Nonfiction

We are continuing to focus on nonfiction. Students are creating nonfiction notebooks with explanations and examples of the many conventions of nonfiction text. First, students develop a definition of the convention (such as the glossary) and discuss how it helps a reader learn new information. Then, students create their own example. Students will use their notebooks during practice activities such as finding information from the index, glossary,and table to contents.

Recently, students finished reading short chapter books about bushfires in Australia and improving life in India. Students may also chose to read about monster trucks, tornadoes, bat, insects, and other foreign countries. Currently, students are reading biographies from the LMC. Students are continuing to summarize the main points of what they read, and do so with less teacher support moving toward independent practice. This is a difficult skill and we practice taking notes and determining the main points through a variety of activities. Some students are reluctant to work independently. Encourage your child to use the strategies we have practiced in class when they are completing reading and writing work at home.

Welcome Mrs. Finnigan

Mrs. Finnigan will be graduating from Winona State University, as a nontraditional student, in May with a license in Special Education learning disabilities. She is currently working with Ms. Veenstra to complete her student teaching practicum. She will be working with students on reading strategies and programs, as well as math skills. She looks forward to learning many things from the students and staff at Meadowview Intermediate School. We are all so excited to have her in our class!!

Fluency

Students sometimes misinterpret fluency as reading fast. Being a fluent reader means reading smoothly, using good expression, changing the volume of your voice, and grouping words together as they read instead of word by word reading. Students practiced fluent reading daily. Students also used the Read Naturally computer program that works on reading fluency.

The Read Naturally program used at Meadowview Intermediate is a computer program that works on reading fluency. Students are individually assessed to determine the student’s reading level and establish a fluency goal. The program uses three strategies: teacher modeling, repeated reading, and progress monitoring. Teacher modeling assists students with pronunciation, expression and fluency as they listen and read along with the recorded story. Students then practice reading the story on their own several times until they reach their goal. Progress is individually monitored after completion of each story. Students take a short comprehension quiz and a teacher individually assesses fluency when the student reads the story aloud. I have sent reports and information home about student progress on this program and reading fluency. If you would like more information, please contact me.

As you are reading with your child at home, model fluent reading for your child. Then have your child practice reading fluently too.

Audio Books

Students are having fun and fine tuning their reading and listening skills this month as they read along with an audio book. Recorded books are a fun way for your child to listen to a fluent reader, practice following along, and focus their attention. Involve the whole family by reading along as you listen to a chapter of a book each night before bed or while driving in the car during a family vacation. There are many books on tape/CD at the public library that your child might enjoy.

This month, students are reading and listening to the audio recording of the book, Because of Winn Dixie. Students are really enjoying reading and discussing this book. It is a great way to develop their skills on sustaining their attention and understanding while reading a longer chapter book over a longer period of time. We are working on keeping track of the different characters and played a few games and activities as a way to review and discuss the book and its characters. As students learn more about the characters, they were better able to anticipate the characters’ actions and refine their predictions on what would happen next in the book. Ask your child about the different characters in the book and what character they liked best.

Determining Importance

We are beginning to focus more on reading nonfiction and the strategies we will use for reading nonfiction books. We are focusing on the comprehension strategy of Determining Importance.

In fiction
Many students are choosing to read chapter books for independent reading. In class, we have practiced how to keep track of the events of the book and other story elements. Determining the most important event/s can still a challenge. 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.

In nonfiction
During our weekly LMC times this month students are reading nonfiction books. Reading nonfiction requires readers to think differently about the text. Readers need to determine the big ideas and figure out the most important facts from the interesting ones. Some students may track the important facts using post it notes to record their ideas. Others may use a 3-column chart or FQR to record Facts, Questions, and Responses. In class we will discuss getting too caught up in the wondering and questioning of nonfiction and the need to refocus on the text, and where a reader’s background knowledge fits in the process. We will also discuss and practice determining the difference between fact and opinion.

Reading for the Record

On Thursday October 8, 2009, Meadowview Intermediate students from Mrs. Richard, Mrs. Ritcher, and Mrs. Veenstra’s reading classes went to the Sparta Preschool. Our visit was part of the Read for the Record, when more than ONE MILLION children around the world broke the world record by reading Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar to the most students on the same day. Some students also read other books. Students practiced reading the book many times and tried to read with expression and smoothness. Meadowview students thought the preschool students were good listeners and enjoyed our visit. We gave each classroom a copy of the book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, to keep in their classrooms. We can’t wait to visit the preschool again and read!

Assessments

Students have completed several assessments since the start of the school year. Students completed the Sparta Reading Inventory (SRI); an assessment that evaluates a student’s reading level. Students read a nonfiction passage, retell what they read, and answer questions about the passage. This is a benchmark assessment, meaning individual student performance is compared to grade level performance. Students are rated advanced, proficient, basic, or minimal in the areas of reading accuracy, oral reading rate, fluency, retelling, and comprehension. Students also completed the Measurement of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment. MAP scores are reported with a Rit score and reading scores also use a Lexile Framework range, a scale for measuring a student’s reading level. Finally, students completed a writing prompt to assess strengths and weaknesses using the 6+1 Traits of writing. Many of these assessments were shared at conferences. These assessments help teachers place students in appropriate groups, match students to books for independent reading, and track each student’s growth. Students are assessed periodically throughout the year to check progress. If you have questions about any of these assessments, please contact me.