• The Mississippi Department of Education’s Office of Reading, Early Childhood and Language Arts is pleased to announce the 12th annual Mississippi Reading Fair. The Reading Fair 2011 will provide students with the opportunity to share their favorite book through a storyboard display. This year we are pleased to announce the introduction of a new Category Division. Students in grades 4-12 have the opportunity to present their favorite nonfiction book through a storyboard display.
    Each year, the Mississippi Department of Education strives to improve the Reading Fair. With this in mind, the following clarifications are provided:
    Size: Storyboards should be constructed on a tri-fold project board. The board should be full-sized, 30” H x 40” W, and are not to exceed 36” H x 48” W. The total height of the project cannot exceed 36”. A tri-fold board that is already 36” in height should not have anything added to the top. The total project should not exceed the width or depth of the standing display board (approximately 36” W x 14” D of table space). No items should hang over the edge of the table or be placed on the floor. However, students may hold or wear items that coordinate with the project, if desired.
    Safety: Electrical cords will not be allowed due to the danger they create in the aisles.
    Parental Involvement: It is important to remember that parent involvement in a child’s education can be a valuable part of student development. While completing a project together can be an enjoyable task for students and their parents or other adults, please remember, projects entered in the individual category should overall be completed by the student, and those competing in the family category should be completed by one or more students with the assistance of one or more adults. (If there are two or more students involved in one family project, it should be placed in the division of the oldest child.)
    The individual and regular group categories will be judged more closely on whether the project shows work appropriate for the age level of the student.
     
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    This year’s students will be judged in the following divisions:
     

    Individual Categories

    Kindergarten:  Division A
    Grade 1:         Division B
    Grade 2:         Division C
    Grade 3:         Division D
    Grades 4-5:    Division E
    Grades 6-8:    Division F (not applicable to Jeff Davis Elementary)
    Grades 9-12:  Division G (not applicable to Jeff Davis Elementary)
     

    Group Project Categories

    Grades K-3:    Division H
    Grades 4-8:     Division I
    Grades 9-12:   Division J (not applicable to Jeff Davis Elementary)
     

    Family Project Categories

    Grades K-3:    Division K
    Grades 4-8:     Division L


    Non-fiction Individual Categories

    Grades 4-8:    Division M
    Grades 9-12:  Division N (not applicable to Jeff Davis Elementary)


    Each school district may be represented by only one project from each division at the Regional Reading Fair.
     

     

    MISSISSIPPI READING FAIR 2011 GUIDELINES
    Sponsored by the Mississippi Department of Education
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    Storyboards will be constructed on a tri-fold project board, the same type that are traditionally used for science fairs, measuring at least 30” H x 40” W and not exceeding 36” H x 48” W. This year’s boards are to be full-sized and boards are not to exceed the approved height, width, and depth guidelines. Boards that do not meet the size requirements will be disqualified, even if they make it to the State Reading Fair.
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    Storyboards should be colorful and interesting. Models, shadowboxes, and illustrations that fit in the middle of the display are allowed. The total project should not exceed the width or depth of the standing display board (approximately 36” W x 14” D of table space). No items should hang over the edge of the table or be placed on the floor. However, students may hold or wear items that coordinate with the project, if desired. Items used for the project are not to be alive, valuable, or dangerous. Electrical cords may not be used due to the danger they may create in the aisles.
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    Identifying information (name of the student(s), category and division, student’s grade level in school, homeroom teacher’s name, school and district name) should be labeled on the back of the storyboard. If this identifying information is on the front, the project is disqualified.
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    This year’s competition allows students in grades 4-12 the opportunity to share their favorite non-fiction book. Students deciding to do so, are to compete in the Individual Category within their specified grade group (Divisions M-N) All other entries should represent fictional books only. Remember the school’s librarian is an excellent resource for determining if the book selected is indeed fictional. (Please see insert for clarifying information on both text types.)
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    We encourage students and teachers to accompany their projects throughout the competitions; however, it is not required. Attendance at the local, regional or State Reading Fair is encouraged because judges may wish to question students about their projects. Only students may represent the projects during the judging, even for the group and family projects.
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    Kindergarten and first grade students may select a book for their project that they have read or listened to. Questions may be simplified for young students. For example: What is the title of the book? Who are the main characters? Who wrote the book? Where and when did the story happen? What is the book about? What happens in the book? Was there a problem in the story? How was the problem solved? Why do you think the author wrote the book? How did the book make you feel?
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    Items on the boards may be handwritten or computer printed. Kindergarten students and other young students may require assistance in writing, typing, spelling, cutting, etc. This is permissible and part of the learning process; however, if a student of any age has extensive assistance, please enter the project in the family category grades K-3 or 4-8.
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    The family division projects should portray a book appropriate to the age of the child(ren). The child should be very knowledgeable about the book’s story elements and should have an active part in the construction of the display. (If a group or family project has students in various grades, the project should be placed in the division of the oldest student.)
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    The first place winner of each category division at the local level will advance to the district level. District Reading Fairs should be completed by February 5, 2010, but may be held as early as October 9, 2010. District Reading Fair winners in each division will advance to one of the Regional Reading Fairs at a location to be determined by the Mississippi Department of Education. Regional Fairs will be set for February-March, 2010. The regional winner in each category will advance to the State Reading Fair, which will be scheduled for May 21, 2011, at the Department of Education in Jackson.

     

    PRINTABLE DOCUMENTS: 

    MDE 2011 Guidelines    

     

    Reading Fair Home

    Link to BPS Website

     

    Last Updated:

    11/02/2010

     

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    Please send comments or questions to me, Amy Dahl:

    amy.dahl@biloxischools.net