#CyberPD Part III: Reading in the Wild: The Book Whisperer's Keys to Cultivating Lifelong Reading Habits



This week's reflection in on chapter 5 and the Appendices of Reading in the Wild:  The Book Whisperer's Keys to Cultivating Lifelong Reading Habits by Donalyn Miller.

 

Wild Readers Show Preferences

Assisting my students to become independent readers is one of my responsibilities as a teacher.  I want to support them as they grow into wild readers.  Like adults, our students are readers who have different personalities and experiences.  As we find out as much as we can about our students, we become better equipped to support them as readers. 

Helping to connect students to books is one of the ways that we can offer students support.  Three areas stood out for me in Reading in the Wild as ways for readers to “connect” to books.  They connect with books by being introduced to read-alike titles, by allowing them to include light reading as an option for book selection, and by providing them opportunities to reread favorite books.

Read-Alike Titles

I love the idea of read-alike titles.  As an adult reader, I often gravitate to the kinds of books I’ve enjoyed reading in the past.  Why should that be any different for my first grade readers?  Once I identify what my first graders enjoy reading, I can use their interests to suggest similar types of books for their independent reading time.  I’m also aware of the kinds of books my students tend to enjoy as a read aloud and I’m constantly on the look-out for those kinds of books.  Books that provide weird, gross, or interesting facts, books that make you laugh, and books that teach powerful lessons.  I’ve never referred to these as read-alike books before but I think this is my new, favorite title for identifying these books.

Light Reading

When my first grade readers choose books for their reading baskets I ask them to select 6-8 good fit books, 2 informational books, and 2 free choice or look-books.  Inevitably, I have some kids who choose books that are below their reading level as their free choice option.  Donalyn shares evidence that this type of reading helps readers become more competent and it motivates them to read more.  Who doesn’t enjoy a light read from time to time?  I think most wild readers do.

Rereading Favorite Books

In primary classrooms students enjoy rereading their favorite books.  On book shopping day I usually have 2 or 3 students who ask if they can keep one or two of the books in their baskets so they can reread them.   As I was reading the story Donalyn shared about her student, Jordan, who reread the Harry Potter series and shared how he “discovers new things” when he revisits books, it reminded me of my favorite movies.  In addition to loving books, I also enjoy watching movies.  Sometimes I watch my favorite movies over again.  I often discover new things in the movie upon the second or third viewing.  I often share this analogy with my students as well.  When I’m sharing a read aloud that my students have read before I explain that it’s like the movies I’ve seen again and again.   Perhaps they’ll discover something they didn’t notice before.  I also remind them that they are not the same readers they were last year when they were introduced to the book the first time.  There are a lot of benefits to rereading books.  “In fact, rereading books increases comprehension and enjoyment.” (p. 175) I totally agree with Donalyn when she says, “f they reread books because they love them, I say let them.  We want to develop students’ ownership of reading.  When we tell students they can’t reread a book they love, we put our goals in front of theirs.” (p. 176)

Nonfiction Reading

I was shocked to read that older students avoid and dislike reading nonfiction books.  I have to agree with Donalyn when she says that it’s probably because they lack positive reading experiences.  My first grade students love reading nonfiction texts.  I’m sure it has a lot to do with their curious nature.  First graders are like sponges and they soak up tons of information while listening to and reading nonfiction texts.  Over the last few years I’ve made an effort to share more nonfiction texts when I read aloud to my students.  On page 180 Donalyn shared this list of really good activities for using nonfiction text in the classroom:

·        Add more nonfiction book talks.

·        Read-aloud nonfiction texts.

·        Use nonfiction as mentor texts.

·        Pair fiction texts with nonfiction on related topics.

·        Provide students frequent opportunities to preview, read, and show nonfiction.

Appendices

There are a ton of great forms in the Appendices for use in supporting students as they become wild readers.  My goal is to revamp some of them in order to make them more primary-friendly.  I’m hoping that other primary teachers are planning to do the same thing.  Perhaps at some point we can share the forms we create.  I love the idea of using “reader” in place of “name” on these forms.  That was a great idea and one that I plan to use in other areas.

What are your thoughts?  Thank you for taking the time to read and add your voice to the conversation. 

#CyberPD Part I: Reading in the Wild: The Book Whisperer's Keys to Cultivating Lifelong Reading Habits

                      
Beginning this week and for the month of July, I'm participating in #CyberPD (online professional development).  A group of educators, like me, will be reading the book, Reading in the Wild:  The Book Whisperer's Keys to Cultivating Lifelong Reading Habits by Donalyn Miller.  We'll be writing reflections about the book on our blogs, commenting on the blogs of others who are participating, and using Twitter to continue the conversations.  In this first session, I'll be reflecting on Chapters 1 and 2.  This event is hosted by Cathy Mere, Laura Komos, and Michelle Nero.  Thank you, ladies, for hosting this wonderful event.

I've been thinking about what it means to be a "wild" reader a lot lately. As a first grade teacher, I'm working with students who are at the beginning of their reading journeys. I want them to see themselves as readers.  While reading this book, I was looking through the lens of a first grade teacher and asking myself how these ideas might impact my own teaching.


Chapter 1
Wild Readers Dedicate Time to Read

Some Important Considerations:

• "Students need to connect with other readers and participate in a reading culture that values them. Our students must see themselves as readers, or they will never embrace reading beyond school." (p.  9)
• "It is difficult for many children to become wild readers if they don't read during the edge times." (wasted moments in between our daily commitments) (p. 13)
• "Reading a book in one sitting (binge reading) is a rare indulgence, but most wild readers take advantage of the random Saturday or vacation and read books cover to cover." (p. 16)
• "Most wild readers prefer a relaxing, quiet environment." (p. 23)
• "Fake reading and reading avoidance commonly occur when students lack independent reading habits, confidence, or adequate reading skills." (p.25)
• "As teachers, we need to reclaim reflective practices for ourselves and use it as a tool to continually recalibrate our teaching to our core beliefs, determine what is and isn't working, and focus our teaching so we can continue to offer quality instruction that we can reasonably manage and maintain throughout the school year." (p.41)

The impact these ideas have on my teaching:

