Evidence!

We are continuing our quest to provide evidence when we are discussing or writing about things in every aspect of our day.  We have spent time writing about Pippi because she’s fun to write about and kids are able to easily find evidence to support their ideas.  After we finished the book Pippi Longstocking, I started to read the first chapter in another Pippi book called Pippi in the South Seas.  When I was about half way through the chapter, I stopped and asked them to think about what they thought might happen next.  What EVIDENCE did they have to support their thoughts?  The photograph shows our anchor chart – the writing in black is what someone thought might happen next.  The purple is the evidence to support their thought. 

We will continue to practice giving evidence to support our thoughts in a variety of ways with both fiction and nonfiction texts.  It’s important for them to not only be able to discuss their ideas, but write them down too.  Talk to them about the books they are reading in school!  Here are some questions to ask them about their reading:

What can you tell me about the story so far?

Can you predict how the story will end?

What would you have done if you were the character?

As you read, what are you wondering about?

Can you put what you’ve just read in your own words?

What is the most important point the author is trying to make in his/her writing?

What was your favorite part of the story?

Why do you think the author wrote this book?

Is there a character in the story like you?  How are you alike?

Read books together!  They LOVE hearing a book and they LOVE talking about the book too!  There’s nothing better than hearing them laugh out loud when I’m reading to them.  Yay!