Last Monday and this Monday, I told you about all sorts of magazines for kids. Here are some websites that go along with this week’s magazines.
Ranger Rick
Big Backyard
Wild Animal Baby
Have fun!
Gail
Friday, March 16, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Improving Reading Fluency: Part 1
This week and next, I’m re-posting my 2 blogs on reading fluency, with a few modifications. The originals were posted last June. Since I have new readers, I decided to run it again.
What is Reading Fluency?
Fluency is the ability to read text accurately, quickly and with confidence. It’s the ability to read phrases and sentences smoothly and quickly, and most importantly, with comprehension.
Why is reading fluency important?
As children become fluent readers, they begin to think less about the words and more about the meaning of the sentences they're reading. Fluent readers can respond to the material with emotion and thought. Without fluency, reading is a chore because so much effort goes into decoding (sounding out) each word. With that much effort, there’s little energy left for making meaning.
Fortunately, there are ways to improve fluency. Here are some suggestions. The important thing is to choose activities that your child wants to do or at least doesn’t mind (or fight) doing.
Model Fluent Reading
When you read aloud, read with as much expression as the story permits. No need to be over the top – unless that’s fun for you and your child. In my mind, goofy is good!
Repeated Readings
Many children enjoy reading, and hearing, the same story/book/poem over and over. This is a good thing – repeated readings and hearings builds in comfort and familiarity. Such familiarity reduces the need for decoding and allows better flow, and therefore, confidence.
Echo reading
Echo reading is when one reader reads a piece of text and a second reader echoes that same piece. This works really well with poems but other text can be used as well. I suggest you switch roles frequently so your child gets to be the first reader and you are the echoer.
Choral reading
Try reading together! Choose a piece of text and read it simultaneously together. Maybe even read it together for someone else.
Drama
See the post, 9 Books for Summer Drama Fun for resources for drama.
Suggestions:
- everyone has a copy of the complete script
- highlight each player’s part (yellow highlighting is best because the other colors tend to obscure the text)
- read the script aloud before choosing parts
- ham it up!
Games
I love games. I love games that are fun and yet teach, without being too obvious. I relied on games a lot in my classroom to reinforce what I was teaching. Consider the following games for improving instant word recognition.
Bananagrams – Using letter tiles, players race against each other to build crossword grids and use all their letter tiles first.
Perquackey Game – This game consists of 12 cubes (dice with letters on all 6 sides), a timer, and simple rules. You roll the cubes and make up as many words as you can until your hourglass timer runs out. It can be modified for different ability levels.
Boggle - A small container holds 16 cubes, each cube marked with a different letter on each of its six sides. Shake the container and the cubes land within little pockets. Find as many words (of three-or-more letters) as you can in three minutes. Points are tallied by word length.
Scrabble Upwords – A 3-D word game – build new words by stacking letters on top of those already on the board. Create complex layers of crosswords to earn more points.
Resources used while writing this post:
Coming up next Wednesday: Improving Reading Fluency Part 2
Gail
Monday, March 12, 2012
Top Magazines for Kids: Part 2
As I said in last week’s post, I’m a big fan of magazines. The best ones catch your eye and imagination right away and keep you engaged. Here are the last magazines on my list. Be sure to add your favorites to the Comments box.
FootSteps: African American History
Footsteps is designed to help readers discover more about African American History. It includes informational articles and interviews, historical photos and artwork, maps and activities.
Footsteps is designed to help readers discover more about African American History. It includes informational articles and interviews, historical photos and artwork, maps and activities.
Girls' Life Magazine
Girls' Life Magazine is geared to girls 10 to 15. It’s packed with advice on friends, family, school, crushes, fashion and beauty. More of the same is available on their website.
Girls' Life Magazine is geared to girls 10 to 15. It’s packed with advice on friends, family, school, crushes, fashion and beauty. More of the same is available on their website.
Highlights for Children contains poems, stories, puzzles, jokes, riddles, rebus stories, crafts, and hidden pictures. It has things of interest for ages 4-12.
Kids Discover This full-color, monthly magazine covers nature, science and geography topics for children ages 6 and older. Each issue is devoted to a specific subject. Magazines are shelved by subject area in the nonfiction collection.
Ladybug
This is a magazine from the publishers of Cricket, targeted to a younger audience (2-7). It contains numerous learning activities with a particular focus on reading and understanding. It contains poems, stories, cartoons, and activities.
