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Here are the respones I received regarding using incentives during your book fair. Thanks to everyone who responded. I too did some of the same things you mentioned. At my spring fair this past year, I had a reading olympics (borrowed from a website) and all who completed the olympics were given a $5.00 certificate to spend at the fair. The children loved being able to come in and subtract $5 from their total. Also, there were some who would not have been able to "purchase" anything at the fair without that certificate. I have also had a genre read before a fair, similar to the olympics but they had to read a book from different genres. My first fair I did a countdown to the fair with reading. (I'll do anything to get the kids to read a book, especially our boys). I too have a drawing for all staff for $5 off at the fair. I find they almost always spend more than that! Since we have our Book Fair at conference time I also have entry blanks for each teacher to give parents at their conference for the chance for their child to win a free book. They have to drop the entry off at the library -- that gets them in the door. Good luck! In my school, because we have a lot of poverty among the families, we had drawings for lower grades and one for upper grades. Rather than give only one prize for each group, we lowered the $$ amount of the prize and gave more prizes. If a child won the drawing, that child's teacher also got to pick books in the same amount. We allowed every child in the school to enter the drawing, because some kids would NEVER be able to buy a book. That gave all the kids some hope! I have used it to provide books to children who are unable to afford a book. Most recently, I have used it to provide prizes for my reading programs, usually a $6 certificate to those kids who have completed the program. I made a "spin-the-wheel" game. I printed out color pictures of book covers (9) and placed them around the wheel. Each day I posted a "featured book" that were all book fair highlighted books (Eggs, Swindle, etc.). When the kids made a purchase they got to spin. If they got the featured book they won a small prize (pencils, etc.) Otherwise all kids got an entry for a bigger prize (books, t-shirts, etc.) regardless what book they landed on. I have had success with 2 things. To get parent volunteers, I make a volunteer signup sheet that goes home with every student. If the student returns it - whether the parent can volunteer or not - the student is entered into a drawing for $20 worth of free books. This gets the kids to show their parents and even though I get a lot of no responses, I also get new parents in that never have volunteered in the school before. On the sheet, it also states that for every two hour shift the parent volunteers, they get a $5 credit in books. This is how some families get books for their children - mom works 4 hours and can split the $10 credit among her 3 kids, etc. So that one form signs kids up for the $20 drawing and gets me my volunteer base. The other thing I just started is I let students know ahead of time that there will be a free book contest BUT only those who have shown responsibility with their library books - no "lost books" get to participate. I discovered this is a perfect opportunity to try to reward those who do as they should. Some books do get found or paid for during this time. Last fair, I had 6 - $10 worth of books winners. So as not to point anyone out, I have everyone in the class write their name on a piece of paper. Then my aide or myself go through that class's names later and pull out anybody who has a book 6 weeks or 2 months out (one they are not still reading). The "responsible" names go into a basket and sometime during the week of the bookfair - I announce the winners. I did it the last day last time and that wasn't a good idea. These are two ideas that I've tried and had a LOT of student interest and excitement about. We have drawings for gift certificates for students who come to the family event night. 2 names are drawn and they receive a $20 gift certificate to the book fair. Our school is 3rd and 4th so I have a contest for the teachers to decorate a box to go go with the theme of the book fair. One teacher from each grade level receives a gift certificate to the book fair. Then they put the books they would like for their classrooms in it and students/parents may purchase those for the classroom. I gave each teacher that came to a sneak peak and filled out a wish list a coupon good for a 3.99 or less book. One year I used it as an incentive for teachers. I designed & printed up a gift certificate & attached it to the announcement/invitation for the Sneak Preview. I gave only $3.00 to those who attended the sneak preview and purchased more that $10.00, but they LOVED it. One time I also included a drawing for a big basket of Clifford stuff; other times I've used it for teachers to use for any student who could not afford to shop for a book. I use the money to provide scholarships for students who can't afford books. I let the teachers know how much I have available and let the students choose a $3.99 book and tell them it was a special award. You should see the faces on some of these kids. Something my kids looked forward to every book fair was a drawing. It sounds complicated, but it's really not that bad in practice. I put one book per grade level (at least) on the wall in a ziploc bag with brown lunch bag under each one. I put the title of the books on the lunch bag and the cover showing in the ziploc. I printed "entry blanks" for every student in the school. They just had lines for first/last name and teacher's name (see below). I usually printed them on bright paper to avoid "extra" blanks being added. I put them in the teacher's boxes the Monday before book fair. The teachers just need to make sure the kids fill them out and drop by the library some time during the week. (the Kindergarten and sometimes first grade teachers usually do them for the kids) Usually they just bring them when they come for class, but it only takes a couple of