Out of this World Literacy

Literacy Resources from Jen Bengel

Reading

Learn all about teaching reading and pick up tons of helpful tips in these blog posts.

What Does a Reading Comprehension Lesson Look Like?

Today's blog post is going to show the steps for a typical day when using the Reading Comprehension Lesson Plans. These lesson plans focus on a particular reading skill for 5 days. We will look at Day 1 of the Inferring lesson.

Day 1 Inferring Lesson Plan

Reading Comprehension Lesson Plan Steps

The first step is to write the mini-lesson statement on an anchor chart and read it to the class. For easier note-taking, the teacher can pass out the student sheets, allowing them to take notes and glue them into their reading notebooks for reference. Introduce what it means to “infer”. Suggested language is provided to help you with this step. Then write the definition of inferring on the anchor chart.

Inferring mini-lesson statement and definition
student note-taking pages
Student note-taking pages

“I Do” Modeling of Inferring

Use a mentor text that you have already read. Model your thinking for students by showing them parts in the book when you are making an inference. Think about the book, show what the book or pictures say, use your schema (what you already know), and make an inference. Write this inference on the anchor chart. This is the “I do” part of the lesson.

I do anchor chart
Mentor text “I do” modeling from the book Probuditi

“We Do” Inferencing Together

Next, invite students to think about a part of the book and what they already know. Have them make an inference and add it to the anchor chart. Invite students to turn and talk and find other inferences from the book. Call on a few to share out and add to the anchor chart. This is the “We do” part of the lesson. Ask students to complete their note-taking sheet as they think together.

Inferring anchor chart “We do” from Jabari Jumps

“You Do” Independent Practice

Finally, students are asked to use a book they are currently reading to find inferences. The teacher will pass out the student page and explain directions to them. Students will complete the page independently and share out at the end of the reading workshop. This is the “You Do” part of the lesson. The teacher is able to pull small groups during independent practice for students that might need extra help. This completes the Day 1 lesson on inferring.

inferring independent practice
Independent Practice

The Next 4 Days or the Lessons for Inferring

Each day of the reading comprehension skill, the lessons dig deeper which allows for a greater understanding of that particular concept. For example, Day 2 of inferring is identifying parts of the text where the writer could say more so that they can think about what the writer really meant. Day 3 is readers think about what the text is really saying so they can infer the big picture. Day 4 is inferring in fiction texts so they can learn more about characters, setting, plot and theme. In Day 5, inferring is used in nonfiction text to learn more about text boxes, subtitles, facts, and illustrations.

By the end of the week, the students have had a lot of practice as a class and independently to have a good grasp on the topic and apply those skills to their reading. There are different kinds of assessments you can give them to test their knowledge. You can reward them by presenting them with a certificate or with a brag tag. Both are provided for you in this unit.

Where Can I Find These Lessons?

The Reading Comprehension Lesson Plans are available in individual skills, sets, or bundles.

To see THE BUNDLE that this Mini Unit for Mastery is included in CLICK THIS LINK HERE
THE MEGA BUNDLE with ALL 36 MINI UNITS FOR MASTERY is available here CLICK THIS LINK HERE.
To see INDIVIDUAL SETS of Mini Units for Mastery CLICK THIS LINK HERE.
Use these LITERACY CENTER ACTIVITIES in correlation with the mini units and CLICK THIS LINK HERE.

To learn more about the Reading Comprehension Plans, refer to this blog post. The Best Reading Comprehension Plans

The Best Reading Comprehension Lesson Plans

Do you need reading comprehension lesson plans that break it down in a way that students understand? The mini-units in this bundle include everything you need to teach, practice, assess, and build confidence with these specific reading comprehension skills! They will help your students remember the comprehension skill taught as they master them and apply them to their own reading.

Reading Comprehension Mini-Lessons

What I like about this resource is that it focuses on one skill and goes allows your students to dig DEEP! With a limited amount of time with my students, there is even less time to fit it all in before testing season. I love that I can embed the mini units into my already made scope and sequence. You can plan on using this curriculum in small groups. If I see a group of students who are continuing to struggle with understanding characters, I can pull out this 5-day unit and reteach. Plus you can use it with ANY TEXT!

Step-by-step directions with sample anchor charts

What's included in these reading comprehension lesson plans?

  • 5 mini lesson statements and detailed teaching instructions for teaching about 12 specific reading comprehension skills.
  • 5 sample mini-lesson anchor charts for each skill (your anchor charts will look different based on the mentor texts you choose to use and the responses from your students, but you can use the same outline as provided).
  • ‘I Can’ statement cards for each lesson in the units. These are great to post in the room, at a literacy station, glued into readers’ notebooks, or posted at a small group table.
  • Blank anchor chart pages for students with every lesson. These can be glued into reader’s notebooks in a mini-lesson section. Students can complete them during the lesson and have a record of learning kept safely in their notebooks to reference anytime!
  • 5 graphic organizers for independent activities that match each of the 5 mini-lessons in each set. These can be used with any text students are reading and can be used over and over again. They are great for assessment!
  • Short comprehension quizzes for each unit to administer after the 5 lessons are completed. Answer keys are provided!
  • A certificate of mastery you can give students to build their confidence for each set!
  • 14 different styles of brag tags for rewarding students for all their hard work and learning. These brag tags are available for students to collect for each skill!
Student pages

Check out these quick links!

reading comprehension assessment
Choice of assessments

See all 36 skills

Click on each link to see the individual comprehension lessons

Click here to see how to organize your reading lessons

Daily Reading Morning Work to Start Your Day

Are you a teacher that struggles with something for your students to do when they come to school first thing in the morning? Do your students come in gradually and do you need something for them to do while you are busy taking attendance and beginning your day? I have a solution for you. Daily Reading Morning Work can help you establish a routine for your students while building reading comprehension skills, growth mindset skills that build empathy, and learning about diversity.

Daily Comprehension Focus

What is Daily Reading Morning Work and How Can It Help?

Daily Reading Morning Work is an original short story that is set up to be completed over the course of a week. Each story starts on Day 1 and the story continues the next day for a total of 5 days. The stories are engaging and focus on a social-emotional skill each week, which makes for great discussions. There is also a reading comprehension skill with an “I Can” statement that students will be focusing on for the week. After reading the story, students will answer 2 multiple choice questions and a short answer question. A challenge question is provided each day that will help them extend their writing skills. Answer keys are included.

How Can I Use Daily Reading Morning Work?

• Bell work at the beginning of the school day.

• As a warm-up to reading during your reading workshop.

• Use them as ‘exit slips’ at the end of the school day or reading workshop.• Place them in a literacy center for comprehension.

• In guided reading as a quick warm-up to the lesson.

• Send them home for extra practice and support!

• Have students work in partners or small groups to complete the daily work.

