Welcome to Mrs. Ellison and Mrs. Schueler's Reading/Social Studies Page! We are looking forward to a great year of learning.  We will be learning many concepts that students are already familiar with in reading, but we’ll be taking them to a higher level! We’ll also be studying American History beginning with the time of the Native Americans through present day.  We will be sharing our expectations and procedures for reading and social studies with you.  If you have any questions about the information you see here or about things you see coming home from our classes, please do not hesitate to contact us!  We both know we’ll have fun exploring new characters, new stories, and new information through our readings together!

 READING/SOCIAL STUDIES

Reader’s Workshop

Students are engaged in a variety of reading experiences through reader’s workshop, which includes mini lessons on strategies/skills/topics, reading partnerships, guided reading, books clubs, and independent reading.  Students are building their knowledge on skills and strategies that will help them become stronger readers.  Students have many opportunities to discuss, comprehend, and respond to their reading through reading partnerships, guided reading, book clubs and independent reading.  Students will keep track of all of their experiences using a Reader’s Notebook.

Reader’s Notebook and Reading Folder

As mentioned above, your child will keep track of reading experiences using a Reader’s Notebook which will be kept in class.  One important section of this notebook will be where each student keeps their reading response letters.  These letters will be due according a schedule posted in class, and students will be reminded about their due date in the planner as well.  These letters are an opportunity to share their thoughts on what they are reading and will help us as teachers assess the strength and complexity of their understanding.  Students may bring these letters home to work on them prior to their due date.

Students will also have a reading folder, which will house independent reading texts and a reading log.  The reading log is a tool for students to keep track of all the reading they do throughout the year.  It does not need to be signed by parents, but we encourage you to see how their reading is going by looking at the reading log with your child and talk to them about the books they’ve been reading. 

Social Studies

Our social studies curriculum is integrated into our reading instruction and experiences as much as possible, but there are times when direct instruction on social studies concepts is necessary.  Learning American History from the time of Native Americans to the present is quite a task, but students always enjoy learning and sharing their own knowledge about the history of our country. 

Assignments in Reading/Social Studies

Our goal is for students to read as much as possible and love the experience of reading!  In addition to the reading response letter, students will also have assignments related to skills, strategies, and concepts that are learned during classroom instruction.  These assignments will not necessarily occur on a weekly basis, so please check your child’s planner each day to make sure you know what assignments they are responsible for.  Assignments may be something that can be completed in one day or may take several days to complete, depending on the skills, strategies and/or concepts being assessed. Please don’t hesitate to contact us any time you have questions.

We are looking forward to a great year!!!