Reading is the most fundamental skill and discipline your child will develop during the elementary years that will provide lifelong benefit.  Mrs. Brown’s and Mr. Sutterlin’s classes join together to follow a multi-age Reading Workshop format.  We have researched the benefits for student learning from a teamed teaching and multi-age approach.  Our Reading Workshop will include whole group instruction, supported by regular guided reading work with the teachers and small groups.  Students are expected to do a lot of independent reading to practice skills learned in these settings.
    Upper elementary is the time where students shift from “learning to read” into “reading to learn”.  In future academic years, reading to learn will be a large focus and strong, independent readers will be most successful.  Simply put, we learn to read by reading. Reading at least 20 minutes every night is non-negotiable. We list it as homework each night, but that is only a reminder.  Reading is a lifestyle you must model and expect of your child.  Below is some information about our classroom reading program so that you know what to expect to see your child accomplishing this year.

A Day in Reading Workshop	Reading Workshop Items
Helpful Hints	Guided Reading
Home Reading Log (printable version)	Reading Workshop Agreement

A Day in Reading Workshop     
In a typical Reading Workshop day: Students are assigned to a group.  That group will sit together with their reading folders, browsing box, and pencils.  Students are expected to read independently or work on Reading Activity Sheets from their folders, unless they are working with the teacher in a group lesson.

What is this stuff?

Comprehension Test
Each month every student must pass two Comprehension tests with 80% or better scores.  Accelerated Reader (A.R. Tests) tests can be taken at school only during class or recess.  Print outs of the test results must be turned in with reading logs.

Reading Log
Your Home Reading Log must be filled out completely each week, signed by an adult each Thursday, and turned in every Friday.  You must initial your groups Browsing Box Log each time you complete a book from your box.

Reading Activity Sheet
This year we will focus on different comprehension strategies.  Each Tuesday you will receive a Reading Activity Sheet assignment that must be turned in on Friday with your Home Reading Log.

Browsing Boxes
Each group will have a box of books at their "easy" reading level, provided by the teacher.  These boxes will include a variety of genres from which to choose.  Students only read from these boxes during independent reading time.  These books may be used for the Reading Activity Sheets.




Guided Reading Groups
            In addition to independent reading performance and progress, guided reading groups are a regular component to our reading workshop.  Guided Reading is reading by children in the context of small, flexible, needs-based groups.  Each child is responsible for reading his/her own copy of a book and responding to it in open-ended ways.  We facilitate the guided reading sessions by determining the purpose, coaching and supporting readers' growth based on teacher observations and assessments of needs and progress.  We choose literature that we are particularly fond of for these groups, matched to state Grade Level Content Expectations in order to model our own passion for reading.  Children also select books of their interest, from which we create lessons based upon skills those children need to improve.