Tag Archives: reading comprehension

Our Fave Mommy-and-Me Beach Reads!

Posted on May 14, 2010 by ecossick| Comments Off

by Elizabeth Cossick, M.Ed.

There you sit, sand between your toes, enjoying the sun, the surf…and the fact that you can finally crack a book! To help you achieve beach Zen this summer, here are our favorite lit. picks—as well as award-winning books and activities to keep your kids engaged (and learning!) long enough for you to get past the first chapter.

Mommy Lit.

Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin

The basic plot seems trite: Girl steals best friend’s fiancé. But, with Giffin’s witty narration and relatable characters, you’ll actually root for the cheaters!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Told through letters written by a cluster of characters in 1946, this enchanting novel shares the story of Guernsey Island’s Nazi occupation.

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

The latest from Kinsella (Confessions of a Shopaholic), this is the tale of Lara, a girl who is visited by a fun-loving ghost from the 1920s. Kinsella-style hilarity ensues.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

An uplifting and compassionate tale about a Mississippi town in 1962, whose racial tensions are blown wide open when Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan publishes the stories of the town’s mistreated black maids. Soon to be a major motion picture from DreamWorks.

Kiddie Lit. (and Activities)

Summer Express, $14.99*
Give children a head start in school! Each workbook includes 100 ready-to-go, fun-filled math and literacy activity pages.

Hot Dots Flash Cards, $9.99*
These electronic, self-checking cards are great for reviewing math facts. And they’re (gasp!) lots of fun, too.

Carole Marsh Mysteries, $7.99*
Each adventure mystery in this series is set in a historical place, making history and geography really cool for kids.

Science Kits, $9.99*
These award-winning kits bring science to life with exciting, educational projects that have amazing results!

*Featured products are available at The School Box.

This article appeared in the spring issue of Little Black Dress/Little Red Wagon Magazine, page 26. Click here to see the original article, along with a printable coupon for 20% off one regular-priced item! (Coupon good through July 1, 2010).

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Posted in Games, Parenting, Reading, Science, Summer Learning, comprehension

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Online Book Review Project

Posted on May 1, 2010 by ecossick| Comments Off

by Elizabeth Cossick, M.Ed.

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Five years ago, incorporating technology into our lesson plans was  icing on the cake–a nice “extra” to add…if you had time. Today, however, we’re all realizing that technology is vital. We can’t merely give an occasional nod, anymore. Rather, in order to truly prepare our students for their technologically-ingrained futures, we need to be incorporating technology on a regular basis. Here’s a super-easy, authentic way to assign a classic book report with a modern, technical twist: do an online book review.

How it Works:

  1. Write a Summary. Read a book (or books) as a class, and after your study, have the students write a book summary. But here’s the catch: they can’t include the ending (it’s called a “spoiler” if they do). So, show them how to write a catchy beginning and a sound middle…and then end their summaries with a cliff-hanger!
  2. Gain Consent. Send home an online book review consent form, just to make sure that their parents are alright with them posting their paragraphs (anonymously, of course) on www.amazon.com. Click here for a printable consent form!
  3. Create an Account on Amazon.com. Students will need to sign in, in order to write their reviews. The easiest and safest way to do this is for you to create an account (e-mail and password) beforehand, and then prompt the students to enter your e-mail address and password when prompted to do so on www.amazon.com. (You can always delete the account later.)
  4. Visit the Lab. As a class, go to the computer lab or use your school’s laptops–whatever works for your classroom. Students should take their finished summaries with them.
  5. Post the Review. Here’s how to post the review on amazon.com:
  • First, search for the book title. (Ex: Frindle)
  • Then, scroll down to ‘Customer Reviews’. You will see a button on the right of the screen that says, “Create your own review.” Click that.
  • Sign in, if you are prompted to do so at this point.
  • Click the age button: Over 13 or Under 13.
  • Rate the item by clicking the stars: 1-5 (Discuss what this rating system means with your students).
  • Title review (Discuss how to write a catchy title that encompasses the review’s main idea).
  • Students type the review in the space given.
  • They add tags. The tag should be the author’s name (i.e. Andrew Clements), the genre (i.e. “mystery” or “adventure”), or a summary word (“funny”). Again, another opportunity to discuss main idea with your students.
  • When finished, click “Preview your review”.
  • Instruct students to PRINT the preview screen. This is what you can grade.
  • Hit Publish after printing. Reviews will show up within a few days. And then students can send the link to grandma across the country, showing off that they have been officially published online!

