What Are You Reading Good? (04/29/2011)

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Reader of the Month April 2011

Our Reader of the Month for April is Jackie!  Jackie is a 6th grader who I have been working with since 2nd grade.  It has been so much fun to see her grow as a reader since I met her in 2nd grade.  She has been reading more and more and more!

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

Jackie: My favorite book is The Strange Case of Origami Yoda.  I recommend to my friends and brother.


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


Jackie: I like to read in my room and also outside in my backyard.


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


Jackie: Every day I like to read.


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


Jackie: 1. Holes 2. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda 3. Once Upon a Marigold

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

Jackie: I prefer hardcover because you hold it better.

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


Jackie: By looking in the back of the cover and reading first page in the book and then read the back, it tells you a little about the book.


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


Jackie: Reading is important because all your life you have to read.  Reading is important to me because I can have a good career for my life.  Everywhere you have to read.

Jackie has been doing some good reading!  We even wrote a letter to the author of The Strange Case of Origami Yoda and he sent us a signed origami Yoda!  Jackie and I were so excited.  I'm excited to share the book with my other students.  The author even includes a deaf character in the book named Caroline.  We had fun talking about Caroline and even asked the author about her hearing loss.  Thanks to Jackie for being the Reader of the Month and answering our reading questions!

If you can come to school and tell me whether Jackie likes paperback or hardcover books better, you will earn one sticker towards a reading reward!

What Are You Reading Good? (04/22/2011)

We had a short week this week and then I forgot to post our slideshow on Friday because we didn't have school!  The kids have been busy with MAP testing so we didn't get to do as much talking about books as usual this week.  

On Friday we said goodbye to Miss Demes who has been working with me for the past 6 weeks.  She had lots of fun books to share with us and we will miss her.  I'm looking forward to some great reads this week!  I have Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt that just came out this month.  I've started it and I love the main character so far.  I also have Phineas and Ferb #1: Speed Demons and Phineas and Ferb #2: Runaway Hit on my Nook to read.  Those should be fun!  

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What are you going to be reading good this week?  I almost forgot that I also picked up Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt from Barnes and Noble.  It's such a funny book about a flying squirrel who's scared to leave his tree!

What Are You Reading Good? (04/15/2011)

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What Are You Reading Good? (04/08/2011)

Spring is here and so are the Book Fairs!  Miss Demes and I have been to two Scholastic Book Fairs in the last couple of weeks.  It's exciting to see new books and to browse the books with students.  I love finding books to recommend and seeing the excitement in their faces when they find a book to show me!

I've been reading quite a few picture books this week.  I read Thesaurus Rex by Laya Steinberg and Blue Chameleon by Emily Gravett this week.  They were both great books that I'm excited to share with students.

I just finished reading The Genius Files: Mission Unstoppable by Dan Gutman on my Nook.  It's about twins: Coke and Pepsi (seriously!!!) McDonald, who are traveling from California to Washington D.C. with their parents to go to their aunt's wedding.  They're driving in a rented RV all the way across the country.  It would be fun except for there are people following them and trying to kill them since they were selected as geniuses to be part of a top secret plan that has gone wrong!  They visit some cool places, one of them I have actually been to!  They go to the House on the Rock which is in Wisconsin.  I already can't wait for the next book to be published!

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More Reading Rewards and Retelling

     I am so proud to announce that before spring break two more students collected enough reading rewards to earn a book.  Last month, Jackie was the first student to earn a book and she chose The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies.

Jodie chose Lunch Walks Among Us

 by Jim Benton.

Adrian chose Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Takes Off 

by Jacqueline Jules.

     When my students come to work with me, they bring the independent reading book they are reading.  I love sharing the book I am reading with them and hearing about what book they are reading.  Students are asked to retell what they have recently read in their books.  We have been working on retelling.  I call it Retell Rewind because we have watched videos of not-so-great retells and then great retells so students can see what makes a good retelling.
     Retelling is a reading strategy good readers use to check their comprehension.  A good reader should be able to retell and explain the character, setting, problem, and solution in a story.  In case the character hasn't found a solution yet, the student can tell what he or she predicts is going to happen next.  We have talked about how important it is to retell and be clear but also give enough information.
     If you can come to school and tell me what reading strategy we have been practicing lately, you can earn one sticker towards a reading reward!

Virtual Flat Stanley Exchange

I can't even begin to tell you how much fun I had reading Flat Stanley His Original Adventure by Jeff Brown, coloring our own Flat Stanleys, and receiving Flat Stanleys from our virtual pen pals!  Two of my students participated in this exchange.  We loved seeing where our Flat Stanleys ended up!

We received two Flat Stanleys:

Ninja AJO from  New Jersey visited Bryan

Flat Sally from Salt Lake City, Utah visited Nia

We took them on adventures around the schools and then sent our stories back to our friends.  It was fun showing the schools to our new, flat friends.  Here are some of the pictures from our adventures with them:

Even more fun, we got to see where our Flat Stanleys got to go!  You can see where Nia's Flat Stanley went!  He made it all the way to New York City!

Visit Obseussed to see a slideshow of his trip!

Bryan's Flat Stanley visited New Jersey!

Here is just one picture from his adventures - 

he made a LEGO creation!

Has anyone else read Flat Stanley?  There are so many Flat Stanley Adventures out there now!  Have you ever sent your own Flat Stanley out into the world?  Please share where your Flat Stanley got to visit!

If you can come to school and tell me where either Nia's or Bryan's Flat Stanleys traveled to, you can earn one sticker towards a reading reward!