Literacy Scheduling and Planning
I remember my biggest worry before starting my teaching internship was that I wouldn't know how to fill the day. Seven hours seemed like a long time. Now, one of my largest struggles as an educator is trying to fit it all in. So many requirements. So many pushes. So many pressures. How we get anything completed now is an amazing feat on its own. Here is my schedule and planning under the literacy umbrella. I hope it helps you in some way.
Disclaimer:I am not presenting my schedule as the exemplar of schedule planning. Rather, I am posting this because I am trying to show what is happening in our tiny portable classroom in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. I've also had schedule questions asked throughout the blog, so I thought I'd just post it all together in one post.
Sample Mini-Lesson Overview
Details on Mini-Lessons
Reader's Workshop: For the first part of the year my schedule included a near daily reading comprehension lesson for reader's workshop. I followed the works of McGregor, Miller, and Harvey pretty closely. This included a picture book and anchor chart for most lessons. With a nonfiction focus (Navigating Nonfiction) for this current six weeks, our schedule has shifted with touch-up lessons twice a week on reading comprehension strategies.
Writer's Workshop:I use Lucy Calkin's Units of Study 3-5 in our room. We are currently using her essay unit of study three times a week. This past week I shifted to Katie Wood Ray's essay unit in Study Driven so I don't follow it like a script. I use one lesson a week to specifically look at grammar in context of rich literature. I might photo-copy a page in a book and use this time to talk about the conventions used. My typical saying is: "What are they doing? Why are they doing it? Can I try this myself?" An excellent resource is available under Scholastic is Lester Laminack's Cracking Open the Author's Craft. Visit his link here.
Navigating Nonfiction: This resource comes from Scholastic. It is an anthology of articles, with a focus on a nonfiction feature for 30 lessons. This includes types of print, maps, charts, cause/effect, problem/solution, captions, etc. Each lesson includes one shorter article to be used for the lesson and then includes a longer article to be read independently (or with a partner). The questions included are not based on direct recall, rather questions that focus on applying the discussed skill. Ex- Add a title, an intro., create a caption, etc. to a partially completed article. Cost- 295.00 for 30 books and a teacher manual.
Basal: We are required to follow the basal skill weekly, including a weekly basal test. There is some freedom in using other resources to teach that skill. For example, if the skill is cause/effect I can use a Navigating Nonfiction article to elaborate on this. If the skill is inferring, I could use a picture book of my choice to demonstrate that. I tried my best to purchase most of the stories provided in the basal so that it becomes a read-aloud for the students (ex- Snowflake Bentley or The Raft). Depending on the skill or strategy delegated, this lesson may look and feel like a reader's workshop lesson. I also make sure to connect skills such as cause/effect and problem/solution as nonfiction text structures through the Navigating Nonfiction lessons.
TCAP Coach Book: This was just purchased by my grade level. Essentially, it is for test prep. We did not use this before the holiday break. Skills include reading and writing. Some example topics include author's purpose, identifying topic sentences, and grammar.
Spelling/Cursive: With the average grade of an "A" using the traditional spelling lists, I supplement spelling on an individual level and reinforce cursive practice. Students have a spelling dictionary and use their conference time with me to add 3-5 new words they would like to spell correctly. Students circle unknown spellings, I correct it, and it is added to the spelling notebook. We also have a class homophone chart with picture clues. If it is posted, it must be spelled correctly in our writing.
Word Work: Last semester more time was built into the schedule for word study. Now, it is used during transition times more. An example would be, "Tell me a root word and it's meaning as you walk out the door." It takes just a minute to have students create movement to root words and I might have students do this as they transition from one subject to the next (ex- "Show me what 'de' means," as students point down). A natural review comes throughout the day when we encounter stem words studied in class. Our last example was while teaching fractions- "de" means down. It helped us remember that the denominator is the bottom portion of a fraction.
Book Buddies/Mystery Reader: This rotates every other week.
Overall: The first mini-lesson is followed by a reader's workshop block; the second lesson is followed by writer's workshop; the third lesson is whole group; the fourth lesson is followed by literacy rotations.
Details on Rotations
Read with a Partner: This is used for either reading partnerships or re-visiting guided reading literature with a partner for fluency practice.
Guided Reading: The vast majority of books used are content driven based on recent studies. For example, last week all guided reading books dealt with our government unit. Some read about our first ten amendments while others read about famous figures of The American Revolution. Our focus is on organizing information learned and reading nonfiction features. Fiction books used often focus on reading strategies read in class and include printable books from A-Z. I use a large filing cabinet to store and organize all the books by Fountas and Pinnell. More information can be found near the end of the post.
Computers: This can also be content driven for other subjects. For example, I might suggest a branches of government site for my students and place that link under favorites (lots of reading to learn). Other options include: on-line book downloads from our local library (books can be downloaded for free onto an Mp3 or computer); Into a Book, student site; Storyline On-line; leveled reading books on-line (our basal includes this with an audio reading); Raz A-Z. Raz A-Z does require a paid subscription. It is under Reading A-Z and hasthe same feel, except the books are on-line with audio. Individual requirements can be created with individual student sign-in. A comprehension test is available for each book. A free trial is available.
Class Assignment: Currently, students use Scholastic's Reading Skills Kit B. It allows students to read a leveled nonfiction article, answer questions and self-check their work. The cost is 250.00 and my neighbor teacher, Mrs. Myers, uses it as well.
Creating Groups: I have formally used DRA and think it is a fantastic resource (I have my own personal kit). However, running records, individual conferences, and observation help me change up groups regularly. I have dabbled with flexible grouping based on strategy rather than just level, but I have not done well with that.
Details on Reading and Writing Conferences
Visit my post: A Blended Approach to Reading and Writing Conferences
Details on Guided Reading
Visit my post: Guided Reading in the Upper Grades
To learn more about our classroom, visit is at: www.bar.rcs.k12.tn.us/teachers/bunyia/bunyihome.html