The Adventures of Julie and Bella 2025

Every month, my 5th graders receive a reading calendar with a set goal of minutes they need to read. For October, their target is 300 minutes. They track their progress daily, and an adult signs off to keep them accountable.

This got me thinking… why not turn it into a fun challenge? At first, I told them if anyone could beat my reading total for the month, I’d bring them a surprise in November. But then I realized—that really wasn’t fair. After all, I read a LOT (just tonight, I logged 120 minutes!).

So, I changed things up: instead of one student trying to beat me, it’s now the entire class versus me! All 20 of them working together to out-read me. I think that levels the playing field and gives them extra motivation to read, read, read!

More than anything, I want to spark their love for reading. I want them to hit their goals and find joy in their books the way I do. And while they’re working toward their October goal, I’ve set a new one for myself too. I only have 6 books left to reach my yearly goal of 54, but I’m pushing myself to see if I can get to 60 books instead.

So, October has officially been renamed READtober for my 5th graders. 📖🎃
Will my students beat me? Or will I hold my ground? Stay tuned at the end of the month to find out the results!