• My first graders participate in partner reading time, daily.  They enjoy sharing and discussing books with peers and value this opportunity.
• I'm always looking for creative ways to encourage my first graders to read outside of the classroom.  Last year, we carried books to read in between our gym and music specials.  We used this "edge time" to read more books.
• As an adult reader, I enjoy binge reading.  I know that I'm hooked when I continue to think about the characters long after I have finished reading the book.  As a first grader teacher, I might have 1 or 2 binge readers in my classroom each year.  These students tend to read above grade level and have positive reading experiences outside of school.  I can model this behavior for all of my first graders by discussing and reminding them of the characters we know and love from books we've shared as class.
• All students appreciate a quiet classroom during reading time.  Reading is thinking.  Our reading environment must support the reading and thinking we do all year.
• I refer to fake-reading as "pretend reading" in my classroom.  I had a student who struggled in this area for most of the school year.  His reading was above grade level.  However, he did not value our reading time and complained of being bored.  It took me months to discover that he was not selecting books he was interested in reading.  Donalyn's warning signs (p. 27) are a helpful reminder of what students do when they are not really reading.  She also shares how to address these behaviors in chapter 1.
• Reflection is the key to almost everything we do as teachers.  Like many educators, I'm constantly reflecting on my teaching.  Each year I find myself tweaking my teaching practices and classroom routines in an effort to support learners and provide a positive classroom experience for my students.

Chapter 2
Wild Readers Self-Select Reading Material

Some Important Considerations:

• "When students select their own books to read and enjoy, they develop confidence in their abilities to make reading choices and build their capacity for choosing books in the future." (p. 46)
• "Read-alouds provide students with support in choosing their own books by increasing their title and author awareness, improving their background knowledge and experience, and fostering increased motivation and engagement with reading through positive reading experiences." (p. 56)
• "Book drawings are an engaging and fun way to introduce new books to students and encourage risk taking.  Students are more willing to try unfamiliar books when I endorse them and classmates express enthusiasm for reading them.  Even students who don't enter drawings build title and author awareness." (p.58)
• "The more we know about books and our individual students, the better support we can provide." (p. 64)
• "Students who regularly choose books that they can't read or don't enjoy are unlikely to read much or find reading personally gratifying.  Exposing students to lots of books and positive reading experiences while building a network of other readers who support each other provides student with tools that last beyond the classroom setting." (p. 70)
• "Providing students with scaffolded opportunities to preview, evaluate, and choose texts gives them the practice they need in self-selecting books." (p.71)
• Managing a classroom library requires curation--selecting the best, most current materials for curriculum needs and students' interests." (p. 80)

The impact these ideas have on my teaching:

• My first graders enjoy choosing their own books to read.  Allowing them to fill their baskets with books of their choice is a huge motivator for reading.
• Our Read-Aloud time is one of our favorites parts of the school day.  I love the idea of allowing students to select the next read-aloud using book commercials. (p. 54) 
• We use the "Random Name Generator" on our Interactive White Board to randomly select students who want dibs our the newest additions to our classroom library or the next book in a series that was recently introduced.  It's is fast and effective with my first graders because they know the computer is doing the choosing rather than the teacher. 
• Getting to know our readers is vital.  I've tried a number of different ways over the years, such as reading surveys and the like.  Last year, when I had a student teacher, I was able to conduct reading interviews with my first graders which provided some helpful information.  It's amazing how well you get to know the readers in your classroom when you talk to students even during informal gatherings like "lunch bunch" celebrations.  It's a matter of noticing, listening, and noting.
• Making sure that my first graders have books they can read and enjoy is always a challenge.  On any given day I encounter children who are sitting with baskets of books that are too challenging for them to read.  This tends to be especially true of my struggling readers who desire to have a successful reading experience as they build stamina and encounter books they enjoy and connect with.  I'm wondering what would be the best way to approach a first grade friendly "Reading Selection Reflection".  Perhaps this could be accomplished in small groups by creating an anchor chart based on their input.  I'll have to consider this idea further.
• Occasionally, I create tubs of books for students who need this extra support.  The books are at their reading levels and they do their book shopping out of these prearranged tubs.  They still have choice, however, they are not yet ready to choose books from our entire classroom library.  I have found this support to be quite successful.  Also, I love Donalyn's suggestion to "Unpack your thinking when evaluating a book and share it with students." (p. 71)  This would make a great mini-lesson and one that I need to share with my first graders periodically throughout the school year.
• Our classroom library is one of those areas that is a work in progress.  I'm constantly working on the best way to arrange books and make them accessible to my first graders.  I also have a bit of a book addiction and I'm always buying new titles to add to our collection.  I love the idea of allowing students to carefully rummage through the books even before you introduce them to how to use the library.  One of my favorite first grade moments was the day I opened two boxes of donated books in front of my first graders and shared the books inside.  It was like Christmas in September.  That was a blast!

As I continue to dig into Reading in the Wild, I have lots to consider as I prepare for a new school year.  There are things that I can identify with because they validate what I'm already doing in my classroom.  There are a few areas that I have moved away from but I may need to "recalibrate" my teaching as it relates to these ideas.  And...some surprises that make me smile as I'm already starting to think about how I might tweak these ideas to engage and support first grade learners.  I can't wait to dig into chapters 3 and 4. 

Book Clubs in the Primary Classroom

We are at the end of our informational reading unit and my kiddos are now working in book clubs. Book clubs are typical routines in the upper grades but they don't happen as much in primary classrooms. In my opinion, the key to successful book clubs is not expecting perfection. Yes, I do expect my students to work hard, and I do expect them to do their best work. However, these are not MY book clubs, these book clubs belong to my students. What I am saying is...Let go! Let them have at it. It's going to get messy, and that's o.k.

In the first grade classroom book clubs will look and sound different from their upper grade counter parts. After all, this is the first time my kids have participated in a book club. A big part of the learning is to expose them to what book clubs are and  how we participate in book clubs. First graders will study a topic and then talk and listen to each other as they share their learning.  The final piece is to sharing their learning with the entire class.

First, I presented the topics: Snakes, butterflies, turtles, polar bears, and wicked weather. I chose the topics based on the books that were in my classroom library and based on the interests of my students. For example, I have a group of boys who love snakes. I knew right up front that I would make snakes one of the topics for a book club. Next, students were placed in groups according to reading levels. It's tempting to put students in mixed ability groups so that students can help each other. However, by placing kids in leveled groups your stronger readers are not taking over and your lower readers are more likely to add their voice to the conversation. After that, groups chose their topics and got to work. They read their books during independent reading time and jotted notes on Post-its. Later, they shared and discussed their notes with the other members of their groups. Finally, the created posters to share their information with the class. Every group was required to represent their findings using a poster. I could have given them choices as to how they would share their findings but I felt that too much choice would be confusing for our first time working in book clubs. Even though they were all using posters, I still had kids asking me if they could draw pictures on their posters, or if they could use markers, or could they show words and pictures, etc. My response to each question was..."I don't know. I'm not in your group. You'll have to discuss that with the other members in your group and see what they think about that idea."

