Since 2012, the Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report has reported that students have limited access to books in the home. Students rely on their school or classroom library to find books to read for fun. When schools close for the summer, more than 40% of K-12 students lose their access to quality and engaging books (How to Strengthen Summer Reading Connections with Families).

When the school library closes for the summer, help your students and their families read all summer using INFOhio eBooks. INFOhio eBooks provide unlimited, simultaneous access. Students and families across Ohio can select eBooks to read with no checkouts and no holds.

To help educators, students, and families, INFOhio created eBook and video choice boards using Google Slides. Choice boards are designed to be interactive. Students can click or tap the image to open the eBook or video. Curated collections of high-interest topics make it easier for students and families to pick a book everyone will enjoy. Here are three ideas for how to use INFOhio eBook choice boards to keep students reading, creating, and learning this summer. 

Use High-Interest and Graphic Novel Choice Boards to Encourage Reading

With colorful illustrations and dynamic storytelling, it's no surprise that students choose graphic novels. The popularity of graphic novels has jumped 22% since 2018 (Kids & Family Summer Reading Report, 2022). The choice boards below are filled with eBooks for high-interest topics and graphic novels. Share links to the choice boards with parents and families to keep students tapping to the next page all summer. 

• Fractured Fairy Tales: Spanish Language and Updated Classics: Spanish Language: Grades 5-9
• Magical Creatures from Fantasy:  Grades 3-8
• Who Would Win?  Grades 3-8.
• Ghost Stories: Grades 3-8

Share Choice Boards with Hands-on Activities to Spark Creativity

While students want graphic novels, 30% of parents say they want activities to pair with reading to keep their child engaged (Scholastic Kids & Family Report, Family Guide, 2022). The choice boards below give students the choice they want and parents the paired activities they value. 

• Arts and Crafts: Grades 1-12
• For the Love of Cooking: Grades 3-8
• Learn How to Draw! Grades 3-8 
• STEM Activities: Grades 6-8

Promote Choice Boards to Cultivate Curiosity

Even in a digital age, 48% of parents turn to books to help their child explore topics of interest ( Scholastic Family Guide: Tips & Strategies, 8th edition, 2022). Share the choice boards below to keep kids exploring new places in the past, present, and future. Parents and students can select eBooks to discover these places together. 

• Let's Travel and Passport to Europe: Grades 3-6
• Our Universe: Grades 5-8
• Under the Sea: Grades PreK-2
• Movie Magic: Grades 6-9

Where to Find INFOhio eBook and Video Choice Boards

Ohio educators can use INFOhio's Educator Tools to find additional choice boards. Search Educator Tools using the keyword choice boards. Click the heart in the lower left corner to create a list of choice boards to share with students, parents, and families. 

Once you have selected the choice boards, click the heart next to the search box. Educator Tools gives users two ways to export the list of favorites: using an email address or by copying the unique URL. 

How to Share Choice Boards with Parents and Families

Below are three ways Ohio educators can share INFOhio's choice boards with students to keep the reading, creating, and learning all summer.

1. Use a QR Code: Select the title of the choice board you want to share with parents and families. Click the LMS/Direct Link. Copy the LMS/Direct Link. Use a QR code generator to create a QR code for the choice board. Add the QR code to a class newsletter or share it using your learning management system. 
2. Create a Digital Flyer: Select multiple choice boards to share with parents and families. Copy the LMS/Direct Link for each choice board. Create a digital flyer using Google Slides or Docs. Or create a digital flyer using a web-based creation tool recommended by your school's technology department. Check out the image of the digital flyer below from INFOhio ICoach Rachel Carter at Youngstown City Schools. Rachel linked nine choice boards on one flyer to share with students and families. 
3. Add Links to a Class or School Library webpage: Select choice boards to share with parents and families. Using the LMS/Direct link, add each choice board to your school library or classroom webpage. Include a brief description or image of the choice board.  

Choice boards can be a great way to help parents engage in best practices for reading digital text with their child. INFOhio's Best Practices for Digital Reading encourages parents to interact with their child as they use digital text (2024). Using INFOhio's choice boards, parents and students can browse the titles on the choice board and select an eBook. Several choice boards listed above include eBooks with hands-on activities that parents and children can enjoy together.

Although the school library might be closed for the summer, INFOhio's student eBook and video collections are open 24/7.  Educators, students, parents, and families can browse the grade-level eBook and video collections to find individual titles. The bookmarks linked below include a bit.ly that students and families can use to access each grade-level collection throughout the summer. Educators can print the bookmarks below to share with students. Encourage families and students to explore the collection that matches their grade level in school. 

• Grades PreK-5 eBooks and Videos Bookmark
• Grades 6-12 eBooks and Videos Bookmark

For more ideas about using INFOhio resources in the classroom, school library, or at home, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.