On Friday, Oct. 1, Jarvis fifth graders started a special project: an all-grade book club! The school held a special assembly introducing the idea and giving each student a copy of Gordon Korman’s Restart. It is a fictional story about an eighth grader forced to restart his life and relationships after he loses his memory in an accident. (Sorry, no more details. We don't want to spoil it.)
This is different from other book clubs, because it includes every student in fifth grade, reading the same book at the same time. Students read a little every day at home, following this Restart calendar. The calendar outlines each day's reading and includes links to accompanying questions or videos. The chapters are short and should take no more than 15 minutes to read or to follow along with YouTube Read Aloud. On some days, students are asked to complete a few short questions. Students who complete the questions earn a chance to win weekly prizes.
This is designed to be a fun, family activity. The story is easy to understand and will appeal to everyone at any age, even younger siblings. Reading chapter books along with children, even when they are able to read by themselves, strengthens their reading and makes them better learners. Simply put, the better a student reads, the better they do in all of their classes.
Parents with questions are asked to contact the Jarvis Middle School office at 315-866-2620