5/19/14 11:39 AM Hamilton Central School Mail - Re: Interpreting literature

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Elizabeth Merrill <emerrill@hamiltoncentral.org>
Re: Interpreting literature
1 message
Elizabeth Merrill <emerrill@hamiltoncentral.org> Thu, May 15, 2014 at 7:48 AM
To: Rebecca Ammerman <rammerman@colgate.edu>
Good Morning,
Dora does need to continue practice with literature. I am not sure what questions you referenced in the email, but I
will have Dora bring home her ELA binder. What you are looking for should be in there.
The best way to practice grammar is through writing. The journal is an excellent idea. I do not use workbook pages
because they are boring and do not seem to transfer into the students' writing. Instead, I use activities and mini-
lessons from a book called Mechanically Inclined by Jeff Anderson. If I had to choose a workbook, I would use
Painless Grammar (Barron review book- I think)
Vocabulary is best attained through reading. Dora is not a huge fan of nonfiction reading, but it is the best way to
increase vocabulary. At her level, authors tend to provide context clues and descriptions of words to promote
vocabulary acquisition. There are some wonderful magazines and books that are not "dry." She should choose a
topic of her liking. If you want to learn more about vocabulary, the guru is Robert Marzano. I refer to his work often.
I think Dora is all set for math. Since NYS would not tell us what would be on the exams, I have already taught
everything in our curriculum. The remaining part of the year will be reviewing skills that were weak and problem
solving. I might introduce them to negative numbers, but I do not want to rain on the 6th grade parade. I hope this
was helpful.
On Wed, May 14, 2014 at 8:42 PM, Rebecca Ammerman <rammerman@colgate.edu> wrote:
Dear Mrs. Merrill,
I know you are busy until the end of the school year with numerous projects and field trips galore. Before the year
ends, however, would you be able to provide me with some of those materials that you once showed me for helping
students think more deeply about what they are reading? They were sheets that ask a series of questions about a
given reading, as I recall.
Dora needs to learn how to read a text for meaning beyond content (if I understood her report card and your
comments) and my own observation is that she still has some trouble mastering the basic storyline. These sheets
would probably help and would show me how I can better continue such a process with her for other readings.
She also needs exercises to improve mechanics (grammar, punctuation) and build vocabulary. I do not know at
what level she should be working nor do I know how best to help her attain the next level of these complex skills.
Are there good workbooks that she and I might use to review over the summer? I have tried using one that I
purchased at Barnes and Noble to help with 5th grade language arts. Do you have any favorite ones to suggest? I
have also tried to get her to write i a summer journal and then to go over it with her, but somehow our interest
quickly waned. Perhaps I can be more creative in helping her find topics about which she would like to write.
Dora is truly enjoying the various readings assigned in school. I am getting a summary at dinner most nights of the
challenges each character faces.
After spring break, I brought back her Italian school notebooks which I would be happy to share with you over tea or
coffee, if you are interested. They have a different approach which has some advantages, but is too rote, in my
opinion, to encourage creative thought, something that I can see you are striving for and something for which I, as
a parent, am grateful.