Week Review: In reading groups this week, we will compliment our stories with writing. We will be writing sentences or filling out complimentary Graphic Organizers. Level E will be writing sentences that include at least one word with a long vowel sound that follows the rule of having a silent "e". (hide, came, home) Level F will also write a sentence that follows that vowel pattern, but they will also be writing a sentence that answers a question about the story. Level G will be writing a two part sentence that is joined by an "and, or, but". Level H will continue with their work on main idea and supporting details. They will be displaying their knowledge of main idea through the sentences that they write. Levels I and above will be discussing predictions and writing a descriptive prediction using our book covers, Table of Contents and perusing through our stories.
Book/Author Suggestion: We are celebrating our counselor, Mrs. Toomay, this Friday. It is "Counselor's Day". She is such an important part of our school. One of her many important lessons is to express your feelings in a healthy way. Teaching children the difference between expressing our feelings with words versus with actions. The first step, for younger children is simply to find a word or a name for the 'feeling' that they are having. There is a wonderful book series in our Sappington Library that helps put pictures with feelings.
The Way I Feel Books* by Cornelia Maude Spelman and the one I chose to start with is "When I Feel Sad". The language is simple and is used to identify, handle and reassure young children on their feelings of sadness and how to successfully relate to others. You can also go to our library catalog and review some of the other optional titles.
Is a Worry Worrying You?* by Ferida Wolff and Harriet May Savitz. This story is a cute way to personify a worry. The word "worry" flips back and forth between an action and a monster. I believe this will empower your first grader to spend their time finding SOLUTIONS to their problem rather than worrying about it. Plus it is highly entertaining!
* indicates if it can be found in the Sappington Library.
Parent Tip: I want to pass on a resource that you may not have considered when furthering your first grader's reading ability. The Teachers' Lounge is a parent/teacher store. They offer classes, parent workshops and story hour (most Monday's for about 30 minutes which might be a nice resource for your younger children). The number of events increase dramatically over the summer. You can visit their website for a calendar of scheduled events. Keep in mind when you attend events or just go there to shop, you can often walk the aisles for ideas, and when you get home, create your own, cheaper version.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Week of January 24th
Week Review: In reading groups this week, we will continue to focus on the same skills as last week. Our snow days have delayed some of the concepts that I feel need to be mastered before we move on. Level D will be searching for words with a consonant blend at the beginning of the words, then changing the endings. (Grandma, great, grin, grab, grill, etc.) Level E will be searching their books for vowel patterns, mainly focusing on the "vowel, consonant, silent e pattern". Level F will be able to locate words following the same vowel spelling pattern, but they will also be producing more that are not found in their story. Level G will be building words in a pattern or sequence as found in Patricia Cunningham's book Making Words, 1st Grade and continuing to practice their expression and fluency. Level H will be introduced to a main idea and then several supporting details. This week we will be using a graphic organizer to help guide our group discussions. Levels I and above will continue to work on Very Important Points as they read.
Book/Author Suggestion: A Snowy Day* by Lola M. Schaefer. This story is a nonfictional text that uses simple text and photography to explain the formation of snow and what people do in it. Obviously, your child can make connections to what goes on in this book and our latest weather!!! This book is a wonderful introduction to understanding nonfictional text. The Table of Contents can be a wonderful tool, IF your child knows how to use it. Since A Snowy Day includes a simple Table of Contents, you and your child can take the time to "use & practice" with it.
Ms. Schaefer has a "What Kind of Day Is It?" series that supports the National science standards on basic features of the earth. The simple text should allow your child to read this book on their own and give you an opportunity to hear how far they have come and begin asking comprehension questions.
* indicates if it can be found in the Sappington Library.
Parent Tip: Nonfiction
In many cases, you will find that your child will be more successful if you take the time to explain the text structure found in nonfiction stories; Table of Contents, Headings, Glossary. It is also important to look for key words or phrases in the text that will help guide them while they read nonfiction. Scholastic has created a table of text structures that need to be introduced and discussed with children to help them learn from nonfictional stories. Some of the text structures that are common in nonfiction writing is: sequencing, compare & contrast, problem & solution, and cause & effect. Understanding these Reading Skills takes practice. Don't forget to include nonfiction stories in your home libraries or your library "wish lists". The more your child has an opportunity to practice, the more confidence they will gain when reading both nonfiction and fiction.
