This language arts class is designed to increase your communications skills through reading, writing, speaking, and the study of the English language. Our primary focus in language arts class will be reading texts critically and using those texts as a springboard for various writing styles, demonstrating the rules of grammar, and developing oral expression.
This year you can expect to read a variety of fiction and non-fiction including novels, short stories, dramas, poetry, and essays. These writing pieces will model the different writing styles we will implement this year. Writing assignments will include timed responses, journal writing, essays, critiques, and creative pieces. Vocabulary, spelling, and grammar assignments will also be an important part of this class. Because we are a community of learners, please also expect to work periodically in group situations and to present information to your peers in groups or individually.
Reading Workshop:
I'm so excited to tell you a bit about the reading instruction your child will receive at school this year. First and foremost, they will read, read, read! Reading is a skill that can only be developed through use. Everyday in school your child will have chunks of time for reading, and on most nights he/she will be asked to read. That same book should travel back and forth with them so they can stay consistent with keeping track of their progress. This year, your child will be expected to read 25 books. That may seem like a steep requirement, but I am confident that each and every one of them will achieve their goal! Students will learn more about the "25 book requirement" on the first few days of school. Just watch and see!
Note: All Reading Workshop units are designed to correlate with our Writing Workshop units and have been aligned for optimal learning.
Reading "Homework"
I have decided not to assign reading logs for your children to complete. I do not believe that reading logs motivate most children to read. Kids who love reading hate those logs. Who wants to curl up in bed at night with your book and your reading log? Avid readers resent recording every moment of their reading lives. For children who do not read much, the log does not show me that they are really reading. I have seen children sit for thirty minutes with an open book and never read a word. I also know, as a parent, that I have signed those logs in the car on Friday because my children asked me to sign one. Sometimes, I could not remember if they read the required time or not. Even those students who diligently fill out those logs and actually read might not be motivated to read when the requirement of the log disappears over the summer or during vacations.
Although I will not require a log, I do require that children read at LEAST 120 minutes from Friday to Friday. I will give extra credit (100% quiz grade) to those weekly achievements, but I will not count it against them if the goals were not met. I will talk to the children about the importance of reading at home, and they will know that I expect them to read. It may not seem that I assign much homework in language arts, but that is because I want the children to read and read and read.
I will be using a new tool called Moxie Reader to help with accountability, but without the daunting task of filling out a log or depending on an adult to sign. It’s a mobile and desktop app where teachers and students access the core product. Available as an app for iPhone, iPad, Android, and Chromebook, and browser-friendly, MoxieReader lets teachers and students ditch paper reading logs so students can focus on enjoying reading. The people at MoxieReader describe their tool as one that, “acts like a fitness tracker for a student’s reading” and I love this analogy. Students can take ownership of their reading life while teachers can gather actionable information and insights into their student’s reading. MoxieReader recommends books to students based on reading level and interests, and has a strong social component to encourage conversation and interaction about books and reading. This tool can motivate students through a team-based game system that connects individual reading to peer team members and their teachers. At the same, MoxieReader provides goals for students. It supports teachers and with alerts if any students need extra support.Many of your children were avid readers when they walked into my class last week. I know that they appreciate the free-choice independent reading environment that our class offers. They have had great teachers who support heavy reading habits, and they have encouragement and support from you to read a lot. I also know, from speaking to parents in the past, that in spite of your best efforts, some of your children are not avid readers. I am working to support you in creating strong reading habits in your child, every day. I ask that you support your child by setting aside reading time at home.
.
Reader Response Letters:
This year, you will be writing letters to me about the books you are reading. These letters will help us learn and grow as readers and writers. Each week, you will need to turn in one letter which will be counted as a test grade. Your letter is due by Thursday each week. The purpose of these letters is to show me, Mrs. Hillier, how you are thinking as a reader. It is an opportunity to demonstrate how you have synthesized what we've been talking about in our mini-lessons and how you are growing in your reading life each day. It is my belief that writing one, detailed letter that shows me your thinking is better than writing several entries in a reading notebook each day or week. Our goal this year will be to get to know ourselves as READERS. And, if you are anything like me, eventually, you'll just want to be left alone to READ! Therefore, I will not require you to stop reading every few minutes to write something down or create a thousand post-it notes. Your work in this class will be meaningful and geared to help YOU become the best reader possible. That's not to say that there won't be times when you are asked to jot your thoughts on a sticky note or try out a technique we've been focusing on in class. It just won't be the overwhelming majority of our time. You have the power as a reader to make decisions for yourself and this year, you will do just that! Please check out the links below for more information on Reader Response Letters including my letter to students explaining how the letter system works, examples of students' letters from previous years, a list of topics and ideas to include in your letters, and finally, the grading rubric that will determine your grade. You may even want to print out a copy of the topics and ideas attachment to keep at home. I can't wait to read your first letter!
Here are some READING STRATEGIES we will focus on this year:
By the end of the first marking period, your child will be assessed and placed in the appropriate reading level so that they are reading books that are "just right" for them. Meanwhile, as I come to understand each child's reading habits and needs, I will meet with your child in small groups and individually to reteach, challenge, and conference with them about their reading. I can promise you this: I will know your child's reading strengths, areas of weakness, and reading preferences inside and out by the middle of October. What's more, is that your child will know them too! Instilling a passion for reading is my ultimate goal for each of my students. Wherever they are at now, you will be amazed at how far they've come by the end of the school year.
The most important work that you can do at home is to continue to support a daily reading habit. Students must read for at least 30 minutes each night...weekends are optional. To find books at their reading level you can visit:
http://www.bookwizard.scholastic.com
Be sure to click on "guided reading" under Your Reading Level System.
