*This is a Flex class, which means the course does not have a weekly live meeting. 

This class was developed from my high demand, face-to-face ongoing class with a similar name. This Flex class will receive the same material and same teaching as my live class. This class is designed for students who are reading at a fourth grade level regardless of age. Fourth grade reading level ranges from 740 Lexile - 940 Lexile. In this class, we will read passages at level 780L.

In this virtual class, students will improve their reading skills by reviewing vocabulary words, reading developmentally appropriate text, receiving instructions/ "think aloud" how to answer a comprehension question, responding with evidence for comprehension questions, agreeing/disagreeing with their classmates responses, and responding to questions or comments. Reading research has shown that comprehension instruction can help students do a better job of understanding and remembering what they read. Research has also shown that students working with other students has a successful outcome of improving their reading skills. 

Each week, I will provide students one fourth grade reading fiction text and four multiple-choice comprehension questions.

Each Sunday, I will upload a new virtual classroom which includes a video (recorded by the teacher) that introduces the week's reading passage. I will review the vocabulary words students will read in the passage. Students will read the passage independently (they can pause/stop the video). After reading (press play on the recording), I will review the four multiple-choice comprehension questions and provide the strategy used to find the correct answer. Students should answer the comprehension questions along with the recording. Then, students should respond to the same multiple-choice questions, on Flipgrid, and provide their reason/evidence for choosing their answer. Each student should respond to a classmate by agreeing/disagree (and provide their reason/evidence) for each question. At the end of each week, I will post the answer key for the comprehension questions. 

This Flexible class has an added bonus that my live class does not have. Each week, students will draw and label a picture of one of their vocabulary words. They will upload the picture to the classroom.

A weekly Q&A thread will be available for students who have questions. I am also available to students through direct message and will respond to questions within 24 hours. Students are expected to interact with each other by responding to questions or comments through out the week.

We will read the story "Mutation" and answer questions about key details, sequence, vocabulary, story elements, etc.

Below are the vocabulary words for each lesson:
Week 1: dissuade, gazillion, prosecute
Week 2: appall, frantically, mutate, petrified
Week 3: astounding, contaminate, igneous, mutate, prosecute
Week 4: contaminate, ecosystem, gene, mutation
Week 5: agonizing, hurl, mutate, retrieve
Week 6: beam, desperation, expertise, infect

Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.10
Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.