Dear Families, 
 
Everyone seemed to benefit from having time away last week. The students have used their renewed energy to accomplish a lot this week.  
 
In reading class, students began a fresh start in reaching the 6-7 grade level book requirement. I was very proud of the students that made efforts to read during fall break. I have made a few changes to the reading regimen. Most of Monday's class time was spent going over the changes and expectations. The changes include: 
1. Letters due every other week rather than every week. 
 
2. 3-5 vocabulary words found in independent reading book. Students write the sentence containing the word, look the word up in the dictionary, then write the definition. 
 
3. No change in home reading log requirements 
 
4. Students will be completing a Book Quiz sheet on every book read. This includes home and school reading. By completing this sheet, students will be able to share what they learned from each book read. 
 
Letters and Book Quiz sheets allow me to check on comprehension which is an important part of the reading grade. 
 
 
The reading workshop mini-lessons this week focused on the strategies good readers use to comprehend what they read. The strategies we've learned so far are: 
- make pictures in our heads 
- ask questions to help us understand what we read 
- activate prior knowlege 
 
See if your child can tell you more about these strategies and check to see if they are using them in their home reading. 
 
Most students are off to a great start with fictional narrative writing. This week's writing workshop mini lessons focused on: 
- writing an engaging beginning 
-creating a setting 
-introducing and developing characters 
 
As you can see, your child is actively engaged in learning skills which they will continue to use throughout their academic careers. You can foster this work at home by being involved in your child's reading. Ask them questions about the book's setting and characters. You can ask them to tell you what they think will happen next, or why a character reacted a certain way. Questions like these promote the kind of thinking that allows comprehension of the text to occur. 
 
As always, I thank you for allowing me to teach your child each day. They are progressing through the curriculum in a beautiful way! 
 
Have a good weekend, 
 
Karen Persinger