READING
April to June - Literature Circles
Literature Circles are a great way for students to practice all the reading skills we've learned so far this year. Working together in small groups, students each take on a designated role in leading a "Book Talk." These roles are as follows:
1. Questioner: leads discussion by asking quick and deep-thinking questions
2. Connector: makes connections (text-to-self, text-to-text, text-to-world)
3. Summarizer: considers the 5 W's in order to summarize the text
4. Character Profiler: considers character's traits and point of view
5. Word Wizard: identifies new words and clarifies their meaning for the group
1. Questioner: leads discussion by asking quick and deep-thinking questions
2. Connector: makes connections (text-to-self, text-to-text, text-to-world)
3. Summarizer: considers the 5 W's in order to summarize the text
4. Character Profiler: considers character's traits and point of view
5. Word Wizard: identifies new words and clarifies their meaning for the group
March - Non Fiction Text Features
This month our focus will be on reading non-fiction texts, with the purpose of studying text features such as: index, glossary, bold text, italicized text, tables, graphs, images, captions. Some of the non-fiction topics you can expect to read include: endangered animals, climate change and biodiversity.
February - Author's Purpose
As a follow-up to making inferences, we are looking at determining the author's purpose for writing a text, along with any "hidden messages" they may be trying to make.
January - Making Inferences
This month, our class is reading a variety of texts with the purpose of making inferences. When you make an inference, you are guessing a hidden message or meaning in the story. Good readers use pictures and clues from the text, along with their prior knowledge, to help them infer the author's meaning or message.
Some of the texts we are reading this month are the legends of Robin Hood, King Arthur, China's Bravest Girl (Mulan) and William Tell, just to name a few. We will be studying the elements of legends, making inferences about the lessons they teach and will be writing our very own legends to share with others.
Some of the texts we are reading this month are the legends of Robin Hood, King Arthur, China's Bravest Girl (Mulan) and William Tell, just to name a few. We will be studying the elements of legends, making inferences about the lessons they teach and will be writing our very own legends to share with others.
November - Asking Questions
This month's reading strategy is a very important one indeed. We are learning that good readers ask questions before, during and after reading a text. Remember, good readers use their brain and ask themselves deep-thinking questions. It's not enough to just read the words, you must question what you are reading and confirm your understanding.
Here are some examples of deep-thinking questions you should be asking yourself:
Here are some examples of deep-thinking questions you should be asking yourself:
BeforeWho is the main character?
What does the title mean? What clues does the title give? Is this a real or imaginary story? Is it a non-fiction or fiction text? What do I know about this topic? What predictions can I make? |
DuringWhat don't I understand?
What is the main idea? What picture is the author painting? What is the mood of the story? (sad or happy) Do I need to reread so I can understand? Why did that happen in the story? What will happen next? Do the character's actions make sense? |
AfterWhich of my predictions was correct?
What were the main ideas? What connections did I make? How does this story make me feel? What would I change anything in the story? What is the author's message? Did I like this story? Why or why not? |
October - Visualizing
We learned that good readers visualize while they read. What is visualizing?... It's relying on your five senses to better understand what is happening in the story. Remember, reading a book can be just like watching a movie, if you use the story's picture words to help you imagine what sights and sounds, smells and feelings the author is describing.
September - Making Connections
This month, we learned that good readers don't just read words and look at the pictures, they think about what they have read and try to make connections. A connection is when a reader can connect to an event in the story or a character's feelings because they have had a similar experience or know someone else who has shared a similar experience.
A reader can make 3 types of connections:
1. Text-to-self
2. Text-to-text
3.Text- to-World
August - Choosing a Good Fit Book
We learned that good readers know how to choose a book that is not too hard and not too easy for them. They learned to use the five finger rule to test whether a book is at the right level for them. They also learned that it's important to choose books that interests them because reading should be fun!
September - Making Connections
This month, we learned that good readers don't just read words and look at the pictures, they think about what they have read and try to make connections. A connection is when a reader can connect to an event in the story or a character's feelings because they have had a similar experience or know someone else who has shared a similar experience.
A reader can make 3 types of connections:
1. Text-to-self
2. Text-to-text
3.Text- to-World
August - Choosing a Good Fit Book
We learned that good readers know how to choose a book that is not too hard and not too easy for them. They learned to use the five finger rule to test whether a book is at the right level for them. They also learned that it's important to choose books that interests them because reading should be fun!