News
 
 

Readability:  Above 6th grade

Possible hard words: Proper names: Ashley Cooper, Adriana Love, JeanAnn Staley, Jackie Griffin, Bobby Gines Other words: provisional accreditation, magnifying, curator, classifications, 

BEFORE READING: Have the reader read the title of the article and discuss what it is likely to be about.  Anticipate what kinds of topics are likely to be covered.  Have the reader read the list of names and words above.  Performance on the isolated words will give some indication of how difficult the article may be for the reader.  Suggest the reader read the article aloud to you. Indicate you will help out with any hard words.  Point out that you want the reader to read the article as smoothly as possible, as if they were reading it before a big audience that was very much interested in the topic. 

DURING READING: Provide fairly quickly any words that cause hesitation, in order to keep the reading fluent.

AFTER READING: Use questions such as the following to promote a discussion of the article and/or to check for understanding or comprehension.

1. What is the main focus of the “new plan” to improve student learning and performance?
2. Give two or more features of the “MAP attack,”  beyond the heavy emphasis on writing in each of the subject areas.
3. Explain how the “MAP attack” improved scores in the Riverview Gardens School District between the 1999 school year and the 2000 school year.  (You may look back at the article to help you explain.) 
4. How do you feel about tests that the state requires you to take in school?  Do you think that the tests help make learning better for you?  Why or why not?

Readability:  Above 6th Grade

Possible hard words: Proper names: Jaunita Wyms, Eugene Jones, John Latimore, Juliana Luckett, Pat Harris, Gary Koeller Other words: provisional accreditation, technology, incorporate, categories

BEFORE READING: Point out that MAP stands for Missouri Achievement Placement, which are state-required tests that pupils now take in Missouri schools.  The article tells about kids in one school district and their experience with the MAP tests. Go over with the reader the words from the list above.  Help out with any that cause difficulty.  Ask the reader to read the article aloud to you and be prepared discuss it afterward.

DURING READING: Assist the reader with any words that may seem difficult for him or her.  Keep the reading as smooth and fluent as possible.

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

1. Why did state officials praise the Jennings school district? 
2. Describe some of the reading and writing practices that now take place in Jennings.  How do they compare with things you do in your school?
3. What are the four categories of MAP testing? 
4. Do you like tests where you have to write and explain your answer rather than choose the answer from four choices?  Why or why not?

Entertainment
 
 

Readability: Above 6th grade

Possible hard words:  Proper names: Cessna, Woodliff Air Park, Wentzville, Forestell, Creve Coeur  Other words: replica, subdivision, aviation, specialized, plywood, fiberglass, propeller, ultralight, workmanship

BEFORE READING: Look at the pictures with the reader.  Have the reader read the title aloud.  Predict what the article might have in it about the Baker family.  Have the reader read the words from the list of possible hard words.  Provide help if needed. Ask the reader to read the article aloud.  Tell him or her you will help with words if any cause problems. Tell the reader to be prepared to discuss the article after reading. 

DURING READING: Quickly pronounce any words that cause the reader to pause for more than five seconds.  Try to keep the reading smooth and fluent.

AFTER READING: Check for understanding or comprehension and promote some discussion of the article.  Use questions such as the following:
 

1. The family built two different models of a certain airplane.  What kind of plane was it?
2. What did they do with the replica models after they were built?
3. What does the brother, Michael, now own?  Where does he keep it?
4. Have you ever sat in the cockpit of an airplane? How do you feel about the Baker family’s hobby? 

Money

Readability:  Above sixth grade

Possible hard words: Proper names: Chelsea DeShetler, Rick Risley, Edward Jones Co., LaSalle Springs Middle School, Merrill Lynch and Co., Eureka Other words: investments, mutual fund, orthodontist

BEFORE READING: Have the reader read the names and words from the list above.  Help him or her with any words causing a problem.  Encourage the reader to read the article aloud to you, indicating that it will be discussed afterward. 

DURING READING: Help out with any troublesome words, if any.  Try to keep the reading as fluent as possible.  Note any places where the reader might be struggling with an idea or term being used in the article, so that you can help clarify it before the questions are used at the end of the reading.

AFTER READING: Discuss any terms or concepts that seemed unclear to the reader.  Then use questions such as the following to further check comprehension and to promote a discussion of the article.
 

1. What did the Wall Street Journal say was unique about this generation of kids?
2. Why did Chelsea want to invest her money and not just keep it in the bank?
3. What good luck has Chelsea just had in regard to her baby-sitting job?
4. Are you saving any money?  Have you put any of it in investments such as Chelsea has? Do you think investments are a good idea?  Why or why not?

