Welcome to Fourth Grade!
Classroom discussion doesn’t have to stop just because the bell rings. This site is devoted to student questions and concerns about what we are learning in fourth grade. I look forward to reading and responding to comments related to what we are studying in class. I respect the privacy of my students and will not comment on student progress or behavior. It is my expectation that all comments posted on this site will be appropriate and respectful towards the opinions of others.
What better way to get to know each other than by reading and sharing our thoughts about a great book. Click on the Summer Of Riley page on the right side of the screen. I invite you to come and share your questions, predictions, and connections as you read the book. Beginning the week of July 9, everyone is encouraged to post a comment or read a review on this site about the reading. We will divide the reading into six weeks. I will post the page numbers to read each week. I highly encourage you to draw pictures of your favorite part of each week’s reading using Microsoft Paint and upload them along with your comments (Save them as a JPEG file.)
NOTE: DO NOT USE YOUR LAST NAME IN YOUR COMMENTS. FIRST NAMES ONLY.
Don’t forget to check out our classroom webpage for news and information about fourth grade:
June 22nd, 2007 at 1:50 am
June 22, 2007
Dear Mrs. Mclauglin,
My mom and I read the first chapter in The Summer of Riley. I have a connection to the book. I use to have a dog like Will. Her name was Java and she was a black lab. The part when they find out Riley is a really smart dog I got a little excited about what would happen next.
Sincerely,
Caemeron
June 24th, 2007 at 5:52 am
I have the same connection. I have a lab too. Her name is Jesse. Labs are really smart dogs. They get very attached to their families. I wonder what happened to Riley’s first family? Why did they give him away? What do you think?
June 25th, 2007 at 7:14 pm
June 25, 2007
Dear Mrs. McLaughlin,
I read the next few chapters and I think Riley’s old owners got rid of him because he attacked a horse like Sultan. I wonder what will happen next?
Your student,
Cameron
July 5th, 2007 at 7:04 am
I have a dog named Max and he is a Golden Retreiver. Max is alot like Riley but he doesn’t go in other people’s yards and attack livestock. I’m more than half way through the book and can’t wait to finish the rest!
July 8th, 2007 at 9:15 am
I read the frist 20 pages out loud to my mom. I had a few questions along the way! How did he die (Grandpa)? Why his mom and dad split up?How deep did they get on the pond before Grandpa pass away? How did Riley know how to save Will? Hopefully I will find out the answers to these questions!
Lauren
July 9th, 2007 at 11:34 am
Dear Mrs. McLaughlin,
Mrs. Patch and I finished the first chapter. I had a text to self connection. William getting Riley reminds me of getting Buddy, my dog. Buddy is very cute but not smart like Riley. I have a question….why did William’s dad go away? Will we find out in the story?
Sincerely,
Christopher
July 9th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
I have a connection.My brothers friends mom got a lab too.She can get wild but she is very nice when you get to know her better.
July 9th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
Hi Everyone,
I am excited to hear from so many of you and that you like the book. There are a number of us who have the same connection to a dog in our life. Chapter one made me feel sad. It seems like William and his grandpa had a special relationship. You can feel how much he misses him. How many of you believe that Riley will only sleep in William’s bed “for just one night?” Chapter two made me nervous. As a mom, I would be very worried if I woke up and found a note from one of my daughers saying she had gone on an all day hike alone without telling me. How do you think his mother feels about his hike? How do you feel about William eavesdropping on his parents in chapter three?
July 9th, 2007 at 7:30 pm
Dear.Lauren, If you had to pick one qustion what one would you want to know and why?
July 9th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
I have read only up to the 5th chapter and I love it!Thank you Mrs,McLaughlin!
July 10th, 2007 at 12:02 pm
I have been taking some notes about the book on scrap papper.To help me stay on track.I love the cover of the book because I love how they made Riley’s beautiful hair look almost real.
July 10th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
Dear Kaylee,
The one question I would really want to find out is how Riley knew how to save William. I was surprised when Riley went after Sultan. I didn’t expect him to do that.
Mrs. McLaughlin,
I didn’t think it was very good for William to listen in to his parents. I wonder why he doesn’t go to see his Dad? I also wonder if his parents will ever get back together. I think William would be very happy for his parents to get back together.
It was sad when William went into his Grandpa’s room. I really hope they don’t make Riley go back to the pound.
July 11th, 2007 at 11:52 am
Using sticky notes is a good way to keep track of what you read. You can jot down questions and comments that you have about the storyand stick them on a page. You can also move a sticky note from one page to another page. This is a good strategy to use when you find the answer to a question that you had. Move the sticky note that had the question on it to the page with the answer on it. We will be using a lot of sticky notes in fourth grade. They are a great tool for reading comprehension and fun to use.
July 11th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
when I first got the book I looked at the cover and from far away it did look real!!!!! I started to think that is was real but then I looked at it closer and it was just a really great illustration!
