Reading

Red Lion Area School District takes a balanced literacy approach in language arts instruction. Our class follows a workshop model using Lucy Calkins' Units of Study in Reading as a guide for reading lessons.

Here is what you can expect from reading class each day:

• One or two mini-lessons on a strategy, skill, or process. We will usually do this as a large class, on the carpet or close to the teacher.
• Time to read independently or with a partner. During this time, you may read a self-selected text, texts on a required topic, or a specific text chosen by your teacher. You might practice the strategy from that day's lesson, or another strategy that you have been working on.
• Showing your thinking about your reading. Each student will use sticky notes and a personal journal to record their thoughts, questions, and insights about the texts they read.
• Lots of discussion! One of the best things about reading is the conversations you can have with others about what you've read. We will talk A LOT in reading class. (It is called "language arts" for a reason!) Sometimes, we will have whole class discussions. Sometimes, we will talk in a small group. Sometimes we will have the opportunity to talk one-on-one with each other or with the teacher.

We will begin the year with a study of realistic fiction literature. Realistic fiction books have characters, plots, settings, and events that could happen in real life, but aren't actually true.

We will read and discuss The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo as a class, and use this wonderful book to learn how to think deeply about characters, their struggles, and their choices and how we can learn about life from them.

Students will also independently read fiction literature of their choice and show evidence of doing this type of thinking about the characters in their own books.

The more you read, the better you get! Each student is expected to read at least thirty minutes each day as required homework. This will usually be your only homework assignment, so no excuses!

Visit Mrs. Irving's Reading Resources site. You'll be able to find helpful charts, resources, rubrics, videos, and more. (Note, your child must be logged into their school Google account in order to view this site.)