Jade Silva

As we prepare for our MAP reading test, let’s take some time to review our reading skills and things that we may have covered in the beginning of the year. These are some fun activities and games that I found, while browsing on the internet. Try some out and let us know how you like it. You may want to recommend the ones that taught you the most.

Reading skills 1

Reading skills 2

Think about this ‘ōlelo no‘eau, “E lawe i ke a‘o a mālama, a e ‘oi mau ka na‘auao.” It means, “He who takes his teachings and applies them, increases his knowledge.” Let’s see if we can follow this wise saying to evaluate what we have learned so far in school this year. Read the following paragraph, think DEEP, then write your mana‘o.

As we moved from our study of the ahupua‘a and Kamehameha Pai‘ea, then through the life of Liholiho ‘Iolani, we can see that our ancestors were faced with many changes. How did they proceed, while trying to hold on to the life they knew? What have we learned from them?

We’ve all read one of his books. You have all seen a video on this author. I have one more link to share with you and then I want to hear your thoughts about Andrew Clements. Read the questions below, then click on the link to visit one more site. Click around on the glogster to find out more about Mr. Clements. When you are done, please post your thoughts to these questions.

• What are some things that stand out about Andrew Clements?
• Thinking about his writing style and the books that he written, do you like him as an author or not?
• Do you think you will read any other books by him?
• As an author yourself, is there anything that you learned from Andrew Clements that you will incorporate or use in your own writing? Anything that is helpful to you as an author?

Check this out, click.

I love a good book. When it makes you feel like you are right there with the character, and you feel like you are part of the story, you can’t help but wonder how does the author do it. Andrew Clements is one of my favorite authors. Get to know him a little better by watching one of the video clips below.

Video 1

Video 2

They’re out! Animals are loose in the fourth grade pod! Can you find them? What are they? Just read the descriptive and factual writing on each one and enjoy the 3-Dimensional art piece created by the keiki. Mahalo to Mrs. Rosehill for her assistance in making our thinking become visible. While you can see some pictures here, the live show is much better! We welcome you to visit our gallery over the next two days. Please feel free to comment on any pieces on this post. Ho‘omaika‘i to the keiki of 4B! Great work! Check out these pictures!

Let’s continue to buzz about the books we are reading. This week we are not only going to summarize what we read, we are going to take a closer look at the “author’s craft” used in your book. Writing is a “craft,” which means that an author chooses just the right words or phrases to use at particular parts of the book. This “craft” is what makes us hold our breath, or laugh out loud, or sometimes even cry during a book. Authors use figurative language like similes and metaphors, or even personification to help us see images in our minds. They use juicy words rather than the same words over and over. This week you will need to look at your book with your “writer’s eyes.”

In your response, please include the following:
1. Title of the book you are reading. Include the page numbers read.
2. Summary of what you have read tonight.
3. An example of “author’s craft” in your reading. Be sure to use quotation marks to quote the author, and explain what you think it means. If you need more help in understanding what is “author’s craft,” click here.

Example:

Niuhi Shark Saga: One Boy, No Water p. 1-30
Zader is a young boy who is a little different from the other kids in his school and his neighborhood. Of course, there is a bully that picks on him and his friends all join in on teasing Zader. The strange thing is that there really is something different about Zader. This book is written using pidgin, which can be fun, but also challenging at times. One phrase that caught my eye as an author was, “Like hyenas they hunted as a team.” The author is trying to explain how Chad, the bully, and his friends prey on other students. When I think of hyenas, my first thought is of the movie, “The Lion King.” Those hyenas were a nasty bunch.

It’s been great reading your thoughts about your books. This week, lets try something a little different. Yes, we are still going to buzz about what we are reading, but I want you to add somethings to your responses. There are 4 parts.
1. What is the title?
2. Summarize what you have read today.
3. Pick one word from your reading that you found colorful, challenging, or confusing. Tell us the sentence in which it was used (don’t forget the quotation marks) and what do you know or what did you learn about this word. If you still have a question about it, type your question.
4. Respond to someone else’s buzz tonight.

Please enjoy some pictures from our makahiki on 11/16/12. Mahalo to Mrs. Lee and Kumu Crabbe for their continued efforts in providing opportunities for our keiki to practice their Hawaiian culture.