I'm convinced that giving them too many options would have made things a bit confusing for our first time out of the gate. However, you know your kids best. Perhaps your kiddos would be able to handle having lots of options right up front. The consensus from other first grade teachers that I've chatted with, who were also doing book clubs, was that giving them too many options was a lot for them to take on.

Additionally, my students are accustomed to using their Wonder Books two to three times each week. We use these books to record our wonders using the Wonderopolis website. I think our book clubs went very smoothly since my students were already comfortable with "wondering" and asking questions. In the beginning of the school year I had student who didn't know how to wonder. Or at least, they didn't THINK they knew how. Those same students now typically record five or six "wonders" in their notebooks each time we do a wonder of the day. I'm really proud of the work these students did. Take a look and let us know
what you think!
Book Club Weather from Valerie Ruckes on Vimeo.
We are going to do book clubs again in the spring. At that point I plan to give them more choice as to how they will present their information. Now that they have an idea of how book clubs work, I'm sure they can handle having more options and a choice of how they demonstrate their learning. I'm getting excited just thinking about it! Have you tried doing book clubs in a primary classroom? What worked for you? Please leave your comments and suggestions below. I would love to hear you ideas.

August 10 For 10 Picture Book Event

This is my first year participating in the August 10 For 10 Picture Book Event.  Choosing only 10 books to share with you was a very difficult task.  However, I did manage to shrink down my list down to ten favorites.  These are the books that I tend to read each year in my classroom.  I share these books with my students for various purposes.  Sometimes they're chosen to support a reading strategy, sometimes they teach us life lessons, and often they are read for pure entertainment and enjoyment.

My 10 For 10 Picture Book Favorites

The Old Woman Who Named Things 
Written by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Kathryn Brown

Cynthia Rylant is one of my favorite picture book authors.  We read a lot of her books in my first grade classroom.   She has two books on this list, so that in itself speaks volumes for her work.  The Old Woman Who Named Things is about an old woman who names the things around her.  She names her car, her furniture, her house, etc.  She names the things she knows she will never outlive.  This is all good and fine until she meets a puppy that she becomes very attached to.  After much reluctance on the old woman's part, she finally names the puppy.

The Old Woman Who Named Things is a wonderful story to read when building conversations around the themes of love, loss, and loneliness.  We use it to help us create a classroom community that is sensitive to those ideas.  I have also used this text with my first graders to demonstrate the comprehension strategy, checking for understanding.  It's a favorite in my classroom each year.  Look closely at the cover illustration...don't you just love her cowboy boots?  I think they're hilarious.  They really give you a glimpse of the old woman's character.


Sometimes I'm Bombaloo
By Rachel Vail and illustrated by Yumi Heo

Sometimes I'm Bombaloo is one of the books I read during the first days of school.  I use it to introduce one of our classroom structures, The Safe Place.  The Safe Place is an area in my classroom where students can go when they feel sad, angry, or just plain "bombaloo".  It's just a bean bag which I've placed next to our Friends and Family board.  Sometimes I'm Bombaloo is about a girl who gets angry at different times throughout her day and finds that it can be a little scary having to deal with those feelings.  It's a great book that helps students recognize and deal with their own anger.  My students make lots of connections to the story and it helps us build important conversations around feelings, how we handle disagreements, and what we can do when we need a few minutes to ourselves.


Chrysanthemum
By Kevin Henkes

Chrysanthemum is book written by one of our favorite authors, Kevin Henkes.  It's another go-to book I read when we are talking about feelings, and building a classroom community where everyone feels valued.  In the story Chrysanthemum is teased because her name is too long, and she's named after a flower.  The teasing finally stops when the music teacher tells everyone that she has a long name, and that her name is a flower too.   Chrysanthemum is also one of our favorite books to use when we are focusing on expanding our vocabulary and tuning into interesting words.


No, David!
By David Shannon                                                                      

No, David! is a big hit in my classroom each year.  I'm always prepared for lots of laughter when I get to the page where David is running down the street naked.  My students think it's hysterical.  It's one of the best picture books that I've come across for helping students make inferences.  I love that it's a quick read since my first graders don't have a lot of stamina, in the beginning of the school year.  We read all of the David
books in my classroom.


George Shrinks
By William Joyce

The first time I read George Shrinks, I fell in love with it.  It's a story about a boy who dreams that he turns small.  The suspense starts on the very first page, when the letters GO FROM LARGE to small type.  I love the colorful illustrations in this book.  Imagine being smaller than all of your toys, sitting on a spoon, and riding on your baby brother's back.  Joyce creates a story that uncovers the childhood imagination at its best.  You can't beat that for excitement!


The Paper Bag Princess
By Robert Munsch and illustrated by Michael Martchenko

If I had to sum up this book in one word, it would be "Empowering".  The Paper Bag Princess is sure to empower young girls everywhere.  It's not your typical princess story.  There's a prince, a princess, and a dragon to boot.  However, Munsch gives this story so much more.  The Paper Bag Princess doesn't wear a beautiful gown, instead she wears a paper bag, she outsmarts the dragon, and she calls the prince a "bum".  This princess has courage, smarts, and lots of attitude.


The Relatives Came
By Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Stephen Gammell

This is the second book by Cynthia Rylant that made my Top 10 list.  The Relatives Came is the story of a family that packs up all their things, jumps in their car, and drives all day to visit relatives.  When they get to their destination there's lots of hugging, pulling, crying, eating, and snoring as the relatives sleep all over the house, in the beds and on the floors.  Most students can relate to the happy times that the relative have during their visit.  I use this book to prepare them for our Family Read-Along.  Parents are invited to bring in books, blankets, and snacks on the second Friday of the new school year.  My first graders are so surprised to see their "relatives" arrive at our door, unannounced.  It's our first reading event of the school year and it's a great way to show parents how much we value reading.

