In Reading, we finished reading The Midnight Fox, by Betsy Byars. The students finished their Newsletters and they're hanging up in the hallway displaying the important events from the story.
We are back in the Reading Anthology, "Trophies" and we will be reading the following selections:
- "Fire" -Expository Nonfiction
- "A Very Important Day" Informational Narrative
- "Saguaro Cactus" Expository Nonfiction
- "Blue Willow" Realistic Fiction
- "In My Family"-Autobiography
The reading focus skills that we will be working on during this 5-week unit are:
- Elements of Nonfiction
- Author's Purpose
- Sequence
Also, please remember that every Thursday night, the students will be asked to read the story to a parent or sibling to practice for their Friday test.
PARENTS: To help the kids work on reading comprehension, try this:
Playing Cards
Come up with a list of questions that will require a child to think back to what he/she has read and express his/her understanding of the material. In addition to asking for factual information, ask your child questions which relate to his/her opinions and feelings about the story. Use your judgment as to the kinds of questions that are right for your child. Using 3 x 5-inch index cards, write a different question on one side of each playing card.
Examples:
•Describe where the story takes place.
•Which character do you wish were part of your family?
•Tell about the most exciting part of the story.
•How could the story end differently?
•Tell something you did not like about the story.
•What did you think about the ending?
•Describe the problem in the story. How was it solved?
•Is the story fiction or non-fiction? How do you know?
•What other books have you read that are like this one?
•Would you like to live where the story takes place? Why or why not?
•What questions do you have about the story?
•What part of the story would you read to a friend?
•What do you think might happen next?
•What kind of stories do you like best? Why?
•Who do you think was the most interesting character in the book? Why?
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