• Use them for tutoring.

What grade is Daily Reading Morning Work For?

Daily Reading Morning Work is offered for multiple grades. There is a 1st-grade set, a 2nd-3rd grade set, a 4th-5th grade set, and a 6th-8th grade set. You can purchase each individual set, which will last you for 20 days. Purchase the money-saving year-long bundle that will cover 10 months or 200 days. There are many different formats available. They can be printed on a half sheet of paper, a full sheet of paper, double-sided, black and white, or color. You can also assign them digitally, so there are many options for you to choose from.

Try a Free Week of Daily Morning Work

If you're looking for a quick review of comprehension skills, then this is a great opportunity for you to try a free week of daily reading morning work!

TRY GRADE 1 FOR FREE

TRY GRADES 2-3 FOR FREE

TRY GRADES 4-5 FOR FREE

Check it out on TpT now! Daily Reading Morning Work

For further information, check out this blog post, A Free Week of Morning Work

Comprehension Passages for Older Students

These highly engaging reading comprehension passages are professionally leveled by Lexile, Fountas and Pinnell, DRA, and grade level. Students can work on a specific comprehension skill while answering multiple choice, short answer questions, and underlining text evidence in the story. Because the comprehension passages are written for older students, they don't seem babyish to them.

Engaging comprehension passages for older students

Students are able to work at their ability level while completing purposeful work. This allows time for the teacher to work in small groups while the students are engaged and practicing their reading comprehension skills. The comprehension passages are available in both print and digital format and answer keys are included. These shorter passages allow for students to build stamina, which is crucial for the beginning of the year.

Included in the comprehension passages set:

  • 4 comprehension passages for practicing a specific skill.
  • A/B multiple-choice questioning.
  • Open-ended evidence-based question.
  • Challenge activity to find evidence in the text.
  • Custom Illustrations from Malaya Bengel Art.
  • Lexile, F&P, and grade levels for each passage.
  • Completed answer keys.Recommended for grades 2-6
Comprehension Passages in 2 versions

Comprehension Passages are available in a money-saving Bundle, which contains all 36 of the reading comprehension skills required by Common Core Standards. They can also be purchased individually to work on specific reading skills, allowing the teacher to customize to the needs of the students.

Comprehension Passages Bundle
https://bit.ly/comp-passagesbundle

Pair the comprehension passages with the differentiated comprehension task cards for even more practice. For more information on how to use these task cards, follow the link to a blog post, Task Cards for Reading Comprehension with Older Students

Task card bundle
https://bit.ly/36taskcardsets

Task Cards for Reading Comprehension with Older Students

Reading Comprehension Task Cards
Main Idea and Details Task Cards

Are you looking for a way that students can practice reading comprehension skills? These differentiated task cards allow your students to read a passage and answer questions based on their own reading level. They cover 36 different reading comprehension skills. These task cards are available in both digital and print and the answer keys are provided so students can check their own work. Simply print the task cards or assign them digitally and you are ready to go.

Main Idea Reading Comprehension Task Cards

Ways to use the reading comprehension task cards

  • As online digital task card activities
  • In small groups when focusing on a specific skill.
  • To reinforce skills during literacy centers.
  • In partner work.
  • As a game. Tape task cards around the room for kids to move around while practicing reading. Students will ‘work the room.’
  • For tutors to use in small groups.
  • As a review for standardized tests.
  • For a quick 5-minute time filler.
  • Perfect to leave for a substitute teacher.
  • Connect the task cards to any board game. If they answer the task card correctly, they move a space in the game.
  • Independent practice.
  • Hide them in the room as a scavenger hunt.
Task card recording sheets
Recording sheets for self-checking

There are a couple of options to choose from. Save the most money by purchasing The Reading Comprehension Task Card bundle, which includes all 36 reading comprehension skills listed below. The bundle has a total of 432 task cards on 3 different levels for a total of 1296 task cards!!! If you are needing a specific skill, they are also available for purchase individually. Each reading comprehension skill has 12 task cards each for basic, average and advanced levels. By clicking on each comprehension skill below, you will be taken to the individual link for purchase.

Reading comprehension skills taught

Interested in Reading Comprehension Lessons, check out this blog post: https://www.outofthisworldliteracy.com/free-reading-comprehension-lessons/

Upper Elementary Reading Comprehension Passages & Phonics

These reading comprehension passages use the Science of Reading to guide your instruction for students that need direct phonics instruction while integrating vocabulary and reading comprehension. Balanced Readers includes 180 custom-illustrated passages to help engage your students in age-appropriate stories while working on these reading comprehension skills weekly. Each passage has been professionally leveled by Lexile and has been correlated to F&P, AR, DRA, and the grade level equivalent.

Comprehension passages to teach phonics and vocabulary

Phonics Aligned to the Science of Reading

  • Research collected from The Science of Reading has led to a unanimous conclusion that in order for students to learn to read successfully, they require explicit, systematic, and cumulative phonics instruction. Based on the science, the 3 elements needed for phonics instruction are: a hands-on approach, moving from presentation to practice, and showing the direct application to reading and spelling.
  • The Reading Comprehension Passages are designed to specifically target the last 2 needed elements, according to The Science of Reading. Each passage offers a direct move from presentation to phonics practice.
  • Even more exciting, the phonics skills are directly implemented within the context of a reading passage, allowing students to move from learning phonics skills in word isolation to applying the skills inside the context of a larger passage to understand meaning and comprehension.
  • Balanced Readers are a tremendous help in transitioning young readers from practicing phonics skills in a hands-on, manipulative way, to practicing using their newly acquired phonics skills directly into the context of a reading passage so that they can read words with automaticity and ease, focusing on all their mental efforts on the main reason for reading, to comprehend and understand.

Follow the 4-day Reading Comprehension Quick Guide

  • Phonics and Vocabulary – Day 1
  • Comprehension – Day 2
  • Word Comprehension – Day 3
  • Suffixes and Tenses – Day 4
Reading comprehension quick guides
Easy 4-Day Reading Comprehension Guide

Guides also include suggested ways to teach and differentiate these reading comprehension passages with specific students including:

  • Whole Group
  • Guided Reading
  • Strategy Groups
  • Intervention Groups
  • Students with Dyslexia
  • English Language Learners

Order of Teaching Phonics

  • Keep in mind the specific needs of your students and use your own professional autonomy, benchmark assessments, and informal assessments when necessary to adjust the order of instruction. With that said, The Science of Reading recommends this general scope and sequence for teaching phonics skills:
  1. Short Vowels
  2. Long Vowel Pairs
  3. Magic – e
  4. Consonant Digraphs
  5. Consonant Blends
  6. Vowel Digraphs
  7. Vowel Diphthongs
  8. R-Controlled Vowels
  9. Special Consonant Patterns
Reading comprehension passages

Bundle and Save on Reading Comprehension Passages

Ready for engaging stories that your student will love with lessons that are done for you? Check out www.balancedreaders.com where you can purchase the passages individually, or buy the bundle to save money. While you are there, be sure to download the magic -e-freebie.

