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Becoming Fluent with Flat Stanley

Rationale: This lesson is designed to improve student’s reading fluency. Reading fluency is a student’s ability to read quickly while still comprehending the text. They must be able to decode words and recognize nearly all words by sight. The result of reading fluency is speed and the ability to read a story with expression. In this lesson students will learn strategies and skills that it takes to become fluent when reading a difficult text like Flat Stanley. If a student gets to an unfamiliar word and cannot decode, they can crosscheck, cover up, mental mark and reread the sentence to get the word. 

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Materials: 

Class set of Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown

Individual coverup critters

Stopwatch for each group

Pencils

Whiteboard and dry erase markers

Individual copies of the checklist/reading tracker 

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Procedures: 

  1. Say: Today we are going to talk about fluent reading. Can anyone tell me what a fluent reader is? Great answers! When a reader is fluent they are able to read quickly while understanding what they are reading. Fluent readers can read in different voices to match the characters in the text or even silently in their heads. Today we are going to practice being fluent readers.

  2. Say: First we are going to look at this sentence on the board. I am going to show you how to use your cover up critter when you come across a word you might not know. Model and say: For example, say I read this sentence (on board write the word brush) I am going to use my cover up critter to decode this word. I am going to start by covering up all the letters of the word except for the first one, which is letter b, /b/ /b/ /b/. Next I am going to uncover the next letter which is r, /r/ /r/ /r/. You do the same thing with the next letter, /u/ /u/ /u/. Now we have the last two letters of the word, /s/ /h/ and we know that says /sh/. Let’s put the word together, /b/ /r/ /u/ /sh/ oh, I know this word, brush! Here it is used in a sentence, “I like to brush my hair.” 

  3. Say: Let’s look at one more sentence on the board. I am going to show you how to use crosschecking to get a word you might not know. Crosschecking is something you can use when you can’t get a word, you will finish reading the sentence and see if you can use the rest of the sentence you read to get the word. Let me show you. (Model how to get a multisyllable word using crosschecking strategy). Read this sentence on the board “The man was driving a van” hmm /d//d//r//ing/ he was dring? Let me finish the sentence. “a van“ oh, “The man was driving a van” Driving is a tough word, but now that sentence makes sense! Now that we have the word, let's read it one more time!

  4. Say: Now let’s try being fluent readers. I want you to read chapter one in your copy of the book Flat Stanley at your seat. This chapter is about a boy named Stanley who has an accident and becomes completely flat. I want you to read silently to figure out how this happened to Stanley! 

  5. Once the students have finished reading this chapter silently they should be paired up. Say: You and your partner are going to grab a stopwatch, your copy of Flat Stanley, a reading rate chart, and fluency checklist. I want you and your partner to read this book three times each. You will take turns, one person reads while the other times. The person who times will begin the timer as soon as the reader starts then stop as soon as they finish, then write down the time on the chart. Model how to do this with the timer and chart. Any questions? Have the students begin and walk around the room to observe. 

  6. After the students have finished reading and timing each other, collect the reading charts to assess the students progress. Note which students need help based on charts and observations. Each student will read with you individually. As they read, take notes marking miscues and ask comprehension questions at the end. 

 

Checklist and reading tracker

Book title: Flat Stanley

Reader’s name:

Listener’s name:

(words x 60) / seconds = words per minute 

0 - - - - 10 - - - - 20 - - - - 30 - - - - 40 - - - - 50 - - - - 60 - - - - 70 - - - - 80 - - - - 90 - - - - 100

Words per min after first reading: 

Words per min after second reading:

Words per min after third reading: 

Which reading was your partner fastest?

Which reading was your partner smoothest?

Which reading did your partner get the most words correct? 

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Comprehension Questions: 

  1. Who woke Stanley up at the beginning of the story/chapter? 

  2. What fell on Stanley that made him flat?

  3. How tall is Stanley now that he is flat?

 

Resources:

Flat Stanley Book Flat Stanley: His Original Adventure; Author Jeff Brown

https://sdr0039.wixsite.com/my-site-1/growing-independence-and-fluency  Fishing for Fluency By Summer Rose 

Reading Genie here

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