The Reading Corner

Welcome to Upper Elementary Reading!

Welcome back! This year marks an exciting transition for your child. In the earlier grades, they focused on learning to read—cracking the code of letters and sounds. In 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade, we shift toward reading to learn. Your child will use reading to explore history, dive deep into science, and understand complex characters.

Our primary goal this year is not just to improve your child's reading skills, but to foster a genuine love for reading. We want to build their identity as readers.

This month, we are focusing on launching strong reading habits at home and celebrating the diverse books our students discovered over the summer. The simple goal is to establish a relaxed, daily reading habit.

We are thrilled to partner with you this year! Please don't hesitate to reach out if you need book recommendations or want to share how your child is feeling about reading at home!

Summer Reading BINGO Boards!

Please ask your child to bring their Summer Reading BINGO Boards to Library Class as soon as possible and give it to Ms. Felegian. Thank you!

💡Suggestions of how you can help at home:

Prioritize volume over difficulty.

Please don't worry about finding books that challenge your child. Instead, focus on helping them find books they enjoy.

Embrace all forms of reading.

Let them read graphic novels, listen to audiobooks, or re-read their favorite stories.

Keep reading aloud.

Keep reading aloud books that are slightly above your child's independent reading level to build vocabulary and comprehension. (Don't stop reading aloud to your child, even if they can read independently!)

Ask open-ended questions.

Instead of asking quizzing questions like "What happened on page 9?," have a conversation about what your child has read. For example, you could ask "What does this part of the book remind you of and why?" or "What do you think that character will do next and why?"

🚀 Motivators for Students & Families

The Choice Factor:

Children are significantly more motivated to read when they pick their own books. Take a trip to the Nantucket Atheneum once every couple of weeks to let your child choose books to borrow.

Model the behavior.

Children copy what they see. A powerful motivator is simply seeing their parents read for pleasure.

Create a cozy reading ritual.

Frame reading time not as a chore or homework assignment, but as a special, cozy routine—like reading with a flashlight, building a reading fort, or having a special snack during reading time.

The Power of Reading 20 Minutes Daily at Home

Setting a goal of 20 minutes of reading per day exposes children to nearly 2 million words a year.

🎯 Impact on Achievement

Students in the 90th percentile of reading achievement typically read 20 minutes or more per day.
Students in the 50th percentile read about 5 minutes per day.
Students in the 10th percentile often read less than 1 minute per day.

This shows that just 20 extra minutes of daily reading can move a child from “average” to “above average” in reading success.

NIS students should be reading for at least 20 minutes per day at home.

🎯 Collaborative Goals for the School Year

Build a 20-minute daily habit.

Discover a favorite genre or author.

Help your child find their "reading identity" this year. Whether they fall in love with fantasy, biographies, or mysteries, finding a niche is a major milestone.

Open lines of communication.

Please feel free reach out to your child's teacher, the librarian, or us if you are in need of books to read at home. Thank you for your continued support in growing readers!

Event Information

Open House

Please stop by our reading rooms in the fourth and fifth grade clusters. We look forward to meeting you!

When?

Wednesday, Oct 7, 2026, 05:00 PM

Where?

Our School

🗓 Coming Up!

Connie Leuenberger, Reading Specialist and Joni Amaral, Reading Interventionist

Email: amaralj@npsk.org

leuenbergerc@npsk.org
Website: https://www.npsk.org/NIS
Text/phone: 508-228-7290