Book Box Check

We feel passionate about students being able to choose what is in their book boxes, but it isn't a blind trust. We revisit the importance of having good-fit books at least once a week after launching Read to Self. We share good-fit books of our own, have students share how they are selecting good-fit books, and invite guests into the room to share their own book selection process and how it fits the I-PICK process. We provide individual support as needed to ensure that students have books they are interested in and can read independently.  

After teaching students about good-fit books using I-PICK, I sometime follow up with a demonstration using hand weights and the goal of getting fit. If I want to get strong, I need a just-right weight. One that is too light won't provide any benefit at all. One that is too heavy might hurt me. A just-right weight is one that I can move independently and fluently, and it leads to increased strength.  

The lesson paints a powerful word picture that students can readily understand. After demonstrating with weights, I use a matching tally sheet to check my own reading stack. After modeling, students empty their book boxes and evaluate each book against the weights analogy. They adjust the contents in response to what they discover.

I do a formal book-box check like this a few times a year using the weights form or another one that is more aligned with I-PICK.