Welcome to Mrs. Schaefer Larkin's Blog
April 16, 2008
CRCT Review
It is that time again! CRCT!!! Students have been given packets to complete, also.....
Students can earn 5 bonus points by logging in to this website :
www.georgiaoas.org (in class I mistakenly wrote gaoas instead of georgiaoas)
Use the student number I wrote in your agenda
password: education
Make a 70% or better on the test and earn 5 points for each test taken. (remember, if you don't pass... you can retake the test as many times as needed to make a 70%)
Come to class with a list of strategies we've discussed (written down), and you can earn 5 MORE points!
Things to Remember : deep breaths, use your strategies, read questions first, then the passage, then go back and re-read the questions. On vocabulary, read your answer choice back into the question to make sure it makes sense.
March 20, 2008
March AR books due in one week!
Students have one week left to complete their AR book for March. On Friday Feb. 28th students need to take an AR test, turn in chapter summaries (if Feb.'s AR test score was below 70%) and a rough ddraft for the book card. Students are asked to review the book card information sheet to make sure they are including all of the necessary information.
Literary Term and vocabulary tests will continue to be given every Friday to prepare for the CRCT tests. Students are encouraged to go online and practice for the CRCT- I also have hard copies of past tests that we are working on in class.
February 07, 2008
Biographies for February
Each student has chosen a biography for February. These are to be completed by Friday, February 15th.
Students will be composing (in class) and presenting a short power point presentation on the subject of their biography. This in class project will take 5 days and is worth 200 points.
CRCT Review
In preparation for the vocabulary section on the CRCT, the students are taking vocabulary tests each Friday. The words are introduced on Monday and they are reviewed each day. Please be sure you are working to prepare for these tests!
January 08, 2008
On-going assignments
Students are to be reading 30 minutes each day (total 210 min. per week)and recording it on their reading logs. Students scoring below 80% on AR tests are to be keeping a chapter summary sheet to help with comprehension. Reading logs and chapter summary sheets will continue to be checked each Friday.
Current events are due each Thursday.
Happy New Year!
Welcome to 2008! I know everyone has come back - ready to work to improve reading skills! :) I hope your break was fun.
AR tests for December books must be taken by Friday. *Rough drafts for book cards are also due this Friday 1-11.* no final copy/book cards are due for December.
Students should have chosen their book for January by Wednesday 1/9. 10 word vocabulary tests will be given every Friday for the next couple months. We're starting with Literay Terms (a review for 7th & 8th) These words will help students on the CRCT tests in April.
We're doing biographies for our February Book. We'll start talking about the (power point) project for these books in two weeks.
December 18, 2007
Since this is the week of Child Book Projects and Country Fact Reports, there will be no current event due this week.
As always, students should be reading each evening for 30 minutes and recording it on their reading log. I'll check reading logs on Thursday this week due to Holiday Celebrations on Friday.
There is no reading card due this month, but students are expected to take an AR test for a book read in December when they return from break. (take it before break if you can!)
Have a wonderful and relaxing holiday and READ!
November 27, 2007
Holiday Traditions Around the World
Use the following websites for research on holidays and celebrations around the world.
November 08, 2007
Upcoming Projects Nov. & Dec.
The months of November & December are a busy time for most of us, students included. The November book & card is due on 11/30. There is no 'official' book card due for December, but reading students are still expected to be reading for 30 minutes each evening. They should continue to jot down the main ideas of each chapter and record minutes read on their reading logs. for the month of December.
Students will also be working on one (in class) 'Reading for Information' project and one (at home) 'Reading Roots Project.' Both of these will be due by December 20th.
Reading For Information- This project is to be done in class. Using the school's internet resources, students will research a country of their choice. They will be given a list of criteria and a list of sites to get information from. The object is not only to find out how that country celebrates their holidays, but also how to read , research, take notes, and present this information correctly in a mini-report. So, encourage your child to utilize the time given in class so they don't fall behind. They will need one piece of posterboard or foam board for a visual presentation. (We begin this activity before Thanksgiving and work through December 14th.)
'Reading Roots' Storytelling Project- Usually, a child's first introduction to books is through stories read to them by parents and/or relatives at a very early age. Many children had a favorite story that they wanted read to them over and over again. (when reading was still fun!) I want your child to connect with those good reading memories and choose one of those special children's stories to read to us as a class. (Examples: Good Night Moon, Runaway Bunny, Go Dog Go,etc.) Your child will be the "Storyteller." They will sit in the rocking chair with the class acting as the young audience at their feet. As an added extra, your child will be asked to bring in a snack to share with the class. This needs to be their favorite snack when they were young. Examples from the past include string cheese, 1/2's of PBJ sandwiches, cookies, celery with peanut butter, popcorn, small boxes of raisins etc.- the main thing is that your child has a fond connection to that snack from when they were little. This is an at home project in that the story needs to be well practiced so it is read smoothly with expression. Students will also need to practice turning pages and showing pictures with ease. They will be scored with the same Fluency Rubric from the Halloween Project. (See below.) (Presentations will be given during the last week before winter break Dec.17-20th)
10 pts 15 pts. 20 pts. 25 pts.
A. Expression and Volume |
Reads with little expression or enthusiasm in voice. Reads words as if simply to get them out. Little sense of trying to make text sound like natural language. Tends to read in a quiet voice. |
Some expression. Begins to use voice to make text sound like natural language in some areas of the text, but not others. Focus remains largely on saying the words. Still reads in a quiet voice. |
Sounds like natural language throughout the better part of the passage. Occasionally slips into expressionless reading. Voice volume is generally appropriate throughout the text. |
Reads with good expression and enthusiasm throughout the text. Sounds like natural language. The reader is able to vary expression and volume to match his/her interpretation of the passage. |
B. Phrasing |
Monotonic with little sense of phrase boundaries, frequent word-by-word reading. |
Frequent two- and three-word phrases giving the impression of choppy reading; improper stress and intonation that fail to mark ends of sentences and clauses. |
Mixture of run-ons, mid-sentence pauses for breath, and possibly some choppiness; reasonable stress/intonation. |
Generally well phrased, mostly in clause and sentence units, with adequate attention to expression. |
C. Smoothness |
Frequent extended pauses, hesitations, false starts, sound-outs, repetitions, and/or multiple attempts. |
Several “rough spots” in text where extended pauses, hesitations, etc., are more frequent and disruptive. |
Occasional breaks in smoothness caused by difficulties with specific words and/or structures. |
Generally smooth reading with some breaks, but word and structure difficulties are resolved quickly, usually through self-correction. |
D. Pace (during |
Slow and laborious. |
Moderately slow. |
Uneven mixture of fast and slow reading. |
Consistently conversational. |
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November Update
The fluency projects went fairly well, though this continues to be a weak area for my students. See the next blog for information on two upcoming Holiday projects.
By this time, all students should have chosen their November book and need to be keeping a chapter by chapter (green) summary sheet.
Quite a few students did not pass the Ocober AR test. These students are to have completed a "Just the Facts" form to bring the failing grade up to a 70%. The deadline for turning in the Just the Facts for October AR tests is Monday 11/12.
Keeping running notes of each chapter (as they read) should result in higher AR test scores for all students. This is also an excellent exercise in sumarization. I will be checking chapter summary sheets, reading logs , and signatures in the agendas each Friday.
Currently, the students are typing an in-class book report on the October AR book. They have been given the grading rubric and are to personally grade their book report before turning it in to me. I am hoping that this will give each student a greater opportunity to identify and correct errors before turning in their work.
General reminder: Students must have a reading book with them in class every day, and they are to be reading each evening for 30 minutes.
