BLOGS > JULY 16, 2024
BY LAURALEE MOSS
Starting First Chapter Friday in your middle school or high school language arts classroom? You won’t regret it! Starting First Chapter Friday requires no special tools, only students and a high-interest book with a dynamic first chapter. Implementing First Chapter Friday is simple. You have a few decisions to make concerning how you will implement the process in your classroom, but the actual activity is simple.
Before Starting
First, choose a book that students will want to borrow. (If you are looking for a First Chapter Friday book, I have ten listed below.) Then, advertise the book to students before Friday. This can be a pretty note on your board, a posting in your digital classroom or the title on your letter board.
Research the book and the author. You will not only want to decide if the book will fit your community, but you will also want to find tidbits about the author that will interest students. Find the author’s social media channels or a clip from an interview. One of the beautiful benefits of First Chapter Friday is to connect literature to students’ lives.
You can check out Follett’s #FirstChapterFriday video list where the authors read the first chapter of their book!
Titlewave is also a great place to get more insight into a book you are considering. With professional reviews and Follett Tags to use, you’ll be able to determine if it’s a good fit.
Before Friday, decide when you would like to read to students. I read at the start of class so that our discussions don’t get cut short. Finally, decide what procedures you expect of your students. I simply tell students that they will need to listen without their iPads or phones. I allow students to doodle if that helps them to focus.
On Friday
Start with running the procedures by students. I rarely explain procedures more than once or twice!
Then, introduce the book, almost like a book talk. I often show screenshots of Instagram or Twitter posts from my research about the author. Some teachers put a crackling fire on the overhead to set the mood.
Read the first chapter to students. Reading aloud with secondary students might seem odd if you’ve never done so, but students will enjoy it. As you finish, tell students they may borrow the book if they like it. Sometimes a conversation will start about the author or part of the first chapter. I place the book up front so students can see it, and then I start class. Simple!
Whether you're just starting First Chapter Friday, or have already done a few, you might still have questions. Below, I’ve included four benefits of reading aloud with secondary students.
You’ll find your own benefits of First Chapter Friday and your own routines.
LAURALEE MOSS
Lauralee Moss has taught high school English in Illinois for over ten years. She holds a BS in English Education from Southern Illinois University and an MA in Teaching and Leadership. She blogs at LanguageArtsClassroom.com. You can find her on Instagram and at home with her husband, three kids, and crazy dog.
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