Also, be sure to check out this product in action for middle school by visiting middle school phonics instruction.

40 TEXT SUGGESTIONS PERFECT FOR ANY 3RD GRADER

*all links are affiliate

I get asked all the time what texts are perfect for each reading level. Here you will find a LARGE list of text suggestions for grades 3rd and 4th. 

LEVEL M FICTION

Chicken Sunday by Patrica Polacco

Chicken Sunday is a story filled with family values where a young Jewish Russian girl and her two African-American neighborhood friends devise a plan to raise money to buy the boys' grandmother a new Easter bonnet. It bridges racial and religious differences in a beautiful tale about building relationships.

Themes: Diversity, sacrifice, misunderstanding, and compassion

Alexandar, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst

In the story, Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday, Alexander receives a dollar from his grandparents that he plans to save, but he spends it all, a little at a time. This story is a great way to introduce and practice financial literacy skills.

Themes: Responsibilities, value of money, and control of impulses

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett

The tiny town of Chewandswallow was very much like any other tiny town—except for its weather which came three times a day, at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Life was delicious for the townspeople before the weather took a turn for the worst. 

Themes: Human and weather interactions, safety and security

Judy Moody Series by Megan McDonald (Chapter Books)

Judy Moody doesn't have high hopes for third grade. But she does have an abundance of individuality and attitude.

Themes: Individuality, feelings, friends, and family

The Beast in Ms. Rooney’s Room by Patricia Reilly Giff

Richard “Beast” Best is a struggling reader who is worried about being teased. He might have to repeat the same teacher and take a special reading class with “babies” like Emily Arrow and Matthew Jackson. Richard also can keep out of trouble. Luckily, he is placed in Mrs. Paris reading class who shows Richard that reading can be fun!

Themes: Friendship, self-reliance, and self-esteem 

LEVEL M INFORMATIONAL

Teeny Tiny Animals by Lexi Ryals

This adorable book about tiny animals is the cutest thing you’ve read all year. There are all sorts of itty bitty animals out there: dogs, pigs, frogs, lizards, and more! Each one is small enough to fit into the palm of your hand and cute enough to melt your heart.

The Picture History of Great Inventors by Gillian Clements

Follow the lives and work of over 50 major innovators as you set off on a journey from the earliest inventions in recorded history to the most recent developments in science and technology.

Saving Money by Dana Meachen Rau

A perfect book to pair with Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday, Saving Money focuses on the exploration of the history of coins, money, and finance. Dana Meachen Rau gives sound advice for safe and responsible handling of money. 

Giant Bulldozers by Jim Mesanotte

Giant Bulldozers presents information on massive industrial bulldozers, illustrated with photographs of different models towering over people and landscapes.

Ellis Island by Frances E. Ruffin

France E. Ruffin provides readers with many engaging text features such as maps and charts to increase understanding of Ellis Island. 

LEVEL N FICTION

Amber Brown Wants Extra Credit by Paula Danziger (Chapter Book Series)

No matter what Amber does, it isn’t enough. She straightens up her room, sort of. She does her homework, well, most of it. And she agrees to meet Max, her mother’s new boyfriend, but she doesn’t agree to like him. Amber continues to fall short, and now she is in deep trouble. All she wants is a little extra credit. She really tries … But how will she succeed?

Themes: Family relationships, divorce, seperate homes

The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling

Can you ever have too much of your favorite food? John Midas is about to find out! This unique twist on the legend of King Midas, John acquires a magical gift that turns his lips touch into chocolate! 

Themes: Greed, consequences 

My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett

My Father’s Dragon tells the story of when a young Elmer traveled to Wild Island to save a dragon hatchling. Elmer uses his creativity and quick thinking to complete his rescue mission.

Themes: Bravery, imagination

My Name is Maria Isabel by Alma Flor Ada

“For María Isabel Salazar López, the hardest thing about being the new girl in school is that the teacher doesn't call her by her real name. “We already have two Marías in this class,” says her teacher. “Why don't we call you Mary instead?” But María Isabel has been named for her Papá's mother and for Chabela, her beloved Puerto Rican grandmother. Can she find a way to make her teacher see that if she loses her name, she's lost the most important part of herself?”-Amazon

Themes: Racism, oppression, importance of names

The Talent Show from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler

Mrs. Green says everyone must perform in the talent show for exactly one minute in front of the whole school and their parents! Even though a talent show from the Black Lagoon would give any kid stage fright, with a little luck this performance might turn out to be fun!

LEVEL N INFORMATIONAL

Just a Few Words, Mr. Lincoln by Jean Fritz

A true story about a great man and his speech. 

George vs George: The American Revolution as Seen from Both Sides by Rosalyn Schanzer

There are two sides to every story. Follow along to learn about George Washington, the man who freed American colonies from the British, and George III, the British king who lost them. 

Basketball’s Greatest Players by S. A. Kramer

Basketball’s Great Players offers tons of facts about the best players in the game, what they are known for, and how they got their start. 

Dancing with Manatees by Faith McNulty

Examines the physical characteristics, behavior, and evolution of this gentle creature.

Mercury by Margaret J. Goldstein

The perfect book to add to your planet unit! An introduction to Mercury, describing its place in the solar system, its physical characteristics, its movement in space, and other facts about this planet.

LEVEL O FICTION

Class Clown by Johannah Hurwitz

Lucas Cott, the loudest boy in the third grade, struggles to change his ways when he decides to become the perfect student

Dirty Beasts by Roald Dahl

Dirty Beasts is a collection of poems about mischievous and mysterious animals. Roald Dahl wrote themes of animals and ‘beasts' – ranging from a giant toad and snail to a monster living in a boy's tummy. 

Henry and Ribsy by Beverly Cleary

Henry has a strong bond with his dog Ribsy, even if he is a trouble-maker. So when Henry asks his dad if he can go along on the big fishing trip, Mr. Huggins agrees, but on one condition: Henry must keep Ribsy out of trouble. Can Henry keep his promise?

Themes: Friendship, responsibility

Ramona Quimby Age 8 by Beverly Cleary

Although Ramona likes being counted on, she is starting to realize that getting older means more responsibilities. Mrs. Quimby is heading back to work so Mr. Quimby can return to school leaving Ramona with Mrs. Kemp. Ramona has to be brave enough to ride the school bus by herself. Oh, and  Danny the Yard Ape won’t stop teasing her!

Themes: Try your best, face your fears, be yourself

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm

Taking place during the Great Depression, Turtle is sent off to Key West, Florida to live with relatives she’s never met. Will the Florida sunshine bring Turtle out of her shell that she has spent her whole life building?

