Book of the Week GIVEAWAY: On Meadowview Street by Henry Cole
Why we love this book:
Caroline is a girl after my own heart! Caroline and her family move into a new home on Meadowview Street where all of the houses and yards look exactly alike. When Caroline’s dad decides to mow the yard, she quickly moves into action saving the one lonely wildflower growing in their front yard. One thing leads to another and before it’s all over Caroline and her family have transformed their bare yard . . .
“The more Caroline and her family worked on their yard, the more it changed. It was now a home to many things . . . . And soon, the Jacksons’ yard changed. And the Smiths’. And the Sotos’.”
My yard is a gigantic work in progress, but my family is busy transforming our yard just like Caroline’s family and their neighbors. Gardening and books . . . two of my favorite things in this world wrapped-up in one lovely little book! That is why I am totally in love with Caroline and this book!
Guided Reading with Older Children
Five Components of a Balanced Reading Program
Why Guided Reading is Important for Older Children
- Guidance as children transition from learning to read to reading to learn.
- Support and guidance as they begin reading more challenging books.
- Discussion and clarification on new vocabulary.
- Evaluation of reading level and comprehension.
- Encouragement to read for enjoyment!
Books Appropriate for Guided Reading with Older Children
- Story books with more text and deeper story lines.
- Novels or “Chapter” books.
- Nonfiction books that encompass thematic learning subjects.
Step 1: Book Selection
- As a child begins to move from learning to read to reading to learn, I give more book choices during guided reading sessions.
- I select several books that will offer the child opportunities to problem solve while reading, without breaking the meaning of the story.
- I consider the child’s interests and pick books that he/she will like.
- I consider our thematic studies and select books that increase our knowledge on a specific topic.
Step 2: Book Talk (Introduction)
- I introduce two or three books.
- This is where I “sell” the books. I tell a bit about each book, making each sound equally entertaining.
- The child picks what book he/she will read.
After seeing the movie version of Indian in the Cupboard, I introduced MacGvyer to the book during a Book Talk. He was very eager to read the book. It was quite a challenging read and when we were finished he selected a “Star Wars” book for our next read. I found the “Star Wars” book dreadfully boring, but he loved it! So I listened to him read it.
Next, I gave him two book choices I knew we could both enjoy: Island of the Blue Dolphin or Hank The Cowdog. We are currently enjoying a little cowdog adventure with Hank The Cowdog. (And MacGyver is reading another “Star Wars” novel interdependently at bedtime for pure enjoyment!)
Step 3: Read the Book
- Choice One: The child reads the book out loud as I listen and guide the child through the tricky parts, “You read the book out loud to me and I’ll help you if you get stuck.”
- Choice Two: Sit together and take turns reading the book. “I”ll read a page and then you read a page.”
- This works very well for children transitioning to longer, more challenging books.
- Choice Three: Child reads quietly or silently. “When I come and sit beside you, you will start reading out loud to me. When I leave you can read quietly again.”
- Guided Reading Prompts: FREE printable
- If I tell the child an unknown word, the child must go back to the beginning of the sentence and read the sentence with the word. This retains the meaning of the sentence.
- We discuss unfamiliar vocabulary. Even if the child can sound-out an unfamiliar word he might not know the meaning.
- We discuss the plot of longer books: “Tell me what happened yesterday? . . . What do you think will happen next?”
- If the book is too hard, I step in and finish reading the book. Learning to read should be a pleasant experience not a struggle. “This book is a little bit tricky. Why don’t I finish it for us. You can listen and enjoy. We’ll make a different choice tomorrow.”
*I do not make children sound-out the names of characters. I simply tell them unfamiliar names and we keep reading. Names are often from other cultures and time periods and do not follow phonetic rules. There is no reason to get bogged down on names that we will read over and over again.
Life with Jeannine
We’re GIVING AWAY one hardcover copy of On Meadowview Street by Henry Cole
To enter this contest, just answer the following question in the comments section of this post.
Do you prefer Day Light Savings Time or Standard Time? I wish we had Day Light Savings time year round, allowing me to garden long into the evening! (Or just say “Hey.” We’re flexible around here.)
The Rules:
One entry per person, please.
No entries after 8:00 pm Central Time, Thursday, March 15, 2012
The winner must be a resident of The United States.
The winner will be selected at random and announced Friday, March 16, 2012. Check back to claim your prize. It might be you!
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I’d prefer Daylight Savings Time, for gardening purposes. Either way, though I’m all about the time staying the SAME. I wish they’d split the difference, move it 30 minutes in whatever direction it needs to to be the split difference, and then leave it there.
I don’t mind either, but if I had to choose, I’d go with DST only because it goes along with warmer weather.
Daylight savings time, hands down, because our family loves to be outdoors. In the winter, we don’t get to go outside with dad very much after he gets home from work because it’s already too dark. But in the spring and summer we get to play outside with him a bunch and it is always so much fun!
I love Daylight savings time too. This house full of boys loves to be outside!
I love daylight savings time – in the summer….and I used to think that I would like to have it year round, but this last year I realized that I really enjoy the dark days of winter too – being all cozy in the house and because it’s dark not feeling the need to work. We recharged this past winter
I love daylight saving time. The kids get to stay outside longer, it is warmer and we can eat dinner in the backyard. I just feel that we can do so much more.
I’d have to agree with Courtney. I am for the same time all year but prefer DST.
I’m more of an evening person, so I prefer daylight savings time. I think that’s righ?! Actually, I can never remember which is which, but I like to use the pneumonic “fall back, spring forward”!
I prefer Daylight Savings time because it is still daylight now when my husband gets home from work.