Spark Student Motivation: Reading Letter freebie

I am linking up with my super sweet friend, Joanne, at Head Over Heels for Teaching with a quick student motivation tip.  I have been all out of sorts this week because my six year old missed school all week.  She was diagnosed with pneumonia on Thursday and has had a high fever since Sunday.  It has been a stressful week with my husband and I taking turns staying home and sub plans are always more difficult than just being at work.  

I was working on a letter to send home to parents today regarding my students recent STAR assessment which coordinates with Accelerated Reader program and I thought this would be great to linkup with Joanne.  Our school uses the STAR assessment for benchmark scores in ELA and math.  I am using the STAR assessment to set individual goals for AR points per quarter for each student.  You can read more about my motivational strategies for promoting independent reading in my classroom here and here.  I believe that a key component of promoting a successful reading program is frequent accountability and communication with parents regarding classroom expectations.  The letter I will be sending home on Monday describes my plans for using the STAR assessment to make an individualized goal for each student and then includes space at the bottom for me to write the AR point goal for the quarter, students' points earned to date, and the percentage of the goal reached to date.

 I added this handout to my facebook page as a FAN FREEBIE.  The text is completely EDITABLE but the background is not due to copyright.  I noticed that the text doesn't line up quite right when I view it in Dropbox, but after it is downloaded, it lines up on my computer.  If the text doesn't line up for you, it is editable anyway.  

Maybe this template will spark an idea for a way to track your students' reading even if your school doesn't use AR.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend! :)

Sparking Student Motivation {Reading Goals}

Can you hear that?  It is the sound of reality settling in!!  This is my last weekend of summer before it is officially back to school time:(  Even with the disappointment of summer coming to an end, this is still my favorite time of the year overall!  I love fall weather, football, the "newness" of a new school year, and I love, LOVE schedules!  I function so much better on a schedule! After about three weeks on summer vacation, I am so ready to be back on a regular routine. :)

Today I am linking up with my dear friend, Joanne, at Head Over Heels for Teaching for her Sparking Student Motivation Saturdays!

Two weeks ago, I blogged about using Accelerated Reader (AR) to track students' points and individual goals to provide motivation for independent reading.  You can see that post here.  There was a lot of great dialogue and I had some amazing pointers from Alison at Rockin' and Lovin' Learnin' and Jennifer at Mrs. Laffin's Laughings especially! Thank you ladies for taking the time to share your thoughts and suggestions.  This is just another example of I love the blogging community!

With my owl theme, I asked readers to comment on some catchy phrases for an owl themed classroom display for AR point goals.  I had some awesome suggestions and have been working in my room this past week getting things ready (students start September 5th!).  I can basically devote my whole room to ELA this year since I am teaching three 80 minute blocks of 4th grade ELA, so I decided to use two areas of the classroom to display independent reading successes for motivation.  The first area is the "owl tree".  I bought this tree online because I just am not crafty enough to make my own tree!  

I cannot draw or create life like displays to save my life.  I do like how it looks in the space though and really adds to the cozy feel of my library.  I took a variation of Stephanie's (from Polka Dot Palace) suggestions for an owl themed title.  Thank you Stephanie!  Here is the tree displayed in my room. :)  The little blue slice at the bottom of the tree is the top of a "husband pillow".  The letters for these displays were cut on my Cricut.  I used the "Ashlyn" cartridge (Base Shadow setting at 3.5"). 

The tree has little owls placed in spaces going up the tree at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of goal met (each owl is larger than the previous one).  Here is a closeup of the 100% owl:

I am going to use the points goal set by AR for each individual student and place these little owls with student names on them as they reach each percentage of their goal (based on the STAR test) for the quarter.  These little owl tags are just a couple inches high and will be "flying" around the tree in the space for the % of goal met.  I plan to also let students set their own goal (suggested by a reader) because I think most students can exceed the AR goal set by STAR.

Our tech guy set up the individual quarters in AR per my request because last year only the full school year was set.  I am so excited to see how this motivational strategy works out!

I also set up this display as a number of books read "club".  

