Please read Chapters 5 and 6 and respond to the questions below. All responses should be posted by 11/6.
Chapter 5 "Small Group Reading Instruction and Differentiation"
In this chapter Robb gives a detailed example of small group reading instruction. She includes making book selections, forming groups, establishing routines and assessments. The chapter is long and filled with great ideas and suggestions. On Page 144 Robb selects her books based on genre and theme.
#1. Please share or suggest a genre/theme selection you have used or would like to use. Include 2 or 3 titles within this genre/theme that you could use with differentiated reading groups.
#2 How do you form your reading groups (or would you form them)? Are they based on reading levels or strategies?
Notice P. 149 where she provides "Key Decisions for Planning a Unit of Study". This is a helpful reference.
Chapter 6 "Indpendent Reading and Differentiation"
Robb stresses the importance of independent reading in this chapter. It is crucial that the student be reading a book on their independent level. She also suggests forms of assessment (P. 180) that can be used for independent reading.
#1 Do you agree with Robb about the importance of independent reading --why or why not? Do you think it is necessary to assess students for independent reading -- why or why not?
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Chapter 5 "Small Group Reading Instruction and Differentiation"
ReplyDeleteOne theme that I have used with small reading groups is racial discrimination. I use books that are related to Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, etc… and picture books that I have found over the years that clearly bring the problems to life in appropriate and meaningful ways for young children. I have a few favorite books where some are easier and some harder. It is important to me to use only my favorite stories as I feel they wrap the reader up and make him/her care about the characters. With a lower group, I use White Socks Only by Evelyn Coleman and Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rappaport, with an average group I use, A Picture Book of Rosa Parks by David Adler and Sister Anne’s Hands by Marybeth Lorbiecki and finally, with a higher group I use The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles and A Band of Angels by Deborah Hopkinson.. I may also use biographies about the famous civil rights leaders. These books are powerful and truly bring insight into struggles of discrimination. I always have a discussion with the students about the religious overtones that are a strong part of the stories of slavery and the civil rights movement so that they understand the context and why they are included in the books. I explain that we are looking at other people’s lives and beliefs and their struggles and they always seem to understand. The different books allow me to have appropriate conversations with each group and push them according to their levels of understanding. When the books are finished, I introduce some fairy tales that demonstrate discrimination like the Cinderella stories and let them make connections. I love to remember when one student said to me after reading The Ugly Duckling, “Hey, this book isn’t about ducks, it is about discrimination!”
As you can see by my response, I will place students in reading groups according to their abilities, but I also group according to interest or by making a balanced group. It varies with the type of unit I am doing.
Chapter 6 "Independent Reading and Differentiation"
ReplyDeleteI agree with Robb that independent reading is very important however, in fourth grade, I find that I spend a lot of time doing guided reading so I control the text as much as possible. Students tend to want to read books like Harry Potter… and they are not appropriate at all for their level. They have trouble picking a Just Right book because they want to read what they see as cool or what some other child is reading. That being said, I do have the students read books independently at home and they have a book for their book pot at school for quiet reading time. It is important to assess and monitor the independent books so that students are reading the right material. If not, they lose interest, fast! I have the student read a page from a book that they are reading independently to see if they can really read and understand it. Robb has some great ideas about how I can expand this in my classroom.
Patty your unit sounds wonderful. I love how you tie in the fairy tales at the end. How long do you spend on this? I, too, like to use different books with each group. Do you change the assignments for each group as well? I think the key element is having them reading in the right leveled book. I'm finding with the results of the IRI this year, I may shake my leveled groups us a bit by strategies and skills. Mix some groups up for a few lessons on main idea or inferencing. I think this might remove the stigma that goes along with grouping as well. The more they move in and out of groups, the less they feel that they're in the "top" or "bottom" group.
ReplyDeleteI am really pushing the independent reading this year. I assigned groups to colored baskets they could choose independent reading books from. At least they have a book on their independent level in their hands. I need to get more books in my room to make this really work. Thanks for sharing (nice and early!!)
Thank you! This unit can take a couple of weeks to fully develop it.The assignments are geared to what would be appropriate. The level of understanding and inferencing,plus the group's ability to have empathy for others guides the asssigments also.
ReplyDeleteChapter 5:
ReplyDeleteI like to select books based on genres and themes that students can connect to as they read. I find it easier for students to use their active reading strategies when they can “feel” for the characters. One theme first explored is friendship. I use theme in the beginning of the year because it helps springboard for the students as they are still trying to figure out their relationships with their new classmates. The higher group reads Old Yeller while the lower group reads Summer of Riley. Both books involve a string friendship with a central character which happens to a dog. I wish I had a library of titles to choose from, but since we began to use the IRI to differentiate instruction, I find myself constantly searching for titles to match reading levels as well as genre and/or themes. I am slowly building a library it by using Scholastic points.I also use picture books to match the theme throughout the unit to reinforce reading strategies and story elements.
~Ally
I create my reading groups based on the results from the IRI. Once I have my reading groups, I assess the students need for strategies and work on those within the group.
Patty,
ReplyDeleteI love your unit. It sounds like the students really gain a great understanding of discrimination. I also love to use picture books with my students. I find that students are less intimidated by them. Do you use "I Can Hear the Sun" by Patricia Polacco? I love her style of writing and the students can really pick apart the central themes of stereotypes and discrimination. Thankfully, my picture book collection is one library I don’t need to build(unlike my chapter books), but I would love to have more time to reorganize it. Picture books are a passion for me- always seeking out more titles to add to the collection.
~Ally
A genre I like to use in reading groups is historical fiction. One theme I like to work with is bravery and character change. A few titles I use are; The Secret Soldier, Toliver’s Secret, and A Lion to Guard Us. In guided reading, I group my readers based on reading level. However, I also pull strategy groups, which is 3-5 students who need to revisit or learn a strategy to help them with a common difficulty. These students have varied reading levels and we work on the strategy in our individual books. I was reading some of the other responses and pulled a lot of ideas to try out in my own classroom.
ReplyDeleteYes I do agree with Robb when she states independent reading is crucial in school. Reading time in school is extremely important because most students have a busy environment at home where reading might not take a priority. Also, students need to be reading just-right books in order to eliminate frustration. I have found so many students who dislike reading and when I dig deeper into their reading history they are always reading books they are unable to comprehend. Of course students are going to think reading is horrible if they can’t understand what they are reading! I always assess student’s reading levels the first week of school in order to direct them towards just-right books. It may take time but it is well worth it.
ReplyDeleteChapter 5 - Great chapter!!
ReplyDeleteA theme that I use with my students towards the end of the year is Finding the Author's message. Hmmm, is that a theme? A theme of finding the theme? Well, it is a unit that I teach to my 2nd grade students and they absolutely love it. I begin the unit by discussing what a message is. It's funny how many ways a message is conveyed.....leave a message at the beep, text message, instant messaging, message in a bottle, etc. Then I tell them that "an author's message" is told through a story and s/he wants the reader to learn something but we need to figure out what the message is. Some books I use to model are; Joseph Had a Little Rain Coat, The Kapok Tree, Miss Nelson is Missing. Then the students read on their own Ruby, No David! and others. I'm not at school and I don't have the list committed to memory. I begin each day with a quick read aloud and discussion. Then the students read a book I have selected and try to figure out the message. Sometimes the kids say, "This book is so easy." or "I already read this book." For example, No David! is a book with very few words, but a big message. Most seem to "get it" that when they re-read the story, they are understanding theme and the words in the book have brought new meaning to them. I love when they begin to read with a different eye and appreciation.
Patty - lol about the Ugly Duckling comment. You should send that into a teacher mag or newspaper. Precious!
ReplyDeleteChapter 5 #2 -
ReplyDeleteMy reading groups are formed by running record scores and so they are formed solely on skill. To differentiate within these groups, I may pull aside some kids who need specific practice on a skill while others are reading independently or writing. For example, fluency is a skill that all my students need help with. Some need help with pausing at punctuation,they plow through the text and do not stop when they need to. Others are struggling so much with decoding they read word by word and need echo reading practice. I have found that pairing up a heterogenous grouping does not work for this skill. I like her plan to meet with small groups....I think that I would like to try to do this more individualized grouping more often.
