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Grade: 3-5
Subject: 4 Blocks

#1131. Clifford Guided Reading Comprehension 4 blocks

4 Blocks, level: Elementary
Posted Fri Jun 25 20:48:39 PDT 1999 by deb (d-smith@cybersol.com).
coloma elementary, south haven, MI USA
Concepts Taught: reading comprehension Clifford

Read Aloud during SSR I read a Clifford as a read-aloud and talked about the ways in the book that size affected the story. This way I could model what my thinking was as I read it. I picked a Clifford book that I only had one copy of.

Guided reading with Clifford books.

I gave everyone a copy of the book, Clifford the Big Red Dog. I have 20 copies so a few kids shared a copy between them.

I set the purpose for reading: I think Clifford gets in trouble because of his size
and OUT of trouble because of his size. I am looking for examples. If you find a place in the book that size influences/changes the story put a book mark (or sticky note) there to mark the place.

We use ERT to read the book the first time. ERT page 10 might be one stopping place. I try to have the breaks be at places that make sense for the book and for my readers. As we find events that answer we share them.

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Depending on my time we may begin the next Clifford book or we may wait and do the rest tomorrow.

Then give them the same purpose for reading and they read other Clifford books looking for where Clifford gets IN trouble because of his size and OUT of trouble because of his size.

I often give them a book mark in the shape of what we are learning about. They write interesting info or the answersto the purpose of reading on the bookmark. The quicker readers may write a little more than the slower readers. But the idea is the discussion not the outcome of who wrote the most.

When the kids are done reading, we discuss how Clifford's size affected the story. Great discussion of cause and effect.

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Another Guided Reading day is exploring how Clifford's size HELPS everyone. We follow the same format as above and find examples of how Clifford is helpful. Everyone can have their own copy of all the different titles. As you gather together to discuss how Clifford is helpful, the kids get exposed to the other books.

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After a few days of Guided Reading with Clifford, I add Clifford books to the SSR baskets.