Reading Workshop
"With leading-edge digital tools and results-driven instruction, Journeys Common Core is a K–6 reading program with rigorous Common Core instructional design. The remarkable vocabulary instruction builds better readers and writers while also providing intervention for struggling students. Easy organization, proven instruction and exceptional differentiation set Journeys Common Core apart as the Common Core reading curriculum of choice for educators across the nation." ©2014 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Through the Journey's Reading Program, the students will learn/practice their reading skills through whole-class instruction, small group instruction, and independent practice.
Each week/unit will include:
Through the Journey's Reading Program, the students will learn/practice their reading skills through whole-class instruction, small group instruction, and independent practice.
Each week/unit will include:
- Target vocabulary
- Phonics skill
- Vocabulary strategy
- Comprehension skill
- Comprehension strategy
- Writing focus
This program also has on-line components including SMARTboard activities, ebooks, and Destination Reading activities.
Check out the following links for some more Journey's resources:
- Journey's Weekly Letters Home
- Journey's Family Connection- fun reading activities to complete at home
- How to access Think Central online resources
In addition to the new Journey's Reading Curriculum, we will continue to use Daily 5 and CAFE. The acronym CAFÉ stands for Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency and Expand Vocabulary – strategies proficient readers use. CAFÉ reflects the belief that different children have different needs as readers, but that all readers, regardless of age, need instruction and support that helps them become more independent and self-reflective in their work. It is a flexible system, which provides a selection of strategy choices for the students. Following the lesson, students participate in meaningful and independent reading practice – Daily 5. Our daily 5 block may consist of reading to self, reading to someone, work on writing, word work, reading and technology, and reading with the teacher. During reading to self, students practice reading strategies while I conference with students to target specific reading skills. Reading to someone helps students with fluency and accuracy, while also helping them develop/strengthen their reading comprehension. Work on writing is an extension of our writing workshop where students have the freedom to work on writing pieces of their choice and monthly writing journals. Word work helps students improve their spelling/phonics, vocabulary, and grammar. Reading and technology gives the students a way to practice their reading skills on their iPad. These research based tasks are ones that will have the biggest impact on student reading and writing achievement, as well as help foster children who love to read and write.
During Daily 5 time I will be providing focused, intense instruction to individuals and small groups of students. Students may be responsible for keeping a Reader’s Response Notebook, which is neat and organized. The Reader’s Response Notebook is a folder where the students will do many activities that may include keeping a log of books read, writing down their thinking while reading, responding to chapters or books through prompts selected or given, completing graphic organizers pertaining to a certain lesson taught, writing summaries of books, keeping a collection of new vocabulary words, setting goals for their learning, identifying (celebrating) what they are doing well, etc.
The Daily Cafe
Using this link: TheDailyCafe.com, you can find the official website for the teaching strategies we'll be employing for literacy education. Gail Boushey and Joan Moser are two sisters who have written several books on the art of teaching reading. All teachers in the Palmyra Area School District will be using some of their strategies during language arts instruction.
The following CAFE literacy resources may he helpful for you to use at home with your child: