Reading

TEAM Kelley VIRTUAL Library

TEAM Kelley Virtual Library!

Even though our school year is back in person, I wanted to make these digital options available, as well. All of the local libraries have expansive digital book collections. If you are not already connected with your local library and their digital reading options, please do so.  Here are links for most of the local libraries. 

All of these libraries have Overdrive (also called Destination). This site allows users to search for, check out, and read books on the web browser and is thus compatible with Chromebooks. Additionally, you can download the “Libby” app for mobile devices, which is very user friendly. The same books will be available in both places once you have logged in.    

Saline District Library - library cards - ebooks 

Ann Arbor District Library - library cards - ebooks 

Ypsilanti District Library - library cards - ebooks 

Milan Public Library - library cards - ebooks 


Curriculum Information

Reading will be taught using a Reading Workshop format. It begins with a teaching point delivered in a minilesson to all students. Lessons will include “Just Right Book” selection, building reading stamina, and applying specific skills and strategies to improve reading fluency and comprehension. We will then conference with students individually and in small groups to help them apply these strategies and to goal-set for ways we can work to improve students' reading lives.

Students will learn their Fountas and Pinnell Guided Reading Level (GRL). Students will progress to the next level once they master the decoding, fluency, and comprehension required. The Workshop teaches higher-level skills such as prediction, inference, empathy, and character, plot, and theme analysis. Students will not move to the next level until they prove competency in these areas.

We will be studying many genres and topics this year in Reading.  

In order for your child to progress through these levels they must read “Just Right Books," meaning books at their GRL, everyday. Help your child by limiting television and video games, making trips to the library, making sure high-interest books and magazines are everywhere, and talking about books together... All these things will make a magical difference. It will be exciting to see your child grow as a reader this year!


Narrative Reading Unit:


Nonfiction Unit:

It is true that English Language Arts grades adjust more slowly than math grades. It will take longer to teach the big concepts of each unit in reading, and then have the kids apply it to their own books, and then assess them on these skills, than it takes to go through that cycle in math, where a new concept can be taught and assessed almost every day. We will start to see movement in reading grades, as several concepts are taught. It is not only totally feasible, but highly probable for grades to adjust from pre-assessment scores as we progress through each unit.