Chapter 6 -
ReplyDeleteIndependent reading is so important for students to practice in and out of school. The biggest problem I see are the kids who are reading books that are too difficult for them. I am tutoring a child who is reading Harry Potter b/c , and I quote, "that's what all the kids in 3rd grade are doing." I spoke to the child and her mom about the difficulty of the book especially the vocabulary. The mom seemed to think that motivation would prevail. I quickly opened the book to find words like chortled and JK Rowling's own made up word muggles. When I asked the child what a muggle was she said, "I don't know but it says it a lot in the book." The mom said that she wasn't going to let her watch the movie until she read the book. UGH! I tried to tell her that at least if she had seen the movie she would have background knowledge and be able to visualize what was happening in the story. If any of you have read the book and/or seen the movies, the whole Quidditch game is something that is a real challenge to visualize. I have a real problem when kids are reading books that are above their level, esp when it is independent reading. It is not helping them advance as readers. This family was not taking my advice even though I strongly recommended she read it with mom/dad or on tape after seeing the movie. I did suggest she at least visit the scholastic website that has the vocab words defined. In case any of you all have seen the same issue, here is the website:
http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/books/glossary.htm#
Independent reading is a time to practice skills and enjoy reading. This can only be accomplished when the text is at the right level.
Ally, the theme of friendship is a great place to start the year off. I find it difficult matching books by theme and level as well. According to Robb, though, the read aloud is so important for differentiating. As long as the read aloud is a big piece of the reading block, students are able to be successful with their strategies. When working with chapter books, I find we use more of a range and not an exact level. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteMargaret, I love historical fiction for my personal reading. I find though that students love it too. They are always asking "Did this really happen?" It is such a rich theme to use. I too agree that independent reading is so important. How do you feel about assessing their independent reading? Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteGigi, author's message is so important. In fifth grade, the students are still not sure what it is. It's true when they figure out that the author has a message they're trying to get across, the students read with more interest. As a result of Robb's book, I have made the read aloud a daily routine in my reading block. I love how much the kids love being read to -- even as they get bigger.
ReplyDeleteYou're so right about reading the wrong level. I spent 2 days showing my students which baskets they should read from. I insisted they could only pick from a certain color basket. The books in my room are a bit old and not the most appealing titles. However, during independent reading time they are silent and engaged in the book. It makes a huge difference when they are reading independently -- they must read at their independent level. Too bad that mom didn't listen. That link to Scholastic hopefully helps her. Thanks for sharing.
I'm not sure if I should be more forceful with mom. Although the Scholastic site is good, it's like what Robb said in the chapter about reading and journaling. If you take too much away from the reading, enjoyment is lost. I'm going to address it again this week when I see them.
ReplyDeleteHi Ally. It's nice to begin the year with friendship as a theme. You are right, it is difficult/time consuming to match books to readers within a theme. It would be a great project over the summer for writing curriculum or as a collegial circle. Ideally you could write a grant and then have the books purchased for you.....I'm always looking for a project....
~gigi
Thanks for the suggestion Ally- I do have that book and I forgot about it. I will incorporate it!
ReplyDeleteChapter 5: At the start of each year, I focus on the theme of self-awareness.” I feel that the children entering into the fourth grade need to get a jump start into understanding that they are no longer in the early childhood years and now as an intermediate-age student, it is important to learn about who they are as an individual. I begin with three classic read aloud, The Missing Piece, The Missing Piece Meets the Big O and The Giving Tree all written by Shel Silverstein. From there I introduce the concept of character traits and have the children try to generate a list of 10 positive traits to describe their own character. I feel the children get more motivated when they can connect with a character and find some common ground to tread on with the books. Next, through more picture books, I use Swimmy, I Want to Be, If I was a Butterfly to embed more reading strategies of setting, inferential thinking, compare/ contrast, etc… Each book selection is selected based upon the groups I formed. So far, children have had to rotate for various reasons, in addition to the pullouts interfering and leaving one group staggered. However, I originally organized my groups based upon classroom observations and the administration of the IRI reading inventory assessments. When my groups worked together, I was busy popping from one group to another trying to help the groups run smoothly. I must admit it has been a challenge this year due to the immaturity level and bickering of who is doing what or some children doing nothing or others disturbing one another. Therefore, I decided to move into one chapter book, which also focuses on character development. Through the book Be a Perfect Person In Just Three Days (written by Stephen Manes), I have once again broken up the children into two groups and have geared my skills according to further observations on needed skills. Overall, there seems to be a major struggle with the children answering questions that require inferences and then when they need to provide support from the text….OH MY!!!!! Since they struggle with expressing their answers orally, there is a major struggle when they must convey their thoughts in writing. Let’s say I have my hands full this year. I know that given the right guidance, they all will succeed.
