Book Box Alert!

photolaneyDo you know where your child’s book box is? This book box is an important part of our reading program because it provides a safe place to store just right books for your child. By now, your child has brought home 5-10 books from our reading class. In order to keep your child engaged in reading at home, these books can be part of your home library. This week, many students will be bringing home a new book to add to their collection. Students’ homework is to read this book to at least 2 people in their family and then put the book in their book box. If you can’t find the book box, that’s ok! Just use another box and establish this important habit of reading.

Ready to Read

imagesThank you for completing the reading survey. If you haven’t had a chance to complete it yet, it’s not too late! Here is the link: reading survey. This is a look at the week ahead.

First Grade: We have learned a total of seven reading strategies. These now include using smaller word chunks to figure out longer unknown words (Chunky Monkey) and always self checking to make sure that the reading makes sense (Wise Old Owl). We are ready to start applying these strategies with different books. This week we will practice a book that is just one level above your child’s reading level. This will give plenty of opportunity for us to problem solve unknown words together. After lots of practice and discussion about the story, this book will come home on Friday in a special Book Box. You can encourage your child’s reading by listening to him/her read this book to you at home. While reading, he/she should point under the words while reading. This ensures that words are not skipped or added. This is just the first book of many which will come home from our reading class. These important books should be stored in the Book Box so that they can be practiced frequently.

Second Grade: After our review of decoding strategies and vowel sounds, we are starting our first book together. We will practice using good problem solving skills with unknown words and also work on strengthening comprehension. We will also spend time reviewing details from the story and discussing characters. In our group, we will look for clues in what the characters do, say, and act. On Friday, this book will come home in a special new Book Box. Please make sure that our reading class books are stored in this box so that they can be practiced regularly. After your second grader reads this book to you, ask about the interesting facts that we have discovered while reading.

Enjoy this reading time with your child! 

New Books and Vowels

Thank you for completing the reading survey. If you haven’t had a chance to complete it yet, it’s not too late! Here is the link: reading survey. This is a look at the week ahead.

First Grade: Our first books will be coming home this week! After learning about four important reading strategies, we practiced using them with many different books. We noticed that authors will often end a book with a surprise. To show our understanding, we wrote and illustrated our own books about animals and what they eat. Look for our surprise at the end! This animal book, as well as a leveled book will come home this week in a personalized Book Box. Encourage your child’s reading by listening to him/her read these books to you at home. While reading, he/she should point under the words while reading. This helps to make sure that words are not skipped or added. Books should be stored in the Book Box so that they are not lost and can be practiced frequently. 

Second Grade: In order to help student with decoding harder words, we will focus on short and long vowel sounds. Although our English language is full of exceptions, there are some rules that can be helpful. We will look at different vowel teams (ee, ea, oa, ai) and words with Bossy e on the end. Ask your child to explain these rules to you! We will continue to work on breaking longer words into smaller parts, looking for common endings (-ing, -s, and -ed). We will also work on our second leveled book, building comprehension and accuracy.

Best way to support your child in reading… read together every night! 🙂