Rapid Readers Rock!
Fluency Lesson Design
Rationale:
Being a successful reader requires two components:
comprehension and fluency. To be a fluent reader, a child must learn to read
fast and smooth while also using expression. Decoding is a skill that enables
children to be able to read sight words which helps them read faster. Students
can work toward becoming fluent by recognizing sight words and reading decodable
texts multiple times.
Materials:
Copies of The Very Hungry Caterpillar for children
(big book version for teacher); copies of The Napping House for children;
index cards with sight words; timers; paper; repeated reading checklists
Procedures:
1. Introduce lesson by telling students that "to be good
readers, we need to be rapid! This word means fast. We want to be able to read
quickly and with expression. To do this, we need to practice just like you would
for a race."
2. I will model reading The Napping House both
quickly and with expression and in a slow expressionless way. "Which way did you
like better?" "I enjoy reading more when there is expression, not when it's slow
and boring. What do you think?" Also, I will model cross-checking by reading a
word incorrectly in a sentence and saying "hmm now I don't think that makes much
sense does it? I think I need to go back and look again. Oh! That makes much
more sense!"
3. "Now the whole class is going to practice reading
together! Let's use our best expression when we read!"
4. I will pair up students and give them copies of The
Napping House and a repeated reading checklist. The partners will take turns
reading to each other and grading each other on the checklist. Then they will
take turns and time each other and will record the reading times.
5. "Have you ever been sooooo hungry that you felt like you
could eat anything? This caterpillar eats and eats and eats! Then he gets a bad
tummy ache and lays down to rest and something amazing happens. Let's find
out…!"
I will hand out note cards with sight words on them and
read a big book (The Very Hungry Caterpillar) using a pointer. The
students will raise their sight word when they see/hear the word as I read.
Assessment:
The reading record time sheet will be used to assess the
students' reading time. I will also have a student write a few sentences about
what they would eat if they could eat anything like the caterpillar did.
References:
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, World
Publishing Company, 1969.
The Napping House by Don and Audrey Wood. Harcourt,
1984.
Dr. Bruce Murray, Auburn University: http://www.auburn.edu/rdggenie
www.auburn.edu/rdggenie/fluency.html
Repeated reading checklist