Book/Author Suggestion: A Snowy Day* by Lola M. Schaefer. This story is a nonfictional text that uses simple text and photography to explain the formation of snow and what people do in it. Obviously, your child can make connections to what goes on in this book and our latest weather!!! This book is a wonderful introduction to understanding nonfictional text. The Table of Contents can be a wonderful tool, IF your child knows how to use it. Since A Snowy Day includes a simple Table of Contents, you and your child can take the time to "use & practice" with it.
Ms. Schaefer has a "What Kind of Day Is It?" series that supports the National science standards on basic features of the earth. The simple text should allow your child to read this book on their own and give you an opportunity to hear how far they have come and begin asking comprehension questions.
* indicates if it can be found in the Sappington Library.
Parent Tip: Nonfiction
In many cases, you will find that your child will be more successful if you take the time to explain the text structure found in nonfiction stories; Table of Contents, Headings, Glossary. It is also important to look for key words or phrases in the text that will help guide them while they read nonfiction. Scholastic has created a table of text structures that need to be introduced and discussed with children to help them learn from nonfictional stories. Some of the text structures that are common in nonfiction writing is: sequencing, compare & contrast, problem & solution, and cause & effect. Understanding these Reading Skills takes practice. Don't forget to include nonfiction stories in your home libraries or your library "wish lists". The more your child has an opportunity to practice, the more confidence they will gain when reading both nonfiction and fiction.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Week of January 17th
Week Review: In reading groups this week, we will focus on building words. Level D will be searching for words with a consonant blend at the beginning of the words, then changing the endings. (Grandma, great, grin, grab, grill, etc.) Level E will be searching their books for vowel patterns, mainly focusing on the "vowel, consonant, silent e pattern". Level F will be able to locate words following the same vowel spelling pattern, but they will also be producing more that are not found in their story. Level G will be building words in a pattern or sequence as found in Patricia Cunningham's book Making Words, 1st Grade and continuing to practice their expression and fluency. Level H will be introduced to a main idea and then several supporting details. This week we will be using a graphic organizer to help guide our group discussions. Levels I and above will continue to work on Very Important Points as they read.
Book/Author Suggestion: Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King* by Jean Marzollo and illustrated by J. Brian Pinkney. There are MANY wonderful books to learn about and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I chose this one, because I think it is appropriate for young readers. By drawing attention to his birthday and why we celebrate such a great man, this book gives a rich introduction to a man that made a big difference in our history, yet keeps him human or "real" to the younger readers.
* indicates if it can be found in the Sappington Library.
Parent Tip: In today's world, we have so much information at our fingertips. Taking the time to TEACH your child how to research for VALUABLE information is very important. With Martin Luther King Day and President's Day soon approaching, now is a good time to find the answers to your First Graders many questions. Offer to search online, TOGETHER, for the answer to a question. Mrs. Czaicki, our librarian, is a wonderful resource, but she has also given us access to search engines that are appropriate for elementary students. You can find access to those links through her website. You can also offer to take your child to your area library. There are so many wonderful tools that the St. Louis County Library can provide for us, for FREE! Before you make the trip, visit them online at http://www.slcl.org/ to do your research and view your selections. They also offer a "Request" system, so that if the book that you want is not at your nearest library, they will ship it from a different library and email you when it is ready to pick up! Wonderful! Finally, using your home Internet to find the answer is the most convenient, just remember to demonstrate for your child, how you have to be selective in choosing the website that can be trusted with true information. Who knows? You might all learn a little bit more!
Book/Author Suggestion: Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King* by Jean Marzollo and illustrated by J. Brian Pinkney. There are MANY wonderful books to learn about and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I chose this one, because I think it is appropriate for young readers. By drawing attention to his birthday and why we celebrate such a great man, this book gives a rich introduction to a man that made a big difference in our history, yet keeps him human or "real" to the younger readers.
* indicates if it can be found in the Sappington Library.
Parent Tip: In today's world, we have so much information at our fingertips. Taking the time to TEACH your child how to research for VALUABLE information is very important. With Martin Luther King Day and President's Day soon approaching, now is a good time to find the answers to your First Graders many questions. Offer to search online, TOGETHER, for the answer to a question. Mrs. Czaicki, our librarian, is a wonderful resource, but she has also given us access to search engines that are appropriate for elementary students. You can find access to those links through her website. You can also offer to take your child to your area library. There are so many wonderful tools that the St. Louis County Library can provide for us, for FREE! Before you make the trip, visit them online at http://www.slcl.org/ to do your research and view your selections. They also offer a "Request" system, so that if the book that you want is not at your nearest library, they will ship it from a different library and email you when it is ready to pick up! Wonderful! Finally, using your home Internet to find the answer is the most convenient, just remember to demonstrate for your child, how you have to be selective in choosing the website that can be trusted with true information. Who knows? You might all learn a little bit more!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Week of January 10th
Week Review: In reading groups this week, we will focus on our writing skills. Level D will be writing sentences looking for words that have the beginning blends such as "sn" or "cr" or creating lists of words that have that beginning blend. Level E, when writing words in our sentences, they will be accountable for the beginning sound and ending sounds. They need to focus their attention on listening to the medial sounds by STRETCHING out the words slowly. Level F will be focusing on finding words in their story that have a vowel pattern such as "ea" and writing a sentence using those words. Level G will be spending our time rereading our stories with expression and fluency. Then they will be responsible giving me an oral summary of the story. This will prepare them for a written summary in the future. Level H will be reading stories and picking out important points, writing them on sticky notes, and comparing them with the others in the group.
Book/Author Suggestion: The Snowy Day* by Esra Jack Keats. This book won the 1963 Caldecott Award and has entertained readers ever since. It is a sweet story of a boy and the joys of a fresh snowfall in the city. Perhaps I chose this story in hopes for a little snow and snow play for our first graders this week :) or maybe it is because I know they can find some wonderful connections to the character in this story. Whatever the reason, it is a wonderful story that will allow your child to connect to the story and have discussions of what they do or would do differently in the same situation.
* indicates if it can be found in the Sappington Library.
Parent Tip: Last week I expressed the importance of fluency, as a bridge between word recognition and understanding. This week I want to encourage expression. Expression often comes when a reader's fluency has improved. When a reader feels comfortable with the book, they can read with ease and expression. Expression also comes from modeling. As stated last week, READING ALOUD to your children is so important. It gives them a wonderful model of fluency and expression to follow. Here are some suggestions that I use in the classroom when encouraging students to use expression:
*role play :you can be one of the characters and they can be another, maybe a brother or sister can be the "narrator". You read the parts in quotations for your character and they will read aloud the parts that are in quotation for their character and the narrator reads anything not in quotations.
*change voices: When you read a story aloud, make sure you try to change the voices for each of the characters. It may feel silly at first, but trust me, children LOVE when they hear stories aloud with wonderful expression. It will capture your "audience's" attention and pass on a wonderful example, as well.
*"How would YOU say that?": I like to ask the students, "How would you say that?" Sometimes they forget that the story they are reading is often a reflection of life experiences. They are focused on the words on the page and miss the meaning. Bringing their attention back to how a person might say something brings them back to the meaning behind it.
*have fun with it: Although you've heard a particular book "1,000 times!", that book is the perfect place to start. The more familiar a book, the easier it will seem, the more fun they can have with the voices of the characters. Perhaps you could take it a step further and get the whole family involved. Each of you can take parts, dress the part and put on a fabulous play!
Book/Author Suggestion: The Snowy Day* by Esra Jack Keats. This book won the 1963 Caldecott Award and has entertained readers ever since. It is a sweet story of a boy and the joys of a fresh snowfall in the city. Perhaps I chose this story in hopes for a little snow and snow play for our first graders this week :) or maybe it is because I know they can find some wonderful connections to the character in this story. Whatever the reason, it is a wonderful story that will allow your child to connect to the story and have discussions of what they do or would do differently in the same situation.
* indicates if it can be found in the Sappington Library.
Parent Tip: Last week I expressed the importance of fluency, as a bridge between word recognition and understanding. This week I want to encourage expression. Expression often comes when a reader's fluency has improved. When a reader feels comfortable with the book, they can read with ease and expression. Expression also comes from modeling. As stated last week, READING ALOUD to your children is so important. It gives them a wonderful model of fluency and expression to follow. Here are some suggestions that I use in the classroom when encouraging students to use expression:
*role play :you can be one of the characters and they can be another, maybe a brother or sister can be the "narrator". You read the parts in quotations for your character and they will read aloud the parts that are in quotation for their character and the narrator reads anything not in quotations.
*change voices: When you read a story aloud, make sure you try to change the voices for each of the characters. It may feel silly at first, but trust me, children LOVE when they hear stories aloud with wonderful expression. It will capture your "audience's" attention and pass on a wonderful example, as well.
*"How would YOU say that?": I like to ask the students, "How would you say that?" Sometimes they forget that the story they are reading is often a reflection of life experiences. They are focused on the words on the page and miss the meaning. Bringing their attention back to how a person might say something brings them back to the meaning behind it.
*have fun with it: Although you've heard a particular book "1,000 times!", that book is the perfect place to start. The more familiar a book, the easier it will seem, the more fun they can have with the voices of the characters. Perhaps you could take it a step further and get the whole family involved. Each of you can take parts, dress the part and put on a fabulous play!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Week of January 3rd
Welcome back!!!
It was a nice break, but I do miss the students and their stories :) I hope they are ready to get back into the swing of things also!
Week Review: In reading groups this week, we will focus on building words. Level D will be searching for words with a consonant blend at the beginning of the words, then changing the endings. (snow, snore, snap, snail, etc.) Level E will be searching their books for consonant blends in any part of the word; beginning, middle, or end). Level F will be practicing vowel spelling patterns found in their book. (snow: ow makes the long "o" sound, or the "ow" sound. Then we will think of words that are an example of each). Level G will be building words in a pattern or sequence as found in Patricia Cunningham's book Making Words, 1st Grade. Level H will focus on comprehension strategies, beginning with "Making Connections" as they read. How does the story connect to them, another book, or the world. Levels I and above will be working on finding Very Important Points as they read. They will place a post-it strip next to a place in their story that they feel is important.
Book/Author Suggestion: A Weekend with Wendell* by Kevin Henkes. It is easy to fall in love with Kevin Henkes' books. They are sweet and often true-to-life. This selection isn't any different. In fact, over the break, your child may have had to experience what Sophie does in the story; a bossy, difficult guest. Wendell stays with Sophie and her family for a weekend while Wendell's parents go out of town. Wendell is very bossy while they pretend play and shines a flashlight in Sophie's eyes while she tries to sleep. When he covers her head in shaving cream, Sophie makes a suggestion that changes the dynamics of their relationship forever. It is a wonderful story that teaches patience, problem solving and understanding. A favorite!
* indicates if it can be found in the Sappington Library.
Parent Tip: One semester has ended and our second one begins. At the end of the semester, your child was on grade level if they were reading at a level "E". By the end of 2nd semester, they should be reading at a level "I". This requires a lot of hard work from our first graders. We are all familiar with the routines and the expectations, so we can focus on reading well.
No matter your child's level, fluency is a great skill to practice with them. According to The Reading Rockets website, "fluency is being able to read text quickly and accurately. Fluency is important because it provides a bridge between word recognition and comprehension. Because fluent readers do not have to concentrate on decoding the words, they can focus their attention on what the text means. They can make connections among the ideas in the text and their background knowledge. In other words, fluent readers recognize words and comprehend at the same time. Less fluent readers, however, must focus their attention on figuring out the words, leaving them little attention for understanding the text." Having your child on their appropriate reading levels is one way to help their fluency, but it is also important for them to hear YOU read aloud; hearing someone read in phrases rather than word-by-word. Pick up one of my book suggestions from previous blog entries, or choose a book from home, but make time to read aloud to your children. They need that good example of fluency.
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