Creating Life-Long Readers
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In addition to creating a community of learners, my mission as an educator is also to establish my students as life-long readers. This essentially means that my students will not only read for the purpose of receiving good grades, but hopefully they will see that becoming a good reader opens many opportunities; provides great entertainment; and develops unlimited knowledge and understanding. Cracking open a good book opens up many possibilities.
Within this portion of the website you will find information about the books that we discuss during our mini-lessons, charts, critiques and reviews from the students, and any other links that we can find to help your child become great readers!
Within this portion of the website you will find information about the books that we discuss during our mini-lessons, charts, critiques and reviews from the students, and any other links that we can find to help your child become great readers!
Literacy Curriculum for Term 1
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Here is what we will be focusing on in reading, writing, and oral communication.
Reading Letters to Ms. Halliday
The students will frequently write letters that show thier understanding of the books they are reading. Below is an anchor chart of what is expected.
Making Connections
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While reading, we all make connections to further understand the text and the message that is found within our books. Our class has looked at 5 key ways that we make connections. They are:
1) Text to Self - making connections between the book and our personal experiences.
2) Text to Text - making a connection between the book we are reading and other books.
3) Text to Media - making a connection between the book and things that we have seen on such forms as t.v. shows, the radio, the internet, movies, etc.
4) Text to World - making a connection between the book and events that are happening in our community and the rest of the world.
5) Text to My Text - making a connection between the book and pieces that we have created ourselves (i.e. a journal entry, an art project, a made-up song, etc.).
We practiced making connections with our "Just Right" books. Our class then added a little art to our learning and made "Connection Spiders". Each leg was a connection as the body showed a visual image of the first four connections.
1) Text to Self - making connections between the book and our personal experiences.
2) Text to Text - making a connection between the book we are reading and other books.
3) Text to Media - making a connection between the book and things that we have seen on such forms as t.v. shows, the radio, the internet, movies, etc.
4) Text to World - making a connection between the book and events that are happening in our community and the rest of the world.
5) Text to My Text - making a connection between the book and pieces that we have created ourselves (i.e. a journal entry, an art project, a made-up song, etc.).
We practiced making connections with our "Just Right" books. Our class then added a little art to our learning and made "Connection Spiders". Each leg was a connection as the body showed a visual image of the first four connections.
Detailed Illustrations - Action, Feeling, and Text
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We took some time to explore how illustrations help us to read and visualize what is being said in our books. There were three parts of an illustration that were essential:
1) Action - What is moving in this scene? What makes this picture interesting? Does this picture tell us what is happening?
2) Feeling - What are the feelings that are portrayed in this picture? Does this picture show how the characters are feeling? What is the mood of the setting? How is this picture making us feel as the reader?
3) Text - Not all illustrations have text, but how can text further enhance what we are reading? When is it appropriate to add text to our illustrations? How much should we add? How do speech and thought bubbles help the reader to understand what the characters are thinking?
Students then created their own detailed illustration along with a paragraph to explain their picture.
1) Action - What is moving in this scene? What makes this picture interesting? Does this picture tell us what is happening?
2) Feeling - What are the feelings that are portrayed in this picture? Does this picture show how the characters are feeling? What is the mood of the setting? How is this picture making us feel as the reader?
3) Text - Not all illustrations have text, but how can text further enhance what we are reading? When is it appropriate to add text to our illustrations? How much should we add? How do speech and thought bubbles help the reader to understand what the characters are thinking?
Students then created their own detailed illustration along with a paragraph to explain their picture.
The Librarian from the Black Lagoon
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As an introduction to the new school year, "The Librarian from the Black Lagoon" was used to teach the children about overcoming their first week jitters about school. The story is about a boy who heard rumors about the school librarian and some her strange rules. However, he gets a surprise once he actually goes to the school library.
This story was also used to explain:
This story was also used to explain:
- Big Ideas (themes in the story).
- Using the title and illustrations to predict what might happen next.
- Create questions for the authour.
Finding our "Just Right Books"
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So far, my students have been showing a great interest in reading and choosing their own books. Giving them the opportunity to choose their own books is great, however helping them to choose the right books that will further develop their level of reading is even better. Here is a short guide that my students use to make sure that they are choosing the right books.
You can also use this guide when you take your child to the library.
You can also use this guide when you take your child to the library.
Just Right Books part 2
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Here are some more strategies that we use to make sure that we are choosing just the right book. You can use this technique while taking your child to the library.
Sticky Notes Codes
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My students know that I just LOVE sticky notes. During our independent reading time we use them to further understand the books we are reading. This activity helps my students to draw a meaningful connection to the text they have chosen and also helps me to visually see if they are increasing in their comprehension skills.
Reading Strategies
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Throughout the entire year, the Grade 3 & 4 class will be practicing the basic strategies of good readers
Book Nooks
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Students have decorated a special container which has their own mini, personal library. In it they included their "just right books", their leveled reading books; library books and their reader's notebook.