ISSUE

01 FEBRUARY 2010

Book Worms THIS ISSUE Old Habits Die Hard… p.1 Good Reads p. 2 Supporting Comprehension p. 2 Author in the Spotlight p. 4

Old Habits Die Hard… As the saying goes, old habits die hard. It’s true! “So?” you may be thinking, “What does this have to do with reading?” It has everything to do with reading! If you begin to read to with your child or have them read to you every night, it will become a habit for them. This could possibly be one of the best habits for them to form! Studies show that children who are read to on a regular basis as they are growing up do better later in life. These children are less likely to participate in deviant activities and more likely to choose a more favorable alternative. This is not the only reason to instill in your child a love of reading. Studies also tell us that children who are read to regularly do much better in school than their classmates who watch television instead of read. Forget the statistics though, despite the fact that the evidence is very compelling. The kicker is, that children learn so much from books. Whether you are reading to them, or they are reading to you. (Continued on page 3)

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Good Reads …for younger audiences Skippy is a very imaginative cat who thinks he is a Chihuahua. Throughout this book, Skippy imagines that he is a great sword fighter whose mission is to save his amigos from the giant bean-stealing bumblebee. Children find this book to be hilarious! At the same time, students will learn or review Spanish vocabulary through random dialogues. This is a great story to be either read aloud or silently. Do you do a Digeridoo? Is an amusing children’s book that explores a strange instrument from Australia. Children love to read along with you as the customer drives the store clerk insane with crazy ideas! This book is a great way to introduce music and different cultures to your child. All children love to go on missions! With Flat Stanley, you and your children will be intrigued as you join him on his adventures of being … flat. You will be amused as you witness Stanley being flattened, mailed to another state, and thwarting crime. As a fun activity to do once you’ve finished reading this book, you could send a Flat Stanley! This is a wonderful children’s classic that talks about the underground railroad. Learn how the escaping slaves navigated their way across the country. Follow little Peter on a magical journey as he spends a long, adventurous day in the freshly fallen snow. This is a great book to use as you prepare for Florida’s “winter months”. Most children who grow up in Florida don’t understand what snow is. This book will help young readers to realize that, even though it doesn’t get cold enough to snow here, it does snow in many other places! This is an especially good book to read to your child when preparing to go on a vacation where there will most likely be snow. (continued on page 3)

Supporting Comprehension Reading comprehension is a very important issue in the classrooms today. A pandemic has swept the country. Students of all ages are not only having difficulty reading, they are also having difficulty understanding the words they can read. The whole purpose of reading is to communicate. If current students fail to gather meaning from what they read, then the written language is useless and school has no meaning. DON’T PANIC! There is something you can do to help reverse this unfortunate trend! A couple of things in fact. To start with, you can talk to your children. All of the time. About everything! What you see while you are driving, the words on signs, what they mean. Why we have signs. Talk about sounds that you hear; what makes them. Talk, talk, talk. Secondly, do things with your children! Lessons are so much more meaningful when you have previous experiences to refer to. We call this background knowledge. (continued on page 3)

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Old Habits Die Hard… (continued) With each new book, your child is introduced to a new topic of interest that they can’t help but want to learn more about. They also learn new words and concepts which is huge! Because, try as they might, teachers simply cannot truly teach students all of the mandated vocabulary words and concepts on their own. Believe it or not, we need your help! Don’t worry; it’s never too late to start. You can begin right now! Go pick out a book, settle into your favorite spot, and share a whole new, wonderful world with your child.

Supporting Comprehension (continued) Go on day trips to state parks, aquariums, the beach, or museums. You don’t have to spend money in order to create experiences for your children either. The important thing is that you do different things with them. It can be as simple as playing games at home. The more you can introduce them to different activities, the more experiences they will have to make meaningful connections with as they read different things. And, meaningful connections lead to strong reading comprehension!

Good Reads …for older audiences The Frog Princess is a classic twist on the old fairy tale The Frog Prince. The only difference here is that our princess doesn’t have to go very far to find help! This book is the first in a series of exciting adventures. Although it is exciting, I’m afraid that boys won’t be as eager to read it as girls will be. Another classic retelling…Peter and the Starcatchers. I bet you can’t tell what this one is about. This book is also the first book in a series. However, boys and girls alike will love this book! It is filled with mystery and adventure sure too keep you on the edge of your seat, always wanting to know what happens next.

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An award-winning novel, Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy is set in Phippsburg, ME in 1912 when people of color were considered to be an inferior race. As this story develops, so do many friendships. This book is great for so many reasons! Share this book with your son or daughter, you’ll be happy you did! Sorry guys, this is another one for girls eyes only! Once Upon a Marigold is about a prince who ran away from home at a young age and a princess who can’t stand her family (typical teenager). Join them on their adventures in a mystical land. A literary masterpiece! Bud, Not Buddy is set during the Great Depression. This story is about a little boy who was orphaned at six. After numerous horrible foster families, Bud sets out to find the man he believes to be his father. Become Bud’s shaddow as he experiences many joys and sorrows.

Author in the Spotlight… Mem Fox is a renowned children’s author who has published over 20 books. Before she became a writer, Mem Fox was a teacher’s teacher! Many of her books focus on deep subjects such as love, life, and death. But they are written on a much more basic level so children can easily understand the message. Check her out on the web… http://www.memfox.net/welcome.html.

Resources for Inspiration and Information Johnson, D. (2009). The Joy of Children’s Literature. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Fox, M. (n.d.). Retrieved February 1, 2010, from Mem Fox: teaching, learning, living: http://www.memfox.net/welcome.html. Reutzel, Ray D. and Robert B. Cooter, Jr. (1992). Teaching Children to Read: The Teacher Makes the Difference. Upper Saddle River: Pearson. The Literacy Company: Changing the Way People Read. (2010). Retrieved February 1, 2010, from Company: http://www. readfaster.com/research.asp.

Hello Parents! My name is Ms. Thaggard. I was born and raised in Fort Myers. I live alone, but just across the street from my mom and dad, so I get to see them all the time; which I absolutely love! I love to cook as well as participate in all sorts of out-door activities. None of these pastimes, however, are as rewarding to me as picking up a good book! Whether it is an intriguing story or interesting non-fictional book, reading opens up so many windows into the outside world that you might not have ever considered before. My hope is that our children adopt this love of reading as well. So, waste no time, go ahead, start reading!

Visit me on the web! http://sites.google.com/site/faroffpearl/. http://kayteebug87.blogspot.com/. 4