The First 20 Days of Reading: Intermediate
This pacing guide is intended to be extended, condensed, or modified according to your students’ needs. Please continue to revisit and support all skills and concepts that are introduced in the first few weeks through the balanced literacy model (See attached). Our ultimate goal is for students to become proficient in using these skills independently.
Many of the Independent Reading lessons are based on the work of Fountas & Pinnell and come from their book titled, Guiding Readers and Writers. This professional resource has been cited throughout the First 20 days of Reading in the Intermediate Grades.
As you prepare to implement the First 20 Days of Reading, please keep in mind that it will be necessary to be flexible with your 90-minute reading block. Based on each day’s lessons, you may find you need extended time for one component as you put systems in place. Use your judgment, based on your students’ needs to adjust instructional time dedicated to each balanced literacy component.
Throughout these 20 days, remember to work-in time for individual student assessments (Flynt-Cooter). Students can be pulled for assessments as your class is reading independently.
Read Aloud & Independent Reading
Day
/Minilesson (M,S,L)*
/ Key Concepts / Learning Outcomes / Resources NeededDay 1 /
Read Aloud
Reading Is Thinking! (S) / o A reader’s mind is always working – before, during, and after reading. / o Students will learn to listen to their reader’s voice in their head. / Chart – Blank Reading is Thinking (sample attached)Text Selection
Independent Reading
Selecting Books and Enjoying Silent Reading (M) / o We have specific ways to select and return books in our classroom so that we all can find and use them easily.o We read silently and do not talk with others so we can carefully listen to our reader voice. / o Students will learn how to maintain their organized classroom library.
o The routines of silent independent reading are established. / Organized classroom library.
Chart – Our Classroom Library
Day 2 /
Read Aloud
Reading is Thinking! – Interactive Think Aloud (S) / o Readers have many different thoughts as they read.o Readers can think about their thinking and talk about their thinking. / o Students will learn that as readers we are capable of thinking in many different ways. / Chart – Reading is Thinking
Independent Reading
Making Good Book Choices (S) / o Readers choose books in many different ways.o Books can be easy, just right, or challenging for a reader.
o Readers should choose just right books most of the time. / o Students use several different kinds of information to help them choose books.
o Students think carefully about book choices.
o Readers have criteria to judge whether a book is just right for independent reading. / Chart – Choosing a Just Right Book
Day 3 /
Read Aloud
Reading is Thinking! – Thinking, Talking, and Writing About Your Reading (S) / o Readers can record their thinking as they read.o These notes help readers build and deepen their understanding as they read. / o Readers are aware of their thinking.
o Readers find ways to remember their thinking in order to share it with others and build their own understanding. / Chart – Reading is Thinking
Sticky Notes
Independent Reading
Recording our Thinking as We Read (S)Storing and Maintaining our Personal Independent Reading Selections (M) / o Readers can record their thinking as they read.
o These notes help readers build and deepen their understanding as they read.
o We have an organizational system we use to store and maintain our IR materials. / o Readers are aware of their thinking.
o Readers find ways to remember their thinking in order to share it with others and build their own understanding.
o Students learn how to manage their own independent reading materials. / Plastic bags or bins for storing books, sticky notes, and pencil (Will be used daily during independent reading for the rest of the school year.)
Day 4
/ Read AloudReading is Thinking! – More Ways to Think as We Read (S) / o Readers process text in individualized ways based on their own background. / o Readers will learn that at any one moment during a common read aloud they might each respond differently based on their personal schema.
o There are some common patterns of thought among readers (predictions, connections, questions, etc…) / Chart – Reading is Thinking!
Independent Reading
The Reading Conference – Part 1 (M, S) / o Readers confer with their teacher during the independent reading time.
o Conferences are a check-point for both the teacher and the student. / o Students learn the procedure for an independent reading conference.
o Students will learn that the independent reading conference is an opportunity to talk about their reading.
o Students will learn that they will be held accountable for their text selection / Informal Reading Conference forms (samples attached)
Enlarged Informal Reading Conference form
Day 5 / Read Aloud
Reading is Thinking! – Let’s Think about our Thinking (S) / o Thinking about your thinking is a skill that is developed through practice. / o Students learn that being aware of the types of thoughts they have as they read will both enhance their comprehension and encourage them to expand their own patterns of thought. / Chart – Reading is Thinking!
