year I plan on keeping the reading quest idea but will include many more reading tasks. Those seemed to be the most popular ones. The photography related quests also were popular. Least popular= building a solar oven to make s'mores. What?, you ask! You cannot believe those darling teens did not want to make a solar oven and bring their dear old librarian a yummy s'more. Well I am here to tell you they didn't :(
My other idea for next year is instead of having them turn in their quest book to get credit I will give them credit when they have me sign off on the quest. To do this I will add a little tear away tab at the bottom of each page in the questbook. On this little tab I will have the teen's name, the quest, and a space for my initials. Then at the end of the summer I will sort these out and award raffle tickets from these tear away tabs. No more teens having to hand anything in!

Did anyone else experiment with Transliteracy this summer?

2012 Teen SRP Ideas

Ohh it's that magical time of year again. Time to start thinking of all the fun things I want to do over the summer and then figure out how I can turn them into a library program.

Here is my running list of possible programs for teen summer programs:

• Insanewiches Insane sandwich fun
• Yoga classes for teens
• Shrinky Dink Jewelry
• Steampunk jewelry
• Constellation T-shirts Clothing refab events always go over well
• Angry Birds Bowling- Possible fun activity to bring to the middle school with me
• Iron Chef Part II
• Cake Pops
• Frankenplush- Cut up old stuffed animals and teens sew different pieces together to make a frankenanimal.
• Tiny food art out of polymer clay. Okay fine I really just want to share my love of tiny food with the word!
• Candy sushi
• Fuse bead Nintendo art Use the pixel appeal of fuse beads to make beloved video game characters! I did fuse bead jewerly with my teens a few years ago, mondo fun!
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Transliteracy in Teen Summer Reading

I recently worked with two other librarians (Chrissie Morrison of the East Greenbush Library and Kaela Wallman of the Schenectady Public Library) on a presentation of incorporating transliteracy into your teen SRP. Transliteracy is the ability to be literate across multiple forms of media (books, radio, internet, tv, etc.) This Teen SRP challanges teens to complete quests rather than following the model of just tracking books or minutes read.

Teens will complete x number of quests and for each quest they get a raffle ticket. You can chose to have the raffle at the end of the summer or raffle off one item per week. To view our presentation click here

We created quests that use the various media in and out of the library. Kaela put some of the quests we brainstormed into a little book that the teens will use to records their quests over the summer.{ Booklet } In order to keep stats make each quest equal to a number of minutes if you report minutes, or a number of books if you ocunt books. Comment on this blog post if you have more Quest ideas! I love to read the creativity of librarians!

Quests:

• Watch a movie (fiction or documentary) based on the lifeof a musician, singer or band
• Write your own ghost story (at least 1 page long
• Read a book of your choice
• Using the website http://www.bartleby.com/100write 2 quotes you like and why
• Create a piece of art (photo,drawing, collage, painting,etc)based on a dream
• Read a book with the word star in the title
• Read a book about a famous musician, actor or athlete.
• Borrow & listen to a music CD from the library.
• Borrow and read a magazine from the library
• Write your own poem or song lyrics inspired by the night sky.
• Research a famous person from your town. Write things you learned about his or her life.
• Discover 2 famous people who share your birthday. How are you and they similar or different?
• Take a picture of yourself in front of a historical marker. For extra credit use the libraryto learn more about the site you chose
• Go star gazing and identify at least 3 constellations -- bonus raffle ticket for borrowing a book about stars/constellations from the library
• Become a fan of the library on Facebook and post on our wall the title of a book you recently read and write a review of it.
• Make a video about the Teen Space in the library and let us post it to our YouTube channel
• Take a photograph at night
• Build a reflective solar cooker & experiment by cooking a marshmallow in it to make s'mores! Instructions here http://stardate.org/teachers/activities/cooker
• Find out what the night sky looked like the on the evening of the day & year you were born
• Read a book that was recommended to you by a friend or librarian
• Visit another library in our library system and borrow a book from them with your library card
• Read a book published in 2012
• Read at least 2 books from your schools recommended summer reading list
• Listen to an audiobook

Summer Reading Prizes for Teens

Each year for my Teen Summer Reading teens read all summer long to rack up points. At the end of August we have a big party and each point a teen has earned over the summer translates into 1 raffle ticket. The teens then have the chance to try and win cool prizes in a Penny Social style raffle. I make sure to give ALL participants who logged any reading throughout the summer a gift bag with a book, ice-cream coupon, button, and candy. I also keep a special box of consolation prizes for teens who did not win anything at the raffle.