Themes: Love, loss, family, hopes, dreams

LEVEL O INFORMATIONAL

Armies of Ants by Walter Retan

Describes the physical characteristics, behavior, and habits of ants and discusses their ecological importance

Ugly Cute Animals by Gilda Berger

From bulldogs to sloths, lemurs to hippos, there are ugly cute animals all across the animal kingdom.  Ugle Cute Animals features large full-color photos with fun facts about each creature. Readers will get a kick out of silly creatures and the trendy phrase “ugly cute.”

Penguins by Jill Esbaum

In Explore My World Penguins, readers will learn about the delightful world of penguins: the extreme lengths they go to to care for their young and the relationship between baby penguins and their parents.

Everything Birds of Prey by Blake Hoena

From eagles to falcons and talons to beaks, Everything Birds of Prey introduces readers to the world's most ferocious fliers.

Animal Senses by Pamela Hickman

Animal Senses reveals the extraordinary ways animals sense their environment. Easy-to-do experiments and activities show kids how to compare animal senses to their own.

LEVEL P FICTION

Circle of Gold by Candy Dawson Boyd

The death of Mattie's father throws her entire family into hard times. As Mother's Day approaches, Mattie becomes determined to buy her mother a gold pin.

Themes: Dealing with loss

Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting

A homeless boy who lives in an airport with his father, moving from terminal to terminal trying not to be noticed, is given hope when a trapped bird finally finds its freedom.

Themes: Family, working through hard times

The Time Warp Trio (Series) by Jon Scieszka

Adventures of three boys–Joe, Sam, and Fred–who travel through time and space with the aid of a mysterious object known as “The Book”.

Themes: Adventure, friendship

Otis by Ellen Miles

“Someone has left Otis, an adorable tabby, all alone at the local community center. When Michael and Mia hear about the abandoned kitty, they volunteer to help. Otis is wary of strangers and scared of loud noises. His sad yowls keep the family up all night! Michael knows not just any owner will love this tentative tabby. Can he find Otis a forever home?”-Amazon

Themes: Pets, responsibility, solving problems

The Magic School Bus Inside the Human Body by Joanna Cole

Frizzle and her class are on the Magic School Bus headed for a museum. They have been studying how the body turns food into energy, and now they are going to see an exhibit on the human body. Things seem fine until they stop for lunch. A strange mishap causes the bus to shrink and then be swallowed!

LEVEL P INFORMATIONAL

Tut’s Mummy: Lost…and Found by Judy Donnelly

Readers will learn all about Howard Carter’s discovery of the Tomb and learn all about ancient Egyptian life. 

One Day in the Desert by Jean Craighead George

Follow along as a wounded mountain lion moves from his mountain habitat to a Papago Indian hut in Arizona’s Sonoran desert during a record-breaking July day. 

Laura Ingalls Wilder: Growing up in the Little House by Patricia Reilly Giff

Learn all about Laura Ingalls Wilder’s life, the creator behind the Little House books!

If You Lived at the TIme of Martin Luther King by Ellen Levine

This book tells you what it was like during the exciting era when Martin Luther King led the fight against segregation.

The Daring Escape of Ellen Craft by Cathy Moore

“On December 21, 1848, Ellen Craft and her husband, William, slipped out into the cold, dark night and took their first steps towards freedom. They were runaway slaves. Posing as a white man traveling with a slave, Ellen courageously boarded a train bound for Philadelphia. Could they actually make it a thousand miles without being discovered? As each tension-filled day passed and freedom got closer, Ellen and William risked everything – even death – to be free.”–Amazon

Happy teaching!

Jen & Hannah 

To see more literacy support visit jenbengel.com

Mentor Texts for Comprehension That Work for ANY Classroom

*All links are affiliated 

Here is a list of suggested mentor texts perfect for any classroom that focus on comprehension skills and strategies! 

Character Traits

My New Friend is So Fun!  by Mo Willems 

Readers compare how they are alike and different from characters so they can make connections.

The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf

The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson

Tension

Lon Po Po by Ed Young

Readers describe how the main characters act as tension rises so they can compare how they would have acted in the story.

Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey by Maira Kalman 

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by National Geographic Learning 

Cause and Effect

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Readers use the words ‘if’ and ‘then’ to describe cause and effect so they can make connections between events in a story.

Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts

One Plastic Bag by Alice McLerran

Finding Evidence

The Great Fire by Jim Murphy

Readers use evidence in the text to describe the mood so they can better understand how people in the text feel.

Harriet, You’ll Drive Me Wild!  By Mem Fox

My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother by  Patricia Polacco

Synthesizing 

Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran

Readers share their first thoughts about a book so they can think more deeply about each of their ideas

The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton

The Book of Bad Ideas by Laura Huliska-Beith

Theme

The Book Itch by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson (suggested for older grades) 

Readers consider all the reasons the author wrote a book so they can determine a theme.

Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting

One Green Apple by Eve Bunting

Wangari’s Tree of Peace by Jeanette Winter

Readers identify parts that describe the theme so they can judge how well the writer described the theme.

Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry

That Book Woman by Heather Henson

Questioning

The Invisible Boy by Patrice Barton

Readers ask questions about events in a story so they can think of other things that could have happened.

White Socks Only by Evelyn Coleman

The Three Questions by Jon J. Muth

Problem/Solution

The Adventures of Beekle the Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat

Readers identify the main problem so they can think of possible solutions.

The Monster at the end of this Book by Jon Stone

Fire on the Mountain by John N Maclean

Setting

Trombone Shorty by Troy Andrews

Readers look for words and phrases that describe the setting so they can picture it in their minds.

Four Feet, Two Sandals by Karen Lynn Williams

Pigs by My Incredible World

Compare and Contrast

Tight Times by Barbara Shook Hazen

Readers identify the traits of characters in a book so they can compare how they are alike and different.

Always in Trouble by Corinne Demas

Let me Finish! By Minh Lê

Metacognition 

What do you do with an Idea? By Kobi Yamada

Readers ask themselves questions so they can begin to understand how their mind’s think.

Mama Panya’s Pancakes by Mary Chamberlin

What Do You Do With a Problem? by Kobi Yamada

Main Idea and Details

Firefires by Mary R. Dunn

Readers identify main ideas so that they can think of key details the author could have included.

Max’s Words by Kate Banks

I Lost my Tooth in Africa by Baba Wague Diakite

Visualizing 

The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires

Readers form pictures in their minds as they read so that they can better understand the text.

Crow Call by Louis Lowery

That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown by Cressida Cowell

Analyzing 

The Lotus Seed by Sherry Garland

Readers identify the writer's best phrases or sentences so that they can analyze the writer’s style. 

