Summer Reading Olympics
Fossil Ridge High School
Don't you want to get ahead rather than fall behind the pack this summer?
Summer reading is like anything else: you have to be intentional and have a goal in place before the summer starts, or the weeks will slip away and you will find yourself back at school in August without having read a single book during the summer. Reading will not happen magically all by itself, just like you won't wake up one day and weigh 20 pounds less, or randomly find $20,000 in your savings account without having intentionally worked towards that goal for some time.
So let's set our summer reading goals now so that we can intentionally work towards completing it!
Choose Your Challenge
Throughout the summer, you will log on to the corresponding Google Form for your sport (or event) when you complete a reading activity (the link will come to you as a text message reminder.) Participants who successfully complete a summer challenge (and log it) will have a big, fat, delicious piece of CAKE delivered to you (in class) in September! You'll get to eat your cake and enjoy it while everyone else who did not participate stares longingly at your cake. There will also be one student and one teacher winner in each of the 10 "Olympic Sport" categories. Winners will receive a free Chick-fil-A breakfast delivered to your first period!
The winner will be the person who logged the MOST entries in that "Sport" throughout the whole summer. (Maximum one entry per day). If the sport only requires you to log the activity once (such as Weightlifting, see below), then the winner's name will be drawn at random from the participants who completed the challenge.
Here are the 10 Sporting Events in the 2016 Reading Olympics!
400 Meter Dash
Challenge: Read or listen to a book, article, or podcast for 20 consecutive minutes. (Come see Mrs. Flynt in the library before summer if you want to get your phone set up with free audiobooks).
Activity log: Log this activity at least 20 times this summer to complete the race
(*So did you get it, 20x20=400? Hence the "400 Meter Dash?" Trying to be somewhat clever here and tie in the challenge to the name in some random way!)
4x4 Relay
Challenge: Pick your team of 4 people (you plus 3 friends). Each member selects 1 book. Read the book, then pass it on to a teammate. Pass around the books until all 4 members have read all 4 books.
Activity log: Each member must log this activity 4 times this summer, upon completion of each book.
Triple Jump
Challenge: Read 3 consecutive books in a series. All three books must be books you have never read before. An acceptable alternative challenge would be to read 3 books by the same author (if you're wanting to read some non-fiction titles).
Activity log: Log this activity 3 times this summer, upon completion of each book.
Synchronized Swimming
2-Part Challenge: Pick a reading buddy (or buddies), and agree upon 2 books that you will both read at the same time (I mean, not literally at the exact same time every day, but over the same time period. Hence the "synchronized" tie-in!) Agree upon how long you have to finish the book. Hold each other accountable through texts or social media to finish on time. Talk about the book, your progress, your likes, dislikes, etc. Go have lunch together as a reward when you finish the book!
Part 2 of this challenge: Every time you go to a pool, beach, or lay out for a sun tan this summer, dedicate at least 20 minutes of that time to reading your "buddy book."
Activity Log: Log your 20 minutes of pool-side reading at least 10 times this summer. Log once more when you've finished each book (so 12 activity logs total).
Weightlifting
Challenge: Read the fattest, heaviest book you can find. Needs to be around 600 pages to qualify.
Activity log: Log this activity once this summer.
Water Polo
Challenge: Workout, ride your bike, jog, or play a sport for at least half an hour in the evening. Afterwards, soak in a nice long bath. Read a book or listen to an audio book for as long as you are in the bath tub.
Activity log: Log this activity at least 10 times this summer.
Triathlon
3-Part Challenge: 1) Read one non-fiction book 2) read a book in the genre of Historical Fiction 3) Read one book from the 2015 or 2016 Tayshas reading list.
Activity Log: Log this activity 3 times this summer, upon the completion of each book.
Beach Volleyball
Challenge: Contact any current or former volleyball player or coach and ask them for a good book recommendation. Read the book they recommend to you. Players and coaches can be from FRHS, any high school, any college, any volleyball club, local or distant. You could even try reaching out to a famous volleyball player and see if she'll respond! You might have to do a little research and reach out to people through social media or email and explain your challenge. If you're stuck and can't find a volleyball player, pssst... your friendly FRHS librarian is a former college volleyball player!
Additionally, an acceptable alternative to this challenge is to locate a book with a fierce, strong, female protagonist who exudes self-confidence and determination in her attitude and actions. No weak, average protagonists allowed! This book may be fiction or non-fiction.
Activity Log: Log this activity once, upon completion of the book.
Sailing
2-Part Challenge: Read a book you have not read, and then watch the movie (that you have not seen) with a friend. Part 2: Watch any 5 episodes of PBS Nova online or on your phone (or Apple TV).
Activity Log: Log this activity a total of 6 times, one for the book, and 5 for each episode viewed.
Diving
2-Part Challenge:
Part 1: download the Overdrive and Nook apps onto your device. Connect them to the Fort Worth Public Library using your library card number (you'll have to get one if you haven't yet - this will require a trip to the public library). Read a magazine that interests you (Overdrive will transfer the magazine to your Nook app). Then click on Audiobooks and filter search by "Available Now." Listen to an entire audiobook in the Overdrive app.
Part 2: Download the Brytewave K-12 app. Connect to Fossil Ridge High School. (Your username is your school ID number, and your password is your school ID number.) Listen to any audiobook available.
Activity Log: Log this activity twice, once after you finish an audiobook in Overdrive, and again after finishing one in Brytewave K-12.
How do I sign up?
Choose your events and text the following codes to 81010:
(if the 81010 number is not working, you can always text the code to 703-991-7565.
400 Meter Dash: text @400met to 81010
4x4 Relay: text @4x4r to 81010
Triple Jump: text @26d44 to 81010
Synchronized Swimming: text @d67ab to 81010
Weightlifting: text @9de93k to 81010
Water Polo: text @k2k66 to 81010
Triathlon: text @hgh8e to 81010
Beach Volleyball: text @2dh37 to 81010
Sailing: text @7bgfb4 to 81010
Diving: text @g642k to 81010
You will receive periodic reminders this summer to complete your reading activities and log them on the Google Form. The link to the Google Form will be included in the text message reminders. EACH SPORT WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT FORM FOR LOGGING YOUR READING ACTIVITIES. Just make sure that if you're participating in more than one sport, that you click on the correct link to log your reading.
Can Teachers Participate?
One teacher winner for each of the 10 sports (only competing against other teachers, not students), will receive recognition from Mr. Hadley (and a special treat!) in front of all the FRHS faculty during our back-to-school teacher meetings in August!