The Table Where Rich People Sit
By Byrd Baylor and illustrated by Peter Parnall

The Table Where Rich People Sit was given to me some years ago by one of my students.  It's been one of my favorites ever since.  I love the messages in this story.  The Table Where Rich People Sit is about a girl who thinks her family needs to get more serious about their financial situation.  She calls a family meeting to talk to them but instead she gets a lesson on what is truly important in life.  The pages have a lot of text.  I usually save this on for the second half of the school year when my first graders have more stamina to sit for longer periods of time.  It's a great story to build conversations around the things we value in life and how we can be rich in ways that have very little to do with money.

My Teacher Likes To Say
By Denise Brennan-Nelson and illustrated by Jane Donovan

I love language and sharing idioms, proverbs, and cliches with my students.  My Teacher Likes to Say is a visual interpretation of those familiar idioms/proverbs/cliches.  Children, especially first graders, are not at all accustomed to hearing adults speak in these "funny" kinds of ways.  When I was a kid, my teachers often used phrases like, "put on your thinking caps".  Needless to say, I enjoy sharing some of these idioms with my students.  One of my favorites is, "please button you lip".  Read the book...it's a great way to share these fun sayings.


What Do You Do With A Tail Like This?
By Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

Steve Jenkins is one of my favorite writers of nonfiction.  He doesn't disappoint with What Do You Do With A Tail Like This? Jenkins introduces readers to all kinds of animals, and shows us how these animals use the different parts of their bodies.  In the very first pages of the book you're shown various noses, and my first graders love guessing which animals they belong to.  If you need more nonfiction books in your classroom library, your students will certainly enjoy this wonderful addition.

I hope you find this list helpful.  There were so many others I wanted to add to the list.  After all, It's 10 for 10!

You can see more August 10 for 10 Picture Book lists at Cathy Mere's site, Reflect and Refine.

Teaching Them To Teach: Opening Minds - #CyberPD Part 2

Opening Minds:  Using Language to change Lives by Peter Johnston
"How we give children feedback is probably the most difficult for us to change, but it is probably the point of most leverage." (Opening Minds, Chapter 3, p. 37)This is the last sentence in chapter 3 and after reading it, I could hardly wait to read chapter 4.

Teaching Them To Teach 

In chapter 4 of Opening Minds, Johnston explores interactions and the consequences of different kinds of feedback.  According to Johnston, "We are not just giving students feed back; we are also teaching them to provide it.  In a way, we are teaching them to teach." (p.36 )

I don't recall when I started to pull away from giving students person-oriented feedback, like "Good Job" or "Nicely Done" but  I think it was several years ago when my building started using a behavior program called Conscious Discipline.  It was through that program that I began to learn how to notice instead of judge students.  A lot of the thinking in chapter 4 reminded  me of my training in Conscious Discipline.  

"If you are going to give feedback, focus on the process and possibility." (p.37)  It's important to use process-oriented feedback rather than person-oriented praise.  These are examples of process-oriented feedback:  

"You tried really hard."

"You found a good way to do it; could you think of other ways that would also work?"

Process feedback is important for the following reasons: 

• It gets children into the habit of explaining successes and failures in terms of strategy use.
• The more process talk becomes part of classroom conversations, the more strategy instruction will be occurring incidentally, without the teacher having to do it. 

In the midst of a teaching day, it's so easy to revert back to old standbys such as, "I like the way..." but in doing so we are offering judgement.  I know I've been guilty of using those words on many occasions.  Instead, we should say, "Look at how you...", which turns attentions to the process.  "Causal process statements are at the heart of building agency.  They show the consequence of a process, making it into a tool that the child can use again on another occasion to accomplish a similar end." (p.42)  I love the idea of creating a classroom community where process talk is a part of our every day classroom conversations.  "We need to help them become lifelong teachers as well as lifelong learners." (p.50)

Tools for Growing Minds

Chapter 5, Johnston describes a dialogic classroom.  "A dialogic classroom is one in which there are lots of open questions and extended exchanges among students." (p.52)  Theses are classroom where rich conversations are created.  A lot of these conversations are created around books.  Johnston referred to books as "tools for growing minds".   Having conversations around books is right up my ally.  I think my classroom is one where a lot of dialogic instruction occurs.  It's not where I want it to be, yet, but as I read this chapter, I can honestly say I'm  on the right track.  Here's a quote that Johnston shares, which I want to remember and keep in the forefront at all times, "Judith Lindfors observes that dialogue is a bit like a game in which keeping the ball in play is the goal rather than winning." (P.57)  I had never quite thought about dialogue in that way.  However, It's a good analogy for promoting rich conversations.

In my classroom, we love to spend time thinking together about books.  We often use "turn and talk" and "think pair share" when we discuss books.  I love the examples of dialogue in this chapter.  Students engaging in conversations without a lot of "talk" from the teacher and a free exchange of ideas.  It reminds me of something Lester Laminack said when I heard him speak on reading aloud.  He said that students should not have to raise their hands.  Instead, there should be respect within the learning community so that children are careful not to interrupt others but are free to interject their own ideas without waiting for the teacher to recognize their raised hands.

Social Imagination

Most of the information in chapter 6 was framed around books.  Johnston talks about social imagination.  Which he refers to as an ability to make sense of social cues and to think through their implications.  According to Johnston, there are two main dimensions of social imagination:  mind reading (the ability to read  facial expression and figure out what's going on in their mind)  (p. 20)  and social reasoning (the ability to imagine and reason about other's actions, intentions, feelings, and beliefs from multiple perspectives.) (p.71)

Johnston states that having children talk about others through storytelling is a good place to start.  He goes on to state that, "Social imagination directly affects the child's ability to comprehend complex narratives." (p. 72)   That statement alone puts a smile on my face.  I love my classroom reading time.  For me, it's the best part of the day.  Being able to support the idea of  social imagination by having conversations around books is a major bonus for me.  I had to laugh, however, when Johnston stated that the hard part for teachers is keeping our mouths shut while our students engage in conversations.  Fortunately, most of us have learned from experience that the more the teacher talks the less students listen.  This book shares a lot of great examples of the way we should facilitate the conversations in our classroom and not dominate them.

Johnston also shares that there are other benefits too.  "Children with well-developed social imaginations have, according to their teachers, more positive social skills than those who do not." (p73)  Not only are we building comprehension skills, we are helping our students learn to problem solve on their own, and all of this contributes to better classroom management.

Below is a Wordle  I created with some of the key words from chapters 4-6.

The Book Stack

The Book Stack

Recently, I've been thinking about ways to encourage my first graders to read, write, and blog over the summer.  Having kids blog is a great way to support summer learning.  Educators know, all too well, the reality of the "Summer Slide".  However, there's plenty of time for learning AND all the other activities kids will participate in this summer.

