January News
Dates to Remember:
Jan 9th - Community Meeting (Wear Nab Colors)
Jan 16th - School Store
Jan 19th - No School - Martin Luter King, Jr. Day
Jan 30th - Rhythm Kids Enrichment
Jan 9th - Community Meeting (Wear Nab Colors)
Jan 16th - School Store
Jan 19th - No School - Martin Luter King, Jr. Day
Jan 30th - Rhythm Kids Enrichment
Curriculum Corner
Language Arts: As we continue our Daily Five / CAFE practice we are learning how to choose good fit books and why it is important to choose books that we can read. Research shows when children are reading independently, they should be reading books they understand and can read. Reading books that are too difficult can lead to frustration, inability to understand the story, and then reading is no longer enjoyable. We want children to enjoy reading, which means it is important they are reading books they are interested in and on their just right level (good fit books). Research also shows that children are motivated to read when they can choose their own books. Many children can easily choose good fit books once they have mastered the process of IPICK. Other children may need more guidance as they choose good fit books. This is an ongoing process that we will continue to learn and practice at school.There is a simple way to help your child choose good fit books. It is called IPICK.
Here are some easy steps that you and your child can follow in order to choose good fit books:
Parent Pipelines: To help support your young reader at home, I will be sending home Parent Pipelines. Parent Pipelines highlight a particular CAFE (Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency, Expand Vocabulary) reading strategy that we are practicing in class. Parent Pipelines are full of valuable tips and suggestions. (You may even want to consider keeping your own CAFE Parent Pipeline Folder so that you can refer back to them as needed.) Parent Pipelines will be copied on blue paper so that you can easily see when they are sent home. I hope that you find them helpful as you continue to support your young reader at home.
Writing
During Writer's Workshop we have been learning about transition words (first, next, then, etc.). Teaching students to use transition words helps them improve their writing. These words help stories flow more smoothly, by providing organization and improving the connections between thoughts. Story boards help students think about how these words can improve their writing. As students move from the story board to a written piece, they will begin to use transition words to link story events together.
Wishing you and your loved ones a Happy New Year!
Language Arts: As we continue our Daily Five / CAFE practice we are learning how to choose good fit books and why it is important to choose books that we can read. Research shows when children are reading independently, they should be reading books they understand and can read. Reading books that are too difficult can lead to frustration, inability to understand the story, and then reading is no longer enjoyable. We want children to enjoy reading, which means it is important they are reading books they are interested in and on their just right level (good fit books). Research also shows that children are motivated to read when they can choose their own books. Many children can easily choose good fit books once they have mastered the process of IPICK. Other children may need more guidance as they choose good fit books. This is an ongoing process that we will continue to learn and practice at school.There is a simple way to help your child choose good fit books. It is called IPICK.
Here are some easy steps that you and your child can follow in order to choose good fit books:
- Have your child choose a book. This is the first I in IPICK which means, I choose books to read.
- Ask your child, “What is your purpose for choosing this book?” You may also want to ask, “is it for fun or to learn something?”. This is the P in IPICK which means purpose.
- Ask your child, “Is this a book you are interested in?” This is the second I, which means interest.
- Have your child read a page of the book. After your child reads the page, ask your child, “Who did you read about and what did they do?”. This is the C in IPICK which stands for comprehend. If it is a good fit book your child should be able to answer your question.
- Have your child read another page (or use the same page) and ask, “Did you know the words?”. This is the K in IPICK which stands for know the words. Your child should know all or almost all of the words in order for it to be a good fit book.
Parent Pipelines: To help support your young reader at home, I will be sending home Parent Pipelines. Parent Pipelines highlight a particular CAFE (Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency, Expand Vocabulary) reading strategy that we are practicing in class. Parent Pipelines are full of valuable tips and suggestions. (You may even want to consider keeping your own CAFE Parent Pipeline Folder so that you can refer back to them as needed.) Parent Pipelines will be copied on blue paper so that you can easily see when they are sent home. I hope that you find them helpful as you continue to support your young reader at home.
Writing
During Writer's Workshop we have been learning about transition words (first, next, then, etc.). Teaching students to use transition words helps them improve their writing. These words help stories flow more smoothly, by providing organization and improving the connections between thoughts. Story boards help students think about how these words can improve their writing. As students move from the story board to a written piece, they will begin to use transition words to link story events together.
Wishing you and your loved ones a Happy New Year!