Monday, November 16, 2009

What are all those star pins on the student's backpacks? AR STARS!

Accelerated Reader (AR) is a program to encourage reading by offering incentives to the children who reach a point goal as determined by their teachers. Children read a book (over 100,000 titles are in the system) and then take a computerized quiz to check comprehension. Points are awarded based on reading level and length of book. Students who reach their goals for the quarter receive the coveted AR Star pin and sometimes another prize.

The link for taking an AR quiz

Each student should have a user name and password. If not, contact your teacher.

• Children set quarterly goals based on their grade:

o 1st graders = 4 points per quarter

o 2nd graders = 8 points per quarter

o 3rd graders = 12 points per quarter

o 4th graders = 16 points per quarter

o 5th graders = 20 points per quarter

At the end of the year, the Twenty Times Club recognizes children who have earned 20 times their grade level in points in one quarter. The club members are presented with an AR t-shirt.

AR is an incentive to read, not a competition between students or classes. Unless they are reading independently, kindergarteners are not expected to participate in AR. The AR incentive committee is run by parents.

Come to the library and visit you child

Each week, your child goes to the Media Center. Here, he/she learns a new library skill, checks out books, hears a story or has quiet time to read one to him/herself. Parents are welcome to visit the library. Or volunteer to help in the Media Center during your child's library time. Mrs. Yamashev could use the help and your child will love seeing you.

Below is the schedule of library time for each class.

Ashauer Fridays 11-Noon
Bracken Mondays 12:10-1:00p
Bennet (3rd) Mondays 1:10-2:10p
Baughan Wednesdays 1:30-2:20p
Bennet (5th) Thursdays 9:50-10:50a
Callis Wednesdays 12:30-1:20p
Carpenter Wednesdays 2:30-3:20p
Charity Tuesdays 12:30-1:20p
Dunn Thursdays 11-Noon
Flanagan Thursdays 1:30-2:20p
Jones Thursdays 12:30-1:20p
Katz Tuesdays 1:30-2:20p
Kulp Tuesdays 11-Noon
Lindstrom Fridays 12:30-1:20p
Lombardi Fridays 1:30-2:20p
Lippman Fridays 2:30-3:20p
Mallory Thursdays 2:30-3:20p
Peaseley Mondays 10:30-11:30a
Starke Wednesdays 11a-Noon
Schwarz Fridays 9:50-10:50a
Via Tuesdays 2:30-3:20p
Vassar Mondays 9:30-10:30a

Ask Your Child About...

... how to paraphrase information from a book without copying it exactly (5th graders)

... the fun information found in an almanac (4th graders)

... simple machines and ancient Greece (3rd graders)

... the Library Centers where you can check out books, go on the computer, read silently and use Leapfrog (1st and 2nd graders)

... how to properly handle a library book (kindergarten)

Ask your child about what he/she learned this week in Mary Munford's Media Center