I was thinking about how I'd love to have discussions with my students about what they're doing and reading this summer.  We could talk about books, recommend books to each other, and share our reading lives.  I thought it would be best to identify a day each week where my students could check-in on the blog and share what they are doing and reading.  Additionally, it might be more fun if I suggested a few book titles of my own.  Richard Allington, education researcher, calls this "Blessing Books".  Students love to reread the books that the teacher is reading aloud in class and books that their teachers recommend.  With all of these ideas floating around in my head, I came up with, Keep In Touch Tuesdays.  Each Tuesday, I asked my students to check in on our classroom blog.  Once they get there, they can read my book review post, and share their thoughts and questions about the book in the comments section.  They can read the book along with me, or they can read my book review.  Either way, I'm hoping this will encourage them to read some of the books, leave some comments/questions, and share what they are doing to stay busy this summer.  Maybe they're reading a book that's not in my stack, they could share that too.  The main thing is to read and share!

I also had the deli ma of deciding on the best place to do this.  Should we us our classroom blog or their individual student blogs?  By using the class blog, we'll have a central place where everyone can meet up and comment.  I love our classroom community, and our classroom blog seems to be the best place to share our reading lives.  Students could certainly continue to post things on Kid blog (individual student blogs) all summer.

During the last week of school I sent home a letter explaining, Keep In Touch Tuesdays.  I shared the letter with my students and explained how it would work.  Everyone was very excited about the idea of blogging over the summer and sharing books and what they are doing.  I can't wait to see what's going to happen and who will participate.  One of my students currently writes a blog post almost every weekend.  I made a big deal about how much I enjoy seeing her use her Kid blog on her off days and reading her posts.  Perhaps my other kiddos got my not very subtle hint.  Nonetheless, I'm very excited about the prospect of staying in contact with my students all summer long and reading and sharing books, which is one of my favorite things to do.  You can visit my classroom blog to read my introductory post which outlines the books titles and dates.  Also, stop by on Tuesdays and share and/or comment.  We would love the company.

What's in you book stack?  How are you encouraging summer reading and writing with your students?  Are your students blogging over the summer months and during holiday breaks?  I would love to hear from you.

CAFE STRATEGY BOARD

Today was the last day of school.  My students attended school for only half of the day, however, teachers were  required to work a full day.  After my students gathered their things and said their goodbyes, I scanned the classroom, noticing all of the things that needed to be done.  This year, I decided to take a few pictures of some of the key structures in my classroom.  In the fall, when school resumes, I can refer back to my pictures when I'm ready to recreate or modify them.  One of the most important areas is my CAFE board.  It's important to have a place or anchor in the classroom where you can post the reading strategies that you teach/model with your students.

I've seen different arrangements for setting up a CAFE board.  The CAFE goals are usually at the top of the board/space.  Below each goal, there is room for placing the students' names under the goal that they are working on.  The individual strategies are then placed below that.  Since I teach first grade, I usually leave room at the bottom of the board for names (instead of at the top) because my students would have a hard time looking up at the top of the board to find their names.  Now, I have an even better solution to the name placement.  I take pictures of my students at the beginning of the school year, cut them out, and place their picture next to the strategy they are working on.  This works perfectly and my students respond much more enthusiastically to seeing their picture next to the strategy rather than just seeing their name.

My CAFE board is a major focal point in my classroom and contributes to a successful launching and implementation of the Daily 5/CAFE in my classroom.  It's not a board, like so many others, that goes unnoticed once it's introduced.  It's a board that is a continual work in progress in my classroom.  I refer to the CAFE board daily and sometimes several times in the day.  My students refer to the CAFE board, they use it as a reference, and as a tool.  When I introduce a new strategy, it's placed on the CAFE board.  When I refer to a previously introduced strategy, I point/touch the CAFE board.  When students are working on a new goal, they move their picture to the appropriate place on the CAFE board.  The majority of our literacy discussions take place under the backdrop of our CAFE board.

Take a look at my CAFE board below.  You won't see pictures of students because they were taken off the board and given to them as a year-end memento.  However, the remainder of the board is just as we left it.    Do you use a CAFE board for your Daily 5/CAFE instruction?  Is there anything unique or different about your board?  Please share what's different or unique with us in the comments section.  Perhaps you have a setup that works better for older students.  I would love to hear from you.

Digging In with Word Work

WORD WORK
Word Work is one of my students' favorite components of the Daily 5.  Word Work allows students the opportunity to practice their wall words and/or spelling words.  Word Work is a very important literacy component, and your students will take it seriously if you provide clear expectations.  When launching Word Work, it's important to create an anchor chart with your students.  The anchor chart details the expectations for demonstrating independence during Word Work.  There are several different choices that students can select from during Word Work.  The options that my students choose from are as follows:

• White Boards
• Wiki Sticks http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PEN8U0/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_30p-ob0X57Q6K
• Magnetic Letters
• Play Dough
• Bottle Tops-Letters are written on bottle tops-Consonant in black and vowels in red.  Use a small tool box to keep letters sorted.
• Rainbow Words
• Computer Websites

Visit my classroom blog for a list of the websites my students frequently use for Word Work. http://vruckes.edublogs.org/

MODELING
Modeling is another key factor for a successful launch of Word Work.  It's important for students to see the correct way and the incorrect way to participate in Word Work.  It's also important to model how to put away materials at the end of the Daily 5 round.  In The Daily 5, the authors stress that the incorrect model is shown first, and it's followed by the correct model.  I think it's crucial to leave students with the correct model in their minds.

TOOLS
It's important to reinforce that the materials used for Word Work are tools and not toys.  I can't begin to tell you how many times I've repeated the refrain, "Markers are tools and not toys."  However, it sticks with them, and they really learn to use the materials correctly.  My students use individual white boards for Word Work probably more that any of the other materials.  Some teachers use old sock as erasers.  I buy felt squares which I cut in half.  They make perfect erasers.  Besides, I can't stand the thought of having old socks lying around my classroom.  I'm just a bit picky that way.  The felt squares are durable and washable, and best of all, cheap.  I haven't had to replace these for several years now.  They can be purchased at most craft and fabric stores, and they come in many different colors.

Rainbow Paper is another engaging alternative.  My students rewrite their Wall Words in rainbow colors.  Each letter of the word is a different color.  When students are using the rainbow paper for Word Work, they are not only working with words, they are also practicing their handwriting.

