Read & Spell: 3Rd & 4th Grade Book Club & Word Mastery!

Welcome to Read & Spell: 3rd & 4th Grade Book Club & Word Mastery!—This 8-week class is designed to engage young readers while strengthening their reading comprehension, vocabulary, and spelling skills. Throughout the course, students will explore a mix of nonfiction and fiction books, carefully selected to foster critical thinking and a love for reading. Each week, students will read half of a book, engage in thoughtful discussions, and apply new vocabulary through fun, hands-on activities.

Please see Learner Supplies for the book list. Be sure to research the books to ensure they align with your learner’s reading goals.

Each week, students will focus on a new word list, emphasizing word meanings, spelling patterns, and pronunciation. They'll engage in activities like word sorting, sentence-building, spelling games, and dictation exercises to reinforce spelling knowledge. Every class includes a comprehensive book discussion that focuses on skills such as inference, sequencing, main idea, and character analysis.

This course isn’t just about reading—it’s about active learning! Students will read along with each other, take part in comprehension quizzes, and engage in group discussions. They will also apply new vocabulary and spelling words in writing activities to build both reading fluency and writing confidence.

Class Experience:
📚 What Will Be Taught?
Reading Comprehension Skills: Learners will identify main ideas, make inferences, understand story sequence, and analyze character development.
Spelling & Vocabulary: Weekly focus on spelling patterns such as vowel teams, prefixes, and suffixes, integrated into word lists.
Text Features: Learners will understand and use text features in both fiction and nonfiction, such as titles, headings, and captions.
Book Genres: We’ll read a mix of genres, including realistic fiction, adventure, and informational nonfiction.

📖 Topics Covered:
✅ Fiction and nonfiction 
✅ Comprehension strategies
✅ Story structure (beginning, middle, end)
✅ Character analysis and development
✅ Main idea, setting, and theme
✅ Use of vocabulary in context
✅ Common spelling patterns and rules
✅ Fun word games and activities

🗓️ How is the Class Structured?
Day 1: Introduction to the weekly word list and discussion of the first quarter of the book (main ideas, characters, setting).
Day 2: Practice of weekly words through word sorts, spelling games, and discussion of book's sequence, character relationships, inferences.
Day 3: Application of words in writing (short dictation, comprehension trivia) and discussion of the  second quarter of the book (theme, resolution, overall comprehension).

The following week we will finish the book with Day 1 focusing on the third quarter  of the book and Day 3 focusing on the last quarter  of the book.
Each class is 35 minutes long, balancing instruction and discussion. 

This 8-week course meets three times a week, with each book being read over the course of two weeks.

🎓 Teaching Style:
 I believe that learning should be engaging and interactive. I use a student-centered approach where each learner’s voice is heard. I create a welcoming classroom environment where students feel safe to share their ideas and ask questions. My teaching style incorporates visual aids (like slides), discussions, and storytelling to bring the material to life.

I also encourage a lot of peer interaction, allowing students to share thoughts and ideas in small group discussions or through classwide interactions. I use interactive slides to introduce concepts and keep students engaged, and incorporate fun activities like word sorts, spelling bees, and quizzes to make learning both fun and effective.

🙋‍♂️ How Much Will Learners Interact?
🎤 Lectures & Slides: Brief, engaging lessons presented through visual slides with key information.
🎮 Games & Activities: Interactive word games and spelling activities throughout the class.
💬 Discussion: Group discussions about each book, allowing students to share predictions, thoughts, and questions.
📝 Writing Practice: Dictation exercises and written application of new vocabulary.
🧠 Comprehension Trivia: Fun, interactive comprehension quizzes to reinforce learning.
This course offers a balanced approach to reading, spelling, and comprehension, ensuring that students stay engaged, challenged, and excited about learning!