minutes. Each student picks the book they'd like to win and puts their entry blank in the appropriate lunch bag. During the week of book fair we have a drawing for one of the books each morning during announcements. The principal drew the name and announced it with great fanfare. Even the turkey principals liked being the one to do this! The kids love it, the teachers didn't mind because I either offered them a free paperback for showing the video or gave discounts and we got lots of advertising. I used some to give the parent helpers who worked the bookfair money toward purchses they might like to make for their children. I don't know if this is the case in your school, but in mine there are many students whose families can not afford to buy them books. In the past, we have quietly distributed a form to the teachers asking them to recommend children who they feel fall into the "can't afford to buy a book" category. We enter only those children into a secret drawing and then send a certificate to that child's homeroom to let them know they have won a book worth $5.00 or less from the bookfair. There is no big formal announcement and no announced time for them to select their book so they do not all appear at the same time and their confidentiality is respected. The smiles on their faces are priceless! Sometimes, after witnessing the kid's excitement, we will have volunteers ask if they can sponsor a child so that even more children can receive free books. I always hold a family night event during the Book Fair. Throughout the event I have drawings for $5.00 Book Fair gift certificates. I do the smaller amount so that more students have the opportunity to win a free book but you could do larger amounts. First of all, you are right, they do give you a certain amount for give aways. I never thought those give aways had to be during the book fair. Keep somethings to use for other projects, like Read Across America. Second, I do doorprizes for my family night. Last time I made three baskets - one with superhero stuff, one with princess stuff and one with pet stuff. I gave a ticket to each student that came during family night. The kids had to write their name on the ticket and put it in a bag in front of the basket they wanted. When the night was done I chose three winners. I announced them the next morning. I use some of that money, or even some of my profits to give kids who can't buy books a $5 certificate to buy a book (must be a book - no smelly markers etc.) I run it through the guidance counselor - she contacts each classroom teacher and asks for the name of the neediest child/child whose parents won't give them money but they'd benefit from a book. Then we create little certificates and put on them they are from a friend. If you try it you will be rewarded with the goodwill you receive from teachers/guidance and the happy faces of the children who can take home a book. I like to give my volunteers books too! We have a riddle each day on the morning announcement that has to do with whatever the theme of our bookfair is. We make the riddle easy enough that everyone has a chance to get the answer and we allow K and 1 teachers to help their students. We put a basket in the office for the answer slips that must contain student name and teacher name and the correct answer. At the end of each day we draw a winner who gets a five dollar gift certificate to the book fair. At the same time, we do a daily teacher drawing. We still have enough certificates to give away for a guessing jar our family night. I love to give these incentives away because I feel like they boost interest in the bookfair and increase our sales. The kids love the riddles too! They talk about them all day! Sounds like you already have some good ideas on this subject. I've done the following that's been pretty successful. Every time a student came to the book fair, they were allowed to enter a drawing for themselves and their teacher to win $25.00 in free books. It was an incentive from two different angles. The teachers publicized the book fair and the kids wanted to win the free books. I don't know how Scholastic does Florida book fairs, but for me the worst case scenario would be I would have to spend $25.00 of my profit to do this. I think the percentage is now 60-40. I give every teacher who fills out a wish list a $5.00 book. I divide up the incentive money and do 20 drawings of $5.00 gift certificates for the kids. I call these names over the intercom. I have also done a "book walk" like a cake walk where kids march around to music and when the music stops the winner gets a $5.00 book. Did a $25.00 gift certificate for the kid who guessed the number of cars in the jar. Occasionally I will pre select some books to give away and read a blurb about them over the intercom, then draw a name from the appropriate age group to win the book. If you host a parent "night" then you can have the kids put their name in the hat for a $10-25 drawing. Gets a great number of kids to drag their parents in for the event, then they are more apt to make a purchase. I also have given teacher who fill out wish lists early a surprise of a free $3.99 book of their choice if they are not purchased for them by a parent. I had only one teacher try to take advantage of that situation and I just didn't give her one of the books on her list. Paying the taxes on books for kids who can not goes over well in low economic communities, by setting aside say $25 of the $100 we are offered for this purpose and keeping track on a sheet next to the register of the amounts. Especially those little $1 kids that is all they have and they have found a book for a $1! If you get some really good $1 or so books you can also give them away for awards to correct answers to trivia questions on the PA in the morning message. You could also give them a $5 gift certificate instead or as well. Marcie Shendok Media Specialist Partin Settlement Elementary Kissimmee, FL -------------------------------------------------------------------- Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book. 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