I buy most of my prizes from: Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, BJ's Wholesale, Target, Dick Blick Art Supplies,

Here are some of the best teen summer reading prizes I have given away:

• Themed Book Baskets (Twilight, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Chronicles of Narnia, Movie Night)
• Lego Kits
• Manga Drawing Books
• Sketch Pads and pens
• Candy and Cookies
• Domo Doll!
• T-Shirts
• Anything Book related (Hunger Games pins, Harry Potter Scarf)
• Purses
• Teen Book Bundles
• Wallet on a chain
• Wrist cuffs
• Metal Lunchboxes
• Justin Bieber Standee!
• Fun USB drives
• Gift Cards

Stuff They Were Not Into as Much as Me!:

• Chinese Calligraphy Set
• Dream Journals
• Stickers
• Chess Set
• How To Kits
• Japanese Candy
• Mario Brothers Beach Towel
• Magnetic Poetry

Here are some pictures of past summer reading prizes for teens I have awarded:

Teen SRP Prizes

Library Amazing Race Program

So I adore planning big events where I get loads of kids to come and explore the library..... they are kinda my thing. This summer the SRP manual had a great program idea called Dewey's Amazing Race based on the premise of the TV show "The Amazing Race." I thought it sounded right up our alley and would be a good way to keep a large group of kids entertained for about an hour and learn about the library!

Basically it works like this; there are 10 activity stations throughout the building and outside. I will break the kids into teams of 3 or 4 (dependent on how many kids show up). They will get a map of the grounds and where each of the activities are. At each station is a stamp and a stamp pad. Each team stamps their map when the station is complete. Each team who completes all 10 stations gets a prize (temporary tattoo) I have teen volunteers at the stations that are more involved to help out. They are also coming early to help do all the set-up.

Rather than make the teams finish each station in order let them jump around to alleviate congestion.

Station 1, 000: World Record Plunge Based on the Guinness Book of World Records students will replicate a feat from the book. One of the coldest inhabited places is Resolute, Canada, with an average temperature of -16 degrees Celsius. Participants plunge their hands into a bucket of ice water to retrieve a small toy at the bottom. Volunteer present
Station 2, 100: Spooky Treats Participants create an edible ghost by wrapping a lollipop in tissue, tying a piece of yarn around the neck, and using a black marker to make a face.
Station 3, 200: Goddess Golf Teams use crochet mallet to put the ball through arches labeled with the names of gods and goddesses. Each player must hit through 2 arches to move on. Volunteer present
Station 4, 300: Endangered Eggs Egg and Spoon. Players carry a picture of an endangered species that is taped to a wooden egg with a spoon and place them in a bucket labeled "Safe Place."
Station 5, 400: Guten Tag Participants match words for hello from different countries to the proper countries. They must get them all right to move on. Volunteer present
Station 6, 500: Under the Sea Participants will explore sea shells and petrified sea creatures using microscopes. Volunteer present
Station 7, 600: Fruit Kebabs Fruit Kebab from the Middle East. Cut up bananas, strawberries, apples, and other fruit using plastic knives. Place the pieces on toothpicks and eat carefully. Have kids finish eating before they move on to the next station. Volunteer present
Station 8, 700: Take off and Landing Participants make paper airplanes to be flown into buckets labeled with a foreign city. City suggestions: Tokyo, Rio, Rome, Paris. Volunteer present
Station 9, 800: Mad Words Have teams complete a Mad Lib
Station 10, 900: Where in the World? Hang up a large map of the world, give them a list of 4 countries they must find to advance. Volunteer present

Final station, have their map checked and get reward!

Endangered Animals for Station 4

Alternative to Summer Reading Incentives

For the past few years I have heard of libraries offering kids the option to donate to a non-profit organization instead of receiving prizes for summer reading. We give out a lot of fun little plastic toys, erasers, etc but I really want to teach kids life lessons whenever I can. (don't worry I am not preachy with them!)

This year for a change I set aside a little bit of the money I would normally use on summer reading incentive prizes to be used to donate to several non-profit organizations. This has turned out to be a huge success! This is how the program worked:

I created "Make a difference in the world" certificates (template) and placed them in the prize box. For every ten stickers a child gets on their reading chart (15 minutes=1 sticker) they get to pick a prize from the box. For these donation certificates kids must trade in 20 of their stickers and the library will donate $1.00 to the charity they choose. The charities I had as options include the local animal shelter, the Humane Society of the United States, and the Red Cross.

The real sacrifice for the kids is that they can have to give up not one but two prizes to donate to a charity. Parents are really excited about this program and love seeing their selfless children make such decisions.

At the end of the summer I send each charity a check along with a letter wit the names of all the kids who donated and how many hours they read to make their donation.

If there are issues with using public funding to run this program hook up with a local business and have them sponsor it. You can have a finite amount of dollars put away for the program. Be sure to research the charity you choose to make sure it fits with the libraries mission and is legit.

Kids Summer Reading Incentives

I love shopping for summer reading incentive prizes. Though this year I felt guilty about just giving away cheapie plastic stuff that will just take up space in the world so I tried to lean more towards useful prizes instead of pieces that will just break.

Oriental Trading is a great place to buy prizes. I have lived and learned what not to buy because often the quality of items is pretty low. This year I think I did a pretty rad shopping job if I do say so myself.

The way I run our summer reading for kids is children keep track of how many minutes they read or are read to. For every 15 minutes they read they can place a sticker on their reading chart. After a child gets 10 stickers (2.5 hours of reading) they can pick a prize from the prize box. Some kids come every week to get a prize and some only collect huge payloads once or twice over the summer. I put new prizes in the box each week with the prizes getting progressively better as the summer goes on.

Here are the prizes I offered this summer:

Oriental Wooden Bookmarks (not a big hit)
Oriental Wooden Fans (huge hit)
Stuffed Panda Bears (big hit)
Skateboard and Truck Erasers (hit)
Stackable Pencils and Adjustable Erasers (surprising hit)
Metal Skull Rings and Plastic Animal Print Rings (boys and girls love)
Parachute Monkeys (leftover from last year, still a hit)
Frog Finger Puppets (popular with toddlers)
Eye Bulge Critters (squeeze them and their eyes bug out, kids loved this)
Rainbow Crayons (not a huge hit, come on kids these are awesome!)

Waterguns (moderate hit)
Knight and Alien Rubber Duckies (they love the twist on traditional rubber duckies)
Glitter Stickers (moderate in popularity)
Country Flag Keychains (duds)
Sports Necklaces (popular)
Chinese Characters Wooden Bead Bracelet (okay, not as popular as I thought)

Travel to China

As part of the One World Many Stories summer reading theme this program will bring kids to China through crafts, cooking, and folktales.

The recipe we will make:

Cold Sesame Noodles (p.14 from the book Recipe and Craft Guide to China by Joanne Mattern)

1 pound thin spaghetti or lo mein noodles
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 cup tahini (can use peanut butter but why not spend an extra few dollars and give kids and authentic experience)
1/2 cup vegetable broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup chopped peanuts or chopped green onions

1. Fill saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Cook noodles about 8-10 minutes or until just soft. Drain and add 1 tablespoon sesame oil, mix and set aside to refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Place Tahiti, broth, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugr in a jar with a lid. Cover and shake well. Place in fridge about 1 hour.
3. Place the cold noodles on a serving dish. Top with Tahini mixture and mix well.
4. Garnish with chopped peanuts or chopped green onions if you want to. Serves 4 people.

Bubble Tea

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chilled, cooked large tapioca pearls (if substituting smaller tapioca, use 1/3 cup, can be purchased in Asian food market)*
1 cup crushed ice
1 cup very strong chilled black tea (or orange pekoe tea or Lichee tea, try and go for decaf for kids sake!)
1 cup milk, or to taste
Honey or sugar to taste

Directions:
Place the pearls in a large clear glass. Combine all remaining ingredients in a cocktail shaker (or cans with lids so the kids can help out), and shake vigorously until the mixture is frothy.
Pour into the glass, and serve with extra-thick straws.

How To Cook Tapioca Pearls:

6 to 8 cups water (the ration is a minimum 7:1 water to tapioca pearls)
1 cup tapioca pearls
In a large pot (Make sure the pot is big enough so boiling tapioca water will not spill over) over high heat, add water and bring to a boil.
Slowly stir in the tapioca pearls so that they do not stick together (after 1 minute, the tapioca pearls should float). Reduce heat to medium and let boil, covered, for approximately 15 minutes; turn the heat off and let the tapioca pearls site, covered, for an additional 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove from heat, rinse the tapioca pearls in cold water, and drain.

NOTE: The cooking time above is a general guideline. If you shorten the cooking time, you will get chewier tapioca balls. Cook longer and you will get less elastic tapioca balls.


Crafts:

Paper Cutouts (p.37 from the book Recipe and Craft Guide to China by Joanne Mattern)
Chinese people often use paper cutouts to decorate their homes. They cut out pictures of animals, flowers, or decorative designs and tape them to windows or doors.

Materials
-Construction paper in 2 different contrasting colors
-Pencil
-Scissors
-Glue

Trace template and cut out. Glue the cutout design to a darker piece of construction paper.

Paper Tangrams

Book:
Tiki Tiki Tembo by Arlene Mosel

Cinderella Around the World Program

This is a program I am doing for grades 3-5 as part of the "One World, Many Stories" summer reading theme. I will read a couple Cinderella tales from around the world. The group will help me make a list of common elements that make these Cinderella stories. Class will be broken up into groups of three or four and will compose their own 1 page Cinderella story to read in fron of the class. Sillyness is encouraged! I will have Volunteens going around and helping each group.

