Reading Preparation Resources

Links that are not accessible from CMS campuses will be marked – OH – OH NO!!

FREE RICE . COM

A selfless and selfish option, but probably the most helpful one, is for you to work on VOCABULARY. But this is no ordinary Vocabulary work. Here’s how it works.

• You play a game in which you are given a term. Then you are given 4 word choices – one of which is a synonym of the initial term. You have to match the synonym to the term.
• For each word you get right, the website donates 20 grains of rice through the United Nations to help end world hunger. How do you like that!?

TRY IT!

HELP Someone else eat. Learn some vocabulary in the process.

• Go to FREERICE.COM.
• Read about FreeRice.Com at their FAQ page.

East Of The Web . Com – OH – OH NO!!

The East of the Web Suite of games exploits the gaming end of the mind to teach word attack skills to all ability levels.

The cool thing about the site is that some of the games allow different people in different places (anywhere in the world) can actually play against one another.

Check it out. Learn as much as you can as you try to show others how much WORD Game you have.

• To play word games go to EastOfTheWeb.Com. OH – OH NO!!
• Go to Short Stories at East of the Web to read interactive short stories for comprehension practice.

• A Handout with Notes and Examples of the 4 types of Context Clues from ReadWriteThink.org
• Watch a PowerPoint on the 4 Types of Context Clues.
• Big list of links for reading practice – some of the links throught he page you end up at will not work. take what you need and leave the rest. 
• List of mostly science related reading context (fill in the blank) passages.
• Low level comprehension passages – MOOOOO.
• A Quia game that requires you to pick the right definition for a word underlined.
• 10 Context Clue Items for practice.
• Pre/Post Test in Context Clues
• Take the quiz/test.
  • Read each item.
  • Then click the box for your answer.
  • Then PRINT your page.
  • THEN get the answers.
  • AND THEN, man oh man, turn it in. 
  • FINALLY!

Reading Comprehension Exercises

• BBC – Skillswise News Quizzes – there are 157 stories & quizzes in the archive of previously published articles to choose from, including: 27 entertainment stories, 45 news stories, 54 numbers stories, 15 audio/video stories, 16 sports stories.
• Internet Public Library – Look around. You’ll find some stuff here to be sure. When you do, let me know what you find for test prep and reading practice, etc. Thanks.
• Pearson Longman Publishing (these guys make standardized tests; this is a good source for practice)
• Houghton Mifflin English : Grades 6-8
• Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County – You need to have a PLCMC library card for this. It is awesome. So make sure you get a library card if you don’t have one.
  • Scroll down to “L”.
  • Then click on LEARN A TEST.
  • Put your library card number in.
  • AT THIS POINT you’ve reached Learning Express website.
    • Set yourself up as a NEW USER.
    • LOGIN.
    • You’re In!!!!!!
  • Go into the Middle School Section.
  • Whatever you do, print results, and progress reports.
  • Turn in results and progress reports to me.
• North Carolina Department of Education – Not exactly sure where you’re going to find stuff here, but there should be something somewhere. I couldn’t find anything. That doesn’t mean there isn’t anything for you, though.
• International Chidren’s Digital Library – This site is pretty cool. It is a source of books in multiple languages from multiple cultures all over the globe (nothiing from anything other than earth, yet.).
• BYU – English Idioms & Proverbs – At this site you will find a collection of idioms and proverbs. Click on the index to see the list. Then click on a specific entry to get more information. All the idiom/proverb pages have at least one picture each drawn by a student. 
• 331 most common English verbs –
• Parts of a Sentence –
• Persuasion in America : (watch the full 90 minute video on-line) –
• Writing Help –
• Diagramming Sentences –
• Grammar Practice –
• Pre-teen/teen Suicide & Crisis Hotlines –
• Scholastic for Parents –
• Scholastic for Kids –
• You Tube – LearningUpgrade Search Results –
• Big Dog’s Grammar : (In English and in Spanish) –
• Glecoe Literature Interactive Activities –
• Glencoe (Writer’s Choice) : Grammar & Writing Practice –
• Great Links for Parents : (sponsored by Glencoe) –
• Pupils Ask Teachers Help : This site offers on-line homework help–both live and via message board, all grade levels, all subjects.
• Video Poetry Collection : watch poems read by teachers
• Getting Involved in Your Child’s Education
• Poetry Foundation: Listen to poetry read aloud. Mostly contemporary, some canon, all good.
• Shakespeare Games –
• Shakespeare Songs : Nine songs from the plays, including “The Canakin Clink,” “Romeo and Juliet”, “Duet,” and “Ophelia’s Song.”
  • Click on the music box for a treat!
• Everyday Spelling Activities –
• Houghton Mifflin – Spelling and Vocabulary Activities –
• Spelloween – prepare to be tested!
• Charlotte Child and Family Resource Guide –
• Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County Teen Loft –
• http://www.libraryloft.org/
• The homework spot! – Get help with homework – ANY subject!
• McDougal Littell – The Language of Literature, Grade 8
• CMS Library of Grammar –

 

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FCAT EXPLORER . COM

(For Florida Students and provided by the State of Florida DOE)

As the primary resource for the use of technology in reading acheivment improvements, the following resources provided through the FCAT Explorer website have been approved for use. Students of grades 6 & 7 are to access the Grade 6 resources. A sign-in and password are required for the use of the FCAT Explorer website. Click here for some THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FCAT Explorer.

• FCAT Explorer student sign-in conventions are as follows:
  • Username: LastName+1st Initial
  • Password: 06+1st4LettersLastName+MMDD(birthday)

Once you are signed in to the FCAT Explorer website, follow these instructions select READING ISLAND (Grade 6).

• CLICK “Let’s Go!”
• Click “View Questions” to preview the questions.
• Read the selection.
• Click “Answer Questions”
  • Proceed through questions
  • Click “Check Answer” to check your answer.
  • 1st wrong instance – suggestion with options: (1) Practice Power, (2) Skill Builder
    • Practice Power offers questions of similar concept
    • Skill Builder offers definition of concept & examples
• At any time during the practice session, you can click on “Explorer’s Report” to review your progress in report format. Using the Explorer’s Report you can You can

• See what your strengths and weaknesses are (scary):
• How many times you have attempted an item (middle)
• The percentage of questions you got correct (right)
• View your overall grade summary (bottom)

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Useful computer bits of knowledge:

• To open a new tab: Hold down the apple (or CTRL on a pc computer) key, and tap the letter “T”.
• To copy a block of text: Highlight the text you want to copy. Then hold down the apple (or CTRL on a pc computer) key and tap the letter “C”.
• To paste a block of text: Click where you want to paste the text. Then hold down the apple (or CTRL on a pc computer) key and tap the letter “V”.
• Windows HotKeys.
• MAC HotKeys.
• Sacramento City College: Practice in Context Clues offered in a smooth frame by frame practice session with still snap shots.
  • Just click along. Yoiu better read everything, though, so nothing gets confusing.
• TV411.ORG– Reading – This site has some of hte most effective reading comprehension practice I’ve found around the net. 
  • TV411-Reading 1 : This lesson and activity is focused on basic context clue word attack skills. These short simple examples tip you off to context clues so you can get the hang of it and understand what’s going on.
  • TV411-Reading 2 : This lesson is concerned with words that have multiple meanings.