Reading Objectives and Goals
Just as in third grade, fourth graders this year will be taking the FSA Reading Test, so we are going to do everything possible this year to make sure the students are prepared for the test. However, rest assured that we are not just concerned with some test they take over a couple of days in April. We want to make sure that all of the students become well-rounded readers who actually enjoy reading, so we will be reading/studying a lot of different stories in a lot of different genres. We will be comparing and contrasting stories, doing character studies, talking about main idea and supporting details, discussing author's purpose, as well as author's point of view. We will determine the settings of our stories, and how those might affect the characters in the stories. We will read non-fiction books and articles, as well as science fiction, realistic fiction, historical fiction, and biographies. We will even read some poetry. I guess the point I am trying to get across is that we are going to be reading a lot this year.
Our core curriculum comes from Pearson ReadyGEN, and that is supplemented with a number of outside resources. One outside source we have is the Scholastic News Weekly Reader, which is a news magazine for elementary students. Each one usually have between four to six stories, as well as other features, and each magazine has comprehension questions at the end.
Another thing we are doing this year in fourth grade is reading the novel Wonder. This is a very popular book that has a great message in it. We have book study packets we will be completing during and after we are done with the novel, and we will also be watching the movie based on the book and comparing the two. Don't worry, there is nothing at all objectionable in the movie, but I will be sending home permission slips as the movie is rated PG and not G.
Beyond the main curriculum, I performed a running record on all the students at the beginning of the school year to find their reading level. All students have been placed in reading groups and will meet in their groups each week. Some groups meet more often than others depending on their reading level.
Additionally, Plato uses an internet based program called IStation which is used as both a teaching/practice tool as well as an assessment tool. The students will be using the program weekly, generally when reading groups other than their own is meeting. At the beginning of each month, there is an assessment that calculates their current reading strengths, and is one of the things we use to determine groupings. Each student has a specific username and password, which I have taped into the back of their agendas. They are more than welcome, and are encouraged to use this program at home.
That is just an overview of what we will be working on this year in reading. Please check back, as I will continue to add info to these pages.
FSA READING TEST
As I said earlier, fourth graders will again be taking the FSA Reading test this year. In case you would like to become familiar with this test, here is a link to a practice 4th grade FSA test provided by the state.
Just as in third grade, fourth graders this year will be taking the FSA Reading Test, so we are going to do everything possible this year to make sure the students are prepared for the test. However, rest assured that we are not just concerned with some test they take over a couple of days in April. We want to make sure that all of the students become well-rounded readers who actually enjoy reading, so we will be reading/studying a lot of different stories in a lot of different genres. We will be comparing and contrasting stories, doing character studies, talking about main idea and supporting details, discussing author's purpose, as well as author's point of view. We will determine the settings of our stories, and how those might affect the characters in the stories. We will read non-fiction books and articles, as well as science fiction, realistic fiction, historical fiction, and biographies. We will even read some poetry. I guess the point I am trying to get across is that we are going to be reading a lot this year.
Our core curriculum comes from Pearson ReadyGEN, and that is supplemented with a number of outside resources. One outside source we have is the Scholastic News Weekly Reader, which is a news magazine for elementary students. Each one usually have between four to six stories, as well as other features, and each magazine has comprehension questions at the end.
Another thing we are doing this year in fourth grade is reading the novel Wonder. This is a very popular book that has a great message in it. We have book study packets we will be completing during and after we are done with the novel, and we will also be watching the movie based on the book and comparing the two. Don't worry, there is nothing at all objectionable in the movie, but I will be sending home permission slips as the movie is rated PG and not G.
Beyond the main curriculum, I performed a running record on all the students at the beginning of the school year to find their reading level. All students have been placed in reading groups and will meet in their groups each week. Some groups meet more often than others depending on their reading level.
Additionally, Plato uses an internet based program called IStation which is used as both a teaching/practice tool as well as an assessment tool. The students will be using the program weekly, generally when reading groups other than their own is meeting. At the beginning of each month, there is an assessment that calculates their current reading strengths, and is one of the things we use to determine groupings. Each student has a specific username and password, which I have taped into the back of their agendas. They are more than welcome, and are encouraged to use this program at home.
That is just an overview of what we will be working on this year in reading. Please check back, as I will continue to add info to these pages.
FSA READING TEST
As I said earlier, fourth graders will again be taking the FSA Reading test this year. In case you would like to become familiar with this test, here is a link to a practice 4th grade FSA test provided by the state.