Vaughan Literacy Links

Vaughan's "Rocking Readers"
Literacy Information and Links

"Rocking Reader" Information Q & A

At Vaughan Elementary, each student will be participating in a school-wide reading campaign. Although we had a campaign last year, PTSA, teachers and administration worked together over the summer to re-vamp what we had and made it better in many respects but keeping the goal the same: We want to challenge Vaughan students to excel in reading. We want our kids excited about reading! How will we do it this year? Below are some Q & A's summarizing what will be going on at Vaughan during the school year with our theme, "Reading Rocks," including school-wide challenges, events that promote reading, and much more! Read to find out about our exciting challenge!

Q. Why does Vaughan have a reading challenge?
A. Our state standards require that children in all grade levels do the following:

K-5 Standards - (paraphrased)
*Read and listen to a variety of texts for information and pleasure.
* Recognize, discuss, and comprehend a variety of genres.

Q. How will the “Reading Rocks” program help my child meet these standards?
A. Each month a new reading genre will be introduced. Each grade level has decided as a team when to teach each genre to make the study fit each grade level’s curriculum better. Ask your child’s teacher about their grade level’s genre study schedule. The genres to be studied this year are:

Realistic Fiction

Informational Book

Biography

Autobiography

Fantasy

Folktale

Legend

Fairy Tale

Historical Fiction

Science Fiction

Play

Mystery

Poetry

GENRE DESCRIPTIONS

Realistic Fiction - A story using made-up characters that takes place in modern times

Informational Books - Texts that give us information about history, science, language, or other subjects

Biography - The story of a real person's life that is written by another person

Autobiography - The story of a real person's life that is written by that person

Fantasy - A story with elements that are impossible like talking animals or magical powers

Folktale - A story, often with a message, that was initially passed on by word of mouth (Fairy tales and legends can be read with this genre.)

Historical Fiction - A fictional story with real and invented characters that takes place during a historical time

Science Fiction - A story that blends futuristic technology with scientific fact & fiction

Play - A story for stage performance by actors

Mystery - A suspenseful story about a puzzling event that is not solved until the end of the story

Poetry - An arrangement of words, a rhythmical composition, sometimes rhymed, in a style more imaginative than ordinary speech

All staff members will support and encourage the students to read books from all of the genres. There will also be ways for the students to get involved in sharing the books that they have read through book recommendations and on the school's morning news program.

Q. When will the reading challenge begin?
A. The official start date is August 11th.

Q. What are the requirements/goals for this reading challenge in each grade level?
A. All grade levels will use a reading log to keep up with reading, and it will need to be initialed by parents or guardians weekly.

Kindergarten students will be encouraged to read 30 minutes a week.
First grade students will be encouraged to read 45 minutes a week.
Second grade students will be encouraged to read 60 minutes a week.

Because of different requirements, Third, Fourth and Fifth grade students will be required to keep up with the number of pages they read weekly.
The goal for 3^rd graders is to read 225 pages in nine weeks or 25 pages a week.
The goal for 4^th graders is to read 450 pages in nine weeks or 50 pages a week.
The goal for 5^th graders is to read 750 pages in nine weeks or approximately 83 pages a week.

* Fourth and fifth graders will also be required to write down the title, author, and genre of each book they complete as they work towards the goal of reading 25 books during the school year. A book equivalent will be 125 pages for 5^th grade and 75 pages for 4^th grade. This part of the challenge is also a state standard:
The student consistently reads at least twenty-five books or book equivalents (approximately 1,000,000 words) each year. The quality and complexity of the materials to be read are illustrated in the sample reading list. The materials should include traditional and contemporary literature (both fiction and non-fiction), as well as magazines, newspapers, textbooks, and electronic material. Such reading should represent a diverse collection of material from at least three different literary forms and from at least five different writers.

Q. How can I keep up with what is going on with the Rocks program at ?
A. There is a "Reading Rocks" link on the Vaughan website. Here you will find news about upcoming reading events at the school, get tips on how to help your child with reading, find book recommendations, and more. It is sure to be a helpful tool and will answer any questions you might have about the reading challenge.

Q. How can I get involved?
A. Each classroom will need a “’Rocking Reading Parent” to help the teacher keep track of each child’s progress and to promote reading in the classroom. Volunteer to help out in that way!

Q. What can I do to be involved and to help my child with this initiative?
A. Read, read, read, with your child. Finally, please help your child keep up with his or her reading log, and make sure to initial it each week. Staying on top of the reading requirements at home will help make this program successful!

Q. Who can I contact if I still have questions?
A. For K-2, Amy Monday, a parent volunteer, will be in charge: ami.monday@yahoo.com
      For 3-5, Teresa Hawkins, a parent volunteer, will be in charge: tjhawkins@yahoo.com
      Carianne Good and Alice Hiegel are faculty members in charge of the program:
       Carianne.Good@cobbk12.org and Alice.Hiegel@cobbk12.org .

