The students will be summarizing a fiction story on tomorrow's reading quiz. Here is a great strategy we've been using in reading to ensure we include the most important parts of a summary!

The students will also be applying their knowledge of plot vocabulary. Students can use the list below to help them study. Please note: ​theme and symbol will NOT be on the quiz!​

What is Biblionasium?
Starting today, students will be responsible for logging their reading on Biblionasium, an online platform that allows students to:

• keep a record of the books they've read/are reading on their online "bookshelf,"
• track their reading using the website's "Reading Log,"
• work towards their most recent reading challenge - The 1,000 Page Challenge, and 
• review books and recommend them to their classmates!

Today in LA, the students explored their personal Biblionasium page, uploaded books, and recorded the number of pages that they read today.

What is Biblionasium for?
All students are working to achieve the 1,000 Page Challenge by November 22nd, so they should be recording their reading in their logs daily, particularly Monday-Thursday, when they are assigned 20 minutes of JRB reading. I will be checking these logs weekly, and students are aware that they are responsible for logging their reading in order to receive homework credit. 

How do students log their reading?
Students can log their reading from a device at home, or they can use their iPads at school. I will not be able to designate time for logging every day, so I recommend talking to your child about establishing a good routine for logging their reading. Some possibilities we discussed today included:

• as soon as they're done reading
• before they go to bed (log everything you've read that day!
• when they first arrive at school/to the LA classroom and are waiting for others to unpack
• when we finish independent reading and they're waiting for instructions on next steps

Steps for logging reading:

• Go to https://www.biblionasium.com
• Username: First Name, Last Name (no spaces)
• Password: BridgePoint (no spaces)
• Select Reading Log on right hand side of page
• Select Add to Reading Log
• Select book you're currently reading from dropdown
• Enter pages read and minutes read
• Optional: jot down a quick summary of what you read!
• Note: number of minutes does NOT need to be precise - guesstimate! 

This year, we will be reading and annotating two books in Language Arts including Walk Two Moons, and Maniac Magee. It is helpful for the students to annotate what they are reading in their own personal copy, so if you are able, please purchase a copy of our first book for the year, Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, by Monday, September 18. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Half-Price books are all great places to look.  Here is a link to the book on Amazon: Walk Two Moons, Sharon Creech

If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out!

Starting this week, the students will be required to read 20 minutes of their "Just Right Book" (JRB) every Monday-Thursday night. Just like the story of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," a JRB is a book that is not too easy, not too hard, but JUST RIGHT! Students can determine if a book is just right by using the "Five Finger Rule," a strategy we've discussed in class. The figure below outlines this strategy. 

A JRB can include newspaper articles, online articles, non-fiction, short stories, magazines, reading on a kindle, etc. As much as I love them, I ask that students save their graphic novels for after they complete their 20 minutes of JRB reading. Just like runners have to slowly increase their speed  in order to achieve a faster lap around the track, readers benefit from challenging themselves a bit more each time they pick up a book. While graphic novels are incredibly enjoyable and entertaining, they don't always include the story elements that help readers grow, and I want to make sure we are all growing together! 
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We will be visiting the library every other Wednesday starting this week. Students should make sure they have their SMART Tag badges so that they can check out books. 

Looking forward to it!

We had an amazing first day together, with the added bonus of a solar eclipse - what a way to start of the school year! The students were able to watch a live feed of the event both in their classrooms and at lunch. 

Don't forget that tomorrow is Back to School from 7:40-8:40am. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow morning!

I can't wait to meet many of you at the Bobcat Welcome on August 18th!

Please do not forget your supplies. The 5th grade supply list can be found on BPE's website. The supply list can also be found under Helpful Information in the navigation bar at the top of the screen.