TERM 4
READING
WRITING - topics to be covered this term:
- Literature Circles and Reader's Workshop
- Focus on the following skills:
- Presentation
- Visualising
- Critiquing
- Searching for and Using Information
- Synthesising
WRITING - topics to be covered this term:
- Scientific report
- Memoir
- Free choice
TERM 3
READING
WRITING - topics to be covered this term:
- Literature Circles and Reader's Workshop
- Links to sustainability and digital technology
WRITING - topics to be covered this term:
- Information Report
- Procedural
TERM 2
READING
WRITING - topics to be covered this term:
- Continuing on with Literature Circles and Reader's Workshop
- Links to sustainability
WRITING - topics to be covered this term:
- Persuasive
- Speech writing
- Free choice
Literature Circles
Literature Circles are a great way to get students to think about what they are reading and to talk about their understanding with other students. Every student chooses a book to read that they are interested in. Discussion about the books happens once each week. A small group of students who have read the same book work together.
It is important that students read in their own time at home and/or at school and then STOP at the agreed point each week. The end of a chapter is a recommended place to stop.
After one week, students should have read approximately 1/3 of the book. After two weeks, they should be 2/3 of the way through and after three week, they should have finished their book. Agreed page numbers can be checked on Google Classroom.
EVERYONE has to contribute to the discussion and has to complete a given task that shows they have thought about the book.
It is important that students read in their own time at home and/or at school and then STOP at the agreed point each week. The end of a chapter is a recommended place to stop.
After one week, students should have read approximately 1/3 of the book. After two weeks, they should be 2/3 of the way through and after three week, they should have finished their book. Agreed page numbers can be checked on Google Classroom.
EVERYONE has to contribute to the discussion and has to complete a given task that shows they have thought about the book.
Reading and Writing
We have begun reading the first book in Morris Gleitzman's series about the Holocaust, Once. Whilst listening to this serial, the students have begun to analyse the main character, Felix, a young Jewish boy in hiding in a Catholic orphanage during 1942. We have had many interesting discussions about what we know as the reader is actually happening, as opposed to the innocent Felix's interpretation. As we read we are inferring, making predictions about what may come next and forming some thoughtful questions about what we, as readers, are thinking as we hear the story. We have all 5 books in this series here at school which will become available to the students through our Literature Circles program when we have finished reading Once.
Students have all selected their own reading material from our library and are enjoying reading and responding to a variety of texts within our Reader's Workshop sessions. We encourage the students to recommend great books to each other to try and inspire them to read different books.
During our writing sessions, we have been focusing on developing a seed in our Writer's Notebook.
We are working through the process of developing our levels of thinking in our planning under the headings of:
Surface Level Thinking - What can I see? What is obvious? What are the facts?
Below the Surface Thinking - What do I think? What can I infer? What questions do I have? What do I visualize?
Core Thinking - What issues are involved? What connections can I make? What are the key messages?
These recorded thoughts are then chosen to be included in a particular style or genre of writing, such as a description or a poem or an explanation. We are learning that our first draft is not always our best work and careful re-working of our writing can improve the quality of our sentences and word choice. We look forward to our finished pieces!
Students have all selected their own reading material from our library and are enjoying reading and responding to a variety of texts within our Reader's Workshop sessions. We encourage the students to recommend great books to each other to try and inspire them to read different books.
During our writing sessions, we have been focusing on developing a seed in our Writer's Notebook.
We are working through the process of developing our levels of thinking in our planning under the headings of:
Surface Level Thinking - What can I see? What is obvious? What are the facts?
Below the Surface Thinking - What do I think? What can I infer? What questions do I have? What do I visualize?
Core Thinking - What issues are involved? What connections can I make? What are the key messages?
These recorded thoughts are then chosen to be included in a particular style or genre of writing, such as a description or a poem or an explanation. We are learning that our first draft is not always our best work and careful re-working of our writing can improve the quality of our sentences and word choice. We look forward to our finished pieces!