Independent Reading
The Reading Conference – Part 2 An Example (M, S) / o Readers confer with their teacher during the independent reading time.
o Readers are asked to think about their thinking during independent reading conferences.
o Conferences are a check-point for both the teacher and the student. / o Students learn the procedure for an independent reading conference.
o Students will learn that the independent reading conference is an opportunity to talk about their thinking.
o Students will learn that they will be held accountable for their text selections. / Informal Reading Conference forms
Read Aloud, Independent Reading, and Shared Reading
Day
/Minilesson (M,S,L)*
/ Key Concepts / Learning Outcomes / Resources NeededDay 6
/ Read Aloud – Shortened TimePreviewing Text (S) / o Readers have specific ways of previewing text before they read. / o Students will learn how to use specific strategies for previewing text prior to selecting it for independent reading.
o The first step for how to process each type of text as well as learning about genre is laid. / 3-4 text selections representing both fiction and non-fiction
Shared Reading
Previewing Text (S) / o Readers have specific ways of previewing text before they read. / o Students will learn how to use specific strategies for previewing a book prior to selecting it for independent reading.
o The first step for how to process each type of text as well as learning about genre is laid. / Overheads – Non-fiction & fiction shared reading selections
Independent Reading – Extended Time
Previewing Text (S) / o Good readers preview text before choosing it for independent reading. / o Students will learn how to use specific strategies for previewing a book prior to selecting it for independent reading.
o The first step for how to process each type of text as well as learning about genre is laid. / Chart – Choosing a Just Right Book
Organized classroom library
Informal Reading Conference forms
Day 7
/ Read AloudDistinguishing between Fiction and Non-Fiction Text (L) / o Text features help readers identify and distinguish between Fiction and Non-Fiction text. / o Students will learn how to use text features to identify what type of text they are reading.
o The foundation for how to process each type of text as well as learning about genre is laid. / Chart – Text Features of Fiction and Non-Fiction
Examples of fiction and non-fiction books that have been read in class.
Shared Reading
Distinguishing between Fiction and Non-Fiction Text (L) / o Text features provide readers with valuable information regarding the type of text they will be reading.
o Text features provide readers with valuable information that can guide their reading and enhance their comprehension. / o Identifying text features lays the foundation for processing the information in those features. / Overheads – Non-fiction & fiction shared reading selections
Independent Reading
Balancing our reading between Fiction and Non-Fiction (M) / o Readers choose from a variety of texts formats and/or genres. / o Readers benefit from choosing from a variety of texts.
o Readers build their vocabulary, their flexibility with language, and their ability to process text effectively by reading a variety of texts. / Chart – Text Features of Fiction and Non-Fiction
Examples of fiction and non-fiction books that have been read in class.
Informal Reading Conference forms
Day 8
/ Read AloudReading is Thinking! – Thinking about Text Features within Fiction Text (S) / o Readers use text features of fiction to build their comprehension of fiction text. / o Text features in fiction support and expand upon the ideas in the text. / Chart – Reading is Thinking!
Chart – Text Features of Fiction
Fiction text selections
Shared Reading
No Shared Reading Today / o / o
Independent Reading
Making Public the Guidelines for Independent Reading or the Reader’s Workshop (M) / o As readers and writers, we follow specific guidelines to work together and help one another do our best learning. / o Students are aware of and follow specific guidelines for independent reading.
o Students and teacher will review these expectations together. / Chart – Our Independent Reading or Our Reader’s Workshop
Day 9
/ Read AloudReading is Thinking! – Thinking about Character – Part 1 (S) / o Readers gather information about the characters in their books as they read. / o What a character says, does, feels, and thinks helps a reader understand them. / Chart – Reading is Thinking!
Fiction text selection
Shared Reading
Reading is Thinking! – Thinking about Character (S) / o Readers gather information about the characters in their books as they read. / o What a character says, does, feels, and thinks helps a reader understand them. / Chart – Reading is Thinking!
Overhead - Fiction text selection
Independent Reading
The Reader’s Notebook - Keeping a Record of Your Reading (M) / o Readers keep a list of books they’ve read so that they can evaluate the breadth of their reading. / o Students will begin to use the Reading Log in their Reader’s Notebook. / A Reader’s Notebook for each student with a Reading Log (sample attached) & Enlarged Reading Log
Informal Reading Conference forms
Day 10
/ Read AloudReading is Thinking! – Thinking about Character – Part 2 (S) / o Readers work to understand the characters in their books as a way to understand the larger ideas in text. / o Readers continuously revise their understanding of characters as they respond to their interactions with other characters.
o The central character in a book provides the reader with insight about the author’s message. / Chart – Reading is Thinking!
