Professional Documents
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be successful with all content area learning, 21st century skills, and the
Sierschynski 2014). The earlier students are explicitly taught reading skills
through enticing literature, the more likely they will be able to successfully
currently exposed to books checked out from the school library, black
and white copies of Reading A-Z texts, a variety of used fiction books with
limited social studies and science content from garage sales or retired
teachers, and read aloud stories from Scholastic. These are not
to the valuable books in the school library, the black and white copies of
leveled readers are boring for our students, the used books from the
community have worn-out pages that lack content and the read aloud
learning in class. Also, we lack simple leveled texts for our guided reading
instruction.
and phrases that develop imagery and complex value for students, and
exciting plots that drive readers to predict what happens next. In addition,
quality leveled reading sets include texts with colorful illustrations, a variety
of engaging fiction and non-fiction topics, repetitive texts, and sight words
students learn how to read and explore stimulating books. For some
kindergarten students this is the first time they have had exposure to
how to read associated with boring black and white copies of leveled
skills. Research shows that students will be less interested in reading if they
teachers to help students select books that interests them and are a little
needs. Most students prefer to read real books with fresh and interesting
fiction and non-fiction leveled readers that will enhance literacy skills for
Scholastic are our first choice of leveled readers because of the engaging
nonfiction topics and colorful illustrations provided within the text. This
option contains three sets each with twenty four unique titles for a total of
concluded that six copies of each title from every set would adequately
meet our needs. For all six classrooms to receive the adequate amount of
books in the amount of copies of the Science Leveled sets mentioned
above it will cost $1,920 or $320 per class. These books provide students
with information about new seasons, nonfiction topics, many new words
and concepts, and colorful illustrations. They also connect with the next
Guided Reading level ranges from A-E and the Lexile level is BR-400L. This
Our second choice is the First Little Readers from Lakeshore with Guided
Reading levels A-C that include enticing, colorful illustrations, simple texts,
and fiction stories. This is our second choice because the books are all
fiction stories and not non-fiction like our first option. Each classroom
would receive five copies of sixty titles that include eight pages in each
book, because five copies are already included in the library set. It would
cost $1,374 for all the kindergarten classrooms to receive a set or $229 for
Guided Science Six Classes: $1,920 Non-fiction science This set costs more
Readers Set for six copies of topics that connect than the First Little
Six copies of seventy seventy two titles for with the next Readers.
two titles every kindergarten generation science
classroom. standards. Colorful
illustrations, variety
of science content,
and quality
connections
between text and
illustrations. Guided
Reading levels A-E.
First Little Readers- Six Classes: $1,374 Guided Reading This set only includes
Complete Library for five copies of levels A-C that fiction stories and
Set sixty titles for every includes simple texts, lacks information in
Five copies of sixty kindergarten sight words, and the other science
titles classroom. enticing illustrations. and social studies
These texts connect content that
with kindergarten students’ need to
Common Core know. Also, this
State Standards package contains a
RFK4. Move to smaller selection of
reading emergent books than the
reader texts with Science Readers
purpose and Set.
understanding.
students can explore the books on a daily basis as opposed to sharing the
may interfere with our reading instruction time because the other classes
may be using the books that some students need to read in order to
readers will allow students to practice rereading books they have enjoyed
looking at before.
One way we can help students learn how to decode is through reading
small group instruction, with students identifying letter names and sounds
in the stories. We can also encourage students to identify sight words and
new vocabulary words in the story to be able to practice using the words
The attractive covers, bright illustrations, and exciting texts from the
and lead to many relevant discussions and questions about books. The
more students ask questions while reading the more likely they are to
comprehend the story. The types of questions one asks about the text and
process.
In addition, questions and curiosity about the leveled books can lead to
critical thinking and purposeful connections with oneself, peers, and texts.
The more students practice making text to self-connections the more likely
they will be able to use the connection strategies while reading in other
“Bright illustrations from the books will help guide students to examine both
image and text as integral parts of their literacy” (Louie, Pughe, &
create oral narratives using pictures from the story and their personal
and non-fiction topics from the leveled readers will help students enjoy
leveled reader sets in the classrooms will provide students with many
read the leveled books outlined above in order to help them enhance
model the strategy through think aloud and demonstration, while students
strategies, our hope is that they will be able to apply the strategies to
other content area texts independently in the upper grades. We want our
Students will be less likely to learn how to read if they are exposed to
One way students will learn about science topics is through reading
We will provide ample time for students to observe, question, and explore
the leveled readers to help them learn about new concepts. They will be
and ideas clearly about the topics in the books. Students will also
compose informative texts in which they will write information about the
enticing leveled readers on a daily basis so we can help them learn about
ideas” (Moses & Serafini 2014). Please consider purchasing the leveled
Sincerely,
Kindergarten Team
References
Moses, L. & Serafini, F. (2014). The roles of children’s literature in the primary
grades. The Reading Teacher, 67(6), 465-468.