After School PASS

Many students are involved in the after school program called PASS. This is the time for students to receive extra help in the area of reading from a teacher. During PASS, students are engaged online reading with the program called Achieve 3000. 

Achieve 3000 provides a vast variety of articles appropriate for elementary students. Students will read an article, answer comprehension questions  and participate in other activities, such as math questions. 

Students are motivated by earning points and awards via Achieve 3000. In my PASS class, several student have earned additional prizes from me to reward their progress. Therefore, I'd like to celebrate these students...

Dominic A., Leanna B., Seth B., Midori B., Jalen C., De'Angelo E.,  Armando G., Kira H., Bruce K., Skylar M., McKenzie P., Dashanae R., Jamie R., Carlos S., Sonia T., Gabe X., and Halana P for earning individual awards for points earned and receiving a score of 75% or higher on articles read!

Overall, my PASS class has earned a combination score of over 12,000 points since January!!!!

Way to go PODBIELSKI PASS!!!!!

When the Weather is Frightful... READ!

 

 

 

By now, the beginning of February, we are getting to be tired of the cold and become hopeful for spring! Well, why not read books about winter, spring, summer or fall? If you like to cuddle under a blanket and read with your child, have an indoor picnic, or go for a swim (in the bathtub) here are some books that will help you with the seasonal blahs!

 

 

 

                              

Read about what the animals do in wintertime.          Oh Boy! Is all I can say!
 

                                                

With eye-catching cut-paper artwork,                              The delightful story of a caterpillar and how
spring pops to life as a curious boy explores                    he eats almost everything!
 the world around him.

                                                   
What more needs to be said?                                                              It's always an adventure with Amelia!



Finally, what a better way to spend a fall day reading about apples and pumpkins! Then, go to an orchard and pick one for yourself!


January Celebrations!

 

 

 

It's a new year and a time to celebrate reading!

 

Many students have been working very hard this school year in reading classes. So, with a PROUD goodbye I'd like to celebrate those students who have graduated from the reading program!

 

 

Deuce H.

 

Matthew W.

 

Yalisia M.

 

Isaiah P.

 

Adrian A.

 

Armand R.

 

Daviona L.

 

 

 

 

 

I'd also like to celebrate the Kindergarten children and welcome them to reading!

 

 

Sofie  L.

 

Maggie T.

 

Lavel H.

 

A.J.  B.

 

Sam C.

 

Montana M.

 

Ein S.

 

Jaylen J.

 

Ronald 

Audio books

 

 

Books on tape, books downloaded, books on CD and audio books are all names for books that can be "read aloud" to you. This is a way to enjoy a book without "reading" the text...you are listening to the text.

 

Audio books have been around for years to mainly benefit people with visual impairments, learning and reading disabilities. However, now audio books are enjoyment and relaxation, improve fluency and comprehension in readers, and as a study tool.

 

Ms. Denise Johnson, article 64 on readingrockets.org, stated that audio books can:

 

* Introduce student's to books above their reading level

*  Teach critical listening

* Introduce new genres to students

* Introduce new vocabulary

and  * Provide read-alouds

 

Therefore, the next time you and your family is at the local library, try and audio book for the entire family to enjoy!

 

 

 

 

   

Wordless Books?

 

 

Many adults and children are surprised to find books without words. Yes! Without words! As many of us knew as children, books are for reading. How can you "read" a book that does not have any words? What's the purpose of them?

 

Wordless books have been around a while in libraries and book stores. They do have purpose.

 

 

First, they are a good way to start beginning readers to focus on picture clues and talk about what does the picture tell you. This is also teaching children how to "predict" what is, may or could happen in the story.

 

Second, for the more skilled reader or struggling writer, wordless books are a great way to get a child to write. They have the power, to create their own story using the pictures. Children are creative creatures and want to be challenged and explore their skills. Giving a child a wordless book is a perfect way to do that. When a child writes his/her own story for the wordless book, they have the freedom to write what they see or feel. The world is theirs!

Here's some wordless books to enjoy:

Bow-Wow Bugs          by, Mark Newgarden                          Good Dog Carl    by, Alexandra Day
                

Owly     by, Andy Ruton                 Museum Trip by Barbara Lehman
                             




Something GREAT to share

thanks to Tammy Lee Morris

5 Great Winter Stories for Kids

Picture Books and Chapter Books to Enjoy on a Winter Night

Tammy Lee Morris, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Dec 3, 2010

Winter is coming, bringing cold days and nights and blustery weather. When you don't want to leave the house one a chilly wintry day, how about curling up with a good book? Here are some great winter books to share with your kids on a dark winter night or perhaps a snow day when everyone is stuck at home."The Mitten" by Jan Brett is probably my favorite winter book for kids. It is the story of a mitten that gets dropped in the woods and becomes a warm and snuggly resting place for the woodland creatures that find it. Each critter squeezes itself into the mitten until it is simply about to burst from all the occupants. All is well until the big fuzzy bear has to sneeze!
"The Long Winter" by Laura Ingalls Wilder is great for reading aloud during long winter days and nights. I read this book to my children last winter and they looked forward to our nightly reading until we finished the story. The based-upon-truth tale of a family surviving a long and treacherous winter on the brutal prairie of South Dakota draws you in. I read this one when I was a little girl and my own kids loved comparing the events in the story with how we wait out the winter today. This book is better for older attention spans (my youngest was eight when I read this to them).
"The Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats is a simply beautiful picture book that is great for very young children. It is perfect to curl up in a warm lap and look through the pictures that tell the story of a little boy who wakes up to discover that it has snowed! The story follows his adventures on such a snowy day.
"Snow" by Uri Shulevitz is a sweet story for younger children. When it looks like snow is coming, it is usually the kids who get excited, not the grumpy grownups (that's exactly how it works in my house!). When a little boy spies one snowflake, he gets excited because one snowflake means more--and that's exactly what happens in this classic winter tale.
"Owl Moon" by Jane Yolen captures the excitement of a nighttime walk in the woods on a winter evening. This is a beautiful story about a young girl who bundles up and go out with her father on an owling adventure. The story follows their walk through the snowy woods and the other curious critters that follow their progress.

FAVORITE BOOKS

 

 

As we become readers, even when we were first exposed to reading, we hold dear a book or two. Something about the story, the pictures or the message that stays with us. This week, I wanted to touch on our favorite books! If you are reading this blog, PLEASE post a comment telling us (me and my students) what your favorite childhood book was and why. I think this is a great opportunity for my students to see how adults were once beginning readers also!

Thanks!



 

 

Ms. Pod's favorite childhood book was Clifford Books. I loved this big red dog and his adventures. But I especially held dear the love he had for Emily Elizabeth!


Here's some of my students favorite books:
                                                                   

 

                                        
Armand - Loves the adventure!                    Brandon - Thinks Mudge is funny!             


                             

Yalisa loves this book because                                 Adrian read a book about harvest
a special teacher, Mrs. Bohne,                                mice and fell in love with them! He
gave it to her! What a special memory!                   loved learning about them!


                                  
                
Gloria loves this book because it's filled                  Aidan loves this "comfy" Lightening
with sparkles and it's inspirational!                        McQueen pillow book! It's one of his
                                                                                  favorite books and character!

Thanks for checking us out and please send a comment to share your favorite book with my students!