Many Hungry Bookworms in Primary Book Club

The LIS primary school book club started in September. Many students have signed up so that they are divided into two groups.

We use the books from the IRIS AWARD, which is a reading cooperation programme between international schools in Western Europe since 2016, and awarded in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France and Germany. The students have to read four books during the year and at the end of the year there is a vote where we choose our favourite book. These results are then used to vote for the favourite book of all schools.

The books are selected by a group of international school teacher librarians, but each international school can decide for itself how to host the award. At LIS, it is in the form of book clubs. The primary school book club is run our teacher librarian Ms Eve Carroll. Here you can find more information about IRIS: https://sites.google.com/isb.be/irisaward/home?authuser=0

At LIS we run two book clubs – the Primary Book Club (grades 3-5) and the Middle School Book Club (grades 6-8).
Last week’s task was to look at blurb texts and book trailers (on the Ipads) and decide which books the students would like to read. The book club is for grades 3 to 5 and this year almost 60 children signed up. This is really great!

  • How many books can the students choose from?
    There are 15 chapter books for primary school and 15 books for middle school.

  • How often do you meet?
    Primary school once every fortnight – Tuesday at lunch break.
    Middle school once a week – Thursday after school.

  • Which books did the children choose?
    Books that were popular with the third graders (and that they will read during the year):
    – Dragons in a bag by Zetta Elliott
    – Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake
    – JD and the Great Barber Battle by J Dillard.
    These are read in small groups. Year four and five have not made their choices at the moment.
    Middle school book club: Ikenga by Nnedi Okora

  • Is there a prescribed time period in which they must each have read a book, or does it not matter when the 4 books are read during the school year?
    In both clubs there are certain books that we read together. The children choose the books that interest them and read them over a number of weeks – with activities and discussions at specific points in the book. For example, the middle school book club chose the book Ikenga by Nnedi Okora and we started with a discussion about the book. In primary school, they read the books in small groups – they read a few chapters at home and then do an activity/discussion in the book club. They can also read the books completely on their own. The students have to read at least four books, but if they want they can read all fifteen.

We appreciate the active participation and keen interest in our LIS book clubs. Have a great time reading!

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