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Sunday, November 24, 2013

My Kindergarten Reading Block

I received a lot of great feedback about how I run my reading block in first grade. Thanks for all the comments and emails! My kindergarten reading block is very similar, so this post won't be as long. Maybe...

Once again, I do not do stations on Mondays. I use this day to introduce all the new skills and our read aloud for the week. We usually complete some activities together, to help the children practice the phonics skill for the week and the new sight words.

We do stations Tuesday through Friday, pretty much the same way as in first grade. While the children are going to stations, I am meeting with my four reading groups.

We work on phonological/phonemic awareness skills, sight words, reading skills, and writing. I find that teaching these skills during small groups is so much more effective. You can really see who gets it and who needs more help. And some groups will move quicker through this instruction and some groups will need more time with one skill over another. You can really differentiate instruction with small groups.

Last week, I introduced the -at word family. Some of my groups practiced -at words using this simple, predictable book.


And then we practiced reading from our leveled reader.



And I try to fit in some kind of guided writing, as well.


While I am meeting with reading groups, my students are going to stations. They use the same station board I showed here, except I replace the Grammar Station card with a Play-doh Station card.


These are my kindergarten stations:

Word Work
Play-doh
Work on Writing
Writer's Notebook
Read to Self
Puzzles and Games

As in first grade, my kindergartners choose the stations they want to go to each day. When they are finished, they move to another station. Some kids visit more stations than others. In between each of my reading groups, I stop everyone for a brief moment, and do a quick check to make sure everyone is doing their personal best. I see if they have any questions, and then I begin my next group.

Here are some pictures of the stations my students worked on last week. You'll notice that each station has more than one activity to complete. They don't complete more than one a day so that they can go back to the same station several times during the week.

Word Work Station





Here are other activities the children do at the Word Work Station:


Play-doh Station

The children practice their sight words or beginning sounds.
Click here for more images.

Work on Writing Station



(The students use the word/picture cards from the above link or from here.)


Here are other activities the children do at the Work on Writing Station:

Writer's Notebook


Students follow the same procedure outlined here.

Read to Self


My uncozy library! *sigh*

Puzzles and Games


I have a great mix of games here. The children practice all kinds of language skills, as well as, social skills.

This is the station checklist my kindergartners use. It is almost the same as first grade, except this one has numbers. In case the children can't read the name of the station, they can easily match the numbers since I numbered each station. (Check out the 3 at the Writer's Notebook Station in the picture above!)

This checklist is important, as it reminds them where they've been each day and holds them accountable for visiting all the stations each week, as many times as possible.



And that's how I run my kindergarten reading block. It took a while to get to the point where I could trust my students to work so well independently. It does not happen over night. You really have to instill a strong work ethic and sense of urgency in your students. As well as, give lots and lots of encouragement and empower them to become independent. I really love this routine because it allows my students to move at their own pace. It also allows for lots of differentiation and flexible grouping.

Please feel free to leave your comments and questions below. I promise to get back to you!

36 comments:

  1. Hi, Love how you run your reading block. I was wondering where I could find the Kindergarten station checklist? I really could use something like that to keep my kinder kids accountable for their work.
    Thanks so much!
    BJ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks BJ! If you email me, I will send you the checklist.
      Lori
      Teaching With Love and Laughter
      luvyorkies@gmail.com

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    2. I think the checklist is a great way to keep students accountable for their work, but I didn't see the checklist in your tpt store. Is it posted somewhere else? Thanks!

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    3. Jessica,

      Send me an email and I'll reply back with the checklist. :)

      Delete
    4. Thanks Lori, I sent you an email yesterday. I really appreciate it.

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    5. Did you get an email from me Jessica?

      Delete
  2. I also love the way you do your kindergarten stations. I have mine rotate but I put them in their centers and we just rotate, I may have to start next year with allowing them to choose. But boy that is scary.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It take lots of training, but it is well worth it! One day, we took a vote and everyone except two people wanted to be able to switch when THEY were ready, not when the timer went off. I was one of the two against it! LOL! But, majority rules and we gave it a whirl and I will NEVER go back to the old way! You can do it!
      Lori
      Teaching With Love and Laughter
      luvyorkies@gmail.com

      Delete
  3. Do you use the same read aloud for your kinders and 1st graders? Thank you for sharing this post and the one for 1st grade.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Carol,

      I do not use the same read aloud for both grades. And, you're welcome! :)
      Lori
      Teaching With Love and Laughter
      luvyorkies@gmail.com

      Delete
  4. What leveled reader series do you use?