The Old Woman Who Named Things by Cynthia Rylant

The Best Beekeeper of Lalibela by Cristina Kessler

Judging

Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson

Readers judge the topics from the text so they can support their judgments with reasons.

Malala by Sarah J. Robbins

Wilma Jean the Worry Machine by Julia Cook

Background Knowledge

My Name is Sangoel by Karen Williams

Readers describe what they know about settings so they can use their background knowledge during reading.

The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant

My Librarian is a Camel by Margriet Ruurs

Inferring

One Green Apple by Eve Bunting

Readers identify evidence in the text and what they already know so they can make inferences.


The Watering Hole by Jane and Christopher Kurtz 

Tuesday by David Wiesner

Summarizing

Queen of the Falls by Chris Van Allsburg

Readers summarize their opinions of a text so they can retell what they think of a text.

Ralph Tells a Story by Abby Hanlon

The Librarian of Basra  by Jeanette Winter

Making Connections

What Does it Mean to Be Present? By  Rana DiOrio

Readers identify strong phrases in a text so that they can make connections to the text.

Unlovable by Dan Yaccarino

Stephanie’s Ponytail by Robert Munsch

Grab this entire list and 60 mini lesson statements for FREE

We'd love to hear from you! Comment and share your favorite titles!

Don't forget to check out the last from outofthisworldliteracy.com

Happy teaching!

Jen & Hannah 

How to Fit Reading Intervention Into Your Middle School Routine

As a middle school reading intervention teacher, I see tons of students and have little time to work with each group. Most of my middle school students (6-8) are reading 2-3 years below grade level. Many struggle with decoding too. With 43-minute classes and nearing the end of the school year, I am wanting my students to practice as many skills as possible in texts where they feel 100% successful. 

How do I group my students? 

It is important to remember that intervention groups should always be fluid. Meaning students move in and out of groups based on similar needs. Additionally, I pay close attention to who works well together and who doesn’t. There is nothing worse than when a group gets nothing done because two students butt heads the entire time. 

How do you choose what skills to focus on?

Since most of my students have MANY skills that need additional support, I try and start with the most important. In middle school, students are expected to infer, draw conclusions, and synthesize all the time. I start here. Students can practice each skill by identifying character traits, setting, understanding character motivations, author’s point of view and perspective, and even author word choice. Honestly, my students can work on the four skills for weeks on end. My goal is that they see how important each skill is and why authors leave out specific information. 

Part of my required lessons is decoding and building grade-level vocabulary knowledge. Many of my students lack the ability to decode 3+ syllable words and have limited strategies to do so. This is another aspect of my guided reading and center work. This can easily be embedded in any reading mini-lesson. I simply have a whiteboard, a couple of sensory poppers, and work through vocabulary already identified in Jen’s Digital Small Groups. Not only are we reinforcing what they have been learning all year but we are using the decoding strategies in context. 

How do I organize my intervention centers?

Small groups or intervention groups should be quick and focused. With 43-minute classes, my students work on tasks for 12 minutes at a time. My centers include

-Comprehension

-Vocabulary

-Guided Practice

Students are allowed to work together or work independently in each center. It is important to give some choice when it comes to required work. The more our students feel in control, the more motivated they are to complete the task. I created a center rotation chart and projected it on the screen. It keeps me and the students organized. 

What materials do I use in each center?

I owned tons of Jen’s resources and have for many years. Thank goodness for the membership as it allows me to have access to EVERYTHING. If you want to learn more about the OOTWL Membership, click here. 

Comprehension Station

One of my ride-or-die resources is Jen’s Intervention Passages. You can use this resource for literally EVERYTHING. For center work, I use it to monitor comprehension, context clue skills, and word work practice. I typically break it up into manageable sections. 

Day 1: Read the story and complete Comprehension Questions

Day 2: Reread and complete Word Work

Day 3: Reread and work on Vocabulary

Comprehension station

Yes, there are days students work ahead and that is okay. As long as they move to independent reading after and do not bug other students. 

I choose a text set that is at their independent level. It is important the students feel successful the second they enter the text. This way, I know they can complete it by themselves and not ask me for help every 2 seconds. 

Vocabulary Station

Jen has SO MANY awesome vocabulary resources. One that I have been recently obsessed with is her Vocabulary Passages. Grades 2-8th are available! 

vocabulary passages

What I appreciate about this resource the most is each passage targets 3 vocabulary words within fiction and informational texts. Each text is high-interest and it really helps teachers see if students have developed grade-level context clue skills. Each text requires students to define each word, identify supporting sentences, and have a chance to connect each word to their lives. This helps make sure the words stick! 

Guided Reading

I am a firm believer in guided reading in middle school classrooms. For many years, I taught 6th grade and I made sure my ELA block had time carved out for guided practice. There are so many moving parts in a classroom and it is so nice to sit and learn along with a small group of students. Recently, I have been using Digital Small Groups Reading Lessons. My current students need targeted practice and this resource does just that. Each passage focuses on a target skill, word work, and provides a spot for students to personally connect to the text. 

My 7th and 8th graders use the Advanced Level passages for both fiction and informational. The vocabulary and skill focus is perfect for what they are working on in my class. What I love most about this resource is that it provides an opportunity to practice the target skill in their choice books. This way you get instant data on what students can do independently. 

You're an intervention teacher, so how would this look in a general ed middle school classroom?

Most middle school ELA/Reading classrooms run anywhere between 40-90 minutes. When I was teaching 6th grade ELA I would spend the first 15 minutes in a mini-lesson. The mini-lesson would be focused on reading skills or strategies. Then, students would move into centers.

Centers should run between 12-15 minutes. This is a time for students to show their progress towards the lesson goal. Whether they are working on carefully selected texts or independently reading, you will be able to gather such valuable data. Typically, I have 4-5 stations students work through. These centers include…

-Independent Reading: Allow kids to read books for fun with no strings attached

-Word Work/Vocabulary: Students practice and work on our weekly vocabulary. You can find 6th grade’s vocabulary curriculum here and 7th grade’s here. Literally, this vocabulary curriculum is LIFE CHANGING.

-Weekly Skill/Strategy Practice: This center focused on what the students were learning about that particular week. Jen has a plethora of resources you can use for this, including the Intervention Passages mentioned above. This way you can provide students with work that is right at their level. Don’t forget Jen has Comprehension Centers and Comprehension Passages that would also work perfectly for this center. 

-Guided Reading: As mentioned before, this is a time to really target a student's specific needs. Whether students are struggling with comprehension skills/strategies or need extra support with phonics, Jen has you covered. Be sure to check out my recent blog post all about middle school phonics interventions!

Feeling overwhelmed with all of these amazing resources at your fingertips? Be sure to check out Jen’s FREE curriculum guide. This will help you organize your daily schedule using all things Out of this World Literacy! 

