We read a non-fiction book called
The Power of Red. While reading, students noticed and made notes about their thoughts. They then looked back over their notes to find an idea they wanted to think more about. They then wrote about that idea. Our discussion about the book focused on our inferences. We did some vocabulary work around the word status. Our current book is called
Steelpan Music. As with past books, students engage in a process of reading and note-taking, then writing in response to their ideas. For this book, we tried setting a purpose for reading, based on what we read in the introduction and on the back of the book. This gave students something to keep in mind as they read. We did some fluency work, using pauses and stress to make our expression match the text.
How can you support your sixth-grade reader and our work in class?
- Keep them reading! Make sure there is time for and an expectation of at least 180 minutes of independent reading each week.
- Talk about words - interesting words, funny words, confusing words. Use sophisticated words in conversation with your child.
- Feel free to read aloud to your child and/or listen to audio books together.