Remember, Reading Rocks at Vaughan Elementary!

P.A.L.S. Information

P.A.L.S. is a PTSA committee that functions as a partnership between professional staff and parent volunteers.

P.A.L.S. is a program that provides tutoring for students in reading and literacy. It offers help and guidance with important test taking skills that the students will need. It is a caring group that offers one-on-one guided instruction with students using reading resources from the school's own resource center.

P.A.L.S. needs you! P.A.L.S. is looking for volunteers so that as many students as possible get the help they need. Because you work in teams, the commitment is just a little bit of your time - a couple of morning each week. The reward is great!

Anyone can be a volunteer! So please contact the Kathy Snell at thsnell@bellsouth.net for more information on the program and how YOU can become involved!

Book Fairs

November 10-13 and March 23-26

Need Ideas to Use at Home?

Literacy Website Links


Great Site for comprehension quizzes similar to Accelerated Reader!!
  http://www.bookadventure.com


A wealth of ideas to motivate readers. Reading Is Fundamental!
  http://www.rif.org/parents/


Fun and silly poems for kids
  http://www.gigglepoetry.com/


More fun poetry
  http://sunniebunniezz.com/poetry/poetpage.htm


Even MORE poems!
  http://www.gigglepoetry.com/


MORE POEMS!
  http://sunniebunniezz.com/poetry/poetpage.htm


This site has it all - reading ideas, book lists and books to buy!
  http://www.scholastic.com


Authors and Illustrators on the web.
  http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/authors.html


Poetry Games for kids- great for the genre study of poetry!
  http://www.poetry4kids.com/games


This site lets your child read sight words aloud and then check themselves by clicking on them 
to hear the computer read them aloud. A great way to let a child practice during those busy times 
at home like when you are preparing dinner.
  http://www.quiz-tree.com/Sight-Words_main.html


This site has it all for Dolch sight words!!! You can print a practice book, 
print flash cards, and print games to play.
  http://www.theschoolbell.com/Links/Dolch/Contents.html


This site also has printable lists, but also has Power Point slide shows
 to help your child practice
  http://www.mrsperkins.com/dolch.htm


This site has great games! Be sure to check out the sight word games.
  http://www.gamequarium.com/readquarium/sightwords.html


Great informational site to correspond with this genre: Informational books.
  http://www.factmonster.com/


Another great informational site to correspond with this genre: 
Informational books.
  http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/


A great site to correspond with this genre: Biographies and Autobiographies.
  http://kids.learnoutloud.com/Kids-Catalog/Biography/Autobiography


Another great site to correspond with this: Biographies and Autobiographies.
  http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/hh/writeideas/articles/0,19900,634428,00.html

WARNING - The links above will take you to sites OUTSIDE of the Cobb County School District Web. 
These sites are provided as a resource ONLY and may not reflect the opinions or standards set by the 
Cobb Board of Education and the CCSD Administration. A link to any site should NOT be misconstrued 
as an endorsement of that site and CCSD is NOT responsible for any questionable or illicit content that 
may appear past this point. 

ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK. 

As always, children should be supervised when researching the Internet.

Kindergarten Book List

Click below for great titles to read at home with your kindergartener.
http://home.comcast.net/~ngiansante/kindergarten.html

WARNING - The link above will take you to a site OUTSIDE of the Cobb County School District Web.
This site is provided as a resource ONLY and may not reflect the opinions or standards set by the
Cobb Board of Education and the CCSD Administration. A link to any site should NOT be misconstrued
as an endorsement of that site and CCSD is NOT responsible for any questionable or illicit content that
may appear past this point.

ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK.

As always, children should be supervised when researching the Internet.

1st Grade Book List

Click below for great titles to read at home with your kindergartener.
http://home.comcast.net/~ngiansante/kindergarten.html

2nd Grade Book List

Click below for some great titles for your 2nd grader to read at home.
http://home.comcast.net/~ngiansante/gradetwo.html

3rd Grade Book List

Click below for some great titles for your 3rd grader to read at home.
http://home.comcast.net/~ngiansante/gradethree.html

4th Book List

Click below for some great titles for your 4th grader to read at home.
http://home.comcast.net/~ngiansante/gradefour.html

5th Grade Book List

Click below for some great titles for your 5th grader to read at home.
http://home.comcast.net/~ngiansante/gradefive.html

Multi Grade Book List

Follow these links for some great titles to read with your child at home!!

All grade levels

Lexile Leveled Books

Realistic Fiction Explained & Book Ideas

Realistic Fiction Titles