Once Word Work has been introduced, it's important to maintain consistency.  Keep the materials the same and don't worry that your students are getting board with them.  You want to keep them  focused on their word work and not on new items which may become distracting.

What are the go-to tools and websites used for Word Work in your classroom? 

Examining Relationships and Learning

It's hard to believe that we are approaching the end of another year.  For some it's the end of another school year too.  As I think about the calendar year coming to a close, I'm reminded of where I began.  My thoughts drift back to September and the beginning of the school year.  Just three months ago I was preparing for a new school year.  I was putting all of my energy into buying and unpacking supplies, arranging my classroom, planning lessons, copying materials, organizing the classroom library, and the list goes on and on.  However, in addition to all of those things, my deepest thoughts were centered around the new group of students I was anxiously waiting to teach.  What would they be like?  Who were these little people I was expecting to meet?  Would we become a community of learners?  Could we become a classroom family?  For me, teaching is not just lesson plans and activities but so much more.  It's also about making connections and building relationships with my students.

As I reflect on the last few months, I can now answer all of those questions.  My students are amazing.  Each one has their own individually unique personality.  Some more challenging than others to embrace, but each providing me with opportunities to learn from and grow as a teacher.  We are more than a classroom community, we are a family.  We know how to push buttons and how to allow our friends time to decompress.  We share likes and dislikes.  "I love our reading time."  "I don't like it when you call me names, please don't do that."  We know how to complement and how to encourage.  If you visit both our classroom blog http://vruckes.edublogs.org/ and our Kidblogs http://kidblog.org/MrsRuckesClass1112/ you will see evidence of all of these things.  Things that we have in common, and things that are uniquely different.  You will see evidence of how we support and encourage each other, and how much we love learning.  Most importantly, you will see that we are a classroom family.

You may be thinking, so what!  What does this have to do with learning.  I happen to think it has everything to do with learning.  My students and I have spent a lot of time creating a safe learning environment, where everyone feels respected and valued.  We teach each other, and we share in what others have accomplished so far this year.  Students who struggled with reading at the beginning of the school year, are now reading at grade level.  My students love doing the Daily 5,  developing ideas during our writing block, and enjoy participating in rotations for math workshop. They are excited learners who not only learn but teach me a thing or two each and every day.  I'm so fortunate to be their teacher.  I'm looking forward to sharing and learning a lot more in the New Year!

Digging in with Read To Someone in the Daily 5

Reading to a buddy is a favorite among readers.  Every year my students enjoy the Read to Someone component of the Daily 5 probably more than any of the other components.  I introduce Read to Someone by creating an anchor chart  with my students.  Across the top of the Chart we list the reasons why we do Read to Someone; To become better readers, because it's fun, etc.  Next, we record what the students will be doing.  Finally, we record what the teacher is doing.  I don't know about you, but when I create these anchor charts with my students, my handwriting is not as neat and polished as I would like it to be.  I tell my students that I will be rewriting the chart in order to make it presentable for hanging.  Once the anchor chart is rewritten, I laminate it.  This ensures that I can reuses it year after year.  Next year, after I've created another anchor chart with a different group of students, I won't need to rewrite it, I simply pull out the copy that I originally laminated.  The information is basically the same, and my students have no Idea that I use the same anchor chart every year.  It's our little secret.

There are two ways to Read to Someone.  The first way is having partners reading the same book and the same page.  This is called, I read, you read.  During I read, you read, the higher reader should read first. This helps lower readers with word recognition.  The second way to do Read to Someone, is allowing partners to take turns reading their own books, a page at a time and applying the "Check for Understanding" strategy.  Partner one reads the first page of his or her book, and partner two does the check for understanding".  Next, partner two reads the first page of their book, and partner one does the "Check for Understanding.  Using the "Check for Understanding" strategy, the student listening to the reading will answer two questions, who? (Who is this page/part about?) and what? (What just happened?).  In the book, The Literacy Cafe, the authors suggests making check marks out of wood or some other material for students to use.  The whole thought of that was way too overwhelming for me.  Instead, I made bookmarks out of precut, rectangular shaped foam.  On one side of the foam shapes I drew a check with the words "Check for Understanding" written on the check mark.  On the other side of the foam I wrote the letters EEKK (Elbow to Elbow, Knee to Knee).  Next to the EEKK I also wrote, Who? and What?  The purpose of doing the "Check for Understanding" is to ensure that each person is listening while the other is reading.

Having kids model the right and wrong ways to do Read to Someone is very critical for a successful launch.  They should model sitting elbow to elbow and knee to knee, and holding the book in the center between them.  Additionally, I like to select one of my good readers to help me model how to do the "Check for Understanding". 

When I introduce Read to Someone, I have my students choose from a sets of multiple copies of books that I have at different levels.  Once Read to Someone is up and running, I allow my students to choose books from their book baskets.  In my opinion, Read to Someone is one of the most challenging Daily 5 components to get up and running smoothly.  With my first graders, I tend to launch Read to Someone slowly.  I usually start with, I read, you read, only.  I want to make sure students are successful with this part first.  Within the next month or two, I introduce Read to Someone again with each reader reading from their own books and doing the "Check for Understanding" strategy.  I probably could start this sooner, however, I believe it's best to go slow, in order to go fast later.  The best advice I can give to someone just beginning the Daily 5, is to dig in and make it your own!

Digging In With Read To Self

Of the five components of the Daily 5, I would have to say that Read to Self is my favorite.  Why?  I'm glad you asked.  It's because my students are more focused and productive during Read to Self, than any other time in my classroom and during any other component of Daily 5.

When I launch the Daily 5, I always start with Read to Self.  Reading to self is also known as independent reading.  It's important that my students are building stamina, and able to read independently for at least 20 minutes before I introduce the other "Daily's" (the other parts of the Daily 5).  In my first few mini lessons for Read to Self, we address the importance of selecting good fit books, choosing a good reading spot, and building stamina. We also create the Read to Self anchor chart which is covered in the book.  First, we discuss why reading to self is important, and that information is written on the top of the anchor chart.  Next, we discuss what the students will do, and I record their responses on the chart.  Finally, we discuss what the teacher will be doing, and I record those responses too.  Modeling appropriate reading behavior is also very important, and it's my students' favorite thing to do.  Two or three students are selected to model the incorrect way to read during Read to Self, followed by the correct way to read during Read to Self time.  The book suggests selecting a student who would typically have trouble staying focused or engaged.  The modeling gives them the opportunity to get silly and play around in front of an audience.  However, they are also required to model the correct way for the class.

