It’s “Birds Week” at Killingly RfG. This morning, the teacher prepares the children for the group reading by inviting them to share their knowledge of birds with each other: birds fly, have wings, lay eggs, etc.

Next, she invites the children to determine whether the book they’re about to read is fiction or non-fiction. Students correctly identify it as non-fiction, “because it is true.” After finishing the book, they review facts and vocabulary by labeling a drawing of a bird.

During station time, children form groups based on age and ability. The Red group explores short vowel sounds and sight words. They love deciphering the word puzzles and competing to see how many words they have learned from their word walls. These activities prepare them for the next challenge: reading paragraphs.

The kids in the Green group explore the concept of inquiry by writing question words on white boards and contemplating questions about birds. Using context clues, they practice reading sentences with new vocabulary. Some of the words seem tricky, but the children move through the exercise with ease, saying things like, “I want a hard one,” or, “That’s so easy.”

The children in the Blue group have a tough journaling assignment: write sentences, draw pictures to illustrate those sentences, and finally read them aloud to the group.

Meanwhile, the students in the Yellow group go to the back of the library, where each child paints a bird house they’ll take home later in the summer.

Each group plays two age/ability-appropriate literacy activities before working on their birdhouse.

The last activity of the day brings all of the children back together to work on their Reader’s Theater project. The instructor reads the story Click, Clack, Moo and assigns each child a role. Everyone will make a headband and collaborate on scenery. Soon, they’ll practice every day. Before going home, each child gets to select a book and a Super Duper prize from the Mystery Bag to take home.

A Window Into READy for the Grade 2024

•Killingly•

It’s “Birds Week” at Killingly RfG. This morning, the teacher prepares the children for the group reading by inviting them to share their knowledge of birds with each other: birds fly, have wings, lay eggs, etc. Next, she invites the children to determine whether the book they’re about to read is fiction or non-fiction. Students correctly identify it as non-fiction, “because it is true.” After finishing the book, they review facts and vocabulary by labeling a drawing of a bird.

During station time, children form groups based on age and ability. The Red group explores short vowel sounds and sight words. They love deciphering the word puzzles and competing to see how many words they have learned from their word walls. These activities prepare them for the next challenge: reading paragraphs.

The kids in the Green group explore the concept of inquiry by writing question words on white boards and contemplating questions about birds. Using context clues, they practice reading sentences with new vocabulary. Some of the words seem tricky, but the children move through the exercise with ease, saying things like, “I want a hard one,” or, “That’s so easy.”

The children in the Blue group have a tough journaling assignment: write sentences, draw pictures to illustrate those sentences, and finally read them aloud to the group.

Meanwhile, the students in the Yellow group go to the back of the library, where each child paints a bird house they’ll take home later in the summer.

Each group plays two age/ability-appropriate literacy activities before working on their birdhouse.

The last activity of the day brings all of the children back together to work on their Reader’s Theater project. The instructor reads the story Click, Clack, Moo and assigns each child a role. Everyone will make a headband and collaborate on scenery. Soon, they’ll practice every day. Before going home, each child gets to select a book and a Super Duper prize from the Mystery Bag to take home.