Sports
 
 

Readability:  Above 6th

Possible hard words: Proper names: Joshua Holzhausen, Nick Mare, Kai Holderby, Jay Jenges Training Center, Westminster Christian Academy, Thomas Hill Reservoir, Kurt Kyser, August Busch Memorial Center, Keith Anderson, Sarah McDonald, Kermit, Skyler Other words: mandatory, skeet, handicapped-accessible

BEFORE READING: Explain that the state of Missouri required people who want to obtain permits to hunt have to receive some training on gun safety and safe hunting practices.  This article is about kids who want to obtain hunting permits.  Suggest that the reader read aloud the names and words from the list above. Out of the 15 names or words, if the reader has trouble with six or more, you should probably read the article to him or her.  If the reader misses four or five, ask him or her to read it aloud and you will help with any unknown words.  If the reader misses three or fewer, encourage them to read the article silently and be prepared to discuss it afterward. 

DURING READING: If you are reading it aloud, try to model smooth and expressive reading.  If the child is reading it aloud, offer help immediately if a word is causing a significant break in the reading.  For silent readers, offer to help with any words if asked to do so.

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

1. How long were the hunter safety classes and when did they tend to be scheduled?
2. What seems to be come of the purposes of the classes?
3. What are some of the options for hunters besides using a gun to shoot animals or birds?
4. Do you think you would like to hunt?   What kind would you prefer to do?

 
Books
 
 

Britney Spears’ Heart to Heart

Not all books we encourage our kids to read have to be award-winning literature. If you’ve checked the children’s shelves at bookstores recently, you will find plenty of books about the latest celebrity idols of pre-teens and teen-agers.  Many of them are “unauthorized” biographies, which are often exploitations of the featured celebrities as well as the fans that buy and read the books.

 One of the currently hot celebrities for young girls today is Britney Spears.  The paperback featured in this review is “Britney Spears’ Heart to Heart,” published by Three rivers Press and listed for $12.95.  Unlike many of these books, this one purports to be written by Britney Spears and her mother, Lynne Spears, with the assistance of a professional writer named Sheryl Berk. The written text tends to be pages alternating between Britney’s words and those of her mother.  Naturally, the book is filled with photographs, ranging from snapshots taken in childhood to publicity shots taken when Britney reached national prominence.

This combination biography/autobiography presents a picture of wholesome family life.  The teen idol tells a story in which she endorses a strong value system and expresses a high regard for the contributions made by her family to her success.  Regardless of what the truth may be behind the press agent-type prose, the book itself has nothing in it that any parent is likely to find objectionable. This book provides the dual advantage of motivating a young Britney Spear’s fan to read and providing material a cut above what is to be found on the magazine rack in the drugstore. 
 

101 Fun Facts about Kurt Warner

Some boys are threatened by big books that go on and on for page after page. It just seems like too much of a commitment for them to make.  “101 Fun Facts about Kurt Warner” is a tiny book and each page is complete in itself.  A reader can read all the “fun facts” in one short sitting or just read one or two and put the book aside until later. 

The tiny paperback contains just the kind of isolated facts that a boy would like to share when the grown-ups are talking about Kurt Warner’s unbelievable feats during the most recent Sunday afternoon Rams game.  It’s also the kind of booklet that fits easily into a pocket or school backpack and can be shared with playmates on the playground at school. 

A drawback to this publication is that it went to press before the 1999-2000 football season was completed.  So the statistics are incomplete.  It also misses the most “fun fact” of them all – that Kurt Warner led the Rams to a Super Bowl victory. 

Sure, “101 Fun Facts about Kurt Warner” is a publisher’s exploitation of a sports celebrity.  It certainly isn’t prize-winning children’s literature.  But if it motivates a boy to read and to share what he has read with others, it is an invaluable asset for a parent to just happen to leave around the house. 
 

Lewis and Clark for Kids

Sometimes when you want to see your kids read “serious” material that promotes their educational background, it’s best to take the direct approach.  “Lewis and Clark for Kids” is a book that helps you do just that – take the direct approach.  It is a 143-page paperback that appears to be a picture book, since it is large size and colorfully illustrated.  A closer look at the text shows it is almost a textbook that draws heavily on the journals of Lewis and Clark for its content. Most adults would find it interesting reading and filled with previously unknown details about one of the great events in American history. 

The book’s format and illustrations should make it attractive to middle grade kids who shy away from reading.  However, a struggling reader will need adult assistance in reading the text and emerging with a good understanding of what the author is trying to convey.  A major feature of the book is the inclusion of 21 hands-on activities that are meant to involve the young reader in the action and events described.  To obtain full value from the reading experience, some adult involvement is desirable and probably necessary. 

If your child is studying the Lewis and Clark era in social studies and some kind of outside project is expected as an assignment, this book could be a lifesaver. The book also would be a great addition to any 4th, 5th, or 6th grade classroom library.  Janis Herbert is the author of “Lewis and Clark for Kids.”  The publisher of the 2000 publication is Chicago Review Press and the price is $14.95. 
 
