ELA G1:S4:C19:L100

Decoding and Spelling: Introducing Fluency and Cycle Assessment

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Daily Learning Targets

Openings A and B: I can read a text fluently (smoothly, with expression and meaning, rereading and self-correcting when necessary). (RF.1.4)

I can read at an appropriate rate based on the text type.
I can reread when something doesn't make sense or sound right.

Ongoing Assessment

Cycle 19 Assessment

Agenda

Agenda
1. Opening (10 minutes) A. Unpacking the Lyrics to the Fluency Transition Song B. Introducing Fluency 2. Work Time (45 minutes) A. Extended Differentiated Small Group Instruction: Cycle Assessment and Goal Setting 3. Closing and Assessment (2 minutes) A. Reflecting on Learning 4. Differentiated Small Groups: Work with Teacher (40 minutes)

In Advance

Enlarge a copy of "The Fluency Song" (see supporting materials).
Enlarge the selected excerpt from the Decodable Reader: "Looking for Mars" (see supporting materials).
Write the following Rules of Fluency index cards: "smoothly," "with expression," "with meaning," "just the right speed."
Prepare the Cycle 19 Assessment.

Vocabulary

Key: Lesson-Specific Vocabulary (L); Text-Specific Vocabulary (T)

decode, fluency, goal (L)

Materials

Enlarged "The Fluency Song" (one to display)
Enlarged selected excerpt from the Decodable Reader: "Looking for Mars" (one to display)
Rules of Fluency index cards (see Teaching Notes, "In Advance" above)
Copies of "The Fluency Song" (one per student; optional)
Copies of excerpt from the Decodable Reader: "Looking for Mars" (one per student; optional)
Cycle 19 Assessment (one per student)

