Hunting for Fluency
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Rationale:
This lesson is designed to explain and promote fluency in early readers. In order to understand texts and enjoy reading them, readers must become fluent in order to automatically and effortlessly read and understand the meaning of a text. This kind of word recognition requires practice through reading (cross checking, decoding, and rereading) to improve the amount of words they are able to instantly recognize. Students will be able to gain fluency and better read and understand a text by reading, cross checking and rereading decodable texts like in this lesson. In this lesson, students will do this by reading The Big Honey Hunt.
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Materials:
The Big Honey Hunt (class set), Timer, Pencils, Cover-Up Critter, Fluency Checklist Copies.
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Procedures:
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The lesson will begin with an introduction and explanation on fluency. Say: “Today, we are going to work on becoming fluent readers... Does anyone know what it means to be a fluent reader?” Give time for responses. Say: “Yes, a fluent reader is a student that can recognize words easily and read smoothly. When we easily recognize words, we can better understand what the story is trying to tell us. Fluency makes reading a book a lot more fun. To become a fluent reader, you have to be able to know a large amount of words without having to decode them. Who all wants to work at being a fluent reader?”
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Say: “Now, let’s decode some words and find the difference in a fluent reader and reader that isn’t quite fluent yet. Get out your cover-up critters” Write a word on the board: Hunt. Say: “Let’s get our cover up critters and decode the word on the board. First, I am going to cover up the whole word except the first letter h /h/, /h/, /h/. Now, I will uncover the next letter u /u/, /u/, /u/. Now I will uncover the next letter n /n/, /n/, /n/ and the last letter t /t/, /t/, /t/. When we blend all the phonemes together, we get /h/, /u/, /n/, /t/... hunt. Now, let’s use it in a sentence!”.
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Write the sentence on the board: Let’s hunt for honey. Say: “Now that we have decoded hunt, let’s use it in a sentence. The first thing I want everyone to do is listen to me read this sentence two times and tell me what the difference between tries is.” First, read sentence slow as a non-fluent reader would, “Leeeet’s huuuunt for hooney” Next, read the sentence normally, as a fluent reader would, “Let’s hunt for honey. Did anyone notice a difference between the two tries?” Allow time for students to note differences. “Yes, the first time I read it very slowly and I was trying to decode the words and it took longer... the second time I read it, it was quick and easy. The second, quick sentence is what it sounds like to be a fluent reader! That is what we are working on today: being fluent readers and reading effortlessly so that you can enjoy what you read.”
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Say: “Today to practice, we are going to read The Big Honey Hunt. This story starts out with the Bear family running out of all their honey. They needed more, so papa bear and small bear go out for more honey, but Papa Bear didn’t want to get it from the store. Where do they end up getting their honey from? To find out I want you all to read the story silently. After you get done, you will then read with your partner.”
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Students will then read their books to themselves one time all the way through. After
this, students will be put into pairs and will turn to their partner and read to each other. Pairs will be given the title of Reader 1 and Reader 2. They must only listen as their partners complete the book. Give each pair a stopwatch, a fluency checklist, a pencil and a reading time sheet.
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Say: “We will now read the same book again with a partner. This helps us become more fluent because the more we read a story, the better we get at it and the more words we learn. This is going to be the fluency game!! Who wants to learn how to play?” Let students raise their hands and get them excited for the activity. Now, explain what willhappen to students. Say: “To start out, Reader 1 will get to read the book and Reader 2 will time Reader 1 reading the first 5 pages. Once you finish those pages, Reader 2 will record on your paper the time it took. After this you get to switch roles. Reader 2 will read the first 5 pages and Reader 1 will time the reading and then record it on the handout. You will then switch roles and do this activity three times total. While each of you is listening to your partner read, I want everyone to notice how your partner changes the way they read: does it get easier, do they know the words better each time, does it get quicker? Anything you notice, write down on your record sheet!”
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Give time for all pairs to finish reading three times and recording all information. After this is done, have students come one at a time to read the first five pages to me. They will bring their record sheet and I will attach it to their assessment sheet. I will then time them and assess how many words per minute they read.
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Fluency Checklist:
Title of Book: ____________________________________________ Student’s Name: _______________________ Date: ____________ Partner’s Name: __________________________________________
Reading 1. Reading 2. Reading 3. Time.
Read Faster:
Read Smoother:
Read with Expression:
Words Per Minute: (Wordsx60)/Seconds=WPM
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Comprehension Quiz:
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Which two bears went on the hunt for honey?
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What kind of insect does honey come from?
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Where does Papa Bear end up getting his honey from?
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Reading Tracker:
0- --10----20----30----40----50----60----70----80----90----100
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References:
Lesson adapted from Harrelson, Annah. Fishing for Fluency. Reading Genie Website.
https://aharrers.wixsite.com/ctrd/fishing-for-fluency
Book: The Big Honey Hunt. Stan and Jan Berenstain. 1962. Beginner Books.
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/12243/the-big-honey-hunt-by-stan-and-jan- berenstain/ (link to purchase)
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