Suggested lesson plan for
"Four area kids have extra special turkey hunt"

Possible hard words:

Proper names: Governor Jay Nixon, Charlie and Jack Boschert, Chris Peyeur, Morgan Robb, Florissant, Warrenton, Tori McAfee, Bob Ziehmer, Colorado

Other words: invitation, rotunda, complimented, regulations, pheasant

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read the list of possible hard words. Provide help as needed but keep count of the number of items requiring assistance. If three or fewer require your help, have the child read the article silently. If four to six require help, have him or her read the article aloud to you. If seven or more require help, you offer to read the article aloud to the young reader. In all three instances note questions will be raised afterward.

DURING READING: For the silent reader offer to help with words if asked. For the one reading aloud supply troublesome words fairly promptly in order to keep the reading fluent. If you read aloud model fluent oral reading.

AFTER READING: Use questions such as the following to check comprehension and stimulate discussion.

Suggested lesson plan for
"Kid gets his chess lessons from Europe"

Possible hard words:

Proper names: Isaiah Gadson, Jefferson City, Europe, Pattonville Heights Middle School, Bollinger Memorial Meet, Wydown Middle School, Clayton, Sasa Jevtic, Serbia, Keturah, University of Texas - Dallas, University of Maryland - Baltimore

Other words: competitors, analytical, scholarships, eligibility

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read the list of possible hard words. Provide help as needed but keep count of the number of items requiring your assistance. If three or fewer require help, have the child read the article silently. If four to six require help, have him or her read the article aloud to you. If seven or more are problematic, you offer to read the article aloud. In all three instances, point out questions will be asked after the reading.

DURING READING: For the silent reader offer to help out with names and words if asked for help. For the one reading aloud, supply words fairly promptly that seem to be impairing reading fluency. If you read aloud, model fluent oral reading.

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

Suggested lesson plan for
"Kids find plenty of fun with horseshoes"

Possible hard words:

Proper names: Natalie Altis, Wentzville, Michael Bowman, Archie, Alan Francis, Liberty, Lauren Clifton, O'Fallon, Vlasis Park, Quail ridge Horseshoe Club, Festus

Other words: sophomore, opportunities, promote, international, facilities

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read the list of possible hard words. Keep count of the number of items requiring your assistance. If three or fewer require help, have the reader read the article silently. If four to six items require help, have the child read the article aloud to you. If seven or more require help, you offer to read the article aloud. In all three instances, point out questions will be asked after the reading.

DURING READING: For the silent reader offer to help out with any names or words if asked. For the one reading aloud, supply troublesome words promptly in order to keep the reading fluent. If you read aloud model fluent oral reading.

AFTER READING: Use questions such as the following to check comprehension and promote discussion of the article.

Suggested lesson plan for
"Area kids learn to save, manage money"

Possible hard words:

Proper names: Nathan, Jacob, Noah, Johanna, Mathew, and Lily Wollbrinck, Beaufort, MO, Andrew Bohnert, Frohna, MO, Thrivant Financial for Lutherans, Sam Boxdorfer, Waterloo, IL, Jordan Rolf, Sara and Cora Wallace

Other words: venue, seminar, formula, contributes, allowance, reasoned

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read the list of possible hard words. Provide help as needed, but keep count of the number of items requiring your help. If three or fewer require help, have the young reader read the article silently. If four to six items require help, have him or her read the article aloud to you. If seven or more are problems, you volunteer to read the article aloud. In all three instances point out questions will be raised after the reading.

DURING READING: For the silent reader offer to help with words if asked for help. For the one reading aloud provide any troublesome names or words fairly promptly in order to keep the reading fluent. If you read aloud model fluent oral reading.

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

Suggested lesson plan for
"Colored Easter eggs with an old-fashioned twist"

Possible hard words:

Proper names: Kanoa and Kalei Fujita, O'Fallon, Busch Conservation Area, Ellie Simms, Allison and Sophia Welter, Gladys Kullman, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Alaska

Other words: tumeric, ingredients, affiliated, artificial, tai kwon do

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read the list of possible hard words. Provide help as needed, but keep count of how many items require help. If three or fewer are problems, have the young reader read the article silently. If four to six items are problems, have him or her read the article aloud to you. If seven or more are problems, you offer to read the article aloud to the child. In all three cases, point out questions will be raised after the reading?

