KU Reading Program
for Grades 2-6
November 04, 2007
The University of Kansas Reading Program for Children began in 1946. Since then, more than one million Kansas youngsters have participated in the reading program. During the 2006-07 school year, students from 189 elementary and middle schools in more than 150 Kansas cities participated.
The program is open to all Kansas students in Grades 2-6, and it encourages students to sample a variety of literature, while at the same time, expand their level of reading difficulty. The KU reading guidelines suggest that students read at least 12 books. For Grades 4 and above, this also includes reading at least one book from each of the following categories: fiction, biography, fairy tales and folklore, history and places, and poetry.
Reading rewards
Each child who successfully fulfills their first year of the
reading program will receive a certificate of achievement signed by
the chancellor of KU. They will also receive either a silver seal
for reading the minimum of 12 books or a gold seal for reading 24
books or more. For each subsequent year in which the child fulfills
the program’s goals, an additional silver or gold seal will be
earned. Children are eligible for only one seal per year.
Students who have earned four seals will receive a brightly embroidered Jayhawk patch that can be placed on a jacket, a backpack, a locker, or wherever they choose -- the possibilities are limitless, when one chooses to succeed by reading.
Emphasis on Kansas history
To further enhance the teaching of local history, the KU Reading
Program has introduced the Kansas History track. For every book
that a student reads on Kansas history, he or she will each receive
a Jayhawk bookmark with a beak that opens to hold their pages and a
program reading list. Two bookmarks for two history books read, 10
bookmarks for 10 books read, etc. This particular reward is
sponsored by the Kansas State Historical Society.
Interested in science?
Children who read half of their books in the field of life sciences
will be eligible to earn a special Life Sciences Institute Award.
This reading track will encourage students to explore the
fascinating world of life sciences – from dinosaurs to DNA, or from
bugs to whales. Last year, students were awarded a special LED book
light for their reading efforts in the field of life sciences.
The ultimate goal
Just like sports, this is a voluntary program and is separate from
the regular school curriculum. The goal is to help children
discover that reading is fun. Although the program does reward
students for achieving their reading goals, their ultimate reward
is to start a reading habit that lasts a lifetime.
Readers who participate and complete this program will be recognized during end-of-the-year school assemblies.
