Zip the Lip!

Growing Independence & Fluency

By Jennifer Overfelt

Rationale:  Children need to read fluently.  Fluency comes when the child reads silently, faster and with expression.  This lesson encourages children to read silently to become fluent readers.

Materials:  a book of students’ choice (i.e. Ralph S. Mouse by Beverly Cleary), reading journals for every student, pencils, example of children’s book for teacher (i.e. Muggie Maggie by Beverly Cleary), observational checklist per child.

Procedure: 

1.  Class will begin by giving attention to the classroom reading collection set up in the reading center.  The books will already be color coded to show reading level for students.  CLASS, I WANT YOU TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND LOOK THROUGH OUR CLASSROOM LIBRARY TO FIND A BOOK THAT INTEREST YOU.  KEEP IN MIND THAT WE WILL BE READING THESE BOOKS SILENTLY, SO WHEN YOU CHOOSE A BOOK IT IS IMPORTANT TO FOLOW THE "THUMBS DOWN" TEST.  Teacher demonstrated using Muggie Maggie by Beverly Cleary.  ALRIGHT, I’M ON THE FIRST PAGE AND I GET TO A WORD I DON’T KNOW…THUMB COMES OUT!           Thumb goes up.  I KEEP GOING ON THE SAME PAGE AND…OOPS...ANOTHER WORD I DON’T KNOW.  THUMB GOES DOWN AND YOU KNOW THIS IS NOT THE BOOK FOR YOU.  Encourage the class to choose their reading and then join you in a circle on the floor.  Make sure they use the "Thumbs Down" method to select the book of their choice.

2.  WHO KNOWS HOW TO READ SILENTLY?  Wait for response.  READING SILENTLY IS WHEN YOU READ THE WORDS WITH YOUR EYES AND WE KEEP OUR VOICES INSIDE OUR HEADS.  THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT!  The teacher begins by reading the first sentence out of the book Muggie Maggie using normal speaking voice.  She, then, whispers the second sentence.  The third sentence is only motioned with her mouth.  Finally, the fourth sentences and so on are read silently.  NOW IT IS YOUR TURN.

3.  FIND A COZY LITTLE AREA TO READ YOUR BOOK.  FOLOW THE SILENT READING METHOD THAT I JUST DEMONSTRATED FOR YOU TO READ YOUR BOOK.  KEEP READING TILL I SAY TIME’S UP.

4.  TIME’S UP, EVERYONE.  I WAS PLEASED TO SEE SO MANY READ SILENTLY IT IS NOW TIME TO TAKE OUT YOUR READING JOURNALS AND WRITE A SUMMARYAND YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE STORY.

Assessment:  The teacher will walk around while the students are reading and fill out an observational checklist for each child.  She will also take up the children’s journals to see if the child comprehends the reading and writes an appropriate entry.  The teacher will also schedule conferences with the child during the week to speak to them one on one.

References:

"Shhhhh, I am trying to read!" Megan Murphy

                www.auburn.edu/rdggenie/discov/murphygf.html

Ralph S. Mouse by Beverly Cleary, Scholastic Inc. (1982)

Muggie Maggie by Beverly Cleary, Scholastic Inc. (1982)