Reader's Workshop

Everyday for 90 minutes, third graders participate in a reader's workshop. We begin with a read aloud from Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar. Next is a mini lesson talking about an important skill or strategy we can use in reading that day. Then, we move on to 30-50 minutes of silent reading. While students are reading I circulate the room meeting with them for individual reading conferences, and eventually will be pulling them for small group reading experiences. 

Students record their reading in their reader's notebooks by noting the title, author, genre, date completed, and whether or not the book was too easy, just right, or challenging for them as a reader. Reader's notebooks also hold copies of class anchor charts we create during mini lessons. An anchor chart is a reminder of certain information the student might need while reading (examples would be "Ways We Choose Books", "What I Think When I Read", or "Why I Would Abandon My Book"). Students refer back to these charts when they don't remember the skills and strategies we practice in class. 

Reader's notebooks are also a home to your student's letters about their reading. Once a week, children write about their reading. They record the title,  author, and anything they may be thinking about their reading in a letter addressed to me. I write them back giving them suggestions for further reading or asking them questions about the things they have said. It is a good communication tool for students to use when learning new reading strategies and growing in their reading skills. 

After silent reading time, students gather together on the purple gymnastics mat for share time. We share our reading, the strategies we practiced while reading, or those things we wrote about our reading. This is a great time for recommending books to classmates.

The newest addition to our reading workshop time are the two blue bean bags featured above and a soon to be pile of pillows. Students love to read and lounge in various places in the room and these comfortable additions make that more doable.