During Read to Self I gather my students on the rug in the meeting area.  I start with a short focus lesson which lasts about 6-10 minutes.  Your focus lesson should be about 1 minute per the age of your students. Since I teach first grade, my focus lesson should generally be about 6 minutes long.  When I'm looking for a text, I always look for quick reads so that my focus lesson stays within the 6-10 minute time frame.  After the focus lesson I send row one off to find a reading spot quickly and quietly (Q and Q).  Then rows two through four are sent off in the same manner.  Since we are gradually building stamina, we start with reading independently for 3 minutes, and increase the time by one minute each day.  The most important aspect of the stamina building, is to stop Read to Self when things begin to fall apart.  Even if only one student is not reading or is off track in some way, the entire class is signaled over to the meeting area, and the reading is stopped.  This prevents the reinforcement of negative reading behaviors.  I ring chimes to signal my students over to the meeting area.  Some teachers signal with bells, music, drums, or simply call them over with a verbal signal or chant. 

Having students self-evaluate and reflect is very important during the share time.  We share and reflect on what went well and what we can improve on next time.  This year my students and I graphed our reading stamina each day.  After each 10 minute increment was reached we had a classroom reading celebration.  From time to time you may find that you have to refer to the anchor charts when things are not running smoothly.  I have found that it is helpful to share the anchor charts after holidays or other extended breaks as a reminder of what the expectations are in our classroom.  In this way the anchor charts seves as a community building piece as well.

During our Read to Self time my goal is to conference with 2-3 students, and meet with 1 or 2 strategy groups each day.  Once I have my entire Daily 5 up and running, I continue to keep my first round a whole class Read to Self round.  This is a little different from what most teachers do but it works for my students and my classroom.  When all of the Daily 5 is up and running, the rounds tend to get a bit noisy.  Having one round of Read to Self ensures that I have at least that round each day, when things are a little quieter and much more manageable.

This year I incorporated Flashlight Friday (see my parent letter below) to my Read to Self time.  I asked my parents to send in a small flashlight with their child, and I informed them that flashlights could be purchased at the Dollar Store.  Of course flashlights of all sizes were sent in.  I also purchased extra flashlights and batteries to keep on hand as needed.  Currently, we do Flashlight Friday during the last 10 minutes of the day on Fridays.  My Daily 5 rounds remain the same, but the students are getting a little extra reading time, and they love it.  During Flashlight Friday, we turn off the lights and the students read by flashlight.  It's another way to encourage reading.  I love when I say, "It's time for Flashlight Friday" and my students respond with, "Yes!"  
Flashlight Friday Letter

Read to Self looks a little different in my classroom.  However, the most important thing about digging in with the Daily 5 is to "Make It Your Own".

DIGGING IN WITH THE DAILY 5

The Daily 5 is a book (resource) written by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser, also know as "the sisters", which focuses on literacy instruction and independence.   It is currently being used in many classrooms across the country.
There are 5 literacy components:  Read to Self, Read to Someone, Listen to Reading, Word Work, and Work on Writing.

GETTING STARTED
The most important discovery that I've made after getting started with the Daily 5 was this: Make It Your Own. The Daily 5 is a structure and management piece for a lot of the things you are already doing in your classroom.  As with most things, there is more than one way to do the Daily 5. You have to make it work for You and Your classroom. 

Digging In
When digging in with the Daily 5, you'll want to focus on your classroom library.  My books are arranged in baskets, which I keep on top of counters, and others are displayed on shelves.  My classroom library is a combination of books organized by reading level (GRL), genre, theme, topics, and units of study.  In fact, how books are arranged is not that important.  What's more important is that your students know how to pick "Good Fit Books".  One of the first focus lessons that you will teach is the "I Pick" lesson, where you teach students how to pick books that are a good fit for them.

Meeting Area
Another important component of the Daily 5 is creating a meeting area within the classroom.  The meeting area is a place where students come together as a group for mini-lessons or focus lessons, book discussions, checking in, and sharing/reflecting on learning.  Many teachers anchor the meeting area with a large rug.  The rug helps to identify the meeting area for your students.

Signal
Finding a way to get the attention of your students and bringing them back to the meeting area, is the purpose of the signal.  There are many creative signals that you can use.  I use chimes in my classroom.  I love the calm sound of the chimes.  For me, it's a calm and quite way to signal my students that we need to stop what we were doing, and go to the meeting area.  Music, drums, spoken signals, etc. are other great ways to reconvene your students.

Conferring
One of the best aspects of the Daily 5 is that it builds independence.  As the students are working independently on their daily 5 choice, the teacher is able to work with students.  This structure allows the teacher time for conferring one-on-one with students, while the rest of the class is busy working on their Daily 5 choice.  Choice is key.  Having the ability to choose what to work on, engages students and promotes the independent work habits that are so important to a successful Daily 5 round. Take a look at my conferring bag below.

If you would like additional information on the Daily 5, like my conferring bag, refer to my post on Ten Tried and True Tips For Using the Daily 5.

In my next few posts I'll focus on the 5 different components of the Daily 5, so stay tuned and Dig In.  You'll be glad you did. 

FAMILY READ-ALONG

I'm always interested in ways to involve parents in learning activities.  I don't have to tell you how important it is to promote the home-school connection.  A few years ago I came across a wonderful idea for involving parents in the first few weeks, while they're still eager and excited about making the school year a positive experience for their children.  I can't recall where I initially came across this idea, but it's one of the best activities that I know of for involving parents.  What is it?  It's called a Read-along.

The Read-along is an event that involves students, staff, and parents or other family members.  It takes place on the 2nd Friday of school, near the end of the school day.  The major focus, which I think is the best part, is literacy.  The Read-along sets the tone for the school year by letting parents know up front that our classroom is a reading classroom where books are read, shared, and valued.  The Read-along is inspired by the book, The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant.  The story is about a family whose relatives come to visit, and the house is filled with aunts, uncles, and cousins.  The relatives spend a few days together eating, talking, sharing, and hugging.
http://amzn.com/B002VK9INW

I start preparing for the Read-along by reading and discussing the book during the first week of school.  After the initial reading, I only reread portions of the book.  I send home the parent letter on the first Friday of school, along with the other important mail the students take home that week.  The Read-along is a surprise event and the kids don't know anything about it.  In the letter I tell parents that it's a surprise and not to let the children know about it or it will spoil the surprise.  I've held a Read-along with both my third and first grade students.  I don't think age really matters, however, as they get older, it becomes more difficult trying to keep it a secret.  I'm happy to say that keeping the surprise has never been an issue.

