Working With Words

Word Wall

Word Wall

Making Words

Making Words

Guess The Covered Word

Guided Reading: Comprehension

Guided Reading the Four Blocks Way Teaches Comprehension

Before Reading

Modeling, Setting Purpose, Focus on Text Structures, Skills, and Strategies

Teacher models a text structure: problem and solution with the book, Clifford The Big Red Dog. Teacher is modeling using think-aloud to find problems in the book. Teacher has differentiated the product. Some students will label the problems on a sticky note with a "P." Some students will copy the problem exactly as the author wrote it in the book. Some students will write about the problem in their own words.

Teacher (Deb Renner Smith) is showing that Clifford is big by acting this out.

During Reading

Formats - Students read in a variety of groupings. Sometimes as individuals, sometimes with a partner, sometimes in small group. It is key to change the groups based on reading level of the students and the book level so that no child is stranded with text (s) cannot read alone. Comprehension of the text is our primary goal during this 3o minute section of literacy.

During this particular lesson the students were grouped in partners or triads and were reading from four different texts. This differentiates for learning by allowing for how much support students need to read, while still making sure that everyone reads text today during the comprehension lesson.

Some students read with one partner to identify problems in the book.

Some students read with two students to identify the problem. Everyone reads the book. One child reads a page or Everyone reads chorally, nobody is allowed to opt out of their turn to read. Everyone reads text every day.

After Reading

Revisiting the key point of the lesson. What did you learn today?

The whole class gathers together to share the problems that Clifford had in the four different books that were read by the children today. The students are held accountable for the teaching point through discussion and having recorded on a sticky note one of the problems that Clifford had in the book that was read by their group. The students read one of these four Clifford books: Clifford Takes A Trip, Clifford and the Grouchy Neighbors, Clifford's Birthday Party, or Oops, Clifford.

Writing: Mini-Lesson

Sometimes the mini-lesson is taught through a picture book lesson (6 traits style).

Some teachers prefer using the overhead and writing on transparencies. Teachers write on transparencys so that they may revisit and revise lessons with their students in the future.

Many teachers write on chart paper so that lessons are easily revised. Mini-lessons usually include think-alouds and have one key teaching point.

Writing: Students Write While Teachers Confer

The teacher discusses writing with individual students while other students continue to write. This student was cheerfully interacting with the teacher and happened to cover her face as she laughed about something the two of them were discussing about the writing.

The students write topics of their own choice whenever possible. Sometimes students write to a prompt when the curriculum demands come into play.

All students write every day in Four Blocks classrooms.

The teacher has opportunities to confer with several students each day. The teacher has a conversation about writing with the students she/he meets with.

Writing: Sharing After Students Write

Students are taught to tell each other stars (compliments) about each other's writing and wishes (I wonder about...). Each child has an opportunity to interact about writing every day.

The children always begin with noticing what is working in each other's pieces of writing before wondering about how to improve each other's writing. The teacher builds a community of trust in writing workshop.

Self Selected Reading: Teachers Read Aloud Daily

Teachers read books to students.

Teachers have a bag of books with special books that are ready to read to their students.

SSR Students Read and Teacher Confers with Students

Teacher discusses the book with a student while other students read. This is a conversation with the student, not an interrogation.

Students sometimes read one page to the teacher. Most teachers do not have their students read more than 100 words to figure out if the child is reading fluently. If this works for a running record, it works for a fluency reading too.

Students read in the classroom.

Students read at home.

Students have a collection of books so all the reading time is spent reading instead of searching for a book during reading time.