NASCAR
Growing
Mandy Woelfl
Rationale:
Fluent readers read fast, accurately, and with expression. The
formula
that seems to help students become fluent readers is to read and reread
decodable text. The more children work with these texts, the more
fluent
they will become and the more they will be able to read other books
with more
fluency. This lesson will help children learn how to read faster,
and
will improve their fluency through repeated readings under time
pressure.
By doing the timed readings, the students will be able to read
more words
per minute.
Materials:
-Stop watches (one per pair of children)
-class library-put green stickers on the books that each child in the
class
will be able to find a book on their individual level-and where each
child will
at least have one partner to read with.
-pencil and paper
-Go
Dog Go. P.D. Eastman. Pub. (Dr. Suess Books)
Procedure:
1. "Today we are going to learn how to read faster and more accurately.
Everyone listen to the sentence I am about to read and tell me
which one
sounds better." (Read for one minute from Go Dog Go and model it by
reading is very slow and choppy-for example, if the sentence was: the
dog went
very fast in the car, you would say, 'tthhhee dddoooggg wwweennnttt
vvveerrryyy
fffasssstttt iin ttthhee ccarrr.' Then
read the sentence again modeling a fluent reader: 'the dog went very
fast in
the car'). Then ask the students, "Which
one sounds better, the slower version or the faster version? That's right, the second way. That is
the way a fluent reader should read and that is what we will be
practicing
today. How do you all think that you can learn to read faster and
more
accurately? One way I know is to read a lot! Today we are
going to
read a book that you will choose with a partner so that you can
practice and be
able to read fast and accurately."
2. "Now boys and girls, what do we do when we come to a word that we do
not know how to say? That's right! We cover up the word and read
it piece
by piece and then put it all together. Ok, then what do we do
when we can't
figure it out by cover-ups? That's right! We can cross-check by reading
the
rest of the sentence to see what would make sense. If you still
can't get
a word, then come ask me, do not skip the word."
3. "Now that we have gone over some things that may help you when
reading, let's move on to reading our individual books! In order to
choose a
book that interests you, you should not just look at the cover of the
book.
One must read the back of the book to see what the book is about;
to see
if that particular book interests them. After finding one that
interests
you, look inside that book and read a page or two. If there are
more than
two words on a page that you can not read, that book might be too hard
for you
and you should choose another one. Ok, so everyone go find a book
with a
green sticker on it and bring it back to your seat." (You should know
the
levels of your children and make sure that the books with the green
stickers on
them are of those different levels)
4. Put children in groups of two or three, depending on how many
children
chose the same book (but make sure that the pairs have the same book).
"Ok,
in your pairs you will read the book once, and then your partner will
read.
You will do this three times. Read your book silently if you
finish
early."
Assessment:
"Ok, now that everyone is finished reading and has had some practice
with
reading your book, I would like you and your partner to time each other
reading
the book. You will do this three times. Make sure you
record your
time all three times because the fastest time will be the winner.
Remember that if you skip over any words or don't say a word
correctly,
then that time does not count. Good Luck!" (You can do it more
times
if time permits. The more you allow them to do it, the more
practice they
will have reading fast and accurately).
References:
Dr. Murray's Reading Genie: http://www.auburn.edu/rdggenie/inroads/lewisgf.html
and
http://www.auburn.edu/rdggenie/inroads/naylorgf.html
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