Rational: In this lesson we will work on fluency as we read. In order to become fluent, children must learn to recognize words automatically and correctly. Having a well-developed sight vocabulary eliminated the need to decode every word. Fluency is extremely important, because they are able to fully focus on comprehension and are able to add expression. To become more fluent we will read and reread.

 

Materials:

• If You Give a Pig Pancake

• Whiteboard/ Smart Board

• ELMO

• Timer

• Checklist

• Time Sheet

• Paper

• Pencil

 

Procedures:

• Say “We all would like to become great readers, wouldn’t we? How do we become better readers? Does anyone know?” (Allow answers.) “To become great readers we need to learn to read fluently. When we read fluently, we are reading effortlessly with automatic word recognition, which means we have developed sight words. Once you are able to read smoothly, it helps you understand the story and help you be able to read with expressions.

 

• Now lets look at the sentence written on the white board: “Carlie looked at all the presents under the Christmas tree.” Listen carefully as I read it out loud and you tell me if I sound like a fluent reader or not. “C-arrrr-lieee, Carlie, loo-ked, at all the prreeeeessents under the Christmas tree, oh at all the presents under the Christmas tree! Carlie looked at all the presents under the Christmas tree. Do you think that sounded fluent or not? Right! I didn’t sound fluent at all. Let me try to read it again. (This time I will read it a bit faster and bit more fluent). Even though that was better, I still was not able to read it with as much expression as it should have been. Here is how we would read the sentence fluently. “Carlie looked at all the presents under the Christmas tree.” Did you all hear how I didn’t have to sound out any words and was able to add expression to my reading. Now, we are going to take a look at the next sentence and you and your partner are going to take turns reading the sentence. “She turned to look if Santa had eaten the cookies.” I am going to help you start: She turn-ed to look if S-an-ta had eat-en the cook-ies.

 

• Say: Did you notice that when I was reading the first sentence “Carlie looked at all the presents under the Christmas tree.” Did you notice how I got stuck on presents, I thought it was, preeesents. I had to finish reading and was able to figure out that presents are under the Christmas tree. The strategy I used to figure out the words was crosschecking. Once I finished the sentence I was able to figure out what the actual word was. One other effective strategy is the cover up critter, we can use this to figure out what the word is.

 

• “Now we are going to practice fluent reading by reading together as a class If You Give a Pig a Pancake.This story is about a silly pig who wants a pancake, however it leads to him wanting many other things such as a bath and to visit his family. We will have to read to find out if the pig finally is happy.

 

• Next, we will all worked with our assigned partner. We are going to be working on repeated reading. We are going to do this because repeated reading can help us become more fluent readers. The more we read the better we become at it. I am going to read the two page aloud to you, and I would like you to follow along in your own book. I am going to read with as much fluency as I can. I want you to pay attention as I read. I will then read the first two pages with as much expression and as fluent as possible.

 

• Now we will all turn to our reading partner. I will give you a copy of the book, a timer, a fluency checklist, a pencil, and a reading time sheet.

 

• Once students have gotten with their partner and are in a spot in the room I will give instruction. “In this activity, the first partner will be the reader and the second will be the recorder. The student who has the shorter name will be reading first, and the student with the longer name will be recording first. The reader will begin reading when your partner tells you to. You will read the entire first three pages and your partner will time you. This is not a race!! Do not rush through this! This activity is to help us on fluency, not on speed. After you read, you will switch jobs. The recorder’s job is to tell the reader when to begin (begin timer). Time your partner until he is done with the first two pages, when they are done stop the timer and write down his or her name on the time sheet. You will then fill out the fluency checklist based on how your partner did. Once you have filled out both sheets, you will switch back. You are going to do this three times each.

 

•  Before starting, one student will come to the ELMO with the teacher and demonstrate the activity.

 

• While the students are working, I will walk around the classroom to check to make sure each pair of students understand the activity.

 

• Assessment: The students will assess one another by completing the fluency checklist and the time record sheet. The teacher will assess each student’s fluency using the following formula: Words x 60/ seconds

• I will then assign a writing assignment based on what he or she read. This will let me know how well the student is comprehending the reading.

 

References:

Fluent In Good Eating and Reading! By Caroline Gagnon

http://ceg00221.wix.com/miss-gagnons-reading#!growing-independence-and-fluency/cee5 

 

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