We'd love to hear from you! Comment below on how these resources have made a difference in your classroom!

Happy teaching!

Jen & Hannah 

7 FREE At-Home Reading Activities

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD NOW

Hello There!

I know many parents have been thrust into the homeschool world and I wanted to put something together that will help.

  My name is Jen Bengel and I am the owner and founder of Out of This World Literacy,™ an educational company providing literacy curricula for students in all grade levels.

  I have a post-graduate degree as a Literacy Collaborative Coordinator and have worked for years, training teachers around the world.

For that past 6 years, I’ve also had the honor of being a homeschool mom, so I know firsthand the situation you’re in!

  I put together this pack of reading fun in hopes that it will relieve some stress and pressure at home.  My hope is that you and your child(ren) have FUN and develop a lifelong love of reading, all while continuing to practice the reading skill your child(ren) has worked so hard to learn this year.

  The goal is not to teach a ton of new skills, rather the goal is to maintain reading stamina and skills already learned, all while continuing to enjoy reading.

What is Included:

  • Step-by-step simple directions to easily use this resource.
  • 5 ways to read any text at home.
  • 7 fun and simple reading activities to do at home.

IF YOU NEED MORE FREE SUPPORT…(click any of the images)

Literacy Work – 3 Free Weeks of Take-Home Resources

Is your school closing for a few weeks? Do you need digital or printable support to send home to your parents and students? I've put together 3 weeks of everything students need to maintain their literacy skills so they can return to school without missing a beat!

THE WORKBOOKS ARE BROKEN INTO 3 LEVELS:


1️⃣ Basic: students working at a grade 1-2 level

2️⃣ Intermediate: students working at a grade 3-4 level

3️⃣ Advanced: students working at a 5-8 grade level

CLICK ANY OF THE IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD FOR FREE NOW:

DOWNLOAD NOW
DOWNLOAD NOW
DOWNLOAD NOW

As both a Literacy Collaborative Coordinator and a homeschool mom of 6 years myself, I know the struggles that can come with not having the correct support at home.  My hope is that these packets will relieve some stress for you, the parents, and your students.

If you already use OOTWL resources, your students will be familiar with the work in the literacy workbooks.  They'll be able to be successful at home while practicing their literacy skills.

*** The goal of these packets is not to have students or parents stress at home, but to maintain all the reading, writing, language, and vocabulary skills you've built throughout the year.  

Feel free to send home just a few parts of these packets or the entire resource.  There is also a digital version you can send home if your families are able to use Google Classroom

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN EACH LITERACY WORKBOOK:


1️⃣ 3 weeks of reading comprehension and writing work.

2️⃣ Writing activities to maintain writing stamina at home

3️⃣ 3 weeks of grammar or phonics practice

4️⃣ 3 weeks of direct vocabulary practice

5️⃣ A daily scheduling guide for at-home learning

6️⃣ Answer Keys

7️⃣ Google Classroom Digital Version

SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER:
✔️ The average classroom has students that are reading at 5 different grade levels.
✔️ Consider sending home the literacy workbook that meets each individual student at his/her level, regardless of the grade they are in.
✔️ For example, if you are teaching 5th grade and have a group of students reading at a 2nd-grade level, send them home with the basic workbook.
✔️ We do NOT want our students to go home with work that is frustrational for them.  We want them to maintain their reading progress without feeling overwhelmed.  We want them successful at home.
✔️ With that said, you may find yourself needing to download all three workbooks to meet the levels of your diverse readers, and that it TOTALLY okay!

I hope this helps alleviate some of the stress that may have come during this time.  

I also hope you can find some time to relax and recharge before going back to school in a few weeks.

Stay safe and stay healthy friends!!

All my best,
Jen

Try Readers Theater for FREE!

Do you use readers theater in your classroom? They are such a great way to:

  • Increase reading fluency
  • Integrate social studies and science topics
  • Build reading stamina
  • Gain reading confidence
  • Learn to work as a team
  • Gain confidence in front of an audience
  • Practice repeated reading
  • Have fun!

I'd love to give you a FREE set of 3 scripts! Simply click the links or images below to grab your free scripts now!

FREE Scripts for Grades 2-3

FREE Scripts for Grades 5-7

A Free Week of Morning Work!

If you're looking for a quick review of comprehension skills, then this is a great opportunity for you to try a free week of daily reading morning work!

TRY GRADE 1 FOR FREE

TRY GRADES 2-3 FOR FREE

TRY GRADES 4-5 FOR FREE

If you're looking for a quick review of comprehension skills, then this is a great opportunity for you to try a free week of daily reading morning work!

This is an exciting daily reading practice resource that supports:

• Learning about diversity

• Growth Mindset skills that build empathy

• Daily reading comprehension practice• Differentiated learning

Each Half Pages Includes:

• An ‘I Can’ statement with a helpful reading comprehension reminder.

• An original story for each week. Stories are broken into 5 sections, so that students read a different part of the story each day of the week.

• A custom illustration to match each day.

• A challenge activity.

• A ‘Pro Tip’ for students to think deeper about the comprehension focus

• Two multiple choice questions about the passage that are related to the mini lesson focus statement.

• One open-ended question about the comprehension skill.

Ideas for Using the Daily Comprehension Practice:

• Use them as bell work at the beginning of the school day.

• Use them as a warm-up to reading during your reading workshop.

• Use them as ‘exit slips’ at the end of the school day or reading workshop.• Place them in a literacy center for comprehension.

• Use them in guided reading as a quick warm-up to the lesson.• Send them home for extra practice and support!

• Have students work in partners or small groups to complete the daily work.

• Use them for tutoring.

• And any other way you see this working for your unique schedule and student needs!

Grab Your Free Week Now!

TRY GRADE 1 FOR FREE

TRY GRADES 2-3 FOR FREE

TRY GRADES 4-5 FOR FREE

READERS THEATER – CHECK OUT WHAT TEACHERS HAVE TO SAY

Have you used Readers Theater? Shauna is a third-grade teacher in Texas. This is what she had to say about implementing Readers Theater into her very own classroom: 

“At our school, we are required to integrate social studies into language arts. One way I found to do this is with Readers Theater. We are in the middle of an economics project-based learning. I found the economics Readers Theater to be just perfect. My class was so excited to try these and had a blast doing them. Over the course of the week, we learned about such things as goods and services, wants and needs, supply and demand, opportunity cost and being a responsible consumer, all through this Readers Theater. I literally had cheers each day when I would tell them it was time for reader's theater.

