Click links at right to download a Mission Card or view progress.
We are excited to be entering our third of the Rocket Reader Program. All students will benefit from extra reading practice while earning monthly recognition, prizes and working toward earning the Rocket Reader Medallion at the end of the year. We have modified the program in response to the very helpful feedback received at the end of May. Please read the information on this site and direct any questions you may have to the parent volunteer serving your child’s grade level or to the media specialist.
How it Works: Each month students will receive a new Mission Card. If the student completes the Partial Eclipse, (1/2 of their card), they will receive the prize only. If a Total Eclipse (the entire card) is achieved, they will receive the prize, a certificate and have their picture posted on the Wall of Champions. Prizes will be given out at the beginning of the next month. Only Total Eclipse cards count toward the end of the year Rocket Reader Medallion, the award given to students who complete a total eclipse every month. This year the medallions will be given out on the grade level awards day. Hopefully this will make it possible for more parents to see their child accept this significant achievement.
1. Read the book. Students may choose any author or category of book they wish to read that is on their reading level (unless given more specific direction by their teacher). Books can be checked out from the school Media Center before school, during their Media Center time or they can visit their local library. We suggest having family reading nights when you leave the TV off, and the whole family reads together (children learn by example).
2. Answer questions. A real bonus of the Rocket Reader program is the writing component. On the back of the Mission Card are questions designed to verify that the student has read the books listed on the front and to give students practice in areas that reinforce grade-level standards. All questions must be answered to receive full credit. Only answer questions for the books listed on the front of the Mission Card. Handwriting should be neat.
3. About reading the same books: Students in kindergarten and 1st grade enjoy reading the same books and benefit from a sense of mastering their favorite selections. In addition, parents of these younger students find it really challenging to locate 16 different books every month. So, this year we are simply requesting our kindergarten and 1st grade students not count the same book twice in the same month. In grades 2 through 5 books should only be used once during the Rocket Reader school year, which runs from September to March. Mission Cards of 2nd through 5th grade students with duplicate books will not be accepted.
Please see the optional electronic reading log included on this site. If they would like to, students can save the Excel file to their home computers and begin keeping a record of their reading over the next several years, including their book ratings and their own summaries and impressions of the book. They will be able to search all the books they have read by a particular author, compare the books they have read from one year to the next, or just read their summaries if they have forgotten what a book was about.
4. Turn in card. Mission Cards must be turned in by the due date to the Rocket Reader box in the Media Center. Due date reminders will be aired on the morning announcements, be placed in the PTA Newsletter, posted on the school website and calendar, and printed on the Mission Card. Here is the mantra: "You can turn them in early, but you can’t turn them in late!" We cannot accept mission cards turned in after the due date. In addition to turning them into the box in the media center, they can be scanned and emailed to elisabeth.tovi@cobbk12.org or faxed to 678-842-6944. The only exception to the “late rule” is if a child has an excused absence and turns in the card on the day they return to school.
DUE DATES
September - September 30
October - October 28
November - November 30
December - No Mission Card this month
January - January 31
February - February 29
March - March 30
We believe that a Reading Incentive program motivates children to read more. Practice is the key to reading success – and Rocket Readers will give kids lots of reading practice!
Questions about the program can be directed to your grade-level Rocket Reader parent:
Kindergarten - Casey Carter caseycarter75@gmail.com
1st Grade - Leslie Vittur vitturl@bellsouth.net
2nd & 3rd Grade - Margaret Johnson j-margaret@att.net
4th & 5th Grade - Danette Wile fourwilebears@charter.net
