Please feel free to download the forms below to use during the week.

Our main Reading Log in third grade closely resembles the ones used in second grade. ALL students are expected to fill the monthly logs out by coloring in a shape each night they read for 20 minutes or more. These will be collected on the final Friday of the month and a new log will go home in that week's Friday Folder. You can also download a form below for the appropriate month.

This year, children have the option of doing the more complex reading log that requires them to write their thinking and work on reading skills. Each section the child fills out is worth 1 point of extra credit, for a maximum of 5 points~ the summary on the back is worth 2 points.

Extra Credit Reading Logs are due on Friday of each week. If we are not in school Friday, but a Reading Log has been assigned, it will be due the first day back in class. Reading Logs are not assigned over long breaks, but if your child would like to complete one, I am more than happy to accept it!

Extra Credit Reading Logs are available in class to pick up anytime, or you may choose to download it. This download is labeled "Extra Credit Reading Log" below.

Both Reading Logs may be completed using "just right" books, free choice books, newspaper or magazine articles, non-fiction books, you name it! The most important thing is to keep your child reading and keep them thinking about their reading.

When students turn in all of their Reading Logs on time for the month, they will receive a prize from our classroom treasure box. Kids who turn in all of their Reading Logs on time for the year will receive a certificate signed by the principal and a very special treat!

Helpful Hints for the Extra Credit Reading Log Entries:

Monday: Your child should write a very brief entry about what happened in their reading over the weekend and that evening, or the gist of the story so far. Include characters, setting, the problem/conflict and any other main events, including how the problem was solved. 3-5 sentences are plenty.

Tuesday: Students will need to generate questions as they read about the plot, characters, facts in the book, etc. They can also generate predictions about what they think will happen next in the book. There should be 3-5 questions and/or predictions total.

Wednesday: Connections help readers understand what they read more. There are three types of connections~ text-self, text-text, and text-world.

• Text-Self Connections have students relate what is happening in the text to their own experiences

• Text-Text Connections find common themes in books. Some text-to-text connections include:

• Text-World Connections are those connections that student can make to the world around them, such as knowing that Brazil is in South America, what WWII was about, or why an earthquake happens. Text-to world connections are based primarily on facts rather than experiences but they could be a combination of both. This is a more sophisticated type of connection and will probably be the most challenging for kids to make.

Thursday: The summary kids write is one of the most important assignments of the week. Have kids reflect on the book they have been reading and write a complete summary. Even if they didn't finish the book, the summary needs to be complete and reflect the sections they have read. The more details the better!


You will also notice that next to these reading jobs is a place to track minutes read throughout the week. On Thursday there is a space to add the total number of minutes, as well as receive parent initials for a completed Reading Log. The expectation is that each child will read for at least 80 minutes each week at home. That averages less than 20 minutes an evening, with Fridays and weekends off. You can divide up the minutes however you choose, which may or may not include reading on the weekend. Your child is always encouraged to go above and beyond the reading minutes required.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. I look forward to watching your child grow as a reader and know that with support from home and school, they will find lots of success this year!