[MOSAIC] Chapter Books

[Kimberly Stapert]

I went to a comprehension seminar to hear both Franki Sibberson and  
Chryse Hutchins present.  Franki had WONDERFUL ideas on how to use make  
read aloud time very meaningful and packed with great learning  
opportunities.  Reading to students is a very important component of  
balanced literacy; while I'm a huge fan of small group instruction,  
it's easy to forget the advantages of maintaining a read aloud time.  I  
do believe that there needs to be an objective to the read aloud -  
especially as children mature.  Franki gives great ideas in her two  
books:
Still Learning to Read: Teaching Students in Grades 3-6  by Franki  
Sibberson and Karen Szymusiak
Beyond Leveled Books: Supporting Transitional Readers in Grades 2-5  by  
Karen Szymusiak and Franki Sibberson
(If you order both from Amazon, I think it puts you over $25 so you  
have free shipping...)
Many people from our district have found them helpful - and not just  
with read alouds.  I've implemented many ideas of hers, and really  
enjoy her Reading Notebooks ideas, too.
Kim
Lit. Coach and classroom teacher


On Sep 27, 2006, at 9:25 PM, Shelly Kennedy wrote:

> 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
>
> _______________________________________________
> Mosaic mailing list
> Mosaic at literacyworkshop.org
> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to  
> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/ 
> mosaic_literacyworkshop.org.
>
> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
>