Accelerated Reader - Matching Books to Readers

Your child might have come home recently talking about "A.R." or his/her reading level.  "A.R." is short for Accelerated Reader which is a reading program purchased by our district to increase student reading achievement.

A.R. in a Nutshell: In the fall, students take a computerized reading assessment to identify their instructional reading level.  This reading level is numerical and gives students a range of books to read.  The number on the far left represents easier books and the number on the far right represents more difficult books. Books located in the middle of the range (2.3-2.6) would be considered "perfect" for encouraging growth as a reader.

Student Example:  After taking the fall assessment, Suzie Patriette's teacher assigns her an instructional reading range of  2.1 - 2.8.  This means that books closer to 2.1 should be easier for Suzie to read than books closer to 2.8.   Suzie's next steps include: 

1. Checking out library books within her reading level range. 
2. Reading the book at home and at school.
3. Telling her teacher when she has finished reading the book. 
4. Having a discussion with her teacher about the book and the teacher agreeing that Suzie is ready to take an A.R. quiz on this book.
5. Taking an A.R. quiz on the computer. 
6. Meeting with the teacher to discuss quiz results and setting new reading goals together.  

Parent Support is Essential to Student Success in A.R.

There are several ways in which parents can help support the reading growth that is taking place through Accelerated Reader.

• Read with your child as often as possible. Taking turns is a trick I always used with my children. I'd read half of a chapter and they would finish it.  If it was a real page-turner, I'd read a chapter and they'd read the next one. 
• Praise them as their reading levels rise.  Remember, growth whether it's one point or five is movement in the right direction.  
• Track daily reading minutes on a calendar.  Some students really enjoy watching the minutes increase throughout the month. With reluctant readers, start small with fifteen minutes of daily reading and add a few more minutes every 3-4 days.  
• Check reading levels on any books that your child is interested in reading.  Let's say you're at Barnes & Noble and your child is interested in a book.  Find out if it is within their reading range by going to arbookfind.com  This link can also be found on our Dawson web page under "Library" and scrolling down to "Additional Resources."  Look for the Book Level (BL).  

If you have any questions about Accelerated Reader or arbookfind.com, please do not hesitate to contact me.   Happy Reading!!

  

Picture Books that rhyme - Fun for everyone!

Hi, everyone! This week, I'd like to share with you a list of my favorite rhyming picture books.

Learning to identify rhyming words is a critical first step in learning to read. Sharing nursery rhymes like Jack and Jill  and picture books with rhyming text like Green Eggs and Ham  help children begin to identify the sounds that consonants and vowels make.  As they become familiar with rhymes or rhyming books, they learn to anticipate the next rhyming word.  This in turn helps them to develop another very important reading skill - prediction.  So, when your read rhyming books with your child, you are laying the foundation for their future success in reading.

My Top Ten Favorite Rhyming Books

Giraffes can't dance by Giles Andreae

20 Big Trucks in the Middle of the Street by Mark Lee

Bat Jamboree by Kathi Appelt

Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown

Fire! Fuego! Brave Bomberos! by Susan M. Elya

Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Velma Aardema

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction site by Sherri Duskey Rinker

Demolition by Sally Sutton
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight by Jane Yolen
Cindy Moo by Lori Mortensen

You can check out any of these from our library and of course, there are many more wonderful rhyming books on our shelves. If you'd like to share your personal favorite rhyming book, please leave a comment below.

Happy Reading, Patriots!

Teaching Children to Use the Internet Safely

Hello, Everyone! Today's topic is teaching our children how to use the Internet safely. I just recently came across this video "Hippo and Hedgehog in Cyber-Five."  The Cyber-Five is a set of five rules that children should follow when using the internet.  After the video, there's a quiz that you can take with them to check their understanding.  I'd recommend this video for third-grade students and up.

Here's the video:  Hippo and Hedgehog in Cyber-Five

This is the website that sponsors Hippo and Hedgehog. You can find lots of free educational games from Pre-K to Grade 5.

Balancing Real Life with Screen Time

If you're like me, you've got kiddos that are spending a LOT of time online.  Do you worry that they're spending TOO much time on the Internet?  Well, I've got a great video that you can watch with your children.  It's Faux Paw Goes to the Games . The theme of this animated video is that spending too much time on the Internet can interfere with your real life goals.

We hope you're enjoying the content being posted on our blog! Keep reading, Patriots!