Wednesday June 24th, 2015

June 24th, 2015

Review

• Discussed thoughts and ideas from Monday's reading "The Great Race".
• Discussed similarities between "The Great Race" and reading for today.

Vocabulary

1. sacred
2. trickster
3. sneeze
4. forest
5. banana
6. trotted
7. delicious
8. licking
9. ridiculous
10. attention

Reading

"The Sacred Banana Leaf" by Nathan Kumar Scott

Writing

• Write a 6 sentence essay with beginning, middle, and end format and include correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, and capitalization. Please make sure I can read your essay.
• Use 3 of the daily vocabulary words in your essay; please underline your vocabulary words.
• Tell me what happened in the story with your own words. Be sure to include the following answers(in complete sentences)in your essay:
• What was Kanchil doing in the forest?
• What happened to Kanchil in the forest?
• What made the banana leaf sacred?
• What did Kanchil tell the other forest animals? 
• How did Kanchil trick the forest friends? 

Monday June 22nd, 2015

Monday June 22nd, 2015

Recap

Review class expectations and structure.

Vocabulary

1. referee
2. fastest
3. challenged
4. forest
5. waterfall
6. beat
7. returned
8. quickly
9. counted
10. fair

Reading

"The Great Race" by Nathan Kumar Scott

Writing

• Write a 8 sentence essay with beginning, middle, and end format and include correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, and capitalization. Please make sure I can read your essay.
• Use 4 of the daily vocabulary words in your essay; please underline your vocabulary words.
• Tell me what happened in the story with your own words. Be sure to include the following answers(in complete sentences)in your essay:
• Why did Kanchil want to race?
• Who did Kanchil challenge to race?
• Who challenges Kanchil to race?
• Who is the referee?
• Where does the story take place?
• What happens in the first race and why does Kanchil challenge another race?
• Who wins the race and how?
• What do you think the lesson of this story is?

Wednesday June 17th, 2015

June 17th, 2015

Vocabulary

1. another
2. agreed
3. fair
4. rainforest
5. complained
6. scampered
7. delicious
8. hungry
9. admiring
10. disappeared

Reading

Continue reading "Mangoes and Bananas" by Nathan Kumar Scott, out loud.

Writing

• Write a 10 sentence essay with beginning, middle, and end format and include correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, and capitalization. Please make sure I can read your essay.
• Use 4 of the daily vocabulary words in your essay; please underline your vocabulary words.
• Tell me what happened in the story with your own words. Be sure to include the following answers(in complete sentences)in your essay:
• Describe the two friends and their behavior.
• What problem do the two friends have and what plan do they come up with to solve their problem?
• What happens to Kanchil later in the story?
• How does Kanchil solve his problem with his friend?
• Tell me what you think about this story.
• What are your favorite fruits that you’d like to grow in a garden?

Monday June 15th, 2015

Monday June 15th, 2015

First week of class! Class runs Monday and Wednesdays, between 4:30pm and 5:30pm. 

Our first day in class covered introduction, expectations, structure, what books we will read, and how we will write.

Introduce Class Structure

• Discuss how class is conducted and how we will learn.

Class Expectations

• What students should expect from instructor, and what instructor inspects from students

Class survey handout and Discussion

• Students provide their thoughts on reading and writing. Discussion to follow.

Vocabulary

1. another
2. agreed
3. fair
4. rainforest
5. complained
6. scampered
7. delicious
8. hungry
9. admiring
10. disappeared

Reading

"Mangoes and Bananas" by Nathan Kumar Scott

Writing

• Write a 5 sentence essay with beginning, middle, and end format and include correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, and capitalization. Please make sure I can read your essay.
• Use 4 of the daily vocabulary words in your essay; please underline your vocabulary words.
• Tell me what happened in the story with your own words. Be sure to include the following answers(in complete sentences)in your essay:
• Describe the two friends and their behavior.
• What problem do the two friends have and what plan do they come up with to solve their problem?

Reading and Writing

Curriculum Outline

Objective

Students will learn skills and tools to strengthen their writing and reading abilities. Class focus is on reading phonics, strategies, fluency, comprehension, vocabulary development  writing process, text, conventions, handwriting, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and research.  

Vocabulary

Students learn 10 new vocabulary words each class. Vocabulary words are  incorporated new into the student’s reading and writing lessons to help strengthen context, identification, spelling, meaning, and pronunciation skills.

Reading

Students select from a variety of short stories and books to read aloud during class. Focus on reading comprehension, pronunciation, and frequency. Student will answer questions about material read to work on comprehension skills.

Writing

Students write short essay, utilizing beginning, middle, and end formation, summarizing the story they've read in class. Various questions about the story must be answered to increase reading comprehension skills. Writing focus on spelling, punctuation, spacing, and form. Student must use vocabulary words learned in class in their writing.   

Timeline

Class Schedule (60 minute Class Monday and Wednesday)

• Icebreaker and review (10 minutes)  
• Class Reading (30 minutes)
• Individual Writing (20 minutes)

Outline

Week 1

Class introduction and survey. Students will select reading material for the upcoming weeks. A few of the books students are able to select from are titled; Chasing Vermeera, May Bird and the Ever After, The Calder Game, and The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Short reading and writing exercise.

Week 2

Begin reading exercises aloud for 30 minutes; writing and vocabulary exercise 20 minutes.

Week 3

Continue reading reading exercises aloud for 30 minutes; writing and vocabulary exercise 20 minutes.

Week 4

Continue reading reading exercises aloud for 30 minutes; writing and vocabulary exercise 20 minutes.

Week 5

Continue reading reading exercises aloud for 30 minutes; writing and vocabulary exercise 20 minutes.

Class Materials

3-ring binder to keep all writing material

Notebook (spiral or composition)

Pens and pencils

Dividers with folders and tabs

Sheet protectors

Copy of class book (selected in first week of class by students)

Summer 2015 Reading and Writing Programs Have Begun at IQuest!

Summer 2015 Reading and Writing Programs Have Begun at IQuest! 

For summer 2015, I am teaching reading and writing for all grades K - 8th at IQuest. 
The summer reading schedule is:

• 2nd - 3rd Grade Monday and Wednesday 4:30pm - 5:30pm 
• 4th - 5th Grade Monday and Wednesday 5:30pm - 6:30pm
• K - 1st Grade Tuesday and Thursday 4:30pm - 5:30pm 
• 6th - 8th Grade Tuesday and Thursday 5:30pm - 6:30pm

Be sure to share our class meet ups with other families looking to enhance their reading and writing skills this summer! Sign up for classes at IQuest using this link: http://app.mainstreetsites.com/dmn2043/vlt58007.htm