The Mouse House Club is a cooperative reading project between the home and school. The children take a book home every night except Friday. The book goes home in a ziplock bag. Once home, the child reads the book to the parent, the parent reads to the child, or both. Then put the book back in the bag and send it back in for an exchange. The following morning, the child returns their book, picks a new one out, and gives themselves a sticker. At the end of the year, the child can see how many books they read in first grade!
The books for the night are generally geared toward their level so that the child does most of the reading. I tell the children which baskets they can choose from based on their reading level in my class. I do this for a few reasons: to avoid frustration levels at home, to build security and familiarity with levels they are working at, and to provide a continuum of levels throughout the year.
This project can only be successful if all parties involved work together. The growth of a child's reading ability in first grade is one of the most amazing testaments to this cooperation. I look forward to a successful Mouse House Membership. |
