Rationale: The goal of this lesson is to provide students with the instruction necessary so they can develop fluency through the process of reading and rereading text independently and with a partner. Fluency is being able to read with automatic word recognition. One of the best ways to become a fluent reader is to read regularly and practice rereading what you have read. Students who follow this method will begin to read smoothly and at a quicker pace. They will also be able to incorporate more expression as they read. Repeating certain readings will also help students gain a clearer understanding of the text and become familiar with the words in said text. As we become more fluent in reading, we begin to free up the resources necessary for thinking about the message of a text instead of focusing solely on the mastery of reading words. As a result, reading comprehension improves. This lesson design is to assist students learn strategies, such as rereading, that will help them become skillful and fluent readers. 

Materials:  

    •    pen, pencil, Stopwatch for each student pair, Race chart with car to record WPM (words per minute) for each student, Class copy of the book The Race for Cake by Geri Murray (URL Below), Fluency checklist for each student, Document camera, Cover up critter for each student, Dry erase board (dry erase markers), Time sheet for each student, Icky sticky ice cream graphic image (URL Below), and The Williams Sisters passage for assessment (URL Below) 

Procedure:  

Say: “Who knows what it means to  be a fluent reader? I will use it in a sentence to help you figure it out. Davis no longer reads words individually at a slow pace; with lots of practice, he has become a fluent reader.” Give students time to discuss in small groups what they think the appropriate definition is and gather their responses. Say: “Becoming a fluent reader means that you begin to read smoothly imitating that of a conversation between friends. So just as you hear my words flowing, with much practice, you will be able to read the same way! Together, we are going to become fluent readers!”

Say: “ Remember when you were learning how to ride a bike. Each of us started riding with training wheels. As we became better at riding the bike, we removed the training wheels. Initially, after removing the training wheels we would fall…we would wobble back and forth then fall again. However, we would all get right back up and keep trying, adjusting the speed to maintain balance. As we grew, we would pedal faster and faster still maintaining balance. Before you know it we were all riding without training wheels and without falling. Learning to read fluently is the same way! When you learn to read you have to learn to read words accurately using your decoding, cross-checking, and metal marking strategies. After you practice more and more increasing your speed as you read. Before you know it, you can start adding expression to your words and reading can become more fun!  Here, I will demonstrate how this works on the doc cam. I’m going to write the word “thick.” I am going to use my cover-up critter to cover all of the letters except the “th”.”

Say: “Together, t and h make the “th” sound. You’ll feel your tongue on the bottom of your top teeth and when you make this sound. Everyone make the “th” sound! Great Job! 

I will then uncover the “icky” letter i (showing the graphic image for the icky sticky ice cream). Everyone say “i!” 

Lastly, I will uncover the “ck” and together they make the “k” sound. Everyone say “k!”

Now after using my cover-up critter, I will put the letters together to make the word “thick.” Easy peasy right! After trying to read a word and you are still not sure what the word is… you can use your decoding, cross-checking, and mental marking strategies to help you read the word accurately. As you continue to practice reading, you can mentally use these strategies becoming a fluent reader adding in expression. In the long run this will lead to reading becoming more enjoyable. 

Model:  

Say: “Now I am going to model how a reader practices in order to become a fluent reader.” I will start by writing a sentence from the book The Race for Cake. Using the document camera write: Ben and Jess had a swim in the lake. Say: “I will now model how a reader developing fluency would read this sentence on the first attempt. Bbbenn aannnddd Jjjeesss hhhhaaaddd a sssswwwiiimmm in ttthhhee llllaaakkee.” Say: “That was a little tough. Did you notice how slow I read that sentence? Did you notice how I didn’t have any expression? Did it seem like I read fluently? (Have students answer). Now I am going to read it again. I have already read it once so I have decoded words I didn’t know, I have finished the sentence to cross check and figure out any other words that I didn’t know and I have mentally marked any irregular spellings or silent letters. I will try to read the sentence again.” Say (with more speed): “Ben and Jess had a swim in the lake. Wow! That was much better. Did you notice how I was able to recognize the words immediately this time? I was also able to read the sentence quite faster. Since I did so well the second time, I am going to try again for a third time.”Say (with more speed and expression): “Ben and Jess had a swim in the lake.” Hmm this story sounds fun! So tell me, which time did you enjoy my reading the most? the 1st, 2nd or 3rd time? The 3rd time! Great Job! When we read with fluency others can enjoy our reading as well. 

Activity:  

Now it is your turn to practice building fluency. So put on your tool belt with your decoding, cross-checking, and mental marking strategies. Today we are going to be reading The Race for Cake. "Ben and Jess go for a swim in the lake while their mother bakes a cake. “I’ll race ya!” said Ben. Lad the dog smells the cake and wants to join in the race too! Can Ben beat Lad in the race or will Lad end up taking the cake? We are going to read to find out!" Say: I want everyone to read silently to him or herself as I walk around to check progress. When I see that all students have reached the last page, I will then group you with a partner.

Say: “Next, I will call your names, get into your partner groups and reread the story. Be sure to take your racetrack and car (WPM), stopwatch, time sheet and fluency checklist with you. You and your partner will take turns reading. While one student is reading, the other students will time the student and record the number of words the student reads in 1 minute with their race-car on their Words Per Minute race chart. Use your time sheet to keep track of the minutes and seconds.” The goal of this activity is for the students to get their race-car closer to the finish line after each read, getting farther each time they read. The students will read three times and partners will listen closely for improvements and note any changes by checking if the student remembered more words, read faster, read smoother, or read with more expression on the 2nd and 3rd time reading. The students may do all four of these or just one; as long as improvements are shown. After the activity… the partners will switch roles and repeated the process. Note: There will be no room for criticizing the other reader. There is only room for praise! 

 

The formula fr calculating WPM is:     words X 60

                                                                           seconds

I will be walking around the room to assist you if you need any help with the equation. Be sure to use the chart to help you keep up with the data that you collect.

Assessment:  To assess each student, I will measure and evaluate how they are improving as they read. I will then do a reading assessment at my round table where I will ask my students to read the passage “The Williams Sisters.” The students will read this passage aloud to me and I will note the number of miscues as well as the number of words that the students read in that minute. I will chart their progress by moving their racer-car toward the finish line each time they read (3 times). The goal is to get the students race-car either close to or to the finish line indicating FLUENCY. I will then ask the student questions to test their comprehension 

 

Name of Student: _____________

Partner’s Name: ______________

1st Read:__________

2nd Read:_________

3rd Read:_________

​

​

​

References: 

    Hunter, Raven. “Fast and Fluent Wins the Race.” The Reading Genie. Bruce Murray, n.d. Web. 25 March 2018.

http://ravenhunter8.wixsite.com/raven-hunter/growing-independence

 

Murray, Bruce. "Phoneme Pictures for Short Vowels." Phoneme Pictures for Short Vowels. Bruce Murray, n.d. Web. 14 July 2014. 

http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/phonpics.html

 

The Race for Cake:

http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/bookindex.html1

 

Assessment passage:

http://freereading.net/images/9/90/Williams_Sister.pdf

​