In our reading workshop model, students will be engaged in 4 main units of study. The workshop includes a mini lesson, independent work, time to confer with groups, teacher conferring, and sharing. Our goal is for all students to increase their reading comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, and enjoyment of reading.
Our first Unit of Study involves the genre of Realistic Fiction. We will study character development and the author's big message, theme. Each student will be a part of a Book Club as a part of their Independent Reading time.
We will also use the AR (Accelerated Reading) program. Accelerated Reader (AR) is a computerized program for testing reading comprehension. Students select books at their reading level, read independently, and take an independent comprehension test on the computer at school. Passing is considered 80% or higher. Each book is worth a specified number of points based on its length, vocabulary, and overall comprehension level. While we monitor students and assist with book selection, as time goes by, they will be required to demonstrate some independence by remembering to take quizzes and choosing appropriate books. We collect and report individual data to families, such as average quiz score, points earned, total words read, and average reading level for each quarter.
Parent/Guardian tools for AR are for your convenience at home. Your child has been given his/her personalized AR login information for you to monitor his/her progress. The website for this tool is: https://hosted197.renlearn.com/139166/. Here, you can even receive emails to monitor your child’s AR progress and quiz scores. Remember, AR quizzes cannot be taken at home or retaken. Finally, if you’d like to check the AR level of any book, the website is www.arbookfind.com.
Book Selection
Our first Unit of Study involves the genre of Realistic Fiction. We will study character development and the author's big message, theme. Each student will be a part of a Book Club as a part of their Independent Reading time.
We will also use the AR (Accelerated Reading) program. Accelerated Reader (AR) is a computerized program for testing reading comprehension. Students select books at their reading level, read independently, and take an independent comprehension test on the computer at school. Passing is considered 80% or higher. Each book is worth a specified number of points based on its length, vocabulary, and overall comprehension level. While we monitor students and assist with book selection, as time goes by, they will be required to demonstrate some independence by remembering to take quizzes and choosing appropriate books. We collect and report individual data to families, such as average quiz score, points earned, total words read, and average reading level for each quarter.
Parent/Guardian tools for AR are for your convenience at home. Your child has been given his/her personalized AR login information for you to monitor his/her progress. The website for this tool is: https://hosted197.renlearn.com/139166/. Here, you can even receive emails to monitor your child’s AR progress and quiz scores. Remember, AR quizzes cannot be taken at home or retaken. Finally, if you’d like to check the AR level of any book, the website is www.arbookfind.com.
Book Selection
- CW Media Center (We generally go once per week as a class and have plenty of other times during the day to get books and take AR quizzes.)
- Cascade Library- Kent District Library system
- Books from home
- Our Classroom libraries
- Kindles, Nooks, iPads, etc. are allowed for reading only. Students are responsible for storing and caring for their own devices.