In our last column, we discussed fostering a love of reading by taking time to read in summer’s last days.
This week, school children have begun heading back to class.
Parents of third graders may already be thinking about the third grade reading assessment, which will be given to students next spring. Statistically, we know that more than 80 percent of all students are capable of passing a standardized test if they are provided with the right curriculum.
Recently, our team was proud to complete the next edition of our third grade reading book. Today, I’d like to share a passage from that book with you:
Indian blankets are not blankets at all. Indian blankets are Oklahoma’s state wildflower. They are colorful. They are in the sunflower family. Sometimes they are called fire wheels. They are tiny flowers in size. There is an old Native American legend that goes with the Indian blanket. The legend has nothing to do with a blanket. It is a short legend that tells how the Indian blanket wildflower came to be. It has been told for many years.
In our book, students can read about bison, the Braum’s factory near Tuttle and even the animals at the Oklahoma City Zoo.
We do this because it makes the material more engaging for kids, who find familiar places and learn about new Oklahoma heroes in our text.
Additionally, our lessons are written specifically to help build student skills outlined in Oklahoma Academic Standards. That’s why Alpha Plus schools have outperformed other schools on the state school report card every year.
As summer draws to a close, I hope you have taken time to soak up the adventures that can be found within the pages of a good book. I hope your child will continue to find adventure and knowledge in the pages of his or her books at school, now that class is back in session. If they’re in a classroom with an Alpha Plus book, the adventures will seem close to home, and come test time, they’ll be ready to exceed the state standards.