Hi, you guys. I know for some of you the thought of getting back to school isn't a fun thought. I am having a great summer, too. I am so looking forward to interacting with you everyday. I think you're all great kids, and you have the tendency to make my job as a teacher fun.
If some of you are reading series, it may be hard to choose which character you most admire. If you feel like you admire the same character from each book in the series, that's fine. Write your journal entry for that question about the same character. For each book you read that has that character, choose different examples that show why you admire that character in that particular book in the series. So, you can use the same character if you want, just use different examples as to why you admire them in the situations they are in for each book.
I hope some of you are finding out that reading can be enjoyable and that there is so much out there to read! I am proud of you for sticking with your reading assignment. Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Reading Lists
Hi, you guys. I hope you are keeping up with your reading and journaling. Keep in mind that the idea of your journal entries is that I will be able to see you are understanding what you are reading. Also, a good skill to have in reading is when you are able to "read between the lines." That mean that the author is trying to get a message across to you by using the characters and their confict/resolution through the story. What is the author trying to tell you? It is more than just word by word, black and white on the page. THINK ABOUT IT!
Seventh and eighth graders--the following list is books that you will be reading this upcoming year. I haven't split them grade wise yet, but just so you aren't choosing these books for your journaling:
Johnny Tremain
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Milkweed
My Brother Sam is Dead
Rumble Fish
The Chocolate War
Cheaper By the Dozen
Flowers for Algernon
A Day No Pigs Would Die
These are new books to the SJS Reading Program. These aren't all of them, but the new ones to the program. Let me know if you have any questions! Keep reading...I may be seeing some of you at the fair.
Seventh and eighth graders--the following list is books that you will be reading this upcoming year. I haven't split them grade wise yet, but just so you aren't choosing these books for your journaling:
Johnny Tremain
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Milkweed
My Brother Sam is Dead
Rumble Fish
The Chocolate War
Cheaper By the Dozen
Flowers for Algernon
A Day No Pigs Would Die
These are new books to the SJS Reading Program. These aren't all of them, but the new ones to the program. Let me know if you have any questions! Keep reading...I may be seeing some of you at the fair.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Keep Reading
Hi, my favorite reading students! I hope you are enjoying your summer. I appreciate those of you who are willing to share your comments on here! Good for you! That helps others to see what good books are out there and what they might not like, either. If you have a question as to whether or not the book you chose may be one you will read in class, feel free to ask.
Sixth graders, next year you will read the following:
The City of Ember
Hatchet
Wringer
Sounder
Where the Red Fern Grows
These are for sure, and I can't remember the new ones I ordered. Seventh and Eighth graders, I don't have my order form here at home to let you know what you are reading. But I don't think you will choose ones you will be.
Just a reminder about the extra credit....You DON'T have to do the journaling for the extra credit...just the form! Please, if you can help it, don't wait until the first week of school to turn in the extra credit. I would appreciate the time to look it over and give you your points before school starts. You can-email it to me, put it in my box at school, or mail it to my house.
See you in August!
Sixth graders, next year you will read the following:
The City of Ember
Hatchet
Wringer
Sounder
Where the Red Fern Grows
These are for sure, and I can't remember the new ones I ordered. Seventh and Eighth graders, I don't have my order form here at home to let you know what you are reading. But I don't think you will choose ones you will be.
Just a reminder about the extra credit....You DON'T have to do the journaling for the extra credit...just the form! Please, if you can help it, don't wait until the first week of school to turn in the extra credit. I would appreciate the time to look it over and give you your points before school starts. You can-email it to me, put it in my box at school, or mail it to my house.
See you in August!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Summer Reading Requirements
Summer Reading Requirements
St. John’s Lutheran School
Grades 6-8
To My Favorite Reading Students,
I pray that your summer is going well, and that you are taking time to relax, have fun, and spend time with your friends. During the summer, you need to meet the following reading requirements. You need to read three books over the summer and journal about each one. Below, you will find the journal requirements for your reading. Enjoy yourselves, and I look forward to seeing you in August!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Reading Journal Requirements
+You will need a spiral notebook for your reading journal. You will be using this notebook to continue reading assignments, so choose a notebook that has a lot of pages.
+Each journal entry needs to be 1 paragraph (10 sentences) in length.
+Each journal entry needs to be dated, and include the title and the author.
+For each book, you need to complete the following journal entries:
~Write from the main character’s perspective telling how you would solve the conflict in the story differently. (1 paragraph)
~”The character I most admire is ___________________.” (1 paragraph)
~Write about two themes and what the story has taught you about these two. Use specific examples from the book. (1 paragraph)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Some Tips to Help You
+You are not limited to the books on the list I have enclosed.
+Your journal is due on the second Friday of the school year.
