Rationale
In order to gain the ability to comprehend while reading, students must learn to read fluently. To be able to read fluently means that a student has the ability to read at a fast, even pace and with expression. Repeated readings can be used to help students move from slow decoding to automatic, effortless reading. This lesson teaches children how to use strategies that build sight words rather than constantly, which can slow readers now. Methods addressed in this lesson are crosschecking for meaning, repeated reading of the text, and charting progress during paired partner reading. These tools will enable students to progress toward fluency and comprehension while sustaining motivation to read and reread.
Materials
Class copies of ‘Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business.’
Stopwatches (class set)
Individualized fluency graphs with Velcro for each child
Fluency Checklists
Reader Response form
White board
White board markers
Grading rubrics
Sentence written on the board: ““Dad said I’m the fastest kid on the team, and I remind him of a cheetah.”
Procedures
1. Hello class, today we are going to learn how to “RAAWWRRR!!” [hand motion]. Today we are going to learn how to be speedy readers, like a cheetah! That was a silly noise, and this will be fun. This means we are going to become fluent readers. Fluent readers are able to read fast without stopping to sound out each word. You recognize the words automatically and read them with little or no effort. Once you become fluent readers, the text will begin to make more sense because you do not have to try so hard to read each word. One way that we can work on our fluency is by reading a text more than once. Each time you read the text, you get faster and smoother because you are becoming more familiar with the text. Today we are going to practice fluency by reading a text more than once and seeing how much we can improve.
2. Watch and listen as read this sentence on the board three times. I want you to listen to how I read it and I will pick a friend to tell me which time sounds more fluent, or which one sounds better.
“Dad - said I’m the (slowly) fastest kid on the tem / team, and I remind him of a - cheee-tah / cheetah.”
“Dad - said I’m the fastest kid on the - team, and I remind him of a - cheetah.”
“Dad said I’m the fastest kid on the team, and I remind him of a cheetah!”
Which sounds better? Why? [Let students answer] That’s right! The second option sounded smoother, and by the third read it was smoother and with more expression making me a more fluent reader. It sounds better because I read the words effortlessly. I also understand more easily what the sentence is saying when I read it with fluency!
3. Did you notice that the first time I read the sentence I paused then read team as tem? But then I went back and realized that the correct word was feel because fell did not make sense. This is called crosschecking. You use crosschecking when you come to a word in the sentence you don’t know. To crosscheck remember that we look at the rest of the sentence, before and after the word, and try to use the information to determine what the word might be. When you practice today, you might not automatically recognize the word the second time you read it like Ms. Haley did, but with each practice you will become more fluent.
4. Today we are going to read the first chapter of the book Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business to practice improving our fluency. [everyone take books out from desk] In our book, Junie B is excited because she has a new baby brother! Before she meets him she overhears her grandmother calling him “the cutest little monkey”. The next day Junie B goes to school and tells all of her friends that her new brother is a monkey! Do you think her brother really a monkey? What will her friends say? You’ll just have to read to find out what happens to Junie B!” With the partner from your table, I want everyone to bring the two worksheets and a pencil and go quickly and quietly find somewhere in the room we can practice reading to each other. Then come pick up a timer from Ms. Haley.
5. Let’s start by reading the first sentence this next line together, Read together, “B stands for baby, I’m only in kindergarten. But I know how to spell baby.” Hmmm, I noticed some of my friends had trouble with the word kindergarten, but since you are all fabulous readers you used the rest of the sentence to help you figure it out. Let’s try reading it again, but this time we know the word kindergarten and can add expression in our voice like Ms. Haley did with our sentence about the cheetah.
6. You and your partner will take turns reading the story. You will each read it three times, trying to become moooore fluent each time. While you are reading, your partner is going to time you and listen closely to tally the number of words you misread in chapter one and record your total time on the reading time sheet after using the stopwatch. Who thinks they can come to the white board and show everyone how to make tally marks? [model with student]
7. Remember that it’s okay to make mistakes while we’re building fluency, you’re going to have mistakes the first couple times you read it and that’s how we get better. Once your partner is done reading you’re going to subtract the number of words missed from the total number of words, you’re also going to record the time it took for them to read it and record it on your sheet. Who thinks they can come up to the board and demonstrate how to do a subtraction problem? [model with student] Great! These will be recorded on the worksheets you have in front of you. You’re going to have your listening ears on to hear if your partner reads faster, smoother, or maybe with more expression in their voice!
8. After you and your partner have each read 3 times, I want you to discuss the answers to the questions on the Reader Response Form and write your answers down individually. We are only going to share good comments about our partners reading, not criticizing. When you have finished all of this come see me and I will give you fluency graphs and show you how to put your Velcro in the right spot on your fluency graphs so you can monitor your progress!
9. Assessment: The teacher will walk around the room to make sure they are on task and completing the activity assigned. While observing, the teacher will be listening for fluency while the students are reading. The teacher will have the students turn in their score sheets after the repeated readings are finished, then graph each student’s speed so they can see their improvement as they progress. Ask students to talk with their partner about how judy felt about having a baby in the house? How would you feel? [write on board while they are reading and conduct discussion when everyone is done] Finally, the teacher will assess words per minute from the reading by using the following formula: (words x 60) / (seconds).
References
Barbra Park, Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business. Random House Books. 1993
Cooper, Lana Say ‘Aloha’ to Fluency
https://sites.google.com/site/mscoopersreadinglessons/home/say-aloha-to-fluency
Murray, Bruce Developing Reading Fluency http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/fluency.html
SPEEDY READING LIKE A CHEETAH!
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