Literacy Lifeline

● Self-selected reading● NDMS Lit Plan● Nonfiction

● Schools develop test takers instead of readers.

● Schools limit authentic reading experiences.● Teachers overteach books.● Teachers underteach books.

Students who read for fun have higher reading scores than students who rarely read for enjoyment (National Center for Education Statistics, 2005).

“I have never had a student receive a high SAT verbal score who was not a voracious reader. And I doubt that any student I run into on the street 20 years from now will thank me for helping him or her recognize symbolism in The Scarlet Letter. In fact, I'd be happier if that student wanted to discuss the contemporary book he or she was carrying.”

Kelly Gallagher

"Studies show that those who read more read better. They also write better, spell better, have larger vocabularies, and have better control of complex grammatical constructions."

(Krashen 2004)

Reading Response OptionsStory Elements·Explore how the main character changed throughout the story.·Write about something that surprised you or that you found interesting.·Describe an interesting or important character in your book.·Write about your favorite part of the book and why it was important to the story.·Tell your thoughts or feelings about the theme of the story.·Write a letter to a character in the book or a letter from one character to another.·Compare two characters in the book to each other by describing their similarities and their differences.·Describe places where the author gives good descriptions of the characters, setting, problem, or solution.·Write a diary entry in the voice of a character in your book.·Compare a character in your book to a character in another book you have read.·Describe what you notice about the illustration. What purpose do they have? Do they add to the story?

Prediction

·How do you think the story will end?

·Which character do you think will change the most by the end? Why?

·Who do you think the culprit is? Why?

·Based on the title, what do you think the book is about?

·How do you think this conflict will be resolved?

·Draw a picture of what you think will happen next. Describe it.

·Write your predictions about the story and tell whether or not they were right.

Connections

·How is this book similar to another you have read by this author?

·Create a Venn diagram that compares the setting of this story with the area where you live.

·What were your feelings after the first chapter?

·What advice would you give a character in this book? Why?

·What character would you most like to be? Why?

·If you were a character in this book, how would it affect the plot?

·Describe a character’s personality trait that you’d like to possess. Why do you like this trait?

·Explain how the book reminds you of yourself, people you know, or of something that happened in your life (T-S Connections).

·Explain how the book reminds you of other books, especially the characters, events, or setting (T-T Connections).

Language

·Copy a sentence from the book that you think is well written. Why do you like this sentence? Illustrate the sentence.

·Find examples of figurative language in the text. Write them down.

·List five words from the book that you find interesting or unfamiliar. Write their definitions and use them each in a sentence.

·Describe the author’s craft: What was good about the author’s writing? What things might you try to do in your own writing that you learned from this author?

·Describe how the author makes you feel through their writing.

“I never preach to my students about their need to read. I never talk to them about the fact that many of them do not like to read, struggle with reading skills, or have not found reading personally meaningful. If I were to acknowledge that these excuses have merit, I would allow them to become reasons for my students not to read. They pick books on the first day, and they read. Choosing not to read is never discussed. It is simply not an option."

Donalyn Miller

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” 

Dr. Seuss

Your goal for this school year is to read 40 books.

I am very aware of the fact that some of you are not avid readers; however, time spent reading makes you more successful in all other subject areas of school, by expanding your vocabulary, enriching your background knowledge,and encouraging your thinking skills. My wish is that lifelong reading habits will be instilled as a result of your progress.

In class, you will keep:

A reading record, including author, title, date finished, and number of pages

Any title over 300 pages counts as 2 books.

A “Someday…” list of books that you hear about and would like to read later

There will be genre requirements (because we get stuck in our favorites, and need to be pushed out of those comfort zones).

Rubric for grading at the end of the year:

______ 100 (40 books covering required genres)

______ 95 (40 books, but not over genres)

______ 90 (35 or more books)

______ 85 (30 or more books)

______ 80 (25 or more books)

______ 75 (20 or more books)

______ 70 (less than 20 books)

In class, you will keep:

A reading record, including author, title, date finished, and number of pages.

(Any title over 300 pages counts as 2 books.)

A “Someday…” list of books that you hear about and would like to read later

There will be genre requirements (because we get stuck in our favorites, and need to be pushed out of those comfort zones).

