Would your 2nd-5th grader be able to read one American Girl book each week. Avg. 55 pages?

[Shellydon]

I am going to teach an American Girl history class at our co-op.  We will be doing 6 six-week units covering 6 times periods and girls.  I don't know if I should do a book a week and therefore cover all 6 books in each series (Meet Felicity etc.) or if I should just cover the first 3 books over 6 weeks.   Would your 2nd-5th grade child be able to easily read a 55 page book each week?  My kids are avid readers devouring many books each week, but I know other kids aren't such avid readers.  What do you think?

[SKL]

Yes, both of my daughters read much more than that and they are 6 and 7 years old.

[SFM]

My son could have in 2nd grade, he is now in 4th and would be capable of accomplishing that assignment.

[Caribbean Queen]

My 5th grader could do it.  My 2nd grader would need my help.

[Crimson Wife]

A lot of 2nd graders and a fair number of 3rd graders would need to have the AG books read aloud to them, but I don't think it is an unreasonable pace so long as everyone is aware ahead of time what the expectations are.

[Goldilocks]

My daughter could have done it in 2nd grade.

 

My sons would not have been able to do it on their own until 3rd. But, they would not have done any better with the slower pace either.

[Shellydon]

Good info.  I might require the first 3 books of each series read (or read to them) and suggest that the last 3 be read if possible. 

[TechWife]

My son could have done one a day at that age, so yes, I think one a week is reasonable. Not that he would have read an American Girls books  :lol:

[dancingmama]

My daughter could not have done it in 2nd but would have had no problems in 3rd.

[FriedClams]

Yes. In 2nd grade they could have read that quiet easily.

[My3girls]

My 2nd and 3rd graders would need help, but my dd12 could have in the 5th easily.

[...................]

I think that is enough time for many 2nd graders, even if they have to read it themselves. But as long as the mom is allowed to read it aloud for the weaker readers, then it should be fine.  3rd-5th graders, it's no question that they can easily do it.

 

So, I would perhaps send a letter in the beginning explaining that 2nd or 3rd graders may have the book read aloud to them.

[Um_2_4]

You mean these ??http://www.amazon.com/Meet-Kit-American-Girls-Collection/dp/1584850167/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1383605435&sr=8-10&keywords=american+girl+doll+books

If so my 2nd grader could read 1 a day easily. I don't think they are a tough read other than maybe some names/unique words. Maybe send a vocab list??

[Shellydon]

You mean these ??http://www.amazon.com/Meet-Kit-American-Girls-Collection/dp/1584850167/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1383605435&sr=8-10&keywords=american+girl+doll+books

If so my 2nd grader could read 1 a day easily. I don't think they are a tough read other than maybe some names/unique words. Maybe send a vocab list??

 

Yes, those are the books. My kids can handle it easily too, but I wanted to see if that was the norm.  I also want to be inclusive of kids with learning disabilities. 

[Shellydon]

Thanks everyone.  I am teaching a class this year that involves reading Misty of Chincoteague and several of the 5th graders were unable to read it, so I am second guessing myself as to what is appropriate.

[JudoMom]

Another yes vote.

[Dmmetler]

When we did an AG co-op, we had several kids with LD issues who either had the books read aloud or listened to them on CD, and they did fine.

[Wabi Sabi]

Last year as a second grader? Probably. This year as a third grader? Yes, he's been tearing through them at the rate of about one a day. Yes, I have a 9y/o boy who loves the AG books, LOL. He's quick to let anyone who raises an eyebrow know that the he doesn't like the dolls, just the stories. ;-)

[daffodil]

Yes, my 2nd grader can easily sit down and read an AG book from start to finish.

[MistyMountain]

My 7 year old 1st grader can finish one in a week no problem but I am not sure if she is motivated to read an American Girl book every week for weeks on end. She likes American girl books and can finish them pretty fast but she likes to read a few of something and then read something else.

[2_girls_mommy]

My oldest at 2nd grade, could and did.  But the class was actually labeled for 3rd grade and up.  I asked especially to get her in because she was a good reader and loved AG books.  My 2nd dd could not have.  She was starting out w/Frog and Toad books in 2nd grade.  But I could have read them to her if that was allowed.  She would have enjoyed that.

 

But an avg. 3rd to 5th grader probably would do just fine (as long as the 3rd grader wasn't trying to do another reading program w/a lot of reading too.)

[Kathryn]

My second grade son could easily read one of those a day.

[LaughingCat]

Yes, those are the books. My kids can handle it easily too, but I wanted to see if that was the norm.  I also want to be inclusive of kids with learning disabilities. 

 

Since you're getting a lot of answers about strong readers - let me say that my struggling reader would not have been able to do either option in 2nd or 3rd grade.  In 4th, she could have done the 2nd option and in 5th the 1st option (Note: this might have been different if DD had LOVED AG, but she would have only signed up for the class because her BF did)

[Guest]

While my kids could, having taught 2nd/3rd grade in a co-op, I would say universally no. I think the Hive tends to have many strong readers and may be skewed a bit. As long as you have the option that the parents may read aloud at that age, I wouldn't see any problem with the assignment, though.

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

We also have an AG class at our co-op, and while my DD could easily read an AG book a week, she wouldn't want to, and having to would kill her love for the AG class, I think. She reads plenty, but that requirement would make her want to drop the class.

[mamatohaleybug]

My DD could not have read those in second or third grade. Fourth or fifth, yes, easily.

