Predict story events.
Engage in learning dialogues with the teacher and peers.
Search the text to select appropriate information when answering questions.
Practice using story clues and prior knowledge (schema) to make inferences about the story. 
Practice using context clues to discover the meaning of unknown words.
Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings).
Make connections
Explore themes
Engage in critical discussion of shared texts.
Read for the sheer joy of it, learning to value one another as readers and learners.

Kate DiCamillo is one of my favorite authors. When I taught in the classroom, I always used Kate DiCamillo’s books to read aloud to my students because she does a great job of helping readers to learn important life lessons and think deeply. I also have a Masters in Reading, and it is my goal to help your child think deeper about the texts that they read. It would be my pleasure to share this amazing book series with your child.

Reading Schedule: (Please do not read ahead of our schedule so that we can all enjoy the story together.)
Before our first meeting read chapters 1-3
Before our second meeting read chapters 4-6 and answer journal activities #1 and #2.
Before our third meeting read chapters 7-8 + coda and answer journal activity #3.
**A PDF file of journal discussion activities and schedule will be attached to the classroom after our first meeting. Please print or use a separate sheet of paper to write your answers down. We will share our answers with the group.

1 hour 30 minutes per week in class, and an estimated 1 - 2 hours per week outside of class.