Week of May 23, 2022
Due: Thursday, May 26, 2022
Final Editing of Biomimicry Persuasive Papers
For the last few weeks, we have been working on a persuasive paper about our biomimicry inventions. This week, for home learning, please work with your child to edit the paper. A rubric was sent home to guide your conversation.
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Week of May 16, 2022
Due: Friday, May 20, 2022
Strategy: Synthesizing (click for video)
This week, we have been learning about synthesizing. Students take background knowledge and combine it with a new idea or information from the text to come to a new understanding or have a new perspective or idea. Tonight, for home learning, write a few sentences to show what you knew before reading, the new information, and how your thinking changed.
For example:
I know that hawks are birds of prey and they eat meat. When I read Skydancers, I learned that farmers might not like hawks because they might eat their chickens during the winter when it is hard to find food. Now I know that not everyone feels the same way about hawks and they might eat pets and farm animals.
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Week of May 9, 2022
Due: Friday, May 13, 2022
Strategy: Cause and Effect
This week, we have been learning about the cause (event) and effect (what happened because of the event). We have been looking for signal words such as consequently, therefore, as a result, reason why, because of, or may be due to.
Tonight for home learning, write at least 2 cause and effect sentences about your book. Be sure to use the signal words.
For example,
Due to the fact that the baby bird was scared, he did not want to leave the nest and try to fly.
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Week of May 2, 2022
Due: Friday, May 6, 2022
Strategy: 4 Types of Questions
Please ask and answer at least 1 of each of the 4 types of questions and “code” it with the 2-letter abbreviation.
Right There (RT) Quick, 1-2 word answer, requires little thinking
Search and Find (SF) Can be researched easily or found by looking through the book
Author and You (AY) Question for the author – answer can vary
Think About It (TI) Deep thinking question
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Week of April 25, 2022
Due: Friday, April 29, 2022
Strategy: Questioning Before, During, and After Reading
This week, we have been working on asking and answering questions before, during, and after reading. For home learning this week, students will be reflecting on the following questions…
Ask and answer 1 question before reading. Examples include:
Ask and answer 1 question during reading. Examples include:
Ask and answer 1 question after reading. Examples include:
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Week of April 18, 2022
Due: Friday, April 22, 2022
Strategy: Author’s Purpose
This week, we learned that authors write to persuade, inform, or entertain an audience. Tonight, for home learning, decide which is the reason why the author wrote your book. Provide at least 2 pieces of evidence as to why you think that. Please be sure to include the genre!
Example:
Buffalo Bird Girl
By: S.D. Nelson
Genre: Nonfiction
I think that S.D. Nelson wrote Buffalo Bird Girl to inform. The book is a true story and informs the reader about Buffalo Bird Girl’s life. My opinion that it is written to inform is further supported by the fact that there are real photographs with captions throughout the book.
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Week of April 11, 2022
Due: Thursday, April 14, 2022
Strategy: Text to World Connections
Reading Journal Home Learning
Due: Thursday, April 14, 2022
This week, we have been learning how to connect events in the text to real world events. For home learning, write 2 Text to World Connections you made from your book. Be sure to include specific details and use complete sentences.
What does this remind me of in the real world?
How is this text similar to things that happen in the real world?
How is this different from things that happen in the real world?
How did that part relate to the world around me?
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Week of April 4, 2022
Due: Friday, April 8, 2022
Strategy: Fact and Opinion
Home Learning
Due: Friday, April 8, 2022
Strategy: Fact and Opinion
This week, we have been learning about fact and opinion. A fact is something true that can be proven. An opinion is someone’s belief or thoughts. Tonight, for home learning, write 2 fact sentences and 2 opinion sentences about your book. Be sure to include the genre!
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Week of March 28, 2022
Due: Friday, April 1, 2022
Strategy: Inferencing (week #2)
This week, we have been continuing to learn about how to make an inference. An inference combines background knowledge with clues in the text to create a new understanding. Tonight, for home learning, write down two inferences you made. Use the following
sentence starts to help you:
For example:
Title: Papa’s Mechanical Fish
Genre: Realistic Fiction
I know that when I work hard at something and it keeps not working, I get frustrated. The text says that Papa never made anything that worked perfectly. I think that Papa might be getting really frustrated because he doesn’t feel successful as an inventor.
