August 2019

FAMILY HANDBOOK 2019-2020

4631 – 85TH STREET N.W. CALGARY, ALBERTA T3B 2R8

TELEPHONE: 403-777-6010 FAX: 403-777-6013

http://school.cbe.ab.ca/school/BelvedereParkway/Pages/default.aspx

http://belparkadmin.weebly.com/ belvedereparkway@cbe.ab.ca

@BelParkCBE

#BelPark

PRINCIPAL: Ms. Jane Gibson ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL: Mrs. Alexandra Caso-Gustafson

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: Ms. Rana Jones

August 2019

To the Parents/Guardians of Belvedere Parkway Students We would like to thank you for sending your children to us each and every day. It is our pleasure to greet and support students with their learning journey. We understand that each child has their own interests and strengths, and we strive to effectively personalize learning so children will leave school each day feeling happy, confident, and successful. At Belvedere Parkway, we are all part of a team to support each child to do their best and become positive citizens. Students, parents, teachers, support staff, the assistant principal and the principal all work together to set up learning opportunities and environments to help students grow and develop. We appreciate your support and encouragement and welcome your feedback at any time. Please do not hesitate to contact our school. Our telephone number is 403-777-6010. Our teachers are also open to emails, and their contact information is available on our school website at: http://school.cbe.ab.ca/school/BelvedereParkway/Pages/default.aspx The purpose of this handbook is to have important school information at your fingertips and to share school policy and protocols with you. If the information you are looking for is not in the handbook or website, please call the school so we can help you with your inquiry.

BelPark Main Office Hours Our Main Office hours are from 8:10 am to 4:10 pm. Outside of office hours, you may access our school voicemail at any time at 403-777-6010.

BelPark School Hours Our school day is set to ensure that your child receives the mandatory 950 (grade 1 – 6) and 475 (Kindergarten) hours as set out by Alberta Learning. The school hours for the 2019-2020 school year are listed below. Students may enter the building at 8:00 am each day, this will allow for a prompt 8:10 am start time. In the morning, 8:00 am – 8:10 am, there will be a supervisor for students taking the bus. There is not any supervision before or after school. Before school, beginning at 8:00 am students are invited into the school. After school, students are to go straight home. Playdates must be organized prior to school, school phones will not be used to organize playdates.

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Grades 1- 6 Kindergarten

Monday to Thursday

8:10AM – 11:30AM 12:20PM – 2:50PM

Morning | 8:10AM – 11:00 AM Afternoon | 12:00PM – 2:50PM

Friday 8:10 AM – 12:15PM

(early dismissal)

Morning and Afternoon classes alternate

8:10AM – 12:15PM Date details can be found on our

calendar on our website

Attendance and End of Day Procedures Absences All students are expected to attend school regularly. If students are ill or will be away at appointments, we ask that the school be phoned before bell time (am and pm) so that teachers and office staff can proceed with their daily attendance check. If no call is received, the school (via SchoolMessenger) will contact your home and work numbers to check on your child’s absence. If you know how long your child will be away, please let us know and we will refrain from calling your home each day. Lates Students are expected to be punctual as the amount of time missed adds up over the course of a year and significantly impacts their learning. If a child is late, they must FIRST check in at the office before attending class. Lates are noted on your child’s attendance record. This record is kept in their Official Student Record. Extended trips If you are intending to have your child out of school during the course of the school year, for over 5 days you must complete the appropriate CBE forms. If your child is on an extended trip, CBE policy suggests the following:

enroll your child in school if you are somewhere for a number of months, have your child keep a written journal of events, spend time with your child reading, and spend a short time each day working on some mathematics practice.

Due to liability issues, teachers do not provide students with work to complete during extended absences. Please see our website for weblinks that you could use during your trip.

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End of day procedures

This protocol is to provide clarity for parents and caregivers around the safety and supervision of students.

Monday to Thursday Dismissal Times

Gr 1-6 and PM KG - 2:50PM AM KG – 11:00AM.

Friday Dismissal Time - All students

12:15PM

All students must be picked up from school at their regular dismissal time. There is no outside supervision after dismissal. Students are expected to come back inside the school if they have not been picked up.

1. If a student is not collected, the teacher will contact the parent/caregiver through current demographic information provided by the parents. Please ensure that your contact numbers are kept current and you are in a position to be contacted by the school at all times. This is crucial in times of emergency.

If the teacher is able to reach the parent/caregiver then the student will remain with the teacher until their parent/caregiver arrives.

