Guided Reading, Reader’s Workshop and Building Stamina? How does it all fit in?

So I thought I would share with you how we make our small groups work during Reader’s Workshop Time and how it all fits together.
We start our Reader’s Workshop Time with our 10 minute mini lesson. The mini lesson follows a very specific framework.

1. Connect “Remember yesterday when we…” This is where I remind the kids what we learned yesterday.
2. Teach “Today I am going to show you how…” This is where I state the new standard and model what it looks like.
3. Active Engagement “Now it’s your turn.” Here is where the kids take their turn to practice the new teach.
4. Link “So remember boys and girls, today and everyday, good readers…” This is where I restate the standard. Then, the kids turn and tell it to their partner on the carpet.

After the mini lesson we move onto independent reading.

1. Each child has a set of “good fit” self selected books.
2. These are books that are at their independent reading level (95% accuracy), high interest books they have selected, books that have been previously read in guided reading groups.
3. The bag should have at least 6 books, but it can have as many as 10-12!

Independent and Partner Reading:

• Each child settles into their “reading spot” and reads independently.
• We establish the beginning stamina by watching the child we think will lose interest first.
• As soon as he is off task, we stop.
• Then, that is where we set the stamina.
• We add 15 seconds to the time each day, slowing building their stamina.
• In the second month of school, we introduce reading with a partner.
• This person is someone who is at or close to the same level.
• They read with their partner for 1/2 as long as they read independently. 

Now it is time to get ready for guided reading.

• We group our kids according to their instructional level (90% accuracy.)
• On the Group divider page, we use post it notes to identify which children are in each group.
• Our groups are constantly changing so using a post it note makes it easy to move children around.

Planning for Small Group:

• This is the page we use to write our guided reading plans.
• We write our plans as we are finishing up with a group while it is still fresh on our minds where we want to go next with them.
• We use this 100 box form to make running records a breeze.

Here’s what happens in a small group lesson.

• First, we take a picture walk and build background information.
• Then, we practice any new sight words that are used in our text.

Then, we practice a strategy. Here, we are seeing just how many words we know really fast and how that helps us be better readers.
Finally, everyone reads while I “listen in” or take running records.

We use a variety of text for our small groups. I especially love anything by Rigby. Our kids are REALLY successful and feel so confident!

We are also loving our new non-fiction units. I made one for October and just posted November.

Here’s how they work…

• We take five non-fiction topics that we know we need to cover that month in our science or social studies.
• For each topic, I wrote a book. The great part is, we have the text at 3 different levels! That way we can use good fit text, and still expose our kids to the same content.
• Also, we made it where we could teach the same non-fiction feature, practice a writing standard, practice sight words, and select from 2 options for phonics or phonemic awareness practice depending on which is the best fit.

The November unit is on sale today for 20% off!