News

Readability: About sixth grade level

Possible hard words: Proper names: Tierra Mccoy, Famous-Barr, Dillards, Applebees, Athlete’s Foot and FootAction, Chassidy Bell, Nicole Davis, Katie Lutas, Ed Carlstrom, Joel Smiley, Barb Easley
Other words: “shoppertainment”, underdeveloped, anchor stores, hip-hop-oriented, microphones, negotiations, challenges

BEFORE READING: Have the young readers read the list of eighteen names and words. Help with words where needed.  If the reader misses only three or fewer words, suggest that he or she read the article silently.  If the reader misses four to seven words, suggest that he or she read it aloud to you.  If the reader misses eight or more words, you volunteer to read the article aloud. Indicate in all instances that questions will be asked afterward.

DURING READING: For the reader who is silently reading, offer to help with words if asked.  For the reader reading the article aloud, supply words as needed to keep the reading fluent.  If you are reading the article aloud, model smooth and fluent oral reading.

AFTER READING: Use questions such as these to check understanding and encourage a discussion of the article.

1. How does the word “shoppertainment” fit the plan for the new mall?
2. Where is the new mall to be located?
3. Can you guess why the big stores are called “anchor” stores?
4. What did the kids think was the best part about the jail?
5. Can you offer some suggestions on what you would like to see in such a mall?

Sports

Readability: Above sixth grade level

Possible hard words: Proper names: Kate Seabaugh, Courtney Alvey, Jessi Rosehill, Erin McCartney
Other words: tournament, competition, consecutive

BEFORE READING: Point out that this is an article about middle school girls who play competitive basketball.  Take the young reader through the list of names and words, offering help where needed.  Then, ask him or her to read the article aloud.  Note that you will be asking questions afterward.

DURING READING: Supply any words needed to keep the reading fluent.

AFTER READING: Questions such as the following can be used to check understanding and stimulate a discussion of the article.

1. What is different about the St. Louis Crusaders team that sets it apart from most other teams?
2. About how often do these girls practice and play actual games?
3. Do you think height has much to do with the girls’ success? What makes you think so?
4. Are you interested in basketball?  Did you understand the terms “controlled overload defense,” “full court press,” “zone defense.” Explain them if you can.

Outdoors
 

Readability: sixth grade level

Possible hard words: Proper names: August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area, Greenwing, “The Puddler”, Monsanto Fund, Glen Chambers, Wild Bird Sanctuary
Other words participate, registration, retriever dogs, demonstrations, biologists

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read the list of names and words to familiarize himself or herself with the words coming up in the article.  Ask him or her to read the article aloud, assuring him or her that you will help with any hard words. Tell the young reader that questions will be asked after the reading.

DURING READING: Supply words as needed to keep the reading fluent.

AFTER READING: Ask questions such as these in order to stimulate a discussion and check for comprehension.

1. How far away is the Busch Conservation Area?
2. What are some of the free things you might get at the event?
3. What does a retriever dog do on hunting trips?
4. How many of the activities at the Wetlands for Kids can you name?

Books
 

“Grizzly Attack” is one of a series of books with the stated theme “Against the Odds”. It is a 149-page paperback published by Pocket Books, with a reported reading readability level of 5th grade.

The hero of the book is Tyler Duvall, a twelve-year-old from San Francisco. He has been allowed to fly alone to Anchorage, Alaska to visit his mother’s brother, Jake. Background facts include that Jake is a Viet Nam veteran who still suffers flashbacks from his combat experiences. He has chosen to live in an isolated spot in Alaska close to Denali National Park. The park is famous for it grizzly bears.

Jake has a soft heart.  He has taken in a couple of orphaned native Alaskan children.  Further complicating matters when Tyler arrives for his planned fishing vacation, is that his Uncle Jake is having gall bladder problems and is too ill to function.  So a pre-teen, expecting to have a carefree fishing vacation, is suddenly put in a position of extreme responsibility.  How Tyler, who is just a normal kid, deals with his natural fears and takes charge in this primitive and dangerous setting provides the theme of the story.
 

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An “Eye for an Eye” is a 168-page paperback published by Jamestown publishers.  The authors, Peter and Connie Roop, are a husband and wife team that has authored about 50 books for children.  Both the National Council for Social Studies (NCSS) as well as the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) have recognized their books as “outstanding.”

An ”Eye for an Eye”, subtitled “A Story of the Revolutionary War,” demonstrates that the authors know what appeals to kids in terms of story line.  Today’s pre-teen and early-teen-age girls can identify with Samantha, the free-spirited yet sensitive heroine. Readers quickly will become absorbed in an adventure story that has some basis in historical events. It is a “coming of age” book, but it does it without become overly “preachy.”
 

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“My Louisiana Sky” is author Kimberly Willis Holt’s first novel written for young readers. Published by Random House in paperback, the 200-page novel was picked as a Boston Globe-Horn Book honoree, when published in 1998.

The story is set in a small backwater town of Saitter (rhymes with tater) in 1950’s Louisiana when Elvis was just starting out and Earl Long was in one of his terms as governor.  The plot twist that makes the book unusual is the mental retardation of the 12-year-old heroine’s mother and father. Tiger Ann Parker is smart at school and a good athlete but she is at an age where the cruel remarks of the other girls in school have a bad affect on her. The sudden death of her grandmother, the one person who had kept Tiger’s family life relatively stable, was disastrous. 

Tiger is just a kid and it had never crossed her mind that she might have to assume the responsible person role that her grandmother had filled before her death. Tiger’s aunt, Dorie Kay, wants to take Tiger to Baton Rouge to live.  There in the big city she can finish school and go on to what looks to her like a glamorous life.  With some help from her aunt’s African American housekeeper, Tiger comes to realize, however, that the people and the life she really loves are right there in Saitter. She also realizes that she is more mature and capable than she had earlier thought herself to be.
 

