[MOSAIC] Guided Reading in Intermediate?

Tue Mar 25 17:28:01 EDT 2008

Can some of you elaborate on the time frame all of this is being completed within?  That is the number one thing I struggle with is fitting it all in!  I'm sure we all do.  I try to do word study, reading workshop, writing workshop, and I go back and forth all of the time on guided reading and individual reading conferences.  So it's great to see how someone else structures their reading and writing workshop time.  Now I'm just curious to know what amount of time it's being done in.  Is some of you would like to offer your schedules and how you fit everything (or as much as you can) in your day I'd love to hear it!

Thanks,
Melissa

________________________________

From: mosaic-bounces at literacyworkshop.org on behalf of Mary Manges
Sent: Sat 3/15/2008 9:12 PM
To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group
Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Guided Reading in Intermediate?

Rhonda,
Thanks for responding, even if it took a while.  I appreciate all the input
I can get, especially from people that are doing this already.  It seems
that guided reading is an umbrella term of sorts.  I know that there are
specific models like Four Blocks, and Fountas and Pinnell.  I'm mostly
concerned with how I can "do" guided reading to meet the requirement of my
district and not have to give up what I feel is already working in my
classroom.  This is what I do, if you can see how GR would fit into this I
would appreciate some input.
Each day of my Language Arts block looks like this:

1.  I do a read aloud from a novel of my choosing, with some sort of short
activity on a bulletin board.  We have tracked the plot, summarized using
illustrations with a sentence, brought in an artifact for each chapter,
etc...
2.  I then teach a mini-lesson on a reading strategy, word study, or
whatever I see they need and what I need to cover in the standards and
assessment anchors.  This is done as a whole group.
3.  Then they either participate in literature circles or reading workshop
depending on the time of year.  I use all novels and avoid my basal textbook
like the plague.
4.  I confer with individuals during reading workshop or sit in with 1
literature circle group per day.

Then we go into writing workshop:
1.  I read a poem to them and we decipher it togther (they have a copy to
follow along)
2.  I teach a writing mini-lesson on a writing craft, grammar skill, or
something else.  I try to coordinate mini-lessons in reading and writing to
feed off one another.  If we are working on character analysis in reading,
we study character development in writing.
3.  They write independently and I confer with individuals.

It seems that the component I am missing is small group instruction and
maybe more of a devotion to word study.
Am I way off base here?  When I look at the Big Blocks components, I see
some of what I'm doing.  Any thoughts?
Thanks again.  I'm searching for ideas.  My district seems to have put the
cart before the horse.  They wrote guided reading into our strategic plan
K-5 and now they have no clue how it is to be done in intermediate grades.
I'd like to be able to show how what I'm doing shouldn't have to be thrown
out the window entirely.

Thanks a bunch!
Mary :)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rhonda Brinkman" <Rhonda.Brinkman at sendit.nodak.edu>
To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group"
<mosaic at literacyworkshop.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 6:20 PM
Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Guided Reading in Intermediate?

> >Hello Mary,
>
>  Sorry it took so long to answer just crazy here.
>
> To me guided reading can be incorporated into anything. For example-- I am
> looking for students to synthesize nonfiction text. I would began with a
> small piece of text and model how to synthesize info and build by adding
> pieces each time. Then I might use the same writing pieces to model
> informative writing. The pieces could be shown to model voice (or lack of
> it in writing). I have used Four Blocks in lower and upper grades and find
> it easy to incorporate with any program and fairly inexpensive. Patricia
> Cunningham and Cheryl Sigmon developed an awesome idea.
>
> Mary if you have more questions. Email me directly--
> rhonda.brinkman at sendit.nodak.edu
>
> Hope this helped,
> Rhonda
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Rhonda,
>> Can you share any specifics?  I teach strategies and use mostly lit.
>> circles
>> with novels in fifth grade.  I also do writing workshop so I feel like I
>> have the basics in place  I'm mostly wondering how Guided Reading will
>> change these practices.
>> Thanks for the help!
>> Mary :)
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Rhonda Brinkman" <Rhonda.Brinkman at sendit.nodak.edu>
>> To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group"
>> <mosaic at literacyworkshop.org>
>> Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 6:05 PM
>> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Guided Reading in Intermediate?
>>
>>
>>> >
>>> I love Modifying Four Block for the upper grades.  Have been using it
>>> for
>>> years and I teach middle school. I easily incorporate reading strategies
>>> and whatever the students may need.
>>>
>>> Rhonda
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>  I'm wondering if anyone is using guided reading in upper elementary.
>>> It
>>> > was written into our strategic plan, yet no one seems to know how it
>> works
>>> > in 4th and 5th grade.  I 've been able to find a few resources to
>>> > purchase, but haven't yet. One is from Fountas and Pinnell, and the
>> other
>>> > was from Four Blocks (Big Blocks model).  Basically I'd like to know
>> which
>>> > resource would be better to buy, and also if anyone can tell me what
>>> > guided reading looks like and involves at this level.  Is it
>>> effective?
>>> > Do you it like or dislike?  Pros/cons?
>>> >
>>> > Thanks,
>>> > Mary
>>> > _______________________________________________
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>>> >
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>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
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>
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