After students learn to summarize, they can use their summarizing skills to review a book. While they will leave the ending out, students will be able to express their own views of the book and author's writing style. View these Reading Rainbow "Take a Look, It's in a Book" book reviews to give students an idea of what a book review is like. Create a list of "must-haves" for a book review before students write their own.
You can also visit worldreading.org to read book reviews written by kids, for kids!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Welcome to the 21st Century!
Our world has SO many possibilities. Now, more than ever, our students have to be prepared for the life they will live in our current and future society - a life full of information, problems to solve, and constantly advancing technology! In fact, www.p21.org is dedicated to help the education world teach our 21st century learners. 21st century learning isn't just about the use of technology, although it's important. It's about helping our students use the 4 C's of critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity to be successful and active members in our world!
Listen to the 2010 Teacher of the Year, Sara Brown Wessling, speak about how to meet kids where they are, build upon that foundation, and then stretch them to use critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity.
2010 Teacher of the Year Video Link
Additionally, here's a great tool I learned about through one of my graduate classes that you could use with your students to motivate them to READ and talk ABOUT reading! You could have small group discussions and can make them as simple or complex as you like! No logins or passwords to remember - just simple and easy! This is one I created. It took about 2 minutes!
www.wallwisher.com/wall/coolwords
Listen to the 2010 Teacher of the Year, Sara Brown Wessling, speak about how to meet kids where they are, build upon that foundation, and then stretch them to use critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity.
2010 Teacher of the Year Video Link
Additionally, here's a great tool I learned about through one of my graduate classes that you could use with your students to motivate them to READ and talk ABOUT reading! You could have small group discussions and can make them as simple or complex as you like! No logins or passwords to remember - just simple and easy! This is one I created. It took about 2 minutes!
www.wallwisher.com/wall/coolwords
Building Relationships
The conversations I have with students during small guided reading groups are always enjoyable to me. It seems to be a time set aside only for them. No other students should be interrupting us since we've set up independent routines, although there are always those emergency situations. When I hear my students making connections from a story to their lives, it helps me understand them a little better. I wish I remember what it was like to be 7 or 8. The things that are important and big to them are far different from an adult. My perspective on the school day varies greatly from theirs. I think that's why it's so important that we build those trusting relationships with our students first. While this may seem easy enough, when you have a class of 25 or more students, this can become a challenge in itself. I think it's great to use small group time to get to know your students better, not just as readers and writers, but as people!
The following video was shared with us at the beginning of the school year. It reminds me of the things that are important to kids and to not always take things so seriously - to relax and focus on the positive!
The following video was shared with us at the beginning of the school year. It reminds me of the things that are important to kids and to not always take things so seriously - to relax and focus on the positive!
Monday, December 6, 2010
What Level is this Book?
There are so many ways to level books - Guided Reading Level, Lexile, Grade Level Equivalent, DRA etc. Leveling books seems to be the trend. I'm not sure if this was popular in the past and if this is just the pendulum swinging back again. When I started teaching 5 years ago, I wouldn't have been able to tell you what a reading level was or what it meant.
Now, knowing my students' reading levels is integral to my everyday teaching life! There are times when I feel that we can become too dependent on a child's reading level, especially when it comes to parents using this as the one and only measurement of their child's reading abilities.
I primarily base my small guided reading groups around levels. My ultimate desire is to be able to group students by the reading strategies they haven't yet mastered. Meshing level and strategy groups together in a way that makes sense and fits into a reasonable time frame is still a work in progress for me. Additionally, while reading programs' leveled books are convenient, they may not always be representative of authentic reading.
Here are some websites I use to level picture and trade books that aren't already leveled that I think my students should experience:
http://bookwizard.scholastic.com
http://home.comcast.net/~ngiansante
http://books.atozteacherstuff.com/leveled-books
https://leveledbooks.beavton.k12.or.us/search.php
Now, knowing my students' reading levels is integral to my everyday teaching life! There are times when I feel that we can become too dependent on a child's reading level, especially when it comes to parents using this as the one and only measurement of their child's reading abilities.