This year you can expect to read a variety of fiction and non-fiction including novels, short stories, dramas, poetry, and essays. These writing pieces will model the different writing styles we will implement this year. Writing assignments will include timed responses, journal writing, essays, critiques, and creative pieces. Vocabulary, spelling, and grammar assignments will also be an important part of this class. Because we are a community of learners, please also expect to work periodically in group situations and to present information to your peers in groups or individually.
Reading Workshop:
I'm so excited to tell you a bit about the reading instruction your child will receive at school this year. First and foremost, they will read, read, read! Reading is a skill that can only be developed through use. Everyday in school your child will have chunks of time for reading, and on most nights he/she will be asked to read. That same book should travel back and forth with them so they can stay consistent with keeping track of their progress. This year, your child will be expected to read 25 books. That may seem like a steep requirement, but I am confident that each and every one of them will achieve their goal! Students will learn more about the "25 book requirement" on the first few days of school. Just watch and see!
Note: All Reading Workshop units are designed to correlate with our Writing Workshop units and have been aligned for optimal learning.
Reading "Homework"
I have decided not to assign reading logs for your children to complete. I do not believe that reading logs motivate most children to read. Kids who love reading hate those logs. Who wants to curl up in bed at night with your book and your reading log? Avid readers resent recording every moment of their reading lives. For children who do not read much, the log does not show me that they are really reading. I have seen children sit for thirty minutes with an open book and never read a word. I also know, as a parent, that I have signed those logs in the car on Friday because my children asked me to sign one. Sometimes, I could not remember if they read the required time or not. Even those students who diligently fill out those logs and actually read might not be motivated to read when the requirement of the log disappears over the summer or during vacations.
Although I will not require a log, I do require that children read at LEAST 120 minutes from Friday to Friday. I will give extra credit (100% quiz grade) to those weekly achievements, but I will not count it against them if the goals were not met. I will talk to the children about the importance of reading at home, and they will know that I expect them to read. It may not seem that I assign much homework in language arts, but that is because I want the children to read and read and read.
I will be using a new tool called Moxie Reader to help with accountability, but without the daunting task of filling out a log or depending on an adult to sign. It’s a mobile and desktop app where teachers and students access the core product. Available as an app for iPhone, iPad, Android, and Chromebook, and browser-friendly, MoxieReader lets teachers and students ditch paper reading logs so students can focus on enjoying reading. The people at MoxieReader describe their tool as one that, “acts like a fitness tracker for a student’s reading” and I love this analogy. Students can take ownership of their reading life while teachers can gather actionable information and insights into their student’s reading. MoxieReader recommends books to students based on reading level and interests, and has a strong social component to encourage conversation and interaction about books and reading. This tool can motivate students through a team-based game system that connects individual reading to peer team members and their teachers. At the same, MoxieReader provides goals for students. It supports teachers and with alerts if any students need extra support.Many of your children were avid readers when they walked into my class last week. I know that they appreciate the free-choice independent reading environment that our class offers. They have had great teachers who support heavy reading habits, and they have encouragement and support from you to read a lot. I also know, from speaking to parents in the past, that in spite of your best efforts, some of your children are not avid readers. I am working to support you in creating strong reading habits in your child, every day. I ask that you support your child by setting aside reading time at home.
.
Reader Response Letters:
This year, you will be writing letters to me about the books you are reading. These letters will help us learn and grow as readers and writers. Each week, you will need to turn in one letter which will be counted as a test grade. Your letter is due by Thursday each week. The purpose of these letters is to show me, Mrs. Hillier, how you are thinking as a reader. It is an opportunity to demonstrate how you have synthesized what we've been talking about in our mini-lessons and how you are growing in your reading life each day. It is my belief that writing one, detailed letter that shows me your thinking is better than writing several entries in a reading notebook each day or week. Our goal this year will be to get to know ourselves as READERS. And, if you are anything like me, eventually, you'll just want to be left alone to READ! Therefore, I will not require you to stop reading every few minutes to write something down or create a thousand post-it notes. Your work in this class will be meaningful and geared to help YOU become the best reader possible. That's not to say that there won't be times when you are asked to jot your thoughts on a sticky note or try out a technique we've been focusing on in class. It just won't be the overwhelming majority of our time. You have the power as a reader to make decisions for yourself and this year, you will do just that! Please check out the links below for more information on Reader Response Letters including my letter to students explaining how the letter system works, examples of students' letters from previous years, a list of topics and ideas to include in your letters, and finally, the grading rubric that will determine your grade. You may even want to print out a copy of the topics and ideas attachment to keep at home. I can't wait to read your first letter!
Here are some READING STRATEGIES we will focus on this year:
- Making Connections
- Questioning
- Visualizing
- Making Inferences
- Predicting
- Determining Importance
- Summarizing
By the end of the first marking period, your child will be assessed and placed in the appropriate reading level so that they are reading books that are "just right" for them. Meanwhile, as I come to understand each child's reading habits and needs, I will meet with your child in small groups and individually to reteach, challenge, and conference with them about their reading. I can promise you this: I will know your child's reading strengths, areas of weakness, and reading preferences inside and out by the middle of October. What's more, is that your child will know them too! Instilling a passion for reading is my ultimate goal for each of my students. Wherever they are at now, you will be amazed at how far they've come by the end of the school year.
The most important work that you can do at home is to continue to support a daily reading habit. Students must read for at least 30 minutes each night...weekends are optional. To find books at their reading level you can visit:
http://www.bookwizard.scholastic.com
Be sure to click on "guided reading" under Your Reading Level System.