What I really liked was the collaborative work that took place among the groups. Each Readers Theater is differentiated. I split my class into 3 groups and had them teach the class about their topic through the scripted play. As the students practiced their lines, there are also included discussion questions to guide their learning. They loved presenting to the rest of the class. This is a great way to get listening and speaking grades too. After they finished, they completed a true/false exam. I love this because they take the test before they read the script and after too, so you can see the learning that takes place. They can also do additional lists that are differentiated with each play. All of this is included in Readers Theater. Go check them out NOW!!!”

Take a look at the Readers Theaters in action!

Readers Theater collaborationReaders Theater responsereaders theater response

If you love to integrate fun and collaborative lessons in your class,  this is a great resource for you! This resource is SUPER special because it includes EVERYTHING you need to have a successful Readers Theater experience with your class and allows you to put into practice everything you've seen here today. You can check out all my Readers Theaters HERE!!

Get Ready for 12 Days of Christmas Fun!

Post ID#6277 is not a valid giveaway.

With the holidays right around the corner, I wanted to send some gifts to you…

and say a big thank you to all the amazing work you are doing with students each and every day.  There is no end to the impact you have on each child's life.

Just yesterday I was in the Target self-checkout line with mounds of Lego and Nerf toys for my boys when I heard an excited, “MRS. BENGEL!?” from behind.

You know that sound!?  It can only come from a former student.  I spun around to see one of my beautiful little 3rd graders all grown up and eager to tell me about what's happening in her life.  She was ecstatic I remembered her name…of course I did! lol

But, for real, those moments are a treasured reminder of all the hard work teachers put in day after day, conversation after conversation.

So, to say thank YOU for all your hard work, please enjoy these 12 days of Christmas gifts!!

How to Receive Your Gifts:

  1. Join the newsletter by clicking HERE (it's totally free and easy to do)
    • If you are already on the newsletter list, you don't need to do anything!
  2. Watch for an email every morning from December 25-January 5
    • If you use a school email, the emails may be blocked.  I recommend a home email.
    • If you have trouble finding the email, check your junk folder too!

I wish you all a very Happy Holidays!!

Jen

Everything You Need to Know About Reader’s Theaters

Hello! Today I wanted to take some time to discuss what exactly are reader’s theaters and some of the roles that go along with them.  Reader’s theaters have evolved and moved from theatre classes and into everyday literacy instruction for young students. 

Reader’s theaters are a fun and creative way to get students involved in listening, speaking, and reading!  They create not only a fun environment in the classroom but a sense of collaboration and community.  Here’s everything you need to know about reader's theater!

Two or more people read a brief piece of writing from a script, assuming the roles of particular characters. So in reader’s theaters, there will always be at least be two characters, but most of the time even more! These students will have their script and their assigned character from that script and will read each part when it's his/her time. 

Reader’s theater may be performed in a variety of ways for an audience. You can be as creative as you want with this!  The great thing about them is you can go over the top with props and actions, or simply just read the script normally and both ways are still super effective and engaging with the students.  Essentially, you can spend one day on a script, or several days planning a more formal presentation.

Reader’s theaters are NOT memorized and don't have to necessarily be acted out.  Students don't have to worry about memorizing lines or parts, they simply just read off of a script.  The voices are the main focus of the reader’s theater.  Actions can enhance a particular meaning but the student's voices reading the scripts carry the most weight. 

You can always assign roles earlier and send home scripts.  This allows students to really practice their roles and will cause them to really want to bring their best.  The more invested the students are, the more exciting and effective the reader’s theater presentation will be. 

And lastly, reader’s theaters are fast paced and fun!  Your students will love being thrown into these roles and acting out different characters.  Other students will enjoy hearing these stories being read to them by fellow classmates!  It's great for all students. 

So we’ve discussed what reader’s theaters are, now what are some of the roles students will play in them?  

The Narrator:

The narrator's responsibility is to read the neutral and descriptive parts of the script.  The teacher can be the narrator or if you wish.  The role of the narrator often has more lines than other roles.  Sometimes there are 2 or 3 different narrators to break up the lines. 

Characters in the Script:

The next roles to be filled in reader’s theaters are the characters inside the script themselves. The teacher assigns individual students to read specific dialogue from the characters.  Students love to read out these characters dialogue and will have fun doing it with their classmates.  Most scripts include different levels of difficulty.  There can be basic, average, or advanced character roles.

Group Roles:

The great thing about readers theatre is that not only will certain students be involved, but the whole class will be apart of them!  With group roles, all students can be assigned to read aloud in unison or just the boys/girls can be assigned to one part.  This invites the entire classroom to be engaged and bought in, rather than just the main characters. 

I hope this has really helped you understand what a reader’s theater is and some of the roles that come along with it. Reader’s theaters are a great and fun way to teach literacy.  In my next blog, I'll go over 15 benefits that come from readers theaters.  If you would like to see all of my reader's theatre scripts available, you can check those out at readertheater.com 

*CLIPART FROM A SKETCHY GUY. VIEW HIS STORE AT HTTPS://WWW.TEACHERSPAYTEACHERS.COM/STORE/A-SKETCHY-GUY

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Happy teaching!
Jen

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See what’s new on Pinterest
To see more literacy support visit jenbengel.com

Vocabulary – 5 Reasons to Teach It Each Week

Hello there!

It's Jen Bengel here from Out of this World Literacy. If you’ve ever wondered why students are not retaining new vocabulary words that you read to them, it may be because they need more than to listen to books with great vocabulary. They need direct vocabulary instruction.  This is true for all students but its especially true for our students learning English as a second language. There are so many words in the English language and each word has its own meaning. There are several layers of meaning to words meanings too. Today let’s think about 5 big reasons why taking just 15 minutes a day to intentionally teaching vocabulary is so critical for our students.

1. Attention to vocabulary in a consistent curriculum will result in an increase in a students’ verbal functioning. It's not enough to read books to our students that have a really rich vocabulary in them. That's great, but they actually need direct instruction and how to take those words out of that book and apply them into their own lives.

2.  In order for students to use and understand words in the context of reading and writing, it will require robust instruction. They require examples of those words; they require us to be thinking outside of just the context of a book.

3. “Students need to develop an interest in and an awareness of words in order to adequately build their vocabulary repertoires.” That quote comes from Beck, Mckeown, and Kukan from “Bringing Words to Life”. This is a really great quote because they really need to be interested in these words. They can't just hear them, they have to be interested in, build an awareness of them, and really understand them to be able to add them into their vocabulary banks.

4. Once they begin becoming interested in these words students begin to own words and apply them to all aspects of their daily lives. When you start teaching instruction in a very intentional way you’ll actually see and hear your student using the words. They’ll use them in their oral language when they're talking to there friends. They'll use them for writing as writers.

5. The last reason to teach vocabulary intentionally each week is to develop a lifelong love of words through lively and fun daily instruction with the students. Once you begin to teach vocabulary intentionally each week, students will begin to fall in love with these words and only will want to learn more.

