Teacher Resources and Classroom Management - Polar Express

The Polar Express Reading Challenge

Dear Teachers:

All Aboard! Take a Magical Reading Journey with The Polar Express Reading Challenge

In a unique partnership, the National Education Association’s Read Across America, Warner Bros. Pictures, and the Houghton Mifflin Company invite you and your students to take part in The Polar Express Reading Challenge and help kids in struggling schools receive much-needed books and resources. Students taking part in the challenge will have a chance to win a private screening of The Polar Express for their class, as well as signed Chris Van Allsburg books, and other great prizes.

Help Us Meet Our Reading Goal and Ring in Readers!

The Polar Express opens the door to the dream-like magic of Chris Van Allsburg’s journey to the North Pole. But for many children, the real dream of a well-stocked school library with books like The Polar Express feels as distant and unreachable as the North Pole.

We need your help to get 200,000 books read by October 22! Take the Polar Express Reading Challenge and each book your students read in pursuit of our Challenge goal represents one dollar pledged to support our school libraries. Start a train reaction by reproducing the reading log found on our website and distributing it to your students.

By entering the Challenge, not only will your students help give the gift of books to kids and schools in need, but participants can win prizes like a private screening of The Polar Express for your classroom, as well as signed Chris Van Allsburg books, posters and more!

Join us on this unique journey and start reading October 1! The Challenge lasts only 3 weeks, so please encourage students to read as many books as possible before sending in their reading logs, postmarked by October 22. (Reading logs can be submitted by you on behalf of our class, or by individual students.)

About the story:
On Christmas Eve, a young boy lies in bed listening hard for the bells of Santa’s sleigh, which he has been told by a friend does not exist. Later that night, he’s startled awake, not by the sound of bells but by a very different sound. He looks out his window and is astounded to see a giant steam engine parked in front of his house! The conductor invites him to board the train, The Polar Express, which is filled with children on their way to the North Pole. So begins this wondrous journey, not only for the boy in Chris Van Allsburg’s classic The Polar Express, but for readers and now moviegoers who wind their way through the beautiful images of The Polar Express movie.

Send your log to: Polar Express Challenge, 8205 Santa Monica Blvd., P.O. #1-194, West Hollywood, CA 90069.

For official rules, reading forms and further information please visit our website:
www.polarexpressmovie.com