+You should set aside about half an hour of time to read each day.
+Try to read books that cover a variety of topics/genres. Exp: Don’t read all historical fiction books or all fantasy, etc.
+Anything you have read in reading class is off limits. Please choose books that you haven’t read before to get the most out of your experience.
+Check the reading blog weekly for updates or to post questions that I will answer on the blog. The site is www.jagsread.blogspot.com
+You may type some of your journal entries and paste them in the notebook if you would like.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Recommended Authors
There are so many good books out there for you to read. Because of this, I am not going to give you a book list. Instead, I am going to recommend great authors that you may want to look into. You are NOT limited to this list. This is just a recommendation, a starting point if you need some help.
Avi
Andrew Clements
James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
Caroline B. Cooney
Sharon Creech
Jeanne DuPrau
Lois Duncan
Patricia Riley Giff
Margaret Peterson Haddix
Anthony Horowitz
Lois Lowry
Mike Lupica
Brian Jacques
Jack London
Robert Peck
Jerry Spinelli
Eleanor Updale
Scott Westerfield
Opportunity for Extra Credit
+For any book you read above the required three, fill out a copy of the enclosed “Book Report Form”. For each book, you may receive extra credit points in reading, as well as AR points.
St. John’s Lutheran School
Grades 6-8
To My Favorite Reading Students,
I pray that your summer is going well, and that you are taking time to relax, have fun, and spend time with your friends. During the summer, you need to meet the following reading requirements. You need to read three books over the summer and journal about each one. Below, you will find the journal requirements for your reading. Enjoy yourselves, and I look forward to seeing you in August!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Reading Journal Requirements
+You will need a spiral notebook for your reading journal. You will be using this notebook to continue reading assignments, so choose a notebook that has a lot of pages.
+Each journal entry needs to be 1 paragraph (10 sentences) in length.
+Each journal entry needs to be dated, and include the title and the author.
+For each book, you need to complete the following journal entries:
~Write from the main character’s perspective telling how you would solve the conflict in the story differently. (1 paragraph)
~”The character I most admire is ___________________.” (1 paragraph)
~Write about two themes and what the story has taught you about these two. Use specific examples from the book. (1 paragraph)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Some Tips to Help You
+You are not limited to the books on the list I have enclosed.
+Your journal is due on the second Friday of the school year.
+You should set aside about half an hour of time to read each day.
+Try to read books that cover a variety of topics/genres. Exp: Don’t read all historical fiction books or all fantasy, etc.
+Anything you have read in reading class is off limits. Please choose books that you haven’t read before to get the most out of your experience.
+Check the reading blog weekly for updates or to post questions that I will answer on the blog. The site is www.jagsread.blogspot.com
+You may type some of your journal entries and paste them in the notebook if you would like.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Recommended Authors
There are so many good books out there for you to read. Because of this, I am not going to give you a book list. Instead, I am going to recommend great authors that you may want to look into. You are NOT limited to this list. This is just a recommendation, a starting point if you need some help.
Avi
Andrew Clements
James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
Caroline B. Cooney
Sharon Creech
Jeanne DuPrau
Lois Duncan
Patricia Riley Giff
Margaret Peterson Haddix
Anthony Horowitz
Lois Lowry
Mike Lupica
Brian Jacques
Jack London
Robert Peck
Jerry Spinelli
Eleanor Updale
Scott Westerfield
Opportunity for Extra Credit
+For any book you read above the required three, fill out a copy of the enclosed “Book Report Form”. For each book, you may receive extra credit points in reading, as well as AR points.
Themes Found in Reading
Common Themes Found in Reading
The theme of a story is the lesson you should learn from it. You should be able to identify what the story is teaching you based on the relationships of the characters, the choices they make, etc.
- Anger
- Beauty
- Bravery
- Compassion
- Courage
- Cruelty
- Daring
- Deception
- Devotion
- Discovery
- Evil
- Failure
- Fairness
- Fear
- Flattery
- Forgiveness
- Greed
- Heroism
- Honor
- Humility
- Inspiration
- Kindness
- Loneliness
- Loss
- Love
- Loyalty
- Perseverance
- Pride
- Rejection
- Resourcefulness
- Revenge
- Selfishness
- Sin
- Stinginess
- Survival
- Temptation
- Truth
- Vanity
- Violence
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Get Ready to READ!
I hope you are excited about your summer and a break from school. However, a break from school doesn't mean a break from learning :). I will be posting your reading requirements for summer reading on this site. Check this site for updates. Also, post any questions or comments you have for me. I hope by using this site, you will see what others are reading. Please feel free to recommend or not recommend a book. Please keep all your comments/questions related to reading. All students in grades 6-8 will be accessing this site. Have a great summer!
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