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We are so excited about our Guiding Readers units… you can tell because I. Can’t. Stop. Talking. About. It. You can tell because I blogged about them just a few times.
Guiding Readers 2nd Edition book selections
and
Guiding ReadersSo WHAT is it?
Guiding ReadersSo WHAT is it?
Around last November I had a conversation with Deanna Jump about wanting to do more responding to literature with my class. I felt we had a great foundation with writer’s workshop but I wanted deeper connections and interactions with the texts we were reading. So we created Guiding Readers.
What
is Guiding Readers?
is Guiding Readers?
Guiding Readers started out as a “responding to literature” unit in our heads, but then we realized we needed to integrate phonics, interactive writing, reading comprehension, phonemic awareness and vocabulary in as well.
Vocabulary
Each week we pull a few words from our text to explore them deeper.
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Heaping pile of snow |
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vocabulary work |
Comprehension
I used these lessons Guiding Readers in a whole group setting. In my kindergarten classroom, I do the reading work (decoding the words) and my students do the thinking work.
Everyone participates. Working with a partner engages all of the students.
Interactive
Writing
Writing
Students are able to focus on the mechanics of writing during our interactive writing time.
Responding
to Literature
to Literature
With Rubrics!
We sometimes responded with a full sheet of paper and sometimes we responded in our notebooks. Each response activity offers both options. When I was short on time, I opted for the notebook responses.
Phonics
Work
Work
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Phonemic
Awareness
Awareness
Suggested Phonic Awareness activities are included.
Are
they effective?
they effective?
Here is what I know…my class soared when I started these activities. Their level of engagement went through the roof! Their ability to discuss text grew exponentially. When it was time to assess my students’ reading comprehension it was so apparent that they were able to retell a story with great detail in a sequential order, they made connections, and were able to discuss the text at a deeper level.
Not only did I experience great student success, but Deanna and I heard from countless teachers saying how these units have changed their classroom. {This is where I get uncomfortable… I don’t want to sound like I am full of myself.} BUT SERIOUSLY… the feedback we received made our hearts happy. I loved hearing from teachers who were using our units when an administrators and superintendents observed them and they were blown away.
You can read the feedback for yourself HERE.
Are
they available in a bundle? AND why are there two versions?
they available in a bundle? AND why are there two versions?
We created two versions because districts have requested two tracks. They wanted to be able to use these for their kindergarten and First Grade classrooms. You certainly don’t need both versions for your classroom, but you may like to have a variety of texts to choose.
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click on the image to see this bundle. |
and
Our newest version….
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click on this image to see this bundle. |
What
skills and books are you going to cover?
skills and books are you going to cover?
We have created a curriculum map that should answer all of these questions. You can find it by clicking:
Can I try it out?
Yes, you can IF you are quick!You can download a free week’s worth of reading lessons, but they will only be available this week!
Just click the image below.
Yes, you can IF you are quick!You can download a free week’s worth of reading lessons, but they will only be available this week!
Just click the image below.
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13 Responses
I bought August/September to try it out. It looks really good, but some of it seems to be higher level questioning. I'm wondering with kinders at the start of school still being "babies", how your class did with this kind of questioning early on. How long is each day's lesson approximately? I have limited time with each of my Lang. Arts classes as we switch rooms/teachers for each subject so I hope I can get it all in, including writing (which I also got-unit 1).
Hi Lee Ann!
At the beginning of the year, the questioning supported and modeled by the teacher. So you will do the work. But you will be amazed at how quickly the work will shift over to the students.
As far as time goes: You will probably spend about 25-30 mins of the reading units at the beginning of the year and about 30 minutes on writing. Their stamina is low (and as you point out they are so young) that it takes time and attention to build their stamina.
Good luck and let me know how it goes.
These units are what I have been trying to do with my reading curriculum the last few years… add some quality thinking and responding. They are better than any text series, and so beautifully done! Starting them mid-year last year, my students jumped right in to the responses. As I plan to use the first unit in two weeks, I am thinking through how to help them with responses. I have read your background info on interactive writing in the Aug/Sept Unit, but would love to learn more about the lines you and the students make for each word they will write. Thanks so much for the countless hours you have given to make such an outstanding resource <3.
Hi Sarah!
You bet! When we get to the interactive writing part, we brainstorm a sentence with the class. We talk about what we want to say then form the sentence. For example… for Lilly: Lilly was mad at her teacher. Then we repeat the sentence (like 4-5 times in various voices…. monster, cowboy, opera singer….) We do this so they can hold the sentence in their head. Then we count the words. I draw a line for each word. I go back and repeat the sentence again and again as I write the lines. THEN we start putting sounds down. After each word, we go back and reread and anticipate the next word. This is a behavior I want to see my students repeat when they are writing…. NOW… having said that… in August about 5 of my students are ready to do this independently. The rest are just along for the ride. BUT they will see this again and again and when they are ready, they will take on this behavior. I hope that answers your question.
Thank you SO much! I so appreciate how you explained "hold it in their heads"! One final question. Do you encourage kids to copy down the shared writing, or hold off and just expose them to the process and modeled recording? Thanks again!
At the beginning of the year, I really want them to do the work with me then really express their ideas with illustrations. So their response paper will just be illustrations mostly. Then I might ask them to label (similar to what we do in writers workshop). Some will REALLY want to copy your words. But I don't want them to be come dependent on that, so I may flip the paper over and ask them to be BRAVE! At the beginning of the year, sometimes my most capable students will want to be "right" so they won't venture off on their own because they need it to be "right." Do you know what I mean? It is such a balance between being supportive and also asking them to be risk takers.
I totally see what you are saying! Can't wait to start trying your tips out with my kinders. Thank you so much for taking time to share your expertise!
Yay! Let me know how it goes!!!! And don't worry… I ask myself 200 times a day… "Am I doing this right?"
Hi DeeDee
I have begun using Guiding readers with my kinders and this week we are reading The Dot. My question to you is on day one when they are visualizing how do you go about doing that? Last week I tried it using whiteboards because at that point in the we are on the carpet as a whole group. I was thinking I could draw a picture on chart paper and we could write a sentence from that but would really like to see my kids individual drawings so that I can see if they are beginning to visualize the story themselves. So do I stop reading then quick hand out papers or give them their journals, not sure how to work the logistics of this and was wondering how you did? Thanks
Will there be a second grade addition??
I have this bundle and love it! My kids are so excited to use their notebooks and I love how each time we get them out they refer back to past stories and talk about their learning. I am curious, I love all the pictures and visuals you have throughout the units. Have you ever considered adding visuals for the vocabulary words? Our reading series (which I hardly use any more due to how in engaged my kids are with these units) had visual cards with the word and picture and I feel that really helped the kids connect and we could post them in the room throughout the week. I usually write them on notecards but I think a picture would help lil ones a lot. I will probably make some, but know they would not be nearly as cute as yours 🙂
Where can I get the two vowels go walking poster?
The phonics cards are in the Guiding/Engaging Readers units. 🙂