I primarily base my small guided reading groups around levels. My ultimate desire is to be able to group students by the reading strategies they haven't yet mastered. Meshing level and strategy groups together in a way that makes sense and fits into a reasonable time frame is still a work in progress for me. Additionally, while reading programs' leveled books are convenient, they may not always be representative of authentic reading.
Here are some websites I use to level picture and trade books that aren't already leveled that I think my students should experience:
http://bookwizard.scholastic.com
http://home.comcast.net/~ngiansante
http://books.atozteacherstuff.com/leveled-books
https://leveledbooks.beavton.k12.or.us/search.php
Sunday, December 5, 2010
What's Hot and What's Not for 2010
One of my graduate class professors shared this article with my class. I found it extremely eye-opening, and it encouraged me to reflect on my literacy instruction and beliefs.
What's Hot for 2010
http://www.reading.org/General/Publications/ReadingToday/RTY-0912_HotList2010.aspx
This article includes a link to the What's Hot for 2010 Chart. Literacy leaders from around the country were interviewed either by phone or in person, and their opinions on these areas of literacy were collected and recorded. Just because these leaders agreed that a particular area was hot does not necessarily mean he/she thought it should be hot.
Highlights of What's Hot for 2010
Some of the "hottest" topics: ELL/ESL, Struggling/Striving Readers (grades 4 and above), Response to Intervention (RTI), Early intervention, High-stakes assessment, Comprehension, and Literacy Coaches
Some of the "what's not hot" topics: motivation/engagement, adult literacy, critical reading and writing, fluency, phonics, and professional development
Look at the chart to see what experts in the field thought SHOULD or SHOULD NOT be hot. This may be different from what is actually hot or not hot.
Here are some questions to help you reflect on this article:
What's Hot for 2010
http://www.reading.org/General/Publications/ReadingToday/RTY-0912_HotList2010.aspx
This article includes a link to the What's Hot for 2010 Chart. Literacy leaders from around the country were interviewed either by phone or in person, and their opinions on these areas of literacy were collected and recorded. Just because these leaders agreed that a particular area was hot does not necessarily mean he/she thought it should be hot.
Highlights of What's Hot for 2010
Some of the "hottest" topics: ELL/ESL, Struggling/Striving Readers (grades 4 and above), Response to Intervention (RTI), Early intervention, High-stakes assessment, Comprehension, and Literacy Coaches
Some of the "what's not hot" topics: motivation/engagement, adult literacy, critical reading and writing, fluency, phonics, and professional development
Look at the chart to see what experts in the field thought SHOULD or SHOULD NOT be hot. This may be different from what is actually hot or not hot.
Here are some questions to help you reflect on this article:
- What do you think should be hot?
- Based on your school's school improvement goals and professional developments, what does it seem like your school believes should be hot?
- Would your students, parents, fellow teachers, and principal be able to tell what you value by walking into your classroom?
- Which of these areas do your focus on the most in your small guided reading groups?
- How will this list change in 2011?
Encouraging Independent Work
There are times throughout the week when it's just not possible to follow your small group reading schedule to a "t." There are scheduling interruptions at times or just unexpected situations that arise that require your full attention. When this happens, I have found that giving students a purpose for reading part of a story independently with the intention of sharing their thoughts when the group meets next is a great way to make sure your students are becoming better readers. After all, we want our students to become independent readers and thinkers.
Depending on the student and text they're reading, you might have them read a whole chapter, a few pages, or even reread what they have read so far. Additionally, I like to use a simple organizer entitled "My Ideas" that a 3rd grade teacher shared with me so students can write about their reading. Oftentimes, I will briefly discuss with students what they should be doing while they're reading and what they should write about before, during, or after reading.
For example, they may write their prediction of what's going to happen next in the story before they read and then explain if their prediction was correct or not after reading. Because the boxes are blank, teachers or students can easily write their own directions at the top of box to serve as a reminder during their independent work time. The next time I meet with the group, each student would share their predictions and results. This would serve as a review before we continue reading.
This way of writing about reading doesn't only have to be used when you are unable to meet with groups. In fact, it's a good idea to model and introduce it to students before sending them to do it on their own.
Depending on the student and text they're reading, you might have them read a whole chapter, a few pages, or even reread what they have read so far. Additionally, I like to use a simple organizer entitled "My Ideas" that a 3rd grade teacher shared with me so students can write about their reading. Oftentimes, I will briefly discuss with students what they should be doing while they're reading and what they should write about before, during, or after reading.
For example, they may write their prediction of what's going to happen next in the story before they read and then explain if their prediction was correct or not after reading. Because the boxes are blank, teachers or students can easily write their own directions at the top of box to serve as a reminder during their independent work time. The next time I meet with the group, each student would share their predictions and results. This would serve as a review before we continue reading.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Moving out of your comfort zone
I am quite a conservative person and someone who loves staying in her comfort zone. One of the things that is way out of my comfort zone are the kinds of books that have a lot of comic-type drawings mixed in with the text. There are a large variety of these books from Diary of a Wimpy Kid to actual Batman and Star Wars graphic novels. They are especially popular among boys. When a boy's parents in my class asked me how interested their son was in reading, I realized just how disinterested and unmotivated he is.
We talked about the kinds of books he checks out at the library, and I knew I needed to adjust my reading groups and make an interest group instead of my regular leveled groups for a particular group of boys. Not every boy in this group is disinterested in reading, but I thought they would all enjoy the type of book that just happened to come for free in my Scholastic book order. It's called Black Lagoon Adventures: The Book Report from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler. It's about a boy named Hubie who has to do his first book report. Hubie has a lot of trouble with reading and does not enjoy it.
I tried to look up its exact reading level unsuccessfully, but I decided to try the book anyways. I have to admit that the pages drive me a little nuts with all the comic-type illustrations and speech bubbles surrounding the entire text, but those are the parts that keep the boys' attention and engages their thinking and sense of humor. We discussed the best way to read the book because it has different text features than a typical book. Some boys decided they preferred reading the text of the story before the illustrations and speech bubbles, while others decided to read it the opposite way. Some of the words are harder for them, but they seem to tackle them more willingly. We'll see how our book discussions continue!
*Update AFTER finishing the book!
I asked the boys to rank the book on a scale from 1-10 with 10 meaning they loved it and 1 meaning they did not like it at all. Two boys gave it a 10, one boy gave it an 8, and the boy who was the least motivated gave it "ten thousand 10s." I've ordered more from Scholastic!
We talked about the kinds of books he checks out at the library, and I knew I needed to adjust my reading groups and make an interest group instead of my regular leveled groups for a particular group of boys. Not every boy in this group is disinterested in reading, but I thought they would all enjoy the type of book that just happened to come for free in my Scholastic book order. It's called Black Lagoon Adventures: The Book Report from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler. It's about a boy named Hubie who has to do his first book report. Hubie has a lot of trouble with reading and does not enjoy it.
I tried to look up its exact reading level unsuccessfully, but I decided to try the book anyways. I have to admit that the pages drive me a little nuts with all the comic-type illustrations and speech bubbles surrounding the entire text, but those are the parts that keep the boys' attention and engages their thinking and sense of humor. We discussed the best way to read the book because it has different text features than a typical book. Some boys decided they preferred reading the text of the story before the illustrations and speech bubbles, while others decided to read it the opposite way. Some of the words are harder for them, but they seem to tackle them more willingly. We'll see how our book discussions continue!
*Update AFTER finishing the book!
I asked the boys to rank the book on a scale from 1-10 with 10 meaning they loved it and 1 meaning they did not like it at all. Two boys gave it a 10, one boy gave it an 8, and the boy who was the least motivated gave it "ten thousand 10s." I've ordered more from Scholastic!
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