Ann, My students engage in multiple reading opportunities on a daily or weekly basis. We have 30 minutes of shared reading daily with our Harcourt Trophies text. I try to make this as authentic an experience as possible, even thought we're using a basal. I do use some of the worksheets, but primarily as prep for standardized tests. This is usually what the week looks like. Mondays: We focus completely on the vocabulary in the story. The kids read the words in context, use context clues to infer the meaning, draw a "mental meaning" picture, talk about it with a friend, together write a meaning statement, and confirm it in the glossary. Tuesday: We review vocab, do a picture walk, discuss genre and what we can expect when we read, and the kids read the story independently. As they're reading, they look for 1-2 "fab vocab" words to infer. They follow the same process for those words as on Monday. Wednesdays: I introduce the focus comprehension skill for that story and the graphic organizer for it. Thursdays: The kids work in cooperative groups to answer QAR questions about the story. Fridays: We listen to the story on tape, work in cooperative groups to write a summary, and then take the assessment open-book (independently). We also do 45 minutes of reading workshop daily, although this time looks different nearly every day. During this time, kids participate in a variety of literate activities. Read to Self: independent, self-selected, strategic reading Reading Partnership: Each student is paired with a partner at his/her reading level. The partners stick together for approximately one quarter. They self-select books from a leveled selection of double-copy trade books in the classroom. I teach a reading "focus skill" about every 2 weeks. (For example: making inferences, connections, visualizing, activating/building schema, questioning, etc.) Partners are responsible for demonstrating their use of the skill and coaching one another. The kids read independently and meet to share thinking and responses. They are required to meet at least once per week for a minimum of 5 minutes. Literature Circles: These are flexible groups. Sometimes they are based on reading level, sometimes on interest, sometimes on genre, sometimes on skill, etc. Listening to Reading: Students may listen to books on tape/CD. I have loads of picture books, but I also try to have a chapter book going all the time that kids can sign up to listen to. They follow along in their own copy as they listen. Guided Reading Groups: These groups are flexible and change frequently. They are led by me. Sometimes they are leveled groups and sometimes they are kids reading at different levels who all have demonstrated a common need. Conferences: Reading Partnerships conference with me once a month (or whenever requested.) Students conference with me about their independent reading once each week. Reader's Notebook: students have a binder where they log their books, keep track of genres, store their sticky notes of "smart thinking" as they read, store their graphic organizers/responses to reading, and store their materials for reading partnership, etc. *Kids don't meet in Literature Circles or Guided Reading groups daily. Usually just once or twice a week. The only exception is my below-level readers, I meet with them daily. As far as books, just about anything that kids are interested in is fine with me. I've been amazed by the powerful thinking that can come out of some books that I would have written off. I always try to nudge kids toward books that are award-winners, but ultimately, the choice is theirs. At our conference, I'm able to refer to the log that is maintained by the student and nudge them to try a new book or genre or expand their thinking. From the sticky notes and the response journal, I'm able to see the kind of thinking that kids are doing and I know where to direct them next. I have them attempt to "code" their thinking (T-T for text-to-text connection, Q for question, I for inference, etc), and then it's easy for us both to see what their needs are. Some that are "tried and true" Beverly Cleary books (especially Ramona, Henry, or Ralph S. Mouse) Roald Dahl books "Little House" books Ruby Holler (or anything by Sharon Creech) The Books of Ember by Jeannie duPrau (?sp?) James Howe's Bunnicula series Seymour Simon books Gail Gibbons books Magic School Bus Kate DiCamillo's books (We LOVE Despereaux!) Just about anything by Andrew Clements (Frindle & The Report Card seem to be favorites) Classics: The Borrowers, Trumpet of the Swan, Stuart Little, etc. Series: A-Z Mysteries, Magic Tree House, Geronimo Stilton, etc. Mysteries, Fairy Tales, Fractured Fairy Tales What I love most is that now I can pick up any book and hand it to a lit circle or reading partnership without having to do any real prep. No packets!! I do pre-read books before putting them into kids' hands, however. The only copies that I really make are of graphic organizers. I have a bunch made up already and they are in files that the kids can get to. After a while, they don't even really need them anymore though. They can create their own in their response journal. Wow! This response turned out longer than I thought!! I love talking about reading!! :) Amy Amy Swan 3rd Grade Teacher Cedar Creek Elementary (913)780-7360 CHECK OUT OUR CLASS WEBPAGE!! http://teachers.olathe.k12.ks.us/~aswancc/
>>> Ann Jernigan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 11/20/2007 12:04 PM >>> Amy, I love your enthusiasm and also trust kids to have deep thoughts. I am curious. Are you students in book clubs/lit circles with several books going in the room? What are some of your most successful books? Ann Jernigan Literacy Coach K-12 Webb City R-7 Schools [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. ********************************************************************** CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This message is from the Olathe District Schools. The message and any attachments may be confidential or privileged and are intended only for the individual or entity identified above as the addressee. If you are not the addressee, or if this message has been addressed to you in error, you are not authorized to read, copy or distribute this message or any attachments. We ask that you please delete this message and any attachments and notify the sender by return email or by phone (913) 780-7000. _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