ReplyDeleteChapter 6: I absolutely agree with Robb’s statement about the importance of independent reading in school. However, it seems that year after year the time within the school day gets more and more limited. I recall having the opportunity for the children to have a chunk of time with reading and writing for almost 90 minutes. Those were the days of no pullouts, OT push-ins, music lessons, speech, counseling, etc…. I have found that children truly do not know how to curl up with a good book and read with no stress. Reading has become almost a status symbol of who reads what book and children need to learn how to tackle appropriate books and apply the strategies of reading taught within the school days into their own independent time reading. Since the start of the school year, I have been trying to motivate the children to read what I refer to as “light reads,” within my classroom. I have an array of picture books displayed based upon authors and themes. I am trying to get the children to gain a stronger sense of accomplishment with more control over their choice. I feel that an author like Leo Lionni can offer higher level thinking skills to the more advanced reader with his language and sentence variety. However, it can also instill confidence in locating the character traits, setting, theme and message with the lower level reader. Such selections of books enable the children to sustain more qualitative reader rather than quantitative reading. Additionally, I can manage these short reads better throughout the time constraints. My ultimate goal is for the LIGHT BULB to go on with regard to reading!!!!!
ReplyDeletePatty,
ReplyDeleteI love the unit of discrimination.... have you've been holding out????LOL!!! Two other great picture books which could be aligned and used with higher level readers are Teammates and The Other Side. The Other Side is an awesome picture book for symbolism with the white fence being the divder amongst the blacks and whites. I want to steal this unit from you......
After reading through everyone's response to independent reading, it seems like we are all on the same playing field. If I see another student with a Harry Potter book, I think I might giggle even harder. I think it was Gigi who actually gave the suggestion to not read it and to think that the family is paying a tutor to help their child succeed in reading, yet, they fail to follow the tutor's wise advice. It makes you wonder even more???? I have had two children this year, who were very upset with me when i suggested a more appropriate level of books to read indepepndently. It is a bit touching with these two students who feel they completely know what is going on and are quite defensive. Yet, when i recently scored there practice ELA session 3 assessments, their written responses were so far off that I needed someone else to review them. I think explaining this is a challenge in itself. I want to build up their self-esteem, but at the same time, I feel it is my job to help show the children how to make proper selections based upon their levels. I have also noted that many children are strong phonetic readerws and the children view that as an true indicator of their reading levels.
ReplyDeleteKim, I like your idea of having the students come up with 10 character traits about themselves. You're right inferential thinking is sooooo hard for students. It takes a lot of practice. I've been spending the last month on it --- and still some do not have it. The independent reading is so important. Even for research, I found my students had so much trouble getting information from print. They are fine with the computer but shut down when they're asked to look for information in a book. I like your use of picture books for independent reading. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteGreetings!I thought these two chapters were enlightening--it's hard for me to imagine this year how I'll manage forming groups with my students before the winter season is over. My group is small to begin with (9), plus the processing and comprehension issues are a challenge. I find it more productive for me to start the year with various picture books related to the content area themes they are (or will be) working on to help them. It also allows me to informally assess/differntiate which students are closest to grade level functioning. We started with seashore books including Hello Ocean. The other titles escape me now, but each dealt with descriptive language (sensory details) that allowed me to help students with visualizations--especially after they had taken the beach trips. Then, I generally start the year with realistic fiction, after discussing story elements with the students. This year I started with Chrysanthemum and Where the Wild Things Are (because the movie was coming out), Nanuk, Lord of the Ice (because of Brian Heinz' impending visit to 4th and 5th grade; plus, the background information of native peoples). We study the Algonquian asnd Iroquois in Social Studies. I helped the students realize the characters, setting and problem that needed to be (re)solved. For a homework assignment, the students were given choices to bring in a picture book that they had read (or re-read) then share the story elements over the next two days. Their choices came from home and my book basket (if they told me they didn't have a book at home. At least four of the children did a pretty good job with some of the retelling, despite missing what the problem was and some sequencing issues. Then, my first goup book for the class is usually Be a Perfect person in Just Three Days or Fourth Grade Rats. Besides learning to visualize, I have the students focus on reading strategies as they learn about a character, his/her change, and the details in the story that support the strategy of the week. If my students could handle it, I would form reading group differntiation with other books such as Because of Winn Dixie and Frindle for my stronger readers; and Top Secret or Lemonade Trick for the struggling readers. I love Ralph Fletcher's books Spider Boy, Flying Solo, and Fig Pudding--all too hard for my group (this year) to read alone. If I'm able to get to Ralph Fletcher, I'll choose one as a read aloud in the spring. My small group differntiation comes in the packets I make up regarding each title and when I'm correcting responses, there are two groups of questions. In this way the struggling readers don't realize that their questions are based on a different strategy (usually IEP driven). Thanks for letting me share... :)
ReplyDeleteI love the historical fiction we have on our grade level--Toliver's Secret, A Lion to Guard Us, and Samuel's Choice, to name a few. Again, I do whole group reading, sometimes assigning students as character's in the book. Then we can discuss character traits and recall the text details to support their answers.
