Picking Out Books With the Five Finger Rule Sometimes it is difficult to know if a book is going to be too easy or too hard by just looking at it. A strategy called the Five Finger Rule is one way to "test" a book before you spend too much time with it and get frustrated.
1. First choose the book you think you would like to read. 2. Find a page of text somewhere in the middle of the book. Find a page with lots of text (words). 3. Begin to read the page. It is best to read the page aloud or in a whisper if possible while doing the test so you can hear the places where you have difficulty. 4. Each time you come to a word you don't know, hold one finger up. 5. If you have all five fingers up before you get to the end of the page, wave the book "good-bye." It is probably too difficult for you right now. Try it again later in the year. 6. If you have no fingers up when you finish the page, then the book may be an easy read for you. 7. If you have less than five fingers but more than one or two fingers up when you finish reading the page, the book may be just what you need to grow as a reader.
This week the kids officially began 'living the life of a writer'. Each person in our classroom started a writer's notebook to start collecting story ideas. Today the first graders learned how to throw a frisbee with Mrs. Ruh. They also learned that if they work as a team, they can knock down all the pins. Great job, first graders!
Click Here to See a Short Clip This week we set up our book boxes. I love seeing the twinkle in their eyes when they rediscover an old favorite or find a book of interest. This is one of the many reasons why I love teaching first grade. Thanks for a great first day of school, first graders! Get lots of rest and I will see you all bright and early tomorrow morning. It is hard to believe summer is winding down and school is right around the corner. I know for some children the beginning of the year is a time filled with much anticipation and excitement. For others, it can cause a little anxiety venturing into new surroundings. I hope exploring this site with your child and looking through the previous posts from last year will give them and you an idea of what first grade is like. I look forward to meeting everyone at Open House August 27, from 4:30 to 6:00.
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August 2019
AuthorMrs. Ely's First |
Welcome to Second Grade
Welcome to Mrs. Ely's class web site. Please feel free to visit any time as we are always updating and making changes. I hope you enjoy your visit.