In the letter I tell the parents to bring a handful of books, a blanket, and a few snacks.  The Read-along is held during the last hour of the school day on the second Friday of school.  I ask parents to report to the classroom at the scheduled time but to wait quietly in the hallway.  I prearrange for one parent to knock on the door.  A few minutes before the arranged time, I bring the students to the meeting area to discuss a portion of the book again.  All of a sudden there is a knock at the door.  I ask one of the students to open the door, and to their SURPRISE, their relatives start pouring in.  You should see the look on their faces when they realize it's their parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and grandparents-Their Relatives.  The look on their faces is priceless.  I take the students and their families to the cafeteria, we spread out, and we read and eat for about half an hour.  At the end of the Read-along, we gather everything up and the students leave for home with their parents since this occurs at the end of the school day.

What about the kids whose family can't attend?
I'm always concerned about making sure these kids don't feel left out.  First, I determine which families plan to attend and those that will be unable to participate.  I do this by asking parents to return an RSVP indicating their intentions, and letting me know if they will attend the Read-along or if another family member (like a grandparent) is planning to attend in their place.  Next, I enlist the help of staff members by asking them to adopt students whose parents can't attend the Read-along.  The staff people that I enlist are the principal, learning consultant, resource room teachers, parents, and any other available staff that would be willing to adopt students.  Finally, I pack extra snacks for those children and they each get their own bag of goodies.  Sometimes I group 2 or 3 kids together depending on the number of staff willing to adopt kids.  My students truly enjoy this event!  Be sure to have your camera handy because there are lots and lots of photo ops during this event.

THE INTERACTIVE READ-ALOUD

Reading aloud to students is one of the most important aspects of literacy in the classroom.  For teachers like myself, it's also one of the most enjoyable moments.  Even older children enjoy the stories that are read to them by their teachers.  What this usually looks like in the lower elementary classrooms is, a classroom of students, sitting on the carpet, gazing up at the teacher who is reading from a rocking chair, and hanging on to her every word.  (Let's be honest, others are playing around and distracted.)  In upper elementary classrooms the students may be sitting at desks, doodling on a pieces of paper, and attentively listening, as the teacher reads from a special place in the classroom.  What about those kids who are not tuned into the story....or distracted and daydreaming?  I'm so glad you asked.  The Interactive Read-Aloud invigorates the traditional read-alouds taking place in many classrooms.  Additionally, it stimulates the learning environment by engaging students in the read-aloud activity.

What makes the reading interactive?  Instead of being passive listeners during the Read-Aloud, the students are active participants in the learning and discovery.  In addition to listening to the story, the students are discussing elements, recording their thoughts in a Read-Aloud Notebook, and sharing their ideas with classmates.  Here's how to get started.  All you need is the Read-Aloud book, spiral notebooks for each student, composition books work well too, and a the Ways to Respond In Your Notebook chart, which is described below. Next, make a Book Preview packet.  Copy of the book jacket, including the summary/gist of the story, copy the first page of the story, and the author's biography.  If the book has a chapter page, copy that as well, or create a document listing the chapters from the book.  This is especially important if the chapter titles have names, rather than just numbers.  Make a preview packet for each student which includes the previous pages mentioned, and you're ready to get started.

Begin by introducing the Read-Aloud book to your students.  Issue each student a book preview packet, and a notebook.  Preview the book with the sudents using the preview packet.  Next, create a list of questions, about the book, suggested by the students.  Record each question on your interactive whiteboard, or on chart paper and save the chart or document.  Every day before beginning the reading, review the questions to see if any have been answered.  Additionally, record new questions that students have.  You can decide how often to add more questions based on your students' input.  Some days they may have lots of questions to add, and other days only a few.

READ-ALOUD
Next, start reading the book.  I like to read one or two chapters a day, depending on our schedule and the length of the chapters.  Allow more time on the day the book is introduced, since the preview and questions will take up a big chunk of your time.  You can also preview the book the day before strating the first chapter.  As you are reading aloud the book to your students, they are recording their thinking in their notebooks.  To support them with this, your students can refer to the Ways To Respond in Your Notebook chart.  The chart will give them ideas for how to respond in their notebooks.  I created a chart on poster board and hung it in my classroom as an anchor chart.  You could also create a chart on you interactive whiteboard and save it for use during each read-aloud session.  Here is a list of some of the items I included on my chart:

Ways To Respond In Your Notebook

• Make a prediction
• Ask a question
• Draw a picture of your favorite part-include a caption or summary
• Summarize the chapter(s)
• Describe a character
• Record a quote from the story and explain what you think it means
• Describe a part you liked/ tell why
• Describe a part you didn't like/tell why
• Describe something you didn't understand
• Make a list of interesting words
• Explore the title-explain why you think the writer chose this title

The great thing about the Interactive Read-Aloud is the students are active participants in the task.  After the Read-Aloud, students use their notebook pieces to engage in discussions about the book.  These discussions can also occur periodically during the reading. 

ASSESSMENTS
What about assessments?  The assements are built into the learning activities during the Interactive Read-Aloud.  The students' Read-Aloud Notebooks and participation in the discussions, can both be used to assess students' understanding of the story.  I like to collect notebooks once a week for this purpose.  Additionally, when the story is finished, I have my students construct a written reflection as an additional assessment.  Students select one of their best notebook entries to compelete a written reflection of their understanding of the story.  I copy the notebook page and staple it to their reflection.  Later, when I'm reading their reflections, I can compare them to the entry in their notebook.  I also remind students, throughout the book reading, to write good notebook entries.  They will be referring to their notebook entries, when writing their reflection piece, once the Read-aloud book is finished. 

Below is a list of some of the titles I've used for my Interactive Read-Alouds.  As you revive your Read-Aloud time, you will be amazed at how much more your students learn and discover about the stories, as they become active participants in this interactive process. 

SUGGESTED BOOKS:

• The Tale of Despereaux by Kate Dicamillo
• The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate Dicamillo
• The Beloved Dearly by Doug Cooney
• Journey by Patricia Maclachlan
• Shredderman by Wendelin VanDraanen
• The Toothpaste Millionaire by Jean Merrill
• Fourth Grade Rats by Jerry Spinelli
• Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
• Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen