Rogers Public Schools 2010-2011 S. Hensley

First Grade Small Group Instruction with Gretchen Childs

Nov. 8- 12, 2010 Gretchen met first grade teacher Frankie Howe Monday morning. Mrs. Howe shared information about a group of six students. Together, Gretchen and the observing first grade teachers planned a small group lesson based on the needs of the students. Gretchen met her new small group of first graders. They worked together for four consecutive days. Each day Mrs. Howe, Gretchen and the observing teachers reviewed the student data and planned a new lesson, always based on student need. Lesson Focus: Day 1- retelling using vocabulary- Nests Level 6 Day 2- sequencing- Ben’s Teddy Bear Level 6 Day 3 –sequencing- Father Bear Goes Fishing Level 6 Day 4 –summary- The Cookie Problem Level 6 (By the last day, it was evident that the group had split into two groups. Three students were ready to move on to Level 8 books and the remaining three needed some more work at level 6) When the lesson was over a debriefing “what did you notice?” conversation took place. Teachers shared observations and reflections.

Big Ideas from planning and debriefing sessions:

Whole group instruction is driven by CURRICULUM

Small group instruction is driven by STUDENT DATA

Rogers Public Schools 2010-2011 S. Hensley

Planning for Guided Reading It is difficult to plan guided reading for an entire week- it is more effective if you reflect

immediately at the end of a lesson and choose a focus for the next time you meet with that group.

1. Choose one focus based on student data (see Flexible Small Groups Folder pg. 170- 174)

2. Select a book that supports the focus- READ THE BOOK

Students need a new text with each lesson/focus (with a few exceptions)

o The goal is to read with deep comprehension every time you read

o If it is a longer text, select a section that could be read in approximately 10 minutes that supports the focus. The

book may take several days to complete. Do not give it to students to put in their browsing box until it has been

completed in small group. (Small Group instruction is not the place to build reading stamina.)

The purpose of guided reading is NOT to read all the words in a text, but to read strategically. Teach the student not the

text. Book levels are there to remind us of the strategies- the text is a place to support strategies.

3. Use a lesson plan sheet to write the plan for the small group

(Gretchen used a planning sheet she created based on pg. 166 Making the Most of Small Groups)

o Plan for:

o Before Reading (5 minutes)

Book intro

Set comprehension purpose for reading (even if the focus of the lesson in not comprehension)

o During Reading (10 minutes)

Record possible prompts that would support the focus of the lesson

o After Reading (5 minutes)

Record questions that support the purpose for reading

Remember to provide feedback to each student at the end of the lesson based on evidence of good

reading behaviors

Rogers Public Schools 2010-2011 S. Hensley

APPENDIXES C-G contain:

Possible focuses for lessons

Planning sheets

Grouping folders

Prompts

Whole group lessons

Anecdotal Records One suggested method: (pg. 23-24 Making the Most of Small Groups)

Use an index card for each student in the group.

Write the student’s name at the top of the card

Record the date and one observation about each student during or after the small group

Once the card is full, file it in an index card box

Review cards to see:

o Progress over time

o RTI documentation

o Trends in learning

Electronic copy of appendix pages available at:

www.stenhouse.com/appendixes.htm

Rogers Public Schools 2010-2011 S. Hensley

Small Group Information Sheet 1st Grade Howe

Student Name Reading Level Strengths Areas of Concern

Diego

4 Can track print and read known sight words.

Predicting, retelling and sounding out unknown words. Relies a lot on what others are saying and reading.

Katherine

4 *Small group with Teacher and in Reading Recovery.

Can track print and read known sight words.

Very quite. Doesn’t discuss the book. Worried about getting a wrong answer. Not confident with her reading. Relies a lot on what others are saying and reading.

Ricky

4 *Small group with Teacher and in Reading Recovery.

Good at retelling and making predictions.

Tries to read too quickly. What do punctuation marks tell us?

Daniela

6 Sounds out words, uses picture clues, and predicts what is going to happen during picture walk.

Working on applying the skills she knows consistently.

Julian

6 Takes his time, uses pictures clues and sounds out words he does not know.

Worries a lot about what others around him are doing or saying. Focuses more on their reading.

River

6 Knows lots of words and is good at sounding out words. Great CAP skills. Good at retelling.

Tries to read too quickly and does a lot of substitutions for sight words he knows.

Rogers Public Schools 2010-2011 S. Hensley

Rogers Public Schools 2010-2011 S. Hensley

Rogers Public Schools 2010-2011 S. Hensley

Rogers Public Schools 2010-2011 S. Hensley