Readers Workshop

Reader's Workshop is set up like Writer's workshop. We begin every day with a mini lesson. The kids grab their reader's notebooks and come to the floor. There, we may read a picture book or part of a longer book together, practicing a strategy for reading. Then, the kids are sent back to their seats to read.

Kids keep books they are reading a zip lock bag that is stored in the classroom. In their notebooks is a log that they record the books they have read. 

In the coming year we will work on fiction books. The kids know that in a fiction story they can look for:

Characters: characters have traits that desribe them, the characters often change in the story. What are clues that support the trait? Does the character change? How? Why?

Setting: The where and when of the setting. What is the mood? What clues does the author use to help support the setting? Is the setting important to this story? What would happen if the setting changed? Would it impact the story?

Plot: Beginning, middle, and ending events. The events push or change the story as it moves along. By noting the events in the plot you can figure out the main idea or what the part is mostly about.

Details: These explain or support the event.  Details can be answered with the Who,What Where (5 W's) questions.

So, when the kids go back to their own reading they are reading to notice one of the elements we have practiced together and talked about.  I  walk around conferencing with them. I have a clipboard with their names and I jot down what they're reading, what they are thinking about, etc...From this I can see if they are getting it or not and  I can adjust my teaching accordingly. 

At the end we try and share a few thoughts...examples of what they found in their reading. 

Teacher Websites © 2009 SchoolWorld