July 12th, 2007 at 3:36 pm
Dear Mrs. McLaughlin,
I just finished reading chapter 7. I had a question about why the book is called The Summer of Riley when the dog has to go back to the pound! One day my neighbors dog got into my house and bit my dad. I wished that dog had gone to the pound too.
July 13th, 2007 at 11:13 am
I say that the book keeps getting more and more interesting as I read and the more questoins I get. And a connectoin I have to the book is that I have dogs too. Thier names are Maya and Luna. Thier huskys.
July 13th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Don’t be shy about jumping in and answering each other’s questions. Scroll back through the comments. Are there any questions or comments you want to reply to?
July 16th, 2007 at 11:17 am
That is a great qustion Lauren! I wounder why the other owners gave Riley away?
July 16th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
I wonder what happened to Will”s Grandpa. How do you think Riley knew to save Will when he fell into the river? I like the book. WILL
July 17th, 2007 at 7:19 am
A good part was when Will and Grace were out in the rain talking to Ellis and Duane about Riley. When Mrs. Upton came out of her house and being on Will’s side she said that someone would be ashamed of them because they were being mean to Will. I’m finally on chapter 12 and I can’t wait to finish the book and what happens to Riley. I hope Riley gets saved by Will and Grace.
July 18th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Dear Will,
What is your favorite that happened in the story?
July 18th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
Since I love horses so much, I understand how Peachie feels and all she wants to do is protect her beloved horse because like it said in the story, it is her last connection to Woodie. I know that Peachie doesn’t want Riley to be put to sleep, but she just wants to protect Sultan.
July 21st, 2007 at 9:18 am
I love horses too!!!!!!! I think that the Sultan shouldn’t die but I don’t think Riley should die ether!
July 23rd, 2007 at 9:29 am
I have finished the boock already. But I will not tell anyone how the boock end. That is why I do not have any questions.
July 23rd, 2007 at 11:55 am
Dear Friends,
I have been using sticky notes to keep track and help me understand what I am reading. Thank you for the tip. I feel bad about Ellis’ cat, Josephine, who did from three dogs that were not on leashes. Maybe that is why he is bullying William.William is lucky to have Grace as a good friend.
Bye for now,
Christopher
July 24th, 2007 at 10:51 pm
When William couldn’t sleep because he had too much on his mind, he got out of bed and made a list of ideas that would help solve his problem. What strategies do you use to help you solve your problems? What did you think of Will’s list of ideas? Do you think any of them will work?
Have you every tried your best at something and it still didn’t turn out the way you wanted?
What do you think Ellis’s and Duane’s plan is to stop William and Grace from saving Riley? Do you think they will succeed?
July 24th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
Thank you, Logan. That is very considerate of you. Please feel free to write comments about how you felt about events in the story. We are reading up to page 90 this week. I hoped you enjoyed the book.
July 29th, 2007 at 7:03 pm
July 29, 2007
Dear Mrs. McLaughlin,
I’ve finished the whole book, but I still have a comment that won’t ruin the ending. I, like William, do not have a brother or sister either. I have two cats.
I would be upset if somebody came and took my cats and said they would die
in 21 days! They are part of our family!!!!!!!
July 31st, 2007 at 7:48 pm
I have finally finished the book. I loved the book so much! When everyone is finished I’ll tell how I felt about what happen at the end so I don’t ruin it for anyone else.
August 10th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
I have finished the book and I’ll say that i’t was a great book. I was a little sad that at chapter one because the grandpa had died.I won’t tell the ending because I don’t want to ruin it for anybody.
August 16th, 2007 at 10:32 pm
Hi! I haven’t heard from anyone this week. Has everyone finished the book? If so, I am anxious to read your comments. I liked the ending. I think the author did a good job of keeping us in suspense. What do you think will happen with Peachie? Will she come back? If so, how do you think what happened will affect Peachie and William’s relationship? What do you think the author did well in the story? What would you change in the story?
Extension: Extend the story by writing one more chapter. What do you see happening in William’s future?
August 18th, 2007 at 12:36 am
Hi I’m on chapter 14 and I cant wait to finish!!!!!!!!!
August 18th, 2007 at 9:22 am
I would not change anything in the book. I like it the way it was. I don’t think Peachie will come back because I think she will be happier where she is!
August 19th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
Dear,Mrs McLaughlin I am done the book I liked the ending alot just like you do.I think the author did great in the story! I loved the way the author made Willam’s fellings seem like he really loved riley and he did.The way she made them makes me feel like I sould do them when I rite.Befor I didn’t notice it now I do !!!
August 27th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
Dear Mrs. McLaughlin,
I loved the book that you picked it was very fun to read.
It was about a boy named William.William’s grampa died so he’s mom let him get a dog so they went to the pound to get a dog.So they got a dog named riley.
I have three dogs and the book the summer of Riley made me think of them.
August 28th, 2007 at 8:23 pm
I just read a chapter and i can’t wait to finish!