Materials from Previous Lessons

New Materials

Opening

Opening	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Unpacking the Lyrics to the Fluency Transition Song Begin the Unpacking the Lyrics to the Fluency Transition Song activity: 1. Teacher writes the title on the board and reads it aloud: "The Fluency Song." 2. Teacher explains that this song is a call-and-response song and will become a transition song that will help students understand what "fluency" means while also practicing fluency at the same time. 3. Teacher says: "Before we look at the lyrics of the transition song, please turn to an elbow partner and finish this sentence starter: 'To me, reading fluently means _____.'" 4. Students discuss the prompt with an elbow partner. 5. Teacher invites two or three students to share their answer. 6. Teacher displays the Enlarged "The Fluency Song." 7. Teacher reads the first three sentences: "Can you read this fluently? Smoothly, with expression, please? Can you read this fluently with expression and with meaning?" 8. Teacher says: "The first sentence in this song is a question. It is asking if we can read something fluently. In other words, can we read it in a way that is fluent?" 9. Teacher reads the second and third lines aloud and says: "These lines help us understand what reading fluently means." 10. Teacher underlines the word "smoothly." 11. Teacher reads the word and asks one or more of the following questions: "What does this mean to you?" (in a smooth way, not choppy) "What does it make you think of?" (flowing water, gliding) 12. Teacher reads the second sentence again and asks: "What else does this sentence tell us about reading fluently?" (with expression, with meaning) 13. Teacher underlines the words "with expression" and "with meaning." 14. Teacher repeats step 11, first to define "with expression" and then again to define "with meaning." 15. Teacher says: "So far, this teaches us three important rules of fluency. When we are reading fluently, we are reading smoothly, with expression, and with meaning." 16. Teacher reads the next set of lines: "Yes, we'll read it fluently. Not too fast or slow. We'll read at just the right speed." 17. Teacher asks: "What does this part of the song tell us about reading fluently?" (You don't read too fast or slow; just the right speed.) 18. Teacher reads the last set of lines: "So now we'll read this fluently. Think about how smooth it will be." 19. Teacher invites students to read the lyrics to the song fluently as a call-and-response song.	Consider recording students' ideas about fluent reading on an anchor chart to be regularly reviewed. Consider providing students with their own copies of the song.
B. Introducing Fluency (Transition song, sung to the tune of "The Muffin Man"): Teacher: "Can you read this fluently? Smoothly, with expression, please. Can you read it smoothly with expression and with meaning?" Students: "Yes, we'll read it fluently. Not too fast and not too slow. Yes, we'll read it fluently at just the right speed." All together: "So now we'll read this fluently. Think about how smooth it will be. Now we'll read this fluently at just the right speed." Introduce the Fluency instructional practice: 1. Teacher displays enlarged selected excerpt from the Decodable Reader: "Looking for Mars." 2. Teacher explains that this is an "excerpt" from the Decodable Reader. 3. Teacher displays the Rules of Fluency index cards ("smoothly," "with expression," "with meaning," and "just the right speed") on the board and reads them aloud. 4. Teacher reminds students that these are the four important rules of fluency that were mentioned in the song and invites them to think about these elements as they listen as the teacher reads the excerpt. 5. Teacher reads the excerpt word by word in a monotone, skipping over punctuation, with little to no expression. 6. Teacher invites students to turn to an elbow partner to share what they noticed about how he or she read the excerpt. 7. Teacher invites two or three student volunteers to share what they noticed (examples: sounded word by word, sounded too slow or too fast, sounded "boring"), prompting them to name specific examples in the text (i.e., naming a place where it was word by word, where punctuation was skipped). 8. Teacher asks: "Does anyone have any suggestions for how I could make this more fluent?" (Responses will vary. Examples: stop at the periods; pause at the comma; make it sound like talking when Sam is speaking; say groups of words together.) 9. Teacher reads the excerpt again, incorporating students' suggestions. 10. Teacher invites students to think about the meaning of the selected text. 11. Teacher asks: "What is happening here in this excerpt?" (Pat and James are looking for the North Star.) 12. Teacher points to the index card labeled "with meaning" and says: "Reading this fluently includes making it match the meaning or feeling of the words. James is excited that he sees the North Star. So we need to read this in a way that communicates how he is feeling." 13. Teacher invites one or two student volunteers to come up and read the excerpt in a way that communicates the meaning (how James is feeling). 14. Teacher reminds students of the elements of fluent reading (smoothly, with expression, with meaning, and just the right speed). 15. If time allows, consider inviting one or two students to come up and read the excerpt to the group. When they are done, the teacher can invite students to name one star (something the student did well relative to the elements of fluency) and one step (something relative to fluency the student may need to work on).	The word "excerpt" may be unfamiliar to many students. Consider modeling this vocabulary by extending one hand, palm up, and explaining that this represents the whole text in the Decodable Reader. With the other hand, model pulling out a "piece" of the text. This "piece" is the "excerpt." Consider providing individual copies of the excerpt for students to follow along.

Meeting Students' Needs

A. Unpacking the Lyrics to the Fluency Transition Song

Begin the Unpacking the Lyrics to the Fluency Transition Song activity:

1. Teacher writes the title on the board and reads it aloud: "The Fluency Song."

2. Teacher explains that this song is a call-and-response song and will become a transition song that will help students understand what "fluency" means while also practicing fluency at the same time.

3. Teacher says: "Before we look at the lyrics of the transition song, please turn to an elbow partner and finish this sentence starter: 'To me, reading fluently means _____.'"

4. Students discuss the prompt with an elbow partner.

5. Teacher invites two or three students to share their answer.

6. Teacher displays the Enlarged "The Fluency Song."

7. Teacher reads the first three sentences: "Can you read this fluently? Smoothly, with expression, please? Can you read this fluently with expression and with meaning?"

8. Teacher says: "The first sentence in this song is a question. It is asking if we can read something fluently. In other words, can we read it in a way that is fluent?"

9. Teacher reads the second and third lines aloud and says: "These lines help us understand what reading fluently means."

