Bayview Literacy Update
Back to School 2016
There are a number of things I wanted to share with all of you, and I thought it would be easiest in an email. As I started typing, I realized it would be just as easy and way more user-friendly in a Smore newsletter. These newsletters are free and are a great way to communicate with parents too!
Elisa Walling is our new Reading Development Teacher. She will be here Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please don’t hesitate to email us or stop by if you have any questions or concerns. We are here to help!
-Lisa McCarthy
Reading Development Teacher
Reading Log
I updated the reading log for this year, and it is available if you would like to use it. I will not be collecting reading logs from you this year. You can monitor reading habits and collect data on your students’ reading habits in your classroom if you choose.
Reader of the Month
I will be taking monthly nominations for Reader of the Month K-2 and Reader of the Month 3-5. You might choose to nominate the most improved student, the student in your class with the most reading minutes, or just a student who put in a lot of effort. You might have another reason you’d like to nominate someone, and that works too. I will use a random name generator online to select the winner. Then, I’d like to email the students’ parents, interview the student, and display his/her picture with some favorite books on the bulletin board. You can start to send in nominations any time, but I will choose winners at the end of each month. Please use this form to make your nominations:
Book Talks
This year the district will be filming student book talks at Barnes and Noble. Bayview's Barnes and Noble book talk night is Thursday, October 6th. We will be sharing this night with Navesink.
Lauren Magaziner, author of The Only Thing Worse Than Witches, will be there too. This event is a fundraiser for building classroom libraries. Please encourage your students to attend. They don't have to do a book talk if they don't want to; it's totally voluntary.
It was suggested that you practice book talks in your classroom. Here is a link to student Book Talk guidelines from Scholastic. I've also attached a short video about how to differentiate book talks for different grade levels. Book talks can be informal. They can be a quick way to let students share great books with their peers. Please let me know if you'd like me to come in and model a book talk for your class.
Cybrary Resources
Lauren Tarshis
The author of the I Survived... series will be at Barnes and Noble on September 21st at 5PM. You might want to tell your students. She will be signing books. Her new book, I Survived the Eruption of Mount St. Helens, 1980, will be available.
Fundations
Journeys
Book Swaps, Book Fairs, and Family Literacy Night
We will be having a Barnes and Noble holiday book fair on December 9th. I am working with Jess from Barnes and Noble to plan an epic winter themed event!
Our Family Literacy Night is tentatively planned for the last Thursday of February. Let me know if you come across any good ideas for themes. Our camping theme last year was so much fun!