Literacy skills are practiced several different ways throughout our day.
Whole Group Reading:
During whole group Reading, the children are introduced to different reading strategies and skills to help them become better readers. These skills include; word families, blending sounds, sequencing, telling and asking sentences, contractions, and inferencing. The Macmillan/McGraw-Hill "Treasures" reading series is incorporated into our whole-group Reading and Reading Group blocks. Each week we read a new story, learn new sight words (Star Words), and use the Smart Board to manipulate words and word parts to practice these skills. Each child also completes different tasks throughout the week to practice these skills independently.
Small Group Reading:
During this time, small groups that are focusing on the same skill at similar reading levels are pulled together for targeted instruction. Skills we work on in whole-group are carried into our reading group time.
Daily 5:
Daily 5 allows the children to choose the manner in which they practice their reading each day. Each child chooses two different activities to complete for twenty minutes each every day. At the conclusion of the week the children will have completed all of the activities within the Daily 5 at least one time.
Read to Self:
Children choose "just right books" to read on their own. During this time they practice reading the pictures, reading the words, and stretching our new words.
Read to Someone:
During Read to Someone, the children work in pairs to read the same book. They sit "EEKK", elbow to elbow, knee to knee, and keep the book in the middle. The children take turns reading different pages of the book and check with their partner for understanding as they read.
Listen to Reading:
It is important for children to be able to hear other good readers model reading for them. In our Daily 5, Listen to Reading block, the children have access to several different books, either on tape or on the computer. They have the ability to look at the books and the words that are being read while listening to the story. Several of the books are read by celebrities and the creative voices they use to bring each story to life.
Books on Tape:
On-line Computer Stories:
Word Work:
Word Work allows the children to explore our sight words, Star Words, as well as some new and unfamiliar words in several different ways. Stamp a Word, Sunken Treasures, Rainbow Words, and Bend a Word are great ways to practice reading, writing, and identifying these words.
Work on Writing:
Read Aloud:
Each day we read a story aloud. Our stories vary from day to day including holiday picture books, Dr. Seuss books, and books about seasonal topics such as apples or pumpkins. As the year progresses, we will add chapter books into our daily reading.
Writer's Workshop:
We begin our morning with Writer's Workshop. During this time, the children participate in a mini-lesson that introduces them to a new writing skill. Following the mini-lesson, the children practice this skill independently by writing their own stories about things that are important to them.
S.U.R.F.
Silent Uninterrupted Reading Fun!
Each day the children have ten minutes of S.U.R.F. time to practice reading books of their choice, at their independent reading level, to themselves. The children have all selected 2-3 "just right" books that they keep in their "book bags" in their desks. Periodically they choose new books for their bags.
Each day the children have ten minutes of S.U.R.F. time to practice reading books of their choice, at their independent reading level, to themselves. The children have all selected 2-3 "just right" books that they keep in their "book bags" in their desks. Periodically they choose new books for their bags.