expression

Let's put a little EXPRESSION in it!
Allison Raybon
Developing Fluency

Rationale: Reading fluently and expressively is important for children to become good readers. When children learn to read with expression they enjoy reading more. In this lesson, the children will learn to read with expression using whole text.

Materials:

Paper and pencil (per child)
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs as told by Jon Scieszka
age appropriate short story (made up by teacher-must be able to read with expression) e.g. I saw a big snake in the grass. Did you see it? When I saw it I ran all the way home.
Chalkboard, chalk

Procedure:
1. Tell children that they are going to learn how to read with expression. But first, tell how to cross-check. If you can't figure out a word, read the rest of the sentence and see if this will help you figure out the word. Remind children to use cover-ups.
2. Now we are going to start on our reading with expression. Explain to children that to read with expression means that you are making your story more interesting for everyone. When you read you can change your voice by making it get louder then softer, you can change from fast to slow. This is ways of reading with expression. Are you ready to read with expression?
3. Begin by asking the children if they think that how someone reads a story makes a difference in how well you enjoy it. Stories are very enjoyable if you know how to use expression. Do you know what tells you what expression to make? The punctuation marks. Write on chalkboard the punctuation marks and tell the children what they tell you to do.
4. I will read a few pages of The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs. (read without expression) Ask children if they liked it. Then read a few more pages (this time use expression). Ask children if they liked it better. Did you notice how expression made a difference? Read a few more pages with expression and have the children call out different expressions I used when I read. I will write them on the chalkboard.
5. Next I will call on children to read the age appropriate short story that is written on the chalkboard (made up by teacher) without using expression. Assign the children to a partner and have them take each sentence and write on their paper what expression needs to be added to make the story correct.
6. Have the partners come to the front of the class to read their sentences with expression.
7. For assessment, the children will individually read a short book to me throughout the day. I will make a note of how well they used expression when they read.

References:
Reading Genie www.auburn.edu/~murraba
Lindsay Mosely www.auburn.edu/~murraba/breakthroughs/moselygf.html

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