When do all the kids read the same book as a class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you switch them to private.

My oldest went all the way through an FCPS elementary and never had a whole class novel. We switched to private when my youngest was in 3rd. Whole class novels are often read alouds for the younger kids, and they all do reading responses as a class. As they transition out of primary grades, it's read in class and then respond. By middle school it's read at home and write essays.

That's not true. My 4th grader is in Fairfax County Public Schools and the teacher read Because of Winn Dixie with the class this year - there was an excerpt in the Benchmark curriculum and they decided to read the entire novel as a read aloud.

I'll add that my older child also read Because of Winn Dixie in 4th grade before Benchmark. And this is at two different elementary schools.

[Anonymous]

This used to be a much more regular occurrence before tracking was incorrectly demonized.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In our LCPS schools, 9th grade honors English. Even in middle school “honors”, some kids were still being given easier options because they all couldn’t handle the same one. Such a joke.

This is one of many reasons “honors/AP for all” needs to end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We read so many books as class starting in 4th grade. I specially remember two of the books in 4th being A Bridge to Terabithia and A Wrinkle in Time. And we had to take turns reading aloud in class. Do kids do this anymore?

Why would they? How does that help anyone?

Ours start in second grade. In kindergarten and first grade they are reading according to their level. They read Roald Dahl, Mildred Taylor books like Let the Circle be Unbroken, The Family Under the Bridge are some of them.

I don’t believe this. No school in 2026 is assigning Family Under the Bridge to elementary kids.

Absolutely. Why wouldn’t they. And it was my oldest read it about 10 years ago. 4th or 5th grade. It’s a classic children’s book for that age group. James and the Giant Peach was 2nd grade.

[Anonymous]

[u]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don’t read books anymore. It’s all dittos and apps.

Sadly, this. In middle school, they had whole class books, but the teacher would just play it on audio in class.

DS is in 7th in Honors ELA and they just finished the first all class book, which was done through a combo of audiobook and read aloud by the teacher. I was shocked.

So it’s not really an honors class. Regular English classes read books. If a student needs audio they bring it home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We read so many books as class starting in 4th grade. I specially remember two of the books in 4th being A Bridge to Terabithia and A Wrinkle in Time. And we had to take turns reading aloud in class. Do kids do this anymore?

Why would they? How does that help anyone?

Ours start in second grade. In kindergarten and first grade they are reading according to their level. They read Roald Dahl, Mildred Taylor books like Let the Circle be Unbroken, The Family Under the Bridge are some of them.

I don’t believe this. No school in 2026 is assigning Family Under the Bridge to elementary kids.

Absolutely. Why wouldn’t they. And it was my oldest read it about 10 years ago. 4th or 5th grade. It’s a classic children’s book for that age group. James and the Giant Peach was 2nd grade.

Public schools are not reading “classic” children’s books that have what could be perceived as racist and discriminatory language throughout them. Little House, Secret Garden, certainly Family Under the Bridge, are not on any public school’s elementary reading list for assigned class work

[Anonymous]

I am surprised by these answers! Our school expects children to be able to read a (short) novel by second grade and they do chapter books as whole-class read alouds starting in preschool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We read so many books as class starting in 4th grade. I specially remember two of the books in 4th being A Bridge to Terabithia and A Wrinkle in Time. And we had to take turns reading aloud in class. Do kids do this anymore?

Why would they? How does that help anyone?

Ours start in second grade. In kindergarten and first grade they are reading according to their level. They read Roald Dahl, Mildred Taylor books like Let the Circle be Unbroken, The Family Under the Bridge are some of them.

I don’t believe this. No school in 2026 is assigning Family Under the Bridge to elementary kids.

Absolutely. Why wouldn’t they. And it was my oldest read it about 10 years ago. 4th or 5th grade. It’s a classic children’s book for that age group. James and the Giant Peach was 2nd grade.

Public schools are not reading “classic” children’s books that have what could be perceived as racist and discriminatory language throughout them. Little House, Secret Garden, certainly Family Under the Bridge, are not on any public school’s elementary reading list for assigned class work

What are you talking about?

It’s a children’s book about post WW2 in Paris and a homeless man who under the bridge. The homeless man reluctantly helps take care of three homeless children and their mother and ends up helping them find an home and himself a family.

