How I Do First chapter Friday

The first few minutes of class are vital. They set the tone for the rest of class, and truly, the environment and atmosphere of your classroom. I really like to use the beginning of class intentionally. On Mondays, I have students create mini-gratitude lists and we do a mindfulness video from the Calm App (free for teachers). Tuesday through Thursday, I write out intentional questions related to reading. A lot of time these questions ask students to apply higher order thinking questions or make text-to-self connections. Fridays, however, are my favorite.

I’d seen other teachers discuss the idea of using First Chapter Friday in their classrooms. It seemed like a perfect way to share some of my independent reads with the classes and help them realize that there are so many more books out there that they could enjoy than they imagined. It’s such an easy way to encourage independent reading, especially if you feel like you are struggling to find time to integrate it in class.

I have a weekly warm up sheet that I use in my classroom and it’s set up for each day of warm ups: Meditation Monday, three days of HOTQs, and First Chapter Friday. You can find it on my TPT (as a freebie). This gives students a place to write about their FCF thoughts, so that it’s not wasted time where they are dazed off or secretly on their phone. Here is my full how to for FCF:

1. Pick out high interest reads. I usually pick YA books, but I’ve included some adult fiction and some non-fiction, as well. There are some books that just don’t work well as a read outloud, or even in a few cases, books where the first chapter doesn’t give a good taste of the book. So really think through the books you pick, just because you liked it doesn’t mean it’s good for FCF. I’ve included some of my most successful picks so far below!
2. Preview the book! This step is critical. A lot of the books that I pick, it’s been a few months since I’ve read and so I recap myself on the content of the first chapter. There might be a few portions that I feel uncomfortable reading out loud in class- be it for language, sexual content, or other cringey things. I made sure to note these places and skip them while reading.
3. Start class by introducing the book. I always give a little book talk, explaining the premise book, comparing it to other books or tv shows they might like, and overall hyping it up.
4. Read the first chapter! Depending on the time we have, I may not finish the whole chapter. Or, if I am feeling particularly chaotic, and there is a different chapter of the book that is more of a hook to students- I’ll read that instead. I always try to make sure that my reading is engaging (using those #formertheaterkid skills), so that it helps pull students in.
5. I finish up by reminding students a bit about the book (“Once again, if you like John Green books or angsty rom-coms, this one is for you!”) and letting them know where they can find it in the school (my classroom, the library, other teachers who might also have it, etc). Then I give them about two minutes to write on their warm up sheet if they would like to read the book and to explain their answer.​

I’ve found that First Chapter Friday is a great tool to help students find books they are excited about. I’ve had a lot of students tell they’ve picked up a book because I’ve used it as a FCF book. At the end of the semester, I had students take a survey on their favorite finds. Here were some stand out recommendations:

• Turtles All the Way Down by John Green- This was the most loved FCF book I read this semester and several students picked it up afterwards. I think it’s a great book because it touches on so many things that students are thinking about: mental health, first love, and friendship- while also having a dash of mystery!
• The Raven’s Tale by Cat Winters- This supernatural story of Edgar Allen Poe was perfect to put at the end of our Poe Unit. It was one of the first “spookier” read I used for FCF and a lot of students really liked that. For Brit Lit classes, My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand is great for this same sort of thing!
• Again, but Better by Christina Riccio- This was one of my favorite books of 2019 and I really liked that my students fell for it too. The first chapter is short and sweet, but the narrator is relatable and funny. A lot of my students love travel books, so it’s perfect for that!
• One Day in December by Josie Silva- I had no clue how popular this one was going to be but students loved it! I tried to pick the books seasonally, so this one was perfect for right before Christmas. A lot of my students really like Christmas rom-com movies so it was a good fit. Also, the first chapter is great for hooking students!
• Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi- This was one of my “chaotic-don’t-read-the-first-chapter” books. I actually read the third chapter to students, the scene where ordinary boy Pablo meets super starlette Leanna Smart. A lot of students were really pulled in by the chapter and really liked the fun premise of the book.

I try to rotate between male and female narrators (though it definitely skews a tad bit more female) and to include works by authors of color and authors from countries outside the US. I’m always looking for more ideas so let me know- what are your favorite First Chapter Friday reads?
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