My Read Aloud

Here is one  Read Aloud that I have used with my students in a 4th grade classroom.

While looking at the front cover  of the book, this is a post-it I would use with my class. Notice how I am telling them what I know about the Mayflower and showing them how I would READ more to learn more.

Next I would introduce some of the vocabulary that my children would encounter in the book. I would make sure that before reading each section, I would introduce it to them with the picture card as well. Then I might put in the room or tape it into a chart.

Next, I would begin the first section with a series of Think Alouds & Turn and Talks,  I modeled this while looking at the front cover of the book.  Next, I would  ask the students to try it too. The pattern would repeat, I model, students try it.   This way, I am asking them to THINK before they begin to read a section and get their reading muscles ready to read.

 

Here are a few more of my post its  from the read aloud. Since social studies topics might be a bit hard for kids to understand , I would want to make sure that the kids were getting the subject matter or  accumulating the text. I would do this with a combination of Think Alouds, and Turn & Talks  early in the school year. Here is a post-it of how this might look in the early sections of the book.

While reading, I would add a Think Aloud where I would say, "Hmmm this does not make sense. I need to reread that." And I would.  This would let my students know that I too, need to stop and check my understanding of  the text, thus tucking in reading skills while teaching social studies.

 After reading a section or two, I would show the students how to make sure they are really remembering what is going on in the text. I would hold out my thumb and count with my fingers as I said each important fact that I learned. I might also have children turn and talk to partners and recall the facts that way too.

Finally, I would store all of my work in an envelope that I pasted into the back cover of the book. I usually make sure that I have  extra vocabulary words and picture cards  so that I can share them with others who might be on my grade team as well.

Happy Reading!

Ready, Set, READ ALOUD!

Earlier I posted about reading aloud books to your students to launch the workshops. As you already know, my dear teacher friends, you want to model great reading habits in YOUR  read aloud so that the children can see what master readers do when reading. 


Some of my TOP TIPS For Reading Aloud as listed below:

1. Read the book before you even think of reading it to your class! (This goes with out saying)
2. Your GOAL is to teaching READING SKILLS! You are the model, the expert reader, the MASTER, so find the skills your group is lacking in and show them how it is done.
3. Read a variety of texts at all levels and all genres. This way all students can 'see' themselves in the books you read. Another plus is that you can teach content area topics at the same time! COOL!
4. Ask open ended questions to promote thinking
5. Give student opportunities to discuss the book without the teacher (Turn & Talk, Stop & Jot,  a thinking prompt, a listening prompt), with the idea that this will grow from a 2 person, to a 4 person to a whole class discussion!
6. Support the book with visuals for ELLs ( vocabulary, maps, picture cards)
7. Keep track of the BIG IDEAS discovered by your class during the Read Aloud

Happy Reading!

Launching your workshops

One way to kick the year off in Reading Workshop and Writing Workshop is to have a really super strong  Read Aloud that sets the tone.

One picture  book that I  recommend is Aunt Chip and the Great Tripple Creek Dam Affair by Patricia Polacco.  This book is about a town worships their  TV's and uses books for everything EXCEPT reading. As Aunt Chip promises everyone,"there will be consequences" and eventually there are some. The lessons that students can take away from this book are endless; the most important being the value of reading books!  I have had teachers let students lead the discussion of why reading is important and this usually leads to some action.  Take a peek at it on Amazon or at your local library.
http://www.amazon.com/Aunt-Great-Triple-Creek-Affair/dp/0399229434

Another great book to start off the Writing Workshop is The Best Story by Eileen Spinelli. This is a story about a girl who is entering a library contest to write  'the best story'. While looking for inspiration for her story, she gets ideas from her family and friends yet, she feels that her story is still not quite right. Finally, when she writes her story from the heart, she is successful!! Yippie!! As a child who once struggled with writing, this story was me, totally me!
See for yourself by clicking below. 
http://www.amazon.com/Best-Story-Eileen-Spinelli/dp/0803730551/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1314499332&sr=1-1