It’s a CLASSIC children’s book that addresses issues like compassion, family and sticking together in difficult times.

You don’t know the book because there is no mention of race or discrimination. It’s surprising to me how many posters don’t know children’s classics.

Natalie Savage Carson is the author. Look it up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you switch them to private.

My oldest went all the way through an FCPS elementary and never had a whole class novel. We switched to private when my youngest was in 3rd. Whole class novels are often read alouds for the younger kids, and they all do reading responses as a class. As they transition out of primary grades, it's read in class and then respond. By middle school it's read at home and write essays.

That's not true. My 4th grader is in Fairfax County Public Schools and the teacher read Because of Winn Dixie with the class this year - there was an excerpt in the Benchmark curriculum and they decided to read the entire novel as a read aloud.

Well that's great. It's always been known that in FCPS some principals or individual teachers buck the fads and teach the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We read so many books as class starting in 4th grade. I specially remember two of the books in 4th being A Bridge to Terabithia and A Wrinkle in Time. And we had to take turns reading aloud in class. Do kids do this anymore?

Why would they? How does that help anyone?

Ours start in second grade. In kindergarten and first grade they are reading according to their level. They read Roald Dahl, Mildred Taylor books like Let the Circle be Unbroken, The Family Under the Bridge are some of them.

I don’t believe this. No school in 2026 is assigning Family Under the Bridge to elementary kids.

Absolutely. Why wouldn’t they. And it was my oldest read it about 10 years ago. 4th or 5th grade. It’s a classic children’s book for that age group. James and the Giant Peach was 2nd grade.

Public schools are not reading “classic” children’s books that have what could be perceived as racist and discriminatory language throughout them. Little House, Secret Garden, certainly Family Under the Bridge, are not on any public school’s elementary reading list for assigned class work

What are you talking about?

It’s a children’s book about post WW2 in Paris and a homeless man who under the bridge. The homeless man reluctantly helps take care of three homeless children and their mother and ends up helping them find an home and himself a family.

It’s a CLASSIC children’s book that addresses issues like compassion, family and sticking together in difficult times.

You don’t know the book because there is no mention of race or discrimination. It’s surprising to me how many posters don’t know children’s classics.

Natalie Savage Carson is the author. Look it up.

I’ve read it. I’ve read it to my kids. And no way is it part of any public school’s 3rd-4th grade assigned curriculum in 2026. It just isn’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you switch them to private.

My oldest went all the way through an FCPS elementary and never had a whole class novel. We switched to private when my youngest was in 3rd. Whole class novels are often read alouds for the younger kids, and they all do reading responses as a class. As they transition out of primary grades, it's read in class and then respond. By middle school it's read at home and write essays.

That's not true. My 4th grader is in Fairfax County Public Schools and the teacher read Because of Winn Dixie with the class this year - there was an excerpt in the Benchmark curriculum and they decided to read the entire novel as a read aloud.

I'll add that my older child also read Because of Winn Dixie in 4th grade before Benchmark. And this is at two different elementary schools.

My kid read Because of Winn Dixie with the class this year in 3rd at ACPS along with some other books like Alvin Ho.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am surprised by these answers! Our school expects children to be able to read a (short) novel by second grade and they do chapter books as whole-class read alouds starting in preschool.

Our school expects kids to be able to read, but the kids in class don't all read the same book. In 2nd grade, DD was in a "book club" with 3 other kids reading the same book, and there were 2-3 other groups. Because DD was in the advanced reading group with longer chapters, they never even finished the book. Just read as far as they could while the lower groups finished their assigned books, and then everyone moved on. I guess I don't really understand the value of doing it this way. I'd much rather they all (or 90%) read the same mid-level book together WITH THE TEACHER'S GUIDANCE, and answer questions together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We read so many books as class starting in 4th grade. I specially remember two of the books in 4th being A Bridge to Terabithia and A Wrinkle in Time. And we had to take turns reading aloud in class. Do kids do this anymore?

Why would they? How does that help anyone?

Ours start in second grade. In kindergarten and first grade they are reading according to their level. They read Roald Dahl, Mildred Taylor books like Let the Circle be Unbroken, The Family Under the Bridge are some of them.

I don’t believe this. No school in 2026 is assigning Family Under the Bridge to elementary kids.

