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Good Morning Fluency With Goodnight Moon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Growing Independence and Fluency Design

By: Abby Cook

 

Rationale:

In order to increase fluency in reading, students’ focus should be on reading faster, accurately, and effortlessly. As students’ fluency increases, their comprehension grows, which in turn helps them enjoy reading more. The more time the student practices reading, the faster the students will be able to read. Assisting a child to learn to read at a faster pace is the key to increase a student’s comprehension as well. This lesson will zone in on evolving a student’s ability to read rapidly and effortlessly so that they can comprehend the text more effectively. The student will use strategies that build sight words through strategies such as crosschecking and meaning, as well as students will work with a partner to chart their reading rates.

 

Materials:

  • Stopwatches for each set of student partners

  • Fluency graphs for each child (sun and moon sheet)

  • Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

  • Fluency checklists for each student

  • Pen and pencil

  • Cover up critter

 

Procedures:

1.Explaining the Lesson/Activity:

Say: “Hello class! Today we are going to work on developing our fluency when we read. We are going to learn to be fast while reading and learn how to comprehend better what we are reading. After we learn how to do this, we will all be able to read so quickly and smoothly! Fluency requires learning new words as sight words! When you learn to read fluently, speed and expression will be the result!

2. I am going to read a sentence aloud twice. I want you to listen very carefully to the two different ways I read it. When I finish, we are going to vote on which way sounded best to you all.

         1. try reading it once:

         “Goodnight cow jumping over the moon.”

         2. Read the sentence the second time not very well.

         “Good-ni-ght c-ow (pause) jum-ping (pause) over the mon?

         Say: wait, that doesn’t make sense! Oh moon! Jumping over the moon!”

         3. Now it is time to vote! Raise your hand if you think the first

         way I read it sounded the best? (majority of class raises hand!)

         Raise your hand if the second way I read it sounded better? (no one raises hand) good job guys! I sounded better the first time

         when I read the story faster and more smoothly. The second time I kept stopping and did not sound fluent.

3. For the book talk, hold up the book Goodnight Moon. Make sure it is held so everyone can read the front cover. Say: “Sometimes I have a hard time falling asleep at night. If this ever happens, I sometimes get a warm glass of milk to make me sleep better. This book is about a little bunny and his nightly rituals. Let’s read the story to hear about what the bunny does before he goes to sleep.” Give a copy of the text, cover up critters, reading record sheets, fluency checklist, and a timer to each student. Allow a few minutes for students to read the book silently.

4. Have each student take out paper and pencil to record how many seconds it took to read each section. Have each student do four timed reads.

5. Walk around the room as students begin, making sure everyone understands the process. Continue monitoring students as they engage in the fluency activity.

 

Assessment:

Have each student write their name on the paper with their time recording and noticing form and take them up. Compare the timing of the first read to the last read to measure the progress made by every student. Graph each student’s individual words per minute read so that they can see their improvements (use words read x 60 divided by amount of seconds it took them to read the text.) Then encourage students to choose a book from the classroom library to read several times at home. Ask them to show other family members how well they are doing in reading. This will increase the confidence of the students while practicing their fluency. Mention that the next day you will be eager to have a few volunteers read their book to the class.  

 

References:

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