If this has transpired on more than two occasions, the parents will be invited in for a meeting with administration.

2. In the event that the teacher is unable to contact the parent/caregiver, then the student will be brought to the office and administration will attempt to contact the parent/caregiver.

If this has transpired on more than two occasions, the parents will be invited in for a meeting to discuss a Communication Plan with administration.

Students will not be released to non-guardians other than emergency services without a letter or email from the legal guardian stating the name (s) of those collecting the student.

If your child uses CBE bussing (Southland) and they are not using the bus that day, please let the office or bus driver know and we will update our attendance.

August 2019

CBE Student Code of Conduct (CBE Administrative Regulation AR 6005) The Calgary Board of Education is committed to providing students and staff with a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment that respects diversity and fosters a sense of belonging. Students have a responsibility under the School Act to respect the rights and dignity of others and to proactively participate in promoting and fostering positive relationships with others while: • on CBE property; • participating in school activities; • traveling to and from school; and • engaging in any electronic communication both on or off CBE property; or • in any other circumstances that may impact the school environment. The CBE expects students to exhibit socially responsible and respectful behaviors so that teaching and learning are maximized. Discrimination, bullying and harassment in any form will not be tolerated. Students are expected to behave in a manner that complies with the Student Code of Conduct and contributes to a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment. Examples of acceptable behavior include, but are not limited to: 1. demonstrating respect for self, others and the school environment through:

a. respecting differences in people, their ideas and their opinions, including when there is disagreement;

b. embracing all diversities; c. respecting the needs of others to work in an environment that is conducive to

learning and teaching; and d. respecting the rights of others.

2. modeling positive social behaviors in all interpersonal interactions; 3. being courteous and treating each other with dignity; 4. using positive and inclusive language; 5. demonstrating good digital citizenship by using technology in ethically and

responsible ways; 6. taking responsibility for personal belongings and respecting the belongings of others; 7. demonstrating caring and compassion for others including:

a. showing empathy, being considerate of others and their situation; and b. creating an environment of kindness.

Students must comply with the School Act including: • being diligent in pursuing their studies; • attending school regularly and punctually; • cooperating fully with everyone authorized by the CBE to provide education and other services;

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• complying with the rules of the school; and • accounting to the student’s teachers for the student’s conduct. Students may be held accountable for behavior that impacts the school beyond the hours of school operation when their conduct detrimentally affects the personal safety and well-being of individuals, the learning environment, or the effective operation of the school.

Communication Tools 1. School Website – Our school’s website is intended to provide the community with

important information about our school. Find a list of upcoming events, Principal messages, updates from school council, and links of interest and resources for parents at http://school.cbe.ab.ca/school/BelvedereParkway/Pages/default.aspx

2. SchoolMessenger – is a mass communication tool that allows schools to easily and securely send email, phone and text messages to parents/guardians of students in a particular grade, class, school or area.

I. Please subscribe online to receive commercial electronic messages on school topics such as student fees, picture days, field trips and Healthy Hunger Fun Lunches.

II. To receive any text messages sent by your school or the Calgary Board of Education, opt-in by using your cell phone to text the word YES to the six-digit number 724665.*

3. Twitter: Receive ‘in the moment’ connections with your student’s classroom and school happenings by following your child’s classroom handle (see website) and our school on Twitter (@BelParkCBE)

4. CBE Website – There is a wealth of information to be found on the Calgary Board of Education’s website and we recommend you have a look at this to get a feel for the extensive amount of information housed here.

Digital Devices and Cell Phone Use

Students are not permitted to bring cell phones and other digital devices to school. If a student brings a cellular phone to school, the student will be asked to put their phone in the teacher’s locked cabinet. It is the student’s responsibility to ask for their phone at the end of the school day. If a parent requires their child to call home, the school office has a phone that the student can use.

Please note: The school is not responsible for lost or stolen devices.

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Holidays

We celebrate: The Harvest (from our Learning Gardens), Halloween, Remembrance Day, Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter. All activities are linked to the Alberta Programs of Study. Halloween – Students are allowed to wear Halloween Costumes (without accessories) to school in the afternoon. If students wish to bring celebratory gifts of any kind, we encourage non-edible items. We have students with life-threatening allergies at our school and appreciate parent support in keeping all our students safe.

