Hillsboro Elementary School completed its 2007 Read Across America Reading Challenge this month.
The theme for the challenge was “Tackle Text Structure.” Students and teachers focused on the reading skill of text structure, which is how a writing piece is constructed. The five structures are cause/effect, compare/contrast, description, problem/solution and sequencing.
To “kick-off” the challenge, the library staff asked the tackling experts—Hillsboro High School senior football players—to help. The athletes came and read several football examples of text structure to the students.
The challenge was then issued: Students would read books—each worth one point—and determine its text structure. Each student would have to read enough books to reach five points. If all 116 HES students reached the goal, then the football players would come back for football stations and a tailgate party.
When the final tally was taken March 8, all students in third through fifth grade reached their goal.
The senior boys came back March 16 to lead the students in the following stations: running the football, kicking field goals, throwing passes, catching passes, playing touch football, and tackling dummies.
After the stations, all involved were treated to a tailgate party prepared by the HES cooks, HES principal Evan Yoder, and HES counselor Mike Moran
