I Love to Read Week – Immaculate Heart of Mary School

A grade 1 student in the Library during “Stop, Drop, and Read”

This year, IHMS celebrated “I Love To Read Week” from Tuesday, February 22 to Thursday, February 25 (it was a short week because Friday was an administration day – no classes). During these four days, students were involved in activities that promoted and celebrated reading in their daily lives.

The theme for this year’s “I Love to Read Week” was:

Mission Impossible? … Choose to Accept the Challenge!

The first activity in this year’s “I Love to Read Week” began on Monday morning before classes even started! Students in each grade competed against students in every other grade in order to solve a daily mystery question about books in their classroom.

This is how it worked: After listening to the “Mission Impossible” theme played over the intercom during morning exercises, a daily mystery question was read as a challenge to the students. Every grade that solved the daily mystery question received a certain number of points based on how quickly they solved the question. At the end of the week, the class with the most points wins a mystery prize!

In the top 4 photos, students from each grade had to scurry to the Library (no running!) to prove to Ms. Rowe that the book they brought on behalf of their class satisfies the criteria given over the intercom during morning exercises. In this case, the criteria was to bring a book that takes place in an imaginary land. Each grade is awarded points based on the order in which they show up. The bottom photo shows students on the first day of the contest showing Mr. Dedio a book containing the word “love”.

In addition, “I Love To Read Week” wouldn’t be the same without an activity done every year in the past called “Stop, Drop, and Read”. At various times throughout the day, when a pre-arranged sound plays over the intercom (This year, the sound is the theme music for “Mission Impossible”), students stop whatever they are doing and start reading a book.

Students in the Computer Room during “Stop, Drop, and Read”

Monday, February 22 was not only the first day of “I Love To Read Week”, it was also the 100th day of the current school year. Because 100 is a large number for smaller kids, “100 Day” was only celebrated by the grade 1-3 students. To do this, the downstairs teachers devised various activities to give their students a more concrete idea of how big 100 really is.

Grade 2 students celebrating the number 100 on “100 Day”

Wednesday, February 24 was another NUT day at IHMS – Pink Shirt Day. Students who wanted to show their support against bullying paid a $2.00 fee for the privilege of wearing a pink shirt instead of their usual school uniform.

Grade 2 students dressed appropriately for Pink Shirt Day

On Thursday, February 25, a Winnipeg author named Julia Schettler was a guest reader at IHMS as part of “I Love to Read Week”. The author read from her newly published children’s book entitled “Fur is Only Fur Deep”.

Winnipeg author Julia Schettler reading from her newly published children’s book entitled “Fur is Only Fur Deep”

Also on Thursday, February 25th, the Used Book Store opened for business for the 24th consecutive yea! The Used Book Store isn’t really a store, it’s a way to trade a previously read “used book” for a different used book. Students who wanted to participate brought an appropriate picture book or novel to school a few days earlier, and in exchange they received a coupon that could be used to acquire another book on February 25th. Each classroom had a time slot when they could visit the Used Book Store.

Grade 1 students choosing new books to read

This was a great way for children to share old favorites with other students and to come home with books which may soon become new favorites.

A student excited about the two new books he got from the Used Book Store

“I Love to Read Week” was a lot of fun and an interesting time for the students. Hopefully, they learned to love and appreciate reading even more than ever!