Reading: Captions (Text Feature)

What are captions? Captions are text features that the author uses to give us more information about an illustration or photograph. In class, we are working on writing our own captions for Charlotte's Web illustrations. We are working on writing 1-2 complete sentences that tell how a character feels and why they are feeling that way.

Here is an example:

Fern couldn't take her eyes off Wilbur because she thought he was perfect!

She felt very thankful that her father allowed her to keep and take care of the runt pig.

Students can create captions for their independent reading books by reading the text near the illustrations, then thinking of 1-2 sentences that can tell how the character is feeling and why they feel that way. No illustrations? Draw a "quick sketch" based on a part read today, then write a caption for your quick sketch.

Happy "captioning"!

~Mrs. Coleman

Reading: Summarizing

This week, we are learning and practicing how to summarize what we have read. There are many ways to think about summarizing, but this week we are learning "somebody, wanted, but, so, (and)". Here are some examples from chapter 1 and chapter 12 of Charlotte's Web. This shows all the parts of "somebody, wanted, but, so, (and)" and it shows that there are different ways to summarize the same chapter.

Each night, have your child read 20 minutes or more, then try telling you the summary of what they read (just that chapter) by using "somebody, wanted, but, so, (and)". Have your child try telling it a different way. Which way do they think tells what that chapter was mostly about in the BEST way?

PARENTS: Worried? Your child hasn't mastered this skill yet? No worries! We have only begun to practice the skill of summarizing. It takes a lot of practice. See the student note below for an idea to support their practice of summarizing. They can practice an oral summary every day after they read a new chapter, too.

Remember STUDENTS: Summarizing is NOT a long retelling of all the details in a story/chapter. We are working on 1 sentence summaries that tell what the story/chapter was MOSTLY about. Try writing 1 sentence at the end of each chapter on a post-it. Use the "SWBS(and)" strategy.

Happy summarizing!
~Mrs. Coleman

New Procedure: red folders & progress reports

Starting Monday, October 21st, students will bring home the red folder with student work and an updated progress report every other Monday. The progress report will be stapled to all other papers. Please leave all work stapled together and sign the progress report. Send back the red folder with the signed progress report attached to all papers on Tuesdays. You will keep the parent copy of the report that will be included in the folder.

This should help everyone, as there will only be one place to sign. The only piece you keep is the parent copy of the report. No work should be kept.

Have a fantastic family fun weekend!

Thank you!
~Mrs. Coleman & Mrs. Jeter

Character in a Can due THIS Friday

Friendly reminder: Character in a Can book reports are due THIS Friday.
This includes:
1. A 3-D Doll (to represent a MAIN character from a chapter book or biography the student has read this school year) in a can.
2. A full written report describing the chosen main character (see rubric for details) attached around the can.
3. The rubric AND rough draft.

We already have had some AWESOME characters turned in! I can't wait to post pictures of them all!

Happy Reporting!
Mrs. Coleman

Truancy Awareness: Wear Orange on Wednesday

October is Truancy Awareness Month! The purpose of Truancy Awareness Month is to provide awareness of truancy issues and the importance of daily school attendance.

Wednesday, October 16th, let's ALL WEAR ORANGE to show support for students attending school each day.

Let's try for 100% attendance all week! :)

Happy School Days!
~Mrs. Coleman & Mrs. Jeter

Reminder: CGAs (Testing)

During the week of October 14th-18th, students will have the following CGAs (Curriculum Guide Assessments):
Monday 10.14 - Reading
Tuesday 10.15 - Math
Thursday 10.17 - Science

It is important for all students to be present each day and to be on time, as some tests begin promptly at 8:35.
Students will be tested on all standards taught during the 1st 9 weeks in each subject.

***Character In A Can Book Reports are DUE Friday, October 18th ***

Happy Reporting!

~ Mrs. Coleman & Mrs. Jeter

Reading: Prefixes, Suffixes, & Base Words

Click the picture above to hear a fun rap about Prefixes and Suffixes.

We will continue working on the following affixes, including their meanings, how they change a word, and what the new word means.

Prefixes: pre-, un-, in-, re-, dis-, mis-, non-

Suffixes: -er, -est, -ful, -less, -able, -ly, -or, -ness

Sample test item:

On page 51 (Charlotte's Web), we read "I dont want to die!" screamed Wilbur, throwing himself to the ground. "You shall not die," said Charlotte, briskly.

