Ellis Elementary School Web site. Your Browser does not support Cascading Style Sheets

Be Responsible Be Prepared Be Respectful

 

Welcome to Mrs. Thomas' Reading Webpage

 

 

This is my favorite four-legged friend Miles taking a break from reading.

 

Thank you to everyone who participated in all of the

I Love to Read Month Activities & The Vocabulary Parade

Here are a few photos from our 2nd Annual

Science-themed Vocabulary Parade

Kindergarten ~ Plants

 

First Grade ~ Space

 

Second Grade ~ Physical Science

Third Grade ~ Weather

 

 

Fourth Grade ~ Physical Science

 

 

Fisher Cats Reading Challenge Comes to Ellis!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Fisher Cats Reading Challenge.  Our percentage of participation in grades K-4 was 40%.

The classrooms with the highest percentage of participation were:

Mrs. Almon's Kindergarten class with 88%

Ms. Wright's 3rd grade class with 88%

Mrs. Coyle's 1st grade class with 85%

 

treasures ~

A reading/language arts program

Comes to Ellis!

 

 

Treasures is a research based, comprehensive Reading & Language Arts program for grades Kindergarten through Sixth Grade that gives educators the resources they need to help all students succeed.

High quality literature coupled with explicit instruction and ample practice ensures that students grow as life-long readers and writers.

Reading & Language Arts blocks run from 90-120 minutes for all students, grades K-6.

During these blocks, students are working on:

If you would like to learn more information about Treasures, please click on the links below or contact Mrs. Thomas:

For general information about the program with videos and virtual samples of the books and other student materials, click here: Treasures

For information regarding how the Treasures Reading Program aligns to the Common Core State Standards, click here:CCSS

For access to the Treasures Scope and Sequence, detailing specific information of what skills and strategies are taught in each unit, click here: Scope & Sequence

For a list of specific genres that are taught at each grade level (for Grades 1-5 only), click on the grade level link below:

Grade One

Grade Two

Grade Three

Grade Four

Grade Five

Let's Talk About Books

Distinguished author and Newbery winner Katherine Paterson suggests, "It is not enough to simply teach children to read; we have to give them something worth reading.  Something that will stretch their imaginations--something that will help them make sense of their own lives and encourage them to reach out toward people whose lives are quite different from their own" (Paterson 1995).

If you have recently read a book that has inspired you and you would like to recommend it to Mrs. T, please email the title and author to me.

One of my favorite authors is Chris Van Dusen. 

Click here to be directed to his website with a list of his books: Chris Van Dusen

Click here for a list of some of Mrs. T's favorite books to read-aloud:  Read-Aloud Books

Click here for a list of some of Mrs. T's favorite books to read for pleasure: Favorite Books

 

 

Reading Aloud at Home

 

Jim Trelease, author of The New Read Aloud Handbook, says that the purpose of literature is to provide meaning in our lives.  He believes that literature is the most important medium, more important than television, film, and even art, because it "brings us closest to the human heart".  He states that reading aloud serves to "reassure, entertain, inform, explain, arouse curiosity and inspire our kids." (Harvey & Goudvis, 2000)

**********************************************************************************************************

Did you know that reading aloud is one of the best ways to help your child succeed in school? When reading aloud, keep these tips in mind:

  1. Everybody makes mistakes.  If you make mistakes when reading aloud, your child will learn that it's okay for him/her to do so, too.
  2. Practice makes perfect.  Find a book that you like and read it aloud by yourself until you feel comfortable.
  3. Involve your child in the story.  Have him/her turn the pages or take turns reading one page at a time.
  4. Take your time and don't rush the story.  Your child can tell if you're in a hurry.  Reading slowly will help you to read more clearly.
  5. As you feel more comfortable, try changing your voice to show the characters' feelings- joy, sadness, fear.  These variations can make the story more exciting for both of you!
  6. Remember that you are helping your child learn to enjoy reading.  Try different genres of literature, such as poetry, historical fiction and comic books.
  7. Above all, try to relax and enjoy the time you're spending with your child.

**********************************************************************************************************

 

Comprehension Strategies

 

The following information comes from Stephanie Harvey & Anne Goudvis' groundbreaking book, "Strategies That Work: Teaching Comprehension to Enhance Understanding" (2000).

Book Cover

 

Proficient Readers...

Make connections between prior knowledge and the text

Readers pay more attention when they relate to the text. Readers naturally bring their prior knowledge and experience to reading, but they comprehend better when they think about the connections they make between the text, their lives, and the larger world.

Ask Questions

Questioning is the strategy that keeps readers engaged.  When readers ask questions, they clarify understanding and forge ahead to make meaning.  Asking questions is at the heart of thoughtful reading.

Visualize

Active readers create visual images in their mind based on the words they read in the text.  The pictures they create enhance their understanding.

Draw Inferences

Inferring is at the intersection of taking what is known, garnering clues from the text, and thinking ahead to make a judgement, discern a theme, or speculate about what is to come.

Determine Important Ideas

Thoughtful readers grasp essential ideas and important information when reading.  Readers must differentiate between less important ideas and key ideas that are central to the meaning of the text.

Synthesize Information

Synthesizing involves combining new information with existing knowledge to form an original idea or interpretation.  Reviewing, sorting, and sifting important information can lead to new insights that change the way readers think.

Repair Understanding

If confusion disrupts meaning, readers need to stop and clarify their understanding.  Readers may use a variety of strategies to "fix-up" comprehension when meaning goes awry.