Ready, Set, Read!
Rationale:
The goal of this lesson is to assist students in developing reading fluency and
expression. It is important for students to grow their reading fluency and
expression to develop increased reading comprehension and speed. This fluency
lesson will have students read a decodable text and be partnered for reading in
order for the students to increase speed in reading and develop understanding of
their readings. This lesson is for students to develop strong reading fluency
skills through repeated readings. When a student reads several times, they are
using one of the best ways to develop fluency because each reading helps the
student gain a better knowledge of the text.
Materials:
White board, White board markers, Book: The Race for Cake by Geri Murray.
Timer for each pair of students. Reading Time Sheet for each student.
Procedures:
1. Question students about the definition of fluency. Does anyone know what
fluency means? Allow responses. Fluency is being able to read faster and
smoother at the same time. We want to become fluent readers because it helps us
to know and understand what we are reading, and remember more words. However,
for us to become fluent readers, we have to practice reading to get better.
2. Using the white board, write: "The fat
pig ate too much food."
(I will model reading fluently and not fluently.) Now we are going to practice
saying the sentence. First, I will read it:
Ttthhheee ffffaaattt pppiiiiggg aaaatttee ttttoooo mmuuucccch.
Students should recognize the reading is slow and lacks expression because the
words were hard. Ask the students if that reading sounded like I could read
fluently. Give time for responses.
Now read the sentence quickly and with great expression.
"The fat pig ate too much food."
The students should recognize that this reading sounded much better than the
first. Now class, why did the
second reading sound so much better?
That's right because the second time I read the sentence with fluency.
We want to learn to read so that every time we read, we can read with
fluency!
3. Now I want you to try. I am
going to pass out some decodable books. I want you to read through these
books and use them to practice your fluency. Each
student gets a copy of The Race for Cake.
I am also going to give each of you a set of headphones. I want you to put
on the headphones so that you do not distract each other while you are reading.
Remember how I modeled reading fluently? That is how I want you to read
these books.
Book Talk: Jess and Ben are
swimming when they smell something delicious. They know their mom is baking a
cake. Yum! They race to the house, but they didn't know their dog Lad is coming
with them. Let's see what happens when Lad joins the race for the cake!
4. Now, you are going to read this book to yourself. Pass out the books. You
will be reading this book three times. Make sure that when you read, you
understand what you read, so that later, you will be able to read the story more
fluently. When you have finished,
please raise your hand so that I can pair you with a partner.
5. After completing the self-readings, students should be partnered. With your
partner, you will be reading through the same book, but do something different.
Pass out the time sheets. When your partner is reading to you, you will time
them while they read. Count how many words they read correctly during one minute
and write the number of words correct on your sheet.
Ready, set, race to read!
6. Assessment: I will evaluate the students as they work in partners to
hear them read as quickly and smoothly as possible. I will also look at the one
minute readings that they take for each other.
Reference:
Buckelew, "Sailing Into Fluency,"
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/journeys/buckelewgf.html
Lindsay Phillips, "The Race is On,"
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/solutions/phillipsgf.htm
Reading Time Sheet
Name____________________________
Date____________________
Time:
After 1st read:__________________
After 2nd read:__________________
After 3rd read:__________________