We have been reflecting on the Wild Reader challenge (40 books in a year) and how to plan to read from all genres. Graphic novels are definitely popular in our class. While I absolutely want to introduce students to the joy of straight print, I am planning to take advantage of their obsession. I have ordered some classic literature in graphic novel form, which may help them fulfill the classic literature goal.
Here are a few examples of GN classics:
Please talk books with your student and spend time exploring books they may love. I like to check out Good Reads (children's lit.) for ideas and reviews.
Another great place to check out books is Common Sense Media. It's a great source to check out reviews but also find out if the book is age appropriate.
Try these out:
What do you think? This question can provide plenty of opportunities for students to make sense of and apply new information. It's also great for building ideas with each other.
Why do you think that? After students share what they think, this follow-up question pushes them to provide reasoning for their thinking.
How do you know this? When this question is asked, students can make connections to their ideas and thoughts with things they've experienced, read, and have seen.
Can you tell me more? This question can inspire students to extend their thinking and share further evidence for their ideas.
What questions do you still have? This allows students to offer up questions they have about the information, ideas or the evidence.
Read Alouds:
Remember: Students have Reader's notebooks where they keep stats of their reading. Ask them to bring it home to view and chat about it. Keep in mind, it's okay if students are reading more books from their favorite genre. Eventually they will see their gap and can make more challenging book selections.
Assessing: I have nearly completed fluency and comprehension assessments. I will be sharing more details during conferences.