Guided Literacy Lesson for Transitional Readers

Guided literacy lesson being conducted by second grade teacher with students this summer in Newark, NJ.

This is a sample high intensity guided literacy lesson using the text, Carlos and the Cornfield/Carlos y milpa de maiz (text level L, DRA 20, Lexile level 660) that we designed this summer (using Jan Richardson's lesson plan) for the primary grade summer school project that was held at 16 school sites in Newark, NJ.

This lesson is designed for a small group (4 to 6 children) reading at a transitional level. The three day 20-minute lesson plan connects reading, phonics, and writing and makes it far superior to traditional guided reading.  This is an example of the work that was done this summer to prevent reading difficulties.

Title: Carlos and the Cornfield   Level: L     

Group: ________________________________________________________________

Strategy: Theme/Main Idea

Day 1 Date______________ Pages_____ Introduce New Book:  In this book, Carlos and the Cornfield, Carlos wants to purchase a red knife and finds a way to do so that involves him doing a job for his Papá.  Let’s read to see what work Carlos does and what he learns as a result of his actions. New vocabulary: pedaled, reap, sow, good fortune, harvested	Day 2 Date______________ Pages_____ (Continue first reading) Notes/Observations ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
­­­­­Teaching Points: Choose 1 or 2 each day	­­­­­Teaching Points: Choose 1 or 2 each day
Decoding strategies:                                       Vocabulary Strategies: q  Reread & think what would make sense.      Reread the sentence and look for clues. q  Cover (or attend to) the ending.                 Check the picture or visualize. q  Use a known part. (e.g. shouted)                 Use a known part. (e.g. compound words) q  Use analogies. (e.g. saw – jaw)                    Comprehension Strategies: q  Chunk big words. (re-mem-ber)                  Fiction:                       Nonfiction: Fluency & Phrasing                                          BME                                     Recall information q  Phrasing.                                                     5-finger Retell                     Write key words q  Attend to bold words.                                S-W-B-S                               Compare/contrast q  Dialogue, intonation & expression.              Compare characters              Ask questions q  Attend to punctuation.                               Track character’s feelings   Summarize w/support                                                                    Flag the V.I.P                        Main Idea/Details
Discussion Prompt 1: Why does Carlos want to give back the knife to the store owner?  Why does he need the money?	Discussion Prompt 2: Carlos doesn't know where blue corn cornmeal came from. Why is he embarrassed when his father tells him?  What lesson does he reap (learn) as a result of his actions? or Discussion Prompt 3: What does it mean when Papá says, “You reap what you sow”? Turn and discuss with your partner.
Word Study  Making Words: Letters - a, c, e, l, m, n, o, r 1.     Take four letters and make the word corn. 2.    Add one letter and make the word acorn. 3.    Change one letter to make the word carol. 4.    Take away one letter to make the word cola. 5.    Rearrange the letters to make the word coal. 6.    Change two letters to make the word, mole. 7.    Add one letter to make mole say lemon. 8.    Rearrange the letters to make lemon say melon. 9.    Take away a letter and add another letter to make the word, lone. 10.  Add one letter to make the word, alone. 11.   Add one letter to make the word, loaner. 12.  Remove two letters and make the word, real. 13.  Change one letter to make the word, meal. 14.  Now add the remaining letters to make our mystery word that was in our story. (cornmeal)	Word Study Making Words: Letters – a, d, e, l, n, p. t 1.     Take three letters and make the word lad. 2.    Change one letter and make the word lap. 3.    Add one letter to make the word plan. 4.    Add a letter and make the word, plant. 5.    Add a letter and make the word, planet. 6.    Remove a letter and make it say plant. 7.    Now use all the letters to make our mystery word. (planted).

Day 3 Reread the book for fluency (5-10 min.) & Guided Writing (10-15 min.) q  Beginning-Middle-End       5-finger retell      X SWBS     Character Analysis q  Problem – solution    Compare or contrast   Event – detail      Other: Write a summary of the story using SWBS (Somebody, Wanted, But So). Generate this chart with students but have them complete the final column on their own sheets.  They then use this information to write a summary of the story, answering the question: What did Carlos learn? Somebody Wanted But So Carlos A red knife He did not have enough money (complete) Opening Sentence: Closing Sentence: