Grade 4 at HIS 2014-15: Reading Resources

Reading Anthology

Click to enlarge

This is the basal reader, or the 'text book' of which every student is assigned a copy. The Grade 4 anthology has a wide selection of narrative stories, plays, poems, and expository essays, providing examples of most every type of written material. These books can be taken home, and are often assigned as reading homework. When a story has been assigned for homework, an mp3 file is posted to the class blog, so that students can listen while they read if they choose to.

Subject Specific Text Books

These are the text books used for Science and Social studies. Like the Reading Anthology, each student is assigned a copy of each book for the year, which they can take home to read at their leisure. Reading selections from these books will sometimes be assigned for homework.

Library Books and Classroom Library

The HIS library is constantly being updated with new books, and all students have access to the wide range of fiction and nonfiction titles. Selections relevant to what we are studying in class will often be loaned to the classroom, where they are on display and available to all students in the class.

The Grade 4 classroom also has an excellent selection of novels and nonfiction titles on its shelves. Students are encouraged to recommend to others books they have read from the school library and the classroom library.

Raz Kids Online Reading Program

HIS has taken out a subscription to this excellent online facility, and each student has been assigned an individual account. Regular assessments, both online and in class with the teacher, ensures that all students are reading material at a level appropriate to their abilities. The program has a wide selection of fiction and nonfiction e-books. Students have the option to listen to the stories, read the text, take quizzes, and even record their own reading, for assessment by the teacher. Parents are also encouraged to open an account, so that you can also monitor your child's progress. Click here for more information about Raz Kids.

Reading Material at Home

Reading material will constantly be prescribed by the teacher, but that doesn't prevent students from taking advantage of any extra material they may have at home. If the books are appropriate, students are also invited to bring them to school to read during D.E.A.R. or to share with classmates (with permission, of course!)

Other Online Resources
The availability of quality online reading material is almost without limit, however, parents should also check each online resource to make sure that it is appropriate for children, both in content and in level of difficulty. With modern technology, it is now possible to access online material almost anywhere, at any time. A selection of online resources are listed here.