I believe that independent reading is extremely important. However, I have yet to incorporate it into my class reading time. I plan to make a real effort to attempyt this this year as a way of supporting the research that correlates independent reading as the best predictor of reading achievement. I may even try to base my independent reading choices for the students around an author; specifically, Kevin Henkes, Cynthia Rylant, Patricia Polacco, Jerry Pinkney (all realistic fiction with great characters), and/or Joan Anderson (historical fiction).
Karen, I love the idea of starting with picture books for your group instruction. I might try sonme of that this year - I have some sets of Patricia Polacco. It's great how you tie in your literature to your social studies and science units.
ReplyDeleteThe most difficult part of independent reading is making sure they are reading a book on their independent level.
I've been using 4th, 5th and 6th grade reading levels this year. Most of the books are old and stale looking. That's okay -- as long as they're reading in their correct level -- I feel okay about it. Thanks for sharing.
Chapter 5- This year we started the year off with discussing excuses through poetry. This was a cute idea because we discussed different excuses that students have given to teachers, parents, etc. However, in the future, I would start the year with why we read and author’s purpose leading into short stories. One theme that we focus on in 6th grade is prejudice while trying to integrate the different content areas. We are currently beginning The Cay which is a great connection between the science oceanography unit and geography and history in social studies. Although I don’t do reading groups, I would also use Number the Stars and Maniac McGee along with The Cay to break my class up into reading groups based on ability. I would also probably use picture books to teach mini-lessons to introduce the correlating theme to the entire class. I like jigsaw activities that can allow students to research a particular topic and then share their ideas with the class. We are currently doing this with The Cay for students to establish background information on the underlying themes throughout the book.
ReplyDeleteChapter 6- This year in 6th grade we have actually implemented set DEAR time for students to read independently. I think this is a very important component to the classroom because part of our goal as educators is to teach children to develop a love for reading. I also think it is important to assess independent reading in order to help students select appropriate reading material. This would also help further develop a love for reading. Presently, I notice students having a book in front of them “pretending to read” because the teacher told them they had to… The reality of this situation is that the students struggle finding books that are appropriately leveled therefore become frustrated when having to read.
ReplyDeleteI agree that everyone seems to be on the same page regarding independent reading. Twilight books tend to be the rave in 6th grade, but they are really not appropriate. My lowest student claims she has read twilight 6 times, yet she received the lowest score in the grade on state ELA exam. I love Patty's unit incorporating fairy tales, and all of you really make reading come alive in your classrooms. I hope to develop units that are equally touching. Thank you for these great ideas.
ReplyDeleteCh.5 In the spring when my AIS students are a bit more advanced, I would like to try teaching a theme on Friendship. This is a wonderful theme which can be used throughout the grades since it is something that all of our children can relate to. For my read aloud, I could easily pull just a chapter at a time from Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel. I would like to model “Making Connections” (text to self) since the theme and stories lend themselves easily to this. I would also love to share Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes. This story is perfect for making connections about developing new friendships and discussing how friends can help each other through tough times. For my group selections, I would use Slug Builds a Home (level F), Curious George and the Pizza (level G), and Who Will Be My Friends? by Sydd Hoff (level H).
ReplyDeleteCurrently, my AIS students are mostly reading books at the same level. At this point in the school year, my students are pretty much reading at or near the same level of reading. This will change dramatically in the spring. At that time, I would love to pick a theme, model the strategies and then find complimentary literature selections at a variety of reading levels.
