Innovative Reading Grant

Sponsored by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) a division of the American Library
Association (ALA) and Capstone

Overview
The AASL Innovative Reading Grant supports the planning and implementation of a unique and innovative
program for K-9th learners which motivates and encourages reading, especially with struggling readers.

Eligibility
Applicant must be personal member of AASL.

Criteria
All applications for the grant will be judged against the following criteria:
1. This award is for a successful reading project that demonstrates the potential to improve reading in
K-9th learners. The project or reading program should promote the importance of reading,
facilitate the learners' literacy development, and be supported by current reading research,
practice, and policy.
2. The potential to measure and evaluate the impact and reading improvement for its learners.
3. Reading program must be specifically designed for children (grades K-9) in the school library setting.
4. Program must encourage innovative ways to motivate and involve children in reading. Existing
commercial programs will not be considered.
5. Project should demonstrate potential to impact student learning, especially reading.
6. Originality of project and methodology.
7. Potential for replication of the program should be apparent.
8. Demonstration of the ability of the applicant(s) to undertake and successfully complete the project.
9. A project plan that includes a timeline, budget, and clarity of purpose.
10. Research should be evidence-based and scholarly in nature.
11. Rankings based on a rubric that correlates with the ratings sheet.
12. The grant recipient may be invited to present a program at a future AASL National Conference after
the study has been completed and the results known..
13. The grant recipient may be invited to write an article for Knowledge Quest that delineates their
reading incentive project and demonstrate their successes, trials, and recommendations for
improving so others can replicate the project.

Deadline
APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED VIA ONLINE APPLICATION BY FEBRUARY 1
ALL APPLICATIONS WILL CLOSE AT 4:30 CST ON THE DAY OF THE DEADLINE.
*Please note: This downloadable version is for informational purposes only. All applications must be
submitted online, via the Apply Now button at the top of the award’s page
(http://www.ala.org/aasl/awards/innovative).

AASL Innovative Reading Grant Application

Name: Laura Leard

Preferred Email Address: [email protected] ALA/AASL ID: ___________________

School/Organization: ____Oglethorpe County_________________________________

Position Title: Media Specialist_____

School/Organization Address:__300 Comer Rd______________________________________

City __Lexington__ State __GA__ Zip _30648_________

Preferred Phone:_706-340-7648_ Preferred Phone Type (Home/Work/Cell): __Cell___

Alternate Phone:_________________ Alternate Phone Type (Home/Work/Cell): ________________

Title of Project: Reading On Mind

Project Design:
Monthly Book Club:
This project will include a new book each month. The students will be encouraged to attend by promoting
each book in an exciting way. Each member will receive a matching bookmark to use. The bookmarks will
be personalized to include the name of our book club to make things seem really official and fun. The
students will get to take the book home as an incentive to be in the monthly book club. The following will
be the books we will read each month.
August- Charlotte’s Web by E.B White
September- The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
October- Freckle Juice by Judy Blume
November- Tornado by Betsy Byars
December- The Best Christmas Pageant by Barbara Robinson
January- Ragweed by Avi
February-Ragweed and Poppy by Avi
March- Poppy by Avi
April- Frindle by Andrew Clement
May- Third Grade Angels by Jerry Spinelli
Book Tasting
Our book tasting will take place at the beginning of each quarter. I will put up posters advertising that the
book tasting is coming soon. This will be the first activity I will do with each class. I will have the room
decorated like a cafe. There will be a stack of books at each table along with bookmarks for each student.
They will use the bookmark to write down any thoughts or questions they have about the book. They can
also record which book is their favorite.
As the student come in I will tell them they will be dining at the Reading Café today. They will sit down at
the tables and see a menu that will explain what they will be doing today. They will pick up a book at their
table and begin to “taste it”. They will look through it and read a couple of pages and fill in their menu. They
won’t read the entire book but they will get an understanding of what it is about. They will rate the book
when they are finished. Students will then rotate to the next table and repeat the process. Each time they
get a new book mark. When they have rotated to each table they will reflect on each book. The students
can then check out the book that appealed to them the most.
Look Who Got Caught Reading
This activity will take place all year. I will go around the school and try and catch students reading and take
their picture while they are reading. I will have a bulletin board that will be up all year near the media
center. I will display the pictures of those students who I caught reading each time.
In August I will talk to each class about how it will work. I plan to go around to the classrooms and talk to
the students. I feel like this will really tie together the connection the media center has with the classroom.

