Key dates
- Challenge starts Monday 12 February 2024
- Registration Form due Friday 8 March 2024
- Challenge ends Friday 5 July 2024
- Verification Form opens Monday 24 June 2024
- Verification Form closes Tuesday 23 July 2024
Schools will have the flexibility to start and finish the Challenge anytime between 12 February and 5 July 2024. This will allow schools to run the Challenge between these dates to fit in with their school calendar.
The Chief Minister's Reading Challenge commences in Term One each year and concludes in Term Three.
The Challenge is open to all ACT schools for students in Preschool to Year 12.
There is no prescribed book list for the Challenge. Students, teachers, parents and carers can access Reading Tips on how to select a book and how to engage students in the Challenge.
Prizes will be awarded to winning schools on 14 August 2024.
Instructions for Students
There are two approaches to choose from
Traditional participation | Challenge yourself to read something different | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Preschool to Year 6 | Year 7 to Year 12 | Preschool to Year 6 | Year 7 to Year 12 |
30 books | 15 books | 30 books | 15 books |
Students can make their own book choices, including novels, non-fiction, poetry, or books in a language other than English including bilingual texts. Books read to students may also be recorded. Optional: Reading a book and then writing a book report can be recorded as two items on the student reading record. The written report shows further engagement and deeper understanding with texts through reading and responding. | Students can challenge themselves to read a range of different texts. A list of different types of texts that are to be read in this option is provided. Note: Book reports cannot replace an item from the list. | ||
(109kb)- Books can be novels, non-fiction, poetry, or books in a language other than English including bilingual texts.
- Collect an Individual Student Reading Record from your teacher, or download a copy from the Resources tab. Each time you complete a book, don't forget to add it to your reading record. Teachers may record books on the Whole Class Reading Record. There are different versions for the two ways of participating, and for preschool to year 6, and year 7 to year 12 students.
- When you have finished reading a book, ask a parent, carer or teacher to initial/verify your entry.
- When you have finished reading all the books from your challenge and have recorded them, give your completed Individual Student Reading Record to your teacher who will give it to the school contact person for the Challenge.
- Ensure your school has registered for the Challenge via the online School Registration Form
by the closing date. This form requires details about the total number of participating students in each year level. The contact staff member will receive information about the Challenge and alerts about updates to the website from the CMRC mailbox (CMRC@act.gov.au). - Distribute the Individual Student Reading Record for each student and the Whole Class Reading Records to teachers. These editable templates will allow you to create personalised class document/s for your students to access and record their books. If you would like further details and instructions, please email CMRC@act.gov.au
- Collect Student Reading Records from students who have successfully completed the Challenge. Give the Reading Record/s or your Whole Class Reading Record to the contact staff member for your school who will collate the information on the online School Verification Form .
- The completed School Verification Form must be submitted at the end of the Challenge period. This form requires details about the total number of students in each year level who successfully completed the Challenge. Please use the electronic copy of your School Registration Form (that was emailed to you at the beginning of the Challenge) to assist with this process. No verifications will be accepted after the closing date.