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“Soccer Stars, On the Sidelines” is a 150-page paperback by Emily Costello. Published as A Skylark Book by Bantam Books in 1998, the reported grade level readability is 5th grade. The intended reader audience is that large group of middle grade girls who play on soccer teams. 

Fiona Fagan, the major character in the book, is a twelve-year-old who just wants to be like the other girls on her soccer team. She knows she isn’t the star on the team, but she also knows she is one of the better players. Her asthma and her need to take steps to control it have become a source of embarrassment to her. It is only when she focuses too much on what she believes other people think that she gets into real difficulty. 

There are some realistic lessons on perceived (or misperceived) peer pressure in the book. Writers like Emily Costello do a good job of weaving in some helpful guides to growing up while telling a story that young readers can relate to.
 

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Entertainment

Readability:  About sixth grade level

Possible hard words: Proper names: Emily Boyce, Neil Chapman, Clearview School, Crayola, Mattel-Intel, Sharon Seely, Blurt!, Patch, Dustin Ferree, Knex’s Ferris wheel, Alison Marchetto, Laycie Graves, Karen Smith
Other words: manufacturers, combination, digital microscope, exceptions, complicated, questionnaire, petri dishes, projected

BEFORE READING: There are 21 sets of names and words above in the possible hard words list.  Have the young reader read the list, helping out where any help appears needed.  It the reader miscalls no more than three, suggest that he or she read the article silently.  If four to eight words are missed, suggest that he or she read the article aloud to you.  If nine or more words are missed, offer to read the article aloud to the young reader.  In all cases, indicate questions will be asked after reading.

DURING READING: Before the child reads silently, indicate that you will supply any unknown words, if asked.  For the child reading aloud, supply unknown words fairly quickly as they are reading.  For the child listening to the article, model fluent and expressive oral reading.

AFTER READING: Use questions such as the following to check understanding and stimulate a discussion of the article.

1. What use is made of the toy testing results done by the students at Clearview School?
2. Why was the digital microscope better than the old-style one?
3. Describe the card game Blurt!
4. What happens to the toys after the kids test them?
5. Would you like to test toys in your school? Why or why not?

Earth

Readability: Sixth grade level

Possible hard words: Proper names: Brittany Davis, Kimesha Harper, Marquis Anderson, LaClede School, Maffit Cabbage Patch, Eunice Spratt, Kennitra Gray, Eric Ridgel
Other words: compost, fertilizer, fluorescent, motivators, associate 

BEFORE READING: This is a relatively easy article.  Have the young reader read the list of names and words, providing help where needed.  When finished, ask him or her to read the article aloud and be ready to answer questions afterward.

DURING READING: Provide words as needed to keep the reading fluent.

AFTER READING: Questions such as these can be used to check understanding and encourage discussion.

1. What are the kids using the little red worms to do for the school’s garden?
2. What is the main thing the kids put in the worm bed?
3. Where is the school garden?
4. What other things are used to make compost?
5. Have you had any gardening experience?  Describe.

Science

Readability:  About sixth grade level

Possible hard words: Proper names: McKinley Classical Junior Academy, XPRIZE Foundation, Becky Smith, Meramec Community College, Nicholas Moore, Clifford Sykes, Victoria Taylor, David Epperson
Other words: sub-orbital, reusable, consecutive, parachutes, pressurized, shishkabob, helicopter, reentry 

BEFORE READING: To check to see how well the young reader is likely to be able to fluently read the article, have him or her read the sixteen names and words from the list. If no more than three cause difficulty, suggest the reader read the article silently.  If four to seven are missed, have the reader read the article aloud to you.  If eight or more words are missed, you volunteer to read the article aloud.  Tell the young readers in every instance that question will be asked at the end of the reading.

DURING READING: Tell the child reading silently to ask for help with any unknown words.  For the child reading aloud, supply any unknown words immediately to keep the reading fluent. If you read aloud, model expressive and fluent reading.

AFTER READING: Questions such as those that follow can be used to promote discussion and check for comprehension.

1. What adult invention was the XPRESS Foundation offering a 10 million-dollar prize for?
2. What were the rockets built by kids in the project expected to do?
3. What were two problems with Becky Smith’s efforts to build a nose cone to slow her rocket’s return to earth?
4. What was Clifford Sykes thinking about using a shiskabob stick for?
5. Have you any ideas about rockets? Would you like to try launching one that you built?  Why or why not?

Games
 

Lifestyle

Readability: About sixth grade level

Possible hard words: Proper names: St. Paul Catholic School, Fenton, Genius in a Bottle, Kelsea Chumley, Rachel Green, Kenny Siebert, Amy Kohlberg, Heather Brocksmith; Brainy Bunch, Oak Brook School, Balwin; Creative Invention Convention, Conway School, Ladue; Arline Mickrent; Stinking Thinking Boys, Shenandoah Valley School, Chesterfield; Matt Dai, Lucas Klein, Bellefountaine Neighbors
Other words: creativity, competition, category, brainstormed

BEFORE READING: This article is heavy with proper names.  Have the young reader go through the list, providing help where needed.  Encourage him or her to read the article aloud and indicate that you will help out with any names or words. Tell the young reader questions will be asked afterward.

DURING READING: Supply names and words as needed to keep the reading fluent.

AFTER READING: Questions such as the following can be used to check understanding and to stimulate discussion of the article.

1. What was the plan of the Genius in a Bottle team?
2. What was the plan about the cost of running the Water Park?
3. What group won the “most creative” name category?
4. Based on places you have been to or seen, what would you propose as a possible creative entry in the contest?