The school year has ended. It has been a wonderful year. The most important thing I do with (and for) children in my teaching is reading aloud. Chapter books are a favorite, an everyday staple. Here is the final newsletter I send to parents each year. They need to know how wonderful and important reading chapter books is for their children. I need to 'pass the torch' on to them.
Chapter Reading
June, 2024
Chapter reading is one of our treasured moments of the day. We bring to life the imagination, the world, and the past. The anticipation of 'what happens next' stirs excitement every day. Children listen and think. They ask questions. Ask your child, "At chapter reading where do you make the pictures?" You will hear your child say, "In your head."
When we finish a good book and then start a new one, emotions run high and low. The end of a good book is so satisfying and pleasant, yet…it is over. That is the wonderful roller coaster of reading. And, with each chapter book we read, we ride that roller coaster again and again.
We are close to finishing Little House in the Big Woods, and it is thrilling; from Christmas in the 1800's, to a dance at Grandpa's, to adventure stories of bears and panthers. We highly recommend reading aloud the next book in the series, Little House on the Prairie. Pa and his neighbor Mr. Scott dig a well, and learn about the bad gas deep inside the earth (Pa had to save Mr. Scott) that only a candle can detect. Laura and her family had fever 'n' ague (malaria), an illness that people thought came from eating watermelons. There was also fear of Indians, which is an opportunity for Gloria to discuss diversity and prejudice.
We added a new book to our chapter reading this year, The Wild Robot. It is simply wonderful, and the children know there is a sequel.
These are the chapter books we have read this year. Good books are meant to be read over and over again. We encourage you to revisit these wonderful books with your child:
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles
The Story of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Florence and Richard Atwater
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Wild Robot, by Peter Brown
The fundamental constant that gives children the tools to succeed in school is language. The more words that children hear, the better they will do in school. Reading aloud to children is far more than an enjoyable experience. It increases their language development! In kindergarten through grade four, the primary source of instruction is oral. The more words that a child has heard, the better s/he will understand the instruction, and the better s/he will perform in school, in all subjects. Therefore, we will always campaign to read aloud.
A wonderful guide to book recommendations and to understanding the importance of reading aloud is the million-copy bestseller book, The Read-Aloud Handbook. The author, Jim Trelease, visited the Aqua Room and GCS. We are featured in the seventh edition of the book.
Jennie
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