Inclement Weather Policy – Blue Days If the temperature outside is –20 degrees Celsius or colder, with or without wind chill, students will stay inside. Please note: The CBE uses the Environment Canada website to guide our decisions around temperature. Students will be expected to go outdoors for play and exercise during the recess break and lunch break unless deemed unsafe by school staff. Please call the school if there are other issues preventing your child from going outside. Students should be dressed appropriately for all weather conditions at all times.

Indoor Footwear We ask that parents have their children bring an extra pair of shoes for use inside the school. A pair of running shoes appropriate for gym use would be most suitable, providing safety for your child during gym time or during a fire drill and maintaining the condition of our school floors. Removing outdoor shoes at the entrance doors helps our students keep our learning environment clean. If your child is unable to tie their shoes, please provide Velcro fastened shoes.

Headwear (caps, toques, hoodies, headbands) To have a focus on learning within the building, we are requesting that students do not wear headwear to school. When students are wearing caps, toques or have hoods, it is difficult for teachers to see their student’s faces to see their reaction to feedback. Direct, specific, actionable feedback allows students to know exactly what their next step in learning is, seeing the student’s reaction to the feedback is very important in this process.

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Fancy headbands (cat ears, unicorn horns, etc.) may become toys in classrooms, as well as items students ‘share’. Please ensure headbands are functional for its purpose, keeping hair out of students’ eyes. Headwear is not allowed during any group event where the national anthem will be sung eg. Assemblies.

Lunch Supervision Program Our children are supervised by caring and qualified supervisors in the lunchroom and on the playground during the lunch break. Our Lead Lunchroom Supervisor administers and leads this program. If parents wish to have their children eat at school and/or be supervised during the lunch hour they must register them into the Lunchroom Program. Lunchroom fees are paid most easily online via the MYCBE/PowerSchool site and are used to pay the salaries of supervisors. A daily drop-in fee of $5.00 will be charged for occasional users. An incidental fee of $10.00 is payable for all students at the beginning of the school year. This covers equipment and incidentals in supporting the lunch room and activities during blue dot days. Students who stay for lunch will not be allowed to leave the school grounds unless signed out by a guardian or an adult authorized by the guardian by letter or email. Belvedere Parkway is a ‘nut aware’ School. This means that students and staff are aware of all severe peanut allergies within a classroom (students) and school (staff). Student Epi-pens are kept in the front office in accessible pouches. Within the lunchroom, students who would like to consume food containing nuts are able to do so at the ‘nut’ table. Once they have finished eating, they will be asked to wash their hands with soap and water. Staff will clean the nut table. We strongly encourage parents to support us in keeping all our students safe by not sending food containing nut products to school. BelPark is a ‘litterless’ lunch school. This means that students will be bringing home all their containers, sandwich bags, and uneaten food back home. In this way we can ensure parents know what their child has eaten that day and what they have decided not to eat. This also keeps fruit flies within the school to a minimum, as composting collection occurs less frequently here than in a typical home.

August 2019

Medical Issues a) Student Illness or Injury: Please do not send your child to school if they are

unwell. If a student is ill or injured, the office will contact guardians to inform them of the situation and suggest next steps.

b) Medication: Should your child need medication at any time, a Student Health Plan must be completed and signed. These forms are available in the school office and can be completed together with administration. Staff are not permitted to administer medication, but can supervise students taking certain medications with authorization this form provides. Front Office staff only will do this. We have no medications available in the school.

c) Allergies: Please complete a Student Health Plan to ensure the school is aware of any allergies your child may have, and of the treatment necessary in case of an allergic reaction. If the allergy is life-threatening, an Emergency Student Health Plan must be on file if the administration of allergy medication such as an epi-pen is required. Parents are required to ensure epi-pens or medication sent to school are current and are replaced when expired. Epi-pens are kept in the front office unless a parent requests in writing that they be kept elsewhere. Epi-pens are taken out of the front office for school trips only.

Other School Expectations In addition to the general expectations described in the CBE Student Code of Conduct, we ask you and your child to attend to the following:

a) Bicycles – Please make sure they are LOCKED in the racks provided. For safety reasons, CBE regulations prohibit the riding of bicycles/scooters/roller blades/skateboards on the school grounds 30 minutes before or after school. Students should please walk their bike on the school grounds at these times to ensure the safety of other students.

b) Skateboards/Rollerblades/Scooters – Students must stop riding skateboards or rollerblades once at the school grounds. They may talk to their teacher about a safe storage place for the items. As there is not way to secure these items, the school is not responsible for lost or stolen items.

c) Money – students who bring money for a school activity are asked to give it to their teacher right away. Money should be in an envelope with the student’s name, classroom and the purpose clearly labeled.

d) Toys – Toys, handheld electronic games, apple watches, etc. should not be brought to school. The school is not responsible for lost or stolen items. If there is an educational reason why such an item should be brought to school, please discuss this with your child’s teacher.

