Black (Bk)
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What is a Bk Reader?
Black-level readers really get hooked on reading. This is when the silent reading takes off and readers will sit and read for long periods of time, reluctant to stop because they want to find out what happens next. Black-level readers must demonstrate their proficiency in both fiction and nonfiction. In Black-level text, the vocabulary demands are increasing, with 3–5 words on a typical chapter book page not familiar from everyday speech. Black-level readers should be able to define those words either from past knowledge or use of context clues. Black-level readers should finish a Black-level chapter book, or its equivalent, each week.
Standards-based Objectives for Bk
Wide Reading and Motivation
- Has established an academic reading lifestyle, reading at least 30 minutes a day, or 100 hours per year
- Has established a home reading habit and reads for at least 30 minutes each night
- Chooses to read both fiction and nonfiction regularly and demonstrates comfort in at least four genres
- Is able to sustain interest across sittings and finishes Bk-level chapter books regularly
Decoding/Word Solving Strategies
- Uses rules of syllabification to approximate the pronunciation of any word, including difficult names
Fluency
- Reads with 98–100% word accuracy in Bk-level texts and self-corrects all errors that interfere with meaning
- Silent reading is faster than oral and is preferred by the reader
Vocabulary and Background Knowledge
- Provides synonyms or antonyms for words encountered in text
- Infers word meaning from prefixes and suffixes
Comprehension of Informational and Literary Text
- Uses active reading strategies: activating prior knowledge, surveying, making predictions and connections, visualizing, rereading, and asking clarifying questions
- Identifies the facts and details that support the author’s main idea
- Identifies and explains the effects of literary devices
- Explains the author’s primary goal and whether or not he or she accomplished it using examples from the text
Major Learning for a Bk Reader
Your inner reading voice becomes a mind voice that can go faster than your lips can read out loud. Bk is the level where many readers finally get hooked on “page turners.”
Major Characteristics of a Bk Book
Bk books are picture books and chapter books where 3–5 of the words or phrases on a typical page are not commonly found in everyday speech. The background knowledge required is that expected of an on-level fourth grader (e.g., U.S. geography, concept of historical time, fractions).
IRLA: Independent Reading Level Assessment®
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Alignment to Other Systems
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