Guided Reading–Get the most out of small groups!

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I’ve been working on becoming even more “structured and organized” in my planning I’m someone who constantly re-does something attempting to find the “perfect” method, even though what I was doing before was efficient.

Lesson planning is no different.  I’m always trying make it easier, more efficient, and smoother!
I’ve tried a few different guided reading lesson plans with no real luck in finding something that wasn’t taking more time for lesson plans.  My district already requires a lot for lesson plans already.
I came up with this little thing the other evening. A format that I simply hand write in the information in.  All of the “basic” set-up is pre-typed. Each group has one sheet for the entire week.
For a copy, click here.
For whole group, I use the plans below. I use to have groups on the bottom of this sheet, but it just was too much of a pain to delete things each year, etc.

Here is a break down of a group.  We stick pretty close to the same format every day/week.

50 Comments

  1. Wow…I wish I could be more organized with my guided reading groups. I really feel it's the area that needs the most improvement for me. I feel like I can't find the time to fit groups in and whole group and teach common core (which is new to us this year and we have to come up with all the materials to teach it ourselves!!!) Just wondering how long your reading group time is? How are you able to get in all groups and whole group? I've also had trouble when I have a group, one kid reads REALLY slow, 2 kids read average and 1 kids flies through everything (b/c he only works at a fast speed!) So then the really slow kid who just reads slow makes it painful to wait for them. 🙂 I do like your lesson plans for the groups. It has inspired me to look at mine and revamp them. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
    Stacee

  2. So organized and efficient! I have never been truly satisfied with how guided reading goes in my room. I always feel like I am rushing through shared reading in order to have enough time for groups or vice versa. I love seeing how other teachers do reading in their rooms. Thank you for sharing "your way" 🙂

  3. Thrilled! Thanks for your post. I found your website through Pinterest. We are using Journeys for the second year. We are reading Luke goes to bat this week also! I love the journeys program.

  4. Okay wow! You are an answer to my prayers! I have been looking for a better way to plan out my small groups and create a routine as well. What you have is just what I need to as a starting ground at least. Thank you! You mentioned Journeys. Do y'all use Houghton Mifflin? If so, my school does too! We use Texas Journeys and I really like it. But it's lacking in helping me with small group stuff in my opinion. But your routine is just what I need. Thanks again!! Oh and pinning this!!
    Shibahn
    Mrs. Landry’s Land of Learning

  5. Thanks for sharing your class schedule, lessons/activities & routines. I especially like your idea on frequency of student running records as it relates to needs. I probably will try that.

  6. I love this so much!! We have implemented math group rotations at our school, and I could really use help on the structure of those. Do you do guided math groups too?

  7. Alisha-Could you make the daily routine available to download? I teach 5th grade but with common core starting in our district next year I need a reminder as I plan. I like what you have for a younger grade but would like to use it and be able to tweak it for upper grades, if that would be ok with you.
    Thank you!

  8. You might have mentioned this, but what do you use for Running Records? Is it a cold read on level for each group, or does each kid get the same text?
    LOVE YOUR IDEAS!

  9. Thank you so much! Due to "hey! Look over here!" approach at my school I ended up teach 7th/8th grade ESL this year instead of the gifted Language Arts I was supposed to teach. This blog is such a valuable tool it is front and center of my book marks-just behind attendance and the online plan book! I haven't taught guided reading since I was student teacher 10 years ago and even then, I never had to plan it! Small adjustments on schedule from the blog since I only get to teach reading 3 days a week, but an hour each day. I would be lost without the bubbly blonde!!!

  10. What do your reading rotations look like? If you have a group, are your students broken up into other stations? I'd love some insight on your management board/system. First year teacher, so any help will do!!!

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