In 2Nd Grade, We Do AR Quite Differently Than What Your Child Is Used to from 1St Grade

August, 2016

Dear Parents,

In 2nd grade, we do AR quite differently than what your child is used to from 1st grade. It will be helpful to your child (and to us) for you to be familiar with our procedure, so please read the following information.

-All of our Accelerated Reader (AR) books are marked with a book level, number of points, and in most cases the quiz number. PLEASE NOTE YOUR CHILD’S FICTION AND NON-FICTION LEVELS. This will be indicated on the reading log. Fiction books and non-fiction books have different levels – non-fiction books and their AR quizzes are a bit harder than fiction books. When visiting the school library, we will require them to select books within their reading level range,which has been determined by the STAR Reading Assessment. In turn, please help your child select books within this range. It has been our experience that AR chapter books of no more than four points are most appropriate for second graders.

-In second grade, your child will have a goal for AR reading. This goal is 1 quiz per week on a book of the appropriate level and number of points, with a score of 80% or better. (If a child takes a quiz and scores lower that 80%, another quiz will need to be taken to count for that week.) Those who are capable will be expected to read chapter books. We feel this is an attainable goal that encourages the children to continually practice their independent reading. The week of Standardized Testing, and weeks with only 3 days of school will be “Bonus Weeks”, meaning that no quiz will be required for that week for students whose weekly goal hasbeen attained. At school, we give constant reminders to the children about reading AR books and taking the accompanying quiz. You can check on your child’s progress at entering your child’s username and password. Please help your child by encouraging him/her to read and take quizzes in order to meet or (even better) surpass this goal. In 2nd grade , meeting the AR goal is part of the Reading grade for the quarter.

-Your child’s reading log is a running history of the books he/she has read and quiz scores he/she has received each quarter. When your child takes an AR quiz, he/she must have this log. It is important, therefore, that the log is kept in the green folder so it can be brought to the computer for the quiz. The child fills in the level, number of points, quiz number, and title. I will record the score after each quiz is taken, and then return the log. It is important that the children become familiar with this procedure. Please help your child by returning the log to the green folder after reviewing his/her results. Please do not keep this log at home. We need it at school. Your help in filling out the title of the book would be greatly appreciated. Children will be allowed to take no more than one AR test per day, although they are certainly encouraged to take more than one quiz per week.

-The students may begin taking AR quizzes once we have the results of the STAR test, which will most likely be the week of Sept. 7.

Thank you for your support!

Mrs. Bonnie Franks