Description
In Grandma Ruth Feeds Her Friends, Grandma Ruth calls to the animals around the farm house to be fed, and they come running. What will happen when she calls for Danny? Grandma Ruth Feeds Her Friends, part of the Danny and Grandma Ruth Set, is a D leveled, Emergent reader.
Level D Readers
Grandma Ruth Feeds Her Friends is a D leveled reader, based on independent evaluation by Fountas & Pinnell using the F&P Text Level Gradient™. The title is appropriate for Emergent readers (Levels D-E). Level D fiction titles typically feature stories about simple one-dimensional human characters or animal fantasy where the animal characters have human experiences, exhibit emotions, talk, and have the ability to reason. The printed text in Level D readers continues to be strongly supported by illustrations. While the vocabulary and themes are familiar to the reader, at this level they can be examined in more depth. Additionally, Emergent readers no longer rely as heavily on repetitive language patterns.
For students reading at Level D, voice‐print matching is smooth and automatic. They no longer track text with their fingers. They’re able to read pages with up to six lines of text and increased sentence complexity. The text can include prepositional phrases, adjectives, simple contractions, and possessive words (using apostrophes). Some of the sentences on a page can be longer (containing more than six words) and carry over to a second line of text. Level D readers are able to consistently self-monitor, and cross‐check other sources of information to self‐correct while they are reading.
Emergent Readers
The guided reading Emergent reader category includes Levels D-E. Emergent readers have a good understanding of the alphabet and early phonics that help them decode unknown words. They are developing comprehension skills and word-attack strategies, and are comfortable with a significant number of high-frequency words. Emergent readers are more flexible in their ability to handle varied placement of text on a page and understand most punctuation. They’re also able to recognize that reading has a variety of purposes and reading different kinds of books is enjoyable for distinct reasons. Readers at the Emergent level are able to understand a wider range of punctuation and can read dialogue, reflecting the meaning through their phrasing. They’re also able to recognize and understand inflectional endings, like s and ing, and the effect those endings have on root words.
Readers at this level benefit from reading both fiction and nonfiction/informational books. Reading nonfiction helps young students develop background knowledge, which increases their comprehension ability by enabling them to make sense of new ideas. Additionally, informational texts have the potential to motivate students to read more by tapping into their personal interests. MaryRuth Books offers many fiction and nonfiction/informational leveled readers, suggested and used by Reading Recovery® and Guided Reading educators, when teaching Emergent readers.
Coordinating Activity
- After students have read one or all of the titles in the Danny and Grandma Ruth set, download the Grandma Ruth glasses activity sheet for a fun comprehension exercise. Ask students to draw and color what Grandma Ruth sees from her perspective (through her glasses) in scenes from the books.
- Download and color Danny, Bee, and Grandma Ruth finger puppets to reenact scenes from one of the books or create your own story about Grandma Ruth, her friends, and her food.
