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Co-Presidents Brenda Scheff

Laura Vander Veen

Secretary Cathy Pomaranski

Treasurer Linda Frankenberg

Legislative Liaison Linda Frankenberg

Membership Nancy Haak

Newsletter Barbara Townsend

SOUTHERN LAKES READING COUNCIL

N e w s l e t t e r Anchors away! Sailing along together teaching others to read!

Spring! When you see the word “spring,” what comes to your mind? Is it a noun? Is it a verb? If spring is a noun, is it the season between winter and summer or is it a metal coil that returns to its original shape after pulling or pressing? If spring is a verb, does it mean to move upward/forward, to originate from or possibly to pay for dinner for a friend? Words like “spring” with various definitions are sometimes challenging for students when reading. Emerging readers and students who are English Language Learners struggle with which definition to use when reading a passage. Sometimes words such as “spring” have meanings that aren’t even defined in the dictionary. At times, “spring” signifies a new beginning just like the season of spring brings new beginnings (newborn fawns or bunnies) or new growth (trees, flowers, plants).

Checking readers for comprehension is crucial to their success and confidence as readers. As this academic year starts to wind down, remember to spring into action this spring and encourage your students to continue to read every day!

As educators, we are all concerned about how to encourage students to read throughout the summer. Please join us on Mon., April 30 at Sperino’s Little Italy in Elkhorn. We’ll start with a pizza buffet and short business meeting (including elections for secretary and treasurer) and we will welcome Mike Ford back to speak to us about Keeping the Reading Momentum

Going: Supporting Your Children’s Literacy Growth Throughout the Summer!

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.” — Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut! Brenda Scheff & Laura Vander Veen

SLRC Co-Presidents

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Keeping the Reading Momentum Going: Supporting Your

Children's Literacy Growth

Throughout the Summer presented by

Mike Ford

Join us on Monday, April 30, 2018

Summer slide is real. Many children return to school in the fall having fallen further behind when they left school in the spring. How can families, schools and communities support children's literacy growth to keep the reading momentum going all summer long? This session will provide insights, ideas and resources for us to use to ensure children return to schools ready and able to build on their continued growth in reading and writing throughout the summer.

5:00pm pizza buffet & brief business meeting, 5:30pm program

PLEASE NOTE: THIS MEETING HELD AT SPERINO’S LITTLE ITALY, ELKHORN!

Please RSVP SouthernLakesReadingCouncil@gmail.com four days before a scheduled meeting to ensure your spot!

Join us for the FINAL Southern Lakes Reading Council Program 2017-2018!

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Surfin’ the Web Sting—Therapy Dog You have to read this story—it will bring smiles to brighten your day! http://www.startribune.com/lonely-minnesota-therapy-dog-goes-viral-after-nobody-showed-up-to-read-to-him/474058073/

Engaging Students CorwinConnect weighs in with some great articles on student engagement. “Focusing Students’ Energy in Engaging Tasks” http://corwin-connect.com/2018/01/focusing-students-energy-engaging-tasks/ “Engaging Students Through Think Alouds” http://corwin-connect.com/2018/01/engaging-students-think-alouds/ “Want to Engage Teens? Let Books Do the Work” http://corwin-connect.com/2018/01/want-engage-teens-let-books-work/

Save Time and Sanity Check out this MiddleWeb blog to learn new strategies for lowering stress. https://www.middleweb.com/36362/10-simple-strategies-to-save-time-sanity/

Graphic Novels: Real Reading? Author Terry Thompson answers this question in a YouTube video. You might also want to check the other links to great new literature which are available on this same site. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7oLlFR2uKg&feature=youtu.be

Communicating with Parents Needless to say, this is an important part of our teacher role. Stenhouse offers some tips in the article, “Communication Strategies for Partnering with Parents”. http://blog.stenhouse.com/archives/2018/01/29/communication-strategies-for-partnering-with-parents/

Common Sense Media / Education / Kids Action The Common Sense site is most helpful in today’s digital world as it directs the power of media and technology toward positive outcomes with our youth. Set up for parents, educators, and advocates, they are a trusted source of valuable information in this constantly changing world. https://www.commonsensemedia.org

Grammar Bachelor/Bachelorette See how this teacher helps students understand the importance of grammatical concepts in writing. https://www.middleweb.com/36962/the-grammar-bachelor-a-team-learning-activity/

New Book Recommendations WSRA’s Children’s Literature Committee has released their picks for some of the best new titles. Picture books (Picture This 2018) and chapter books (Just One More Page 2018) can be found at this link. http://www.wsra.org/children-s-literature-recommends-

Building Community Edutopia considers “One Quick Thing” in this article. (And if you continue scrolling down you will find additional articles, as well!) https://www.edutopia.org/article/one-quick-thing

Meaningful Student Feedback “Thinking Like a Coach” discusses how to improve student feedback. (As with the article above, scroll down for more articles.) https://www.edutopia.org/article/thinking-coach

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Wonderful opportunities await at the poets.org site! Order your free poster, browse poems and poets, sign up for Poem-a-Day, and find great teacher resources for use in your classroom. Don’t forget Poem in Your Pocket Day on April 26th. What a fantastic way to celebrate poetry with your students!

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April is Poetry Month!

“What an astonishing thing a book is. It’s a flat object made from a tree

with flexible parts on which are imprinted

lots of funny dark squiggles. But one glance at it and you’re inside

the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years.

Across the millennia,

an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you.

Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people

who never knew each other,

citizens of different epochs. Books break the shackles of time.

A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic.”

~Carl Sagan

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SOUTHERN LAKES READING COUNCIL --We are dedicated to improving reading instruction and promoting literacy.

--We enjoy networking with others who are also dedicated to excellence in literacy from Walworth, Western Racine, & Western Kenosha counties.

--We benefit from hearing top-notch speakers at our meetings who present on best practices in the field of education.

--We believe it is important to stay current and informed.

--We publish newsletters with information on professional development opportunities, and current trends or practices in reading and writing.

--AND, if you’re a first year teacher or undergrad student, we’ll waive meeting fees!

Come join us! You’ll be glad you did!

SOUTHERN LAKES READING COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP FORM 2017-18

Name:_______________________________________________________________

Street Address:________________________________________________________

City:______________________________ State: ___________ Zip: _____________

E-mail: ______________________________________________________________

School & District: ______________________________________________________

Position: ____________________________________________________________

Home Phone: _______________________ Work Phone: ______________________

IMPORTANT INFORMATION Please check if you are a member of:

_______ WSRA Member # _________________ Exp. Date: ___________________

_______ ILA (IRA) Member# ________________ Exp. Date: ___________________

$35 Registration if received by Oct. 12, 2017 (membership, programs, food). Single meeting: $10 Single meal: $5

________ New Member _______ SLRC Renewal

Please send registration form and check to: Barbara Townsend, 1309 Robincrest Lane, Elkhorn, WI 53121

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Wisconsin Literacy Dates to

Celebrate!

March • Music in Our Schools Month • National Middle Grades Education Month • National Women’s History Month • March 2 Read Across America Day • March 4-8 Newspaper in Education Week • March 4-10 National Foreign Language Week • March 15 Absolutely Incredible Kid Day

April • National Poetry Month • Keep America Beautiful Month • Mathematics Education Month • April 2 International Children’s Book Day • April 8-4 National Library Week • April 26 Poem in Your Pocket Day