Fiction text selection
Shared Reading
No shared reading today / o / o
Independent Reading
Wide Reading (M) / o Readers vary and evaluate the breadth of their reading. / o Readers build their vocabulary, their flexibility with language, and their ability to process text effectively by reading widely.
o Students will make an agreement with their teacher to read 7 picture books for every 1 chapter book they read. / A wide selection of text that includes: 5-7 picture books from a variety of genre and 1 chapter book
Reading logs in Reader’s Notebooks
Informal Reading Conference forms
Read Aloud, Independent Reading, and Shared Reading
Day
/Minilesson (M,S,L)*
/ Key Concepts / Learning Outcomes / Resources NeededDay 11
/ Read AloudReading is Thinking! – Different Kinds of Fiction (L) / o There are many different kinds of fiction. / o Each genre has specific characteristics.
o Over the course of the year, students will learn to categorize types of fiction so that they can vary their reading.
o The foundation for studying genre continues to be laid. / Chart – Reading is Thinking!
Chart – Characteristics of Fiction
A variety of fiction text selections (personal narrative, realistic fiction, mystery, fantasy, etc…).
Shared Reading
Different Kinds of Fiction – Personal Narrative (L) / o A Personal Narrative is characterized by an event, incident, or experience in the writer’s own life or that of a fictional character. / o Each genre has specific characteristics. / Overheads – Non-fiction & fiction shared reading selections from Day 7
Overhead – Personal Narrative selection (Could be a page or two from the Read Aloud selection)
Independent Reading
Writing Responses to Your Reading (M) / o Readers can share their thinking about reading by writing a letter in a Reader’s Notebook. / o Students learn to follow procedures for writing letters in their Reader’s Notebook.
/ Personal letter from teacher on chart paper
Notebook paper for the Reader’s Notebook
Informal Reading Conference Forms
Day 12
/ Read AloudThinking about Reading through a Genre Study – Book Flood (L) / o Readers can learn about reading by taking a close look at a specific genre of texts.
o Recognizing a specific genre prepares a reader for processing the text effectively. / o Students learn that personal narratives tell the story of one event in the author’s life or that of a fictional character.
o Students learn that as readers, knowing what genre you are reading helps you know how to think in order to fully understand the author’s message. / Selection of Personal Narratives
Chart – Personal Narratives
Shared Reading
No Shared Reading Today
Independent Reading
Writing Letters in Your Reader’s Notebook Each Week (M & S) / o Use the teacher’s letter as a guide to writing your letter in your reader’s notebook.
o Readers write one letter each week in their Reader’s Notebook. / o Students learn to respond to the teacher’s letter as part of their letter writing in notebooks.
o Students follow procedures for the weekly letter. / Reader’s Notebook with teacher letter (sample attached)
Chart – Reader’s Response Letters
Day 13
/ Read AloudThinking about Reading through a Genre Study – Connecting with the Author (S) / o Readers can often make connections with authors of personal narratives.
o Connecting with the author helps readers understand the underlying meaning of the text. / o Students will learn that a crucial part of comprehending a personal narrative is thinking about the connections between the author’s story and your own life. / Personal Narrative Selection
Chart – Reading is Thinking
Chart – Personal Narratives
Shared Reading
Thinking about Reading through a Genre Study – Connecting with the Author (S) / o Readers can often make connections with authors of personal narratives.
o Connecting with the author helps readers understand the underlying meaning of the text. / o Students will learn that a crucial part of comprehending a personal narrative is thinking about the connections between the author’s story and your own life. / Overhead – Personal Narrative selection (Could be a page or two from the Read Aloud selection)
Independent Reading
Topics for Your Reader’s Notebook / o There are many different kinds of thinking that you can write about in your reader’s notebook. / o Students learn that there are a variety of topics that they can write about in their letters.
o Students learn to refer to a chart to help themselves. / Chart – Topics You Can Write About in Your Reader’s Response Notebook
Reader’s Notebook
Day 14
/ Read AloudThinking about Reading through a Genre Study – Sequence – Part 1 (S) / o The order of events in a personal narrative provides an active picture of the story for the reader. / o Students learn that understanding text-sequence is strongly related to comprehension of text. / Personal Narrative Selection
Chart – Reading is Thinking
Shared Reading
No Shared Reading Today
Independent Reading
Using our Sticky Notes to Guide Our Reader’s Response Letter (S) / o Quick notes can help you remember your thinking when you are ready to write your letters and when you confer with the teacher. / o Students learn a process to help them remember their thinking so that they can write about it and talk about it. / Informal Reading Conference forms
Personal letter from teacher on chart paper with corresponding sticky notes
Day 15