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Be Responsible Be Prepared Be Respectful

Welcome to Ms. O's Reading Webpage

This is my favorite four-legged friend Miles taking a break from reading.

 

Summer Reading Information ~ Grades Pre-K through 4th

Just because the end of the school year is upon us does not mean that the learning has to end.  Parents and students are encouraged to continue reading throughout the summer so that students don’t lose the valuable reading strategies and skills they have practiced throughout the school year;

“Young readers who don't continue to read over the summer —

especially those who are reluctant or at-risk —

are likely to lose crucial ground.

One summer off can sometimes mean

a whole school year of struggling

 academic performance”

 (Bridging the Summer Reading Gap

 by Anne McGill-Franzen & Richard Allington, 2003)

Our goal is for every Ellis student to read at least one hour per week throughout the summer.  Students can read whatever they want including, but not limited to: books, books-on-tape, magazines, comic books, operating manuals, Internet articles, etc.  The idea is to keep students reading and then logging what they have read using the attached log sheet.  This is not mandatory, it is suggested. 

Click here for a copy of the log sheet: Reading Log

Please remember that it is equally beneficial for students to listen to books-on-tape and to be read to.  Both of these activities build fluency and vocabulary.

For suggested reading based on your child’s grade level, please click here: Suggested Authors for Summer Reading

Thank you for all of your support in your child’s education.

Have a wonderful summer!

 

Thank you to the Timberland Company for taking the time

to make our school and our community

a more beautiful place on Earth Day. 

The work you've done is magnificent and

we will enjoy it for years to come.

 

Let's Talk About Books

Distinguished author and Newbery winner Katherine Paterson suggests, "It is not enough to simply teach children to read; we have to give them something worth reading.  Something that will stretch their imaginations--something that will help them make sense of their own lives and encourage them to reach out toward people whose lives are quite different from their own" (Paterson 1995).

If you have recently read a book that has inspired you and you would like to recommend it to Ms. O, please email the title and author to me.

Click here for a list of some of Ms. O's favorite books to read-aloud:  Read-Aloud Books

Click here for a list of some of Ms. O's favorite books to read for pleasure: Favorite Books

 

Reading Aloud at Home

Jim Trelease, author of The New Read Aloud Handbook, says that the purpose of literature is to provide meaning in our lives.  He believes that literature is the most important medium, more important than television, film, and even art, because it "brings us closest to the human heart".  He states that reading aloud serves to "reassure, entertain, inform, explain, arouse curiosity and inspire our kids." (Harvey & Goudvis, 2000)

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Did you know that reading aloud is one of the best ways to help your child succeed in school? When reading aloud, keep these tips in mind:

  1. Everybody makes mistakes.  If you make mistakes when reading aloud, your child will learn that it's okay for him/her to do so, too.
  2. Practice makes perfect.  Find a book that you like and read it aloud by yourself until you feel comfortable.
  3. Involve your child in the story.  Have him/her turn the pages or take turns reading one page at a time.
  4. Take your time and don't rush the story.  Your child can tell if you're in a hurry.  Reading slowly will help you to read more clearly.
  5. As you feel more comfortable, try changing your voice to show the characters' feelings- joy, sadness, fear.  These variations can make the story more exciting for both of you!
  6. Remember that you are helping your child learn to enjoy reading.  Try different genres of literature, such as poetry, historical fiction and comic books.
  7. Above all, try to relax and enjoy the time you're spending with your child.

Literacy Instruction at Ellis

Three years ago the Ellis School began its partnership with Tufts University’s Center for Applied Child Development (CACD).  CACD is currently working with many communities across New Hampshire, including Kensington, Newfields, Dover, Portsmouth, Nottingham and Barrington. 

                           

Kim Boothroyd, our literacy consultant, will continue working with teachers in grades K-8 for the 2007-2008 school year.  Our focus will be:

The genres that each grade level will be studying (in depth) this year, based on the New Hampshire Grade Level Expectations (GLE's) are:

For a more detailed look at literacy instruction at Ellis, click here: Literacy Instruction

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Comprehension Strategies

The following information comes from Stephanie Harvey & Anne Goudvis' groundbreaking book, "Strategies That Work: Teaching Comprehension to Enhance Understanding" (2000).

Book Cover

 

Proficient Readers...

Make connections between prior knowledge and the text

Readers pay more attention when they relate to the text. Readers naturally bring their prior knowledge and experience to reading, but they comprehend better when they think about the connections they make between the text, their lives, and the larger world.

Ask Questions

Questioning is the strategy that keeps readers engaged.  When readers ask questions, they clarify understanding and forge ahead to make meaning.  Asking questions is at the heart of thoughtful reading.

Visualize

Active readers create visual images in their mind based on the words they read in the text.  The pictures they create enhance their understanding.

Draw Inferences

Inferring is at the intersection of taking what is known, garnering clues from the text, and thinking ahead to make a judgement, discern a theme, or speculate about what is to come.

Determine Important Ideas

Thoughtful readers grasp essential ideas and important information when reading.  Readers must differentiate between less important ideas and key ideas that are central to the meaning of the text.

Synthesize Information

Synthesizing involves combining new information with existing knowledge to form an original idea or interpretation.  Reviewing, sorting, and sifting important information can lead to new insights that change the way readers think.

Repair Understanding

If confusion disrupts meaning, readers need to stop and clarify their understanding.  Readers may use a variety of strategies to "fix-up" comprehension when meaning goes awry.