Open to: Grades 2 and 3
Format: Web-based
Challenge Level: Grade 5+
Prerequisites: Qualifying verbal score and reading at 5th grade level (View About readability and appropriateness)
Materials Purchase Required:  Visit our textbook web page  to view the titles of books that need to be purchased for this course
Session Based: Session Dates and Application Deadlines
Length: 10 weeks (fall, early spring, and mid spring), 12 weeks (early summer), or 5 weeks intensive (midsummer)

About the Younger Readers' Series

Here's the perfect series for younger readers who enjoy getting lost in a good book. In this series for children reading at approximately Grade 5 level, students read thematically connected, age-appropriate books. Students first read for enjoyment, then reread more carefully to respond to discussion questions and other assignments. Students typically read and share written responses every other day (fall, spring, and early summer sessions) or daily (midsummer intensive session). Students learn to make accurate inferences to understand plot and character. They also learn to cite the text in written discussions with online classmates from around the world. Discussions challenge students to apply their life experiences to the texts and engage in higher thinking. Vocabulary and simple literary devices are also introduced. This series is good preparation for the analytical and critical discussions in the Young Readers Series for Grades 4 and 5. Current themes include Dog Stories, Dragon Tales, and Horse Stories.

Parents are encouraged to consider the information contained in About readability and appropriateness, Look inside the books, and read the reviews for the books in each series before deciding on the theme that would be most interesting and appropriate for their child.

Theme: Dragon Tales

When Kenny, Jeremy, Princess Cimorene, and Creel befriend dragons, they do not realize how completely their lives and outlooks will be changed. In Dragon Tales, students explore people’s attitudes toward dragons, which vary from friendship and fascination to fear. The four books include humor, suspense, fantasy, mystery, and adventure. Kenny and the Dragon by Tony DiTerlizzi, Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Coville, Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede, and The Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George.

About readability and appropriateness

Readability
The easiest method to check readability for your child is the "Five Finger Rule." Have the child begin reading aloud any page of a book at random and raise your finger each time he or she struggles with a word. If your child reaches the end of the page before you have raised five fingers, your child should be able to read the book independently.

CTYOnline simplifies this informal assessment by linking to pages of almost every book in the Look inside the books section. Please perform this “Five Finger Rule” assessment on the last or next to last book of any course you are considering.

Appropriateness

Parents should be aware that each theme contains books with humor, suspense, mystery, sadness, adventure, and heroism. Overall, while our courses contain advanced grade-level material, we strive to select materials appropriate to the ages of the students. Please look inside the books and read reviews to decide whether these books are appropriate for your child. If you are still uncertain whether your child is ready for a course, please contact the program office or call 410-735-6140.

Look inside the books.

To assess readability level, click on  the bottom two book titles and perform the Five Finger Rule.

Look inside Kenny and the Dragon
Look inside Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher
Look inside Dealing with Dragons
Look inside The Dragon Slippers

Read Reviews. Parents are urged to review for appropriate content.

Reviews of Kenny and the Dragon
Reviews of Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher
Reviews of Dealing with Dragons
Reviews of The Dragon Slippers

Detailed Course Information

Time Required:

• about 3 hours weekly for 10 week sessions (fall, early spring, mid spring, early summer)
• about 6 hours weekly during intensive midsummer session

Learn more about the summer sessions.

Get more information from Frequently Asked Questions.

System Requirements

Course Code: YYDT