Grade 4 Requirements

For Rising 4th Graders

The ACDS Reading and Response Journal project is required summer work. Students may choose to keep either a hard copy journal, an online blog, or a combination of the two. The requirements are the same for blogging or journaling; it is just the format that is different. Students should view the journal as a way to chronicle their summer and to share their personality with their classmates and teachers in September. Students will not receive a grade on this project, but will receive teacher feedback, and the journal will provide the basis for conversations that will allow teachers to get to know students better. Everyone will want to keep a journal that helps them document a great summer and one that makes them proud.

Required Entries (You must complete each of these)

Remember: all entries should include the date the entry was written. (It is okay if a student does multiple entries on the same date.). Don't forget to use complete sentences, correct capitalization, punctuation and spelling.

1. Create a cover for your journal or design the format for your blog.

2. Read the grade 4 community read:

The required book for rising fourth graders is Stella Diaz has Something to Say by Angela Domingues.

Read or listen to someone read this book. As you read, pay attention to the story. Look through the book again and pay close attention to the pictures.

Write the name of the book and the author in your journal. Select two of these questions and write a sentence to answer each question. Draw a picture to go with your answer.

Why do you think the Diaz family has a weekly appointment? Do you have something similar in your house?
What foods do you eat that are connected to your heritage?
Why do you think Stella has difficulty speaking?
Stella writes her own book. If you wrote a book, what would it be about? Why would you choose that topic?
Stella is inspired by the author she sees at the library. She thinks she might want to be an author too. What do you dream of doing or being?

This book is available at the Alexandria Public Library, Hooray for Books (20% discount if you mention you're from ACDS) and elsewhere.

3. Just Right Books (3 or more)

Read: At least three books at your "just right" level. (Use the 5 Finger Rule to pick a perfect book.) Then enter the following information in the journal for each book:

Title of the Book
Author's Name
Write one sentence describing the plot of the book.
Draw a picture of a favorite character or part of the book. If you're blogging, take a picture of your drawing and post it.

4. Book of Your Choice (1 or more)

Read: One book of your choice. Please select a book that you have not read before.
Select a book of interest to you. It can be any book-- fiction, nonfiction, biography, graphic novel, at any level, with your parents approval.

Write (or create a multimedia): A Book Review Remember to include:

The full title of the book
The author's full name
A short summary of the plot. (Don't give away any surprises!)
What you liked about it
A rating from 1 to 5 where 5 stars is the best

Looking for ideas? Here are some great sources for book recommendations.

Optional Entries (Complete as many of these as you would like)

Students are encouraged to try some of the suggested optional entries, ideas from the Summer Ideas blog, or to use the rest of the journal to pursue other projects of interest. Be sure to click on the hyperlink in each task to see the specific reflection questions to inspire your answers. The reflection questions are a guide to help format your answers-- you may address other questions that interest you instead or as well.