I had my post conference and have already started to think about my next observation in January. I will be teaching reading. I have built in differentiation already but while looking at the rubric- I started to get nervous that I don't have enough differentiation! At a professional development meeting a couple of weeks ago my team and I sat down and started to think of a tic/tac/toe board to allow more Gardner/ Bloom's choices. I went from these and created boards for read to self (fiction and non-fiction), work on writing. vocabulary (well-the more difficult board is adapted by my lovely 3rd grade friend), and word work.
So I just slightly adapted my schedule and added the boards to my reading block. For the next couple of weeks I am going to have our 3rd grade buddies come and practice using the boards with us. Most of these are choices that students already know how to do- they just may not have seen it in this format.
Here is an overview of my block:
Reading
Block
8:55-9:10 Guided Reading Group
and Work on Writing
*Students
use Work on Writing choice boards in page protector sleeves and mark off when
they write the story. Often students
take 2-3 days to finish their writing.
So each writing choice board lasts 2-4 weeks.
All
choices have been taught and practiced individually before they are given the
choice boards.
9:10-9:30 Whole Group
Comprehension
*We have
a focus text of the week from our reading series. On Monday we listen to the story and use stop
and talking points with partners. Next
we either introduce or review our Reading Power comprehension skill song and
discuss how to use the strategy. (Make
connections, ask questions, retell, make inferences etc.)
*On
Tuesday we listen to the story again but stop and retell after every two pages
using motions with a partner. Next we
review the song and ask for volunteers to tell how they used the specific
comprehension skill.
*On
Wednesday we have partners discuss how they use the comprehension skill before
reading the book. Then we read the book
and I stop halfway through and ask partners to share how they used the
comprehension skill. Finally we finish
the book and I have partners discuss how they used the comprehension skill
again/ fill out an organizer together.
*On Thursday
students take our reading series multiple choice comprehension assessment. Students are also asked to read a book and
fill out an organizer using the target comprehension skill.
*On
Friday students are asked to share their organizer from the day before with a
partner.
9:30-9:45 Guided Reading and
Fiction Read to Self
*Students
read a fiction book and complete activities off of one of the fiction read to
self charts.
9:45-10:00 Guided Reading and
Non-Fiction Read to Self
* Students
read a non-fiction book and complete activities off of one of the non-fiction
read to self charts.
***I have
2 back to back rotations because intervention students are pulled out and cannot
miss whole group instruction. This is
also why the more difficult rotations are planned for when struggling students
are pulled out.
10:00-10:20 Word Study
*Monday-
students are given a spelling pre-assessment using words from our reading
series. If students pass all words- they
are given 2 challenge word lists (1 list for home and the other the student
glues into their cheap spiral word study notebook.) Then students are introduced to the 2 new
common core vocabulary words for the week.
If they don’t pass all words- they are given 1 list to glue into their
word work notebook.
*Tuesday-Thursday
there are 2- ten minute group rotations
First
Grade List Group
|
Tuesday
|
Wednesday
|
Thursday
|
1st Rotation
|
Introduce
new sort cards, model sort and ask students to discuss in partners how the
words were sorted. Give students new
cards- have them cut out the cards and repeat the same sort. They will keep their cards in a baggie and
write the words for the sort in their word work notebook. Review one of the vocabulary words with
students.
|
Students
share what they did the day before for vocabulary and word work. Students complete the same sort from
yesterday but as a speed sort.
Students suggest new ways to sort the words and then students complete
the sort suggested.
|
Students
share what they did the day before for vocabulary and word work. Students are given a pre-assessment for their
spelling words that they will take tomorrow. The missed words are assigned as words to focus
on during word work. If no words are
missed- students are encouraged to practice words for next week.
|
2nd Rotation
|
Student
practices 1 new vocabulary words. If
finish early/ get stuck- they move on to word work (where they practice their
spelling words.)
|
Student
practices 1 new vocabulary words. If
finish early/ get stuck- they move on to word work (where they practice their
spelling words.)
|
Students
start word work or practice more ways to review the new vocabulary words.
|
Challenge
Word Group
|
Tuesday
|
Wednesday
|
Thursday
|
1st Rotation
|
Student
practices 1 new vocabulary words. If
finish early/ get stuck- they move on to word work (where they practice their
spelling words.)
|
Student
practices 1 new vocabulary words. If
finish early/ get stuck- they move on to word work (where they practice their
spelling words.)
|
Students
start word work or practice more ways to review the new vocabulary words.
|
2nd Rotation
|
Ask
students to share what they worked on for one of the vocabulary words. Introduce new sort cards, model sort and
ask students to discuss in partners how the words were sorted. Give students new cards- have them cut out
the cards and repeat the same sort.
They will keep their cards in a baggie and write the words for the
sort in their word work notebook.
|
Students
share what they did the day before for vocabulary and word work. Students complete the same sort from
yesterday but as a speed sort.
Students suggest new ways to sort the words and then students complete
the sort suggested.
|
Students
share what they did the day before for vocabulary and word work. Students are given a pre-assessment for their
spelling words that they will take tomorrow. The missed words are assigned as words to focus
on during word work. If no words are
missed- students are encouraged to practice words for next week.
|
10:20-10:35 Guided Reading and Word
Work
*Students
complete word work by practicing their spelling words in their word work
notebook and a choice board. If they
feel that they have mastered their list anytime during the week- they are
encouraged to use a dictionary and write their own list of words that they do
not know.
***I Use
some of these vocabulary words/ cards:
*Read to
self takes place throughout the rotations.
Students use Raz-Kids and are scheduled accordingly to miss a rotation
that is either too difficult, which often results in behavior problems. I also make sure that students are not scheduled
during a rotation that they really need to practice.
Here is a peak at what I uploaded to TPT Daily 5 Choice Boards (It is on sale now!)