This is a magazine from the publishers of Cricket, targeted to a younger audience (2-7). It contains numerous learning activities with a particular focus on reading and understanding. It contains poems, stories, cartoons, and activities.
Muse
Muse is a magazine for ages 9-14 from the publishers of Cricket and Smithsonian Magazine. It includes articles and activities about science, nature, poetry, music and more.
Muse is a magazine for ages 9-14 from the publishers of Cricket and Smithsonian Magazine. It includes articles and activities about science, nature, poetry, music and more.
Kids is published by the National Geographic Society for kids between the ages of 8 and 14. It covers a wide variety of topics, but focuses on geography, adventure, wildlife and science issues. The web site includes links to stories, fun facts, games and other activities.
Odyssey is billed as "The science magazine for young adventurers!" It includes sections on science news, science fun, and the website contains links to webcams around the world. (Recommended for ages 10-16.)
Ranger Rick is a monthly magazine for kids ages 7 and up. It features colorful animal photos, funny drawings, and stories about nature, outdoor adventure, and helping the environment. The online version includes web sites for homework help, monthly activities, games, sections for parents and teachers and a sneak preview of the current issue.
Spider is a magazine from the publishers of Cricket, recommended for ages 6-9. It contains stories, articles, poems, drawings, cartoons and letters.
Sports Illustrated for Kids
Sports Illustrated for Kids is a monthly magazine for elementary age children. It includes interviews with sports heroes, comics, action photos and more. The website provides interactive opportunities.
Sports Illustrated for Kids is a monthly magazine for elementary age children. It includes interviews with sports heroes, comics, action photos and more. The website provides interactive opportunities.
Wild Animal Baby
Wild Animal Baby is a publication of the National Wildlife Federation. It includes stories, fingerplays and big colorful photographs and drawings of wild animals for children between the ages of 1 and 3. The website offers more games and activities for young children.
Wild Animal Baby is a publication of the National Wildlife Federation. It includes stories, fingerplays and big colorful photographs and drawings of wild animals for children between the ages of 1 and 3. The website offers more games and activities for young children.
Young Rider is for horse lovers. Although it is geared primarily towards girls, it is also appropriate for boys. Ages 7 and Up. The magazine covers both English and Western style riding.
Your Big Backyard also called Big Backyard
Your Big Backyard is published by the National Wildlife Federation. It introduces 3-7 year olds to the fascinating world of nature. It features big, colorful photos, read-to-me stories, poems, riddles, and games.
Your Big Backyard is published by the National Wildlife Federation. It introduces 3-7 year olds to the fascinating world of nature. It features big, colorful photos, read-to-me stories, poems, riddles, and games.
Zoobooks is for ages approx. 4 and up, best for 7-12. Each issue features a different animal and covers topics such as anatomy, habitat, socialization, and reproduction. For younger kids: Zoobies and Zootles
Resources used:
I hope these suggestions help you find some magazines you enjoy. Remember, check with your school and town librarians for other ideas. Your perfect magazine is out there!
Gail
Friday, March 9, 2012
Fun Sites for Kids' Magazines
Monday, I told you about a bunch of magazines for kids. Here are some websites that go along with those magazines.
Ladybug
Spider
Cricket
Cicada
Click
Ask
Muse
Have fun and check next Monday’s post for some more magazines!
Gail
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Promoting Literacy with Children's Magazines
PROMOTING LITERACY WITH CHILDREN'S MAGAZINES
Many of the ideas included in today’s post came from these 2 sources: Children’s Magazines for Literacy and Book Chook. Both sites are worth checking out for more information.
Ever wonder why doctors (lawyers, beauty shops…) always have magazines? They want to keep our minds off the waiting. What better way to distract us – pictures, interesting bits of info, new ideas – all packaged for a quick read and surefire distraction. Better than glaring at the receptionist :)
But the magazines offer us more than distraction. I've seldom wished for a longer wait, but there are times when I've wished I could finish an interesting article. Magazines are built to draw us in and capture our attention.
Children’s magazines are designed to do this, too – just what we want for our reluctant readers. There are lots of quality magazines for children and there are lots of reasons to have them available for our young readers.
