New Life to Classic Literature!

Every year, it's a struggle to get my students to select certain titles from the library. Regardless of how much I "hype" the book, stating up and down that it's a classic that kids have enjoyed for decades, if it looks "like an old book" (as they say), they want no parts of it!

So this year, I set out to do something about that! I took a bunch of "old" books that I just knew kids would love if they gave them chance, and covered them in nice contact paper (I got this from Amazon). Then I just made a simple label on the computer and stuck it to the front of each book.

Then I put all the books on a book display rack that I have in my library (I love this display!! But, I did inherit it and so I don't know where it came from originally!). When my students came into class the next day, I didn't say anything about the display and never gave them permission to touch these books... so naturally, they were all over them!

I can't say that I've turned all my students into classic literature lovers, BUT, these books have gotten WAY more use out of them in the last month than they have in the last several years combined!! That's a success to me!

Do you have any creative ways to get students into reading classic literature? I'd love to hear from you!

Happy Teaching!!