Unlock strategies for 4th and 5th grade small group reading. Explore different focuses and a six-step process to use.
Find out the huge mistake I was making and the minor change in my mindset that lead to more effective small group instruction for students.
I have always believed the time my students and I spend at the small group table is THE most important time of our day. If you have followed my blog for
This whole guided reading beast can feel overwhelming at first. Rest assured friends, it can be conquered! We'll walk through step-by-step so you can easily
How I implement and run guided reading and small group in my middle school and upper elementary ELA classrooms
Are you looking for tips and strategies to organize guided reading materials?
Guided reading groups are one of the most complex areas of planning and instruction. I've narrowed the focus to upper elementary reading.
Find out how to create a reading graphic organizers file box to save you time when planning for your reading small groups.
I created a comprehensive resource for planning guided reading groups in grades 1-4, in addition to thorough note taking pages. Lesson planning has never been easier! Use for guided reading groups, small group reading, and academic instervention groups. Included in this 54 pages resource: - black and white, pink, and grey scale versions of each page - anecdotal notes pages for observations of student behaviors - Guided Reading lesson plan pages (print double sided for easiest use) - Scaffolding pages to help students with summarizing skills - Teacher prompts (focus on decoding, fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, and self-monitoring) - Running Records pages - blank small group plans in multiple versions Check out some of my other great products: Pax Novel Study Lego Challenge Task Cards The Hope Chest Novel Study Naked Egg Experiment Fiction Choice Boards Third Grade EngageNy (Eureka Math) Google Forms Topic Quizzes Modules 1-7 The Wild Robot Choice Boards The Wild Robot Escapes Choice Boards The One and Only Bob Choice Boards Engaging Ways to PREP for ELA tests: Encouragement for Testing: SECRET Parent Notes ELA Test Prep for Short Response Writing Questions ELA Test Prep with Picture Books Grade 2 ELA Test Prep with Picture Books Grade 3 ELA Test Prep with Picture Books Grade 4 Pushing Up the Sky by Joseph Bruchac ELA Test Prep Questions ELA Test Prep Passages and Questions for Use During Small Group Instruction Academic Vocabulary Words Student Journal for Successful ELA State Test Prep Do you use Collaborative Classroom? Check out these Collaborative Classroom resources: Being a Reader Sets 7-12 Written Responses Grade 2 Test Prep Questions for Making Meaning texts Grade 3 Test Prep Questions for Making Meaning texts Grade 4 Test Prep Questions for Making Meaning texts IDR Conference Prompts Being a Reader Set 3 Written Responses FREEBIE Being a Reader Set 4 Written Responses FREEBIE Being a Reader Set 5 FREEBIE Grade 4 IDR Google Forms Grade 3 IDR Google Forms Grade 2 IDR Google Forms How to get TPT credit to use on future purchases: Go to My TPT, then My Purchases. Beside each purchase you will see a Provide Feedback button. When you click it and you will be taken to a page where you can give a rating. You can also provide a short comment about the product that may be helpful to other customers. Each and every time you give feedback, TPT gives you credits that you use to pay for future TPT purchases. I definitely value your feedback. Your feedback enables me to create more great new products! Be the first to know about my sales, freebies and new products: Look for the green star and "Follow Me" button next to my store logo and click it to become a new follower. Thanks so much!
Learn how to use the science of reading to support pre-readers in your reading small groups and guided reading groups.
Adding some fun games for reading in the classroom schedule will instantly get your kids excited to read! These 5 fun reading games are...
Roll and Re-Tell Game Instructions Card In this game you will work with your group, take it in turns to read out one of the stories from the story cards, pick any one you like and read it out loud to your group. Once the story is read, go around the circle with each student rolling the dice and answering the question related to the number they rolled, share your answer to the question with your group, pass the dice to the next person to have a go. Once you have all had a role, pick a new reader and a new story to complete the game again with another story. Extension: Students can try and come up with their own questions to ask about their book for a six-sided dice. Pack up, collect the story cards and put them back in the bag.
HIGH INTEREST TEXT I try my best to choose books that my kiddos will LOVE to read. Scholastic has been my best friend. BONUS POINTS!? DOLLAR BOOKS!? SIX PLEASE! With that said, I’m not a magician or a millionaire. I do my best and use the resources that are available to me. I have found that if I show my kids that I’m excited, they quickly join the club! It is also important to note that it is also equally important that your students have experiences reading boring stuff. Lets face it, that’s life! Choosing a high interest text is especially important for the learner who hasn’t found their love of reading yet. MODELING The most effective way I have found to teach comprehension strategies is to model. I read aloud to students then stop and show my thinking aloud when appropriate. After I am done, we discuss what I did and my thinking as a group. This strategy is especially effective for learners who have a difficult grasping abstract thinking. INTENTIONAL DISCUSSION In a perfect world our students would be leading and actively Click the picture about to get these discussion cards for FREE! engaging in a discussion about their book. Everyone would be excited and critically thinking about the text! That’s the goal…but it is also just that, a GOAL. We have to teach our students HOW to have an intentional discussion about their reading. How can we expect our students to actively engage in intentional discussions if we, the teacher, aren’t contributing?? It is important that you understand what is going on in the text and are able to model during the discussion when appropriate. I have found that most of the modeling I do takes place at the beginning and end of the discussion. INDEPENDENT PRACTICE Click the picture to learn more about my book club packets! At the end of every small group meeting I give an assignment. My students use the writing prompt in their book club packets as their assignment. Each small group meeting is packed full of instruction. This is their opportunity to show me what they have learned. Independent practice is a great way to see who still needs more instruction and practice! This is how I structure my small group reading time! disclaimer: This is how small group instruction looks for me in my classroom. What works for my kiddos may not work for yours. You know your students the best, you are the only one who can decide what is best for them!
Activities that boost fluency all year long…and that you only have to prep once!
Planning your guided literacy time is bout to get so much easier. I get asked a lot about how to tie reading and writing together, while focusing on fluency, comprehension, phonics, vocabulary, writing, etc. I create this resource to get kids excited about reading and writing, and to make planning
I often get questions about how to set up small group lessons in upper elementary. Strategy groups are one framework that can work for a variety of reading skills. Check out this post to learn more.
I have a fun reading resource for you! Book Talk is loaded with ideas to use for retelling stories, comprehending reading, and using books and tools to share some good conversations. Click here for a preview. Students will have plenty to do during reading time. Plus, there are some great homework ideas too! I recently updated this cover and added more graphic organizers and activities to this resource. Here are just a few examples of what's included: Questions to ask partners or questions for parents to ask their child about the book they are reading. It helps start and guide the conversation about books. If you ONLY want the Book Talk Questions, scroll to the bottom of this post. The questions come in a variety of ways. You can get them all on one sheet or on small papers like below. I put a ring on these and students have a ton of questions to ask themselves or with their partner. These are handy and ready to go on a moments notice. You can use these questions for any genre you are reading. This pack includes 5 book reports with directions and rubrics! Just copy and send home for homework projects. This pack has graphic organizers to keep the conversation going through writing. Over 40 graphic organizers included! Also some reading activities for students that finish early or need some more enrichment. One sheet is for partners to do together and one sheet is for the individual learner who can work at their own pace. You will be sure to find some reading logs in this pack too. There is even one for the entire class to keep track of the books you read together as a class. Plus so much more!!! All activities can be used with any book or any reading program you use in the classroom. You can find Book Talk here on my blog for a discounted price: Discounted Price:Sell ebooks If you ONLY want the Book Talk Questions, click the picture on the left. This pack has 10 pages full of questions students should be answering while reading their story. You can only purchase these questions here on my blog. Click to read more about it. If you ONLY want the book reports, Click on the picture below. Book Reports have 4 book reports with directions and a grading rubric. There are also 3 extra reports to use at anytime! You can ONLY buy this on my blog right now. Thanks for stopping by! See you soon,
Need help getting organized for small groups? Learn how easy it is to set up and use a small group reading binder.
Not sure how to fit in small reading groups? This post shares scheduling strategies and tips for small group reading instruction.
A look at what's inside my guided reading tub for reading groups with my Prep class. Download my free reading comprehension story wand prompts.
It is that time of year again when teachers are getting their classrooms and students set up and ready for a year of learning. Which means starting Reading
Teaching students reading strategies, as well as allowing them to interact with them, is crucial to their reading comprehension of both nonfiction and fiction texts. This reading comprehension strategies fan is a fresh, hands on and unique way students can visually see each reading strategy broken down for them. It is an alternative to reading response that will help you to reach all learners in your classroom. This reading strategy fan craft requires little to no prep, and the only materials needed are scissors, glue, and metal fasteners. Included are two options: 1 Book: Students write the title of their book on the “Fan Full of Reading Strategies” cover. 2 or More Books: Students write the title of the book they are reading on each fan blade. Students can use some or all of the strategies included. You can also print out multiple of the same fan blade to focus on just one strategy at a time. Strategies Included: Make Connections Determine Importance Draw Conclusions Make Inferences Make Predictions Ask Questions Create Sensory Images Use Background Knowledge Close Read Use Fix-Up Strategies Synthesize Information Use Context Clues Visualize
I’m SO happy to announce that the Reading Warm-Ups are HERE! Woohoo!! This resource has been on my mind for over a year and I finally get to share it
Creating plans for reading small groups can be a daunting task. Read how I plan and prep for the year and week by week for my small group reading lessons.
