Express Yourself!
Growing Independence and Fluency
Rationale:
Reading fluency is the ability to recognize words
quickly, accurately, and automatically. After a student has
become fluent they need to learn how to read with expression!
When children learn to read with expression, they become more of
aware what is going on in their reading. Reading with expression
allows students to acknowledge the fact that reading can be fun
and exciting. In this lesson students will read and re-read
sections of
Junie B. Jones and the
Stupid Smelly Bus. Students will also participate in a
expression matching game. This lesson will help children
practice reading with expression, this creating a better
understanding of the text they are reading.
Materials: The book Junie B. Jones and
the Stupid Smelly Bus by Barbara Park (copy for each
child), Chart paper, Pictures of Expressions, Expression
Checklists, Pencils, Notebook Paper.
Procedure:
1. Teaching will begin by asking students questions: Who likes someone to read to
them? Students will respond “Me! I love when my mom reads to
me!” Who likes it when people read with different voices and
silly faces?” Student
will respond “Oh! I do!” Who knows what expression is?
Students will respond, “We don’t know!” Teacher will explain,
expression is when you change your voice loud or soft, facial
and body moves when things happen throughout the story.
Teacher will explain how this is important in reading because
it helps us engage in the story and thus helping our reading
comprehension.
2. After explaining what expression is, teacher will read to a
few sentences from the book “Junie B. Jones and the Stupid
Smelly Bus.” Is everybody ready to be a good listener? Good,
Let’s Read! Book talk: Who was nervous before they came to
school? Well Junie B. Jones sure was! And she was not excited to
get on the stupid, smelly bus! We'll have to read and find out
if she gets on the bus or not! [The
teacher will read a few pages with no emotion or expression and
in a monotone voice.] Does
everybody like the book? Was it fun to listen? [Teacher
reads story again with expression and emotion, deep voice if
expressing sad or a really loud and happy voice for excited.] Did you enjoy listening to
the story more the first time or the second? Why? The
teacher explains to the students that when you read a story with
expression and emotions it makes reading fun and enjoyable!!
3. So let’s review one more time what expression is! Explain to
the children that when someone is sad they may frown or have a
sad face, like this picture (show a picture of a sad face). They
may also talk slower or in a deep voice. However, when someone
is happy or excited they might be smiling, laughing, jumping up
and down (show a picture of someone excited). Their voice may be
higher and sometimes even yelling! Now, I am going to show some
pictures of expression. Teacher shows smiley face and explains
how this could be shown when the reader is excited or happy.
Next teacher shows a sad face. She will explain how we may make
this face when we are sad or angry. We will practice this by
choosing which face matches the readings. The teacher will read
5 sentences and the students will choose which face goes with
each. Sad face sentences: My brother just hit me! You just
stepped on my toe! Smiling face sentences: I love your new
shoes! Tomorrow is my birthday! If I make all A’s I get an ice
cream cone! Mix these possible sentences and more if students
seem to struggle with the exercise.
4. The teacher will distribute the books to the class.
I want you to read the
chapter 3 two times through. First, time read to yourself and
then with a partner at your table. As students read with their
partner they will fill out an expression checklist. This will
have a few sentences from the chapter. When the student gets
to this sentence in the story their partner will check whether
or not they read it with the proper expression. Before reading
teacher will remind the students [If we come to a word we
don’t know remember to decode and crosscheck. This means we
sound out our word and if it doesn’t make since in the
sentences we try again!] After the students have done this we
will walk through this chapter and discussing what expression
you should use on each page.
5. To assess their knowledge on expression I will
collect their checklists. This will allow me to see where each
student is excelling and what areas need more work.
References:
Park, B., & Brunkus, D. (1992). Junie B. Jones and the
Stupid Smelly Bus. New York: Random House.
Mary Haley Byrne, Express Yourself,
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/doorways/byrnemgf.htm
Alison Stokes, Express Yourself
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/insp/stokesgf.html