Summer Reading
It isn't just good for you--it's fun!
When young people aren’t engaged in educational activities during the summer, they experience learning loss--known as the "summer slide." Reading over the summer can prevent summer learning loss.
Researchers Allington and McGill-Franzen at the University of Tennessee recently completed a study that showed significantly higher levels of reading achievement in students who received books for summer reading at home. Allington compares the summer reading slide to athletic fitness. "Just like hockey players lose some of their skills if they stay off their skates and off the ice for three months, children who do not read in the summer lose two to three months of reading development." Kids who do read tend to gain a month of reading proficiency.
Summer reading loss is cumulative. By the end of 6th grade, children who consistently lose reading skills over the summer will be two years behind their classmates.
Access to books is of paramount importance, and public library summer reading programs have also been shown to benefit students academically. Story hours, arts and crafts and other projects designed to enhance the reading experience all contribute to children's academic growth.
Public Library Teen Summer News
Get in the Game: Read! is for teens ages 13–17. Teens can pick up a reading log at any DeKalb County Public Library or sign up online and earn raffle tickets for hours read and/or literacy activities completed. There is no limit to the number of raffle tickets earned.
For more, click here for the DeKalb County Public Library Teen Pages.
25 Books All Young Georgians Should Read
The inaugural list of books for young readers was compiled in 2010 by the Georgia Center for the Book. It includes quality books in all categories, from tots to teens. Sure to provide reading pleasure.
Click to see the list!
Free Access to Over 8,000 Digital Books All Summer
myON Reader has partnered with the Get Georgia Reading Campaign to provide every child in Georgia with FREE access anytime, anywhere to a library of more than 8,000 enhanced digital books with multimedia supports — over the entire summer.
These digital books really bring stories to life and provide audio support that creates a truly magical experience for kids and teens, making the joy of reading fun for all!
Login information:
School Name: Get Georgia Reading
Username and password: read
Reading As a Teen Leads to Success
According to Peggy Gisler, Ed.S and Marge Eberts, Ed.S, when teens read more than just their classroom assignments, research clearly shows that they generally do well in school:
● Extra reading expands vocabularies.
● It shows them how different writers put down their thoughts, leading to better writing skills.
● Teens who read more serious literary works gain skills in handling complex ideas.
● The more teens read, the more information they pick up, leading to a solid core of knowledge that is useful in a wide variety of classes.
"Besides helping teens do well in school, reading also helps them expand their horizons as they learn more about people and the world. Reading can show teens that everyone has problems in his or her life, and may even help teens see solutions to their own problems.
Finally, reading is enjoyable. It can bring a great deal of pleasure to teens.
Parents can encourage their children to stay involved with reading by expressing interest in what they are reading and tying it to other activities. For example, if a teen is fascinated by racing stories, try to take the child to a race. If a teen likes a book that has been turned into a movie, make sure he or she sees the movie."
Destiny is DHMS's online library management system--your one-stop source for excellent databases for research as well as for reading.
The Home Page tab offers links to useful and educational web sites, including GALILEO, BrainPop, World Book products and TeachingBooks. Here you will find links to the DeKalb County libraries, FirstClass, and dozens of other sites that you might want. Passwords are being sent home with students in a special handout.
The Catalog tab offers access to materials in the DHMS library with descriptions and suggestions for extended resources. There is a tab for WebPath Express, with
thousands of educator-approved, leveled websites.
Have a smartphone, eReader, tablet, or a computer? From the Catalog, click on the Follett Shelf tab to check out eBooks!
- You must login using your 7-digit student #.
- The universal password is mydestiny
Georgia Book Award Nominees
The Georgia Children’s Book Award was established to foster a love of reading in the children of Georgia, and to introduce them to books of literary excellence. Books are nominated for the awards by teachers and media specialists from the state of Georgia. The final list of 20 nominees is selected by a committee of teachers and media specialists, but it is students who vote on the actual winner each year.
In the DeKalb County School District, the final list of 20 books are also used in preparation for the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl, a reading competition held annually in January. All students are encouraged to read these award-nominated books.
2016-2017 Georgia Children’s Book Award Finalists (Gr. 4 - 8)
- Beasley, Cassie. Circus Mirandus
- Benjamin, Al. The Thing About Jellyfish
- Bergman, Jennifer Chamblis. The Book Scavenger
- Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker. The War That Saved My Life
- Draper, Sharon. Stella by Starlight
- Gephart, Donna. Death by Toilet Paper
- Herrera, Juan Felipe. Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes
- Hunt, Lynda Mullaly. Fish in a Tree
- Jamieson, Victoria. Roller Girl
- Selznick, Brian. The Marvels
- Jones, Kelly. Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer
- Kodohata, Cynthia. Half a World Away
- Korman, Gordon. Masterminds.
- Martin, Ann M. Rain Reign
- Pinkney, Andrea Davis. The Red Pencil
- Sachar, Louis. Fuzzy Mud
- John, Jory & Barnett, Mac. The Terrible Two
- Applegate, Katherine. Crenshaw
- Sloan, Holly Goldberg. Appleblossom the Possum
- Black, Holly & Cassandra. The Iron Trial
Druid Hills Middle School
Website: http://www.druidhillsms.dekalb.k12.ga.us/
Location: 3100 Mt. Olive Dr., Decatur, GA 30033
Phone: 678-874-7602