August 2019

Protocol for Problem Solving At Belvedere Parkway School we work to resolve issues in a collaborative manner that is respectful of differences, focused on the needs of the student and is in the best interests of preserving an open and effective working relationship between the CBE staff, parents, and students. When a parent, student or community member has a concern or complaint, the first step is to raise the issue with the student’s classroom teacher. If a resolution is not reached the individual may then direct the concern or complaint to the principal. Feel free to call or email the teacher. If needed, please set up a time for a face-to-face appointment. Please sign in at the office if you are going to meet with a teacher in their classroom. There is an expectation that all communication between parents, staff and students will be civil and respectful and will focus on finding ways to work on behalf of children. Any abusive behavior towards staff, other parents or students will not be tolerated and the individual(s) concerned will be asked to leave the building and will be contacted at a later time to set an appointment for a meeting under calmer circumstances.

Parking Lot Safety Please do not drop children off in the parking lot. We understand this may be inconvenient, but to do so is a significant safety hazard to your own and others’ children. Please do not park in the staff numbered parking stalls. These spaces are paid for by staff and reserved between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm. Extra parking is available along 46th Avenue NW. We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our students safe!

ROARS – Belvedere Parkway School Citizenship ROARS the Bear is our official school mascot. He attends many school-wide events to reinforce our learning around good character and citizenship. ROARS is an acronym which stands for: Respect: We care for ourselves, each other, and our community. Ownership: We are accountable and take pride in positive behavior and actions. When we make mistakes, we fix them. Attitude: We are positive, courteous and committed to doing our best. Responsibility: We know and meet personal, classroom, school, and community expectations. Safety: We care for the health and well-being of all.

August 2019

School Council and Parent Fundraising Association Belvedere Parkway School Council normally meets in the school’s Learning Commons on the third Tuesday of each month at 6:00PM. This dedicated group needs more enthusiastic parents to join their ranks to help with exciting school events! All parents of students at BelPark School are invited to attend the meetings, give feedback and help out with one or all events!

Student Safety

a) Safe and Secure Building: Our building will be completely secured at 8:20AM, 10 minutes after the morning bell. After this time, students, parents and visitors must use the intercom for entry into the school. The intercom is located at our main entrance on the west side of the building. In the interest of security, students and staff are not permitted to open doors after 8:10AM, please do not ask them to do so.

b) Field Trip Authorization: For all off-site field trips, a form needs to be completed and have your signature to show you have given consent. Students are not allowed to leave the school unless we have your signed permission.

c) Walking Field Trips: Your child’s teacher will inform you when local walking field trips take place, such as to Bowness Park. A generalized permission letter will be sent out to parents as part of the forms package welcoming students back to school in September. Consent is assumed for these short local types of walks. Please contact your child’s teacher with a reason if you do not wish your child to participate in a particular outing, as this is part of their educational programming.

d) Emergency Preparedness: Fire drills, external and internal lockdown practices are scheduled regularly to ensure that students are trained and alerted to the evacuation process. Students must wear indoor shoes at all times so that they are always prepared for emergencies.

e) Signing Students Out: Parents who are picking children up for any reason are required to sign them out in the main office. All entrants to the school must check in at the office when they arrive during school hours.

Volunteers Belvedere Parkway is committed to involving parents and other community members in the life of the school. All volunteers must have CPS security clearance and have read our School Volunteer booklet (found on our website). Volunteers who have Volunteer Clearance have the opportunity to work in and out of the classroom and with students during the day. Involving the community in the total educational experience helps to develop a high quality of education for our students. When you come in to volunteer, please sign in at the office. To have your own group on

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a trip and to be counted within the ratio needed for a field trip to occur, younger siblings will not be able to attend. Please feel free to join us in the staff room at recess and other social times when you are helping in the school. New, potential volunteers should be aware that Calgary Board of Education regulations require that all volunteers authorize a Calgary Police Service security check in order to work in schools. Office staff can assist you in this simple process.