DURING READING: For the silent reader offer to help with words if asked for specific help. For the one reading aloud, supply any words or names promptly that appear to be interfering with fluency. Model oral reading fluency if you read aloud.

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

Suggested lesson plan for
"Walking school bus"

Possible hard words:

Proper names: Edgar Road School, Webster Groves, Noah Dent, John Blank, Mitchell Kelley, Cindy Mense, Trailnet, Missouri Department of Transportation

Other words: mascot, designated, triplet, trampoline, nutritious

BEFORE READING: In order to determine how difficult or how easy a young reader will find the article, have him or her read the list of possible hard words. Provide help as needed but keep count of the number of items requiring assistance. If no more than three require help, have the reader read the article silently. If four to six require help, have him or her read the article aloud to you. If seven or more items require help, you offer to read the article aloud. In all three instances, point out questions will be raised after the reading.

DURING READING: For the silent reader offer to help with any names or words if asked for help. For the one reading aloud supply troublesome words fairly promptly in order to keep the reading fluent. If you read aloud, model fluent oral reading.

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

Suggested lesson plan for
"Plan your own outdoor fun"

Possible hard words:

Proper names: Forest Park, Busch and Columbia Bottoms Conservation Areas, Missouri Department of Conservation, Mark Youngdahl Urban Conservation Area, August G. Beckemeier Conservation Area, Chesterfield, Allenton Access, Emmenegger Nature Park, Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area, Pelican Island Natural Area, Young Conservation Area, Jefferson County, LaBarque Creek, Mrs. Cadden

Other words: publicity, facilities, municipal, extensive

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read the list of possible hard words. Help out with names and words as needed, but keep count of the number of items requiring your assistance. If three or fewer require help, have the young reader read the article silently. If four to six require your help, have him or her read the article aloud to you. If seven or more require help, you offer to read the article aloud. In all three instances, point out questions will be asked after the reading.

DURING READING: For the silent reader offer to help with names and words if asked for help. For the one reading aloud, supply troublesome words promptly in order to keep the reading fluent. If you read aloud, model fluent oral reading.

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

This Month's Book Reviews

A western frontier adventure series for boys and girls

Gary Paulsen is one of the most popular of children's authors. One five title series of his begins with "Mr. Tucket," the story of a young teen-ager who, after being captured from a wagon train by Indians, is set free by a mountain man. The young boy from the east is turned into a replica of a mountain man himself, well able to cope with the western frontier of the 1840's. A "Publishers Weekly" review calls the book "…a real knock 'em, sock 'em ripsnorter guaranteed to keep any boy or any girl …enthralled from the first page to the last…" Like any good children's author, Paulsen manages to include some history background while holding young readers absorbed in an adventure story.

 

How different kids respond to the absence of a teacher
in their classroom

"Flying Solo" by Ralph Fletcher, as the title suggests, deals with the story of how a group of sixth grade kids respond to an unplanned absence of their teacher. Actually, the kids' decision to try to run their classroom on their own without a teacher being present works out pretty well. What the kids didn't account for was their own lack of understanding as to why certain kids behaved as they were likely to do. However, the reader is supplied with home background details that the characters themselves are unaware of for each other. One of the lessons for young readers may be to be less judgmental about their classmates. Of course, most young readers will find any story interesting in which "kids rule."

A humorous series for kids
featuring a schoolroom's pet hamster

Author Betty G. Birney has written a series of books about Humphrey, a pet hamster in an elementary school classroom. This unusually insightful hamster is not only capable of understanding human speech and describing all the assorted personalities in a classroom, but the little creature has taught himself to keep notes hidden in his cage. He even keeps his own dictionary with definitions of words he hears being used in the classroom. Of course, his misperceptions will keep a young reader in stitches. "Surprises according to Humphrey" is just one of four titles that have appeared thus far. This just might be the series that turns your child into an avid reader of novels.

Can competing in a contest for a world's record
help kids learn math?

Author Shelley Pearsall in her book "All of the Above" bases her fictional story set in Cleveland on an actual event that took place in California. Young readers can relate to the varied backgrounds of the middle school students featured in the book. Probably, many young readers can relate to the disinterest the kids in the story have in mathematics. Teachers can relate to the frustration that Mr. Collins, the math teacher, has in trying to motivate his class members to want to learn middle school mathematics. Surprisingly, the combined efforts of the frustrated teacher and the unmotivated kids makes for an interesting read.