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Posted in Reading, Writing, comprehension, grammar, technology

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Anatomy of a Creative Novel Study

Posted on March 25, 2010 by ecossick| 3 Comments

by Kristin Woolums, M.Ed.

A creative study based on From the Mixed-Up files of Mrs. Basil E. Franweiler

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From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg is a Newbery Award-winning novel about two children who run away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The story combines adventure and comedy, and each year, my 5th graders eagerly tell me how much they love it!

Originally published in 1968, one might think that it wouldn’t appeal to today’s youth, but here’s how I foster a love of a novel that’s over 40 years old:

A Virtual Field Trip

Early in the story, the lead characters, Claudia and Jamie, run away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I take my students to the computer lab for a virtual field trip to see the sights that Claudia and Jamie would have seen (www.metmuseum.org). The website allows students to see priceless pieces of art that they perhaps would never get to see, so I allow them to browse through the many pieces shown online. Click here for a printable sheet about the virtual tour.

The students supply a few details about their favorite pieces, including a rough sketch, which they record on a note-taking guide (click here to print it). We discuss the proper way to react to art and that there are many pieces that showcase the human body in tastefully, yet unclothed, ways (just a head’s up!).

A Great Debate

There are several ethical decisions that Claudia and Jamie encounter throughout the story:

o Stealing money from the museum’s fountain so they could eat

o Sneaking around and lying so they wouldn’t get caught living in the museum

o Worrying their parents by running away

Each student chooses whether they thought the action was justified or not, and in a traditional debate setting, we civilly discuss the matter at hand. This makes for some very teachable moments, and the students love this!

A Creative Culmination

To end the study, the students participate in a creative “summary-by-chapter” book report. A post describing all of the details about this creative project, including a rubric, is coming next on A Learning Experience. The best part is that this idea can be adapted to any novel!

This wonderful and timeless adventure about two children running away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art is chock full of adventure, comedy, and a sense of family as Claudia and Jamie learn to survive in the real world. My students enjoy the novel, and I hope Ms. Konigsburg is happy that I’ve taken her exciting novel to the next level by interjecting classroom reading with a virtual field trip, a debate, and a creative book report project!

Kristin’s Chapter-by-Summary book report idea (including a rubric) is coming next on A Learning Experience!

Kristin M. Woolums, M. Ed., teaches fifth grade at a private school in Atlanta and works at The School Box at Southlake during the summer months.

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Posted in Assessments, Field Trips, Reading, comprehension, reading aloud, reluctant readers, technology

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Characters, Part I: Keeping a Character Chart

Posted on February 12, 2010 by ecossick| 2 Comments

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by Elizabeth Cossick, M.Ed.

Sherlock Holmes. Huckleberry Finn. Captain Ahab. Anne (with an “e”). These characters shaped our childhoods, our educations…and, on some scale, our lives.

Book characters are like immortal friends, aren’t they? I will admit it, I am often sad when a book ends and my time with those friends is over.  (Well, maybe not so much with Captain Ahab…but definitely with Anne!)

Yes, characters are what connect us to books. If you want a child to love reading, introduce her to a character worth loving. And if she’s never found one she loves, keep trying!

I remember when I taught fourth grade, one of my students was a particularly reluctant reader. And then, one day, he actually carried a book out to RECESS. To READ. I almost passed out. What brought about this sudden change? He was introduced to…wait for it…Captain Underpants. Hey, whatever works.

So, the next time you sit down to read a book with your children or start a novel with your class, take a little time to talk about the characters. Here are two ideas to help you do so:

  1. Have a Character Conversation. Ask probing questions that will lead to a deep discussion about characterization. Here are a few to get you started: What would it be like if that character rang your doorbell and came to dinner? Would you want that character for a friend- why or why not? Are you like that character in any way? How are you different?
  2. Keep a Character Chart. Have students keep track of who they’re meeting while they’re reading by charting character names, descriptions, and sketches. For a graphic organizer for this idea, click here.

Hopefully these ideas will have your kiddos toting their books out to recess in no time…even if it’s only to see George and Harold’s principal strip down to his skivvies.

Look for the next article in this series on characters: Bringing Characters to Life Through a Wax Museum.

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Posted in Motivation, Parenting, Reading, comprehension, reading aloud

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Turn a read-aloud into a think-aloud

Posted on November 15, 2009 by ecossick| 1 Comment

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Quick question: Parents, do you read aloud to your children? Teachers, do you read aloud to your class? Chances are, you just answered “yes.” Well, to maximize the effectiveness of your read-aloud time, here are a few quick tips for fostering critical thinking skills with your children.

