Fluency

Interactive Charts

Goal

Students will manipulate sections of familiar readings in order to practice

reading fluently.

Basic Center

Materials

  • Sentence strips
  • Pocket chart
  • Container, envelope, or baggie
  • Copies of text

Preparation

Teacher will:

  • Choose familiar shared reading pieces that have words or phrases that can be easily modified.
  • Write texts of shared reading on sentence strips and display in a pocket chart.
  • Choose words and phrases to be modified and write alternate choices. Store these in a container, envelope, or baggie near pocket chart.
  • Highlight the portion of text to be changed in some way.

Procedures

Students will:

  • Read the text in its original format either alone or with a friend.
  • Replace portions of the original text with choices provided.
  • Reread the new text fluently.
  • Repeat this procedure, using multiple text choices.

Beyond the Basic Center

Additional Center Ideas:

  1. Use common chants or nursery rhymes allowing students to replace character names with student names.
  2. Rewrite familiar text from shared reading or interactive writing onto sentence strips. Cut text apart into word units. Students then rebuild the text into the pocket chart reading each word as it is added to the text. Once completed, students reread the entire text fluently.
  3. Use a shared reading or interactive writing text that is written in narrative or expository form. Sentences should extend beyond one line of print providing return sweep possibilities. As part of a shared reading lesson, read the text fluently and determine appropriate phrase units. Together, cut the passage apart by phrases. Students rebuild and reread the entire text fluently.
  4. Use a familiar piece of text that has examples of noun and pronoun agreement. Provide options for text change that would require the students to change the pronoun in order to maintain correct grammar. Reread the changed text fluently.
  5. Provide students with examples of familiar text where meaning can change based on punctuation or emphasis (“Sue, the nurse can’t come right now.” Or “Sue, the nurse, can’t come right now.”) Students work in pairs to manipulate punctuation and read new text fluently.

Additional Resources

Dahl, R. Ronald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes, Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers, 1995. ISBN 0140375333

Knowles, S. Edward the Emu. HarperCollins Publishers, 1998. ISBN 0064434990

Manning, J. Who Stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar? HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2001. ISBN 0694015156

Mayo, M. Wiggle Waggle Fun: Stories and Rhymes for the Very Young. Alfred A. Knopf, 2002. ISBN 0375815295

Wood, D. The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Hungry Bear. Child’s Play of England, 1989. ISBN 0859531821