As a Parent, How Can You Support Your Child in Learning? If possible, volunteer your time to help student learning in the school. Please see the

front office about getting your volunteer clearance. For updates on what is happening in the school, sign up for School Messenger,

follow BelPark on Twitter at @BelParkCBE, or check our website. Follow your teacher(s) on twitter to be aware of classroom engagements and

learning opportunities. This helps get beyond the classic “What did you do in school today…?” question.

Read with your child every night! Ask them open-ended questions about what they think of characters and information in the text. This will allow them to hear fluent reading, as well as build deep levels of comprehension and build confidence during that quality time with you. Scroll down to see tips on how to involve your child in this process.

Take charge in creating enriching activities for you and your child. For example, take advantage of Bowness Park by going on walks and talking about the flow of the river, the different kinds of trees or note the changes that are seen in different seasons. Some screen time is okay, but nothing beats family time!

Encourage your child to recognize their efforts and achievements, enjoy them and identify next steps.

Make school a priority – Instill the importance of punctuality in your children. Involve yourself in the School Council and Parent Fundraising Association and

attend the meetings which are held on the third Tuesday of every month.

Resource: Working with Students Who have Academic and/or Emotional Needs

Often schools are asked about their approach to supporting students with academic and/or emotional needs. These needs could include, but are not limited to: difficulty with classroom academic tasks, difficulty engaging in group work or independent tasks, anxiety, language, crying, isolation. Belvedere Parkway staff work to develop welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environments for students and staff. In supporting and guiding this environment we look toward The School Act, Calgary Board

August 2019

of Education’s (CBE) Student Code of Conduct, and the CBE’s Administrative Regulations. Feel free to look at this documentation at:

School Act

https://www.alberta.ca/K-12-education-legislation-and-regulations.aspx

School Culture and Environment

https://www.cbe.ab.ca/about-us/school-culture-and-environment/Pages/default.aspx https://www.cbe.ab.ca/GovernancePolicies/AR6005-Student-Code-of-Conduct.pdf https://www.cbe.ab.ca/GovernancePolicies/AR6031.pdf https://www.cbe.ab.ca/GovernancePolicies/AR6006-Progressive-Student-

Discipline.pdf

As situations occur we take a student centered approach, based on educating students on how best to work through the issue they are experiencing. As an elementary school, sometimes the issue(s) that the student is experiencing is the first exposure to something of this nature and the student needs support in dealing with the situation in a pro-social manner. Some examples are: not being invited to a birthday party, parents getting a divorce, grandparents moving, being told that they are not allowed to play, being asked to work with someone new, having difficulty with a concept, etc.

Below is an outline which describes how we work with students. Please understand that the information below is general. How we will work through the situation depends on the situation and the nature of student need.

When a situation first presents itself, the following process will be used:

Classroom teacher is notified about the situation by student(s) and/or support staff

Classroom teachers have a conversation with the student(s) involved A common understanding of events will be determined by all parties A resolution will be agreed upon Teachers will document the situation and the resolution When needed, parents will be contacted

If a similar situation occurs again, the following process will be used:

Classroom teacher has a conversation with school administration The School Learning Team (SLT) may assemble to discuss the situation and

strategies in moving toward the identified area of need; If an SLT meeting is to occur, the parents will be notified of the reason for the meeting

Administration will: follow the process listed above Depending on the type and severity of the situation, parents will be notified by

either the classroom teacher or an administrator

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If further support is needed:

At this stage parents would be involved and the classroom teacher and/or administration would have had conversations to work together to discuss next steps for the student. Some of the results of these conversations could be:

Decision to contact the Area Learning Team (ALT) for support; the support could be Strategists who will come into the classroom to observe the student, then provide staff with strategies that could benefit the student in reaching the identified area of need

Depending on the area of need and complexity of the situation some of the following could be discussed with the family: a visit to the family doctor, pediatrician or optometrist, the possibility of counselling for the student, Psycho-Educational Assessment, Specialised Classes, Unique Settings

We hope this provides an understanding of how we support students experiencing academic and/or emotional needs.

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Resource: Reading with your Child at Home

Highly Patterned Texts Introduction Say “Today we are going to read _______ [What can you see?]. By looking at the

cover of the book, what do you think this book is about?” Listen to your child’s response. Ensure that there is a connection between the

title and the picture on the cover. If your child did not do this, guide him or her towards this connection. (ex: The book is called What can you see? And I notice that everything is yellow! A yellow duck, a yellow sun…)

Picture Walk – Looking at the pictures within the book to get your mind ready! Flip to the first page of the book. Ask your child to tell you what is seen on the page

(ex: a yellow duck). Many children want to jump to reading the words on the page, if needed cover the words to ensure a focus on the pictures. Continue this process for all the pages in the book.

