Dear Students,

This year, you and I will write letters to each other about, books, authors, and reading strategies that will help us learn together. This letter will help you learn more about reading and writing. When you write letters in your Readers Notebook, do your best work and share you best thinking. 

Every entry MUST have:

 

• Attached ThinkMark (sticky note on the top corner) with at least 5 Jot notes of ideas

• Written in Letter Format (Date, Greeting, Body, Conclusion)

• Content – minimum of 3 paragraphs (Summary, Reading Strategies, Conclusion)

 

Letter Content

 

• Paragraph 1 – Summary (including the title of the text and author) 

​                    --  A summary identifies the main ideas in the text and includes details that support the main idea

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• Paragraph 2 – Reading Strategies

                      -Describe what you did before, during, and after reading (how you activated your prior knowledge,                        made predictions, visualized and asked yourself questions). Give examples from the text.

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• Paragraph 3 – Conclusion

                     -- Write about connections you made to personal knowledge end experiences, to other familiar texts,                         and to the world around you.

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             Text to Self (Did something similar happen to you? What would you do in the same situation, and why?
             Text to Text- (Does something remind you of another book (characters, vocabulary, events, illustrations?
             Text to World – Does it remind you of something that happened in the news?

 

The content must include a summary, reading strategies, and connection; however, it may also include:

Inferences 
 

• Can you make assumptions about what is implied but not stated?

• What are the characters like? What are the reasons for a character’s actions?

• How do character’s feel? What is the mood the author is trying to create?H

 

Analysis 

• Explain how the author used different parts in the text to influence you. Think about the title, something that surprised you or that you found interesting, what you noticed about the character’s, such as what made them act as they did or how they changed.

 

Evaluations

• Can you draw conclusions about the purpose/strength of ideas in the text based on evidence?

• What is the authors purpose? Are the ideas being fairly present? Is there another viewpoint? Did you like or dislike the text and why?

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Write a letter to me every 2 weeks. The completed letter is due on the day indicated on the calendar. It is important that your letters are neat and easy to read so I can understand what you are thinking. Read through your letter to make sure that it says all you want it to say before you hand it in to me. 

When I read your letter, I will respond to your ideas with a few of my thoughts and/or questions. In order to fully reflect on our reading and expand your thoughts, you are expected to respond back to my comments before you begin a new letter. 

Eager to read your letter,
Ms. Walgate