[jar7709]

DD is a young 2nd grader. She can read them, but not without help, and not yet at that pace. Probably by the end of this year she will be able to do read them on her own that quickly. My son would have been able to when he was 2nd last year, but wouldn't have wanted to. ;)

[lea_lpz]

Are you using portraits of American girlhood? We will be using it next year and am interested in doing a co-op :)

[Mom2OandE]

My dd is in a AG club. They cover each character for two months meeting twice per month. They are expected to read all the books.

[Tonia]

My daughter was just starting to read those in 2nd grade. One a week along with regular homeschool reading assignments might have been a bit of a stretch for her. 3rd-5th it would be no problem. So, as long as parents can read aloud to the younger readers I think you could do one a week.

[tshirtyogapantmama]

Yes, my daughter could. She sometimes would read an AG book in a day. My son could have never read a AG book  that fast  but I would have just read it to him if it was required for a class. That's always an option to present to parents/girls. 

[Wilma]

Definitely yes.  My 7 y/o second grader often read an AG book in a day.

[bluemongoose]

I have a 4th grader who loves to read...she could read that much in a little more than an hour. My son is in 1st right now, and I am pretty sure he could make it through the whole book by the end of a week with help from me. It would be a stretch, and he wouldnt like it, but I would think as a second grader it would be doable, especially if it is a topic they are interested in,

[sillymommy]

My 3rd grader prefers to have AG books as read-alouds. We read one chapter per day, so that easily is one book/week.

[Julie Smith]

Eldest (assume an interest) could have easily done it in third, and done it in second with help.

 

Youngest could not have done it in second. He is now in third and still can't do it. (Mind you in most parts of the US he would now be considered a second grader). 

[Satori]

Yes, my daughter could read those books (in one day) in second grade. We love them, just got the Addy collection this week, as we're studying the Civil War.

[Paige]

I think it is a bit heavy for 2nd grade and light for 5th. That's such a large age range. My DDs could have read it in 2nd, possibly with some help, but they would have hated it. They would have hated having that much of an addition to their regular reading. At 4th, it would be no problem, but they would still be not too thrilled about it. In 2nd grade, they were reading right at grade level or a tiny bit above. They were not advanced and not slow. Meet Felicity is listed as a 3rd grade level book, so it seems unfair to think a 2nd grader who can't read it yet has a learning disorder. They are in 4th and read at about a 6th/7th grade level now, but it doesn't mean they like it.

 

IMO, it would only work for girls who already really like to read. Other girls could get burnt out from having to read one every week even if they could.

[Slartibartfast]

Dd could when she was that age. She would read more than one.

[MolleenCarie]

My oldest son could have read two a day in second grade, but my second would have had a hard time reading one a week in second. By third she would have been fine. My third child, currently in first, seems to be a lot like his sister.

[Mandylubug]

My daughters are struggling readers so no, alone they could not finish those books but I could tag team read it with them or read it aloud to them and get it done in that time period, though.

[Farrar]

In second grade, no way.  In third, yes, but it would have been pulling teeth and would have edged out other reading.  This year, in fourth, absolutely, but it would probably end up edging out other school reading...  but that's because they're boys who aren't into AG.  If they were into AG as I assume your audience is, it would probably be no problem.

 

I think my kids are pretty average readers.  I think that much reading would need to be a really clear expectation before signing up for a class like that.

[lea_lpz]

I think by third grade most will but 2nd grade, maybe not so much. I would allow for the book to be read aloud to child in 2nd and maybe for older kids with an ld

[foxbridgeacademy]

If none of the children have LD's, or those that do, have parents to read to them then I wouldn't think it's a problem.  I will say that my DS (LD) could not have and DD (no LD) WOULD not have(without a lot of fuss from me).   

[Meriwether]

My 4th and 5th graders could easily read them. My 2nd grader could easily read them if it was his main reading. Reading them on top of his literature and history reading would be difficult now. By the end of the year, it would be no problem.

[Walking-Iris]

My 5th grader could read a book that size on his own easily, he wouldn't have been able to in 2nd grade. Or he may not have wanted to. Or he may have struggled (Note we have never read ANY AG books, so I'm just going by my glances at them.)

 

Why not just ask the parents of the younger children to help their child read it or consider it as a read aloud so the younger ones can participate?

 

 

[SnMomof7]

My 5th grader? Easily! She could not have done it in 2nd though, maybe in early 3rd. My current 2nd grader - no way. Reading abilities change so much and so quickly from K through 3rd, children can be all over the map in reading ability even in 2nd and 3rd.

[Shellydon]

I decided to require the first 3 books be read (either aloud to alone) in 6 weeks.  I am recommending that moms of avid readers purchase or borrow the other 3 books.  That should help everyone.

[Soror]

Sounds like a good plan. fwiw ds could have in 2nd, dd is only in 1st but I think by 2nd she would be able to, judging by current progress, of course ability and desire don't always line up though. Hopefully the class works out, sounds fun.

[Jackie]

I don't have a child that age, but ran a quick search on the Accelerated Reader site. AR seems to place almost all of the American Girl books at a fourth grade reading level. Which means advanced younger readers could handle them, but others will probably need them as a read aloud. I wouldn't see that as a problem as long as you set the expectation up front so parents can decide if they're up for it.

[ScoutTN]

My 8 yo, 3rd grader reads one in about a hour if she's not interrupted! She enjoys them very much. :)