Rationale:

 In order for our students to better comprehend text, they must be fluent readers. To obtain effortless, automatic readings, students must practice pace, expression, and comprehension. This can be gained through repeated readings. Students will then be able to better reflect and comprehend what they are reading about once they can read words automatically. Through reading, decoding, cross-checking, and rereading passages, students will improve their individual reading rate and become more fluent in their reading skills. This lesson will allow students to improve fluency skills through repeated reading with a partner, silent reading, and individual oral reading. Improvements will be measured using the formula: (words read x 60)/seconds.

 

Materials:

• Stopwatch for each group

• Class set of Dog Breath

• Fluency Checklists for each student

• Reader response questions for each student

• Fluency graphs for each student

 

Procedures:

1. First, introduce the lesson. “Okay students, we will begin today by working towards becoming fluent readers! Good readers read fluently, which means that while they are reading, they can recognize words almost instantly. In order to be able to read fluently, we must practice repeated reading by rereading texts until we are completely familiar with them. When we recognize words quickly and comprehend the meaning of an entire story, reading is much more fun! We can also make reading more interesting by reading faster and with expression.”

2. “Do you remember how to use cross-checking to figure out tough words? By rereading things and correcting our mistakes to make sure that we say words that make sense in the story, I use cross-checking. So now, I am going to read a story aloud. I will read it three times, and then you are going to tell me which time sounds better than the others.” (Write sentence on the board- Tommy drove his car to school. It began to snow. Tommy had forgotten his mittens.

   1. (Read sentence once, sound out words slowly, choppy and with pauses.) Toooomm-y ddrove, oh, drove his c-a-rrr (pause) to ss-cc-h-oool, school. It bbegaan to ss-n-ow, I mean snow. Tom-my had fforr-gott-een his mmmit-tens.

   2. (Read second time with more progress.) Tommy drove his car to sc-hool, school. It began to snow. Tommy had forrgotteen, oh yes, forgotten, his (pause) umbrella.

   3. (Read sentence for the third time smoothy and with expression.) Tommy drove his car to school. It began to snow. Tommy had forgotten his mittens.

3. “Was the first, second, or third time I read the best? I think the last time was the best! After only reading the story once, I was able to cross check to help me remember how to pronounce words, read with greater speed. It also helped me to not read so choppy and I was able to make the story more interesting too!”

4. “Now I want you to find a partner and practice crosschecking and rereading. (Pass out one book per each student). Each partner will take turns reading Dog Breath. This is a story about a dog who has terrible breath. His breath is so bad that everyone runs away from him. It is to the point that his family wants to give him up. The night before they were going to give him up, burglars targeted the dogs house. I wonder what will happen.

5. (Write the directions for the students to see and explain the step by step process.) “I want on partner to go pick a place to sit, and I want the other to come to my desk and grab two fluency checklists, fluency graphs, and a timer. Then go meet back up with your partner, I then want you to count the number of words in the book.”

   1. “I want you and your partner to take turns reading the first 6 pages of the book, out loud to each other 3 times each. While your partner is reading, the other partner will be using the stopwatch to time them.”

   2. “Please pay careful attention to your partner and write down any mistakes he or she makes when they are reading aloud.”

   3. “After your partner finishes reading, you will then have to conduct a math problem to solve for fluency.  What you will do is subtract the number of errors from the total number of words in the section that was read. Do this problem three times, once after each reading.”

   4. “The next step is to calculate the progress of your partner. You will be able to do this using the reading progress chart that you received. When you are filling out the form, you will be able to see which reading was the fastest and had the least amount of mistakes.”

   5. “After you finish reading, answer the questions of the reader response paper you have.” (Questions listed below)

   6. “After you complete everything I have said, please return to your desks. Turn everything in to me.”

 

Assessment:

Once all students have turned in everything and are back sitting in their desks, call them up individually for oral reading and to mark their fluency graph. (The rest of the class should be told to continue reading Dog Breath silently.) “When I call your name, please bring me your book so we can check your fluency progress and put it on your fluency graph so you can see your improvement.” (Have the students read out loud to you, while you scaffold and ask open ended questions. Then solve the fluency equation and move the marker on their fluency chart. Set personal WPM goals for each individual student.) Review the students responses to the reading questions and their fluency checklist while using the rubric that is provided below.

 

Reader Response Questions:

1. Why did the family now want the dog anymore?

2. Why do you think his breath was so bad?

3. What might be some ways to fix his bad breath?

4. What do you think might have happened if the dog was not at home with the burglar’s came?

 

Partner Reading Progress Worksheet:

Reader’s name:

Partner’s name:

Total number of words in the book:

1. Errors:

   1. Total words____ - tally marks____=_____ words

______ words in _____ seconds

1. Total words____ - tally marks____=_____ words

______ words in _____ seconds

1. Total words____ - tally marks____=_____ words

______ words in _____ seconds

 

Which reading turn had the fewest errors? ______

Which reading turn had the fastest time?______

 

Assessment Rubric:

Student’s Name:

Date:

Answers accurate/appropriate_____/2

Responded to comprehension questions _____/2

Improved accuracy_____/2

Improved fluency _____/2

Completed partners progress form _____/2

Total:_____/10

 

References:

Farley, Kate. Fishing for Fluency. http://ksf0004.wix.com/ctrd#!Programs/cee5

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Emily Mitchel, A Growing Independence and Fluency Lesson. https://sites.google.com/site/thefluencyfox/

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Pilkey, D. (2014). Dog breath. London: Scholastic. 

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