In second grade your child may participate in the Accelerated Reading Program. AR is a computerized reading program that allows students to take quizzes on books they read. At Amherst, we have almost 4,000 quizzes from which students can select. We place orange dots on the spines of the library books that have quizzes. Based on their performance on these quizzes, students can earn points that will in turn earn prizes.   This is an exciting program that encourages your child to read.

Reading is FUN!

Questions to ask and discussions to have with your child as you read.

Fiction Stories

1.   What is the title?  What do you think the story

     will be about ?

2.   Who is the author?  What does an author do?

3.   Who is the illustrator?  What does the illustator

     do?

*** Look at the pictures and talk about what is going on

    in the story.  Then read the story.  As you read,

    encourage your child to tell you what they think 

    will happen next.

4.  What is the story mostly about?

5.  Who are the main characters?

6.  What happened in the beginning, middle, and end

    of the story?

7.  What was the problem?  How was it solved?

8.  Was this a fantasy or a real story?

    (If there is anything unreal in the story, it is

    considered a fantasy.) 

9.   Was there a lesson in the story?

10.  Why do you think the author wrote the story?

*** Encourage your child to read different types of

   stories.

Realistic Fiction, Tall Tales, Fantasies, Mysteries, Science Fiction, and Historical Fiction

Nonfiction Stories

( True Books)

1.   What is the title?

2.   Who is the author?  What does an author do?

3.   Who is the illustrator?  What does an illustrator

     do?

  Read the story and discuss the pictures as you read.

4.   Have your child tell four facts about __________.

5.   Have your child tell four opinions about_______.

6.   Where can you find more information on _______.

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Creative Writing

Have your child keep a story journal. Summary format:

Title_______________________

This story was about _______________.

First, _______________________________. 

Next, _______________________________. 

Then, _______________________________.

Last, ________________________________. 

Ending Sentence: _____________________

______________________________________

My favorite part was __________________

______________________________________.