I hope these five big reasons for teaching vocabulary in your classroom help you think more deeply about the value and importance of a direct vocabulary instruction curriculum. If you teach in grades 3 – 6 and would like to try a free week of vocabulary instruction that has all the planning done for you and takes just 15 minutes a day click here!

If you enjoyed today's lesson you can find this post and many more on iTunes, Spotify, or Alexa Briefings. Click here to listen!

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Happy teaching!
Jen

Follow me on Facebook
Join me on Instagram {@jenbengel5}
See what’s new on Pinterest
To see more literacy support visit jenbengel.com

Free Reading Comprehension Lessons!

Free Reading Comprehension Lessons!

How about a little quiz?

  1. Do you teach reading in grades 2-6?   yes   no
  2. Do you teach a reading skill to your class one day, and they totally forget it the next day?   yes   no
  3. Do you struggle seeing students transition what they learned in a lesson to their own independent work?  yes   no
  4. Have you wondered if there is a better system to get kids mastering reading skills?   yes   no

If you said yes to any of these questions then keep reading!

It's one thing to teach a mini lesson with a comprehension skill and move on.

but…

It's a totally different thing to follow a systematic, best practice approach to teaching reading comprehension skill!

Try 5 Lessons for Free!

If you would like to try out the following steps to teach skills to mastery then click the banner below!

***In the free download, you'll receive 5 lessons that include all of the above steps.

There is one lesson for each skill in this free download:

  1. Summarizing
  2. Understanding Characters
  3. Inferring
  4. Cause and Effect
  5. Metacognition

I hope you enjoy your free lessons!

 

Happy Teaching!

Jen

Try Reading Interventions for Free!

Hello there teacher friends!

Do you work with readers at multiple reading abilities and need to find resources that meet each student at his/her instructional levels?

Let me show you the research-based Reading Interventions Program and offer you a FREE SAMPLE in EVERY LEVEL RANGE!!! 

Not sure which Reading Intervention level ranges you need?

Use this chart as a guide!

The daily intervention lessons contain extra practice with:

  1. Reading Fluency
  2. Comprehension (with weekly targeted skills)
  3. Word Work (with weekly targeted skills)
  4. Vocabulary (5 daily vocab. Words in every passage)

The intervention program is flexibly designed to be used either…

  1. One-on-one with teacher
  2. Independently during an intervention time
  3. With a partner, tutor, or school volunteer (the students and teacher pages include clear directions for an aide, volunteer, or even older student to administer the intervention.)
  4. In a small guided group
  5. In a home school setting
  6. Tier 2 or Tier 3 interventions
  7. During guided reading
  8. Advanced interventions
  9. Daily partner reading
  10. Literacy center work
  11. As daily reading homework

Each Set of 20 Passages Includes…

  1. 1.20 original passages at the ability level of the range it covers.
    • There are 7 ranges (A-D, E-G, H-K, L-P, Q-T, U-W, & X-Z)
    • Each range includes 5 sets of 20 passages for a total of 100 passages in every range.
  2. Reading passages in 4 different student-friendly formats
    • 2 versions of all the components on one page (the passage, comprehension, word work, and vocabulary).
    • a version with just the passage.
    • a version with blank word work to incorporate differentiated versions.
    • a timed 1-minute fluency version.
  3. Teacher/tutor fluency page with clear directions, running record with word count, and space for scoring fluency skills.
  4. Targeted Comprehension questions for each passage.
  5. Targeted Word Work activities for each passage.
  6. 5 Bolded vocabulary in each passage, with space for students to define each word. (2 words in the A-D range.)
  7. Teacher/tutor comprehension, word work, and vocabulary instruction pages with space to collect data and additional comprehension questions for guided instruction.
  8. Progress monitoring pages for teachers/tutors to track student growth with fluency, comprehension, word work, and vocabulary.

The BIG Questions Answered!

Since many teachers are using the program, the same types of questions come up…

  1. Why are the passages in a level range?
  2. How do I know which range to use?
  3. Is this research-based?
  4. Is this evidence-based?
  5. How did you come up with the level?

All these questions and more are answered in this free informational resource:

Happy Teaching!

Jen

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Reading Goals – A Quick Guide to Setting Goals

I don't know about you, but I want my students to be reading goal setters!

Why Set Reading Goals?

Great question!  Setting reading goals helps students.

  • Read with intention and purpose
  • Practice a specific reading skill
  • Become reflective thinkers
  • Develop a clearer understanding of reading
  • Build confidence as readers
  • Feel a sense of accomplishment

5 Steps to Setting Reading Goals

  1. Think about how you can help students become self-reflective on what they are good at as readers and what they need to work on.
  2. Help readers think deeply about what they would like to improve on next.
  3. Invite students into a class discussion about setting goals.
  4. After the discussion, introduce the Reading Goal Setter form and have students complete this on their own.
  5. As they are working on writing out their goals, you can even have them do a quick video recording, articulating and documenting their goals!  Display goals clearly as a daily reminder.

reading goals

What happens next?

  1. Take a look at each student's reading goals from the Reading Goal Setter form.
  2. Compare their goals with the data you have collected on them as readers.
  3. Form a plan of instruction to support students in their reading goals.  This could look like many things, including…
    • Create small groups based of goals.
    • Partner students up with similar goals.
    • Create a literature circle around a similar goal.
    • Develop clear guided reading lesson based on your students goals.
    • Create opportunities for students to discuss their goals and how they feel they're doing.
I hope you found this post helpful.  Don't forget to download the free Reading Goal Setter form.

For more literacy resources, visit jenbengel.com

Happy Teaching!

Jen

How to Use Interventions In Literacy Centers

Are you looking to ensure your literacy centers are a time where ALL students are working on reading skills at their instructional levels?

Check out how you can implement The Reading Intervention Program into your literacy centers!  

STEP ONE:  Pick a reading focus.

I like to set up literacy centers so that I have students focusing on one of the 4 main reading skills, fluency, comprehension, word work, or vocabulary.  You can choose to set up just one center, or 4 centers with an individual focus for each one.

STEP TWO: Set up the Centers.

  1. Use the center direction pages in this Free Download to display the routine for each center.
  2. Print intervention passages on different colored paper so that they are differentiated.  This way you can tell the kids to choose passages on green paper to read (for example) without have the level ranges for everyone to see.
  3. Print any extension activities you would like the students to use at each station.

For example:

Green paper: Level E-G passages

Orange paper: Level H-K passages

Yellow paper: Level L-P passage

STEP THREE: Practice and Model each Center.

Before sending kids to try out the centers on their own, practice, practice, practice.  You can spend a day showing students what is expected of them at each center.  That way, there will be no excuse for the centers to run smoothly!

THAT'S IT!  I hope you and your student enjoy using The Reading Intervention Program and can implement them into your literacy centers!

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