Bluffton students get kayaking-reading-lesson

When Bluffton teacher Rosemary Henderson asked her 8th grade students to read a book about a group of kayaking kids, she didn't realize most of them had no idea what a kayak was. So she
brought her students to a lake in northern Indiana to show them.

Here is her story:

My students from Bluffton Harrison’s Reading Plus program enjoyed a day of Kayaking at Camp Lutherwald in Howe, Indiana, on August 24. The new Reading Plus program is designed to help students improve their reading scores and develop a love for personal reading.
Currently the students are finishing their first novel entitled the Red Kayak by Cummings. They got a first-hand feeling for the world of the main character Brady when they dipped their oars into Twin Lake in Howe, Indiana, last Monday.
My students were showing real self-sufficiency on that lake. They were paddling out there all by themselves and realizing they "can depend on myself" to make things happen. No one can paddle the boat but themselves, and they built trust in their own efforts.
In the novel the main character of the Red Kayak, Brady faces a dilemma when his friends drill holes in a Kayak causing the death of a young child. Brady is faced with the decision of protecting his friends or doing what is right.
I chose this book to kick off the program because it is a book to which middle school kids can relate. The main characters are all eighth graders facing the problems of friendship, growing up, and dealing with issues that really matter to young people of that age. Students will also read related science articles about crabs and the crabbing industry and the history and construction of kayaks. Thus the purpose for reading will be expanded into real world needs.
So far the interest in the first book has been phenomenal. The kids come to class every day eager to know what the three characters will do in the next chapter. My goal is to make reading exciting and fascinating but reachable for anyone who is struggling.
I have chosen books which will absolutely thrill the kids and touch their hearts in someway. Raising their scores is a goal, but not the essential motivation behind the program. I want kids to love reading as much as I do- to become life-long learners. I’ve always said it is good day if you have read a good story. I want them to carry that with them for life!
I also believe Mr. Gibson and Mr. Mettler made a wise choice when approving this approach to middle school reading.
When the kids see a real purpose for what they are doing, they are apt to take it seriously and do their best. The right reading materials is one of the key elements for student success at this level. We want to respect them and empower them to discover their gifts.

--Rosemary Henderson