CHOOSING A BOOK When choosing a book for your child to read, it is important to find a book that they are interested in. It is also essential to find a book that is not too difficult.
5 Finger Rule For Choosing a Book Have your child choose a random page and start reading. Put a finger up for each word they don't know.
0-1 Words - Too Easy
1-2 Words - Perfect Choice
3-4 Words - Give it a Try
5+ Words - Too Hard
BOOK WALK Starting at the front cover, take a "walk" through the book, pointing out text features and asking questions along the way. Here are a few key "sights" to point out along the way:
The Cover Page: What is the title? Who is the author/illustrator?
Table of Contents: What are the chapter titles?
Text Pages: Point out challenging words and sound them out. Ask about meaning?
Picture Pages: Ask about what is happening in the pictures.
Back Cover: Read through the summary.
KNOW AND WONDER Let your child explore the book by looking at the front cover and scanning through the pages of the book. Then, have a conversation about what they know and wonder regarding the book.
KNOW: Ask your child what they know about the book. It could be the topic, characters, or author.
WONDER: Ask your child what they want to know more about. Maybe a picture or chapter title has peaked their curiosity and they want to know more. Maybe they have a question about something on the front cover.
PREDICTIONS After your child has had time to explore the book, let them make a prediction about what they think will happen. Here are a few ideas to focus on when making predictions:
REASONING: Encourage your child to explain why they made their prediction. They might base their predictions on pictures, chapter titles, or their prior knowledge on a subject.
EXPANDING: Encourage your child to make a detailed prediction. Ask them questions about characters, problems, and solutions.