Reading Comprehension Card Game

This summer, I've decided to do theme days with my kids, so these posts will be more geared toward older kids (I have one entering 2nd and one entering 4th). Here are the theme days we're doing: 

•      Maker Monday (science, art, STEM)
•      Telling Tales Tuesday (Literacy) 
•      World Wonders Wednesday (Social Studies) 
•      Throwing Things Thursday (Phys Ed)
•      Finding Facts Friday (Math) 

Yesterday, for Maker Monday, we did a Lego challenge that you can see if you check out my Facebook Page. 

Today,  I decided to play this card game I made up. We're just finished up reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, so we're going to use that book. The rules are simple. You draw a card and follow these instructions: 

Ace- Tell a main idea

King/Queen- Chose a character from the book and tell something about them

Jack- Tell about the setting

Number cards- Tell that number of supporting details (you may want to take out some of the higher numbers to keep from running out of details depending on the length of the book)

Joker- Act out a part of the story

Be sure to ask guiding questions. Was that character key in solving the problem in the story and how? How do you know that's when the story took place?  How did that detail effect the conclusion of the story?  Did that happen in the beginning, middle or end of the story? 

Have fun with it! 

First Day Back!

Today was my first day back to work. Orientation. Nothing too exciting, but I will hit on the major points. The kids stayed home with dad who is not working at this moment. He got laid off a few weeks ago and that is why I stopped writing the Chronicles of Summertime series.

This year, we will be focusing on trying to raise the children's KRA-L scores when they go to Kindergarten. The KRA-L is Ohio's Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (in Literacy). The 6 areas they test on are:

1. Answering who, what, when, why, and how questions
2. Repeating sentences
3. Identifying words that rhyme
4. Producing words that rhyme
5. Identifying letters
6. Identifying beginning sounds of words

I have been thinking of things I can do to promote these in the classroom. Lots of Dr. Suess and nursery rhymes immediately come to mind. I will be pondering on this more and probably scouring Pinterest for ideas. More on this later.

Also, I am excited about a research project on the topic of reading comprehension through The Ohio State University that I volunteered for today. It will last throughout the school year. If I am one of the teachers randomly chosen to carry out the activities, I will get all sorts of resources and be trained on doing some lessons with the kids. I will also be video taped which I am not looking forward to, but I think it will be great for the kids as well as make lesson planning easier. Hopefully it will also align with the KRA-L assessment work we will be doing.

I am looking forward to getting into the classroom and thinking of how I am going to set it up differently this year! Happy back to school all!!!!