Summer Reading

At the end of every school year, a common question that parents ask is: “How can I continue to help my child read and grow over the summer?”

1.  Keep reading books on your child’s level.   This way you know your child is reading on level which shows them that they are reading “just right” books – books that are not too easy nor too hard for a student to read.  It is also okay if your child reads one level below their reading level.  This gives them the opportunity to experience that reading is easy and it builds their confidence. Also, it is okay if your child reads one level above.  This creates an opportunity for them to be challenged in their reading.   Here is a link to recommended leveled books your child can read.   https://www.the-best-childrens-books.org/guided-reading-levels.html

2.  There is a scholastic wizard app that you can download onto your phone.  Then once you download the app just scan the bar code on the back of any book, and it will give you the level of the book.  You can do this with your books at home, books in the library, or books in a book store.  https://www.scholastic.com/bookwizardmobile/faqs.htm

3.  Practice asking your child these general questions that can basically be applied to any book.

• Tell what happens in the beginning, middle and end.
• Tell what happen in the beginning and the end.
• Give a summary of the story.  For a short book, the retell should consist of approximately 30-40 words.
• Find a text feature and tell what important information it tells you.  Text features are items such as: title, photographs, captions, bold print, italicized print, headings, fancy font, table of contents, index, glossary, maps, diagram, sidebars.
• What is the problem in the story?  How is the problem solved or what is the solution?
• Describe how two characters in the story feel.  What words show you proof of their feelings?
• What is the main idea of the story?
• What are two details about the main idea?  What is the theme?  What is the central message?  All of these questions can be asked interchangeably.  The main idea/theme/central message should be answered in approximately 10 words or less.
• List 3 facts in the story.
• Give a timeline of the story.
• Who is the narrator?  Who is the author?  Who is the illustrator?  How do you know this?
• What is another good title for this story?  Why
• What lesson does this book teach the characters?
• What is the character’s reaction to a certain event in the story?

4.  One more thing!  It is good to read some fables and discuss the lesson the fables teach.  This way the skill of inference is being practiced, and this helps your child to learn that the answer is not found word for word in the text.  So here is a good link for some fables and their lessons: https://www.bhamcityschools.org/cms/lib/AL01001646/Centricity/Domain/131/Aesop%20Fables.pdf

Picture a courtesy of http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Optimistic-Kids-And-Families-Clipart