Weekly Reading

The Weekly Reading program provides students with consistent, tailored and individual instruction centered on improving student reading and reading comprehension skills to ensure students are able to master reading benchmark tests at the end of the third grade. The program, piloted at Edwards Elementary, gives first through third grade Explorers the opportunity to learn at their independent reading level alongside a caring adult and supported by research-informed tools designed to match and challenge their current reading level.

How It Works

Each week, 75 employees from SandRidge Energy and Public Strategies spend an hour meeting one-on-one with Explorers. Reading Coaches enter their sessions armed with a kit, including a weekly lesson from the research-based Learning A-Z curriculum, an iPad loaded with educational games and applications, and art and writing supplies. Each lesson is composed of a reading comprehension component and a supplemental phonics or fluency lesson, depending on the student’s reading level. Students spend 45 minutes working diligently on their assigned lesson and then are given the final 15 minutes to play educational, reading-themed games on the iPad.

A full-time Program Specialist closely monitors reading sessions, conducting all assessments and evaluating student progress. The Program Specialist also provides training for the volunteers at intermittent times throughout the school year and aligns the entire program with best-practice standards.

About Learning A-Z

Learning A-Z is a research-informed literacy curriculum that provides easy-to-use tools for coaches, guidance about progress monitoring for staff, and high-quality student resources that allow children to engage with the materials. Further, one component of the curriculum, RAZ Kids, provides students, teachers and parents additional opportunities to practice building student literacy skills in school, during coaching time and at home.

Using the Learning A-Z Running Records tool, the Program Specialist conducts ongoing evaluations of each student’s reading ability, which is used to identify their “just right” reading level (Level aa – Level z). This assessment is conducted monthly to monitor the student’s progress as he/she moves through the levels. As a result, Reading Coaches are able to visually see results from their weekly investment of time.

Guest Readers

When camp is in session, every morning Explorers gather to spend time with a Guest Reader. Guest Readers are selected from a wide range of professional backgrounds to serve as role models for the Explorers and inspire them to read.
2013 Book List

Additionally, Guest Readers have the opportunity to spend time with a group of children investing their summer in learning and to see a project committed to impacting the summer learning loss that would inevitably occur for students if the camp did not exist.
2012 Guest Readers

Reading Intervention

What if a camp focused many of its activities on helping children learn to read?

Welcome to Reading Explorers! For morning sessions, Monday through Thursday, students are assigned to homeroom classrooms of approximately 15 Explorers. Small class sizes give certified teachers, and their partner Camp Assistants, the opportunity to execute the most focused instruction possible.

Each day is divided into instructional blocks. During the 2.5-hour morning block, teachers focus on reading comprehension skills with engaging text. Through targeted phonics instruction, introduction to key vocabulary terms and repeated fluency practice, each student is receiving the intervention needed not only to prevent summer learning loss, but to prepare the student for the upcoming grade.

Assessing Progress

As the summer progresses, teachers and education leads use data to set reasonable growth goals, determine Students' progress along the way and celebrate accomplishments.

Explorers' reading growth is measured through a variety of tools and assessments, most notably the Gates-McGinitie Reading Test. Through a unique partnership with the Oklahoma City Public Schools District, the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test is administered three times throughout the school year: once at the beginning of the fall semester, once mid-year, and again at the end of the school year. The test examines five language and reading abilities, including literary concepts, oral language concepts, letter recognition and letter-sound relationships.

Additionally, teachers obtain ongoing progress monitoring information through DIBELS as well as tools obtained from the Learning A-Z network. This information provides teachers with the opportunity to strategically plan and use the most up-to-date information regarding each Explorer’s challenges and levels of mastery. This information is used to place Explorers in learning groups reflective of their current literacy stage as well as identify where they need the most assistance and the small steps that have been accomplished along the way.

Experiential Learning

Experiential education is a philosophy emphasizing the importance of learning activities to take place outside of the traditional classroom setting. Learning objectives are carefully planned and articulated prior to the experience; however, Explorers are also encouraged to discover new and exciting information beyond such expected outcomes. The Reading Explorers flourish during this time and are provided opportunities for learning and engagement that many would not otherwise have the opportunity to experience.

Afternoons are filled with skill-building opportunities and hands-on experiences, including field trips, visiting experts, and guest presentations. Explorers are divided into Activity Teams, with each team being named after a historical African American author (learn more about our Activity Teams).

About Project-Based Learning

With an emphasis on experiential learning, Reading Explorers partake in project-based learning. This model emphasizes the organization of learning around complex, collaborative projects. These projects often involve the perspective and planning of Reading Explorers in order for them to gain the most possible skill development in problem-solving, decision making, and investigating. Often, the students work autonomously, with limited direction from adult leads. This allows them the creative opportunity to create products and presentations they are proud to share with others.

Each week ,the Reading Explorers learn and practice Twenty-First Century skills such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity. During the weekly Assembly of Koob, students learn the history of Planet Koob through storytelling, puppets and guest presenters. The rest of the week, Reading Explorers are engaged in multidisciplinary activities that include Capoeira, Abrakadoodle, Teambuilding and Project-Based Learning.

About Capoeira

Capoeira is an African-rooted Brazilian art form that combines dance, acrobatics, music and self-defense. Historians agree that enslaved Africans used capoeira's game-like appearance to disguise self-defense training. Reading Explorers learn capoeira fundamentals from Oklahoma City-based instructor Will Rose, who emphasizes technique, history, protocol and collaboration.

About Abrakadoodle

Abrakadoodle is a comprehensive art education company that offers visual arts classes. Abrakadoodle created thematic learning experiences for the Reading Explorers that included painting, sculpture, collage and paper art. The Abrakadoodle program helps Reading Explorers develop self-confidence, creativity, and social and critical thinking skills.

About Teambuilding

Teambuilding creates opportunities for the Reading Explorers to practice communication and collaboration. Norman-based instructor Bronson Baker designed an experiential learning curriculum that combines problem solving, teamwork and community engagement through kinesthetic activities. Students also participate in a service learning project where they refurbish several flowerbeds and planted flowers and various seeds to help beautify the school grounds.

Decoded

Reading Explorers: Decoded is designed to stimulate students’ interest in reading by merging technology and literacy. In 2012, 18 first- through third-grade students at Edwards Elementary participated in the program, which was provided through an Innovation Grant from Creative Oklahoma, with additional support from SandRidge Energy.

Volunteer reading coaches encouraged students to select their favorite books to summarize and recommend to others, which helped to improve the Explorers’ comprehension and writing skills. Videos were produced that feature each book, including illustrations and reasons for the student’s recommendation.

All students at Edwards can benefit from the project when they visit the school’s library. Each book in the Decoded Collection was assigned a Quick Response code—a type of matrix barcode that, when scanned, links to a video that describes the book. These videos allow students to preview the books in a visually appealing way.

2012 Reading Explorers: Decoded Videos