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  5. This looks amazing! Dare I ask if you have anything like this available for grade 2??

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    Replies
    1. Irene,

      I am sorry, but I don't! I don't teach second grade this year! But thanks! :)
      Lori
      Teaching With Love and Laughter
      luvyorkies@gmail.com

      Delete
  6. Do you have the labels that you use for the pocket chart? Also, I would love to have your center checklist! Is that possible? kendraywolfe@yahoo.com!

    Can't wait to put this to use! Going in tomorrow to organize and prepare!

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  7. Great ideas! I wondered if I could purchase your center checklist somewhere? cooney.doublec.laura192@gmail.com

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    Replies
    1. I also like your set up with the drawers. I was racking my brain to think of an idea of how to organize mine better and low and behold you already came up with it! I love your stuff and my kiddos enjoy the writing activities.Thanks

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  8. really nice post...My daughter is also in kindergarten and it is really good to see the hard work which a teacher puts into to teach little kids...amazing work! looking forward to read more of you
    http://beamingkids.blogspot.com/

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  9. I just found your blog thru pinterest and I love your post about daily 5! We will be going to an all day everyday schedule nex year and I am a little nervous transitioning my daily 5 routine to everyday and having enough choices for them throughout the week. I am so going with your approach- it totally makes sense and you have some great products on tpt to help me out! I am also interested in your checklist. Have you put it on tpt for purchase? I would love to purchase if need be. Thanks for the wonerful post and help in getting my brain wrapped around what next year could like! Maribeth from Ohio :0)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maribeth,

      I would be happy to share my checklist with you. Just shoot me an email and I'll send it to you.
      Lori
      Teaching With Love and Laughter
      luvyorkies@gmail.com

      Delete
  10. I just found your blog thru pinterest and I love your post about daily 5! My district will be going to an all day/everyday schedule next year and I am a little nervous with how to transition my daily 5 to everyday- right now I only see my kiddos 2 days a week and I am nervous about having enough choices for them for a whole week. I am so going to try to implement your ideas- it just makes sense to me and you have some great products on tpt to help! I would be very interested in purchasing your checklist- I did not see it at your store. Please let me know how I can purchase. Thanks! Keep up the great work!! Maribeth from Ohio :0)

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  11. Thanks for this post. I am trying to start something like this in my room. I have struggled with how to do it with 25 kids and make them accountable for completing work. I love the layout of your station checklist as a way to do that. Is there anyway I could get a copy of yours? So much more creative than I can do.

    erinzinke@gmail.com

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  12. Where do you get the writers journals with the handwriting lines and picture space? Love them!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Abigail, I got mine at Wal-Mart. I have also seen them at Office Max and Target. I absolutely love them!

      Lori
      Teaching With Love and Laughter
      luvyorkies@gmail.com

      yourtext

      Delete
  13. Such a great post! So much to think about as we move into a block system! Thank you!

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  14. I am starting centers during my reading block to see if the differentiation will improve my strugglers. I would so love a copy of your center checklist for my Ks accountability. Your post was a big help. Thank you!

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  15. I just found your blog. I would love to have a copy of your center checklist. What do you do with the items that they produce during their center time? Do you grade i? Send it home that day or just check to ensure they are doing it correctly?

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  16. I am in LOVE on how you display your stations. I am going to try this with my centers this year for my pre-k students. Where did you get that pocket chart??!! It's PURPLE and not the normal ugly navy blue!

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    Replies
    1. Lindsey,

      I bought the pocket charts at Target. I love them too!

      Delete
  17. Lisa May 1, 2016
    I Just came across your blog. I love it! My school has been working this year to transition to the Readers' Workshop approach and will begin Writers' Workshop next year. The daily stations you have created for your kindergarteners are great. How long do they work at each station before they rotate? The big emphasis at my school, is to get children in print and reading to self in order to increase their stamina to read, to expose them to independent reading more and continual practice. I teach kindergarten and have been working on building their stamina over the second half of the year, and for some it is still a challenge.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello, Lisa! My kindergarten students spend about 15-20 minutes at a station. Sometimes, it can be as little as 10 minutes, depending on what else is going on. The only way to get such young learners to stay on task independently, is to practice, practice, practice. It takes a few months to get it down and then you really reap the benefits during the second half of the year.

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  18. I want to purchase the "I can draw and write words page". Is it in the $18.00 bundle only or available for purchase separately?

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    Replies
    1. Rhianna,

      Thank you for your interest! That page is part of an entire pack and is not available for purchase separately. I'm sorry!

      Delete

Thank you for taking the time to comment. I love to read them!

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