#3407. Near Fluent/Fluent Level Guided Reading Lesson

4 Blocks, level: Elementary
Posted Mon Feb 21 21:26:37 PST 2005 by Meghan Webb (megs_118@yahoo.com).
Marshall University, Huntington, WV
Materials Required: The Ant and the Elephant by: Bill Peet,Sentence Strips with Example Statements, Pocket Chart Penci
Concepts Taught: Near Fluent/Fluent Level Guided Reading Lesson,

Near Fluent/Fluent Level Guided Reading Lesson

Materials
The Ant and the Elephant by: Bill Peet
Sentence Strips with Example Statements
Pocket Chart
Pencil/Paper/Marker Board

Estimated Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Familiar Reading
(15 minutes)
Give students 15 minutes to get settled and practice their reading skills. Allow students to read books from their individual level box. Teacher may take role and greet the students during this time.

Introduction to New Text
(5 minutes)
The Ant and the Elephant by: Bill Peet

Summary Statement
Read the title; identify the author, character(s), and theme of the story.
Title: The Ant and the Elephant
Author: Bill Peet
Character(s): may show the children some of the characters in the book
Theme: Allow students to conclude their own theme of the story (small discussion)

Teacher may choose to engage students in background knowledge introduce new or technical language/vocabulary, point out key concepts, or cue text structure and organization. Teacher can also identify key ideas in selection. He or she may take these ideas and challenge students belief and attitudes.

Use Anticipation Guide
(May do either before or after reading text)
(15 minutes)
• Write three or four statements on sentence strips and display them in a pocket chart
• Read each statement aloud
• Students discuss each statement in groups
• Ask children to indicate whether they agree or disagree with the statements by using thumbs up or thumbs down

Example Statements:
It's okay to be mean and grumpy.
Helping others is a good deed.
It is always a good idea to help an animal in trouble.
When you are busy, others are not important.

Scaffold Reading/Returning to the Text

Silent/Individual Assisted Reading
(20 minutes)
Allow students to read on their own after brief modeling from teacher who reads the first few pages of text. Once instructor generates interest in text, allow students to read silently on their own. By doing this, students can engage in the text and use their own comprehension in follow up activities later.

Individual Assisted Reading/ Group Discussion
(15-20 minutes)
Teacher poses questions and guides the students as they read meaningful chunks of text. Have students recall the meaningful events in the book when the animals needed, and were denied help from their friends.

Examples of Optional Discussion/Writing Prompts:
• Ask students questions in text--ask them what they would do if they were the characters in the book.
• What would you do if you were the ant stuck in the middle of the pond? How would you get yourself back safely? Allow students to problem solve and come up with their own solutions to the problems.
• If you were the elephant would you help any other animals? How would you feel knowing that you helped everyone else, only to be deserted in your most desperate time of need?
• Compare and contrast the differences/similarities between the ant and the elephant

Note: When working with near fluent and fluent level readers, teacher needs to ask questions that require students to think beyond literal levels. As students read more complicated text they need to be able to make inferences, confirm, and revise predictions, compare/contrast, and make personal connections to the text.

Remember: A critical point in scaffolding is the discussion that takes place after students read. This discussion helps that teacher extend the students knowledge of strategies, monitor comprehension, and clear up misunderstanding before going on further in the lesson.