[MOSAIC] Chapter Books!!!

[Shelly Kennedy]

Hi. This is a great topic to bring up. When I first was trained in literacy collab (guided reading/leveled text, etc.) I was really struggling with giving up my class novels. You know....14 years ago class novels was really innovative. :) 
Also, most of my experience is 4th and 5th (great chapter books to reinforce social studies curriculum)  but I am now in my 3rd year in 3rd grade (and literacy collab.) So I transitioned to Reading Workshop/guided reading/and leveled mostly short texts.
  I realized through guided reading and leveled text I was learning SO MUCH more about my readers and seeing more growth than ever before.  Still I was missing my class novels.  AND I was struggling with teaching the mosaic strategies in depth, along with needing to teach the standards/skills (elements of fiction, character, main idea, etc.) I felt like I needed 2 mini-lessons a day.....SOOOO
I begin each day with my community circle and go right into read aloud.  It has totally changed the start of my day.  I used to always read my chapter book read aloud after lunch recess and now I do my picture books there.  I then have the opportunity for a string of mini-lessons related to my chapter book and then my regular reading MLs at the beginning of my REading Workshop time as well (usually related to the picture book)
   For example, I am reading Petey now (one of Ginger's favorites) and I will begin my string of mini-lessons on character Monday.  Yet in the afternoon, I am wrapping up my First 20 DAys (fountas and pinnell) and will begin a genre study of some-sort after that (maybe Traditional Literature)
Hope this helps. SHelly