The Genre Challenge in Full Swing!

The Genre Challenge has officially launched!  Some classes have already begun and the rest will follow suit next week.  I am sending home a packet that includes the following information, plus the genre challenge evidence sheet.  The students are excited and so am I!  So here is the deal, with the first section being directed towards students:

By the end of the year, the expectation is that EVERY student will have read their grade level’s required genre targets.  All it takes is one book and one evidence paper to document each genre!

Getting started…

• Find the book that fits one of your identified targets (use the OPAC or a display in the library).  You can read in English or Spanish.
• Complete a CAT slip WIH THE GENRE IDENTIFIED on the top.
• Glue the CAT slip on your portfolio.

Completing the goal…

• Read the book and be watching for evidence to prove it fits in the genre you identified.
• Complete a genre evidence sheet and turn it in to Mrs. Ferrell
• Once I have read it and approved it, you will STAMP the CAT slip on your portfolio- DONE!
• Begin again with a new genre target!

Rewards…

Complete ALL of your required targets=        Free meal at Applebee’s!

For every 3 genres completed after that=      Get a spin on the prize wheel!

If you complete ALL the genres listed on the genre definition sheet, you’ll be invited to a special Genre Champions party with pizza, ice cream and prizes!

FAQ about the Genre Challenge...

What are the required targets for the genre challenge?

Grade 1: Traditional Fairy Tales, Poetry, Fantasy

Grade 2:  Mystery, Legends, Poetry, Fantasy

Grade 3: Myths, Fables (folk tales), Poetry, Biography/Autobiography

Grade 4: Historical Fiction, Tall Tales, Mystery

Grade 5: Science Fiction, High Fantasy, Informational, Historical Fiction 

How does my child get the Applebees certificate?

If each of the grade level targets are read for your child’s grade and there is an adequate evidence sheet provided for each target, the students will meet the minimum requirement and be awarded the Applebees meal. 

 

How does my child set his goal?

Grades 1 and 2 will have help in class to set their goals for the grade level targets that are identified for that grade leveland fill out the top part of their evidence sheets in class, but will need to do the reading OR HAVE THE BOOK READ TO THEM on their own time.  If students wish to progress beyond the minimum targets, they will need to work on goal setting during their check out time or before or after school.

 

Grades 3-5 will have help in class to set their first goal and one other goal setting session during class.  They will be expected to read the book and complete the evidence sheet on their own time.  They will also need to set other goals during check out time or before or after school.

 

How can I help my child meet the genre challenge beyond the basic requirements?

You can go online to our school’s library catalog http://library.wsd.wednet.edu/common/welcome.jsp?site=102 and search for books in a particular genre once you go to the “catalog” tab at the top of the page.  If you ask your child to bring home a CAT slip then you can find the book in our catalog and fill it out (genre on top, C= Call number, which is either an E, F or Number followed by the first 3 letters of the author’s last name, A= Author, with last name followed by first name, T= Title).  If he or she brings it to library, we can go out and find that book if it is in- you can check availability on the computer as well.

 

Discuss the genres your child is reading and help them get a better understanding of what that genre is all about.  You shouldn’t expect that your child knows all of these genres yet.  Some they will never have heard about, but they will know their targets by the end of the school year.  This is a great way to expose them to a wide variety of literature and enhance the studies they are doing in the classroom and the library.

Here are the genres we are using for the genre challenge and a brief description...

Science Fiction Genre

Story based on impact of actual, imagined, or potential science, usually set in the future or on other planets.

 

Fantasy Genre

Fiction with strange or other worldly settings or characters; fiction which invites suspension of reality.

 

High Fantasy Genre

Fiction with strange or other worldly characters, which invites suspension of reality and is set in a completely different world.

 

Historical Fiction Genre

Story with fictional characters and events in a historical setting.

 

Biography/Autobiography Genre

Narrative of a person's life, a true story about a real person.

 

Mystery Genre

Fiction dealing with the solution of a crime or the unraveling of secrets.

 

Informational Literature Genre

Informational text dealing with an actual, real-life subject.

 

Poetry

Verse and rhythmic writing with imagery that creates emotional responses.

 

Traditional Literature (Folklore) Genre

Stories that were initially oral and were written down at a later date. There are many forms- myths, fables, legends, folktales, fairy tales, trickster tales, tall tales, and porquoi tales. Many of the categories do overlap.

• Fable- A story that teaches lesson: a short story with a moral, especially one in which the characters are animals.
• Fairy Tale- A story involving fantastic forces and beings (such as fairies, wizards, and goblins).  Also can be a story in which improbable events lead to a happy ending
• Legend- An old story: a story that has been passed down for generations, especially one that is presented as history but is unlikely to be true.
• Myth- Ancient story: a traditional story about heroes or supernatural beings, often attempting to explain the origins of natural phenomena or aspects of human behavior.
• Tall Tale- A story that tells the wild adventures of hugely exaggerated folk heroes. The tall tale is often an oral form of entertainment; the audience appreciates the imaginative telling rather than the literal meaning of the tales.

 

Adventure Genre

A story about a main character who journeys to epic or distant places to accomplish something. Can have many other genre elements included within.

 

Realistic Fiction

Although untrue, the story could actually happen.  Some events, people, and places may even be real.