November 30th - December 4th
This week we are reading the story "Secret Place." This is a story about a
wonderful place in the heart of the city where wildlife has found a refuge.
Comprehension Skill: Author's Purpose
Comprehension Stategies: Monitoring and Clarifying
Literary Element: Onomatopoeia
November 23rd - 24th
During this short week, we will be studying poetry: Repetition, Alliteration,
Couplets, and Personification.
November 16th - November 20th
"Two Days in May" is the story of an urban community that comes together out
of a common desire to protect wildlife. Although this story is based on a
real event, the author depicts a fictional account in this story.
Comprehension Skill: Cause and Effect
Comprehension Stategies: Making Connections, Summarizing, Asking
Questions
Literary Element: Setting
November 9th - November 13th
This week we will enjoy an expository artilce entitled, "Urban Roosts: Where
Birds Nest in the City." In this selection, the author tells about the
different types of birds that make their homes in cities. Detailed
descriptions help the students locate and identify both familiar and rare
birds that flourish in the city.
Students will be creating posters to demonstrate knowledge and practice
finding main idea and details in the text.
Comprehension Skill: Cause and Effect
Comprehension Stategies: Montoring and Clarifying, Summarizing, Asking
Questions
Literary Element: Detail
November 2nd - November 6th
This week we finish an old favorite, "Make Way for Ducklings." Then we will
enjoy some Core knowledge Literature and work in Skills Packets.
October 26th - October 30
This week we re-visit an old favorite, "Make Way for Ducklings." In this
fantasy story, students meet two talking ducks, Mr. and Mrs. Mallard, who are
raising a family of eight ducklings in the city of Boston. Ask your child
about their adventures.
Comprehension Skill: Fantasy vs. Reality
Comprehension Stategies: Asking Questions , Predicting
October 5th - October 9th
This week we are beginning a new unit on "City Wildlife." Students will
explore wildlife living within the city, in often unexpected places.
Our story this week is called "The Boy Who Didn't Believe in Spring." Kinh
Shabazz keeps hearing that spring is "just around the corner." But King is
doubtful. He surely hasn't seen any signs of its arrival. Ask your child
how King and his faithful friend, Tony Pollito, discover signs of spring in
their city environment.
Comprehension Skill: Classify and Categorize
Comprehension Stategies: Monitoring and Clarifying, Predicting, Asking
Questions, Visualizing
September 28th - October 2nd
This week we will finish the play, "The Legend of Damon and
Pythias." Then, we will conclude our unit in Friendship.
Students will be given end-of-unit assessments and will have some extended
indepedent reading time. Mrs. Knapp will be conferencing with students one-
on-one where needed to re-teach various comprehension skills, and to review
Accelerated Reader goals for this past quarter.
At the end of the week we will begin a new unit on "City Wildlife." Students
will spend the next few weeks exploring wildlife living within the city, in
often unexpected places.
Comprehension Skill: Sequencing
Comprehension Stategies: Monitoring and Adjusting Reading Speed, Asking
Questions, Summarizing
September 21st - September 24th
This week we will be enjoying a fresh rendering of "The Legend of Damon and
Pythias." Adapted as a play, students will be able to use their own voices
and gestures to capture the plot and characters found in this tale of true
friendship.
Comprehension Skill: Sequencing
Comprehension Strategies: Monitoring and Adjusting Reading Speed, Asking
Questions, Summarizing
September 14th - September 18th
This week we are reading the biography of Jackie Robinson
entitled "Teammates." This story demonstrates courage in the face of
adversity, and the difference that even one friend can make.
Comprehension Skill: Main Idea and Details
Comprehension Stategies: Making Connections, Predicting, Asking Questions
September 8thst - September 11th
This week we are reading the story "Rugbie and Rosie." This story takes a
look at the bonds that develop between people and pets and between pets
living in the same home. This realistic fiction story highlights the
emotions that accompany new relationships and growing attachments.
Sometimes, however, friends must let go, even if the ties between them are
strong, so that each one can follow their own path in life.
Comprehension Skill: Cause and Effect
Comprehension Stategies: Making Connections, Predicting, Asking Questions
August 31st - September 4th
This week we are reading the story "The Tree House." In this realistic
Fiction story, two neighbor girls each build their own tree house. At
first, they do not see the good things the other's tree house has to offer,
and through the story they learn that things do not have to be the same to
be equally appreciated, and they find a way to share.
Comprehension Skill: Compare and Contrast
Comprehension Stategies: Making Connections, Visualizing, Asking Questions
August 24th - August 28th
This week we are enjoying the story "Angel Child, Dragon Child," about a
little girl from Vietnam who moves to America. This is a touching story,
dealing with the effects of war, separation from family members, bullying,
forgiveness, and the growth of an unlikely friendship.
Comprehension Skill: Cause and Effect
Comprehension Stategies: Summarizing, Visualizing, Asking Questions
August 17th - August 21st
This week we are enjoying the story "Gloria Who Might Be My Best Friend."
This story explores various facets of friendship such as: friendships
between girls and boys, making new friends, and qualities that make a good
friendship.
Students are practicing Classifying and Categorizing within the text.
This Friday, students will be taking their first assessment on an Open COurt
anthology story. You will find a detailed explanation of how these
assessments are graded on my "Reading Documents" page under "Open Court
Reading Assessment Grading."
