Independent Reading - Fourth Grade Curriculum

I've tweaked my fourth grader's independent reading list a bit and added a few more books.  Therefore, I am re-posting this with an updated book list. 

I've been working on my youngest son's independent reading list for the new school year for several days now.  For completely independent reading, Duncan is most comfortable with early chapter books.  His independent reading list includes many books that correspond well with our Ancient History studies.  As well, I've included some excellent early chapter books from Bob Jones University Press, and six picture books from the Story Keepers collection.  Not all 32 of the books on his list are pictured above, we will be borrowing some from the library and a few are on their way to me from PaperBackSwap.

Independent Reading

•  Amazing Rescues (Step-Into-Reading, Step 4) - George Shea
• The Trojan Horse: How the Greeks Won the War (Step-Into-Reading, Step 5) 
• Tornado - Betsy Byers  
• Pompeii...Buried Alive! - Edith Kunhardt Davis 
• The Gold in the Grave - Terry Deary 
• The Plot on the Pyramid - Terry Deary 
• The Magic and the Mummy - Terry Deary 
• A Question of Yams by Gloria Repp 
• Vacation Under the Volcano by Mary Pope Osborne 
• Pockets of Time for Vacation Under the Volcano, Fortunately For You Books 
• A Place in the Sun by Jill Rubalcaba 
• Mice of the Herring Bone by Tim Davis
• Mummies in the Morning by Mary Pope Osborne 
• Pockets of Time for Mummies in the Morning, Fortunately For You Books 
• Day of the Dragon King by Mary Pope Osborne 
• Pockets of Time for Day of the Dragon King, Fortunately For You Books 
• Tut's Mummy Lost...and Found - Judy Donnelly 
• Usborne Beginners Egyptians 
• Haiku On Your Shoe - Eileen M. Berry 
• Greg's Microscope - Milicent E. Selsam 
• Looking For Home - Eileen M. Berry 
• The Treasure of Pelican Cove - Milly Howard 
• Book Links Journey Into Literature, The Treasure of Pelican Cove 
• Pulling Together - Dawn Watkins 
• Book Links Journey Into Literature, Pulling Together 
• The King's Warrior: A Story of Ancient India - Jessica Gunderson 
• Stranger on the Silk Road: A Story of Ancient China - Jessica Gunderson 
• The Shepherd and the Racehorse - Susan Blackaby 
• The Lion's Slave - Terry Deary 
• The Clue of the Left-Handed Envelope (Third Grade Detectives, Book 1) - Edward George Stanley 
• The Torchbearer - Susan Blackaby 
• Catacomb Rescue, The Story Keepers - Brian Brown and Andrew Melrose 
• Ready, Aim, Fire!, The Story Keepers - Brian Brown and Andrew Melrose 
• Sink or Swim, The Story Keepers - Brian Brown and Andrew Melrose 
• Roar in the Night, The Story Keepers - Brian Brown and Andrew Melrose 
• Captured!, The Story Keepers - Brian Brown and Andrew Melrose 
• Trapped!, The Story Keepers - Brian Brown and Andrew Melrose
• Stone Fox - John Reynolds Gardiner
• Tut Tut (Time Warp Trio, Ancient Egypt) - Jon Scieszka
• It's All Greek to Me (Time Warp Trio, Ancient Greece) - Jon Scieszka
• See You Later, Gladiator (Time Warp Trio, Ancient Rome) - Jon Scieszka

How will I assess Duncan's understanding of his independent reading?

• I am using Pockets of Time sequencing reading comprehension activities for the three Magic Treehouse books.
• For some books, I will prepare reading comprehension questions for each chapter and he will answer them orally.
• For some books, Duncan will simply narrate to me the major events of the book or chapter.
• I am using Book Links from BJUP for two books, Pulling Together and The Treasure of Pelican Cove.
• I will also be pulling reading response activities from a few different Scholastic Teaching Resources books that I have:  Graphic Organizer Booklets for Reading Response, The Big Book of Reading Response Activities, Instant Independent Reading Response Activities, and Quick and Creative Reading Response Activities.