Rationale:
 Reading silently helps to increase reading speed and comprehension.  In this lesson children will practice reading silently.  They will read decodable books of their choice.  Students will also practice cross checking to insure that they comprehend as they are reading silently.

Materials: bookshelf full of decodable books, the book Stu’s Tune, cross-checking worksheet- sentences that need to be corrected because of misspelled words and sentences that do not make sense

Procedures:
1) Have students pick a decodable book of their choice from the bookself
2) Boys and girls, what are some reasons we read books?  Yes, that’s right we read books to learn about certain topics and for fun.  Sometimes we read aloud, but sometimes it is important to read silently.  If we all picked out a different book to read and read it aloud we wouldn’t be able to concentrate on our own book.  Let’s all read the first two sentences of our own books aloud.  Now that was very confusing wasn’t it?  Now we’re going to whisper our books aloud. Now that was still very confusing wasn’t it?  Now let’s only move our lips and read to ourselves.   Because these types of reading can all be confusing and distracting we need to learn how to read read silently.  Now lets all read our first two sentences again, but this time let’s read them silently.  Now that was much better wasn’t it?  Silent reading is important for us to concentrate on our own book.  It helps us to understand what we have read and read at our own speed.
3) Sometimes when we are reading we come across a word that we don’t know.  First try to cover up parts of the word and see if you can put it back together and figure out what it is.  Then read the rest of the sentence to see if it makes sense.  It is very important to understand what you are reading, not just reading to get finished with your book.  I am going to show you how I use cross checking to help me understand what I am reading.  (Using the book Stu’s Tune).  Stu likes the t/U/ne a lot.  Now wait a minute that sentence didn’t make sense.  I am going to reread that sentence so that I will understand what my is going on in my book.  Stu likes the tune a lot.  Now that makes more sense.
4) Now you are going to complete a worksheet that will help you practice your crosschecking skills before we read our books silently.   The worksheet should include questions and statements like the following example: 1.  Sam and his dgo wanted to rnu and play.  Review answers with the class before they begin reading their book.
5) I would like for everyone to read his or her book silently.  You can pick a favorite reading spot in the room if it will help you concentrate on your book.  Remember to use crosschecking while you’re reading to help you understand.  Please take your time, it is more important to understand what you’re reading than to finish the book in a hurry.  (Assessment:) I will be asking you to tell me about your book when you have finished.

Assessment:
I will ask students to share with me what their book.  I will ask them questions to make sure that they have comprehended what they have just read.

Resources:
www.auburn.edu/rdggenie
Julie Dunn’s Silence is a Virtue found in Breakthroughs
 

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