Join me in a reading adventure, designed for late Elementary School aged children (4th and 5th grade). In this ongoing course, students will meet fellow book lovers and explore many types of reading materials. Each week, there will be an in class reading to discuss. We will read a book, short story, article, or poem together in class. Reading outside of the classroom is not required because we will read and discuss it in class. Students will be encouraged to answer pre and post reading questions designed to help them connect with the reading and their peers as well. We will explore many genres together and practice many close reading skills together. 

In each class we will do a brief ice breaker to help students feel comfortable participating in class. However, participation is recommended, not required. Listening to the reading and activities is acceptable output is encouraged. After our ice breaker, we will explore some pre-reading techniques to aide in comprehension and give students something to connect with or think about during the reading. Then I will read aloud and encourage students to read aloud as well. Reading out loud in class is a choice. I encourage everyone to take a turn reading. However some students do not feel comfortable reading out loud in front of their peers. Students who do not feel comfortable reading in front of peers will have the option to listen only. Once the reading has concluded, we will answer some post reading questions. Finally, we will play a game, watch a short video clip, or complete an activity based on the reading. 

Since I was a young child, I have loved to read many different types of books. I found that I could go on an adventure while in the comfort of my own home, just by opening a good book. This is what I would like to share with my students. My goal is to find books that your children will not be able to put down. Stories that hold their interest and foster a love of reading. We will learn many reading techniques in this class to increase fluency and comprehension. I also hope to help students improve their reading comprehension by incorporating fun activities and games into each class. 

In my experience as a teacher, students learn more when they can apply the new information while having fun at the same time. Therefore, I strive to create a welcoming and fun classroom where students can enjoy their time learning. Students expressing their thoughts and opinions in a safe space is important to children. I hope to facilitate this in my classroom. 

Week of July 31- August 6: Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar
Week of August 7- 13: Epic Kids by David Blaze
Week of August 14- 20: Spectacular Stories for Curious Kids by Jesse Sullivan
Week of August 21- 27: Kid Youtuber by Marcus Emerson

Week of October 9-15: Fall Poetry
Week of October 16-22: Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster
Week of October 23-29: Articles about Halloween
Week of October 30-November 5: Spooky Short Stories