Accelerated Reader is a reading program in which students read books and take quizzes on the computer.  The computer quizzes measure the students’ understanding of the books they have read.

As students take and pass quizzes, the computer awards points.  Points are based on the number of questions answered correctly.  Full points are given for 100% correct quizzes. Fewer points are given if questions are missed.

There are many different certification levels in AR.  At Bautista Creek School, we award “wrist belts” each time a student achieves a new certification level.  It’s kind of like moving up in colored belts in martial arts.  For example, a student who achieves the 2 “Independent Reader” certification level earns a white belt.  A student who achieves the next level, “Super Reader,” earns a yellow belt.  There are other colored belts, too—all the way up to black belt.  Each new belt can be earned when a student reads 3-5 harder, longer, chapter books than s/he read for the previous belt.

A student can earn many points in one year.  Some students will earn hundreds of points each year.  Points are earned by simply reading more books and passing more quizzes. A student can also earn more than one “wrist belt” per year.  Typically, a student should be able to earn 2-4 wrist belts per year.  Wrist belts can only be earned by reading harder, longer, chapter books and passing the quizzes with a score of 85% or better.

A student who is working toward a new wrist belt should be sure to read harder, longer, chapter books.  A book list is available from the library and from your child’s teacher that shows what books might be read for each certification level. It usually takes reading and passing the quizzes on 3-5 harder, longer, chapter books to achieve a new certification level and earn a wrist belt.

A second way for students to earn prizes in AR is to take AR literacy tests.  AR literacy tests are available for a limited number of book titles.   AR literacy tests are much harder to pass than the regular AR quizzes, as the tests are longer and ask more in-depth questions. However, students who take and pass these tests will be more prepared for taking the California State tests in the spring.  Each time a student takes and passes an AR literacy tests, the student earns a backpack medallion. 

The Accelerated Reader program at Bautista is designed to motivate students to read more books, read harder books, and think more deeply about the books they are reading.  It is best to encourage students to strike a balance between earning points, earning wrist belts, and earning medallions.  Earning AR points helps build vocabulary and reading speed.  Earning AR “wrist belts” for new certification levels helps the student become more comfortable with harder reading material.  Earning literacy medallions improves the students thinking and analytical skills when reading.  A student who earns all three kinds of awards is likely to become an outstanding reader.

There are 8469 titles on our Bautista Accelerated Reader quiz list.
Click the books below to find the entire list of AR books.

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