Guided Reading: Chapter 1

Welcome to the summer book study! I am so excited to start this study of The Next Step in Guided Reading by Jan Richarson. Each week a few of the Freebielicious members will rotate hosting the book study, but each week you can link up with us and share your experiences or thoughts! If you don't have a blog, that is fine! Share your thoughts by leaving us a comment!

Establishing Routines and Procedures

The first two weeks of school I literally follow the exact routine that Chapter 1 discusses. I have 4 main tables in my classroom where students sit. After my lesson I send the children back to their tables. I put 4 different bins at each table. They usually consist of play-doh, puzzles, manipulatives, and white boards (or something I know the students can do independently). After 10 minutes I ring the bell. I say, 'Simon says clean up' followed by 'Simon says push your chair in' and 'Simon says point to your next center'. I quickly look around to make sure all of the students are pointing to the correct table, if they aren't I help them. Then I say, 'Simon says switch!' and they are switch to the next center or bin. 

The second week of school I will do the same thing; however, with only 3 bins. The 4th center is now the 'teacher' center where I will be introducing a literacy center to them: listening to reading, something from word work, something from work on writing, etc.

The only difference between what I do and the book says, it that I have each group go to each center everyday. In the book, they will go to each center at one point during the week. This way I can teach more centers in a shorter amount of time. If your class is not ready to move this fast, then it would be a better idea to follow the schedule in the book.

The third week of school I have 2 independent bins out, one center that they already know, and the fourth center is with me, learning something new. This continues on until I feel comfortable enough knowing that my students can work independently at all four rotations.

Independent Literacy Activities

I combine my own literacy centers with the Daily 5 and I LOVE it! You can read more about the way my centers are set up here.

Reading: My students each have their own book bins. In their bins they have books that can be used for buddy reading or read to self. Some of my students will even work on readers theater. All my students also keep their poetry books in their book bins. Their poems are a wonderful way to practice reading fluency and they LOVE to read them!

Work on Writing: I introduce different writing activities one at a time, but eventually I can leave all of the options out for students to choose from! As they learn the writing activity I add it into the organizer seen below: 

Students that go to this center are given the choice of what they would like to work on for writing. All of my writing activities can be found HERE and HERE. Once these are taught, they are totally independent! 

Word Work: My word work center is full of different activities! Sometimes I let the students choose what they want to do and other times I assign them a specific activity. Most of my word work center activities are from my thematic packs that I sell on TPT, but other go-to word work centers that my students love can be seen by clicking on the images below.

 ABC books (great for the beginning of the year)

 Play-doh word work

Great for white boards or writing with magnetic letters, play-doh, etc.

Working on beginning sounds, CVC words, etc. with magnetic letters at the word work center.

Listen to Reading: I use this center for a couple different things. My students can listen to a book on c.d., on the computer, OR on or iPad.  We also have a great reading program we use called iStation, so this is where they would complete their online work as well.

Star Table: Now this is the center I have that is different than a center you would find in the D5, but it is where you would include the centers that Jan Richardson discusses such as; social students and science. The star table is a designated table in the classroom where I usually have a parent volunteer assisting students!

Minimizing Interruptions and Making Sure Students are on task

Both of these are ALL about practice, practice, practice and model, model, model!! The better you teach each center and activity (take your time!), the better the students will be at that center. You have to have high expectations and remind them DAILY of those! Before each center I tell them what I am looking for! My students always want to impress me! I also am always using my clip chart. When I see a student doing really well at read to self, or two students reading to each other wonderfully, I ask them to move their name up! This alerts all students to be on their best behavior.

It's a blog hop!

Make sure to click on one of the blogs below to read more about the first chapter of Guided Reading. There are so many great ideas!

 

Next week...