Absolutely. Why wouldn’t they. And it was my oldest read it about 10 years ago. 4th or 5th grade. It’s a classic children’s book for that age group. James and the Giant Peach was 2nd grade.

Public schools are not reading “classic” children’s books that have what could be perceived as racist and discriminatory language throughout them. Little House, Secret Garden, certainly Family Under the Bridge, are not on any public school’s elementary reading list for assigned class work

What are you talking about?

It’s a children’s book about post WW2 in Paris and a homeless man who under the bridge. The homeless man reluctantly helps take care of three homeless children and their mother and ends up helping them find an home and himself a family.

It’s a CLASSIC children’s book that addresses issues like compassion, family and sticking together in difficult times.

You don’t know the book because there is no mention of race or discrimination. It’s surprising to me how many posters don’t know children’s classics.

Natalie Savage Carson is the author. Look it up.

I’ve read it. I’ve read it to my kids. And no way is it part of any public school’s 3rd-4th grade assigned curriculum in 2026. It just isn’t.

No you didn’t read or you wouldn’t keep writing such ignorant comments. It’s a 4th grade book and you not understanding that verifies you didn’t read the book.

The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson is generally recommended for grades 3–5 (ages 7–11), with an ATOS level of 4.7, and a Guided Reading Level of R. It is a popular, accessible Newbery Honor classic often used in classroom curriculums for its heartwarming story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am surprised by these answers! Our school expects children to be able to read a (short) novel by second grade and they do chapter books as whole-class read alouds starting in preschool.

Our school expects kids to be able to read, but the kids in class don't all read the same book. In 2nd grade, DD was in a "book club" with 3 other kids reading the same book, and there were 2-3 other groups. Because DD was in the advanced reading group with longer chapters, they never even finished the book. Just read as far as they could while the lower groups finished their assigned books, and then everyone moved on. I guess I don't really understand the value of doing it this way. I'd much rather they all (or 90%) read the same mid-level book together WITH THE TEACHER'S GUIDANCE, and answer questions together.

Our school does both. They have in-class novels that are related to the core curriculum and then reading groups by level. So when my oldest was in second grade, the whole class was reading the Dover children's Gulliver's Travels and he was reading The Wizard of Oz in his reading group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We read so many books as class starting in 4th grade. I specially remember two of the books in 4th being A Bridge to Terabithia and A Wrinkle in Time. And we had to take turns reading aloud in class. Do kids do this anymore?

Why would they? How does that help anyone?

Ours start in second grade. In kindergarten and first grade they are reading according to their level. They read Roald Dahl, Mildred Taylor books like Let the Circle be Unbroken, The Family Under the Bridge are some of them.

I don’t believe this. No school in 2026 is assigning Family Under the Bridge to elementary kids.

Absolutely. Why wouldn’t they. And it was my oldest read it about 10 years ago. 4th or 5th grade. It’s a classic children’s book for that age group. James and the Giant Peach was 2nd grade.

Public schools are not reading “classic” children’s books that have what could be perceived as racist and discriminatory language throughout them. Little House, Secret Garden, certainly Family Under the Bridge, are not on any public school’s elementary reading list for assigned class work

What are you talking about?

It’s a children’s book about post WW2 in Paris and a homeless man who under the bridge. The homeless man reluctantly helps take care of three homeless children and their mother and ends up helping them find an home and himself a family.

It’s a CLASSIC children’s book that addresses issues like compassion, family and sticking together in difficult times.

You don’t know the book because there is no mention of race or discrimination. It’s surprising to me how many posters don’t know children’s classics.

Natalie Savage Carson is the author. Look it up.

I’ve read it. I’ve read it to my kids. And no way is it part of any public school’s 3rd-4th grade assigned curriculum in 2026. It just isn’t.

No you didn’t read or you wouldn’t keep writing such ignorant comments. It’s a 4th grade book and you not understanding that verifies you didn’t read the book.

The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson is generally recommended for grades 3–5 (ages 7–11), with an ATOS level of 4.7, and a Guided Reading Level of R. It is a popular, accessible Newbery Honor classic often used in classroom curriculums for its heartwarming story.

Look, I’ve read it. It’s a classic but best left for home reading. I cannot fathom any public elementary school picking this book. If you have actually read it, it is very obvious why. It refers to homeless people as tramps all throughout the book and much of the book is negative racist stereotypes surrounding Gypsy people.