I know that I get inspired by other people’s ideas. The text says that the daughter asked papa if he has ever thought about how birds fly. I think that papa is going to try and make a flying machine next.
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Week of March 14, 2022
Due: Friday, March 18
Strategy: Inferencing
This week, we have been learning about how to make an inference. An inference combines background knowledge with clues in
the text to create a new understanding. Tonight, for home learning, write down two inferences you made. Use the following
sentence starts to help you:
For example:
Title: Papa’s Mechanical Fish
Genre: Realistic Fiction
I know that when I work hard at something and it keeps not working, I get frustrated. The text says that Papa never made anything that worked perfectly. I think that Papa might be getting really frustrated because he doesn’t feel successful as an inventor.
I know that I get inspired by other people’s ideas. The text says that the daughter asked papa if he has ever thought about how birds fly. I think that papa is going to try and make a flying machine next.
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Week of March 7, 2022
No home learning this week during POLs. Enjoy!
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Week of February 28, 2022
Due: Thursday, March 3rd
Strategy: Trimester 2 reflection (these will be used at our POLs)
Students have been spending the past trimester focusing on the essential question, “how can we understand where we live from a cartographer’s perspective?” Their job is to write 4+ sentences about the driving question, How do maps help us make sense of our world?
Background: We have been studying maps of our mind, heart, room, homes, day, music/movement/drama, maps of the world, continents, US, midwest, Wisconsin, county, city, and home. Our final project was mapping out the trails behind school which will be presented at the EOL.
As you can see from above, there is no lack of ideation or background knowledge but rather your child needs
to formulate a response as to how maps help us make sense of our world. Be sure to use the writing rubric and editing checklist from the front of reading response notebook.
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Week of February 21, 2022
No reading strategy for this week but there is math!
Enjoy the week off but keep reading!
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Week of February 14, 2022
Due: Friday, February 18, 2022
Strategy: Editing Flat Adventure Stories
Students have been writing adventure stories based on their flat self adventures. They have been given peer feedback, teacher feedback, and self-edited using the checklist below. A yellow copy of the editing checklist and rubric will accompany a printed copy of your child’s story.
Tonight, for home learning, use the editing checklist to go through your child’s story and give them feedback. Once complete, send it back to school for final edits.
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Week of February 7, 2022
Due: Friday, February 11, 2022
Strategy: Summarizing (Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then)
This week, we are continuing to work on the “Somebody wanted but, so, then” strategy of writing a summary. In this method, a series of questions guides the structure of the summary.
- somebody (Who is the main character or person?)
- wanted (What did the character or person want)
- but (What was the problem?)
- so (How did the character or person try to solve the problem?)
- then (What was the resolution or outcome? How did the story end?)
Tonight, for home learning, use this structure to write a 4-6 sentence summary. Be sure to include the title and genre of the book.
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Week of January 31, 2022
Due: Friday, February 4, 2022
Strategy: Summarizing (Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then)
This week, we have been learning about the “Somebody wanted but, so, then” strategy of writing a summary. In this method, a series of questions guides the structure of the summary.
- somebody (Who is the main character or person?)
- wanted (What did the character or person want)
- but (What was the problem?
- so (How did the character or person try to solve the problem?)
- then (What was the resolution or outcome? How did the story end?)
Tonight, for home learning, use this structure to write a summary. Be sure to include the title and genre of the book.
Example:
Rainbow Crow
By: Nancy Van Laan
Genre: Traditional Literature
Rainbow Crow and his friends wanted to live in peace. But, one day, it started snowing and slowly buried all the animals. So, Rainbow Crow flew to the great sky spirit and asked him to make it stop snowing. Then, Rainbow Crow brought fire to earth and saved his friends.