Ch. 6: I do think that independent reading is important for our students. It gives them the opportunity to practice the strategies they have been introduced. Research states that independent reading helps students to develop fluency, builds background knowledge, and strengthens vocabulary. I do think it is important to assess oral reading so that teachers can make sure that their students are reading materials which are at their independent levels and to ensure that they are actively engaged while reading.
ReplyDeleteHi Ally,
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely not an easy task to differentiate when you have a shortage of books for the different range of reading levels. When I was a classroom teacher years ago, I only had one other teacher on my grade level. We used to teach our themes about three weeks apart so that we could share books. That seemed to help, along with my book club points as well.
Lauren, it's nice how 6th grade ties so many curriculum areas together through reading. You're right about idependent reading being so important. I now use it during my reading groups -- otherwise there is not enough time. It's also tough assessing their independent reading. Currently I use packets that they respond in to show their understanding of what they are reading. I do admit, though, that it's time consuming. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteColleen, friendship is a great theme. Somehow no matter how many times students visit this theme, they love it. It's funny, but by 5th grade most students read well. It's their comprehension that is not solid. I also have them read to hear their fluency, etc. They usually read at 95 percent. They struggle with the comprehension. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWith my students independent reading is very hard. Their attention levels and reading levels are not yet there to incorporate an independent activity. I have tried giving books that are on their independent reading level, but have not had much success. However, I have made smaller reading groups where I read aloud. I give each student a job to complete before we meet again. Some of the jobs consist of the "definer", who looks up any words that he thinks we may have trouble with. The illustrator, who draws out a scene or his version of what happened in that chapter. The "characterizer", who lists each character that comes up and a word or 2 describing them. The "setter" who describes the setting and main idea. Most of this is done with me meeting with them throughout the day after the reading is done. I am hoping after doing this for a few weeks, they will get the hang of it and be able to complete it on their own. We have done very simple easy books mostly on K or 1st grade level. This week we jumped up to a book called "How to be a perfect person in just 3 days" it seems to be holding their attention for the most part as well as mine.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to add, my reading groups are formed strictly on reading level. I have not yet tried to base it on strategy and do not think I would even try to until later on in the year.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Patty Siver in the sense that it is hard for my students to read independently. Any book that holds their interest is not appropriate for their reading level. The books that are on their level do not hold much interest and are not "cool" to sit down and read in front of other students. This week I used construction paper and put it over the cover of a few of the "uncool" books. I made the cover more appetizing to their interests. I haven't really tried it out yet, but I hope this works. I do really believe that independent reading is extremely important. Just like everything else I try to teach them, being able to complete these skills independently is our goal. After reaching an independent level, we can focus on reading for enjoyment and information. It really will open up doors for these guys.
ReplyDeleteI have always believed in the importance of independent reading. It is just so difficult to do it all in the context of our day. I started the year off with indiependent reading, however, this year and it worked beautifully for me. It allowed me to really get to know the children before setting up groups and it allowed for wonderful conversations that really interested the students and motivated them to read more. They were interested in hearing about each other's books. I actually created a packet which allowed for response writing, vocabulary study, skill acquisition and creativity. I taught various elements of literature like setting and character analysis through a read aloud each day and then the children went to their own independent reading. They then took time to work on the packet with certain pages assigned and done either in class after a certain amount of time read or at home. We were then able to share and engage in exciting conversations based on their individual responses because they were connected by the same skill assignment. It really worked out well.
ReplyDeleteAfter the independent reading unit, I broke the students down into reading groups (4 groups actually) reading picture books, introduing new skills and elements, like understanding conflict, and continuing with the original skills for further reinforcement. I developed packets for these picture books and the children read them together and worked on their skill packets both individually and together. They were able to discuss the books and I was able to work with each group, individualizing my instruction to the levels of the groups and teaching to the needs of the groups. This turned out to be an effective way for me to incorporate groups and yet still encourage independent reading in my classroom because the groups revolved around picture books and the children were still engaged in reading independently their chapter books.
ReplyDeletePatti, I loved your racial discrimination unit. I can't believe how often I have found us to be on the same page with curriculum even though we just started working together this year. I am planning to do just such a unit with biographies and in fact, I purchased some picture books and short biographies for just such a unit. I would love to again share together since I have not yet really totally scoped out what I am going to do with this; it is still just in the thinking stage for me.
ReplyDelete