ABC
Reading as Rocking as Pete in his School Shoes
Growing Independece & Fluency
Savannah Duke
Rationale:
Reading fluently is a key step in effective reading. The lesson will aid in students’ ability to read quickly, smoothly, and accurately. Also, students will practice reading at a much higher pace. This will be accomplished through repeated readings and timed readings. All of these activities will aid in student fluency.
Materials:
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Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes {Teacher and class set}
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Sticky notes {one for each student}
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Stopwatches {Class set}
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Construction paper
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Crayons/Markers/Scissors
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Assessment Sheet at bottom
Procedure:
1) Begin lesson on fluency: “Today we are going to practice reading fluently or smoothly. What does it mean to read fluently?” (Allow students to answer). Yes, fluency is the ability to read quickly, smoothly, and accurately using expression. We must practice to become great readers. Listen to me read this without fluency. “M-y d-o-g j-u-m-p-s o-n m-y b-e-d t-o w-a-k-e m-e u-p. That was hard to understand. Listen to me read fluently now. “My dog jumps on my bed to wake me up. That’s much better! Let’s all try to read sentences like that.
2) “In order to read smoothly we need lots of practice! The more we reread the more comfortable we are reading the sentence.” Write this sentence on the board: She saw her friends when she got to school. Now read the sentence without fluency. “She….. saw her…… fri, I don’t know.. when….. she.. got to….. school. Oh she saw her friends when she got to school!” “Did you hear how I didn’t know the word friends so instead of stopping I kept reading the sentence? After I figured out the word what did I do?” (Let students answer) “Right, I reread the sentence to increase my fluency.” “Today we are going to read Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes” three times in order to become more fluent readers!”
3) “Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes is about a cat named Pete. Pete is on his way to school rocking his red school shoes. He sings a song about rocking his school shoes on the way to the bus. What do you think Pete and his school shoes will get into during the day? Lets read and find out!” Teacher will read story aloud.
4) After reading as a class the students will read silently to themselves. “Once you’ve finished reading put your book down and look up.”
5) After everyone has finished reading, say: “Okay class, I want everyone to get in groups of three and discuss what you read in the book.” By walking around this will provide an authentic comprehension assessment for the teacher.
6) Now say: “Everyone pair off and I want you to take turns reading the book. I am going to give each pair a stopwatch and two sticky notes. While one partner is reading the book I want the other to use the stopwatch to time them. Once they finish stop the watch and write down how long it took them, then switch.”
7) After teach student has had an opportunity to complete the timed reading I will display this assessment sheet on the board. As a class we will discuss and answer the questions. The students will then be given the opportunity to draw their school shoes and list some places they go in their school shoes. The students will be given time to draw and color their school shoes. The pictures can be taken home or hung up in the classroom.
8) “Who felt they read more fluently the third time than the second?” (Discussion) “Who felt they better remembered the story better the second and third times than when I read it to you the first?” (Discussion) “Who felt they were reading faster by the third time?” (Discussion) “We read and reread in order to build fluency in our reading. The better we are able to read the better we understand what we are reading!”
Assessment: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10Qi36xQrbqPJQAh78t-o0WJnWb49n6Xn3fv7mi33KJI/edit?usp=sharing
References:
Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes; Eric Litwin, James Dean
Handoffs Index
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/Handoffs.html
