Rational:                                                                                                     

Reading fluency is vital to reading and reading comprehension. Reading with fluency means to read with automatic word recognition. When readers are able to recognize words effortlessly and automatically, they are more likely to understand the meaning of the text. This results in drastic improvements in reading comprehension. The lesson was designed to helps readers become more fluent through repeated readings and timed readings. Reading, rereading, and decoding help develop fluency. With this lesson, students will be able to read texts smoothly, quickly, and with expression, thus improving fluency.

Materials:

• Class set of Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

• Sentence strip that reads: Wild things ride boats far away.

• Timer or Stopwatch for each pair

• Pencils and paper

• Fluency checklist for each student

• Time Record sheet for each student

• Cover-up critter (Popsicle stick with 2 googly eyes)

Fluency Checklist:

I noticed that my partner…

• After 2nd Reading

• After 3rd Reading

 

1. Remembered more words

2. Read faster

3. Read smoother

4. Read with expression

 

Time Record Sheet:

Name: ________________    Date: _____________

1st Reading: ______________________

2nd Reading: _____________________

3rd Reading: ______________________

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Procedure:

1. Say: “Okay class, today we will be learning about how we can become fluent readers. Does anyone know what fluent means? [Wait for response]. When we become fluent readers, we are able to recognize words automatically, which means we do not have to stop our reading to sound out and figure out each word. When we have fluency while we read, we are able to better understand what we read which makes reading more enjoyable for everyone. When we read out loud to others and our reading is fluent, the stories becomes more enjoyable for the listeners.”

2. Next, I will display the sentence strip on the board which reads: “Wild things ride boats far away.” Say: “Class I want you to listen to how I read the sentence on the board. [Read by separating each sound in each word]. “W-w-w-i-i-i-l-l-l-d-d-d   t-t-t-h-h-h-i-i-i-n-n-n-g-g-g-s-s   r-r-r-r-i-i-i-d-d-d (e)   b-b-b-o-o-o-a-a-a-t-t-t-s-s-s  f-f-f-a-a-a-r-r-r  a-a-a-w-w-w-a-a-a-y-y” That was pretty hard to understand so let me try to read again. [Read faster and more fluent]. Better, but I still don’t fully understand the sentence, let me try to read it a third time. [Read it quickly, smoothly, and with fluency]. “Oh I know what it says, Wild things ride boats far away!” Now it makes sense. Notice I had to reread a few times so that I could actually understand the message? Ask: “Which reading was easiest for you to understand? [Wait for response]. Which one was hardest for you? [Wait for response]. “The first time I read the sentence, I read without any fluency at all so it was difficult to understand and comprehend what I was reading. However, by rereading the sentence a few times, I was able to read with more fluency and expression. Reading becomes much more fun when you can understand the story as you read it. This is why becoming fluent readers is so important. Today we are going to work to become fluent!

3. Say: “When you come across a word you do not know, you use your cover-up critter to figure out the word. Let me model an example.” Write the word “strong” on the board. “I’ll use the cover-up critter to help me figure out this word. First, I start with the vowel and cover up every other letter. The vowel here is “o,” and I know o = /o/. Now that  I know that, I’ll uncover the letters before the vowel. In this case, it is the letters s, t, and r which say /s/, /t/, and /r/. Then I will uncover the letters that are left, n and g which will say /ng/ when they are together. Now I will put it all together… /s/ /t/ /r/...  that's /str/, our vowel is /o/ so /stro/ and /ng/… ’strong.’ That’s not too hard right? Learning to be a fluent reader can be fun!

4. Engage in a book talk for Where the Wild Things Are. Max is home with his mother and being a wild little boy. His mom gets frustrated with him calling him a ‘wild thing’ and sends Max to his room. While he is in his room, he leaves to go where the other wild things are. He travels a year and weeks and a day to reach the where the wild things are. What do you think the wild things are like? Read to find out.

5. Explain to the students they will be doing a repeated reading with a partner. Say: “We will be doing repeated readings because they will help us to become fluent readers. The more you read a story, the easier you will be able to recognize the words in the story. I will read the beginning out loud while you follow along in the book. Pay attention to how I read the story because im going to read as fluently and expressively as possible.” [Read pages 1-3]

6. Divide students up into pairs. Give each group a copy of Where the Wild Things Are, a stopwatch/timer, a fluency checklist, pencil, and reading time sheet.

7. Say: “One of you will read the story first while the other records. You can decide who goes first. Remember, this is not a race, so do not try to go faster than your classmate so you can “win.” This will help you improve your fluency so that you can read faster and more smoothly, not so that you can read faster than your partner. After the first person has read and the partner has recorded, you will switch so the recorder will become the reader and the reader will record. The recorder will say ‘begin’ when he starts the timer to tell the reader to begin reading and stop the timer when the reader finishes the story. Record the time on the time sheet and then fill out the fluency checklist. When both of you have recorded once, I want you to switch again and the first reader to read while the other times. I want everyone to read 3 times and record 3 times.

8. While students are working and reading, the teacher will walk around and observe and offer any help to students.

9. Assessment: students will assess each other with the fluency checklist and time sheet. The teacher will assess each student by looking at student time sheets and using fluency formula.

10. Ask comprehension questions as you walk around. Who is the main character? How did Max became King of the wild things? How did Max get to where the wild things are? When did Max go home?

Comprehension Quiz

1. Who is the main character?

2. How did Max become King of the wild things?

3. How did Max travel to and from where the wild things are?

4. When did Max go home?

Resources:

Sally Bussman: If You Teach a Mouse Fluency https://szb0094.wixsite.com/lessondesigns2017/growing-independence-and-fluency

Sendak, Maurice. Where the Wild Things Are. New York: HarperCollins Publsihers, 2013.

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engagements: http://wp.auburn.edu/rdggenie/home/classroom/engagements/

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