THE LANDRY NEWS, by Andrew Clements: A Novel Study

This 19 page packet is designed for teachers to use with students, grades 4-7, as they read The LANDRY NEWS by Andrew Clements. Included is a ready-to-use 13 page student booklet that divides the text into four reading assignments with questions and tasks to go with each one. Provided also is an answer key. In addition, a bookmark master is included for students to keep track of vocabulary words while reading the book and using the student booklet. Created by Jean Martin.

The questions and tasks in this booklet cover and reinforce the skills that good readers and writers need. These include comprehension, vocabulary, inference, predicting, comparing and contrasting, and determining author's purpose. The packet gives students lots of practice in writing to explain their thinking and to demonstrate their understanding. The booklet is designed for independent work so that students can work on this in class while the teacher is meeting with another group.

In my classroom students were responsible for completing one reading assignment with the accompanying questions/activities each week. I gave them three, 40 minute periods per week to complete one assignment. Additionally, they would meet once a week with me (or an aide or a parent) and with the other students reading the same book (we called this a "book club" meeting) to discuss the book and review the assignments.

The LANDRY NEWS in a nutshell:

Another popular school story by best-selling author, Andrew Clements! Fifth Grader, Cara Landry, is fairly new at her school and has been rather unnoticed up until now. After her parents were divorced, she lashed out and found herself in the principal's office in her old school and is now trying to change her ways. Cara is bright and observant; her passion is to be a journalist. This is a fun-to-read book that gives the reader a good lesson in freedom of speech.

Appropriate for students in grades 4-7. Reading level is approximately 5th grade.

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