The Buzzing Bee
Growing
Rationale: To become a successful reader, students must learn to read fluently. This lesson will provide students with techniques for becoming more fluent readers as well as provide them with repeated reading practice and partner feedback to help them increase their fluency level. By becoming a fluent reader a child increases his or her comprehension of text.
Materials:
-Chart paper
-Marker
-Sheet with three bee hives for each student
-Bumblebee cutout for each student
-Partner assessment sheet for each student: Did my partner read faster the third time? Did my partner read with expression? How many words did my partner read the second time? How many words did my partner read the third time?
-Copy of Fuzz and the Buzz for each group by Sheila Cushman and published by Educational Insights in 1990
-Pencil for each student
-Teacher assessment page: Fluency ratings: read smoothly, quickly, expressively, stopped rarely, miscue notes. Comprehension questions: What kind of animal was Fuzz? How does Fuzz get away from the bugs?
Procedures:
1. Tell the students what it means to be a fluent reader and why it is important. "A fluent
reader is someone who can read a story and recognize most of the words as they read. As
you become a more fluent reader you are able to remember parts of the story more easily
and you are able to read the story more quickly.
2.Model fluent reading. On chart paper write the sentence "The cat took a nap." Begin by
reading the sentence as a non-fluent reader. "Thhhhhheeee cccaaaatttt tttooookkk a
nnnnaaaapppp. Because I had not seen some of the words before I had to decode them as
I read. Now that I have read the words and figured out the ones I did not know I am going
to reread the sentence." Now reread the sentence smoothly as a fluent reader, "The cat
took a nap." Because I had seen the words before I had decoded them I was able to read
the words in the sentence with less difficulty. The more we read and reread the more
familiar we become with words and the easier it is for us to read the words we have seen
before, we also become more skillful at figuring out new words."
3."Remember to cover up parts of the word and make the sounds of each letter if you are
unsure of a word. Also, if it doesn't seem to fit in the sentence look at the word again and
see if you need to use a different word that does fit in the sentence. If you and your
partner cannot figure out the word raise your hand and ask for help."
4. Divide the students into groups of two and give each student a paper with pictures of
three
beehives
and a cutout of a bumblebee. Give each group a copy of Fuzz
and the
Buzz. This will be used to chart their progress. Also, give each child a partner
evaluation sheet with the questions: Did my partner read faster the third time? Did my
partner read with expression? How many words did my partner read the second time?
How many words did my partner read the third time?
5. Give Fuzz and the Buzz book talk. One day Fuzz goes for a walk. Along the way he
finds some nuts and tugs on them. The nuts fall and hit Fuzz on the head and he is mad!
Then bugs start to buzz around Fuzz and chase him. Let's read the story to see how Fuzz
escapes the bugs. Have the student first read Fuzz and the Buzz silently to themselves to
become familiar with the book. Then have them read two more times to their partner
who will evaluate them based on the questions given to them. Each time the student
reads he/she will move the bumblebee to a new hive. Once the third hive is reached it is
the next partner's turn to read
6. Walk around the room to help and listen as the read to their partner.
Assessment: To assess I will review the student's progress chart that they filled out with
their partner. I will then have the students reread Fuzz and the Buzz to me. I will note
their fluency by making notes about whether they read smoothly, quickly, stopped rarely,
or less smooth, less quick, or stopped frequently. I will also ask the children questions to
test their comprehension of the story. Questions: What kind of animal was Fuzz? How
does Fuzz get away from the bugs?
Resources:
Cushman, S (1990). Fuzz and the Buzz.
Ashley Keel- Read, Read, Red Dog!
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/catalysts/keelgf.html
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