Throw Back Thursday~Guided Reading

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Today for Throwback Thursday,
let’s rewind and check out how I implement Guided Reading in my classroom.
After my post in January, 
I have been getting a lot of emails asking questions on how I fit it “all” in.
Take a second to “refresh” your mind on the “old” post, 
and venture down to the bottom for new ideas and “how I do” it post!
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**Post from 1/24/2013**
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.
Each week staff at my school are asked to meet with a leadership team member
 about what is going on in our classroom, 
where we are going next week,
 and making sure we are using data to drive instruction.  
The main focus is in reading.
It is one way for the “team” to know more about what is “really” going on.
I do believe it is another way to make sure everyone is doing their job:)
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 handwrite 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.
{Please ignore the messy handwriting!  I was doing it in-between groups this week. 
 But hey, next weeks is already done! And I didn’t have to do it at home or during plan time!}
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.
I meet with every group, every day for at least 15-25 minutes.
No ifs ands whats about it.
Reading is from 9-11, granted it never starts until 9:15
 due to late kiddos, bell-work, you name it.
Whole group goes from 9:15-9:30, once in awhile until 9:45.
Routine and structure is the only way to get whole group accomplished in 15 minutes.
We touch on everything required and mentioned in our basal plus some.
I pre-look at what is expected and combine things as I see fit throughout the week.
We work HARD on big word strategy, also.

Here is a break down of a group.  
We stick pretty close to the same format every day/week.
  *Voc. words and high frequency words covered in whole group for the story of the week
*Dry erase slips to practice dictation sentences using our high frequency words.
*3-4 voc words are from the leveled reader of the day to help us be successful
*Writing assignment changes daily based on skill/needs. 
It is always started in group then finished at desk.  
We discuss it briefly the following group.
 *Students immediately begin to re-read their book 
from the previous day the minute they join the table. 
 This also gives me a few minutes to switch gears.
Re-reading the previous book daily improves reading scores drastically.
I also follow the LLI setup for the hard/easy days.
Allowing kiddos to read a book on an easier level every other day helps them build confidence!
This week I decided to bring in some word work centers based
 on our skill of the week into groups. 
 I’m trying to work smarter and not harder! 
 Each week I kept trying to come up with new things to do and hello! 
 I have all of these games created in my Journeys unit!  
The kiddos never get to use every game for each story I have created 
because there is only one word work center weekly
 Kiddos worked with a partner in their group to work on a skill of the week.
Then they rotated.
I will be doing this weekly!
I keep all running records in one binder.
Students are assessed on informal running records based on needs.
Below level- once a week
On Level- every 2/3 weeks
Above Level- every 4 weeks
I normally try to do on level and above level kids more often, 
just to keep myself in a routine!
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I’ve complied some of the most popular questions 
I have been receiving after my post in January.
Do you do the Daily 5?  How do you fit it all in?
Yes!  Except, the main thing I tell anyone is to do it how it works BEST  for you! The book has fantastic ideas, methods, and great starting points.  But not all teachers are the same!  Every year I change things a little here and there, depending on my kiddos!  Start off day one setting up little routines.  Building stamina in ALL areas is what will make or break you during guided reading!  We chart our growth daily.  
For the first few weeks, I am constantly walking (in between individual assessments) around and the minute I see anyone off task, we stop, go back to the floor, and discuss what happened.  You have to snap the bad habits quickly!  Everyday is a new goal of passing yesterdays time.  I also may tell them how other 2nd grade classrooms in our school are only on such in such minutes:)  A little competition never hurt anyone!
Click the picture for free graphing charts for read to self!
I also make a bigger chart.
The space below the day is for the time.
What centers do you have?
My kiddos rotate throughout the following centers:  work on writing, word work, listening center, computers, free choice/phonics.
Word work:  This center is focused on a reviewed skill in order for it to be independent.  It doesn’t always match the phonics or word work skill of the week, but if it is something that they have been exposed to, it is.  I use centers from my Journeys packets in this center, or once in awhile a themed center.
Work on writing:  My kiddos begged to go to this center last year!  Work on writing is not writing about the text.  It is based on fun prompts, letters, etc, etc, etc!  I change it up weekly to keep them engaged.  I always model the prompt or “assignment” on Monday.  I LOVE to write and always end up with kiddos at the end of the year who learn that they LOVE to write!  The more enthusiasm you show, the more they will LOVE it!
Here are some things that help this center run smoothly! 
 Click on the picture to be taken to the product on TPT!
Free choice/Phonics:  I started these centers last year.  I used scrapbooking containers from Michael’s to store them in.  Free choice/phonics are always centers based on review skills.  They either come from my Journeys packets or are based on the theme of the week, such as apples.  I always have 5 containers and tell my kiddos they all need to be completed by Friday.  Sometimes I staple recording sheets together for accountability, other times kiddos write on dry erase sleeves and there is a “checker” who checks to make sure they did their work.  A “checker” isn’t necessarily checking that the work is correct, but that they WORKED!  I also laminate recording sheets and write answers in marker.  They are “hidden” until it is about time to clean up.  Then they can be seen.

What do your kids do if they are not in centers?
If students are NOT in centers, they are either at small group with me or reading to self/journaling.  I combine reading to self & journaling because I have found that if I have them separate, my kiddos start to act up! 
For journaling, my kiddos use this set that I created called
Monthly Reading Journals
The organization of these journals keeps my kiddos organized and this teacher!
How do you find the time to pull so many books (a new book for each group each day) and prepare so many lessons each day?  Where do you objectives come from?
I try to pull books on Fridays, sometimes I will pull two weeks worth at a time.  We have a great reading room with many leveled texts.  I do try to keep them based on the same theme, but honestly, it doesn’t happen very often!  We have no way to know which books we have, on which levels except to search one by one.  
I also use the vocabulary reader, decodable readers and leveled books from the Journeys set (if possible).  My kiddos really love these books.  Normally, I only have to pull 1-2 books PER group each week (8-10 books per week).  
Where do I get my objectives?
I use the objectives based on the story of the week in Journeys.  I also will review or introduce many other little skill/strategies I may see in the book in conversation.  The more you expose kiddos, the easier it is in the long run!
When do you have time for thematic units?
I do most thematic units during my writing, science, and social studies block.  All thematic centers are normally apart of reading rotations.  I can’t NOT use those cute things!  I try to connect science/social studies into reading as much as possible.  That way when we get to “real science” time, we already have the basics down!
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If you are a FIRST grade teacher using Journeys, 
you HAVE to check out my friend Lori’s amazing new packet!
And don’t forget about Gladys First Grade Journeys Units!
I will be creating the second grade packet!
Gladys will be taking on third grade!
And Lori is currently working on Kindergarten!
A mass collaboration!

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5 Comments

  5. Alisha,
    Hi! I just wanted to let you know that I linked your guided reading blog post to my post about top resources for starting up guided reading. Thank you so much for your fabulous insight into guided reading.
    Here is my blog: Apple Tree Learning
    Thanks!
    jen 😉

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