My 2007-2008 Mini-Lesson Reading Calendar So Far

It is a .doc file because it shows up more clearly this way, and you get to see the way I originally put the file together.

http://teachingvision.org/resources/readingcalendar07-08.doc

It includes my mini-lessons and some weekly center plans for the first 100+ days of school. (Fourth Grade)

EDIT- It has all days now that I plan on teaching reading. I took out those for FCAT (state testing) and the first/last weeks of school.

 

Wow! Very neat. We don't use HM, but I'm sure that I'll be able to use a lot of your reading minilesson ideas! Thanks for sharing the calendar.

 

Just to let you know, I tried your newingham poster link and it doesn't seem to work. It shows up as a picture with an x in the middle.

 

I just added a little bit more, though I didn't upload that version yet.

The mini-lessons come from online, Fountas and Pinnell, Scholastic books, and myself.

Oh, the link doesn't work because I split the url up between 3 or 4 lines.

 

Ah, ok

 

I am switching schools this year, but staying in the same district and grade level. I haven't taught reading and language in 6 years so I am a little freaked out. I am going to go through your plans and see what you are doing... You are so organized... Great job!

 

WOW! thanks for sharing such a valuable resource. you are SO organized.

 

wow-this is amazing

 

(Rolls on the floor) I WISH I was organized. Come see where I live and you may change your mind. Okay, it's not terrible, but the garage is humorous because I have all this education stuff stored in there, including the two bookshelves I purchased yesterday at the fixtures sale (that's a whole other post...).

 

Wow! That's great! Now, who's going to post one for 1st or 2nd grade?

 

OOO I would love for someone to post just a "starting" guide for 2nd grade. Perhaps a brief outline of concepts/mini-lessons per month. It would give me something to work with and alter

 

Kindergarten.....do I hear anyone with Kindergarten....anyone??

 

Well... all I did was look at numerous mini-lesson books that encompassed 3rd-6th grade in reading, especially Fountas and Pinnell. Maybe for K-2, start by using Lucy Calkins (who I still have to check out) and look at some Scholastic or other resources from there. And some... I just got from my mind.

I am starting my writing one now, by the way. Yay!

 

be sure to share your writing one too

 

Wow! Thanks so much for sharing! This gives me SOOOO many ideas!

 

Thank you again! I wanted to show this for anyone who has not seen yet. My writing one is taking a lot longer because I am organizing lessons into categories and seeing which categories I will prefer to introduce first. I am trying to add a few conventions lessons to each category, too.

 

Awesome! Would you be willing to share your pattern for how you do Most Valuable Reader trading cards? Thanks!!

 

I haven't made it yet, but you can take their photo on the front and then on the back, provide information like Name, Birthdate, Height, Favorite Author, Favorite Genres, Favorite Book. I'm still working on this one. I may even go more advanced with check-off boxes to match partners.

 

Thank you! I totally used this to help me create my readers workshop mini-lessons for the year!! THANKS SO MUCH!

 

You're welcome! Which grade do you teach?

Also... what is something that perhaps any of you have tried that maybe I didn't include? Is there anything I left out... or something I should go into better detail with?

 

I am SO impressed. Do you do this for all the subjects you teach?

 

At this moment, Wig, it's just for reading and writing, though next I'd love to venture into science (if I have the patience). I am trying to build a foundation early so I never (while exhausted) throw together quick lesson plans... and it's just a bunch of busy work that in turn bores the kids. Whenever I'm preoccupied or exhausted, I am not very creative, but when I have the time to rest and think, I can be the type of teacher I desire to be.

 

Ms. Jasztal,

Wow you are amazing!
This year will be my second year in 4th grade in FL. I feel last year because I was new to fourth (and had no guidance) and I was working on my masters in reading I didn't teach the way I really wanted too....I did what you said...threw together quick lesson plans that was more busy work then anything and really bored me and the kids. I forgot to mentioned I moved from 2nd to 4th so there was a big change.
I finished my masters this past Sat and my goal for this year was to really sit down and plan things out....I want to do some new things such as literature groups, reading and writing workshops, develop science and social studies lessons that also focused on reading skills (we got a new science book that seems good), and use the interactive notebook.
If you have any suggestions since you seem so organized and on the same page I would love to know and see more. What county do you teach in? I would love to share ideas. Teaching can be so much fun when things a well planned.

 

Which Fountas and Pinnell resource book are you using?

 

I got my mini-lesson examples from Guiding Readers and Writers 3-6. I know alot of others have used that book as well.

 

WOW! That is a lot of hard work and it looks great!!!!!!! WHat a fantastic resource you are sharing with us. That is really a gift to people who are struggling with reader's workshop to get it up and running!

 

Umm, I thought I was doing pretty good with my lesson plans until I saw your calendar, Victoria! Now I see I have tons more work to do in the next month! Thanks for sharing! Your calendar is awesome!

 

I'm glad I am of help, but honestly, I'm sure it'll change 150 times or so after the school year starts. I never developed all my guided reading lessons, either, so it needs lots of work. I appreciate the compliment, anyway.

Maybe my writing one will help people out, too. I am glad I posted this online for everyone to view.

 

I started working on my reading workshop plan today....I used yours as a guide and it has been helpful. I am thinking of putting mine in a folder so that I can attach print outs of different lesson ideas and hand outs for the different strategies. Busy teacher's cafe has a great section on comprehension strategies. It has a year long plan that I have a pulled some activities from.

I can't wait to see your writing workshop plan.
Since I am new an can not post sites you can google writing editing post its and there is a site that has a great idea for revision and response post its.

 

It's taking a millennium to complete (the writing plan). The lessons are all typed in, but they're not in order at all.

 

Wow Ms. J, you've been busy. This is a great plan.

 

Hey, Amers, I would dearly love to see what yours looks like!

 

As usual, MsJasztal, you blow me away! I do have one question (keeping in mind that I haven't purchased the Fountas & Pinnell book yet). What is the 5 finger test for choosing books?

 

Five finger test is....like goldilocks and the three bears. You want to find a just right book. Open to a page and count on your fingers how many words you can't read/are challenging. If on one page you count more than five fingers...the book is too hard..not JUST RIGHT. Sorry for the bad explanation...but you get the idea.

 

No apology necessary, it was a great explanation! Thanks!

 

The kids understand the five-finger test pretty fast, too!

 

Mine is nowhere near as complete. Plus, right now, it's handwritten. For some reason, I do better writing my lessons by hand the first time around. Once I get it all typed and "pretty," I might post it....I don't think I can compete with Ms.Jasztal's calendar. I'm still collecting ideas for most of my mini-lessons.

 

You can use ANYTHING YOU WANT from my calendar, Amers. If you want to know... my writing calendar is completed as well. I think where I started out with ideas for the mini-lessons was Learner.org and Guiding Readers and Writers.

 

Thanks. I was looking for the Fountas and Pinnell book you mentioned at some stores. No one has it (I live in a kind of small town...not many big bookstores!), so I'm going to try the library before heading to Amazon.

Anyone with early elementary might find Debbie Miller's book Reading with Meaning Teaching Comprehension in the Primary Grades helpful. I read it for a class, and it has some really good stuff in it; it's just geared more towards reader's workshop for younger grades.

 

I got mine at Amazon. It's HUGE.

I think if I purchase a new book, it's going to be Lucy Calkins, probably the writer's workshop one, but I feel like things are going ok right now.