Reading Response Homework Logs

We have all seen the data and know how important it is for our students to read outside of the classroom on a daily basis.  Almost every teacher and school district I know requires at-home reading during the week. 

But, do we really want to know what page they started and stopped on?  Do we just want our kids to write down the number of minutes we told them to read?  For my own daughter's nightly reading, the school-wide system is to have the parents initial a box on a calendar {see photo below}.  Really?  That's it?!  Where's the thinking?  Why not practice important reading strategies and skills they are working on in class?  Why not bring more meaning and substance to their nightly reading?  

So, I decided to create Reading Response Homework Logs for my class.  Instead of students charting page numbers and minutes, they will answer just ONE Common Core reading strategy prompt based on their at-home reading that day.  

Every Monday, send home the one-sided sheet with the directions, daily reading tasks, and response space.  My kiddos turn in their Reading Response Homework Log on Fridays. There are 10 different response logs to choose from (in color and black/white) that can be completed with any fiction book.  You could use one format each month, rotate each week, or pick and choose based on your classroom focus and student needs.  I like to change them up each week for more variety.  Each log has cute, simple graphics for easy copying that are NOT month specific, perfect for anytime of the year.  And, no two reading tasks are exactly identical, so our kids are thinking about new strategies and concepts each night!  Woo hoo!

These fiction reading logs were such a hit with my students and parents.  So much more worthwhile and useful than my traditional reading logs!  Of course I had to take full advantage of this enthusiasm and make Non-Fiction Reading Response Logs for when we are teaching skills and strategies related to informational texts.  

The Informational Reading Logs were a more effective than I thought.  Rarely do kids choose to reading informational texts at home.  But, this was the first time I actually guided my students and gave them the supporting tools to read these kinds of texts at home.  I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner!!

If you'd like to take a peek, click here to head to my TpT store.  I'm in the process of making the logs editable so teachers can alter them any way they see fit.

BUT...I'd love to know what YOU do in your classroom!  Do you monitor nightly reading?  Use a calendar?  Something different?  Nothing at all?  I'd love for you to comment below about what you or your school uses to support and encourage nightly reading!

Happy Reading!