GROWING INDEPENDENCY AND FLUENCY
IF YOU TEACH A PIG FLUENCY
RATIONALE: A student must be able to read fluently in order to become a skilled reader. Becoming a fluent reader is not an easy task but is a huge accomplishment. Once a student is a fluent reader, they can focus on reading comprehension and enjoy reading. Fluency also indicates that nearly all the read words are in the reader’s sight vocabulary. As a fluent reader, students can read more quickly, with expression, and with ease. When students become fluent readers, books become much more interesting, and they can read a wide variety of texts. In this lesson, students will learn strategies and skills through modeling and practice to help them become fluent readers.
MATERIALS:
• Class set of If you Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff
• Stopwatch for each student pair
• class set of fluency graph paper
• class set of partner reading progress checklist
• class set of comprehension worksheet
• pencils
• whiteboard
• dry-erase marker
PROCEDURES:
1. [Say] “Today we will work on reading with fluency! Fluency means to read words quickly, automatically, and with expression. When we are fluent readers, we read at a quicker pace and understand what we’ve read. To become more fluent, we can read the same thing over and over to become familiar with the words. Today, we are going to flip into fluency by practicing with repeated readings.”
2. NEXT, [Say] “When you are working to become a fluent reader, you might come across a word that you don’t know. The first thing you can try is decoding with a coverup critter. Let me model how to decode an unfamiliar word: sticky. {Cover up and say each phoneme individually with a coverup critter} Let’s start with i=/i/, I know t=/t/ and s=/s/ making the first half of the word /sti/. I know ck together make /ck/ and y=/y/. Let's say it aloud together now. Wait for a response. [say] Great! /s//t//i//ck//y/ like ick! What do you think of when you hear ick? Wait for some volunteers, and give some examples like (bugs, slime, something that smells bad= ick). “Sometimes, decoding does not always work, so we have to remember to finish reading the sentence to see if it can help us understand the unfamiliar word. This is what we call CROSSCHECKING. {Write sentence on board: I like syrup on my pancakes}. Let's read it together, “I like sssyyyrrr-u-p? on my pancakes”. You can read the rest of the sentence to figure out that the unfamiliar word is syrup! ASK “are there other things you like syrup on?”. After crosschecking, you will want to make a mental mark of the word in your head. Always remember to go back and reread the sentence from the beginning. Now that you know this unfamiliar word, your rereading of the sentence should become more fluent and smoother!”
3. [Say] “We now know what to do when there is a word that we do not know which will help us become fluent readers. Now, I am going to model how to read fluently. {write sentence on board: “She’ll ask you for some bubbles”.} Slowly read: She’ll ask you for some /b//u//b//b//l//e//s/? Is that word bubb-l/e/s? That does not sound right...bubb-l/e/s? Oh! Its bubbles like a bubble bath! Now listen as I reread: She’ll ask for some bubbles. That sounded better. {Now read quicker and with expression} Listen again: She’ll ask you for some bubbles! Did you hear how I read more quickly and with more expression? I sounded like an expert reader that time. We decoded the word, crosschecked, and then reread the sentence to make sense of the word. Remember, when we read the same thing over and over, the words start to store into our sight vocabulary, and we start to automatically recognize them. This is how we become fluent readers! You will get better each time and with practice”
4. *Say* Now, we will practice reading fluently by reading a book called If you Give a Pig a Pancake. One day, Pig asked for a pancake. Once she got her pancakes, she just had to have syrup to go with it. Pig made a huge sticky mess in the syrup, so she had to take a bath. When her bath started, she wanted her rubber ducky and some bubbles. The rubber ducky will remind Pig of the farm she lived on and she will ask you to take her back there for a visit. What else could the Pig ask for next? We will have to continue reading to find out!
5. Transition in by saying “Everyone pair up with a partner and prepare to take turns reading”. {Pass out the books, reading progress charts, cover up critters, stopwatches, and fluency graphs per pair} [SAY] “You will each read the story three times alternating turns. When you read, your partner will time you and record your time. Your partner will also record how smooth and expressive you are reading by filling out the reading progress checklist. In between turns, you should give your partner friendly tips on how to improve. If you get stuck on a word, try using the coverup critter to decode the word. If you still do not know the word, crosscheck by finishing the sentence. Each time you read; you will become more fluent! When you are both finished reading three times each, go back to your desk and individually complete the questions on the comprehension sheet I have just handed out.
6. Collect partner reading checklists and calculate the progress of each student [Say] I will call you up individually to discuss your progress from the fluency graph after reading “If you Give a Pig a Pancake”, and you will read a few passages to me. (Use formula “words X 60 / seconds” and the checklist to determine each student's placement on the graph). After everyone is finished, we will go over the comprehension questions as a class.”
Assessment: Students assess each other by filling out the fluency checklist and the time sheet. The teacher assesses each student by using the fluency formula to determine words per minute: (words x 60)/ seconds. Also, ask comprehension questions while walking around the classroom. “Why do you think the pig needed syrup after a pancake? What made the pig want _____? What do you think the pig will ask for next?” Assign each student to write one complete paragraph describing the story in their own words. This helps to assess the level at which each child is comprehending the lesson.
Reading Progress Checklist:
Book Title: _______ Total # of words in book: ___
Readers Name: ______ Recorders Name: ________
1st Read Time # of words: ___ 1st Read Time Seconds: _
2nd Read Time # of words: ___ 2nd Read Time Seconds: ___
3rd Read Time # of words: ___ 3rd Read Time Seconds: ___
Which Turn Did My Partner:
Read Fastest?: _____
Read Smoothly?: _____
Read With Expression?: _____
READING COMPREHENSION SHEET:
1. Pig wanted what to go with her pancakes?
a. Chocolate syrup
b. Cool-whip
c. Maple syrup (CORRECT)
d. Ketchup
2. What did the rubber ducky remind Pig of?
e. Her favorite meal
f. The farm she lived on (CORRECT)
g. The zoo
h. Her favorite animal
3. What did Pig dance to?
i. The T.V.
j. The radio
k. Her favorite CD
l. The piano (CORRECT)
4. What did Pig build and decorate?
m. A tree house (CORRECT)
n. A race car
o. A Christmas tree
p. A picnic table
5. What is the very last thing Pig asked for?
q. Sucker
r. Popsicle
s. Hamburger
t. Pancakes with syrup (CORRECT)
REFERENCES
Instructional Book: Laura Numeroff, If you Give a Pig a Pancake, New York: Laura Geringer Books, An Imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 1998.
Lesson Template: Cranston, Molly, “Making Friends with Fluency.” https://mcranz15.wixsite.com/mysite/el-lesson-design
Numeroff, Laura and Bond, Felicia. If You Give a Pig a Pancake. New York, New York. Harper Collins, 1998. Print.
Website: http://wp.auburn.edu/rdggenie/home/classroom/advancements/