Monday's post, Top Magazines for Kids: Part 1, suggested 15 magazines for your child to consider. Next week, I'll suggest 15 more. But these lists are just a sampling. Check with your school and town librarians for other ideas
Or, try Googling your child's interest, followed by magazine.
Or, try Googling your child's interest, followed by magazine.
Many of the ideas included in today’s post came from these 2 sources: Children’s Magazines for Literacy and Book Chook. Both sites are worth checking out for more information.
WHY MAGAZINES?
- The format of children’s magazine invites us to explore – pictures, headings, graphics – these all make reading seem less like of a chore and more like fun.
- Magazines are less intimidating for young readers and engaging for all ages.
- Magazines are great for teaching kids the elements of visual literacy: maps, text boxes, tables, illustrations, graphs, pie charts, labels, captions, cartoons, and diagrams. Learning to make sense of these elements is a great thing to do together.
- Magazines build our store of knowledge, plus give us lots of info to share, which is such great fun.
- Magazines provide a way to explore areas beyond our personal experience. Think about it, would you rather learn something new by reading several pages of text in a book or by scanning and reading a picture-dense magazine?
- Magazines demystify complex and dense content by using callouts, speech bubbles, pull quotes, and other design devices.
- Magazines offer us a chance to be exposed to new forms of literature – short stories, poems, photo-essays, reviews, and non-fiction.
- Magazines are able to combine an informal tone with serious information.
- Magazines have images of children who are the age of the readers themselves, which create a sense this is about me.
- Magazines are more up-to-date than most books, including textbooks, and so can give more current information than a book that takes over a year to become published.
WHEN TO READ THEM?
- Read aloud time – there will be lots to read, discuss, predict (What do you think this picture is about?)
- On car trips – consider having a rotating stack that is only for the car
- Waiting times (before the school bus comes, at the doctor’s office, before dinner…)
- During homework breaks
- At breakfast and snack times
- While the TV is on – kids are often better at multi-tasking than we are
- During computer time – many magazines also have an online component
WHICH MAGAZINES?
- Start with current passions (bikes, animals, mummies…)
- Expand into less passionate interests
- Consider some adult magazines. You can look at them together and read the captions and some excerpts from the articles.
- Go to the library and browse – most libraries let you check out magazines that are not the most current ones. This is a great way to see what you like before committing to a subscription.
I hope I’ve convinced you that magazines are a great literacy resource. In the next couple Monday book posts, I’ll give some suggestions for magazines to consider. Already found some magazines you like? Please write them in the Comments Box!
Gail
Monday, March 5, 2012
Top Magazines for Kids: Part 1
Top Magazines for Kids: Part 1
I’m a big fan of magazines. Magazines are great at giving information and ideas in fun and entertaining ways. They have bold headings, outstanding pictures, funny stuff and you can just read what interests you. What’s not to like?
There are a ton of magazines for kids. To decide on which ones to suggest, I went to several resources for recommendations. This week I’ll tell you about 15 magazines and next week I’ll tell you about 15 more.
I give the suggested age group for each magazine. However, I wouldn’t stick too closely to the suggestions – if a magazine interests you, check it out. It might be just what you’d like.
American Girl is designed to celebrate the achievements and foster the creativity of girls, ages 8-12. It is filled with craft projects, games, girl-to-girl advice and more. The website features a variety of fun activities.
Appleseeds is geared to children ages 7-9. Each issue has a theme and covers the history and cultures of people and places both far away and near. Recent topics: the Vikings, the Civil War and Ghost Stories. The issues include articles, interviews, photographs and activities.
Ask features puzzles, riddles, cartoons, articles and more. It invites readers ages 6-9 to explore the world's greatest artists, inventors and other thinkers.
Babybug is designed for children 6 months to 2 years old. Ths boardbook magazine contains colorful pictures, short stories and rhymes to engage listeners and encourage children to try reading.
This is the official magazine of the Boy Scouts of America. It’s for boys from 7 to 14 and includes news, nature, sports, science, and comics. The website includes a section where you can download the plans for making various projects, such as stilts or a telegraph.
Geared toward elementary-age boys, Boys’ Quest includes stories, poems, crafts and other educational activities.
This magazine is designed to help readers between the ages of 9-15 understand how historical events intertwine. Each issue of Calliope is devoted to one theme in world history. The website lists current and upcoming themes and links to theme-related websites and others of interest to children.
