Roar for Reading!

Sammie Patton

 
Rationale: Fluency can be simply explained as the ability to read quickly, accurately, and with expression. Fluent readers are also able to comprehend the text that they are reading easier and the reading experience becomes more enjoyable. This lesson will help children practice decoding words in connected text through activities to allow them to become fluent readers.

Materials: Multiple copies of Jane and Babe

                  Chart paper with sentences:

                  The zoo is full
                  Monkeys are in the trees.
                  The tigers growl from inside the cage.

                  Stopwatch for each pair of children to practice one-min. reads

Procedure:

1. To begin the lesson, I will discuss what it means to be a fluent reader with students."Today we are going to be talking about what it means to be a fluent reader. Fluency is reading that is understandable and energetic. It is how the story comes to life and makes sense. The words are clear and we do not pause or stop when reading. If we are stuck on a word, we can crosscheck by rereading the sentence to see if it makes sense." Give them an example of how to read a sentence with and without fluency. In a slowly and choppy manner, say:" J-j-o-h-n   h-a-s- a   d-o-g  t-h-a-t   l-o-v-e-s  t-o  r-u-n." In an excited voice, say: "John has a dog that loves to run! Which sentence made sense to you? Right, the second sentence was clear and understandable! The second time was clearer because I had read it once and remembered the words which helped me read it a little better the second time. Now you say it with me with some excitement: John has a dog that loves to run! Do you see how it was different from the first sentence? Great job! We have read this sentence fluently which is what we are going to talk more about today!"

2. "Now let's try to read these three sentences on the chart paper:"

 The zoo is full of animals.

Monkeys are in the trees!

The tigers growl from inside the cages.

 "Great! Now let's read these sentences clearly and with expression. This is how we read stories fluently.�" Remember if we get stuck on a word, we can crosscheck by rereading the sentence."

 3. Hand out the books, Jane and Babe. "This is a story about a lion names Babe. Babe lives in the zoo and has a friend named Jane. Babe is a very sleep lion and Jane cannot get him to wake up when she wants to play. Will Babe wake up and play with Jane? We will have to read to find out!"� Remind children to use cover-ups and also crosscheck if a sentence does not make sense.

 4. After reading the story Jane and Babe, have students discuss the book and ask questions if they did not understand something. Allow students to talk with each other and share their reflections of the book.

 
5. Pair up students and give them a stopwatch and a fluency checklist. "Each pair of you has a checklist and a stopwatch. One of you will read the story and the other will set the stopwatch for one minute and use the checklist as your friend reads. Check in the Yes or No box to tell whether the reader has read quickly, clearly, and with some expression. When the stopwatch "beeps" switch places and the reader will now check the boxes and the other person will now read." When each child has read for one minute and has a checklist done for them, we will gather around and discuss what we found.

 
6. "I hope that all of you understand what it means to be a fluent reader now. And remember that if you come to a word that you don't know, use your cover-ups and reread the sentence and see if what you've read makes sense to you." Assessment of this lesson will be a one minute read with my own checklist similar to the one that the students used. I will have a place to record pauses and stops, also. I will take time to assess each child individually using the fluency checklist.

References:

Elizabeth Stevens. I Feel the Need..... the Need for Speed! 
http://auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/odysseys/stevensgf.html

Cushman, Sheila. Jane and Babe. Educational Insights. Carson, CA:1990.

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