Mrs. Eleanor A. Hughes Supervisor

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1 A Message from the Supervisor of English Language Arts Literacy, K-5, & Libraries, K-8 Dear Parents, While summer comes and goes more quickly than most of us would prefer, the summer season seems endless to a child. During this time, reading will help to keep skills sharp so that students will return to school in September fully equipped to meet the challenges of the new school year. Research shows that a child s current level of achievement can be maintained by reading quality literature over the summer months, thus avoiding the summer slide. As part of our efforts to assist with maintaining and hopefully increasing reading skills and comprehension, our K-5 students participate in a summer reading program entitled Summer Smart! Expectations and suggested reading titles that are appropriate for this grade level are provided within the following pages. Your child s reading level as well as personal choice/interest should always be considered when choosing titles for pleasure reading, so movement across grade level lists may be necessary. Please note that we have a long-standing established relationship with the Ocean Township Public Library where most, if not all of these book titles can be found as well as help in choosing the right books for your child. Students are strongly encouraged to read as many books as they would like; however, the project specified for this grade level should be based upon your child s favorite book that was read over the summer months. Having your child participate in oral, silent, and shared reading activities are practices that will prove invaluable to your child s success in the upcoming school year. Please join us in our efforts by providing your child with numerous opportunities to experience the joy of reading over the summer months! Mrs. Eleanor A. Hughes Supervisor

2 Summer Smart! Summer Reading Program There s nothing quite like a good book!

3 SUMMER SMART! 3rd Grade into 4th Grade Program Over the past school year, your child has been practicing research-based reading strategies that will help to improve comprehension. Frequent reading increases comprehension as well as improving vocabulary, spelling, and other communication skills. Research has shown that participation in a summer reading program will keep skills sharp so that the literacy demands of the upcoming school year can be met with increased confidence and success! The 3rd Grade into 4 th Grade SUMMER SMART! Summer Reading Program requires the completion of (1) a simple reading record that allows your child to track and evaluate what was read over the summer months, (2) an activity sheet relating to your child s favorite book, and (3) the completion of a project of choice that coincides with the book. Activity sheets and project choices are provided below. These items are to be handed in to your child s 4 th grade teacher during the first full week of school in September. Projects will be proudly displayed! We hope that you and your child will have the opportunity to share many hours of reading enjoyment over the summer vacation! Happy reading!

4 SUGGESTED TITLES AND AUTHORS

5 Summer Smart! Suggested Titles and Authors for 3 rd Grade into 4 th Grade Adler, D. A Picture Book of Lewis and Clark* Revolutionary War Heroes* Byars, B. The SOS Files Cleary, B. The Mouse and the Motorcycle (series) Clements,A. Any of his books Creech, S. Granny Torrelli Makes Soup Cuyler, M. Battlefield Ghost DiCamillo, K. Because of Winn Dixie Funari-Willever, L. Nicky Fifth (series) Gutman, D. The Baseball Card Adventures (series) Hatkoff Owen and Mzee* (series) Howe, J. Bunnicula (series) Jones, C. Mistakes That Worked* Karas, G. Young Zeus* Krosoczka, J. Lunch Lady (series) Larson, P. Bones Rock: Everything You Need to Know to Become a Paleontologist* MacLachlan, P. Sarah, Plain and Tall *Non-fiction titles are indicated by an asterisk.

6 Summer Smart! Suggested Titles and Authors for 3 rd Grade into 4 th Grade McDonald Mazer, A. Moss, M. Piven, H. Polacco, P. Schanzer,R. Schyffert Scieszka,J. Selznick, B. VanDraanen Vernick, A. Winter, J. Judy Moody and Stink (series) Abby Hayes (series) Mighty Jackie, the Strike-Out Queen* What Presidents Are Made Of* What Athletes Are Made Of* Thank You, Mr. Faulkner George vs. George* The Man Who Went to the Far Side of the Moon Spaceheadz (series) The Invention of Hugo Cabret Shredderman (series) Brothers at Bat: The True Story of An Amazing All- Brother Baseball Team* The Librarian of Basra* *Non-fiction titles are indicated by an asterisk.

