Dear Parents, A magnificent school year is coming to a close and the summer is upon us. Research shows us that children who continue reading and writing through the summer build their literacy skills and come back stronger and better equipped for the following school year. Each child in current grades K-5 is expected to keep a notebook to be used for summer reading and writing. These notebooks were started by their teachers during the end of school. Each notebook has an assigned number of entries in their writer’s notebook and a number for their reading log. This will help you and your child know exactly how to continue this work throughout the summer. Blank composition books for all are available to be picked up at PS 174. Here is what you should be looking for: The Writer’s Notebook Children are expected to complete between 10 and 20 entries according to their grade level and writing ability The Reading Log Your child should be reading each day during the summer. Your child’s teacher will be looking at the reading log on the first day of school in September. Please encourage your child to write and read over the summer. If you travel, take the notebook with you and set aside time for your child to read and write. Please send a postcard to me over the summer! We look forward to our September display of postcards on the main bulletin board. The entire staff of PS 174 wishes you a wonderful summer, filled with good times, reading and writing! Sincerely, |
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To our Rising Fifth Graders! Happy Writing! We have experienced living the life of a writer each day of school. This should be continued throughout the summer. During the summer, your 5th grade teacher will be expecting you to keep a writers notebook and use the strategies and skills that you have learned. When you arrive in your new class, your teacher will view your notebook to learn about the kind of writer you have become. Be sure to include: - 15—20 summer entries, dated at the top of each page. Each entry should be a full page and can be written in any genre (book review, memoir, non-fiction, poems, fiction stories, etc.) - You will use this notebook the first week to publish your first 5th grade piece. - You and new class will celebrate your first pieces together. Have a Wonderful Summer & Happy Writing! |
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To our rising fourth graders Happy Writing! We have experienced living the life of a writer each day of school. This is to be continued over the summer. This summer, your teachers are expecting you to keep a writer’s notebook and use the strategies and skills that you have learned in 3rd grade. When you arrive in 4th your teacher will look at your notebook to learn about the kind of writer you are. Make sure you have: - At least 12 entries, each entry should have a date on the top of the page - Each entry should be one FULL page - Your entries can be: personal narrative, fiction, non-fiction, essay, poem, article, etc. - You will use your notebook to publish your 1st piece and celebrate with your new class the first week of school. When you are not sure what to write, check your list of “Where we get ideas for writing. Happy Writing! |
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This summer, you will be responsible for keeping a writers notebook. Your third grade teachers are collecting notebooks in September and to be ready, here are some ways to get started: Use pictures, photographs to decorate your notebook. Use the chart “List of Entries” and “Topics” to help you with your writing when you are unsure of what to write. Write 2 times every week to make sure you have at least 16 summer entries when you come back to school in September! Please put the date on the top of each entry Happy Writing!!!! |
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For the Reading Log, be sure to include: | |
Book Titles | |
The Date A short response — | |
Reading and writing is like breathing, eating, and sleeping. We need to do this every day. | |
Each time you read should be at least 30 minutes! | |
Children may re-read last summer’s entries and see how they have grown and matured as a student, as a writer and as a person.
Remembering and reflecting on the past is both enjoyable and invaluable!
Our teachers collect the books in September to “get to know” their new students and then put them away to look at, reread and write in again come June.
Decorate, use stickers, photos, postcards and tickets from events, shows and travel.
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Tips for Young Writers (Click here)
Sample Sentence Starters I began to think…. |
Ways to Start a Response About a Book: I wonder what this means? I would like to be friends with (character) because…. |