As a parent, you should be aware of the words on the page and guide your child to picture walk using the words (ex: I see a yellow duck.). Most of these books are pattern books. Guide your child towards the words that are on the page.

After the picture walk ask “What is this book about.” Then have your child make the connection between the title, cover, and what they have just seen within the book.

Reading Re-read the title of the book to your child and ask your child to read it back to you,

pointing to the words as each word is read. Read the first page of the book together, to ensure that your child is reading the

patterned text and is pointing to each word.

Ask your child to read the book on their own and once your child has finished reading to let you know.

When your child comes to you, have them read the book aloud starting with the title.

Enjoy it! Ask your child what they think they might choose for their next book. Parent – Listen, Monitor, Support Fluency – Is your child fluent? Does it sound like your child is talking? Is your child

reading in a monotone manner? Is your child ‘grouping’ the words like you would in natural speech?

o Practice Echo Reading – you read aloud and your child copies you

o Record – if your child does not hear the difference between your reading and his/her reading, record and play back

o For longer patterned texts, pointing to each word could slow the reader down, teach your child to slide their finger and read

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Accuracy – Is your child reading the words on the page? Are there any errors? Re-read the sentence as your child reads it. Ask “looking at the picture, does this make sense?” or “thinking about the first letter of this word (point to it), does this make sense?” Support your child in using the picture to self-correct the error

Texts without a Pattern Introduction Say “Today we are going to read _______ [Mouse Soup]. By looking at the cover of

the book, what do you think this book is about?”

If your child has read a similar book (same author or series), ask your child what they already know about the series

Picture and Book Walk – Looking at the pictures and text features within the book to get your mind ready! Books at this stage will contain fewer pictures and may contain a table of contents or

headings

Through your questioning concepts like fiction (story) or non-fiction (information), the difference between fiction and non-fiction reading, how the table of contents supports reading, the importance of headings and diagrams should be discussed; as well as the contents of the book

If you notice specific content words that your child may find challenging, point these words out, read the word to your child and discuss the meaning of the word

Reading At this stage your child knows a number of sight words and has a variety of

strategies for solving unknown words, so listening to your child read the entire book aloud is not necessary

Ask your child to find a quiet place to read the book and remind them to return to you when he or she has finished the text

Ask your child to read one page aloud (a page that was interesting, challenging, favourite, etc.)

Parent – Listen, Monitor, Support Fluency – Based on the page read aloud, is your child reading fluently? Does it

sound like your child is talking? Is your child reading in a monotone manner? Is your child ‘grouping’ the words like you would in natural speech?

o Practice Echo Reading – you read aloud and your child copies you

o Record on your iPhone or iPad – if your child does not hear the difference between your reading and his/her reading, record and play back

o At this stage, students are no longer pointing nor sliding their finger beneath the text.

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Accuracy – Is your child reading the words on the page? Are there any errors? What are the errors?

o Re-read the sentence as your child reads it. Ask “Based on what you have read (or the subject matter), does this make sense?” or “Look at the end of the word (point to it), you read [runned, the word ends with -ing] what should this word be?” Support your child in using the subject matter, sentence structure, and if available pictures to read the word

o If the word is a content specific word that would be a challenge if there was no background on the subject (ex: chrysalis or echolocation) tell your child the word and discuss the meaning

Comprehension What happened at the beginning, middle and end of the story? Your child should be

using the characters’ names, describing the setting, the problem, and solution, as well as making a connection to the text (personal connection, text connection, and/or world connection)

How did you learn about the characters in this book? What interesting/new words did the author use? How did the characters behave? Connect the characters’ words and actions to describe what you know about the characters.

What was the author’s purpose for writing this book? What was the message/lesson/moral in the story?

Why did the author use - - - (select a specific key word from the text) when describing the setting?

The character said (select something from the text), what do those words tell us about the character? (character traits)

Explain why you think the author decided to use (insert a piece of figurative language, e.g. simile, metaphor) to compare (insert comparison).

What was the most interesting part of the text? What makes you say that? (fiction and non-fiction)

What were the main facts? (nonfiction)

How does ______ (information in the book) connect to something you already know? How did reading about _______ help you understand _________ better? (non-fiction)