Rationale: To become an expert in reading and reading comprehension, reading fluency needs to become natural to the reader. Reading fluency means reading with automatic word recognition. This occurs through the processes of reading, decoding, crosschecking, mental marking, and rereading. Fluency is important for young readers because they can focus on expression and smoothness of reading. They can also work toward understanding the message of and comprehending the text. The reader will begin to enjoy reading by improving their sight vocabulary instead of becoming frustrated with the text. This lesson will enhance students’ fluency and independence in repeated and timed reading.

 

Materials:

1. White board/markers (1 per student)

2. Fluency Chart (1 per student)

3. Class set of Hi! Fly Guy- Tedd Arnold

4. Stopwatches (1 per pair)

5. Response Form (1 per student)

 

Procedures:

1. Say: “In order to be the best readers we can be, we need to read fluently. Reading fluently is when you can read smoothly and give expression, and you don’t have to sound very many words out. This also means that we can enjoy our books because we don’t have to sound out every word we come to.”

2. Say (model): “I am going to let you listen to me read a short passage two times. When I’m done, we will decide which one sounded better. He, was, llll-ooo-cked, for, sss-o-mmm-th-ing, to eat. Oh! Looking for something! Let me try this again. He was looking for something to eat. Raise your hand if the first try sounded better. Now, raise your hand if the second one sounded better. Why did the second time sound better? Right! The second time sounded better because I didn’t have to stop to sound out any words!”

3. Say: “Did you notice that I crosschecked when I didn’t get a word? I finished the sentence with the word I didn’t know, and by the end of the sentence, I realized what the word should have been! Looked has two Os in it which make it a little tough, but when I crosscheck, I can easily correct myself with what fits!

4. Say: “Let’s try reading these two sentences on the board together. I see a couple of tough new words in the sentence. (Read together): “He says that he waits on his brother to get ready. Then they race with Joel and Shelley to the bus stop.” I heard some of you having trouble with waits and Joel, but I heard you all read to the end of the sentence to figure out the words! Waits has /ai/ in the middle, and that makes a long /A/ sound. Joel has an o,e in the middle that makes a long /O/ sound! Let’s reread those two sentences and try to remember the special words that we got caught on.”

5. Say: “Today, we are going to read about a boy who catches a fly for his pet! He names him Fly Guy and wants to take him to the Amazing Pet Show as his pet. But the judges say that flies can be pets; they are only pests. What do Fly Guy and Buzz do? I’ll read the first two pages of the book so we can start their adventure together!”

6. (Write the directions on the white board for students to look at. As you write, explain the directions to the children.)

7. Say: “Now we are going to get in pairs. One partner is going to come up to the front and get two copies of Hi! Fly Guy and a reading response questions form, fluency chart, and stopwatch. The other partner finds a place to read and counts the number of words on the next 6 pages of the book and writes that number at the top of your fluency charts.

8. Say: “You and your partner will each read those 6 pages 3 times while your partner times your reading with a stopwatch and makes a tally for each reading mistake you make (model tally method by incorrectly reading looked from sentence above and making a tally).

9. Say: “After you have read each time, you will do a subtraction problem to calculate fluency. Take the total number of words from those pages and subtract the number of tallies your partner made. Your answer will read “___ words in ___ minutes.”

10. Say: “When you finish timing each other, discuss your answers to the reading response questions. Each of you will write your answers in complete sentences back at your desk and turn these and your fluency charts in to me.”

 

Comprehension Questions:

What did Fly Guy say when he was mad that he got caught?

Why did everyone say flies can’t be pets?

What award did Fly Guy win at The Amazing Pet Show?

 

Assessment: I will review student's responses to the reading response questions. Each student will have submitted these questions, after they finish. I will then complete the rubric, which I have attached, while reviewing students’ work throughout the lesson.

 

Resources:

Arnold, Tedd. Hi! Fly Guy. 2006. Scholastic, Inc.

Bruce Murray, The Reading Genie

Stringfellow, Erin. Fresh Fluency with Junie B. Jones.

Reading Rate _______

81+

75-80

69-74

63-68

57-62

51-56

Less than 50

WPM                   1     2     3

 

Partner Reading Progress

Reader Name __________

Checker Name __________

Totals words in the chapter_____

1. Tally Marks:

___total words-___tally marks=___words

___words in ___seconds

1. Tally Marks:

___total words-___tally marks=___words

___words in ___seconds

1. Tally Marks:

___total words-___tally marks=___words

___words in ___seconds

Which turn had the fewest tally marks (errors)?___

Which turn was the fastest?___

 

Assessment Rubric

Student Name:

Date:

 

Answers accurate/appropriate

__/2

Responded to comprehension questions

__/3

Improved fluency

__/2

Improved accuracy

__/2

Completed Partner Progress Form

__/1

Total

__/10

​

Return to the Developments index.