Developing reading skills is a critical component of first grade that will ensure student success throughout the years. I would encourage you to spend 15-20 each evening, reading either to or with your student. Ask questions throughout the story and encourage your child to make connections with the text.
To prepare students for the Georgia Milestones tests that start in 3rd grade, our daily assignments strive to challenge students. We will be exploring different genres of text throughout the year to encourage students to become active readers. The Common Core asks students to read stories and literature, as well as more complex texts that provide facts and background knowledge in areas such as science and social studies. Students will be challenged and asked questions that push them to refer back to what they’ve read. This stresses critical-thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills that are required for success in college, career, and life*.
To encourage reading comprehension, here are some questions you can ask your child when reading:
1) What is the setting of the story? (Where and When- time of day, past/present/future/, time of year, day of week) Not all the questions can be answered with every story.
2) Who are the characters? The main characters?
3) What happened in the beginning of the story? The middle? The end?
4) What is the main idea?
5) What do you think will happen next? Why?
6) What is the problem?
7) If you could be one of the characters who would be and why?
8) If the story took place in ______, how would it be different? Why?
9) If this setting/character was taken out of the story, how would the story be different? Why?
10) If your family was in the story, what character would each member be? Why?
11) How would the story be different if it was set in the past/present/future? Why?