Reading

Read Side By Side

This year in Reading class we will be using the series,  Read Side By Side.  This series is a chapter book program which “motivates students to read widely, deeply, confidently and daily.”  Students in 4th grade will be shifting from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.”  This series will continue through grade 6.

In class we will be reading a “read aloud” together each day and learning literary concepts as we read.  Each student has a Reader’s Notebook that he/she will use daily.  In it, each student will copy notes as we discuss ideas and concepts about what we have read.  These notes will be used as a guide while students are reading other materials, as well.  In a few weeks, students will also be divided into Book Clubs in which they will use the concepts and notes from the read aloud and apply them to a leveled chapter book.  Grades will come from the work that is completed in notebooks, on chapter quizzes, on tests, and from AR.

AR (Accelerated Reader)

Students at Cairnbrook Elementary also participate in the AR (Accelerated Reader) program.  For this program, each student is required to read chapter books in their free time and then take AR tests on them at school.  These books can include library books, books from home, or books from our “extended reading library” (a selection of books we have here at school).  Please make sure that the book your child is reading has a test in the AR system.  You can check it out at http://www.arbookfind.com/.  Testing cut off dates for the marking period will be announced during that marking period.  It is NEVER on the last day of the marking period - so please plan accordingly.  Please refer to the chart below to identify the number of points your child needs to read/test on.  Students should bring these books to class every day for times of silent reading.

1st 9 weeks - 6 points

2nd 9 weeks - 7 points

3rd 9 weeks - 7 points

4th 9 weeks - 8 points