Reading I will be using the Lucy Calkins Reading Workshop approach for reading instruction. This approach incorporates the "Six T's". They are time, texts, teaching, talk, tasks, and testing. Students need a lot of time to read. It is also important that the time spent reading is done in texts that are "just right" for the students. Explicit teaching of reading strategies and skills followed by meaningful tasks is what readers truly need. Readers also need time to engage in authentic talk about their books. Finally, testing will be used to guide my instruction so that I can help your child grow as a reader.
Our classroom library is extensive and offers something for everyone. The students are free to borrow and keep books at home as long as they are returned. Please treat them with love! There will be a variety of daily reading experiences in the classroom. The students will participate in book partnerships, book clubs, guided reading groups, independent reading, and read aloud. Some of the areas we will focus on include reading with fluency and expression, decoding, story elements, using context clues, and comprehension. Some of the reading comprehension strategies we will work on include retelling, asking questions, predicting, visualizing, determining important information, making inferences, making connections, and synthesizing information.
Writing
We will do a great deal of writing in all areas of the curriculum. We will use the Lucy Calkins Writing Workshop approach. I will guide the writing process and provide instruction through minilessons and conferences. I will also model the writing process, which includes prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. During writing workshop we will write two personal narratives, a research project, poetry, an opinion essay, and a book recommendation. There will also be opportunities for independent writing in a writer's notebook. The students will incorporate cursive into their daily writing. Grammar and proofreading will also be practiced throughout the school year.