Malden Public Schools Summer Reading Program for Students Entering Grades K-8
The more we read; the better readers we become. To encourage and reward students' reading, the Malden Public Schools sponsors a summer reading list, “Dream Big, Read” for all students entering grades K-8. Summer reading lists will be coming out to students during the last week of school on June 15th.
All students entering grades K-4 are required to read 30 minutes a day or at least 100 minutes every week. Students are asked to record their time on a reading calendar all summer long. Students should complete a written response about one book. The calendar log and written responses should be returned to your child’s teacher in August on the first day of school.
Students entering grades 4-8 are required to read three books over the summer. Students should list the books they have read. On the list, students should write the title and author of the books they have read. Students should complete a written response about one book. Lists and written responses should be returned to your child’s teacher in August on the first day of school.
Of course, we want students to read much more than the required number of books or minutes. Families can help their children learn to love reading. Schedule at least 15 minutes every day with your child to share reading together. Talk about what you are reading. Share stories and new ideas. Schedule a weekly trip to the Malden Public Library to find new books and participate in their summer reading program. Most importantly, have fun together reading, talking, and learning.
Watch also for summer readers on Malden Access Television all summer long.
Summer reading lists, calendar log, and written response forms are available on the Malden Public Schools website at http://www.malden.mec.edu/departments.cfm?subpage=823275
Our Malden Patch Blog is an effort of the Malden Public Schools Title I Program to outreach to parents and help strengthen home and school connections. Parents are encouraged to contact the Title I Family Coordinators, Pat Fish and Paul McCarthy, at pfish@malden.mec.edu or pmccarth@malden.mec.edu or 781-388-0663 for any assistance or questions.
Phe
9:40 am on Thursday, June 14, 2012
Am I reading this correctly that students who are exiting pre-school and entering Kindergarten are expected to read books on their own and write book reports under this program?
Pat Fish
5:58 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Hi Phe,
Students entering kindergarten should be read to each day and that will count as their reading time. Also, if they attend any story hours etc, that would count as reading time. For the book report, parents can ask their child about a favorite book and the child can draw a picture from the book or use their own "creative" writing to tell about the book. We just want children to be exposed to books and stories each day during the summer. We will be hosting an evening on August 9th at the Beebe School at 6 p.m. to celebrate summer reading. Please let me know if you have any questions and have a great summer! Pat Fish, Parent Coordinator, Title I, Malden Public Schools. 781-388-0663
Phe
7:09 am on Thursday, August 2, 2012
Thank you, Pat. As you can see, this was answered for me a few months back by the OP herself...
but we do read to our child every day; she's already learning to write in pre-school and they have story time each day there as well. She invents her own stories too and has been illustrating her own "books" lately.
Truth be told, we've read to her since infancy, every day. But the way that this OP read to me originally was that they'd be expected to comprehensively read on their own and then write about it, a misconception that the OP cleared up a while back. ;)
Gene Pinkham
9:48 am on Thursday, June 14, 2012
That's what it looks like. I couldn't imagine requiring my daughter to do a book report on The Shy Little Kitten. The first time I had to do a Book Report was 3rd Grade.
Phe
10:17 am on Thursday, June 14, 2012
I was thinking that too, Gene. I could read when I entered Kindergarten, but I was a freak of nature compared to the other kids in that respect - and I know I couldn't write. I'm just afraid now that my daughter may not be ready at age 5 1/2. Her pre-school is focusing on a lot of things, but preparing the students to read 30 minutes a day each day and then write at least one book report BEFORE entering Kindergarten is not something they've included in the cirriculum.
Margaret Adams
10:47 am on Thursday, June 14, 2012
Hello all,
We encourage parents to read to their children if they aren't reading. The kindergarten form asks the students to draw a picture of their favorite part of a book. Parents can then write a sentence about the picture.
Margaret Adams
Phe
10:53 am on Thursday, June 14, 2012
OK. Thank you so much for this clarification, Margaret. We've been doing this since infancy for our daughter (and I've just started reading her chapter books as opposed to just kid's picture books) so this makes complete sense now. :) Both her father and I are huge advocates of reading and reading to kids, but my heart sank when it appeared that she'd be expected to be reading prolifically enough by next summer to write a report! I'd love to think that could be the case, but...
Anyway, thanks again for the clarification.
Gene Pinkham
12:35 pm on Friday, June 15, 2012
The Golden Books I read with my daughter were the same books I had when I was little. They're an easy read. Then I had my daughter read Tom Sawyer one year when we were on vacation. She told me it was against the law for me to assign Home Work!
Oh, and then there's the Rheinhart System.................
rose shea
11:49 am on Saturday, June 16, 2012
My son just finished kindergarten. He could "read" when he entered and was not the only child. By reading, I mean word recognition and the ability to sound things out. He could make his way through Dr Suess and the Mo Willems books. They are full of two word pages. He always felt so good about himself when he finished. Now he's reading like a champ. I was truly amazed by the fast progress he made in kindergarten. I find him in his chair often just reading!! It's wonderful.