Greetings, Third, Fourth and Fifth Grade Gator Families,
Our year in the library has gotten off to a great start. With routines and rules established, we are working to increase students’ awareness, understanding, and appreciation of books and the media center.
The boys and girls are eagerly selecting books that match their interest and ability levels. They have been using the “Five Finger Rule” by opening to a page in a book and counting the number of words they are having difficulty reading. If that number gets to five, the book is too difficult to read and the student selects another. I am impressed by the students’ individual interests and abilities. I always look forward to our times together.
Please ask your child about a book they have read from the library. Perhaps you could provide an incentive for him or her to read a variety of books. I know you will enjoy hearing their thoughts about points of view shared in a fiction book or facts they have discovered by reading informational text found in our nonfiction section, JUST ASK.
Third Grade Focus:
Sections of the library and their organization- Students are becoming more familiar with Everybody, Fiction, Nonfiction and Paper Back book sections and have practiced locating books with E or F on the spine label by searching for the author’s last name.
We are spending time exploring the Dewey Decimal System allowing students to become more independent in their books searches. They will locate and explore each hundreds section, with ongoing reinforcement.
Fourth Grade Focus:
OPAC- (Online Public Access Computer) use has been demonstrated, practiced and reinforced during your child’s visits to the library. Students continue to work to locate fiction and nonfiction books in the sections of the library and are encouraged to ask for assistance.
Big 6 – A guide through the research process that keeps students from being overwhelmed and doing more than they have to. The steps are as follows:
Step 1: Task Definition – Know what you are looking for to eliminate taking
notes you don’t need.
Step 2: Information Resources- Identify and evaluate the places to look for information.
Step 3: Location and Access- Find useful resources using your understanding of how
they are organized.
Step 4: Use of Information- Take notes to complete your task (This is where most
students are likely to start their research making their assignment more difficult to complete).
Step 5: Synthesis- Task completion (write, make, or create your project)
Step 6: Evaluation- Look over the completed project and question
the quality and thoroughness of your work. Skipping this step often results in a grade lower than the efforts warrant. Sometimes a very simple and easily corrected part of the task may be neglected
Each of the steps in the Big 6 are being examined and practiced. Once this has happened, we will take a break from research and enjoy realistic fiction as we examine the elements of this genre.
Quite a few students are eagerly participating in our challenge to read the 2008-2009 Black Eyed Susan Nominees in the grades 3-6 chapter book category. I have encouraged those interested in reading many of these books to utilize the Harford County Public Library website and place books on reserve with the help of an adult.
Fifth Grade Focus:
American Indian Tales: In years past, students have become familiar with folktales and are applying their knowledge of these stories to our current study, folktales of the Native Americans.
Tale Characteristics: pourquoi, trickster, transformation,
pattern of four, interaction with the spirit world, hero tale
Quite a few students are eagerly participating in our challenge to read the 2008-2009 Black Eyed Susan Nominees in the grades 3-6 chapter book category. I have encouraged those interested in reading many of these books to utilize the Harford County Public Library website and place books on reserve with the help of an adult.
Book selection time is an opportunity for me to get to know your child’s interests better. I like to encourage children who are reluctant to check out a variety of literature to do so, and have the opportunity to hear from students about their reading experiences. Please ask your child about a book they have read from the library. Perhaps you could provide and incentive for him or her to read a variety of books. I know you will enjoy hearing their thoughts about points of view shared in a fiction book or facts they have discovered by reading informational text found in our nonfiction section, JUST ASK.
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