If brisk means quick, what does briskly mean?

a. Charlotte spoke quick again.
b. Charlotte spoke without being quick.
c. Charlotte spoke in a way that was quick.
d. Charlotte spoke more quick than before.

Answer: C.

Reading: Author's Purpose

This week, we are diving into Author's Purpose! That is, we are diving into "why" authors write different text. Below, you will find our class poster which shows three main reasons author's write text, a definition for what each reason really means, and some typical types of text where you can find examples of persuasive text, informational text, and entertaining text.

Students: Why did the author write YOUR independent reading book? How do you know? Remember, find details in the text as evidence to support your thinking.

Happy Reading!
~Mrs. Coleman

Book Reports: Character in a Can

Our first book report will be a "Character in a Can" and includes a descriptive paragraph about a main character from a book that students read independently. The book can be one they have already logged on their reading book log (the log we keep in our ELA Binder, in class) OR it can be a book the student is currently reading and close to completing. It must be a chapter book or biography.

Today, students recieved their directions, rubric, paper for a rough draft, and paper for final draft. Below are some examples of 3-D characters in a can from last year. These are to give you some examples of a homemade 3-D character in a can.

Helen Keller (Biography)

Jo March from Little Women

Leonardo from Monday with a Mad Genius

Marvin, the Beetle, from Masterpiece

Geronimo Stilton from Geronimo Stilton

Amelia Earhart (biography)

Once you have read the directions and rubric with your child, please feel free to email me at colemana1@duvalschools.org or call me during the week at 260-5860, etx. 2115 if you have questions.

This assignment is DUE on or before Friday, October 18th. Also, this will be graded and is counted as a Unit Test/Project. Unit Tests and Projects account for a large percentage of the overall language arts grade on report cards.

Happy Creating!

~Mrs. Coleman

Reading Wrap-Up: Character Traits, Context Clues, & Text Features

What have we been working on? Character traits, context clues, including synonyms & antonyms, and using text features to support our thinking. Here is more information about what students should be able to do with their own texts during independent reading.

Context Clues: Students should be able to figure out the meaning of unknown words by using other information the author has given (context clues). Sometimes the author gives a direct definition, a synonym, an antonym, examples, or an explanation of what is happening in the story.

Context Clues Example: On page 40 of Charlotte's Web, Goose thinks that Wilbur is "a very INNOCENT little pig". We can determine that innocent must mean not knowing about things that go on in life because the author writes "Wilbur doesn't know about life... doesn't know what's going to happen to him... has no idea".

Synonyms & Antonyms: Students should be able to understand what an author means when using a specific word by thinking of other words that would fit in the same context. Sometimes the author will even give synonyms in another sentence to help the reader understand.

Synonym Example: On page 40 in Charlotte's Web, the author writes that "He knew Templeton was getting soaked out there in the pouring rain, but even that didn't comfort him." Another word or phrase for soaked could be "very wet" or "drenched". Both of these would fit in place of soaked and I know that you can get very wet when it is "pouring rain".

Text Features: Students should use text features to help them understand what the author means. While there are many types of text features, some that we have worked on in the last few weeks are: illustrations, table of contents, chapter titles, and bold or italicized words.

Text Features Example: We can better understand what Charlotte means when she says, "Next, I wrap him up" because the illustration on page 38 shows Charlotte completely covering a fly with her "tiny, silken thread". Here is the illustration:

Character Traits: Students should be able to use a character's actions, thoughts, feelings, and words to describe that character using character traits.

Character Traits Example: In the third chapter of Charlotte's Web, we can describe Goose as "bossy". We can say she is bossy because she tells Wilbur to break out of his pen by saying "One of the boards is loose. Push on it... and come on out". Once Wilbur is out, Goose tells Wilber all the places he should go. Goose also tells Wilbur what to do when he is being chased by the dog and Lurvey. Goose yells things like "run-run-run downhill, make for the woods" and "turn and twist...dodge about...skip around". When Wilbur is lured back into the pen, Goose continues to be bossy by trying to yell at Wilbur to keep his freedom and not be fooled by the slops he is being lured with. (Pages 17-23)

Students can practice these same skills when reading their independent texts at school and at home!

Happy Reading!
~Mrs. Coleman