Reader's Notebook

Everyday, students update their Reader's Notebook. The area above and Reading Strategies receive the most attention right now.

Homework Sept. 4

1. Homework: Using one of the “Connect” strategies, write a paragraph that demonstrates (shows) your personal connection process with the text. Be sure to use one example from your text.
2. Extra Credit/Homework: Using the genres on the board, make a chart placing titles (of your own choosing) with the correct genre.

• Informational Text
• Poetry
• Narrative
• Memoir/Autobiography
• Biography
• Draaphyma/Plays
• Fantasy/Sci-Fi
• Humor
  

9/4: Today’s Lesson

Reading Strategy: Connect
In today’s class, we discussed a new Reading Strategy: Connect. This strategy enables students to “connect” or interact with what’s happening in their text while they read. “Connecting” to the text, or specifically, to a character or series of events in their books will help them to become active and more fluent readers. This means, they will be able to understand what they read and demonstrate that understanding verbally or via writing.
•This reminds me of…
•If I were…
•It seems like…
•I wonder why…
•I really like (don’t like)
•I can’t believe…
•I’m not sure because…
•I know how a character feels because…
•I was surprised…
Reader’s Workshop/Conferences.
In class, we also discussed ways in which readers can “handle their business” during the Reader’s Workshop. Reader’s Workshop entails both independent reading (15 minutes) in addition to the process of learning how to be a better reader.

It is during Reader’s Workshop that I will have my 3 min-5 min conferences w/ students. During these conferences, we will discuss:
•Their academic progress
•Maintaining their personal progess for the 25 Books Campaign (are they OK w/ the book they have, do they understand the book, do they need to switch to another book, etc.)
•Is the overall class work challenging, too easy or just right?
•Notebook check
•Anything else the student would like to discuss

I will meet w/ most students every 2 weeks or so. For those who need to see me more frequently, they are able to sign up for a meeting using the sign-up sheet at my desk.

Homework: Sept. 3

• You must write in complete sentences.
• You must tell the genre of your text.
• Give at least two specific examples that provide the basis for your predictions and answers.
• Your answer should be at least 5 sentences.
• Earn an extra ticket for no spelling errors.

Choose one of the following:
1) How power or the lack of power impacts the decisions two of the characters make in your book. What would change if these characters either possessed power or had none at all?

2) What is the main problem in your book? How do you think the characters will solve it? If you could rewrite the book, how would you solve the problem? What affect would your solution have on the plot?

3) Extra Credit: You are a journalist interviewing your least favorite character in the book you are reading. However, this character is so busy he/she only has time for 5 questions. Write 5 questions you would ask this character and explain why you would ask them.

Back 2 School Night @ TJMS

Thomas Johnson Middle School’s Back To School Night will be Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. This is a night when parents take the time to meet their child’s teachers, see the classrooms and school facilities, learn more about TJMS (and we learn more about you).

I’ll post more information about the night as I learn more about this. In the meantime, for more information, contact the TJMS front office at 301-918-8680.