Growing Fluency Design

Growing Fluent with Lucky Ducky

 

Rationale: To be a good and successful reader, one must learn how to read automatically, fluently, and consistently. Fluent reading is needed so we can become better at comprehending, expressing ourselves, and get faster at reading. Instead of focusing on decoding every single word, students who read fluently will reflect on what they are reading and understand it well. Through practicing reading, decoding, crosschecking, mental marking, and rereading, students will become more confident in the skills at reading and improve at reading all together.

Materials:

1. stopwatch or timer material for every pair of students

2. reading checklist for each student

3. Coverup critters for each student (a popsicle stick with two googly eyes works)

4. Lucky Ducky by: Dureen Mulryan (A copy for each student)

5. Fluency Checklist for Each student

Fluency Checklist

Partner's Name: ______________________________

 After 2nd Reading _________ _________

 

 

After3rdReading _________ _________

 

Remembered more words

 Read faster
Read smoother
Read with expression

Time: (Words x 60) / seconds = WPM ​0----10----20----30----40----50----60----70----80----90----100 Correct Words Per Minute

 

 

6. “This is Ducky he is Lucky” and “Dave the duck cheered, playing in the rain! “ written on strips of paper or the board.

 

 

Procedure:

 

1. Begin the lesson by saying, "Alright everyone, today we will be learning about how we can become fluent readers. Does anyone know what the word fluent means? (Wait for response). When we are fluent readers, we are able to recognize words automatically, which means we don't have to stop our reading to think about each word. To be a fluent reader means we begin to read quickly, without stumbling, and with expression (not like a robot- you can say this in a robot voice). When we are fluent while we read, we are better able to understand and comprehend what we read, making our reading more enjoyable. Also, when we read out loud to others and our reading is fluent, our stories are more enjoyable for others and it is easier for them to understand.”

 

1.  Say: “Now let's look at a sentence written on the board: “This is Ducky he is Lucky ” now everyone listen very closely. I want you to tell me if I sound like a fluent reader when I read this sentence aloud to yoy. “TH-TH-/i/,/i/,/i/,s,s,s, this is D-D-D, /u/-/u/-/u/,ck-y, Ducky,H,H,/e/, is, L-L-L /u/-/u/-/u/,ck,ck,y,lowky. This is ducky he is Lowky? Hmm that doesn’t make sense, The Duck wouldn’t be lowkey, that’s not even a real word.The ducky is Lucky? Lucky! That makes more sense!” Did you notice that when I read the sentence, I got stuck on the word in the middle? In order to figure out what that word was, I reread the sentence from the beginning and tried what I thought the word saw said the nonsense work lowkey. That did not make sense, did it? So, I went back to reread to figure out what the word should read that would make sense. This strategy I used is called crosschecking, and it is very important to use when we are learning to become fluent readers! Since I was able to figure out these hard words while reading, it helped me become more fluent. Thumbs up if you think I read that like a fluent reader. (Wait for responses) Exactly, I was NOT reading like a fluent reader because I had to decode the words in the sentence in order to be able to read them. Here's how a fluent reader would read that sentence: This is Ducky he is Lucky, (I read the sentence effortlessly), and it was much easier to understand! Now turn to a partner and practice reading the second sentence on the board. Dave the duck cheered, playing in the rain! Read it aloud to one another until you read fluently.”

 

1. Say: “Now let’s think back to the first sentence and the tricky word Lucky. To help me get that word right I read the sentence again and thought about a similar word that would make sense not lowkey but Lucky. I always go back to the text to reread to figure out what the word should have or could be said to make sense. This strategy is called crosschecking, and it is very important to use when we are learning to become fluent readers!”

 

1. Assign partners for each students’ and pass out the books. “Now we are going to practice being fluent readers by reading Lucky Ducky by: Dureen Mulryan. Something exciting is happening “Ducky is unlucky; somehow things just always seem to go wrong. So, he decides to look for a four-leaf clover; that will do the trick or will it? Read the story to find out!

 

1. Students should read the first two pages silently alone. Then they should each read a couple pages aloud to each other. Explain to students that while they are reading not to stop and help each other out but to be independent.

 

1. Pass out the fluency sheets and stopwatches to each group of partners. Say: “Now we are going to play a fluency game. Please put your listening ears back on to hear how to play the game! Reader 1 is going to start the game off and Reader 2 will be in control of the timer. Reader 2 is going to time Reader 1 reading the first two pages of the book, and then they will record the time on the sheet I have given to you. After recording the information, Reader 2 will swap places with reader 1 and read, and Reader 1 will swap with reader 2 and record. Do this procedure three times each. As you are listening to your partner reading the pages aloud, I want you to listen to how their reading changes each time. Does your partner remember more words, do they read with more expression? Mark the changes you notice on your paper. Let’s get started!”

2. After the student pairs have each read through the pages three times, have the students to come one at a time, read a paragraph from the first two pages. Ask them to bring their record sheet so you can attach it to the back of my assessment sheet. You will time them on the paragraph read aloud, and then use the formula given to record how many words they are able read per minute words x 60/ seconds read. Use a list of comprehension questions to assess how their fluency is affecting their comprehension.

 

References:

Lucky Ducky by: Dureen Mulryan

https://caitlinbb.weebly.com/growing-independence-and-fluency-design.html