10. Teacher underlines the word "smoothly."

11. Teacher reads the word and asks one or more of the following questions:

"What does this mean to you?" (in a smooth way, not choppy)

"What does it make you think of?" (flowing water, gliding)

12. Teacher reads the second sentence again and asks:

"What else does this sentence tell us about reading fluently?" (with expression, with meaning)

13. Teacher underlines the words "with expression" and "with meaning."

14. Teacher repeats step 11, first to define "with expression" and then again to define "with meaning."

15. Teacher says: "So far, this teaches us three important rules of fluency. When we are reading fluently, we are reading smoothly, with expression, and with meaning."

16. Teacher reads the next set of lines: "Yes, we'll read it fluently. Not too fast or slow. We'll read at just the right speed."

17. Teacher asks:

"What does this part of the song tell us about reading fluently?" (You don't read too fast or slow; just the right speed.)

18. Teacher reads the last set of lines: "So now we'll read this fluently. Think about how smooth it will be."

19. Teacher invites students to read the lyrics to the song fluently as a call-and-response song.

Consider recording students' ideas about fluent reading on an anchor chart to be regularly reviewed.
Consider providing students with their own copies of the song.

B. Introducing Fluency

(Transition song, sung to the tune of "The Muffin Man"):

Teacher: "Can you read this fluently? Smoothly, with expression, please. Can you read it smoothly with expression and with meaning?"

Students: "Yes, we'll read it fluently. Not too fast and not too slow. Yes, we'll read it fluently at just the right speed."

All together: "So now we'll read this fluently. Think about how smooth it will be. Now we'll read this fluently at just the right speed."

Introduce the Fluency instructional practice:

1. Teacher displays enlarged selected excerpt from the Decodable Reader: "Looking for Mars."

2. Teacher explains that this is an "excerpt" from the Decodable Reader.

3. Teacher displays the Rules of Fluency index cards ("smoothly," "with expression," "with meaning," and "just the right speed") on the board and reads them aloud.

4. Teacher reminds students that these are the four important rules of fluency that were mentioned in the song and invites them to think about these elements as they listen as the teacher reads the excerpt.

5. Teacher reads the excerpt word by word in a monotone, skipping over punctuation, with little to no expression.

6. Teacher invites students to turn to an elbow partner to share what they noticed about how he or she read the excerpt.

7. Teacher invites two or three student volunteers to share what they noticed (examples: sounded word by word, sounded too slow or too fast, sounded "boring"), prompting them to name specific examples in the text (i.e., naming a place where it was word by word, where punctuation was skipped).

8. Teacher asks:

"Does anyone have any suggestions for how I could make this more fluent?" (Responses will vary. Examples: stop at the periods; pause at the comma; make it sound like talking when Sam is speaking; say groups of words together.)

9. Teacher reads the excerpt again, incorporating students' suggestions.

10. Teacher invites students to think about the meaning of the selected text.

11. Teacher asks:

"What is happening here in this excerpt?" (Pat and James are looking for the North Star.)

12. Teacher points to the index card labeled "with meaning" and says: "Reading this fluently includes making it match the meaning or feeling of the words. James is excited that he sees the North Star. So we need to read this in a way that communicates how he is feeling."

13. Teacher invites one or two student volunteers to come up and read the excerpt in a way that communicates the meaning (how James is feeling).

14. Teacher reminds students of the elements of fluent reading (smoothly, with expression, with meaning, and just the right speed).

15. If time allows, consider inviting one or two students to come up and read the excerpt to the group. When they are done, the teacher can invite students to name one star (something the student did well relative to the elements of fluency) and one step (something relative to fluency the student may need to work on).

The word "excerpt" may be unfamiliar to many students. Consider modeling this vocabulary by extending one hand, palm up, and explaining that this represents the whole text in the Decodable Reader. With the other hand, model pulling out a "piece" of the text. This "piece" is the "excerpt."
Consider providing individual copies of the excerpt for students to follow along.