7 3rd Grade into 4th Grade Summer Smart! Reading Records Summer Smart! means that you read a lot of good books over the summer so that you will be well prepared for 4 th grade! What books did you read? Which one was your favorite? On the following pages, you will find monthly Reading Records that will help you keep track of all of the books you read over the summer. Color in the number of suns that shows how much you liked each book that you read. One (1) sun means you liked the book just a little bit. Five (5) suns mean you enjoyed the book a whole lot! Bring your Reading Records in to your 4 th grade teacher, along with your Activity Sheet and project, during the first full week of school.

8 3rd Grade into 4th Grade Summer Smart! Reading Record for July Name Date One (1) sun means I liked the book just a little bit. Five (5) suns mean I liked the book a whole lot! Title and Author First week in July How much I liked this book Parent/ Guardian Initials # of Minutes Read Second week in July Third week in July Fourth week in July

9 3 rd Grade into 4 th Grade Summer Smart! Reading Record for August Name Date One (1) sun means I liked the book a little bit. Five (5) suns mean I liked the book a whole lot! Title and Author First week in August How much I liked this book Parent/ Guardian Initials # of Minutes Read Second week in August Third week in August Fourth week in August

10 ACTIVITY SHEETS

11 3 rd Grade into 4 th Grade Summer Smart! Activity Sheets Directions: Scroll down to view the Activity Sheets. Choose one to complete that is appropriate for the book you have selected. Later, you will choose a project to go along with it! Hand them both in to your 4 th grade teacher along with your July and August Reading Records during the first full week of school in September. If your book is a fiction book, choose one of the following: SWBSTNF Activity Sheet My Story Map Activity Sheet If your book is a non-fiction book, use the following: Non-Fiction Book Report Activity Sheet

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17 PROJECT CHOICES

18 3 rd Grade into 4 th Grade Summer Smart! Projects Choose one project from those listed below to go along with your favorite book! Hand it in to your 4 th grade teacher along with your Activity Sheet and Reading Record during the first full week of school in September. PROJECT CHOICES Design a different book jacket or cover from the one on your book. On paper, type or write in cursive a description of the book that captures the reader s interest--but don t give away the ending! Construct a PowerPoint Book Review of your book. Try to capture the readers interest without telling them the ending! Be creative! Pretend you are the author of the book you chose. You are being interviewed about writing this best-selling book! Use your keyboarding skills to type the dialogue that occurs between you and the interviewer. Pretend you are the main character in your book. Type or write in cursive what you think that character may have written in a diary or journal about the story. Create a different ending for your book! Could the problem have been resolved in another way? Hmmm... Either type or write in cursive, please! Make a video commercial for your book! Use sales tactics to really sell the book to your audience! Give some information about the characters, setting, plot, etc., but don t give the entire story away! You ve heard of a Time Capsule? Well, now you can create a Story Capsule! Scroll down for directions!

19 Story Capsule Book Report 3 rd Grade into 4 th Grade Part I: After reading your book, select a book report container which can be a plastic bag, a paper bag, a large tin can, a milk crate, a bucket, a box, a basket, or any such suitable container. The container should be decorated to indicate the book you read in some way. Part II: Once the container covering is complete, you can now work on the contents of the container. It should include the following: Elements: Using words, drawings, or pictures, make a card that represents each part of the plot (setting, characters, conflict or problem, rising action, climax, and problem resolution.) Vocabulary: Create a 10-word glossary of unfamiliar words from the book. Items: Include 3 things that have a connection to the story. Part III: The third and final part of the project is the presentation in which you will explain the decorations you chose to use to illustrate the story on your container cover. explain why you chose the 3 items you placed in the container. give a summary of the story using the cards in the container. To do an extra special job, you can give examples of foreshadowing, personification, flashbacks, similes, and/or metaphors used!