There is space for 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 books read to start.  If students start to exceed 60 (I will encourage them to do so!), then I will add more "clubs".  I am only allowing chapter books read (at the students' individual levels)  to count toward the totals and will add student names to the papers somehow as they move through the clubs.  Don't you love the title for this area?  This suggestion came from Joanne herself (your host of this linky)!!  I am thinking about using Fridays to update our clubs since they are pretty high up (close to the ceiling) and then have some kind of class celebration complete with "Hoot Hoots" for each new name added!!  Doesn't that sound fun?

I will be updating readers throughout the year about how these areas are working in my classes.  I am optimistic about these motivational displays!  My room isn't quite ready to share completely, but I will be posting more pictures in the next week. :)  Did you see a glimpse of my owl book bin labels?  They are on sale at 20% in my TPT store now through Labor Day for those of you still getting your classroom ready!  I have four other designs available on sale too including Bright Chevron, Bright Polka Dots, Zebra Print, and Superhero theme!  The Owl "CAFE" letters are a freebie in my store.

Check back at Head Over Heels for Teaching for some more motivational strategies!

Also, stop over and checkout the amazing giveaway (Day 1) by Fifth in the Middle and Where the Wild Things Learn!

Spark Motivation Saturdays (AR Tracking)!!

Happy Saturday everyone!  I am linking up with my beautiful friend, Joanne, at Head Over Heels for Teaching for her Spark Student Motivation Saturdays linky! 

 My post today is about a strategy I just learned about when using the Accelerated Reader program.  I read this post by the fabulous Jennifer at Mrs. Laffin's Laughings where she blogged about how she uses AR and the STAR assessment (my school also uses both of these) to give each student a point goal for each quarter based on their ability (determined by the STAR reading test).  She has a super cute race car chart where they move their car up as they earn more of a percentage of their goal.  This idea really started me thinking about my reading goals for next year.

For the past two years, our 4th grade team had switched groups for ELA and we grouped them by ability.  There were three groups (high/average, average/below average, and well below average).  We really liked how this worked for the lowest and highest groups especially.  We kept the low group numbers as small as possible (10-13 in a class) with a reading specialist who pushed in for additional support and the top group was really challenged to move at a faster pace.  We never had a reading specialist push in during the 4th grade ELA block when we didn't switch groups and the admin told us that we could have support if the struggling students were in one class.  So, we changed that (I don't know if they thought we would do it!).  When you have a class of 20 and there are at least four students reading at a 1st grade level with no extra reading specialist support (or teacher assistant...anything!), those students suffer, or on the flip side, you focus much of your energies on the low and the top don't get the attention they deserve.  You know the story...all teachers can relate to that cycle!

So, I taught the top group for two years and my reading requirement for these students was to read four books a month.  I had 23 students in my class last year (some were truly "high" but most were closer to "average") and in September about half the class is always really overwhelmed by this FOUR book requirement! You want us to do what??  After reading the Book Whisperer last summer, it verified that this was not too lofty of a goal, especially for the top readers. 

 I always start the year letting them choose just about any chapter books they want to read even though they are all technically reading at the 4th grade level.  If they WANT to read Junie B. Jones, Magic Tree House, Nate the Great, etc., I don't care!  As long as they are reading, it can be a chapter book of their choice.  Once December rolls around (we start school in September), the students have to read AT LEAST 3.5 AR level books for their 4 books a month and in March it is bumped up to at least a 4.0 level to count.  I conference throughout the year with students and encourage some to challenge themselves if they are "stuck" on a certain level and are more capable.  They get a printed AR report each month with their top four scores circled for the month.  It is important to provide some type of tracking system to keep students motivated.  Most of them love getting these reports to take home and show their parents!  Within a few months, the students are always amazed that most of them are reading MORE than four books a month!  Also, for those students who read larger chapter books, I always counted books that were more than about 250 pages as "TWO" books for the month but they never counted for more than two, no matter how long they were.  

With that being said, now we are changing our 4th grade schedule and moving to departmentalization.   I will be teaching ALL the ELA and keep wondering if the four book a month goal is too much to ask for all my struggling readers?  Then, I saw how Jennifer uses AR to customize their goal by points and thought, "Bingo!".  She sent me a link to this 148 page document with a TON of useful information about using AR in the classroom.  Um, why haven't I ever seen this before?  We have used AR at my school as long as I have been teaching there (14 years this fall!).  Even if you don't use AR, you should check out this document because it has many useful tips for any classroom!

