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A Basket Full of Fluency

Growing Independence & Fluency Design

Caitlin Gerard

 

 

 

 

Rationale:

Reading fluency is when a student has the ability to read

quickly while also being able to comprehend the story.

Fluency can make reading more enjoyable because you

are reading smoothly with no big obstacles to overcome

while reading. With becoming fluent, a reader must be able to decode words in the text. This lesson will guide readers into smoothly and quickly reading to become fluent readers with learning decoding skills.

 

Materials:

-class set of Pete the Cat Big Easter Adventure by Kimberly and James Dean, stopwatch for timing, pencils, coverup critters, peer fluency sheet for each student, assessment comprehension quiz sheet for each student, whiteboard and dry erase marker for teacher, teacher fluency checklist for each student

 

Procedures:

  1. Say: The lesson we are going to work on today is on being fluent readers. Does anyone know what fluency means? (wait for children to respond). Fluency means being able to read all our sight words quickly and understanding what the story is telling us! We are able to read smoothly and quickly which makes the reading more fun and exciting! The best way to become fluent is to practice reading over and over.

  2. Say: First we need to know what to do when we get to a word we might not know. We will use our coverup critter to help us decode, which is breaking down the word slowly and putting it together. Let’s try to decode the word “basket” with the help of our coverup critters (write the word basket on whiteboard for students to see). I will cover up all the lets except the first, b, /b/…/b/…/b/. Next, uncover the a, /a/…/a/…/a/. Then uncover the s, /s/…/s/…/s/ along with uncovering the k, /k/…/k/…/k/, with these making the /sk/ sound. So far blending /b/a/sk/, /bask/. Next uncover e, /e/…/e/…/e/. Lastly, we uncover the t, /t/…/t/…/t/. Now put it all together, /basket/. Let’s use the word basket in a sentence: “Don’t forget to grab a basket to put the Easter eggs in.”

  3. Say: Next, fluency is reading through without stopping and connecting the words, so how can we tell the difference between a less fluent and a more fluent reader? Let’s put a sentence together, “My basket is big and colorful.” Read the words slowly as if we are a less fluent reader, “My baaaaskkket is biiiig and cooolooorfuuul.” Now let’s read it faster as if we are a more fluent reader, “My basket is big and colorful.” We were able to read it this time quickly by expressing more emotion. Today we want to read as fluently as we can so we can really enjoy what we read!

  4. Say: Now that we know the difference between fluent and non-fluent readers, we are going to read our book in the pairs I split you into, Pete the Cat Big Easter Adventure by Kimberly and James Dean. In this story, Pete the Cat is so excited to wake up and see his Easter basket full of goodies, but instead, there is only a note! This note is from the Easter Bunny himself needing Pete’s help to do some jobs for him. What do you think Pete has to do? Let’s find out by reading with our partners.

  5. Say: For this activity, each student will have a turn to be the reader and to be the recorder. Each pair will have a stopwatch and peer fluency sheet. You will both have 3 chances to read the book aloud while the other listens and also records the time on your sheet. Take turns recording the time for each other with the stopwatch and don’t forget to write the times down on the sheet you are given so your partner will have their times. Remember, this activity is not about trying to be the fastest reader but is about being able to understand the story as you are decoding quickly.

  6. ASSESSMENT- Say: You all did great work today! Now I am going to give everyone a little quiz to do on the story you all just read a couple of times aloud. Try your best and I will be calling people up one by one in a few minutes to see what you learned today and read a little bit of the story to me. Please bring your quiz and your peer fluency sheet when you come.

  7. ASSESSMENT- Have students read their favorite page from the book to listen for any miscues and to observe their fluency level if achieved. They should be fluent with this book at this point from reading it over 3 times and were able to comprehend the storyline so they also should have some expression as they read. Use the “teacher fluency checklist” for each student to keep a record of how they did for this lesson.

 

***PEER FLUENCY SHEET

My name:

My partner’s name:

 

READING TURN

TIME

1st reading

________ seconds

2nd reading

________ seconds

3rd reading

________ seconds

 

***ASSESSMENT ~ COMPREHENSION QUIZ

FOR STUDENT:

  1. What was Pete’s favorite goodie to see in his Easter basket when he woke up, but didn’t get it? Jellybeans

  2. What 3 things did the Easter Bunny ask Pete to help him with? Find the eggs, paint the eggs, and hide the eggs

  3. What do you think was the most important thing we can learn from the book today? To help others

 

FOR TEACHER:

Students name

Page # read

Read fluently?

Any miscues?

x

 

 

 

 

 

Resources:

 

https://aharrers.wixsite.com/ctrd/fishing-for-fluency

 

https://meganschrock.wixsite.com/mysite/growing-independecy-and-fluency

 

https://millieherndon22.wixsite.com/literacylessons/growing-independence-fluency

Gif: https://giphy.com/petethecatofficial 

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