Chickadee is filled with puzzles, games, pictures and activities of interest to children between the ages of 5 and 9. It features photos and stories emphasizing funny, unusual and true information about animals and people.
Chirp The See and Do, Laugh and Learn Magazine
Chirp is recommended for children ages 6-9. It features short stories, jokes, puzzles and other games. The website also features activities for young children.
Click is a magazine for ages 3-7 from the publishers of Cricket and Smithsonian Magazine. It includes articles, stories, cartoons, activities and more to help introduce young people to the world around them.
Cricket features children's stories, poems, articles, songs, crafts and jokes for children ages 8-12. Contributors are often internationally known authors and illustrators.
Dig is produced in cooperation with the Archaeological Institute of America. It brings the excitement of archaeology and other earth sciences to readers, ages 9-14. Each issue focuses on a theme and contains information and activities, colorful graphics and photos to promote a broad understanding of the featured topic.
Discovery Girls is created by girls for girls, ages 8-12. It includes articles on a variety of topics, from fashion to technology. Every other month, the magazine editors travel to a different part of the country to involve a new 12-girl panel in the creation of the magazine.
This is a magazine for parents with children ages 3-12. It’s an idea book for things families can do together. It offers creative activities, party plans, family travel, and learning projects.
Faces is geared for children ages 9-14. It provides historical information about places in the news, colorful photos, maps and activities to help young people increase their knowledge of world cultures.
These are some of the resources I used.
I hope these suggestions help you find some magazines you enjoy. Check back next week for some more. Also, your school and town librarians may have more ideas. Your perfect magazine is out there!
Gail
Friday, March 2, 2012
A Bunch of Jokes for Spring
I’m always eager for Spring and even though it’s not quite Spring yet, I figure you can never go wrong with jokes, early, late or on time. Not all today’s jokes are about Spring – some of them I added just because I like them!
Q. What season is it when you are on a trampoline?
Spring-time!
Q. When do monkeys fall from the sky?
During Ape-ril showers!
Q. Can February March?
No, but April May!
Q. What flowers grow on faces?
Tulips (Two-lips)!
Q. Why is the letter A like a flower?
A bee (B) comes after it!
Q. What’s the best day of the year to monkey around with your friends?
Ape-ril Fool’s Day, of course.
Q. Can February March?
No — but April May!
Q. What spring flowers can be found on people’s faces?
Two lips (tulips).
Q. Why is spring a great season to start a gardening business?
Because it’s the season when you can really “rake” in the cash!
Q. What did the big flower say to the little one?
You’re really growing, bud!
Q. How is the letter A like a spring flower?
Both of them are followed by bees (B’s)!
Q. What is a spring chick after it is five months old?
Six months old.
Q. What did the big flower say to the small flower?
What's up Bud?
Q. How can you tell where a bear lives?
Look for his Denmark (den mark).
Q. How can you tune into the sun?
Use a sundial.
Q. How do rabbits keep their fur neat?
They use a harebrush (hairbrush).
Q. How do you know that bees are happy?
Because they hum while they work.
Q. If a farmer raises wheat in dry weather, what does he raise in wet weather?
An umbrella.
Q. If a rooster laid a brown egg and a white egg, what kind of chicks would hatch?
None. Roosters don't lay eggs.
Q. What did one firefly say to the other firefly when his light went out?
“Give me a push. My battery is dead." [I love this one]
Q. What did one toad say to the other toad?
"One more game of leapfrog and I'll croak."
Q. What did the mother worm say to the little worm who was late?
"Where in earth have you been?"
Q. What do you get if you cross a skunk and a bee?
An animal that stinks as it stings.
Q. What do you get when you cross a four leaf clover and poison ivy?
A rash of good luck
Q. What did the dirt say to the rain?
If this keeps up, my name will be mud.
Q. Why did the bird go to the hospital?
It needed tweetment!
Q. Why is everyone so tired on April 1st?
Because they just finished a long 31-day March!
I found the jokes at these sites.
2020 This site also has advice for telling jokes.
Do you have more Spring jokes? Write them in the Comments box!
Gail
Wednesday is World Read Aloud Day. It is sponsored by LitWorld, an organization that strives to unite literacy efforts across the world. I hope you'll check out the site and find a way to be involved. Great fun!
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