10 Awesome Reading Lists for Your Middle Schooler's Summer
Let's get WEIRD!
That's what Middle School faculty told students at Western Academy of Beijing in February, when they introduced a new independent reading program: WAB Extended Independent Reading Days, or WEIRD. At its core, the initiative is designed to allow all Middle School students the chance to read independently and uninterrupted for 30 minutes every Tuesday. Extensive research has shown that students who read for pleasure are more successful in school and life.
"Reading builds literacy, listening, and academic skills; encourages and develops empathy; as well as increases lifetime earning potential," teachers Mary Montgomery and Tara Munch wrote in a letter to parents. "Students who read at least 20 minutes per day develop a growth mindset, which leads to their achieving more than they previously believed they could."
The team of teachers and librarians created activities to help students find books that will interest them, hosted events with hot chocolate to create atmosphere, and began developing reading lists with different themes.
Summer holiday is just a few weeks away, and the WEIRD organizers wanted to encourage their students to use the time off to read. They created nine summer reading lists to suit all types of interests, including world travelers, procrastinators, book lovers and more. Surely you can find one that will suit your tastes, as well.
Happy reading!
- Lianxi