Work Time

Work Time
A. Extended Differentiated Small Group Instruction: Cycle Assessment and Goal Setting (Cycle Assessment and Goal Setting transition song, sung to the tune of "The More We Get Together"): "It's time to spell and decode to show what we're learning. It's time to spell and decode to show what we've learned." Teacher helps students transition to their differentiated small groups, telling them they will complete the Cycle 19 Assessment during their rotations.

A. Extended Differentiated Small Group Instruction: Cycle Assessment and Goal Setting

(Cycle Assessment and Goal Setting transition song, sung to the tune of "The More We Get Together"):

"It's time to spell and decode to show what we're learning. It's time to spell and decode to show what we've learned."

Teacher helps students transition to their differentiated small groups, telling them they will complete the Cycle 19 Assessment during their rotations.

Closing & Assessments

Closing	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Reflecting on Learning Emphasize that effective learners keep track of and reflect on their own learning. Point out to students that they do this each time they consider how what they did today helps them become more proficient readers. Remind students that today they learned a new instructional practice: Fluency. They also took an assessment to see what they've learned and what they still need to work on. Explain that, in any work, people use information from assessments, advice from coworkers or friends, and help from experts to get better. Share examples: athletes reviewing videos of past games, getting advice from coaches and teammates, etc. Part of being an effective learner is knowing what you need to work on to grow and improve. Ask for volunteers to share out: "What goal did you set following the assessment?" (Responses will vary. Example: "I noticed that I am forgetting the silent 'l' in the words 'should' and 'would.' I need to remember that part that doesn't play fair. I will make sure to look for it all week in my books.")	For students who need additional support organizing their ideas: Provide sentence frames. Examples: "When I read the excerpt I thought about ___, and I _____." "After I got feedback about _____ from _____, I read the excerpt again and made it sound _____."

Closing

Meeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning

Emphasize that effective learners keep track of and reflect on their own learning. Point out to students that they do this each time they consider how what they did today helps them become more proficient readers.
Remind students that today they learned a new instructional practice: Fluency. They also took an assessment to see what they've learned and what they still need to work on.
Explain that, in any work, people use information from assessments, advice from coworkers or friends, and help from experts to get better. Share examples: athletes reviewing videos of past games, getting advice from coaches and teammates, etc. Part of being an effective learner is knowing what you need to work on to grow and improve.
Ask for volunteers to share out:

"What goal did you set following the assessment?" (Responses will vary. Example: "I noticed that I am forgetting the silent 'l' in the words 'should' and 'would.' I need to remember that part that doesn't play fair. I will make sure to look for it all week in my books.")

For students who need additional support organizing their ideas: Provide sentence frames. Examples:

"When I read the excerpt I thought about ___, and I _____."
"After I got feedback about _____ from _____, I read the excerpt again and made it sound _____."

Differentiated Small Groups: Work with Teacher

Suggested Plan: An extended differentiated small group instruction time today will allow the teacher to meet with each group. Begin by administering the cycle assessment to each group. If time allows, score the assessment right away and guide students to create goals based on assessment results. If time is a concern, teacher may only meet with one or two groups per cycle for goal setting. (Refer to Assessment Overview for more information.) Suggestions are provided for additional work with the Pre-Alphabetic group if time allows.

Pre-Alphabetic:

Assessment:

Use the Pre-Alphabetic phase blank Assessment Planning template (see Module 1, Lesson 15 supporting materials) to create an assessment focused on the letters and sounds appropriate for individuals or the group.

Partial Alphabetic:

Assessment:

Follow directions for the Partial Alphabetic Cycle Assessment.

Full Alphabetic:

Assessment:

Follow directions for the Full Alphabetic Cycle Assessment.

Consolidated Alphabetic:

Assessment:

Follow directions for the Consolidated Alphabetic Cycle Assessment.

EL Education Curriculum