 

Watsons go to Birmingham – 1963

“The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963” is the first novel written by Christopher Paul Curtis, an African-American writer who had been an automobile factory worker in Flint, Michigan while going to college.  First published in 1995 in hardback, the book was issued in paperback form in 1997.  In the intervening years, it has garnered a long list of awards.  It was named as a 1996 Newbery Honor book, a 1996 Coretta Scott King Honor book, and as one of the American Library Association’s Top Ten Best Books, along with being the recipient of more than a dozen other book awards. 

The author’s second book, “Bud, Not Buddy,” which is still in hardback only, was the Newbery Award Winning book for Children, the year that it was published (Reviewed in the September issue of YoungSaintLouis.com).  Christopher Paul Curtis writes about the African-American experience in growing up in America.  He blends lots of humor, sensitivity, and matter-of-fact realism in his writing. 

Curtis’ ”The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963” departs in its ending from his usual realistic style.  On the face of it, there appears to be somewhat of a supernatural phenomenon occurring at the book’s dramatic conclusion. Kenny, the ten-year-old narrator, has a near death experience – he almost drowns.   Later, his younger sister is saved from the bombing at the church in Birmingham by a come-to-me gesture from a shadowy figure that she thinks is Kenny. However, Kenny was not present at the scene until much later. A helping adult needs to be alerted to the possibility that this one event can be interpreted in different ways, because kids will want to talk about it as they try to understand what it means.
 
 

Lifestyle
 

Readability:  sixth grade

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read the headline and the first two lines of the article.  If the reader has no problem with any of the words, suggest that he or she silently read the remainder of the article and be ready to discuss it afterward.  If the reader appears to have some problems with some of the words, suggest that he or she read the rest of it aloud and indicate that you will provide any words that are unknown.

DURING READING: If the reader is reading the article aloud, provide words whenever there is a pause of five or more seconds, in order to keep the reading smooth and fluent

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

1. What will be the purpose of the video and website that the students from Mrs. Green’s class are preparing?
2. Why is the video and website expected to provide a better learning experience than the way it was done in previous years?
3. Describe how the balloon is constructed.  What is the purpose of the charcoal furnaces?
4. What happens on the field trip that extends the students’ experience with balloons?
5. Does this experience sound like something you would like to do at your school?  Why or why not?

Health
 
 

Readability:  Above sixth grade

Possible hard words: Proper names: Meaghan Holley, Nicci Stecich, Lorenzo Romar, Rick Horton, Ronald Reagan, Enrique Camerena, Connie Otto Other words: enforcement, publicity, participate, symbol

BEFORE READING: Have the reader go over the words and names in the list above.  If he or she has trouble only with one or two, suggest he or she read the article silently and be prepared to discuss it.  If three or four words are missed, suggest he or she read the article aloud to you.  If as many as five words are missed, you read the article to the reader.

DURING READING: If the reader is reading the article silently, help with any words if asked for help.  If the reader is reading aloud, help immediately with any words that impair fluency.  If you read the article aloud, model fluent and expressive reading. 

AFTER READING: Use questions such as the following to promote discussion and/or to check for understanding or comprehension. 
 

1. What is the purpose of the Red Ribbon Rally?  How is this purpose accomplished?
2. How did the Red Ribbon Rally get its start?
3. What is the purpose of the tulips?
4. What are some of the other community service activities Meaghan and Nikki participated in?
5. Does you school have any community service projects?  If so, describe them.

Games
 
 

Kids' Profile
 

Readability:  About sixth grade

Possible hard words: Proper names: Shanelle Williams, Deborah Antoine, Lucia P. May,  Franz Schubert, Chanot violin Other words: academic scholarship, orchestra director, composer, investigations

BEFORE READING: Ask the young reader to read the title and explain what it means. Based on such a title, predict what information or facts the article is likely to contain. Have the reader read the names and words from the list above.  Provide help where needed.  If the reader reads all the names and words without any difficulty, encourage him or her to read the article silently and be prepared to discuss it when finished.  If the reader has significant difficulty with the word list, suggest that he or she read the article aloud to you and that you will help out with any unknown words or names.

DURING READING: Your objective is to provide help to keep the reading smooth and without significant pauses or lengthy interruptions, whether it is being read silently or aloud to you.

AFTER READING: Check the reader’s comprehension of the article and stimulate discussion by using questions such as the following.
 

1. What find led to Shanelle’s changing her musical instrument preference?
2. How did she get live performing and broadcast experience?
3. What did she say she wanted to do when grown-up?  How is she preparing for her goal?
4. What does she intend to do about her musical training when she grows up?
5. Do you play a musical instrument?  What would you choose to play, if you were to take lessons?  Why?