Since I had never used AR to set a "goal" for points for the year, I was curious if my top readers met what would have been their goal last year.  Indulge me for a minute while I brag about my wonderful class last year! :)  Here are two screenshots (they wouldn't all fit on one screen) of their points and percentage of goal reached for the year:

As you can see, everyone except one student (94.3%) surpassed the goal AR set for them based on the STAR test.  The one student who didn't meet their goal also didn't pass the state exam.  It just goes to show you how important independent reading is!  I think it is the most important part of my program.

I also didn't know that students can check their progress toward their goal at anytime when they login.  It helps them take responsibility for their progress and is a great reinforcer of accomplishments!

Since I am seriously thinking about switching my student goal of four books a month to an AR points goal based on their STAR assessment, I would like to create an owl themed display to show their progress by percentage of the goal reached.  Jennifer used a race car theme and this is the picture of one that is suggested in the AR manual:

Do you have any thoughts on using a number of books per month goal (at student's reading level) versus an AR points goal per quarter (also based on student's level).  Also, I would like to use these cute owl mini cutouts (3" x 3") that I found on Amazon for $2.99 on a tracking display in the classroom for student motivation.  

I will write their names on the books.  

Also, do you have any suggestions for a cute "owl" themed title for the AR points display?

Thanks, friends!!

Be sure to check out the other link ups at Head Over Heels for Teaching today!  

Joanne has some super cute Welcome Back to School Coupons that she posted about!

Also, don't forget about the Back to School Sale at TPT starting tomorrow!  Yay!!  

You can check out ideas for wish listed items at this link up here or link up if you are a blogger!!

What is this Daily 5?

Seriously??  Am I that out of touch with reality?  I started my summer vacation just a little over two weeks ago and in that small amount of time, I have become immersed in the blogging world and reading about Daily 5.  Needless to say, I have ordered the books Daily 5 and Cafe and am now eagerly awaiting their arrival.  I heard the Daily 5 mentioned once this past year in conversation with a teacher from another district, but I had never heard of it and then never researched it further.  So now, I feel like I am really behind the eight ball!!

I will begin teaching my 13th year this fall, but have only been teaching ELA for four years in a self-contained fourth grade classroom.  The other eight years I taught 6th grade math and social studies.  Preparing for four subjects everyday in fourth grade has been quite overwhelming but I love how exciting my job is!  I just wish I felt better at it because these past two weeks I have felt quite inadequate.

I know I haven't received the books yet, but my number one question from reading information about Daily 5 is why does everyone has book bins?  I have encouraged my students to choose one chapter book to read at a time.  Sometimes we are also reading a novel in class and this is plenty for a fourth grader to be reading at a time.  I know I don't like to start more than one chapter book at a time if I am truly enjoying what I am reading.  We spend time discussing how to choose a chapter book and I have a few hundred in my classroom library marked with AR levels.  They are to take home this chapter book each night and bring it to back to school each day as they would with their homework folder.  I can't keep the books in my room because we started grouping for reading this past year and I have the top readers from the grade come to my room for ELA only 80 minutes each day (which is another whole topic of discussion in itself!).  The students need their free reading material for their regular homerooms during DEAR (drop everything and read) time since my students do not have AIS (academic intervention services).

So, I guess to sum it up, I have the following questions if any of the fellow bloggers would be willing to provide guidance and suggestions for.  Please be patient with me as I am a brand new blogger:)

1.  Do students bring their books home to read for minutes at night? (My students must do this and record the # of pages read on their reading calendar).

2.  Do students have a recommended number of books they must read each month or other time period? (My students must read 4 chapter books a month and score 70% or higher on AR (accelerated reader) books over 250 pages count for two books but for the top readers, the AR level must be 4.0 or higher beginning in November).

3.  How do teachers check for comprehension of books read?  (I use AR to check for comprehension).

Any help would be appreciated and I am very anxious to get started!  I am also trying to follow along with this book study.  It is wonderful!  THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!