Reading on the Green Mountaineer Team happens in the Core Academic block that starts at 9:00 and concludes at 12:15. During this time third and fourth graders will attend different classes.

Third graders will be split into three heterogeneous groups for Math and Language Arts.  Mrs. C. Smith will be responsible for teaching Math, Mrs. Dennis will be responsible for teaching Language Arts, and Mrs. Wheeler will teach a combination of both subjects.  Fourth graders will be split into two heterogeneous groups, and they will receive Math instruction with Mr. Lodge and Language Arts instruction with Mrs. MJ Smith.

Reading within this block offers students choice in reading material and reading will be taught via their independent choices. Class will be a reading workshop. To get a better sense, the structure will be as follows;

1. Read-a-loud by teacher (text will be used later to teach skills and concepts)

2. Mini-Lesson (skill or concept will be demonstrated using texts such as the read-a-loud)

3. Guided Practice (in groups, pairs, or individually they will practice the skill or concept)

4. Individual and Small Group Work including

a.) Independent reading of self-selected texts in which they practice skills or concepts

b.) Conferences with the teacher on independent reading

c.) Guided reading in small groups with a particular focus

d.) Literature discussions in small groups

e.) Written work (journal responses, graphic organizing, vocabulary work…)

f.) Skills groups

5. Sharing/Processing

Reading is like any other human endeavor; running, baking, hunting…The more you practice the better you get. As such we want to maximize the amount of reading students do in class, as well as encourage a desire to read by letting students have greater choice. Certainly reading to students at home and having them read will only ever be a positive thing, so any help in this area that you could provide would be greatly beneficial.