Growing Independence and Fluency Design

Blast Off with Fluency

By: Christina Hogan

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Rationale: 

Fluent reading is essential for good reading comprehension. Fluent reading occurs when almost all of the words in the text are sight vocabulary. In order for students to read effortlessly and with automaticity, they must practice. They must read and reread decodable words in a connected text in order to become fluent. Effortless word recognition allows students to make sense of what they are reading. It is also beneficial for reading expression and speed. Through reading, decoding, crosschecking, mental marking, and rereading, students will be able to confidently improve their reading rate and grow into fluent readers. Students will use these strategies to move from frustration to fluency in reading. They will also gain independence in reading through this exercise. This lesson aims to improve the student’s fluency through repeated and timed reading.

 

Materials:

• Pencils

• Timer/stopwatch (one for every two children)

• Class set of There’s No Place like Space

• Cover up critters

• Sample sentences on white board for teacher to model

• Peer fluency sheet (one for each student)

• Fluency graph (one for each student)

• Reading rate forms for teacher

• Teacher fluency check (one for each student) with attached comprehension questions

 

Procedures:

1. Say: Today we are going to work on becoming fluent readers. We know that our goal is to become fluent readers, but what exactly does that mean? What do you think of when I say a fluent reader? [Wait for responses from class.] Fluent means “smooth.” So, fluent readers are able to read quickly, smoothly, and with expression because they recognize words right away without having to sound out or think about the word too much. It automatically comes out of their mouth! This also helps us understand what we are reading because we don’t have to stop and think about each word that we read in a text. This makes reading more fun.

 

2. Say: Now let's look at a sentence written on the board: Jeff likes to eat ice cream. Everyone put your listening ears on. I want you to tell me if I sound like a fluent reader when I read this sentence aloud to you. J-e-e-e, /f/-/f/-/f/, Jeff, l-i-i-c-k-s, wait l-i-i-k-e-s, oh LIKES. Jeff likes to eat ice c-/c/-ra-m, Jeff likes to eat ice cram. Oh, that doesn't make sense. It must be cream. Jeff likes to eat ice cream. Did you notice that when I read the sentence, I got stuck on the last word? To figure out what that word was, I reread the sentence from the beginning and tried what I thought the word cream said, cram. That did not make sense, did it? Ice cram is not a real thing! Because that sentence did not make sense, I went back and reread to figure out what the word should say to make sense. This strategy is called crosschecking, and it is so important to use when we are learning to become fluent readers. Since I figured out these hard words while reading, it helped me become a fluent reader. Raise your hand if you think that I sounded like a fluent reader when I read that sentence. That’s right, I wasn’t reading like a fluent reader because I had to figure out some of the words in the sentence. Here's how a fluent reader would read that sentence: Jeff likes to eat ice cream. I read the sentence with no problems, and it was much easier to understand! Now turn to a partner and practice reading the second sentence on the board. (Dan the dog ran to his leash because he loves to go on long walks!) Read the sentence to your partner until you sound like a fluent reader.

 

3. Say: Let’s think back to when I read the first sentence when I got stuck on the word cream. To figure out what that word was, I reread the sentence from the beginning and tried what I thought the word cream said, cram. That did not make sense, did it? So, I went back to the text to reread to figure out what the word should say that would make sense. This strategy is called crosschecking, and in order for us to become fluent readers, we must use crosschecking!

 

4. Say: Practice makes perfect! All good readers get better with practice. When I first read the sentence, it was difficult because I had never read it before. The second time I read the sentence, it was easier because I knew the words. By the third time I read the sentence, I was able to say it smoothly and add expression. I became fluent in reading by rereading the sentence until I understood it. That is how you all will become fluent readers, too!

 

5. Say: Let’s practice becoming fluent readers with a partner. [Assign partners for each student and pass out the books.] Now we are going to practice being fluent readers by reading There’s No Place like Space. Something exciting is happening with The Cat in the Hat. Hurray! What could it be? The Cat in the Hat is taking his friends to outer space to explore! What will they do while they’re in space? What do you think they will see? We’ll have to read and find out what happens on their big adventure...

 

6. Students should read the story silently to themselves. [Give them about 8-10 minutes to read independently.] Then they should each read a page aloud to each other until they finish the story. Tell the students that while they are listening to each other read they should not help their partner out.

 

7. [Pass out recording sheets and stopwatches to each group.] Say: Now we are going to play the fluency game. Put your best listening ears on to hear how to play. Reader 1 is going to start the game off and Reader 2 will be in control of the timer. Reader 2 is going to time Reader 1 while he/she reads There’s No Place like Space, and then Reader 2 will write that time down for Reader 1 on the sheet that I have handed out to you. After recording the information, Reader 2 will read and Reader 1 will write down the results. Read and record the time it takes you to read this story three times each. As you listen to your partner read the pages out loud, I want you to be listening for how their reading changes each time. Do they remember what more words say? Do they read with more expression? Write down the changes that you notice on your paper. Remember that this game is not a race with your partner. Do not rush through all of the words on the pages you read because rushing through it will not help you to have better fluency. Focus on what you are reading because that is the most important part of the fluency game.

 

8. After the student pairs have each read through the whole story three times, have the students come up to your desk one at a time to read the first 5 pages of There’s No Place like Space to you. [If time allows, you can have the students read the full story to you.] Ask them to bring their recording sheet up with them so that you can attach it to the back of the assessment sheet that you have. You will time them on their read aloud and use the formula given to record how many words they have read per minute.

Formula: Words x 60 seconds / seconds read

Assessment: Use a list of comprehension questions (listed below) about the story so that you can see how their fluency is affecting their comprehension.

​​

​

References:

• Finish Line Race to Fluency by Meredith Worley https://mdw0036.wixsite.com/mysite/growing-independence-fluency

• Rabe, Tish. There’s No Place like Space: All About Our Solar System http://rhcbooks.com/books/137142/there's-no-place-like-space-by-tish-rabe-illustrated-by-aristides-ruiz

 

 

Teacher Fluency Check/Comprehension Questions:

1. What will the Cat in the Hat and his friends visit in space?

2. Which planet spins?

3. What is the biggest star that we cannot live without?

​