Fluency | EL Education Curriculum

You are here

Home › Our Curriculum › ELA Grade 2 › ELA G2:S3 › ELA G2:S3:C17 ›

ELA G2:S3:C17:L84

Fluency

In this Lesson

You are here:

Download Materials

Daily Learning Targets

  • Opening A: I can identify the correct homophone ("hear" or "here") based on meaning and context. (RF.2.3a, RF.2.3f)
    • I can use context to help me decode words that have common sounds with different spelling patterns.
  • Work Time A: I can read a text fluently (smoothly, with expression and meaning, rereading and self-correcting when necessary). (RF.2.4)
    • I can use knowledge of vowel sounds to help me decode words with different spelling patterns.
    • I can read with appropriate phrasing while paying attention to punctuation.
    • I can read with expression and meaning.
    • I can read accurately (with few or no decoding mistakes).
    • I can reread when something doesn't make sense or sound right.

Ongoing Assessment

  • Observe students during Opening A. Determine whether they can identify the homophones "hear" and "here" based on meaning.
  • Observe students during Work Time A. Determine whether they can attend to punctuation and phrasing to read fluently in a conversational manner.
  • Exit ticket (see Differentiated Small Groups: Work with Teacher).

Agenda

Agenda

1. Opening (3-5 minutes)

A. Words Rule: Homophones: "hear" and "here"

2. Work Time (10 minutes)

A. Fluency

3. Closing and Assessment (2 minutes)

A. Reflecting on Learning

4. Differentiated Small Group Instruction and Rotations (40-45 minutes)

In Advance

  • Prepare the Interactive Word Wall.
  • Enlarge the Homophone Demonstration Sentence: "Can you hear the dog scratching his ear right here next to me?" (See supporting materials.)
  • Enlarge the selected excerpt from the Decodable Reader: "Watering Your Garden" (in supporting materials).
  • Write the following Rules of Fluency index cards: "smoothly," "with expression," "with meaning," and "just the right speed."
  • Gather materials for differentiated small group instruction (see Differentiated Small Groups: Work with Teacher).

Vocabulary

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

  • elements, excerpt, expression, fluency, homophone, phrase (L)

Materials

  • Homophone Demonstration Sentence: "Can you hear the dog scratching his ear right here next to me?" (see supporting materials)
  • Whiteboards (one per student)
  • Whiteboard markers (one per student)
  • Whiteboard erasers (or tissues, socks, etc.; one per student)
  • Enlarged selected excerpt from the Decodable Reader: "Watering Your Garden" (one for display)
  • Rules of Fluency index cards (see Teaching Notes, "In Advance" above)
  • Individual copies of excerpt from the Decodable Reader: "Watering Your Garden" (one per student)

Opening

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. Words Rule: Homophones: "hear" and "here"

  • (Suggested transition song, sung to the tune of "The Muffin Man"):

Teacher: "Can you tell you tell the difference, the difference, the difference? Can you tell the difference when two words sound the same?"

Students: "Yes, we'll tell the difference, the difference, the difference. Yes, we'll tell the difference by telling what they mean."

  • Begin the Words Rule instructional practice:

1. Teacher displays Homophone Demonstration Sentence: "Can you hear the dog scratching his ear right here next to me?"

2. Teacher says: "Listen carefully and follow along while I read this sentence aloud. There are two words in this sentence that sound exactly the same but are spelled differently. I want you to listen and watch carefully for those words."

3. Teacher reads the sentence aloud.

4. Teacher invites students to turn to an elbow partner and share which words they heard that sound exactly the same but are spelled differently.

5. Teacher invites one or two students to share.

6. Teacher points to each word in turn and says: "That's right. 'Hear' and 'here' sound exactly the same but are spelled differently. Language experts gives words like these a special name. They're called 'homophones.' Homophones are words that sound the same but are spelled differently."

7. Teacher says: "Let's see if we can use the sentence to help us understand what each of these homophones mean. Let's start with this one."

