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!
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