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Week of January 24, 2022
Due: Friday, January 28, 2022
Strategy: Story Mountain
This week, we have been learning about story structure through a story mountain. Tonight, for home learning, please create your own story mountain. Include the beginning (background), rising action, turning point / climax, falling action, and resolution / ending. Please include the genre.
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Week of January 10, 2022
Due: Friday, January 14, 2022
Strategy: Beginning, Middle, and End
This week, we have been learning about how the author separates the story into events that happen in the beginning, middle, and end of the story.
Tonight, for home learning, please write 1-2 sentences about each of the beginning, middle, and end of your book. Please include the genre.
Example:
Title: The Legend of Wisconsin
Author: Kathy-Jo Wargin
Genre: Legend (Traditional Literature)
Beginning: Long ago, Nanabush the Hare was on Earth to help the first people. He was also a trickster and liked to play tricks.
Middle: Nanabush chased Ahmik the Beaver because he laughed at him. They change the land as they chase for many years.
End: Nanabush did not win the chase, but he was proud of what that land looks like now. That land is now what we call Wisconsin.
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Week of January 3, 2022
Due: Friday, January 7, 2022
Strategy: Characters
This week, we have been noticing how we learn about the characters in the story. We might learn information about a character from:
Tonight for home learning, please write about the main character and identify how you learn the information about the character. Please write at least 4 sentences.
For example:
Title: The Legend of the Loon
Author: Kathy-jo Wargin
Genre: Traditional Literature - Legend
The author says, “Grandmother Lom had lived in the northern woods as long as anyone in the village could remember. Her hair was as white as a cloud and her eyes seemed to laugh out loud.” I learned that Grandmother Lom was a long-time resident of the village because the author tells me.
I learned that Grandmother Lom loves her grandchildren because she spends a lot of time with them and saves them at the end of the story. I learned this through the character’s actions.
I learned that Grandmother Lom loves her grandchildren because she tells them that they, more than anything else, are carried in her dream-soul.- character’s words
The illustration of Grandmother Lom and her grandchildren shows the children and grandmother smiling, walking, and holding hands. This tells me that they enjoyed spending time together.
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Week of December 13, 2021
Due: Friday, December 17, 2021
Strategy: Setting
This week, we have been learning about the setting of the story - the world in which the story takes place. We talked about the time (past, present, or future), place (country or city? Inside or outside?) and environment (a map of the characters’ world) along with sensory details and adjectives that all give the reader an understanding of the world in which the story is happening.
Tonight, for home learning, identify the setting of the story you are reading. Go beyond simply identifying “A farm.” Instead, try and identify the place, time, and sensory details about the environment.
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Week of December 6, 2021
Due: Friday, December 10, 2021
Strategy: Problem and Solution
This week, we have been identifying a problem in the story (a challenge or obstacle the character encounters) and the solution (how the characters overcome the problem). Tonight, for home learning, identify the problem and solution in the book you are reading at home.
Please be sure to identify the genre of the story as well.
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Week of November 15, 2021
Due: Friday, November 19, 2021
Strategy: Using voice and inflection when reading aloud
This week’s strategy is to practice reading their part(s) or scripts for the EOL. There may be one or several parts coming home for your child to practice reading out loud as they will be presenting these texts during the EOL. Keep in mind that your child wrote these parts themselves and it is in their own words with some adult support with editing. The more they practice them, the easier and more fluent the paragraphs will become resulting in increased self confidence and possible memorization of the parts. Students will be allowed to use their scripts/text during the EOL but those choosing to memorize them may choose to not use the scripts.
In the Reading Strategy notebook, leave a comment or observation about how your child did with this at home.
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Week of November 8, 2021
Due: Friday, November 12, 2021
Strategy: Summarizing Nonfiction
This week, we have been learning about how to write a summary of a nonfiction text. A summary includes the main idea and a few details about the text. It ends with a conclusion that restates the main idea in a new way. Tonight, for home learning, use this structure to write a summary. Be sure to include the title and genre of the book.
