Reading at Home

Reading Goals for all 4th Graders

-Ask adults for help in pronouncing new words, even if they think they know it. Similarly, they should work to understand the meaning of new or complex words. I let the students know that it’s a good sign to come across a few new words each chapter, because that means that they are reading books that are appropriately challenging.

-Read out loud with someone that can also see the text, to ensure that all of the small words are being read in the correct order. It’s another sign of more complex texts to have intricate sentences. Additionally, it’s important to try to read with some emotion and/or expression that reflects the tone of the text.

-Read a mixture of fiction and non-fiction. When it comes to non-fiction, try for a mixture of biographies and other types of non-fiction.

-Take some time to discuss big ideas in text, whether it’s character traits, themes, repeated images, or the roles of minor characters.

What Counts for Reading Minutes?

-Reading to self

-Reading out loud

-Discussing what was read

-Discussing vocabulary and/or words that were tough to pronounce

Questions to Ask Your Child As They Read

Fiction

-What is the theme of the book? What message did a character learn, or should they have learned? Give text evidence from several parts of the story to prove this.

-What are some character traits you would use to describe a character? Prove with text evidence.

-Are there images or phrases that repeat in the book? Why do you think the author chose to do that?

-Did you find any symbolism in the book? What do you think it means? (This is definitely a tough concept, but we did discuss it a bit this year!)

-At the end of a book, were there any surprises? Did you learn anything that made you think back to earlier parts of the book and change your thinking about a character or an event?

-Did a character behave differently than you would have? What about that character’s life might explain why he or she made that choice?

-Was there a shift in the mood or tone of a book? Why do you think that happened?

-What did you learn from a minor character? How does that help you understand the main characters, events, or theme better?

Nonfiction

-At the beginning of a text, preview it. Look at the cover, book jacket, graphics, and how it’s organized.

-Are there any opinions stated in your book? What facts are used to support them?

-What strategies does the author use to share information (pictures, statistics, first-hand accounts, strong word choice, captions, quotes, graphics)? Why do you think the author chose that strategy for that information?

-Did you notice any text structures, like problem/solution, chronological, compare and contrast, or cause and effect? Why do you think the author choose that text structure for that section?

-Keep a list of vocabulary that is new or interesting. Take notes on how information is connected. This could be in the form of a web or in sentence form.

-What was the main idea of a section? Can you give a summary? (This tends to be very difficult!)

-Were there any tricky sections in what you just read? Were there other sections of the book that you could use to help you understand this section? (Encourage students to reread very carefully, including sections before and after the tricky section.)

-Before reading for the day, set an agenda. Is there a question that you’d like to answer? What are you hoping to learn today, based on the title of the section/chapter?

Choosing Books

If you’d like help in choosing appropriately leveled books for your child, we’ve found the Scholastic Book Wizard to be very helpful. If you can’t find the specific F&P level of a book, this table could be helpful. Students are encouraged to read within their ‘level band’. For instance, if your child tested at a level P, then they should be encouraged to read books at levels N, O, P, or Q. You can view the bands and characteristics here.