Wildcat Reading Programs



Accelerated Reader (AR)

What it is:

The Media Center sponsors the Accelerated Reader (AR) program at Palm City Elementary. The AR program is designed to encourage students to practice reading often and to help increase reading comprehension. Each student is assigned a Zone of Proximate Development (ZDP) after completing a computerized reading assessment. A ZDP defines a range of recreational reading material that would most benefit the students.

How it works:

Every quarter, reading teachers assign each student an individual quarterly goal. Every student in second, third, fourth and fifth grades is expected to read and reach his or her individual quarterly goal and maintain an average percent correct as determined by the teacher.

Students are expected to read and take AR tests independently. Taking tests for other students, providing students with answers to AR tests and/or taking an AR test without reading the book is considered cheating. Cheating on an AR test is a serious matter and will result in disciplinary action. 

The quizzes can be taken at school during school hours. You may search our list of quizzes and print out your own specialized list for your children's reading level below. Or you may select books from the Featured Lists on the left of the search screen. This list is updated with every new quiz we purchase.

Search our AR Quiz List  Updated 1/28/2010

Rewards:

The Accelerated Reader committee promotes the AR program by awarding prizes to students who successfully reach their AR quarterly goals.

Students will earn punches for the AR cards by maintaining an average percent correct of 80% or higher and reaching 100% of their quarterly AR goal by the quarterly deadlines. Prizes are awarded each quarter through the AR Prize Patrol. We'll bring the prizes to the grade level hallways after each quarter ends. Dates for these events will be announced close to the end of each quarter.

During the entire year students are working toward the end of the year beach party. This will occur instead of a fourth quarter party. Students will earn their way to each level of the party by earning stars for books that they read and AR goals that they meet. 

Sunshine State Young Reader Award Program (SSYRA)

All third, fourth and fifth grade students may participate in the Sunshine State Young Reader’s Award Program. It is recommended that less mature readers have the books screened for content. Often the classroom teacher or media specialist can make recommendations to students or parents. 

Each year, books are nominated by educators for this award. Students who read three or more of the books on this annual list are eligible to vote for their favorite book in the Spring. The book that receives the most votes in Florida is declared the winner. Last year's winner was Roland Smith's Cryptid Hunters.

Students in grades three through five who have read a SSYRA book and have reached at least one of their AR quarterly goals will be eligible to participate in the end of the year Beach Party on June 3, 2010. The more books they read and the more AR goals that they reach will earn them more exciting activities at the party.


Florida Reading Association Children's Book Award Contest (FRA)

Each year, eight picture books are chosen to be in the FRA contest. Students in kindergarten, first and second grade listen to all eight stories in the media center or classroom and vote for their favorite book! Votes from all over Florida are counted to determine a winner. Last year's winner was Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale.  

 
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