* Post program note: Only had 3 of the kids show up! So instead of writing our own Cinderella story on our own we went around a circle and each told one line of the story. The end result was pretty hilarious and the kids and myself had a ball!

The Books:


Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal by Paul Fleischman

(Blend of worldwide tales)

The Rough-Faced Girl by Rafe Martin

(Algonquin Indian) * Read aloud

The Gift of the Crocodile by Judy Sierra (Indonesia)

Domitila adapted by Jewell Reinhart Coburn
(Mexico)




The Korean Cinderella by Shirley Climo
(Korea)



Fair, Brown & Trembling by Jude Daly
(Ireland)

The Egyptian Cinderella by Shirley Climo
(Egypt)




Kongi and Potgi by Oki Han
(Korea)

Cendrillon by Robert D. San Souci
(Caribbean)

Sootface by Robert D. San Souci
(Ojibwa Indian)




Smoky Mountain Rose by Alan Schroeder
(Appalachia)
*possible read aloud





Yeh-Shen by Ai-Ling Louie
(China)





Adelita by Tomie dePaola
(Mexico)





Little Gold Star by Robert D. San Souci
(Spanish)




Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe
(Africa)




Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl (Cinderella section)

Summer Reading Library/School Promotion Development

Content from Sue Rokos of the Mohawk Valley Library System


Try the following for fairly easy yet effective collaborations:

• ask the school to put your public library card on the list of required school supplies;
• ask the school to exchange website links with you (your library on the school’s page; the school on your library’s page);
• ask the school librarian and/or principal to participate at a summer library program; or
  
• plan a collaborative recognition event in the fall for students completing your SRP
• request permission from school, and as school allows, provide note or sticker for every student’s report card for school serving grades k-5 saying:
  

(srp font graphic here)
Keep your kids reading all summer
For better grades in the fall
Summer Reading Programs
At your local public library

(some libraries provide crack and peel stickers)

Some suggestions that might need more development:

• Request help from school in identifying and recruiting the children who need summer programs the most. In collaboration with that school, develop a method to reach out to those families to invite participation. Track your success in having them come to the library or participate at least once, and report back to the school at the end of the summer.

• Prepare materials about Summer Reading Program targeted to teachers and request distribution at teacher/staff meetings.

• Produce and deliver promotional material and information regarding your Summer Reading Program to every school serving k-12 in your service area.

A possible grant idea that might work for a small local grant:

Fostering social reading with multiple copies of hot titles. There’s a great article with the steps spelled out at:

http://thereadingzone.wordpress.com/2009/06/27/how-to-foster-social-reading/

http://thereadingzone.wordpress.com/2009/06/22/you-have-to-read-this/

This is from the document (think buzz words!!!) that the state youth consultants sent to the state commissioner:


Through Summer Reading, public libraries also have the ability to help combat aliteracy, a phenomenon that emerges during the elementary school years of being able to read but having no motivation to do so. By partnering with local schools, public libraries can provide alternate outlets (databases, learning materials, test prep courses, story time) and times (extended hours when schools are closed) for educational needs that will only enhance what the school system already provides.

Initiate and strengthen school/library partnerships and outreach to parents and caregivers by:

• Helping patrons and nonusers:To see the connection between the public library, schools, literacy and lifelong learning.
  

• To understand the role of the public library as a partner with the school systems in the education of young people.

• To recognize the public library as a rich educational resource outside of the school environment that can supplement what is provided in the schools and to help bridge the learning gap when school is not in session.

In an effort to reach these goals and to strengthen partnerships with schools, public library staff can:

• Reach out to every school in chartered areas to provide literature, promotional material and/or information regarding Summer Reading at their local public library.

• Reach out to every school in chartered areas to promote in person Summer Reading programs and the role of their public libraries as a learning environment.

• Connect with PTAs/PTOs/Youth Organizations during the school year to communicate the importance and value of Summer Reading programs and the public library as an integral part of the academic experience for all ages.

Excellent service to children and teens is paramount to the mission of public libraries. Along with schools, public libraries are positioned to help students develop the new skills they will need to compete in the twenty-first century economy.

Great Book for Summer Reading Cooking Programs

 

The Around the World Cookbook, 2008, DK Publishing by Abigail Johnson Dodge is a really fun book to inspire cooking programs in the library.  With easy recipes and  great colorful pictures this cookbook is wonderful for all ages.  Pair up a recipe from a region with a book from your collection.  Read the book aloud  and work with the group to cook an appropriate recipe.  For example read the Russian folktale "The Turnip" then cook the recipe for Roasted Beets (close enough!) You could even go one step further and incorporate a little food/garden lesson on how root vegetables are grown.  

I am planning on a potluck family dinner this summer as part of the summer reading theme "One World, Many Stories."  This cookbook could be used by patrons to help choose a dish to make and bring to the dinner.