First Grade Fun

First Grade Fun

Today our first graders got to enjoy a special holiday activity.  We wanted to share our fun time with you!

Book Talk

I came across this post and thought I would share it.  Talking about books with your child can help to inspire a love a reading that helps to develop lifelong readers.

HOW—AND WHY—TO BOOK TALK WITH YOUR CHILD 

BY MELANIE CONKLIN

Talking about books with your child signals that reading is important. And not just that—your interest in what your child is reading reinforces their interest in reading as well. Think about the last time you read a book you loved (or hated). Did you talk with other people about it? Your mom? Your book club? The answer is probably yes! Those of us who love reading can’t help but talk about the books that connect with us in one way or another. Talking about books after we’ve read them only makes us love them more!

It’s no different for younger readers, minus one small detail: they may not have learned how to talk about books yet, or may lack the confidence to start the conversation. But it’s a solid bet that your young reader has questions, hopes, and concerns swirling around inside their head after a reading experience the very same way that you do. The key is to get them talking in a way that’s fun for both you and them.

Book Talk is a great way to encourage young readers to share and grow in their reading experience. Chances are your reader spends a fair bit of time at school discussing the comprehensive aspects of reading (setting, character, story, voice), so at home, it’s a good idea to focus on their connection with the story. If you revisit that initial flush of joy that you experience when reading a story, you cement those connections in your mind, and often make them even stronger.

We do this by re-connecting. Every instance of shared enthusiasm over a book builds the love for reading and the desire to seek out another satisfying reading experience. When I Book Talk with my boys, I usually start with humor because that’s what works best for them. I’ll ask: Did anything funny happen? Often, this is the easiest way to spark a conversation, and soon we’re laughing about the goofy parts of their recent reads and talking over each other in our excitement. But humor isn’t the only door to discussion. There are a wide range of questions and prompts that will get your young reader talking, such as:

— What was the most exciting part of the book?

— Are you worried about any of the characters?

— Did anything surprise you in the story/chapter?

— Did anything happen exactly the way you expected?

— Who do you like in the story? Who do you not like?

— What was the saddest part of the story?

— Does this part of the story remind you of anything that’s happened to you?

— What would you do if you were in that situation?

— Would you recommend this book to your friends?

These kinds of questions reinforce the connections that your child is already making with their reading. When we first read a story, there is a rush of engagement that makes reading a satisfying personal experience, but taking the time to Book Talk after they’ve read will make reading a fun social activity as well.

Mystery Mansion

The students in Ms. Bennett's 2nd and 3rd grade groups have been working on writing this week.  They each chose a room in the Mystery Mansion to write about.  It was great to see their imaginations at work!  

Literacy Luau

Thanks to everyone who joined us last night at our Literacy Luau.  Here are some pictures of the evenings events.

Literacy Luau

     Reminder Title I Parent Night

Join us for a night of food, fun, and literacy activities. It's tonight from 6-7:30 in the K-8 Cafeteria (please enter through the lower elementary office doors). Dinner will be served starting at 6:00. We can't wait to see you there!

Resource for Finding Books that Match Student Interest

  
         Over the summer, I came across an amazing online resource.  It is a website called "A Book and A Hug."  It has compiled lists of book recommendations for readers of all ages and interests.  You can search for books by category and reading level.  You can take a 10 question quiz to find your reading personality and then see a corresponding book list to match your results.  It has a section of "Read Alikes" which gives you book ideas based on other books you have enjoyed.  It also has a neat feature called "Read Around the World" which lets you click on a country, and it tells you books with characters from that country.  So when your child is looking for suggestions on what to read next, check out this site:  www.abookandahug.com

Valentine's Celebration

We had a read aloud today of Happy Valentine's Day, Mouse!  Then enjoyed some cookie decorating to go with our story.

A Message from Mrs. Wallin

As we continue to progress in our literacy efforts at Clever Schools, we have attended many conferences with some of the leading authors and researchers in the field.  Every book I’ve read and every speaker I have heard always emphasizes the importance of “volume reading”.  We have heard over and over that the more a student reads, the more success they have in their overall school achievement.

One of the ways we are trying to accomplish more “volume reading” is with the implementation of our Quarterly Reading Challenges.  This quarter we are “Reading for a Slam Dunk” and each student has been given the criteria to meet this challenge.  Those students who meet the challenge this quarter will be entered into a prize drawing, receive an extra recess AND a special school assembly! Please take a moment to read the attached brochure which outlines the importance of reading at home and we beg you to encourage reading at home.

http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/10-reading-facts-brochure.pdf

It’s not too late…there are 22 school days left in the quarter!  Congratulations to the students who have already placed their name on the “Wall of Fame” for the quarter.  I hope to see EVERYONE represented by March 6^th!

Thank you for your continued support at home,

Mrs. Wallin

New Online Resources

Click on the resources tab at the top of the page and checkout the 3 new websites added.  Each site has interactive lessons and activities for students to learn while they play.  The activities range a wide level of grades and ages so there is something for everyone!