What Are You Reading Good? (12/16/2011)

It's winter break! I know the students are super excited about being off for break. I'm excited to spend time with my family but also to have lots of time for reading and writing this break.

I checked out two bags of picture books from the library to get ready to discuss Martin Luther King Jr. and the book award named for his wife, Coretta Scott King.
I'll be excited to come back from break and hear about all the reading my Team Read students have done!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

The Nutcracker Ballet

Last week and this week I have shared Dogs Don't Do Ballet by Anna Kemp with students. It's such a funny book that we have used to infer how the dog feels or what character trait he exhibits as we read. It's amazing how many interesting words we can learn while reading a picture book.

 Biff is a dog who really wants to be a ballet dancer. Even though lots of people tell him that dogs don't do ballet, he doesn't give up! He keeps working towards his dream!

After reading Dogs Don't Do Ballet we will be reading The Nutcracker with artwork by Alison Jay. The Nutcracker based on the famous ballet, has become a big part of American culture during the holidays. The music and the story is famous and I wanted to make sure students have some knowledge of The Nutcracker so we will read the book and watch clips of the ballet and make connections with both of these books.

What Are You Reading Good? (12/10/2011)

Is anyone thinking about some holiday reading? I have two great snowy books I'm thinking of reading over winter break and I can't wait! It'll be here soon!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

December Reader of the Month

I'm excited to finally get started with Reader of the Month interviews! Here is the first interview of the year!

I really enjoyed the questions that Jodie wrote for Nathan! It was fun to read about Nathan's experience in high school so far. I had fun interviewing students last year but it's cool to see students interview students! Thanks for reading! Do you have any more questions for Nathan? You can write them in the comment area.

What Are You Reading Good? (12/02/2011)

I think we all had a great Thanksgiving holiday but were happy to be back to school. I was excited to see kids reading Eleven by Lauren Myracle (one of my favorite authors!) and The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. I love seeing my students read such great books!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

What Are You Reading Good? (11/18/2011)

I'm sorry our slideshow is so late this week! I was sick on Friday and didn't get a chance to post this. Kids are off for Thanksgiving this week - I hope there is lots of reading going on!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

Balloons Over Broadway

This week students will be reading Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's of Macy's Parade by Melissa Sweet. It's a wonderfully written and illustrated picture book about the history behind the giant balloons that can be seen during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thanksgiving Day. The parade will be on NBC at 9:00 a.m. Our family always watches the parade and I have always been fascinated by the fanciful balloons. I hope you talk to your families about this bit of our country's history and then watch the parade to see the balloons on Thanksgiving Day! Then you can come back and let us know which was your favorite balloon!

What Are You Reading Good? (11/11/11)

I hope everyone enjoyed Veteran's Day today! It's nice to remember everyone who has helped to protect our country.

This week a couple of kids are reading the 39 Clues series. It's a great series about a brother and sister who are sent on a scavenger hunt around the world as they follow clues left for them by their recently deceased grandmother. It's such a fun series for anyone who likes adventure!

I'm almost done with Liesl and Po which I have been reading all week. It's a completely different kind of adventure book with some ghosts and magic thrown in. Please share what you are reading!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

What Are You Reading Good? (11/04/11)

It's already Friday again! I love looking back at what we have been reading this week. I was excited to read I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen with a few students. It has a very unexpected ending! I hope everyone had a great week of reading! Tell us more about what you read in the comment section! Go Team Read!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

Inking Our Thinking

I have challenged my students to be inking their thinking while they are reading. We practice using good strategies as we read because we are good readers. After we practice together, I ask students to take sticky notes and try to ink their thinking while they are reading at home.

Sometimes students read but miss some of the details or even some big ideas from what they are reading. Inking their thinking is supposed to help them slow down and really think about what they are reading by using the good strategies we have been talking about when we work together.

I'm excited to see what students were thinking about while they were reading at home. I love hearing what students are reading about and now I'll get to hear more specifically what they are thinking about as they read!

Here's an example of some of our inking your thinking notes after Jodie put them into her Team Read reader's journal. Who's going to be the next person to bring me the inking of their thinking!?! Great job Jodie!

What Are You Reading Good? (10/28/11)

It's Friday and that means it's time for another Team Read slideshow! I love looking back at all the books my students are reading! It's great! I just finished reading Bigger Than a Breadbox by Laurel Snyder today and finished listening to All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn. If you are looking for a ghost story to read for Halloween, I recommend All the Lovely Bad Ones or Wait Til Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn! Have a great weekend of reading! Go Team REad!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

Genres

When we talk about genres, we talk about what kind of books we are reading. Books can belong to different kinds of books. It's important for kids to recognize what genre they are reading and what characteristics of the book help them to know what genre they are reading.

Here are some different genres:

Non-Fiction

*Biography

*Autobiography

*Memoir

*Informational

Fiction

*Realistic Fiction

*Humor

*Fantasy

*Science Fiction

*Mystery

*Traditional Literature 

(fairy tales, fables, legends, tall tales, myths)

Leave a comment to tell us what book you are reading, what genre it is, and how you know the book is the genre you think it is. Answer this question: How is your book an example of _______(genre)?

Here's an example:

I am reading Bigger Than a Breadbox by Laurel Snyder. This book is an example of fantasy(genre) because the girl in the book wishes for things like money, a diamond, and junk food and it all appears in a breadbox she has in her room! Wishes don't really come true so I know this book is fantasy.

I'm excited to hear about what you are reading and what genres you are reading! Go Team Read!

What Are You Reading Good? (10/21/11)

This was our last week with Ms. Brennan! We will miss her. I'm going to read a scary book next week to get ready for Halloween! What are you reading good, Team Read?

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

Retelling What You Read

Every time I see a student, I start off by talking to him or her about what book he or she is reading! I love to hear what kids are reading and to be able to share with them what book I am reading. Being able to retell what you have read so far or recently means you are a good reader. Good readers use reading strategies and retelling the story is a reading strategy!

When a student retells he or she should include:

character or characters

setting

problem

the solution or a prediction

Jodie and Ms. Brennan with our Retell Rewind rubric!

Some of the students use my Retell Rewind rubric to guide them and sometimes we use the rubric to score each other and see if we are able to include with all the important elements of a retell. On the rubric I also include use of a loud clear voice and good expression. I know that I love to talk to friends about what I am reading and get ideas about what to read next from talking to friends. It's important that I can tell a friend about a book I am reading and make it exciting if I really think they would like the book. Also, if a friend is telling me about a book, I hope that it's interesting to listen to them otherwise I'll be bored talking to them and not excited at all to read the book. 

I hope that kids and parents and friends and family and sometimes even strangers, can talk about books.  I love to ask people what they are reading and to find out if they have read books I have read. By doing this you are also practicing a retell! Try it, ask the next person you see what he or she is reading. How about asking the first person you see when you get to school what he or she is reading? Come back and tell us if you learned of any new books! Go Team Read!

What Are You Reading Good? (10/14/11)

We had a great week this week! Lots of Team Read students were able to Skype visit with the author Tom Angleberger on Tuesday at the library! I know a lot of students are reading his books now! Happy reading this weekend! Go Team Read!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

Thanks Tom Angleberger!

Last night many students joined me at the local library to meet other students who are hard of hearing or deaf and to Skype with Tom Angleberger, the author of The Strange Case of Origami Yoda and Darth Paper Strikes Back. Kids took their picture with Darth Paper Strikes Back and then found a place to sit for the chat with Mr. Angleberger. Everyone got to ask Mr. Angleberger a question and then he helped teach us how to fold origami Yodas! They turned out great.

It was fun to see students outside of school and to be able to talk about books they are reading! Mr. Angleberger is coming to a bookstore near us in November and many families were talking about going to meet him in real life.

I love that Tom includes Caroline, a girl who is deaf, in his books. It brings awareness to readers that there are young kids who are deaf or hard of hearing and who wear hearing aids. In Darth Paper Strikes Back, Caroline talks about how people treat her differently because of her hearing aids and sometimes try to yell when they talk to her. Origami Yoda gives her some advice to help her get kids to treat her like any other kid.

Here are some pictures from the event! 

Thanks for everyone who came! Go Team Read!

The individual pictures will be posted on Friday with the Team Read slideshow. Check back to see what books we're reading this week!

Origami Yoda and Darth Paper Visit!

I am so excited that several of my students are going to be able to Skype with Tom Angleberger, the author of The Strange Case of Origami Yoda and Darth Paper Strikes Back tonight! I'm wearing my "Read You Should" Yoda t-shirt today for this special event!

I know students sometimes giggle at my excitement for reading but as a teacher I truly believe it's important for me to be the biggest cheerleader for reading that I can be. I hope that parents catch some of my enthusiasm and read with their children, talk to their children about what they are reading at home and make lots of trips to the library. Reading is not only extremely good for you but also fun. If you don't believe me, believe Yoda. Wise he is! Read you should!

Are you a Star Wars fan? I love Star Wars and we have been watching a lot of it now that my son has been watching the movie. We also check out the Star Wars early readers and I have learned so much more about what the story is all about after reading the books. Did you know they have Star Wars encyclopedias? All the characters you see actually have names. It made me realize how much goes into writing - whether it's writing for a movie or a book - because the author has to imagine a world and know everything about it in order to write about it. I never realized how amazing Star Wars really is! If you like the movies, I definitely recommend checking out some of the books to learn more!

What Are You Reading Good? (10/07/11)

October is here! I chose some spooky music for our slideshow since Halloween will be right around the corner!

Lots of students are reading The Strange Case of Origami Yoda or Darth Paper Strikes Back as we get ready for our author Skype with Tom Angleberger next week!

Make sure you watch the slideshow all the way through, in addition to my students' pictures with their books, we have a picture of Miss Stephanie's preschool class with their Llama Llama Red Pajama books! Thanks for joing Team Read Miss Stephanie and her class! Go Team Read!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

We have been doing more great reading! Good readers use strategies and we have been talking a lot about these strategies and practicing them together. Here are some of the reading strategies that good readers use!

Reread

Visualize

Stop and Think

Infer

Identify Story Elements

Use Background Knowledge

Make Connections

Sometimes we do these and don't even realize we are doing them but other times we need to practice doing these as we read. All of these strategies help us think more about the text as we are reading so we can understand what we are reading. 

If you are using reading strategies while you are reading then you are being a good reader! It's hard to see what a good reader does because all this thinking while reading happens inside your head! A good reader can tell another person what is happening in the story and what they are thinking about as they read. Can you tell another person about the book you are reading? Can you tell him what you are wondering or predicting as you read?

Do you use these strategies? How have these strategies helped you as a reader? Is there a strategy that you think you need to work on more? Please share! 

What Are You Reading Good? (09/30/11)

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

School of Fear Booktalk

We have our first booktalk of this school year! Jodie would like to tell you about School of Fear by Gitty Daneshvari!

I listened to this book on audiobook and it was great. I love the unexpected twist in this book. Have you read School of Fear? What book are reading that you love?

Please share what you are reading this week! Go Team Read!

What Are You Reading Good? (09/23/11)

Yet another great week of reading! I love that students are bringing their books every time I see them. Great reading!!! Go Team Read!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

If Slugs Can Read...

I mentioned on Tuesday that some of the kids read How To Teach a Slug to Read by Susan Pearson. I wanted to share the ideas that one of the 4th graders came up with for reading at home!

We talked about deciding on a family reading time when him and his family can all gather together and read books together. I'm a mom with two kiddos and I know how busy both of them keep me but I read to my sons every night. It's a quiet part of my day that I look forward to. It might only be 10 or 15 minutes a night - or once a week - but spending time together reading and talking about books is one of the most important things a parent can do for their child. And, if slugs can teach their kiddos to read...shouldn't we be trying to, too?

How To Read To Your...

...3rd grader?

...4th grader?

...6th grader?

...7th grader?

...high schooler?

Believe it or not, parents should be reading with their children - or at least reading what their children are reading or talking to their children about reading - long after they leave kindergarten and first grade. Just because kids can read to themselves doesn't mean parents shouldn't be involved in their reading lives'.

Several students read this book with either Miss Brennan or I and then we brainstormed some ideas for what they would love when it comes to reading with their parents. Lots of kids said they would want to sit with their mom or dad on a nice, cozy spot to read together. Many talks about choosing a book together - and especially choosing a book that is interesting to them. One student thought it would be fun to act out a book after reading it and most wanted help sounding out words or figuring out what new words while reading.  

I encourage parents to try and find at least one night a week to sit down with your child or children (family reading fun!) and to read together, to listen to an audiobook together, or to simply talk about the books your child is reading. Parents should be reading role models for their children. Here are some of my favorite books to share:

For young children or lower elementary school kids I strongly recommend any of the books in the Elephant and Piggie series by Mo Willems. The text is simple, but the stories are fantastic. I dare you to read We Are In a Book and not crack a smile! Everyone of all ages will love this book!

Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom is the first in a great series that I have just started reading by Eric Wight. So far there are three Frankie Pickle books and he is so much fun. These books are chapter books with some graphic novel parts mixed in. He is super imaginative and so funny to read. You'll fly through these books, waiting to see what happens next to Frankie.

These next too books are great middle grade fiction by Tom Angleberger. If you have forgotten what it means to be in middle school - these books will bring you right back.  Origami Yoda is a little guy that Dwight has folded up. He carries him around on his finger and gives advice to kids. Tommy is trying to figure out if he can trust Yoda's advice by collecting stories of other kids' experiences with Origami Yoda.

Guess what? Students in U-46 will have a chance to attend an author visit with the author of The Strange Case of Origami Yoda and Darth Paper Strikes Back! It's just another reason to read these books! You'll be able to think of some questions for Mr. Angleberger and ask him when we meet with him!

For older students, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is the first in a brilliant series that looks at what could happen if society doesn't reign in reality shows. Miss Brennan heard about this series from Nathan and is already onto the second book in the series and loving it. If you've read The Hunger Games, then I think you might like Divergent by Veronica Roth. It is also set in the future, actually a futuristic Chicago! Society has been divided into five factions. Kids can choose to stay in the faction they were born into or to move into another faction when they turn 16. I'm about halfway through and loving this book!

What other books do you love to read together? Do you have a favorite book to read aloud or that you remember loving when it was read aloud to you? 

Do you have a time when you read together? What is your goal for reading together or discussing reading this year? Please share!

Go Team Read!

What Are You Reading Good? (09/16/11)

We had such a spectacular week of reading! It was fun to see what kids are reading and to share our books. I'm so excited that kids are visiting the library and checking out the Team Read blog. Go Team Read!!!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

Team Read Blog Info!

Adrian was the first student to post a comment on the Team Read blog! He's really excited about Team Read! I hope you all are, too! Let's practice leaving a comment. Look under this post where it says "0 Comments". It might have a different number once people start commenting. Click there and then type your comment into the box on the page that opens up. Choose "Anonymous" and then press "Publish Your Comment" and you're done! It will send your comment to me and I have to approve it before it shows up on the blog.

Back to School 2011-2012!

Welcome back to school! I am excited to be starting a new school year. You may have noticed that the blog has a new look and a new name. Adrian, one of my fourth grade students, came up with the name Team Read. I love it. I love reading, I love sharing books, I love the idea of connecting through reading. We are all in this together. We are a team of readers!

This year I will continue to post slideshows of students and the books they have been reading on Fridays. Last Friday, I posted our first slideshow! The kids are already reading and excited to share their books! I love looking back at the books we have talked about through the week. I have a student teacher, Ms. Brennan, working with me for the first nine weeks of school so you'll see her in the Friday slideshows as well! She is from Illinois State University and loves to read, too!

When we met with the elementary students in the last two weeks, we read Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric Litwin with them. We love Pete and they love Pete! He's such a cool cat. We were singing and dancing along with Pete. You can visit the Pete the Cat site at the Harper Collins Children website to hear Pete's song!

Next, they'll be reading How to Teach a Slug to Read by Susan Pearson and developing some ideas to share with their parents about what they love about reading with their parents. Being read aloud to is one of the most important things for a child. Unlike flossing, reading together is actually a fun activity that also happens to be one of the best experiences in helping students find success in reading. I strongly believe that parents should read with their children all the way through high school. While reading to your child when he or she is young will look different than reading with your child when he or she is older, it's still worthwhile to continue your relationship as readers. As kids get older it's a great idea to read what they are reading and take time to talk about the book. One of my favorite parts of reading is being able to talk to others about books that I love...or sometimes books that I don't like. I usually learn something new!

I'd love to hear what kids think about Pete the Cat or other books they are reading! Please share! What do you love most about reading together? What do you do that works for you as a family?

It's not just about sharing the book, it's about sharing the experience together as readers. Go Team Read!

What Are You Reading Good? (09/09/11)

The weekly slideshows are back!
Check what we are reading in and out of school!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

Reader of the Month May 2011

Our Reader of the Month for May is Jodie!  Jodie is a 5th grader who loves to read.  She is super excited to be the Reader of the Month.  

Mrs. Read-A-Lot: What is your favorite book? Who would you recommend it to?  

Jodie: My favorite book is Chicken Soup for the Soul because it had fun stories.  I'd recommend it to my family and friends who are older than me.

Mrs. Read-A-Lot: Where do you like to read?  Can you describe your favorite reading spot?

Jodie: In my room, in my mom and dad's room, and with one of my dogs.  My favorite reading spot is in my room because it's comfy and peaceful and quiet!

Mrs. Read-A-Lot: When do you like to read?

Jodie: When it is daytime and nighttime because I read humor books in daytime and scary books at nighttime.

Mrs. Read-A-Lot: What are the last three books you have read?

Jodie: A Little Princess

Ramona and Her Father

 and Chicken Soup for the Soul

Mrs. Read-A-Lot: Do you prefer paperbacks or hardcover books?

Jodie: I'd prefer both because there are so many different books I like!

Mrs. Read-A-Lot: How do you choose a book?

Jodie: I look at the cover, the back and/or a friend told the story (recommended) to me.

Mrs. Read-A-Lot: Reading is...

Jodie: A strategy people use to learn new words and new ways to talk.  So there are reading levels for books.  It is 1-1000.  So my reading level is 600-800 (611-881).  So reading is good and you can recommend the books you've read.

Thanks for being our Reader of the Month Jodie!  I think it's great that you know your lexile level, like your classroom teacher has taught you.  I have always believed it's good to read a just-right book that you like to read.  I hope you find some fun books to read this summer!  Make sure you read what you like!

Since the school year is almost coming to a close, we'll no longer be doing reading rewards but I do hope you come back to school in the fall and can tell me all about the great reading you did this summer!  I can't wait to hear all about the books you read!  AND, I'm super excited to share books that I read with you!