[Feature Focus] Reading Eggs Monthly Themes

Keeping students motivated and excited to learn as they crack the code on reading is essential to their success. From top to bottom, nearly every nook and cranny of Reading Eggs rewards students the more they learn because we know how important it is for them to have a positive experience while learning to read. That’s why we’re egg-cited to introduce one more way Reading Eggs makes learning to read fun all year long: Monthly Themes!

Every month in Reading Eggs brings a different theme, such as Circus, Dress Up, Explorers, or Space. Monthly Themes not only motivate students to learn, but they also add variety, surprises, and the joy of uncovering something new in Reading Eggs. Let’s take a closer look at this feature and explore four ways to make it work for you and your students.

What Are Monthly Themes?

Designed to inspire student engagement, Monthly Themes help motivate students to complete more lessons and learn more reading, writing and spelling skills. Every month, Reggie welcomes students on the navigation page with a new themed costume, Plaza (formerly the Shop), and banner announcing that month's theme. Brand-new monthly special catalogs are available for purchasing Clothing and House items in the Plaza. Students can buy special limited-edition themed outfits for their avatar or items to decorate their house with, but they first have to earn enough Golden Eggs before the month ends! Once the timer runs out at the end of the month, special items will no longer be available and will be replaced by the next month’s new theme.

4 Ways to Make the Most of Monthly Themes

Monthly Themes are just one more way Reading Eggs makes learning to read exciting and engaging for your students. Still, it never hurts to have a few best practices handy so that you can make sure that your students keep learning front and center. Check out these four ways you can use this feature to your advantage: 

1. When a new theme drops, let students window shop

When a new theme debuts at the beginning of each month, your students will likely want to spend at least a few minutes seeing what new costume Reggie has on and browsing what new items they might like to buy with their Golden Eggs. Designating a few minutes of class time at the beginning of the month where students can “window shop” allows them to satisfy their initial curiosity and simultaneously helps them set goals for how many Golden Eggs they want to earn that month.

2. Use assignments to make sure that students are earning Golden Eggs during class time
   If you’ve been looking through your Time on Task reports and noticing that some students are spending a lot of time in the program but don’t seem to be making the gains they should be, they may have fallen prey to the distraction monster. Assignments are a great way to gently guide them back on track. When you assign students work in Reading Eggs, they must complete it before accessing other areas of the program. If you want to ensure that students are working on a specific lesson or activity or even reading a certain book from the Library, creating an assignment guarantees they’ll be working on what you want them to the next time they log in to the program. Check out more ways Reading Eggs Assignments can boost reading in your classroom.

3. Set aside designated “free time”
   While the time your students spend earning Golden Eggs is certainly important, it’s also important for your students to have some time where they can redeem them. Designating a few minutes of free time toward the end of each month (or even weekly for those who can’t wait that long) where students can spend their hard-earned Golden Eggs by visiting the Plaza, change the hairstyle of their avatar 12 different times in their House, or look through their critter collection lets you reward your students for all the time they’ve spent on task making strides toward reading improvement. Plus, if students know that they have their own special time to goof around in Reading Eggs, they’ll be less tempted to play around during work time.
   
   
4. Encourage students to log in at home
   If your students have computer access at home, encourage them to continue practicing (and playing) with Reading Eggs when they’re not in the classroom. Not only is this a great way to keep your students learning even while school is out, but it’s also a wonderful way to encourage parent involvement at home. Allowing students to log in at home also gives them time outside of your valuable reading block where they can explore the Plaza, play dress up with their avatar, and spend their Golden Eggs. The worst-case scenario is that even if your students log in over the weekend just to spend Golden Eggs and mess around, eventually they’ll need to complete a few lessons or read a book or two to earn more Golden Eggs. No matter how much fun they’re having, one way or another, they’ll be learning, too!

Reading is more than just a skill; it’s the foundation of future academic success. And, as an educator, you want to see your budding bookworms enthusiastic about learning to read because you know how important it is for them to see reading as a positive and enjoyable experience. Learn more about how nearly every inch of Reading Eggs is designed to engage and motivate your students on their journey to become proficient readers.