Tip One: Think Out Loud

As an accomplished reader, you have lots of great thoughts pinging around that noggin of yours while you’re reading– and you probably take them for granted. But if you can become aware of them- and then share them aloud with your children or students- you will be providing a great model for critical thinking. For example, if you’re reading about the kitchen in Little Women, and you can picture curtains at the window, a braided rug on the floor, and a worn wooden table against the wall, tell your children that’s what you’re picturing. Then ask them what they think might be in the kitchen, too. Are pictures hanging on the wall? Who is in the pictures? This may seem like a simple conversation, but you’re actually practicing visualizing and inferring– two traits of critical thinkers and readers.

Tip Two: Be Socratic

The Socratic Method, termed thus after Socrates, uses questioning to teach learners to think for themselves. To be Socratic during a read-aloud, simply stop every page or so and ask a question. Some basic questions you could use are:

  • What do you think is going to happen next? Why?
  • Why do you think he/she did that? (or felt that way?)
  • Have you ever been in a similar situation? What happened?
  • What do you think it would be like to do that (or go there)? Would it be fun/boring/scary? Why?

Tip Three: Pull out the Art Supplies

Before reading, pass out blank paper and coloring supplies (crayons, colored pencils, etc.) Ask students to illustrate what they’re visualizing while you read. Tell them to add as many details as possible–even if they have to infer (or guess) to fill in details if the author didn’t tell exactly what color something was or how something looked. Again, this will reinforce visualizing (making mind pictures) and inferring (making guesses)– two skills necessary for advanced reading and thinking. And don’t worry- most students can actually listen better while doodling!

Tip Four: Post it!

Finally, if you can’t remember to stop and do these things while reading aloud, take a stack of sticky notes and stick them every few pages. Then, when you get to a sticky note, share a thought you’re having about the book or ask a question. If you have time, write down a question or thought on the notes beforehand.

And remember–no matter what you do while reading aloud, applaud yourself! Reading aloud to children is one of the most effective ways to model fluency and comprehension…not to mention that you’re making reading an enjoyable experience!

Written by Elizabeth Cossick, M.Ed., who holds a master’s degree in Literacy from Lesley University, Cambridge, and a bachelor’s in education from The University of Georgia.

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Posted in Reading, Teaching, comprehension, reading aloud

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Practical Tips for Increasing Reading Comprehension

Posted on November 11, 2009 by ecossick| 3 Comments

3186570_lowPart two in a two-part series by Dr. Connie H. Hebert

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What are some ways we can increase comprehension for readers who don’t seem to understand what they read?

  • Always set a purpose for reading that is meaningful and engaging, as opposed to asking students to read up to a certain page. Falling readers comprehend better when they have a mission: something to read to find out, to figure out, to search for, or to be accountable for.
  • Divide long pieces of text into small manageable “chunks” for students while ensuring they know what you want them to find out.
  • Do not rely on “retelling” to be the sole determinant of comprehension. Falling readers need questioning strategies, graphic organizers, both oral and written ways of showing what they read, sticky notes to identify important points in the text, and open-ended questions as opposed to yes/no questions.
  • Students who read ‘word by word’ are not reading fluently. Fluency is the act of putting words together as we talk. Model this for children by saying, “I’ll read a page, you read a page, or I’ll read a line, you read a line.” Through this practice, they will hear what fluent reading is and they will imitate you. We learn by watching others model for us!
  • Allow students to select what THEY want to learn from the index of a non-fiction text. They don’t always need to start at the beginning of every book. Shake up routines!
  • Teach falling readers how to go return to the book to search for evidence that supports their responses and understandings. Encourage them to do this often so they learn how to search, confirm, and self-monitor while reading.

With these practical tips, readers will be able to experience the success they need to make reading a lifelong, enjoyable experience!

Dr. Hebert is an author, professor of reading and nationally acclaimed teacher of teachers. She has taught and inspired parents and teachers in 47 states and 3 countries and presented at many literacy conferences around the country such as IRA, NAESP, RRCNA, & MRA. Her internet radio show, Help Your Child Succeed: Ready, Set, Read can be heard every Sunday evening at 8:00 PM. For more information, please visit: www.conniehebert.com or email her at dr.conniehebert@comcast.net.

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Posted in Academic Success, Reading, comprehension

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