1st Focus (Mini) Lesson - 15 minutes/INTERACTIVE READ ALOUD

**COMPREHENSION LESSON**

ROUND 1:

1st Daily 5 Choice/Small Group - (20-25 minutes)

2nd Focus (Mini) Lesson - 10 - 15 minutes

**ACCURACY LESSON (Mon., Tues.)

VOCABULARY LESSON (Mon, Wed, Thurs.)

Word work or vocabulary instruction is the focus of this second mini-lesson and includes explicit instruction in the following: phonics/decoding, spelling, or vocabulary.

Weekly word sorts are used to reinforce the spelling pattern of the week. Each week, we learn 5-6 new vocablary words from the Treasures reading program. The vocabulary power points make learning about these words more interesting. We also make vocabulary concept cards to go along with our weekly words from the Treasures program. We put all of our vocabulary words on our word collector key ring. Another favorite vocabulary activity is to analyze a weekly word using a word web that Mrs. Vensko created (see downloadables below).

ROUND 2:  2nd Daily 5 Choice/Small Group (20-25 minutes)  

At this time, students choose between the following literacy activities: Read to Someone, Listen to Reading , Work on Writing, or Word Work. Mrs. Vensko meets with a guided reading group until the end of the round.  

  3rd Focus (mini) Lesson - 10 minutes

**COMPREHENSION OR FLUENCY LESSON**

During this third mini-lesson, explicit instruction in fluency is the focus. To improve our fluency, we use the "Read Naturally" program.

ROUND 3:

 3rd Daily 5 Choice/Small Group -

(20 minutes)

At this time, students choose between the following literacy activities: Read to Someone, Listen to Reading,  

Sharing Session - 10 minutes

At the end of reading workshop, Mrs. Vensko rings her chime and signals all students to clean up and fill in their Daily 5 learning log (about 5 minutes). After, all students check-in at the gathering place (large carpet). During check-in time, students are asked to share reading successes and problem-solve together if necessary.

  Read to Self

When students Read to Self, students read good-fit books independently from their book boxes. Students take their book box and find a cozy reading spot around the room. Leveled readers from the Treasures reading series are read during this time. All books are carefully monitored by Mrs. Vensko to ensure they are indeed a good-fit for students.

Why do we do this? The best way to become a better reader is to pratice, practice, practice each day! Read to Self helps us become better readers and it is fun!  

Read to Someone

 When students choose Read to Someone, partners take their book boxes and read just-right books together. Partners are taught to sit "EEKK" style when partner reading (elbow to elbow, knee to knee). Students make decisions together about where they want to read, what they want to read (same book or different books), and how they want to read (echo or choral). Students are carefully taught to CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING when partner reading using a checkmark. The use of checkmarks holds the listener accountable and helps both students improve listening and reading comprehension. While one student reads, the other student listens carefully and then "checks for understanding". The listener holds up a check-mark and retells what he/she heard by saying: "I heard you say (who & what)." Students are also carefully taught how to be good reading coaches and to assist partners when they come to an unknown word or when comprehension may break down.    

I bought and painted these wooden checkmarks from www.bayerwood.com. Another option would be for each student to decorate his/her own check!

The large size costs $0.75 each (this is the size that I have in the picture.)

You can also purchase plastic colored checks from www.learning-loft.com in packs of 6 for $6.95.  

Why do we do this? Reading with a partner is fun and helps us become more fluent readers. It also helps us improve our reading comprehension. A MUST-DO activity each week is to read the anthology story from our basal with a partner.    

 Listen to Reading

 When students choose Listen to Reading, they can either listen to stories on the computer or books on tape. There are many different links on Mrs. Vensko's website which allow students to listen to online stories. A MUST-DO each week is to listen to the story from our basal and the leveled readers that go along with our reading series. We can also listen to the science leveled readers on the computer.        

Our classroom is very fortunate to have three computers with internet access, several small, hand-held cassette players, 2 Leap Frog learning pads, and a variety of books on tape. All books on tape are organized in a book bag and labeled by genre. Students can choose a book bag and listen to a story for pleasure in a cozy reading spot around the room. In addition, we also use the Read Naturally program as another listen to reading choice.      

Why do we do this? Listening to books on tape is fun and helps us to become more fluent readers. It exposes us to a variety of genre, too!  

 When students choose Word Work, they explore and work with our weekly spelling and vocabulary words. A MUST-DO activity each week is to finish their spelling workshop, RAINBOW WRITE the weekly spelling words, and do a word sort for the phonics pattern of the week. When students are finished with their weekly word work activities, they may choose a Word Work option (see downloadable below).  

Why do we do this? Work work allows us to learn about words, to expand our vocabularies, and to become better spellers!  Our writing is important to us and correct spelling allows our readers to have a better understanding and appreciation of our writing.

 Writing is taught in a completely seperate literacy block from Daily 5 each day. All writing focus lessons are taught during the Writer's Workshop block from 11:00 - 11:45 daily. During daily Work on Writing time, students can choose to continue a piece of writing from Writing Workshop time or write about anything else they choose to write about. Please check out my writing workshop page on this website for more information as to how I structure my writing block and many resources to download.

 Here is a reading rubric that I  created to assess my students during our Reader's Workshop. This will be used as a reading grade twice during each 9 week grading period.

 Here is a list of my Daily 5 'Must-Do' activities. My students need to complete these

activities during Daily 5 time each week.

 **NEW** Here is a graph for your students to keep track of his/her Daily 5

choices for the month.

 **NEW** Here is a song I use to reinforce the I-Chart expectations for Read to Self. I'm unsure of the original source, but I have adpated this song for my own classroom. Feel free to email me if you are the original creator of this song so I can give proper credit. Thanks and Enjoy!

Read to Self Song