What kind of Ladybug are you?

By: Margaret Ann Hinshaw
 

Rationale:  Reading fluency is directly related to reading comprehension(Eldredge, 1995). One way to help a beginning reader to become more fluent is to teach them to read with expression. When a child learns how to read with expression the text has more meaning to them and they are able to understand what they are reading. Reading with expression helps us to make connections between the words and their meaning. The following lesson demonstrates a great way to teach students  about reading with expression by looking to punctuation as a guide.

Materials: The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle (copies for every student)

                  Blank Note cards for students to write on

                  Pocket Chart

                  Assessment Checklists (see below)

Procedure:

1)      “TODAY WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT READING VOICES.” “WHEN WE READ A STORY IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE USE OUR DIFFERENT VOICES TO MAKE OUR CHARACTERS COME TO LIFE.” “UNDERSTANDING OUR CHARACTERS AND THEIR DIFFERENT EXPRESSIONS HELPS US TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR MOODS AND IT HELPS US RELATE TO THE STORY BETTER.” “WHEN WE BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE READING, WE BECOME BETTER MORE FLUENT READERS.”

2)      “THERE ARE DIFFERENT SYMBOLS THAT WE SEE AT THE END OF SENTENCES.” “THEY ARE CALLED PUNCTUATION MARKS.” “THESE ARE OUR GUIDES TO HELPING US FIGURE OUT WHAT KIND OF EXPRESSION, OR VOICE TO USE WHEN READING.” Display note cards across the top of a pocket chart the show an exclamation mark, period, and question mark. Then explain the different voices we use when we see each symbol. “WHEN WE SEE AN EXCLAMATION MARK, THIS MEANS EXCITEMENT OR SURPRISE.” “WHEN WE ARE EXCITED OR SURPRISED WE TEND TO SPEAK A LITTLE LOUDER THAN USUAL.” “WHEN WE SEE A PERIOD, THIS USUALLY MEAN SOMEONE IS DECLARING SOMETHING IS A NORMAL SPEAKING TONE.” “WHEN AE SEE A QUESTION MARK, WE KNOW THAT SOMEONE IS ASKING A QUESTION, AND THEIR VOICE MIGHT SOUND CONCERNED OR SERIOUS?”

3)      “LETS PRACTICE WITH A COUPLE SENTENCES.” Put some sentences under each different punctuation mark and practice as a whole class reading them together aloud.

4)      Hand out copies of the story to all students.” LET’S GET INTO GROUPS AND ASSIGN CHARACTERS FOR THE GROUCHY LADYBUG.” “IN THIS STORY WE WILL HEAR MANY DIFFERENT VOICES AND EXPRESSIONS.” “REMEMBER TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE PUNCTUATION YOU SEE AT THE END OF THE SENTENCE AND READ WITH EXPRESSION.” "ACT OUT YOUR  CHARACTER AS YOU READ." Walk around the room and observe the students as they read in their groups use the checklist below as a guide.

5)      “THINK ABOUT A MOOD THAT YOU HAVE RECENTLY EXPERIENCED.” “MAYBE A BIRTHDAY PARTY MOOD, OR A SAD DAY MOOD, OR A GROUCHY DAY MOOD LIKE THE LADYBUG, AND COME UP WITH A SENTENCE THAT EXPRESSES YOUR FEELINGS.” “BE SURE TO INCLUDE THE CORRECT PUNCTUATION AT THE END OF YOUR SENTENCE AND PLACE IT IN THE POCKET CHART.” Then go over what the students have displayed as a class.

Assessment:  Have the students write a journal entry on their mood for the day. Check that they use the correct punctuation and have them read them aloud to the class. Teacher needs a checklist to make sure that the entries are using correct punctuation. Checklist: Exclamation mark at end of exclamatory sentence    yes     no  
                                               Period after the end of a declarative or informative sentence     yes     no
                                               Question mark after a question          yes         no
                          Reading Checklist:  Does student use facial expressions when reading?    yes    no
                                                                 Does student follow the punctuation correctly?    yes     no

References:

Reading Genie Web site:
http://www.auburn.edu/rdggenie/insp/sanderscgf.html
Eldredege, J. Lloyd. Teaching Decoding in Holistic Classroom. Prentice Hall Inc, 1995.

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