Rubric for grading at the end of the year:

______ 100 (40 books covering required genres)

______ 95 (40 books, but not over genres)

______ 90 (35 or more books)

______ 85 (30 or more books)

______ 80 (25 or more books)

______ 75 (20 or more books)

______ 70 (less than 20 books)

Mrs. Kerr's Reading Ladder1st Semester 2015-16(Most difficult to least difficult)1. The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Hoffman 2. Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Bach3. Left for Dead by Nelson4. The Rithmatist by Sanderson5. Steelheart by Sanderson6. Paper Towns by Greene7. Crossover by Alexander8. We Are All Made of Molecules by Nielsen9. Counting by 7's by Sloan10. Book Love by Kittle

Why this order?The Museum of Extraordinary Things was written from different points of view, which was hard to follow at first. It's an adult book, which doesn't necessarily mean it has to be harder than a young adult novel, but this one had a lot of description and narrative that was confusing. Jonathan Livingston Seagull is a thin book, but this classic about a bird was very strange. It was hard to capture the meaning and the lessons in what the bird was saying to me! Left for Dead is nonfiction, so I had to reread parts to understand. The Rithmatist and Steelheart were my kind of fantasy/sci fi, so they were easier. However, The Rithmatist contained some math concepts that threw me for a bit. Paper Towns made me laugh, so it was simpler. The complexities of the relationships between the characters made me think, though. Crossover, though a quick read since it was written in verse, still contained some basketball terms that I had to become familiar with, since I'm not an athlete. We Are All Made of Molecules and Counting by 7's were easy to relate to as realistic fiction. Book Love was my simplest book, since I am always eager to learn more about reading. This professional book inspired me to assign these reading ladders!

North Davie Literacy Plan

Question Stems

Please have students cite textual evidence to support their responses.

1. What textual evidence can you identify to support _________?

2. What can you infer about _________________________ based on this text?

3. What does the passage suggest regarding ___________?

4. What evidence most strongly supports_______________________?

5. What is the central idea of the passage? Cite evidence from the text that

displays the development of the central idea.

6. How would you summarize the text?

7. What does the word/phrase __________________ mean in this selection?

8. How does the author’s choice of the word _________________ help develop the author’s point of view?

9. What evidence from the text leads you to the conclusion that ____________________?

10. What is the key concept of paragraph number _________________?

11. What is the purpose of this text? ( inform / entertain / persuade )

12. What is the author’s point of view regarding _____________________?

13. What conflicting viewpoints does the text explore?

14. What argument is presented in the text? What claims support the argument?

15. Does the author display any bias within the writing?

16. What is the author’s attitude toward _________________________?

17. Would the author of this passage most likely agree with the idea that ___________?

18. Which sentence from the story tells you that ___________________________?

19. What is the most important fact from paragraph ________________________?

20. Why does the author provide a chart/map/ table for this passage?

“Question Stem” Examples

1. What textual evidence can you identify to support the idea that

teachers were held to high moral standards?

2. What does this passage suggest regarding the kind of company

teachers were expected to keep?

3. What is the central idea of the passage? Cite evidence from the text

that displays the development of the central idea.

4. How would you summarize the text?

5. What does the word/phrase “frequents” mean in this selection?

6. What is the key concept of paragraph / line number eight?

7. What is the purpose of this text ( inform / entertain / persuade )?

8. Does the author display any bias within the writing?

9. Would the author of the passage most likely agree with the idea

that teachers should model self-expression?

10. Which sentence from the passage tells you that teachers were

expected to be financially self-reliant during their old age?

Vocabulary Activities

Research shows that students need multiple exposures to a word before it becomes automatic.

Use a word wall. As words are introduced, add words to the wall. Spend time weekly reviewing words from the wall.

Play games that review the words:

● Charades: Have students act out meanings of the words.● Password: Students attempt to get partner to repeat word using synonyms,

antonyms.● "I'm thinking of a word...": Give students clues to unknown word.● Flyswatter: Students compete trying to be the first to swat vocabulary word on

word wall.

Universal Best Writing Practices

● Use brief teacher-student conferences.● Use conferences to differentiate individual needs.● Establish real purposes for writing-SHARE!● Write for real audiences-publish writing.● Model writing-show kids what strong writing looks like.● Actively exchange ideas and thoughts.● Use peer editing.● Encourage risk taking.

“Both of these students- both high school seniors- both old enough to vote in the upcoming election- thought 'Al' Qaeda was a person. At that time the United States had been at war for five and a half years and here were two students- two young adults leaving the educational system, who had never heard of al Qaeda. Both, by the way, had passed the multiple-choice reading section of the state's high school exit exam.”

Kelly Gallagher, Readicide: How Schools Are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It

Sources for Nonfiction Articles

http://www.kellygallagher.org/

http://www.izzit.org/

http://vms.vale.k12.or.us/articles-week

https://newsela.com/

http://www.readworks.org/

http://www.tweentribune.com/

"Teaching children to read is not a sufficient goal for literacy learning. Instead, the goal should be one that teaches children to value reading, so that they will read for both information and pleasure."

(Spangler 2000)

Wishing you smooth sailing...

Resources

Carter, Garrett. Common Core Creativity: Language Arts Fun in the Classroom!: 30 Projects and Activities for Middle School ELA.

Gallagher, Kelly. Readicide: How Schools Are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It.

Kittle, Penny. Book Love.

Krashen, Stephen. 2004. The Power of Reading:Insights from the Research.

Miller, Donalyn. The Book Whisperer.

Spangler, A. 2000. The Motivation to Read.