Just Right Books

Just    right    books   are   important because they enhance your reading skills. Reading a just right book enhances your reading skills because it teaches you new words and helps you find the right level of challenge. Without farther ado, let’s learn some tests that help you find just right books!

Test #1: passes the 5 finger test : find a random page in a book and count how many words you don`t understand or have to slow down to figure out what it says. If there are 0 to 1 hard words it is too easy. If there are 2 to 4 hard words it is just right. But if there are 5 or more hard words it is too hard.

This student is doing the 5 finger test.

 



Test #2: Feeling comfortable reading the book: It is important to feel comfortable reading the book because if you don`t feel comfortable reading it you won`t enjoy the book.

Test #3 : You also should feel like it`s happening  to you. For example, you should hear the character’s voices in your head and you should have the image and be feeling the emotion that the character has. If these things are not happening in your head, it might be a sign that the book is either too hard or not interesting for you.

Test #4: You should also understand the plot and big idea. For example, in one chapter there is one character and in another chapter there is a different character if you can’t go with the book and figure out what is happening it is a sign that the book is too hard. If you get just a little confused you can work to sort it out.

Test#5: You should be excited to read it. If you think it`s boring, it could be the right level but not hold your interest.

 Knowing when a book is just right is very helpful when you need to find a book that you will probably enjoy and be comfortable reading. That is something we are learning in class.

Written by Mason, Giovanni and Max

Children's Blog: Vowels and Consonants

What we are learning About Vowels and Consonants in Word study.

In word study we have been learning the difference between vowels and consonants .We learned that vowels are more important than we thought. We also learned that vowels relate to syllables.

One day we came to circle and we saw the alphabet in front of  us. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       us.  Some letters were pink some were yellow. Andrea asked us to observe it. We figured out that pink ones were vowels and the yellow ones were consonants.  We talked about the differences between vowels and consonants. Then Giovanni asked ‘’Why are there two Y’s?”  One of our classmates explained that ‘’y’’ can be a vowel or a consonant.

Things we know about vowels

Henry: Long vowels say their name. Short vowels say their sound. One of the differences between vowels and consonants is that vowels make your chin go down a lot and consonants only make your chin go down slightly.

Giovanni: Vowels sometimes say their name.

Emeline: You can’t just count the vowels to determine the number of syllables

Rose: Vowels cause syllables.

Henry: Without vowels we could not communicate.    

 

 

We show you in this blog how we found out vowels are very important in Literacy. Our words would never survive without them!

Blog Authors: Rose, Emeline and Henry 

Children's Blog: When Good Readers Slow Down

Everyone should read slower and faster when they need to.
In this drawing, the person on top is running through fire so he is reading faster.
Another guy is running from ice so he is reading slower.

 

The Story

             

In reading we were working on slowing down to become better readers. During reading, we would mark places we noticed ourselves slowing down.

One day in circle Andrea said “OK today you guys read and marked spots where you slowed down. Now you will share with the class.”Kali,” Andrea said. Kali said that she slowed down when she noticed a new character. “Aliza,” Andrea called. Aliza thought that she had slowed down to soak in the emotion. “Ellie” Ellie said that she slowed down when she was confused etc. That’s how the list was made.

These are the types of situations in which we would slow down.

Kids in the third grade drew pictures to represent some things
 that are important to do while reading.

                                                                       

 

Advice For Reading

·         You should slow down to soak in emotion.

·         You could slow down when you are confused.

·         You could consider slowing down when there is a lot of info.

·         You could always slow down when there is a clue.

·         You should always slow down at a hard word.

·         You should slow down when there is a good part.

·         You should slow down when they give you a new character.

·         You want re-read if you don’t understand. If re-reading doesn’t help keep reading and maybe you’ll understand.

The third grade class made this list.

 

Blog Authors: Kirby, Joe and Kali      

What's so special about vowels anyway?

In an effort to strengthen the children's foundational understanding of our written language, we have gone back to the basics. It lays the foundation for understanding syllables and how they work to form our words. Is there a way to construct this knowledge rather than try to take it on the teacher's authority. Spelling is not really my strength, anyway. I'm working on it, like they are, but I certainly don't qualify to be an authority on the subject.

"Why don't we call all of these (pointing to our letter cards) just letters of the alphabet? Why do we need the special names of 'vowel' and 'consonant'?"

No one seems to know. We start to think about it.

"Maybe because they all say two different sounds."
"What about c? It makes two different sounds but isn't a vowel."
"Every word has to have a vowel. I know that is a fact."
"Is that true? Can you think of any words that don't have a vowel?"

We sort through dictionaries and books in our room. We think of words like Mr. and Mrs. or Dr. but then we realize that they aren't really the word, they are abbreviations. What about hmmmm and shhhhh? Are those even really words or are they just sounds we make?

A child comes to school the next day with a word. "What about the word Rhythm?" It seems like maybe we found one.
"But it DOES have a vowel. The Y says /i/ like igloo so it is making a vowel sound," another child responds.

We repeat the discussion with nymph and sky.

To gain more information we say the sounds of each of the letters. We pay special attention to the shape of our mouths.
"What do you notice?"
"With the vowels my mouth was wide open."
"What about the consonants?"
"My mouth was a lot more closed."

We take some time to write what we are starting to notice:

• It is like notes on a piano. Vowels sound like half notes because you hold them out longer. Consonants sound like staccato notes on the piano because it is one short little ding.
• A vowel tells you how to open your mouth and a vowel tells you how to close your mouth. Your lips or your tongue touch.
• A word without a vowel would be weird because your mouth would be closed all the time.
• Without vowels words would not make sense. It would just sound like "ct".

Advice for Readers

Before we embark on a genre study or delve into thinking about character development in a story, we are spending our time getting to know ourselves as readers. We are trying to bring more meta cognition to our reading.

 

Can I tell when a book is easy, just right or too hard for me? How do I know?

 

As a teacher, I am wondering what role images can play in helping children understand advice for good readers. We recently discussed Lucy Calkins advice for reading "Faster, Longer, Stronger." Will creating images for each point of advice bring more understanding? Will the time it takes to translate the advice into images allow for more processing? Will the images stick with the children longer than the words alone?

So far I am noticing that when I reference the advice I can point the children back to the images. It instantly reorients them to our previous thinking with minimal amounts of discussion.

We've been focusing our attention on the image of fire and ice. It reminds us that in order to be a really good reader there are times when you speed up to read more quickly and times when we slow down and read more slowly. A good reader does both. Working to notice when we slow down is a form of self-monitoring.

When did you slow down during your reading today?
How did that make you a better reader?

The image of a towel soaking up water is a powerful instruction for how our hearts and minds need to  soak happiness, sadness, joy or suspense out of words. The thinking of a child brings more understanding to me as a learner, too.

How I Work

I am thankful to have the freedom and permission to let children work in the ways that work best for their brains. One child made a great discovery today...

He said,"I am doing the story of The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf but I am switching it up with the story of The Three Big Elephants and the Little Bad Mouse. This is how I would plan it. I would act it out with blocks to make sure I knew what was going to happen, what the elephants are going to do to the mouse. This would now help me to focus. If I was going to write a fairytale, I would plan it out with blocks."

Tinkering with Fairytales

Thinking For Jessie

We have been investigating immigration. We have been using music and drama to think about one of our guiding questions.

"What might it feel like to immigrate?"

Helping the children to be able to take this perspective was really high on my list of intentions for this history topic because it develops empathy. I wanted them to be able to put themselves in the shoes of an immigrant in order to connect to their own family history. These stories are not just about random people way back in history. These people were our parents and grandparents and great grandparents. Their journey is why we are here now at this place, in this culture, at this time. They were the life blood of America. But playing that role was not easy. I guess I hope they find respect and appreciation for those who have gone before.

And if they can empathize with their ancestors, then I think that perspective will help them to look at people in our day and see the faces of their ancestors. I hope that perspective guides their interactions with people who might be new to a place under any circumstance.

The most amazing part of working this way is that I cannot take the children there without also going there myself. I feel inspired by the stories I hear. I find greater and greater respect for the courage, determination and hope in the face of so much unknown with each immigration story I come across.

We have spent a great deal of time with one single picture book called When Jessie Came Across the Sea written by Amy Hest and illustrated by P.J. Lynch. After hearing the book several times, the children stepped into the shoes of Jessie as she left her home in a small village to travel to America.

The children then became the voice of Jessie to share her hopes, dreams and fears along the way.

Here are a few of the scenes accompanied by the children's words.

The village rabbi announces that he has a ticket to America and
that he will choose someone from the village to go in his place.

 "I feel hopeful that we can go to America."

 “Wow! America! I want to go but what if Grandma can’t handle herself without me?”

“Who is going to get chosen to go to America?

“I am sad that his brother is out of this world but I am also excited that there is another ticket open for America for a new life for me.”

“What if he picks me? I don’t want to go. It is far away from Grandma."

The rabbi arrives to announce to Jessie and her grandmother
that he has chosen Jessie to go to America.

“What if he picks me? I don’t want to go. I need to teach Grandma.”

“Me!?! Why me?”

“I’m mad because the Rabbi picked me and I am going to have to leave Grandma. I am determined because I can’t just give up and start crying all over the place and I have to go to America. And I am nervous because I am worried that I might not see Grandma again.”

                    “No! Don’t pick me! Pick Grandma instead … but then I wouldn’t be with Grandma either!”

“I can’t go without Grandmother but I can’t just give up! I don’t want to leave Grandmother.”

Grandmother waves goodbye as Jessie's ship departs for America.

“I am really nervous on the ship without Grandma. I don’t know any of these people. How will I know what to do or say?”

“Grandma! No I want to stay. It will be all different and strange. Grandma!!!! Don’t leave me!!!!”

“Please don’t do this. I very badly want to stay with you. You are my only relative. My worries are that you might die while I am gone. I couldn’t bear that in my heart. My heart would drop and shatter.”

“I am lonely already.”

“I am determined to finish this but I am very lonely and sad and afraid of all of these new people. I don’t know about them. But I am excited to go to the “promised land” and excited to learn a new language, but I am still REALLY sad about Grandma.”

 

“I am really excited that I am going to America. I want to have freedom and I want to earn money and sew lace in a shop and be happy there.”

“I am excited about America but I wonder if I can do it. I wonder if I can sew good enough. Will I be able to make enough money? Will it be hard in America or will it be easy?

Jessie is sad, lonely and sick during the stormy first half of her journey.

“Uhhhhhhhg, I feel really sick and sad. Why did the Rabbi choose me?”

“I hope I have a good life in America. I hope nothing happens to this ship.”

“I feel so uncertain about this journey. I don’t know if I should feel happy or sad. Sad because I miss Grandma and my home but happy that I am going to America. It is the land of opportunity and the streets are paved with gold. But I don’t know if I am going to be able to do it”

 “I am so afraid of these people and nervous about what I am going to do.”

After the storm, the passangers cheer up and begin to interact.
Maybe things won'd be so bad in the new land.

                                                 

                 

"I can’t wait for America but I’m going to miss Grandma. I am probably going to think of a way to bring her to America."

"The sun is coming out and I am happy now.”

“I am so happy that now we can have a little bit of fun, at least, because it wasn’t fun when we were all sad."

“Yay! The sun is coming out. Everyone is playing cards and being happy."

" I have a piece of Grandmother with me—her lace-- so I am going to sew with her lace. I still miss her but I am still happy that the sun came out.”

“What is it going to be like in America?"

                                     

"We are almost there."

"I am scared and happy and sad.”

“Hi! Would you like me to sew some lace for you? I could make you a handkerchief or fancy up your jacket.”

“I wonder what it is going to be like in America, where the streets are paved with gold."

                          

"Would you like me to sew something for you? I know how to sew.”

The whole ship gathers in silence to witness their first sights of America.

“Wow! Look at all of those tall buildings. I’ve never seen the Statue of Liberty before. In my old town there wasn’t a statue at all.”

“Yay! I am so happy that I get to be in America instead of this ship.”

“Whoa, is that really America? It is so… big!”

“America? America? FINALLY! It took so long and I made it. At last!!”

“This is so nice being on the ship with my new friends but there is America. Now I am going to have to leave my new friends and I might not ever see them again. "

I am going to get Grandma here and I am going to have the time of my life here.”

“What happens if by the time I have enough money for the ticket, Grandmother has already passed away? Or what if she has grown too old and she won’t be able to take care of herself?”

“What if I don’t get past Ellis Island? What if I have to go all the way back?And if I do get in, where will I go? Will I be able to make money? 

“What if the person that takes care of me dies and I am all alone?"

"What if I won’t be able to get enough money to get food?”

“Ellis Island! I really hope that we don’t have to fill out papers and sit for the longest time and ugh… Everyone says it is kind of nerve wracking.”

“What if I can’t understand anybody in America? I don’t speak English? Will I be able to get by with just my Russian? Will I be able to learn English? How long will it take me?"

Jessie is questioned at Ellis Island.

 “In Russia there are a bunch of trees and everything but in this place there are hardly any trees and it is so so crowded. It is like there are too many people here!”

“I am not used to this many people. I can hardly even see around. I can’t even see a centimeter in front of me there are so many people.”

“Where can I go to find the person that is going to take care of me?”

“I’ve never seen so many people and so many buildings. This place is so advanced that it is a bit scary. What happens if I don’t fit in? What happens if other people tease me and call me names? Will I fit in?”

“I can’t even find the right door. Is that it? No. Is that it? No. I am so confused right now!”

America? Ellis Island? I am here. I am proud of myself but it is BIG and I could get lost and there are so many people. Why did I come to America in the first place? 

“This place is… I’m confused because there are so many things. I have never seen this much stuff in my whole entire life. All I have seen are trees and a few houses until this day.”

"Will where I live be good or will it stink?”

“But wait, this place is gigantic. There are about 100 doors. Which one do I go in? There are so many people in these amazing uniforms but where am I going? What is this place? What do we do here?”

“I wonder if I am going to make it. Do I have all of the medical stuff? Can I run that far? [referencing the medical exam fitness test sometimes given] I hope I make it.

Years later, Jessie and a boy from the ship are reunited in New York.
Eventually he asks her to marry him, but Jessie wants to wait until Grandma can be there.



“I never thought I would see him again. I thought he would only be in my life one time."

“Lou! I remember him and he brings back good memories.”

“Oh my goodness, I haven’t seen him in year but I really like him because he is nice and kind. We have a lot in common. I make lace and he makes shoes and that is pretty in common. I can’t wait to hang out every single day.”

“I am so happy to see Lou. I want to date him because he is from Russia, just like me. He is my kind and we can speak Russian together and we are not just SOOO different. But if I dated this guy from Italy is would be like, “What?!?” And I know Lou, I know him really well. He makes me laugh and he’s so kind and joyful. He makes me happy.”

“Wait a few months or so. Give me a few months and then sure. I want Grandma to come and I almost have the amount of money that I would need to get her here.”

“Soon! I want to bring Grandma here so that she can see me all grown up and happy.”

“I want Grandma to come and see me get married and see how much I have grown and that I can speak English.”

“Maybe in a while, Lou. First I want my grandma to come and we can get to know each other better since we last met.”

Thinking about Good vs Evil

The genre of fantasy always deals with themes of good verses evil.

How do you know if the characters are good or evil?

Theo: Definitely the person telling the story is good... well at least according to them.

Andrea: Have you ever read a story that is written from the point of view of the evil person?

Sophia: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. The wolf tells the story.

Livie: He is just trying to act all innocent to get out of jail.

Sophia: Yeah, but in his mind he was good.

Livie: It is kind of like in WWII, no one thought that they were the bad guys.

Sophia: It is kind of like they were both good [thoughtful pause] or both bad.

Andrea: Do you think that is true with most villains? Do you think they think they are good or do you think some villains know they are bad?

Theo: Some know they are bad. Voldemort. The emperor in Star Wars know he is bad. Well actually I don't know if the emperor knows. Kronos knows! Well Lucas knows Kronos is evil but Kronos doesn't know that Kronos is evil.

The children dive into a detailed discussion about the plot in the Percy Jackson series.

Sophia: He is good then bad and then good again.

Livie: In WWII, lets say Germany writes a history book, they make us sound like the bad guys but when we write a history book we make it sound like they are the bad guys. So particularly they are being bad guys to each other. There is no real bad guy. Except in fantasy and in fiction you will find that the bad guys know they are bad guys. In non-fiction people don't always know. They always think that you are the bad guy.

Andrea: It sounds like in real life it might be more complicated than they make it out to be in fantasy books.

Theo: To know if they are the bad guy you need to know if they do something evil. So watch their actions. Like Voldemort always kills innocent people.

Livie: But I am wondering, how did he become this evil man?



Thinking about differences...

Thoughts after reading Molly's Pilgrim

"I think the book was about bullying and how terrible it is."
"Do you think people who immigrate ever get bullied?"
"Well yes. Molly was bullied."
"Why?"
"Just because she was different than they were. She dressed differently and talked differently. But the thing is, if we went to where she was from, then we would be the ones that were different! We would dress differently and talk differently than they do."