Future
Meadow View

Elementary School

Entering Third Grade

John Redd Smith Elementary School is dedicated to making reading and writing top priorities for your child. It is important for our students to “read and write all summer long” by participating in the summer reading program.

For the summer of 2017,John ReddSmith Elementary School rising third graders are asked to take the summer challenge by reading one book and completing a reading/writing project for the book. This project will be turned into the student’s new third grade teacher at the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year.

An age appropriate list is provided in this brochure. Please feel free tochoose books that are not on the list. Also, please feel free to read as many books as possible this summer. However, the student is only responsible for one completed project.

Students may access MyOn, Reading A-Z, and Raz-Kids for online reading using their school user names and passwords.

We need your help in preventing the “summer slide” by keeping it fun while participating in summer reading. All projects need to be turned in to your third grade English teacher the first week of the 2017-2018 school year.

Enjoy your time reading. Keep a journal of summer activities, imaginings, adventures, and dreams. Make a list of new words found in summer reading. Illustrate the words for greater understanding. Parents please encourage your child to discuss the stories they are reading. Read a chapter book together as a family. There are no limits when it comes to getting involved in a good story!

READ! READ! READ!

Book Project Criteria

The following items must be included in the final project.

  • Name of Book, Author, Illustrator, Genre (Type of Book)
  • Setting (Where does the story take place?)
  • Brief summary (No more than 5 sentences. Don’t give away the plot in your summary)
  • Main Idea/Theme (What point is the author trying to share?)
  • Plot/Problem
  • Did you like this book? Why or why not? Would you recommend this book to a friend?
  • Main Characters
  • Solution to the problem
  • Please include pictures from the story. What was your favorite part?

Ways to complete the project:

  • Story board presentation

(trifold project board or poster board)

  • Digital presentation
  • Foldable presentation

Successful Summary

Somebody: Who is the main character?

Wanted: What did the character want?

But: What was the problem?

So: How did the character try to solve the problem?

Then: What was the resolution of the story?

Entering Third Grade in the Fall: Fiction

  • Get Ready for Gabi: A Crazy Mixed-Up Spanglish Day by Marisa Montes
  • Lunch Lady by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
  • Addy Learns a Lesson
    by Connie Rose Porter
  • Amelia Bedelia series by Peggy Parish
  • Magic School Bus Chapter Books
    by Jennifer Joshnston
  • Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White
  • Hank the Cowdog by John R. Erickson
  • Freckle Juice, The Pain and the Great One, and other books by Judy Blume
  • Aunt Flossie’s Hats (and Crab Cakes Later) by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard
  • Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber
  • Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale by John Steptoe
  • Ramona or other books
    by Beverly Cleary
  • Cam Jansen Series by David A. Adler
  • The Puppy Place: Chew and Chica
    by Ellen Miles
  • The Boxcar Children
    by Gertrude Chandler Warner
  • Captain Underpants Series

by Dav Pilkey

  • Spaceheadz by Jon Scieszka
  • The Graduation of Jake Moon
    by Barbara Park
  • Flat Stanley Series by Jeff Brown

Entering Third Grade in the Fall: Nonfiction

  • Hellen Keller by David A. Adler
  • People Who Made a Difference series by Ann Gaines and by Don McLeese
  • George Washington Carver
    by Gene Adair
  • Under the Quilt of Night
    by Deborah Hopkinson
  • Freedom on the Menu
    by Carole Boston Weatherford
  • The Great Kapok Tree
    by Lynne Cherry
  • What’s Your Angle, Pythagoras?
    by Julie Ellis
  • Backyardigans series by Siobhan Ciminera