Reading Assignments

I enjoyed meeting with many of you last week during Parent-Teacher-Student conferences. There were several questions about my independent/home reading expectations. We visit the LMC every Day 2 for the purpose of finding just right books. These are books that students should be able to read independently with some challenge. Students should read this book each night during the week. I suggest about a chapter a day or 20 minutes daily. You can assist with these assignments by asking your child to read to you, asking about the events in the book, or helping them figure out a challenging word. But most of the daily reading needs to be done by your child.

During our weekly LMC time, many students are choosing to read short chapter books. In class, we have practiced how to keep track of the events of the book and other story elements. After reading each chapter, students write or draw a picture of 1-2 important events. Students also keep track of the characters, the setting, the main character’s conflict and the resolution. Each day before reading, students review their notes. As you are reading with your child at home and monitoring their homework, ask them how they are keeping track of the events of the book or what they predict will happen next.

Focus on a Series

For the next month, we are focusing on reading fiction books in a series. Reading books in a series can assist readers with understanding more difficult text because they are familiar with the characters, plot, and author’s style. This also assists with making more accurate predictions because they can anticipate what characters will do based on other books read in the series. This familiar plot structure also assists students in summarizing information.

Some of the books students are enjoying are Nate the Great, Horrible Harry, Cam Jansen, Mr. Putter, and the Magic Tree House series. We will be reading a couple of the Magic Tree House books in class to motivate students for choosing this engaging series for independent reading. There are numerous books in the Magic Tree House series that focus on a variety of topics. In addition to the above series, other series you may want to encourage your child to read are: The Zach Files, Amber Starts With A, Pony Pals, Secrets of Droon, and The Kootie Club Mystery series.