Simplify Your Reading BlockKrista Geffre

Agenda

•Outline of my literacy block•Independent Work (Daily 5)•Instruction & Café Menu•Small Group Reading Instruction•Assessment/Individual Conferences

•Read Aloud and CCSS

Disclaimer

I use many ideas from “The Sisters” who created the Daily 5 and Café Menu.

The Daily 5: Fostering Literacy Independence in The Elementary Grades

&The Café Book: Engaging all Students In Daily

Literacy Assessment & Instruction

By Gail Boushey & Joan Moser “The Sisters”

How I have Simplified My Reading Block•Independent work is meaningful and student led

•Independent work does not require daily planning

•No stacks of papers to grade•Lessons are focused and short•1 lesson for multiple book groups

My literacy Block• Mini-lesson # 1• Independent Work / Meet with book Groups or

individuals

• Mini-lesson # 2 / Refocus• Independent Work / Meet with book Groups or

individuals

• End reading block with review and/or sharing

• Read aloud with a CCSS focus* *this is outside of my “literacy block” time this year

Mini Lesson

•Keep it short – 10 minutes•Café menu Put your objective or CCSS on the wall for reference

Posting Objectives

CAFÉ Menu

•Comprehension•Accuracy•Fluency•Expand Vocabulary

www.thedailycafe.com

Café menuObjectives are

printed or written on cards

Put them on the wall as they are taught

Students refer to them throughout the

year

Strategies and Standards are posted as they are taught

Keep the café menu and strategies you haven’t used yet on the inside of a cabinet door

Independent work simplified - Daily 5

•Read to Self•Read to Someone

•Work on Writing – During writing time

Keys to success

•Give students choice•Explicitly teach how to do it•Teach students how to pick books

•Build Stamina•Hold students accountable•Reteach if needed

Read to SELF I-Chart

Read to Someone

Helping a partner

Where to sit

•Students enjoy choosing their own spots around the room to sit

What they read

•Students choose their own books

•Teach them how to decide if a book is a good fit for them

Build stamina

•Practice, practice, practice!•In the beginning just practice

•Make sure they can be completely independent before you pull reading groups

Daily 5 and Café Resources

•www.thedailycafe.com•Many free resources and more if you join

•Café menu copies•How to launch the daily 5

Status of the class•Hold students

accountable•They choose read to self

or read to someone•They choose their

strategy focus•Quick check-in

Small Group Reading

•Any text•Vary groupings throughout the year

Book Groups - Simplified

•Plan one lesson for all groups

•Vary level of the text

Small Group Outline

•Mini-lesson•Model of strategy and fluency

•Students read and mark their books

•Share thoughts and read aloud

Video – Mini Lesson Example• CCSS• Describe in depth a character, setting, or event

in a story drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions)

• Objective / Learning Target• I can use specific details from the text to

describe characters, settings, or events.• I can locate sections of a text where characters,

settings, or events are described.• RL.4.3

Video summary

•Use post-its to mark thoughts and ideas•Grades for group participation

Group Participation Grading

•Discussion•Share ideas•Comment / Ask Questions of other students

•Demonstrate their thinking and understanding of the concept and story

Interruptions

•Don’t start small group work until students are really ready for independent work

•Teach students when it is okay to interrupt – sick or injured

•Paper hand – emergencies only

Individual Reading Conferences

•Visit with individual students and track their progress.

•Keep general notes in a binder or spreadsheet

Outline for individual conferences

•“What are your working on today?”

•Have them read to you•Choose something to focus on and teach

•Have them repeat their focus/goal to you

Read Aloud

Use CCSS to determine your focusI use cards from the café menu to help focus my instruction and also remind students what we are working on.

Questions / Contact me

•Krista Geffre•geffrek@hsd.k12.or.us