Graham Academics
School Improvement Goals and Strategies
Students will increase proficiency in the area of reading by implementation of the following strategies:
- C.A.F.E lessons
- Reading response journals
- Close and Critical reading
- Read Naturally
- Intervention Groups
Students will increase proficiency in the area of writing.
- Collaborative scoring
- Writing across the content areas
- Instructional focus areas
- Small group instruction
Students will increase proficiency in the area of math.
- Writing about math
- Posting the learning target
- Rich tasks
- Dreambox Learning
- Small group instruction
Students will increase proficiency in the area of science.
- Incorporating content specific text into guided reading
- Formative assessments
Students will increase proficiency in the area of social studies.
- Incorporating content specific text into guided reading
- Formative assessments
Attendance
- It is the school’s responsibility to teach your child. However, the school cannot do its job if your child is not here. When in school, your child is learning on a daily basis. Research shows that children who are in school most of the time do better on state tests. Studies also show that children who are absent more often will score lower on state tests.
- Being late for school also impairs a child’s learning. If a child is late 10 minutes every day, he/she will miss 30 hours of class instruction during the year.
- Students can make up assignments and get notes from another student, but they will never get back what is most important: discussions held in class, questions asked, the explanations by the teacher and the thinking that makes learning come alive.
- The success of your child in school depends on having an educational background that is solid. This can only be gained by regular school attendance.
Literacy
Choosing Books
A Reading Tip
Like Shoes, a Good Book “Fits”
Choosing “Good Fit” Books
We all know if we want our children to become better readers they must spend more time reading. However, one of the most important elements is choosing and providing the right books for our children. It is essential that children have the ability to choose books that are ‘good fits’ for them. We share with students that choosing the right book is like selecting the right pair of shoes. When selecting a shoe we first decide upon the purpose for the shoe. For example: we do not choose baseball cleats unless we are interested in baseball. It is important to be interested in the book you are choosing.
Second, we must select shoes that fit, not too big and not too tight. Readers must select books that are good fits for them, as they should not be too easy or too hard. If a book is a good fit for us, we can understand what we are reading and know most of the words.
Good luck helping your child pick books that fit them.
Daily 5
The Daily Five is a structure that is used during the literacy block time. It allows students to gain independence and daily practice in the areas of reading, writing and word study. The Daily Five structure may look different within each classroom. During this time, teachers are meeting with small groups, individual students and/or assessing students.
Read to Self: This is an independent reading time in which students read their self-selected good fit books. The purpose is to build reading stamina.
Work on Writing: Students work individually on writing of their choice. The purpose is to provide daily writing practice.
Word Work: During this time, students use materials to work on word study (phonics, spelling and vocabulary development). The purpose is to increase student’s word knowledge.
Listen to Reading: Students use various media to listen to texts at this time. The purpose is to expose students to fluent reading and new vocabulary.
Read to Someone: Students read to a partner and discuss the meaning of the text. The purpose is to share thinking and learning with another person.
Listen to Reading
The following are websites that read to the students.
There are also many author’s websites that have
the author reading to their books aloud as well.
Scholastic Book Link Book Flix
(students need to know our username and password)
Other Sites:
New York Public Library Site – great site!
Author Websites
Reading for Fun Gets High Marks
“Reading for Fun" is important to your child’s test scores. Results from a study nationwide explain the following:
- Students who read for fun every day score higher on tests than classmates who read less often.
- Students who never or hardly ever read for fun have the lowest scores.
- Students who read 11 or more pages daily for school and homework scored higher than student who read less.
- Those who did no homework made the lowest scores.
Having a variety of reading materials (books, magazines, newspaper, encyclopedias) around the house makes a difference. Students who had those materials around to pick up and read had higher reading scores than others. So make
sure you have a variety of reading materials at your child’s fingertips.
Tips for Improving Spelling:
- Have your child look at the word.
- Have your child cover the word up.
- Have your child write it down.
- Have your child check it.
Media Center
Welcome to the Graham Media Center Page! Below you'll find links to helpful resources available to staff, students, and parents!
BookFlix: Through a generous partnership with the Harrison Township Public Library, BookFlix is available to both staff and students! Please see your classroom teacher for your username and password to access this incredible digital resource!
Exact Path Login: Click here to access Exact Path.
Gale In Context: Elementary school resources like Gale In Context: Elementary give children a safe place to find answers to their questions, practice research skills, and explore interests inside and outside the classroom. It also gives teachers access to digital resources that can supplement and enhance in-person and online instruction. (If you're at home and it's asking you for a password, please e-mail your teacher for your unique password.)
Harrison Township Public Library: Through a unique partnership, our students now have access to all Harrison Township Public Library resources. To access these resources, please have your child ask his/her teacher for his/her username and password! Typically, his/her username will be his/her student ID number and his/her password will be the primary phone number on file with the school.
Kids InfoBits: Kids InfoBits is the perfect educational product for today's young learners. It is a content-rich, authoritative, easy-to-use digital resource featuring age-appropriate, reliable, curriculum-related content covering a broad range of educational topics.
Michigan Electronic Library (MEL): Here you'll find links to a variety of resources including educational games, online story time tools, homework help, research tools and much more! Use the "Play" and "Read" links on the left-hand side of the page to navigate the many resources!
Schoology: Log in here with your unique Schoology username and password given to you by your teacher.
STEMscopes
TumbleBooks: TumbleBooks are animated, talking picture books which teach kids the joy of reading in a format they'll love. They are created by taking existing picture books, adding animation, sounds, music and narration to produce an electronic picture book (and some classics) which you can read, or have read to you.
TumbleMath: TumbleMath is the most comprehensive collection of math picture books you will find anywhere. All in the amazing TumbleBook format complete with animation and narration. The books are accompanied by supplementary materials such as lesson plans and quizzes.
