1. Launching Strong Reading Habits

Fourth graders are welcomed into their reading workshop with an invitation to show off their knowledge, talent and energy for reading. These readers are reading P/Q reading levels or higher and will have to think about the kind of reader they are and want to be as they establish themselves inside their new reading community.

Concept 1 will ask Fourth graders to think of the habits they bring to reading and the habits they want to create to strengthen their reading and make their reading community and their own personal reading growth the best it can be. Creating long term and short term personal reading goals, choosing just right text, and assisting the reading community meet and exceed classroom stamina goals will show readers the habits necessary for success. This concept also demonstrates for readers the need to read at a pace which allows for the greatest number of pages to be read, while still seeing the text in mind and understanding all that has been read.

Concept 2 asks readers to understand that every bit of text they read is important to their understanding. Readers will enhance their strategies to clear confusion by stopping, rereading, and taking the time to figure out unfamiliar words while still envisioning the text and keeping their appropriate pace. Readers will think about their attitudes towards reading and the teaching hopes to influence a growth mindset where readers come to the work seeing its importance and the need to read many books across their days and weeks.

Concept 3 organizes readers into like-level partnerships. Readers reading the same or about the same levels, will be paired for thinking and conversation. Part of this thinking uses readers’ previous work with retelling to lift comprehension and conversation by teaching readers to summarize with the author’s message in mind. Readers learn to care for their partner by coming prepared to partnerships, listening well, and keeping an open mind. They will come to see that a reading partner is an important person in life, as partners help each other gain reading stamina and focus. Partners will not read aloud to each other except to prove a point or take their partner back to a page to clear confusion. Choral, echo and reading page by page together aloud are abandoned to allow readers more time for thinking and talking. At these levels, it is more important that readers learn to read silently to themselves during independent reading and read aloud only when needed in partnership, given their conversation or plans. Partners will push each other to think about strong habits needed to be strong readers. Looking at reading logs, sharing books read and noticing changes in each other over time will help partnerships bond; building a strong working relationship that will move into the next unit of study.

The unit, like all units, ends with a celebration in session 16. Empowering readers to reflect on ways they have changed as readers in short time is suggested. There certainly could be other ways to celebrate based on the culture built within the reading community and teachers should feel free to celebrate in different ways based on their insights of readers.

Differentiating by reviewing the K-3 units, may be helpful dependent on levels of readers.

While the information contained here is not related to Unit Level Standards, important information related to UDL is included for your reference.

What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?

UDL is a research-based framework that focuses on proactive design and delivery of curriculum, instruction and assessment. UDL provides opportunities for every student to learn and show what they know, with high expectations for all learners.

Each student learns in a unique manner so a one-size-fits-all approach is not effective. UDL principles create options for how instruction is presented, how students express their ideas, and how teachers can engage students in their learning. (NY DOE)

© CAST, 2013

UDL
Universal Design for Learning

1. How do readers have strong habits inside a reading life?
2. How do readers know text is important?
3. How do readers read with and learn from other readers?

Concept I: Readers have strong habits inside a reading life

Session 1 Readers create strong habits to make their reading the best it can be

Session 2 Readers create goals for their reading that are important and realistic

Session 3 Readers choose just-right books so they can be strong readers

Session 4 Readers determine a goal for words/pages read

Session 5 Readers pay attention to the pace of their reading to read as much as they can

Session 6 Readers see the story in their mind as they read to understand what they have read

Concept II Readers know text is important

Session 7 Readers stop, reread and think to clear up confusion

Session 8 Readers take the time to figure out unfamiliar words and keep on reading

Session 9 Readers see a movie in their mind to keep track of what is happening in their text

Session 10 Readers choose their attitude towards reading

Session 11 Readers keep a stack of books beside them

Concept III Readers read with and learn from other readers

Session 12 Readers share their reading habits with other readers

Session 13 Readers talk to their partners about the books they have read

Session 14 Readers summarize the text and think about the author’s message to talk with others

Session 15 Readers listen to others with open minds

Session 16 Celebration: Readers reflect on ways they’ve they have changed as readers