8. Teacher points to the word "hear" and reads the sentence.

9. Teacher asks:

"What does this 'hear' mean?" (to listen to something)

10. Teacher says: "That's right. When we see 'hear' spelled 'h-e-a-r,' we know it means to listen to something."

11. Teacher asks:

"If you look closely at the word, what word do you see inside 'hear'?" (ear)

12. Teacher says: "Right! So we have a clue to help us remember which spelling of 'hear' to use when we mean to listen, because the word 'ear' is inside the word 'hear.' Let's now look at 'here.'"

13. Teacher points to the word "here" and reads the sentence.

14. Teacher asks:

"What does this 'here' mean?" (in this place; in this spot)

15. Teacher says: "Right. So both words sound the same, but have different meanings. This is what makes them 'homophones.' So it is important that we remember when 'hear' is spelled 'h-e-a-r,' it means to listen to something. And we can remember by the clue of the word 'ear' in the spelling. When 'here' is spelled 'h-e-r-e,' it means in this place or spot. Let's practice these homophones. I will read a sentence with the word 'hear' or 'here' missing. You will write it as 'h-e-a-r' or 'h-e-r-e' on your whiteboard as you think about its meaning in the sentence."

16. Teacher distributes whiteboards, whiteboard markers, and whiteboard erasers.

17. Teacher reads sentence aloud: "We should put the new sofa over here."

18. Students display "here" on whiteboards. If students write the word as "hear," ask a volunteer to share the definition of "here" in this sentence.

19. Teacher says: "Yes! In this sentence, 'here' means in this place."

20. Repeat steps 17-19 with remaining sentences as time allows:

      • "Did you hear the news about Julia's new dog?"
      • "I can hear the sirens outside my window."
      • "You can sit here next to me during lunch."
  • Consider providing support as students make connections between the spelling and the meaning of each homophone. Example:
    • "I noticed 'hear' is spelled 'h-e-a-r' when it means listening to something."
  • Consider explaining to students that the word "homophone" has two parts that help explain its meaning: "homo," meaning "same," and "phone," meaning "sound."

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Fluency

  • (Suggested 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."

  • Begin the Fluency instructional practice:

1. Teacher displays enlarged selected excerpt from the Decodable Reader: "Watering Your Garden."

2. Teacher explains that this is an "excerpt," or selected part, from the Decodable Reader.

3. Teacher displays 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 four important rules of fluency that were mentioned in the song and invites them to think about these elements as they listen to him or her read the excerpt.

5. Teacher says: "Now we are going to think about reading smoothly and at just the right speed. First, you will read the excerpt to yourself and think about how you can read it smoothly and at just the right speed. Then you will work with a partner to practice reading it smoothly at just the right speed. When your partner finishes reading it aloud, you will give him or her one star (one example of how they read it smoothly and/or at just the right speed) and one step (one example of how they could improve on reading smoothly and/or at just the right speed). Then we'll come back together and share."

6. Teacher distributes individual copies of excerpt from the Decodable Reader: "Watering Your Garden."

7. Students read the excerpt individually, noticing how they will read smoothly and at just the right speed.

8. Teacher pairs students up and invites them to take turns reading the excerpt fluently.

9. Students practice reading fluently with partner.

10. Students annotate their own excerpts for words to be grouped together and for where to pause for punctuation.

11. Students practice reading it aloud to their partner "smoothly" (phrased) and "with meaning" (reflecting the mood or feeling).

12. Teacher circulates, supporting students with the annotation as needed:

      • Underline groups of words to be read together.
      • Mark the punctuation with a "P" above to note where to pause.

13. If time allows, consider inviting one or two students to come up and read the excerpt to the group. When they are done, invite students to name one star and one step.
  • 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."
  • If students are successfully reading the excerpt smoothly, consider revising or extending this Work Time to focus on meaning or expression according to students' needs.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning

  • Emphasize that in any organization made up of a group of people working toward a common goal, everyone has their own responsibilities, but they also collaborate (work together) so that everyone can "grow and flourish" or "be the best they can be." Consider using a metaphor, such as a sports team, city government, or other group, that may be familiar to students. Invite students to share how the classroom community is such an organization. It is made up of a group of people (students and teachers) working toward a common goal (everyone becoming proficient readers and writers).
  • To support students' reflection of their own role in collaboration, consider inviting them to reflect on one or more of the following questions:

"What can I do today that will help create a classroom community where all of us can 'grow and flourish' as readers and writers/become proficient readers and writers?" Encourage specificity.

