Running the Race of Reading
Rationale:
Students must not only learn to read, but also learn to read with
consistency,
fluency, and expression. This lesson will allow students to
improve these
qualities using three one-minute reads to monitor their progress.
Materials:
- Stopwatches (one for each pair of students)
- Class set of Fox on Stage
- Class set of One-Minute Read chart (see below)
- Class set of Fluency Rubric (see below)
- Class set of Cover-Up Crittters
- Poster with Rube took the tube from Stu.
- Poster with the word huge
- Progress Chart for each student (Runner trying to get to the finish
line)
- Book Frog and Toad
- Pencils
Procedure:
1. “Today we are going to talk about reading with fluency. When
you read
fluently, the book is read smoothly and with expression. By doing
this,
you can understand what you are reading better. Just think of
reading as
running a race, the runner must run fast and steady to win the race.
2. “It is easier to read fluently when you have seen the words
before.
Read this sentence to yourself.” [Show sentence poster] “If you have
never seen
the words before, you might read like this: Rrrruuubbbeee tttoookkk
theee
tttuuubbbe fffrrrooomm Ssstttuu. The second time you might a
little
faster and smoother. Read it again out loud with me. Rrube
ttook
the tuuube from Sttu. The third time you might read very
smooth and a
little faster. Rube took the tube from Stu.”
Perfect!”
3. “If there is a word you don’t know, you can cover it up.” [Pass out
cover up
critters] “Let’s use this word.” [Show huge poster] “First, cover
up
everything but the vowels. (h, and g) We know that u_e =
/U/, so
the vowel says /U/. Next, uncover the first part of the word and
add it to
the vowel: /hU/. Finally, add the last letter: /hUg/…huge.”
4. [Pass out the books, stopwatches, one-minute read sheets, fluency
rubrics,
and divide the students into pairs] “Now, with your partner, read
the book
Fox on Stage. Fox’s grandmother fell on the ski slope. Fox
wanted to
cheer his grandma up. He made a video, to find out if grandma enjoyed
it, we’ve
got to read! One partner will read it aloud while the other uses
the
stopwatch to time them to see how many words they read in one
minute. The
partner will read it three times and then switch and the other will read
it
three times. Make sure to record your answers on the sheet.
After
you have both read, use the fluency rubric to see if your partner read
faster,
smoother, with more expression, or remembered more words when the read
it the
second and third time.” [Model how to do this]
Assessment:
After the students finish, call each student up so they can read you a
passage
from Frog and Toad. Use the progress chart to record how
many words
they read in one minute. Also take a running record to record
their
miscues. This will help to have a record of the students for
parents and
administration.
Resources:
Reading Genie Developing Reading Fluency
Marshall, James. Fox on Stage. Puffin Books. 1993
Lobel, Arnold. Frog and Toad are Friends. Harper Collins Publishers. 1979
Jernigan, Katelyn. Rocket Reading. http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/projects/jernigangf.html
One Minute Read Chart:
Name __________________________________
Date ___________________________________
1st Minute ______________________________
2nd Minute ______________________________
3rd Minute ______________________________
Fluency Chart:
I noticed that my partner...
After 2nd After
3rd
Reading
_______
_______
Remembered More Words
_______
_______
Read Faster
_______
_______
Read Smoother
_______
_______
Read with More Expression
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