Independent Reading
7/8 Language Arts Independent Reading
One of the best ways to get better at reading is to read more – to read A LOT! My goal for you this year is for you to find books that carry you away, books that you lose yourself in, books that you love. A significant amount of time in language arts will be devoted to reading and writing about books that you choose to read – thriller, fantasy, sci-fi, historical fiction, realistic contemporary fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, etc… The decision is yours.
Being an avid reader has many benefits. Reading is good for our minds and hearts. We can learn new things, explore new ideas and emotions. See ourselves in someone else's story and know that we are not alone. Find inspiration for taking on challenges. Research has also shown that being an active reader also leads to: increased success in college, increased empathy for others, and even a longer life span.
What to read:
Any books you want to read. Genre is up to you. Graphic novels and graphic nonfiction are great. Books you loved in the past and want to reread are great. The classroom library, Springville’s library, and the local Washington County libraries are all fantastic resources.
Amount of time:
We will read almost every day in class for 20 minutes. I also ask that you read at least 100 minutes each week at home for homework. This averages out to 20 minutes of language arts homework every school night. You can divide up the minutes in a way that you enjoy and fits your schedule.
How to track your reading:
We will set up book lists in our language arts portfolios. I ask that you keep track of the books that you finish. This is useful in seeing your growth as a reader, and for choosing new goals and challenges. This is also a great resource for recommending books to friends. I see it as a photo album or scrapbook of past reads -- seeing the titles can remind you of the time that you spent with these books.
I also ask that you have a place for a "Next Reads" list, a list of books that you may be interested in reading in the future.
How will independent reading be graded:
Independent reading falls under the 7th and 8th grade learning target: I can demonstrate comprehension of grade level literary and informational text.
One of the best ways to get better at reading is to read more – to read A LOT! My goal for you this year is for you to find books that carry you away, books that you lose yourself in, books that you love. A significant amount of time in language arts will be devoted to reading and writing about books that you choose to read – thriller, fantasy, sci-fi, historical fiction, realistic contemporary fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, etc… The decision is yours.
Being an avid reader has many benefits. Reading is good for our minds and hearts. We can learn new things, explore new ideas and emotions. See ourselves in someone else's story and know that we are not alone. Find inspiration for taking on challenges. Research has also shown that being an active reader also leads to: increased success in college, increased empathy for others, and even a longer life span.
What to read:
Any books you want to read. Genre is up to you. Graphic novels and graphic nonfiction are great. Books you loved in the past and want to reread are great. The classroom library, Springville’s library, and the local Washington County libraries are all fantastic resources.
Amount of time:
We will read almost every day in class for 20 minutes. I also ask that you read at least 100 minutes each week at home for homework. This averages out to 20 minutes of language arts homework every school night. You can divide up the minutes in a way that you enjoy and fits your schedule.
How to track your reading:
We will set up book lists in our language arts portfolios. I ask that you keep track of the books that you finish. This is useful in seeing your growth as a reader, and for choosing new goals and challenges. This is also a great resource for recommending books to friends. I see it as a photo album or scrapbook of past reads -- seeing the titles can remind you of the time that you spent with these books.
I also ask that you have a place for a "Next Reads" list, a list of books that you may be interested in reading in the future.
How will independent reading be graded:
Independent reading falls under the 7th and 8th grade learning target: I can demonstrate comprehension of grade level literary and informational text.