Growing Independence and Fluency

Be a Captain in Fluency!

Baley Justice

Rationale: This lesson is aimed to help students become fluent readers. Fluent readers are able to read automatically, rapidly, and precise. When you become a fluent reader, you are also gaining reading comprehension. Students will learn how to become fluent readers by crosschecking, decoding, and rereading. The more students practice, the more fluent they will become in reading. In this lesson, students will learn how to gain fluency through timed repeated reading. The repeated readings will first be done with a partner, and then with the teacher. The teacher will use the formula Words Read x 60/seconds to measure the student’s progress.

Materials:

1. Pencils

2. Timer or stopwatch for each pair of students

3. Class set of Junie B. Jones is Captain Field Day by Barbara Park

4. Whiteboard/ Dry erase markers

5. Comprehension questions worksheets

6. Sample sentence for the teacher to model

7. Peer fluency checklist/ Student Reading Progress Checklist

8. Peer fluency sheets for teacher

9. Cover-up critters for each student (popsicle stick with ‘googly eyes’)

Procedures:

Say: Today we are going to learn how to become fluent readers! It is important for us to become fluent readers so we can read words effortlessly and accurately. After you learn how to read fluently, you will better understand the story that we are going to be reading today. We are going to practice reading fluently by rereading the same book more than once. This is called repeated reading. Each time we read our book, we will become more familiar with the words. By repeating this process, we will all become fluent readers!

2. Say: I am going to show you the difference between a fluent and non-fluent reader. (write “The cat jumps from the tree” on the whiteboard). A fluent reader would read it as: The cat jumps from the tree. A non-fluent reader might read it as: Thh-ee c-aaaa-ttt jj-uuu-mm-pp-ss f-rrr-ooo-mm thh-ee t-r-eeee. When I read it slowly and stretched out, it is hard to understand what I’m reading. I’m going to read it again to see if I can understand it better. The c-aa-t j-uu-mps fr-oo-m the tr-ee. That was a bit more fluent and I was able to understand it a little more. I am going to read it again to see if I can read it fluently. The cat jumps from the tree! (use expression) Wow, that was so much easier to understand! I am now reading fluently. Now I want you all to try reading it fluently. (Have students read sentence aloud and practice using expression)

3. Say: It takes practice for everyone to become fluent readers. When I first read the sentence on the board, it was hard because I had never read it before. I had to stop and decode the words. When I read it again, it was a bit easier because I decoded it. When I read it the third time, I read it fluently, smoothly, and with expression. I became fluent in reading! This is how you will become fluent readers also!

4. Say: Today to practice reading fluently, we will be reading “Junie B. Jones is Captain Field Day”. In this story, the kindergarten classes are learning about field day. The teacher explains to the class that field day is a competition between the classes, but it is mainly about having fun, showing good sportsmanship, and enjoying the outdoors. When Junie B. Jones is chosen as team captain for her classroom, she decides that her class WILL be the champions. As the day goes along, another room continues winning. Will Junie B. Jones be able to gain her superpowers and lead her classroom to victory? Let’s continue reading to find out.

5. Say: I want all of you to find one partner to read with. (Pass out a copy of the book to each pair, a cover-up critter, peer evaluation worksheet, and one stopwatch per pair of students) Now we are going to practice reading fluently by working with your partner. Each of you will take turns reading pages 1-6. You will each read it three times. Remember to crosscheck and use your cover-up critter if you get stuck on a word. While you read, your partner is going to time you by using the stopwatch. Start the stopwatch when your partner starts reading and stop it when they are finished reading. Pick who will read first and who will listen. The reader will read pages 1-6 one time and the listener should listen and time how long they take to read the passage. Remember, don’t say anything to interrupt your partner! The reader will then read the pages two more times and the listener will time those as well. During the second and third reading, the listener should be listening for these things: Does your partner remember the words? Do they read the passage more smoothly each time than the last time they read it? Do they read with more expression? Are they reading faster than the time before? The listening partner will complete the paired reading checklist on top of the page. Once you are done, it will be your partner’s turn.

Peer Fluency Checklist for Students:

Title of Book:

Student’s Name:

Partner’s Name:

Date:

After 2nd Reading After 3rd Reading

Read Smoother: ______________ ______________

Read with expression: ______________ ______________

Remembered more words: ______________ ______________

Read faster: ______________ ______________

Student Reading Progress Checklist:

Reader:

Title of Book:

Number of words in text:

Page Numbers Read:

1. _____ Words x 60 in _____ seconds = ________ WPM

2. _____ Words x 60 in _____ seconds = ________ WPM

3. _____ Words x 60 in _____ seconds = ________ WPM

Which turn sounded smoothest? ______

Which turn had more expression? ______

Which turn had fewer errors? ______

Which turn did the reader understand the story the best? _____

Correct Words Per Minute:

(I will use a captain flying to keep track of student progress on the WPM chart to match my classroom captain theme and the book: Junie B. Jones is Captain Field Day.)

0-----10-----20-----30-----40-----50-----60-----70-----80-----90-----100

6. Say: I am going to call each of you up to read to me at my desk. You will read the same pages that you read to your partner. I will use a stop watch to time you. If you are not up here reading, you can work on the comprehension questions worksheet that I am about to pass out. (Pass out comprehension worksheets) I will begin calling students to my desk now. (By calling children to my desk, it allows me to collect information on how each student is doing. I will use the words per minute formula to help monitor fluency. I can also mark miscues and improvements I notice while the student is reading.)

Peer Fluency Sheet for Teachers:

Title of Book:

Student’s Name:

Date:

Words x 60/seconds:

Improvements:

Miscues:

Reading Comprehension Questions:

1.Why was Junie B. Jones so excited?

2. Who was chosen to be captain of Room Nine

3. What did the Captain get to wear in Room Nine?

4. Who did Room Nine compete with on Field Day?