I began using Take Home Book Bags in my classroom 10 years ago. It was a game-changer for my students and their families! Since then, I have blogged a ton about Take Home Book Bags and I have finally decided to get all of those posts in one central location for you! Keep reading for a brief overview of each post and links to get more information about that aspect of book bags.
What are Take Home Book Bags?
Take Home Book Bags are a unique alternative to reading homework. Once a week students choose a bag that is based around a theme to bring home and share with their family for that week. In each bag are 2-3 books, discussion cards, a writing journal, games, family activities and more!
Why Do I Use Take Home Book Bags?
After struggling to get my students to read at home each night, I came up with this system to encourage families to get involved in the reading process. Learn more about why I used Take Home Book Bags in my classroom. You can check out the video here!
Reading at Home Tips
I got you covered with a 4-part series with tons of tips and resources about reading at home. Click on the title of each post to check it out!
- Teaching Students How to Read at Home
- 10 Myths of Reading at Home
- Why Students Aren’t Reading at Home
- How I Got My Students to Read at Home
How to Implement Take Home Book Bags
If you create a routine, the book bags will work wonderfully in your classroom. Learn how to implement Take Home Book Bags with your students to ensure that they will be a beneficial resource for your students.
Take Home Book Bag Organization
By creating a system and a place for all the parts of your book bags, they will be easy to implement in your classroom. Click here to read more about how I organize Take Home Book Bags.
Take Home Book Bags with STEAM
Want an even more unique twist on these bags? Try STEAM Take Home Book Bags! This set can be used interchangeably with the original bags, but come with a STEM component. They create in an even more hands-on experience for students. Dive more into STEAM Take Home Book Bags in this blog post.
FREE Book Bags!
Since Take Home Book Bags are a unique concept, I want to be able to give you a chance to try them out first. Just fill out the form at the end of the post to have one sent right to your inbox!
A Simple Alternative to Take Home Book Bags
Like the idea of Take Home Book Bags, but feeling overwhelmed? It’s okay! At Home Read Alouds are a similar idea, but easier to use. Each guide is a “cheat sheet” for parents to go with a specific picture book. The one-page guide has discussion questions and extensions activities for families to engage with their child while reading.
Want a Free Book Bag?
Try a book bag out for FREE! Enter your information to join my email list and get exclusive access!