Proposed Date of Project: August 2023-May 2024

Abstract of Proposed Project:

Overall Goal
The overall goal is for students to become independent readers which will lead to increased test scores. The
money will be used to purchase the following items for the project.
Item Location Total for each # of items Total

Book Club Teachers Pay

Bookmarks Teachers $5.00 1 $5.00
Charlotte’s Web
by E.B. White Scholastic $9.99 20 $199.80
The Boxcar
Children by Amazon $5.94 20 $118.80
Gertrude
Chandler Warner
Freckle Juice by Scholastic $5.99 20 $119.80
Judy Blume
Tornado by Amazon $6.99 20 $139.80
Betsey Byars
The Best
Christmas Amazon $7.99 20 $159.80
Pageant Ever by
Barbara Robinson
Ragweed by Avi $7.99 20 $159.80
Amazon
Ragweed and
Poppy by Avi Amazon $7.99 20 $159.80
Poppy by Avi Amazon $9.99 20 $199.80
Frindle by Andrew Scholastic $7.99 20 $159.80
Clements
Third Grade
Angels by Jerry Amazon $11.91 20 $238.20
Spinelli
Book Tasting:
Introduce Your Teachers Pay
Students to New Teachers $6.00 1 $6.00
Books and Genres

State of the Problem: Our students are not motivated to read independently.

Goals and Objectives:

1. Students will independently read a book. This will address the School Library Media Standard 2 Literacy
and Reading, Element 2.1 Literature - Candidates are familiar with a wide range of children’s, young adult,
and professional literature in multiple formats and languages to support reading for information, reading
for pleasure, and reading for lifelong learning and
Element 2.2 Reading promotion - Candidates use a variety of strategies to promote leisure reading and
model personal enjoyment of reading in order to promote habits of creative expression and lifelong
reading.

2. Reading scores will increase. This will address the School Library Media Standard 1, Element 1.1
Knowledge of learners and learning - Candidates are knowledgeable of learning styles, stages of human
growth and development, and cultural influences on learning. Candidates assess learner needs and design
instruction that reflects educational best practice. Candidates support the learning of all students and other
members of the learning community, including those with diverse learning styles, physical and intellectual
abilities and needs. Candidates’ base twenty-first century skills instruction on student interests and learning
needs and link it to the assessment of student achievement.

Planned Activities:
Monthly Book Club:
This project will include a new book each month. The students will be encouraged to attend by promoting
each book in an exciting way. Each member will receive a matching bookmark to use. The bookmarks will
be personalized to include the name of our book club to make things seem really official and fun. The
students will get to take the book home as an incentive to be in the monthly book club. The following will
be the books we will read each month.
August- Charlotte’s Web by E.B White
September- The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
October- Freckle Juice by Judy Blume
November- Tornado by Betsy Byars
December- The Best Christmas Pageant by Barbara Robinson
January- Ragweed by Avi
February-Ragweed and Poppy by Avi
March- Poppy by Avi
April- Frindle by Andrew Clement
May- Third Grade Angels by Jerry Spinelli
Book Tasting each Quarter
Our book tasting will take place at the beginning of each quarter. I will put up posters advertising that the
book tasting is coming soon. This will be the first activity I will do with each class. I will have the room
decorated like a cafe. There will be a stack of books at each table along with bookmarks for each student.
They will use the bookmark to write down any thoughts or questions they have about the book. They can
also record which book is their favorite.
As the student come in I will tell them they will be dining at the Reading Café today. They will sit down at
the tables and see a menu that will explain what they will be doing today. They will pick up a book at their
table and begin to “taste it”. They will look through it and read a couple of pages and fill in their menu. They
won’t read the entire book but they will get an understanding of what it is about. They will rate the book
when they are finished. Students will then rotate to the next table and repeat the process. Each time they
get a new bookmark. When they have rotated to each table they will reflect on each book. The students
can then check out the book that appealed to them the most.

Look Who Got Caught Reading

This activity will take place all year. I will go around the school and try and catch students reading and take
their picture while they are reading. This may be in the hallway, while waiting on the bus, during breakfast,
at recess, etc. I will have a bulletin board that will be up all year near the media center. I will display the
pictures of those students who I caught reading each time. In August I will talk to each class about how it
will work. I plan to go around to the classrooms and talk to the students. I feel like this will really tie
together the connection the media center has with the classroom.

Possibilities for Dissemination: During school, After School, and on a Media Center Night each quarter.

Project Timeline: August 2023-May 2024