We have just started our second unit in Readers’ Workshop in which students will participate in literature circles reading realistic fiction. Students will also review reading strategies in daily mini-lessons during this unit.
Literature circles are book groups that choose, read, and discuss books together. I placed students in groups of 3-5 and collected an assortment of books at appropriate reading levels. Each group has chosen their books, which we will start reading next week. As they read their books, they will record inferential questions to spark discussion, unfamiliar vocabulary to discuss using contextual clues, “golden” lines that stand apart as especially important, and also inferences about geographic themes to discuss with their groups.
In Social Studies, students have recently concluded a study of the five themes of geography, and they will deepen their understanding through reading and analyzing their realistic fiction books with their groups. Students will make inferences about geographic themes based on textual evidence.
Throughout this unit we will also review essential fiction reading strategies. As you’ve seen on the homework reading logs, these include summarizing, predicting, evaluating, questioning, making connections, and visualizing. We will focus a great deal on making inferences, which is using textual clues and background knowledge to “read between the lines” and form ideas about things that aren’t explicitly stated. In order to do this well, students need to be able to form inferences, then back up those inferences with evidence from the text that demonstrates why the thinking is reasonable. This is a complex reading skill that requires time and practice. You can help your child do this at home when he/she is completing his/her reading log. When your child makes a prediction or inference, ask him/her what in the text led to the thinking. You’ll find that this is easier for most kids to do orally, and that they may need prompting or support to reflect and record effectively in writing
Finally, regarding the recent progress reports, please keep in mind that the standards your child is working toward achieving are what he/she should meet by the end of this trimester, which is November 24th. Because it’s still early in the trimester, your child is most likely still working toward meeting those reading standards, which is primarily measured through written response to reading. Students are making progress toward summarizing effectively and succinctly, expanding clearly on their thinking, and explaining their thinking using textual evidence. If you do have concerns about your child’s progress, please bring the progress report to parent-teacher conferences, which will take place on the afternoon of November 5th and all day November 6th. Sign-up information will be available soon.
Thank you for taking the time to read about what’s going on in Readers’ Workshop, and please continue to support your child’s reading at home!
