Reading Strategies

Summer reading! 

What Kind of Reader Are You?

For some time now, educators have observed similar literacy characteristics demonstrated by children as they learn to read. Are you an Early Reader? Developing Reader? or Fluent Reader? 

Here is a description of each stage:

Early Reader
uses picture for clues
retells a simple story which is read to them
recalls some details
knows names of letters
identifies consonant sounds at beginning and end of words
uses configuration as clue to identify words
reads by rote
reads one word at a time-choppy
selects simple repetitious books
reads favorite books over and over
silent sustained reading 5-10 minutes
has the desire to be a fluent reader
enjoys retelling stories


Developing Reader sequences events in story
tells main idea
makes predictions
identifies main characters
identifies setting
differentiates between fact and fiction
identifies high frequency words
some awareness of medial vowel sounds
uses context clues
begins to self correct
understands the meaning of . ? !
pauses and uses appropriate inflection for punctuation
reads phrases
selects a variety of books
silent sustained reading 10-15 minutes
begins to feel confident when reading silently or orally

Fluent Reader recognizes plot of story
recognizes problem and solution in a story
evaluates character's actions or behaviors
uses a variety of clues to decode unfamiliar words
identifies blends, digraphs, dipthongs
applies vowel rules to sound out words
understands affixes
uses punctuation correctly
reads with expression
reads smoothly
selects a wide variety of books
may select chapter books
silent sustained reading at least 20 minutes
confident
enjoys sharing favorite books
enjoys challenges
selects reading during free time

We can Make Change Happen

A long time ago Ms. Platt went was in first grade.  A little boy that was in her class is now working at NASA where there are a lot of engineers that make things like space ships that go to outer space.  He was a part of the most recent adventure, helping to create and build "Curiosity".  Click here to learn more about what is happening in the news now!



President Obama said,

"Tonight, on the planet Mars, the United States of America made history.

The successful landing of Curiosity – the most sophisticated roving laboratory ever to land on another planet – marks an unprecedented feat of technology that will stand as a point of national pride far into the future. It proves that even the longest of odds are no match for our unique blend of ingenuity and determination.

Tonight’s success, delivered by NASA, parallels our major steps forward towards a vision for a new partnership with American companies to send American astronauts into space on American spacecraft. That partnership will save taxpayer dollars while allowing NASA to do what it has always done best – push the very boundaries of human knowledge. And tonight’s success reminds us that our preeminence – not just in space, but here on Earth – depends on continuing to invest wisely in the innovation, technology, and basic research that has always made our economy the envy of the world.

I congratulate and thank all the men and women of NASA who made this remarkable accomplishment a reality – and I eagerly await what Curiosity has yet to discover."

When they waited for "Curiosity" to take off, they ordered a 3 foot pizza, WOW!  That's a giant pizza.

For Parents

The Reading Rainbow, excerpt from "The Talk" on the importance of reading to your child

Visit by clicking on the picture to the left.