Choo-Choo
Fluent Lesson Design
Goal:
Students will learn to read more fluently after repeated readings.
They will read the same story three times. They
will learn how important it is to be able to read fluently; therefore,
they will strive to be a fluent reader.
Rationale:
The purpose of fluency is for students to be able to recognize words
automatically. Words are added to students' sight
vocabulary when words are read and re-read. Students
learn more words through repeated readings; therefore, they are better
able to comprehend the story and read with expression. In
this lesson, students will have practice re-reading text, thus becoming
more fluent readers. This lesson will also show
students how important it is for them to be fluent readers.
Materials:
Copies of the book for each student The Train Trip By:
Geri Murray (link in the reference section)
Stop watch for each pair of students
Cover-up critter for each student (i.e., a popsicle stick with eyes)
Speed Reading Record for each student (shown below)
Partner Check Sheet for each student (shown below)
Pencils for each student
Markerboard
Markers
Speed Reading Record:
Name: _________________________ Date: ___________
Time:
- After 1st read _______
- After 2nd read _______
- After 3rd read _______
Partner Check Sheet:
Name: ________ Partner: ______________ Date: _________
I noticed that my partner... (check the circle)
After 2nd after 3rd
( ) ( ) Remembered more words
( ) ( ) Read faster
( ) ( ) Read smoother
( ) ( ) Read with expression
Procedure:
1. To start the lesson, make
sure the students understand why they will be doing repeated readings
and the importance of fluent reading. Boys and
girls, it is very important for you to be fluent readers, so you will
be able to read things accurately at an appropriate speed. We
will be working on becoming more fluent at reading today. One
way to do that is to read the same story several times. Each
time you read the story, try to read it a little faster.
2. Teach the students
how to use the cover-up critter to figure out unfamiliar words.
Does anyone remember the strategy we use when we are reading and
there is an unfamiliar word? Call on students
if they raise their hand. This will let the teacher
know who remembers the strategy. That is correct!
Here is an example of the strategy, in case any one forgot how
to do it. Write smash on the board.
I have a word on the board that is unfamiliar. I
am going to use my cover-up critter to help me figure out this word.
I am going to cover-up all of the letters besides the vowel 'a',
which says /a/. Next, I will look at the letters in
front of the vowel, which are /s/- /m, /sm/. Then,
I will look at the letters after the vowel, which is /sh/. Now,
I will blend it all together, /sma/ /sh/ = smash. The
cover-up critter helped me figure out the unfamiliar word I ran across
while I read. Make sure you use the cover-up
critter to help you figure out unfamiliar words while you read.
3. Now, model fluent reading
for the students, so they will understand how a fluent reader should
read. Write this sentence on the board:
"The train went very fast!" I am going to
read this sentence like a fluent reader. Read
this sentence slow, like: The-train-went-very-fast. Boys
and girls, do you think I sounded like a fluent reader as I read this
sentence. They should all start saying no.
Then ask, why do you not think it was like a fluent reader.
How can I fix it? Then, reader the
sentence with more fluency. Get the students to
compare the difference between the two readings. Ask
the students, can you tell how the first sentence was choppy, but
the second time it was smoother and a lot easier to understand.
If helped me to read fluently when I was able to automatically
recognize the words.
4. Give every student a copy
of The Train Trip. They will read the story
one time individually before doing timed readings with a partner.
Give the students this book talk: Tim's
friend Nate is coming on a train to see him. He was
working hard to get every thing ready for the visit. He
asked his sister, Jan, to help him, but instead, she painted her nails.
His dad agreed to take him to meet his friend. Nate
fell asleep on the train. Will he wake up in time,
or will his miss his stop? To find out, you will
have to read The Train Trip. After the
students read the story, talk about the story events as a whole class.
5. Now, the students will
break in pairs. Make sure each group has a stop
watch, and every student needs a Partner Check Sheet and Speed Reading
Record. Each student will read the book three times.
The partner will time the reading and report after the second
and third readings. They times of the readings will
be recorded on the Speed Reading Record. The
reports should always be complements. The students
should not criticize or give the students advice. You
will read the book three times with a partner. Your
partner will time each reading and record it on the Speed Reading
Record. After the second and third readings, your
partner will make marks on the Partner Check Sheet. Tell
the students your rules about criticism, advice, etc.
Assessment:
Get the students to turn in their Partner Check Sheets and Speed
Reading Records to the teacher. The teacher needs
to do one-minute reads with every student to determine how many words
they are reading a minute and to see if they improved on their fluency.
Then, ask the student some comprehension questions to make sure
they actually understood the story, instead of concentration on trying
to read faster.
References:
Ogubie, Alexis. Ride Your Way to Fluency.
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/encounters/ogubiegf.html
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/Geniebooks/TrainTrip.ppt#256,1,The
Train Trip by Geri Murray