Here is an exciting way to keep kids reading and staying up-to-date with current events issues.  From June 13th to the end of August, students can receive two news articles per week at Camp Newsela’s site. These can be chosen from seven different interest categories.  According to the site:

Screen Shot 2016-06-02 at 2.19.42 PMKids can join one or more of the Newsela reading clubs using the special enroll codes found on Camp Newsela’s site.  These clubs focus on different topics like politics, space and technology. If kids have access to an iOS device they can use the Newsela app…to access the articles. (Camp Newsela Summer Reading Club for Current Events)

This is a great way to promote interest in current events and prevent summer slide in reading skills.  There is an element of competition at Camp Newsela to add to the fun and students can enter more than one reading club. When the Camp Newsela ends on Friday, August 19, they will calculate how many students have read and completed at least 80% of the assignments and achieved a score of at least 2 out of 4 on the quizzes. The winning Reading Clubs will be offered the chance to vote to contribute towards a DonorsChoose project.

In order to enroll, all students have to do is:

  1. Log in or create an account on Newsela. (The Quick Start Guide for Students explains how students create accounts and join classes. To create a Student Account, a student must be provided with a Class Code by a Teacher, Parent or Administrator. If children are under age 13, they may not register for a Learner Account and can only use the services if a teacher, parent or administrator provides them with a Class Code or Student Account.)
  2. To join a Reading Club, navigate to newsela.com/join/.
  3. Once there, they enter one of the Newsela Class Codes provided.

Happy Reading!