Launching Reader’s Workshop
You will spend the first month of school learning the rules and procedures for
reading workshop. Below are examples rules, routines, and mini-lessons that can be
adapted to meet the needs of your students.
1. Introduce the 4 parts of Reading Workshop
 Interactive Teacher Read Aloud
 Connected Skill/Strategy Mini-lesson
Teacher Read Aloud will be followed by a connected mini lesson. Read Aloud
with mini-lesson will last approximately 10-15 minutes. During a mini lesson,
the teacher will introduce a specific concept, also known as the “teaching
point” (TP). Most often the teaching point will focus on a reading strategy or
skill. The teacher will explicitly model or demonstrate the skill for the
students.
Students then get a chance to practice the skill or strategy on their own,
with a partner, or in a group. This part of the mini-lesson is called the active
engagement.
 Individualized Daily Reading (IDR)
Use poster and research article to explain “IDR5)
Read, Relax, Reflect, Respond, and Rap!
 Closing/Sharing
This will help them understand that reading workshop follows the same
predictable structure EVERYDAY!
2. Students are introduced to the concept of “Book Nooks”
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After reading books like A Quiet Place by Douglas Wood, students
selected places in the classroom that felt "just right" for
independent reading time.
Readers begin trying out different places in the room in hopes of
discovering the "best place" to read.
Since a couch, soft chair, large pillows, dish chairs, and bean bags are
popular places to read, you may want to have a "book nook" rotation
chart that is changed by a “classroom librarian” each day after
reading workshop is over.
http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/reading%20workshop%20launching.htm
(KIS student pics coming soon!)
3. Mini-lesson on choosing “Just Right Books”
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You can use the “Five Finger Rule”: Read the first page of the book.
For each word you don’t know, put up one finger. At the end of the
page, if you have five fingers up, then the book is too hard. If no
fingers are up, the book is too easy. You will have 2 or 3 fingers up for
a “Just Right” book. By using this method you can independently
choose an appropriate book.
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You can also compare a "just right" book to a shirt that fits perfectly.
An oversized shirt and/or a shirt that is too small are not very
comfortable to wear. Use that idea as an analogy for books that are
easy or challenging.
http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/reading%20worksho
p%20launching.htm
4. Introduce Book Boxes
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All students have a book box in which they store the books that they
individually select from the classroom library. Students keep multiple
books in their boxes. Students take their book box with them to their
book nook while they are reading. Inside the book box, students also
keep sticky notes, pencils, and bookmarks. All book boxes should be
stored on a special shelf in your classroom that holds both the book
boxes and students' Reader's Notebooks. When selecting books,
students make sure to put enough books in their book box so that they
do not have to spend time switching
books during IDR (students should
switch books no more than twice a week.)
http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/Book%2
0Boxes.htm
(KIS student pics coming soon!)
5. Establish Class Rules and Routines
After spending a week in the reading workshop, students will be familiar with the
routine and will be ready to establish rules and routines. Your class should agree
upon a list of rules that all readers should follow in order to make the workshop
time most beneficial and enjoyable for all readers.
http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/reading%20workshop%20launching.htm
(I’ll be looking for KIS pics!)
6. Set-Up Reader’s Notebooks
Students use their Reader's Notebooks to:
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Record books they've read
Keep track of the genres they are reading
List books they would like to read in the future
Respond to their reading
Prepare for book talks
Keep track of Partner Reading discussions and
meeting times
Maintain Self-monitoring checklists
(See Reader’s Notebook page for blackline masters of student forms and possible guidelines
for notebooks. Teachers should set up notebooks based on classroom/student needs.)
7. Continue Mini-Lessons to “practice” workshop procedures and forms
These are possible Mini-lessons that will help continue “launching”
your Reader’s Workshop. Specifics for each of these lessons can
be found on the Mini-Lessons page.
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Reading Genres: As students record books in their reading logs, they
are expected to categorize the books by genre. Since many students
are unfamiliar with this concept, they are introduced to each of the
different categories during Reading Workshop mini-lessons.
Bag O’ Books: Homework Extension
Overall Reader’s Workshop Classroom Management: Webpage
summary of management tips
Book Recommendations: Ways students can share books with others
Reading Partnerships: Procedures for partner reading
Literature Circles: Guidelines for meeting in Lit Circles
Thick and Thin Questions: Levels of questioning
Interactive Reading Activities
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Class Book Awards: A fun, interactive way to celebrate favorite books
Theme Studies: Multiple mini-lessons that connect books to themes
Reading Detectives: Mystery Genre Unit