"How can I ask for help so I can 'grow and flourish' as a reader/writer or 'become proficient' as a reader/writer?" (Example: "I can ask someone to look over my work and give me feedback.")

  • Depending on students' comfort level, consider inviting them to share their own personal goals (based on feedback from mid- or end-of-module assessments or self-identified goals based on daily work).
  • For students who need additional support organizing their ideas: Provide sentence frames. Examples:
    • "My goal is to _____."
    • "When I work toward my goal during small group instruction, I will _____."

Differentiated Small Groups: Work with Teacher

Suggested Plan: Teacher works with students in the Partial Alphabetic and Full Alphabetic groups. If possible, teacher should also meet with the Consolidated Alphabetic group at least once per week.

Note: Groups not working with the teacher at a given time should be engaged in purposeful independent rotation work. Refer to the Independent and Small Group Work Guidance document for more details (see K-2 Skills Resource Manual).

Partial Alphabetic:

  • Students complete exit ticket:
    • Students work with an excerpt from a decodable text using patterns they are working on. Consider using the Assessment Conversion chart to identify an appropriate Grade 1 cycle and use the Decodable Reader from that cycle.
    • Students use a highlighter to find and highlight punctuation in the text (examples: periods, question marks, exclamation points, quotation marks).
    • Teacher guides students to understand what the identified punctuation communicates to us as readers. (Examples: A period tells us to stop for a moment; quotation marks tell us to make it sound like someone is talking.)
    • Teacher follows the process outlined in the whole group lesson work time to practice fluency with this text.
  • Use the Assessment Conversion chart to determine appropriate Grade 1 lessons and Activity Bank ideas to use in daily small group instruction.
  • Check in with Accountable Independent Reading.
  • Additional Supporting Materials:
    • Highlighters (one per student)
    • Copies of a previous Decodable Reader or the current one: "Watering Your Garden."

Full Alphabetic:

  • Students complete exit ticket:
    • Consider beginning with the silly sentences produced by students in the Consolidated Alphabetic group during Lesson 83. Guide students to review the spelling pattern and then guide them to practice reading them fluently.
    • Students work with another selected page(s) in the Decodable Reader: "Watering Your Garden."
    • Students use a highlighter to find and highlight punctuation in the text (examples: periods, question marks, exclamation points, quotation marks, commas).
    • Teacher guides students to understand what the identified punctuation communicates to us as readers. (Examples: A period tells us to stop for a moment; quotation marks tell us to make it sound like someone is talking.)
    • Teacher follows the process outlined in the whole group lesson work time to practice fluency with this text.
  • Check in with Accountable Independent Reading.
  • See Activity Bank Fluency activities (F) for Readers Theater options.
  • Additional Supporting Materials:
    • Silly sentences produced during differentiated small group instruction from Lesson 83 (optional)
    • Highlighters (one per student)
    • Copies of Decodable Reader: "Watering Your Garden" (from Lesson 82)

Consolidated Alphabetic:

  • Students complete exit ticket:
    • Students reread the Engagement Text: "Rules for Watering," focusing on fluency.
    • Students pretend to be television reporters and write a script for what they would say.
    • Students then practice reading the script and conduct a Readers Theater.
    • This can be done individually or with a partner.
    • Look over the scripts with student(s). Analyze parts that are fluent and provide feedback for fluency as needed. Listen to Readers Theater performances and provide feedback.
  • Use leveled readers for fluency practice. (Refer to Independent and Small Group Work Guidance document for guidance; see K-2 Skills Resource Manual.)
  • Check in with Accountable Independent Reading.
  • See Activity Bank Fluency activities (F) for Readers Theater options.
  • Additional Supporting Materials:
    • Individual copies of the Engagement Text: "Rules for Watering," (from Lesson 82)
    • Paper and writing utensils

Copyright © 2013-2024 by EL Education, New York, NY.

Get updates about our new K-5 curriculum as new materials and tools debut.

Sign Up

Help us improve our curriculum.

Tell us what’s going well, share your concerns and feedback.

Terms of use. To learn more about EL Education, visit eleducation.org

Leave feedback