Rationale:  Fluency means reading faster, smoother, more expressively, or more quietly with the goal of silent reading.  Improving fluency requires the direct approach which involves modeling and practice with repeated reading under time pressure and the indirect approach which involves encouraging children to read voluntarily in their free time.

Materials:  The book, ãIn the Big Topä (Educational Insights), stop watch, a chart with a race car driving up the race track towards the number of minutes the child or children read the story (the numbers will be in the intervals of 20), tape (to hang up the race track), Velcro (to attach the race car to the race track at different intervals), half poster board (to record daily reading speed), and pencils.

Procedures:  1.)  I will introduce the lesson by giving a brief book talk on the book, ãIn the Big Topä (Educational Insights).  In the book talk I will start off by telling the students that the book is about a family and their dog who gets ready to perform at the circus and how they all are making sure that they have everything they need before they get in the hot rod and go to the circus.  I will ask the students if they think Mom, pop, Rob, Tod, Roz, and the dog will remember everything they need for the circus and if they think the family will make it on time?
2.) The students will read ãIn the Big Topä in a slow and steady speed and/or tone of voice.
3.) Next, I will ask the student(s) if the way we read, ãIn the Big Topä sounded good or boring?
4.) The children will learn that it is very hard to comprehend a book if you read it slow and in one tone of voice.  W e will practice reading the book at various speeds and with expression.
5.) I will show the students the speedy reader racecar and racetrack recorder game.  The students will read the book, ãIn the Big Topä and I will time the students reading and record his or her time on the racetrack.
6.) The students will reread the book three to four more times silently to themselves.
7.) I will again, time and record the student reading and record their speed on the racetrack. At the end of each lesson I will record their daily reading speed on the half poster board.

Assessment:  I will evaluate the child or childrenâs reading speed from the beginning of the fluency lesson to the end, to see speed improvement.
 

Reference:  www.auburn.edu/rdggenie/insights/cdavisgf.html (Christie Davis-Racing to Read).
 

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