Mr. DeMaio's Website

READING

"I do believe something very MAGICAL

can happen when you read a Good Book."

~JK Rowling

2025/2026 BEGINS A NEW ELA PROGRAM FOR WEST ISLIP ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

ARTS AND LETTERS

Concepts, Goals, and Strategies to help grow stronger readers and writers.

Strong Readers and Writers Use Strategies To Grow

STRATEGIES FOR DEEPER THINKING

Eleven

By: Tom Rogers

This is a story about bullies and heroes. About tragedy and hope. About enemies with two legs and friends with four, and pesky little sisters and cranky old men, and an unexpected lesson in kindness delivered with a slice of pizza. This is Eleven: the journey of a boy turning eleven on 9/11.

SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 2021

REALISTIC FICTION (Historical Events)

Reading Lessons: Literature Discussion Groups, Interpreting Characters, Reading with Power, Introduction to recognizing SIGNPOSTS-deeper thinkers =deeper readers!

The Witches by: Roald Dahl

Genre: Fantasy, suspense-OCTOBER 2021

The Witches is a British children's dark fantasy novel by the British writer Roald Dahl. The story is set partly in Norway and partly in England, and features the experiences of a young English boy and his Norwegian grandmother in a world where child-hating societies of witches secretly exist in every country.

Reading Lessons: Reading fluency (with inflection--Reader's Theater), Interpreting Characters

https://scholasticnews.scholastic.com/

*SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES CONNECTION

Used all year for Nonfiction Reading and Learning about Current Events

Realistic Fiction

DECEMBER 2021

The heartwarming and memorable Newbery Honor-winning book about finding family in the unlikeliest places.

Love That Dog is the humorous, endearing story of second grade boy who discovers a hidden potential and love for poetry. Jack starts out explaining to Mrs. Stretchberry, his teacher that boys do not write poetry, and that he has no desire to do so.

January 2022

Connected to writing Poetry Creatively

& Reading Deeply

HISTORICAL FICTION

Number the stars is a wonderful story about bravery and friendship. It is set in occupied Denmark during WWII and tells the story of two families, the Johansens and the Rosens.

Through the eyes of ten-year-old Annemarie, we watch as the Danish Resistance smuggles almost the entire Jewish population of Denmark, nearly seven thousand people, across the sea to Sweden. The heroism of an entire nation reminds us that there was pride and human decency in the world even during a time of terror and war.

A Fable partly about life,

partly about revolution (change)

and LOTS about HOPE...

SCIENCE FICTION

In a way Ember City is more than an exciting book that can rekindle a love of reading!

The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race. Two hundred years later, the great lamps that light the city are beginning to flicker. When Lina finds part of an ancient message, she's sure it holds a secret that will save the city.

REALISTIC FICTION

Born with facial differences that, up until now, have prevented him from going to a mainstream school, Auggie Pullman becomes the most unlikely of heroes when he enters the local fifth grade. As his family, his new classmates, and the larger community all struggle to discover their compassion and acceptance, Auggie's extraordinary journey will unite them and prove you can't blend in when you were born to stand out.

WIN TIME SMALL GROUP INTRUCTION REMEDIATION & ENRICHMENT

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