Example:
Rivers: Nature’s Wondrous Waterways
By: David L. Harrison
Genre: nonfiction
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Week of November 1, 2021
Due: Friday, November 5, 2021
This week, we have been learning about the main idea of the story and supporting details. Tonight, for home learning, write 1 sentence for the main idea (what the book is mostly about) and 1 sentence for each of 3 supporting details. Video example here.
Example:
Main Idea: Birds talk for many reasons.
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Week of October 25, 2021
Due: Monday, November 1, 2021
Strategy: Nonfiction Text Features
This week, we learned about special features of nonfiction books that help us find more information. Tonight for home learning, use a nonfiction book to find at least three features and write about how it helped you learn more information.
Nonfiction text features:
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Week of October 18, 2021
Due: Friday, October 22, 2021
Strategy: Compare and Contrast 2.0
Last week, we learned about comparing (finding similarities) and contrasting (finding differences) between two things. This week, for home learning, you are also comparing and contrasting 2 things from your book. You can choose two characters, two settings, two problems, or two solutions. However, instead of the Venn Diagram, please use a selection of the following words and phrases to signal comparing and contrasting:
Comparing words: similar to, alike, same as, not only...but also, resemble, as well as, both, too
Contrasting words: different from, however, although on the other hand, as opposed to, more than, less than, on the contrary
Please write 1 comparing and 1 contrasting sentence and underline the signal words.
Example: Laura is similar to Almanzo because they both enjoy playing in the snow, caring for animals, and helping their parents.
However, Laura differs from Almanzo because many of her jobs at home are inside jobs with her mother; whereas, Almanzo has
outside jobs with his father.
Click on image to enlarge
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Week of October 11, 2021
Due: Friday, October 15, 2021
Strategy: Compare and Contrast (Here is an example using two characters about Finding Nemo)
This week, we have been learning about comparing (finding similarities) and contrasting (finding differences) between two things. Tonight, for home learning, create a Venn Diagram (pictured below) to compare and contrast 2 things from your book. You can choose two characters, two settings, two problems, or two solutions.
Click on image to enlarge
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Week of October 4, 2021
Due: Friday, October 8, 2021
Strategy: Visualizing
Visualizing is a strategy to help you understand what you read. Thinking about what you already know is called using your schema. When you create a picture in your mind using your schema and the clues and words from the story, it’s like making a movie in your mind. Visualizing helps readers get more excited to read more, understand the story, and make better predictions. Please write 3-4 sentences as you write about the visualizing you did while reading.
If you’d like, use the following sentence starters that we practiced in class.
· The text says… In my head, I saw …
· I’m picturing…
· I can imagine…
Class example:
In the book River Town By: Bonnie and Arthur Geisert, the text says, “Occasionally, a migrating eagle can be seen swooping down to a patch of open water to catch a fish.” In my mind, I saw the frozen river and the eagle as it flew down to snatch a fish. This helped me understand the story better because I understood how both animals and people use the river to help them survive.
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Due: Friday, October 1, 2021
Strategy: Text-to-Text Connections (click strategy for video example)
This week, we have been learning how to connect events in the text to other stories we have read. For home learning, write one Text-to-Text connection between your book and another book.
Guiding Questions:
Example:
Title: Agate
Author: Joy Morgan Dey
Genre: Fiction
In the book Agate, the moose does not know what he is good at and needs help from his friends. This reminds me of Ricky, the Rock who Couldn’t Roll. Ricky needed help from his friends to be able to roll.
Week of September 27, 2021
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Week of September 20, 2021
Due: Thursday, September 23, 2021
Strategy: Text to Self Connections (click here for explanation video)
Making Connections is a strategy to help you understand what you read. Thinking about what you already know is called using your schema. Fill your Reading Journal and write about the connection you made with the text. Use capitals, punctuation, spacing and neat penmanship.
If you’d like, use the following sentence starters that we practiced in class.
The part when…..
Reminds me of….
This helps me understand the story better because….
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Weekly Reading Strategy Home Learning
Blue notebook is located in DOT binder. Work needs to be completed by student in pencil and returned by the end of the week.
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