Myrtle Cooper
Balanced Literacy Structure Guide
2011-2012
Components
I. Listening
Comprehension
Read Aloud
Selection is read aloud to students for
making meaning and modeling
comprehension and decoding
strategies.
Mini-Lesson-No dittos or independent
work

Duration 10-15 Min.
Whole Group Instruction (10-15 Minutes)
Activities
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
*Fluent reading is modeled
by a teacher or adult
*Attention is given to
advanced sentence
structure and vocabulary
*A variety of genres are
introduced, including poetry
classics & especially….
Teacher facilitates a book
walk making predictions
and presents the learning
objective (targeted skill).
Teacher connects to
previous learning.
Teacher shares half the
book, verifying
predictions, making
connections and explicitly
thinks aloud about
targeted skill. The teacher
should read with rich
expression, model self
inquiry, identifying and
analyzing story elements,
making connections (self,
text, and world), inferring,
etc.
Teacher reads rest of the
piece verifying
predictions, making
connections and
explicitly “Thinks
Aloud” about targeted
skill. The teacher should
read with rich expression,
model self inquiry,
identifying and
analyzing, making
connections (self, text,
and world), inferring, etc.
Teacher reviews
and/or rereads text
or parts of text.
Teacher asks
students to develop
their own inquiry
through I notice…,
I wonder… This
reminds me of… or
Why, How,
What…questions.
Extension of questions
and student thinking,
conclusions, evaluating,
making judgments
(Great opportunities for
Figure 19 and embedding
context clues and text
evidence)
Enjoyment and
Prediction
1. Building background
(schema): Schema
Question: Ask a question
that will assist the students
in making connection to
the text.
2. Introduce text:
Explicitly name and define
the genre for the text.
3. Establish Purpose:
Teacher may establish
purpose by using:
*prediction
*concept web
*words in context
*KWL
*discussion
4. Read modeling fluency.
Vocabulary and
Language Usage
1. Read the text modeling
fluency.
2. Define unfamiliar
vocabulary:
3.Language/Vocab Usage
Target: ex.
Print Conventions /
Language Mechanics
1. Read the text modeling
fluency.
2. Convention or
Mechanics Target: ex.
Extended
Teaching of
Identified Target
•Review target
•Re-define the
target
•Explain the
rationale/reason for
the target
•Explain when to
use the target
•Model the target
using this text
•Practice the target
(in context) with the
group
Response To Text
*Read the text modeling
fluency.
Visuals/Illustrations
•Advertisement/Drawing
•Caricature/Comic
•Costume Design
Graphic Organizers
•Comparison Chart/Venn
Diagram
•Story Structure Chart
•Character Web
•Time Line/Map
Oral Responses
•Storytelling
•Role Play
•Monologue
Written Responses
•Letter/Diary
•News Article
•New Ending/Script
•Parallel Structure Writing
Expository Textnewsletters, definitions,
instructions, guidebooks,
catalogues, newspaper
articles, magazine articles,
manuals, non-fiction books,
pamphlets, reports, product
adds, Science & Social
Studies Resources
Poetry Sample Cscope
Choose a poem that has
been read Organize and
present to a small group a
book talk on the selected
text. Using appropriate
fluency and oral
conventions, read the text
aloud to the class or
small group. Listen and
participate as other students
present their responses.
(4.1A, 4.Fig19A, 4.Fig19B,
4.Fig19C, 4.Fig19D,
4.Fig19E; 4
.27A; 4.28A;
*Can also be implemented as Shared Reading Activity
Created by Gloria Aguirre & Adalberto Garcia
Figurative Language
Idioms
Comma
Sub/Verb agreement
Stanza
Verse
OR
Reading Strategies
1. Read the text modeling
fluency.
2. Specific reading target
(comprehension or visual
language target): ex….
Identifies problem and
solution
Plot
Myrtle Cooper
Balanced Literacy Structure Guide
2011-2012
II. Two Minute Edit (DOL)
Daily Bell Ringer
(option to have as step 1 or 2 in the
structure)

Duration 2-5 Min.
Activities
Targeted on a daily basis:





Grammar/Punctuation
*Morning Message
*Text from the current Read
Aloud/Shared Reading Text
*Taken from students’
writing
Prepare in Advance
Indicate number of errors
Immediate and corrective feedback
Integrate skill
into meaningful sentences and Adventures in writing
*This is the only grammar that should be taught in isolation.
Direct Reading Instruction (30-40 Minutes)
III. Instructional Components
CScope Exemplar Lesson
Novel Study
Anchor Lessons
Texas Treasures Activity
Lessons
Performance
Indicators -IFD
(TEKS)
Create a story plot line
depicting a story’s main
events. Explain in how the
plot line helps you connect
one event to another and
how the plot could affect
future events.
(4.Fig19B, 4.Fig19C,
4.Fig19D, 4.Fig19E; 4.6A)
After reading a fictional
story, identify the
relationship between two
characters. Create a visual
that represents the
relationship and the
changes the characters
undergo throughout the
story. (4.Fig19C, 4.Fig19D;
4.6B)
Created by Gloria Aguirre & Adalberto Garcia
Word Study
Vocabulary & Spelling
*Explicit CScope
Instruction-Exemplar
Lesson
Shared Reading
Mini-Lesson – Teachers
explicitly teach a targeted
skill through the use of
picture books, big books,
focus poems, &
Expository Text.
*Novel/Genre Study
*Read Aloud Piece
Examples of focused skills
author’s organization,
genre, author’s purpose,
characterization, main
idea, inferencing, story
elements, summarization,
sequencing, vocabulary,
Teacher facilitates through
modeling , think aloud, and
guided practice. Focus text
should be read repeatedly.
Independent
Reading
Guided Reading
(Strategy Groups) –
facilitated by teacher
Collaborative Reading
Literature Circles
Genre Studies, Author
Studies, Independent
Reading, Independent
Work Stations Students
work on graphic
organizers, foldables,
hands-on activities,
journaling, etc.
Formative Assessment
Informal Language Sample
Observation Data
Teacher-Student Conference
Checklist
Rubric
Writer’s Notebook
Word Study Notebook
Reader’s Notebook
Reading Log
Oral Fluency Check
Portfolio
Novel Study Projects
Myrtle Cooper
Balanced Literacy Structure Guide
2011-2012
Writing Process-Author’s Craft (30-40 Minutes)
IV. Writing Process
Writer’s Workshop
Writing Process: Student writing is
taken through the process of writing:
Prewrite, Draft, Revise, Edit, Publish.
Mentor Texts: Expert examples of the
genre are used as the central teaching
resource.
Modeled Writing: Teacher actively
and consistently models the process of
writing in the classroom.
Author’s Chair: Students are given the
opportunity to share their writing and
receive specific feedback from their
audience of peers.

Performance
IndicatorSample:
1st 9wks
Curriculum Map
Write a poem (e.g., quatrain,
riddle, acrostic, lyrical) using
sensory details and poetry
conventions. (4.8A; 4.15A,
4.15B, 4.15C, 4.15D, 4.15E;
4.16B; 4.21A)
Write a personal narrative that
sustains a reader’s interest.
(4.15A, 4.15B, 4.15C, 4.15D,
4.15E, 4.17A, 4.21A)
Duration 30 Min
Prewriting
Prewriting can include:
• Listing: Making lists of
things which are related to
the topic.
• Free writing: Just start
writing on topic and don't
stop (or even pause) until
a predetermined period of
time has passed.
• Clustering or Webbing:
Start with a central idea
and relate words, phrases,
or ideas to it. Use this to
find a direction for your
thoughts.
• Story Boarding: Create a
linear model or timeline
of your story.
• Percolating: Thinking
about
Drafting
It is writing the first draft
of a piece. Keep in mind
that this is just a first
attempt. It is not the
completed piece.
*This component will carry over to DI Literacy Block as part of the Daily 5 “Work on Writing”
Created by Gloria Aguirre & Adalberto Garcia
Revising
Revision should begin
with the question:
“What am I really trying
to say?” When a writer
clearly understands the
meaning they want to
convey they can then
work on the primary
concern of revision –
making ideas clearer.
Revision begins earlier
and is integrated into
each step of the writing
process. Students use
revision as a way to
bring their growing
knowledge of good
writing to bear on
everything they write.
Editing
Editing is the act
of preparing a
piece of writing
for publication making certain
that every
convention is
correct.
Read for:
• spelling
• punctuation
• subject-verb
agreement
• effective use of
pronouns
This list will grow
as additional minilessons are taught
and the classroom
editing checklist
as well as the
children’s list of
skills is developed.
Publishing and
Celebrating
Author of the Week:
Celebrating published
writing is an
acknowledgement of the
hard work that went into a
piece and the learning that
accompanied that hard
work. It is also a way of
honoring the voice of
every writer in your
classroom. An author’s
celebration is a special
occasion with the students
and their writing as the
stars. Parents and other
members of the school
community should be
invited to join in the
celebration and provide a
live audience for student
writers.
Myrtle Cooper
Balanced Literacy Structure Guide
2011-2012
Differentiation Instructional Literacy Block (45-60 Minutes)
Literacy DI Menus: Sample
Novel/Genre Study Tic Tac Toe Activities: Sample
Guided Reading/Station Activity Rotation Schedule
Time
15-30Min
15-30 Min.
Daily
Rotation
↓
1
2
3*
Team A
Guided Reading
with Teacher
Daily 5 Activities:
*Read to Self
*Read to Someone
*Listen to Reading
*Word Work
*Work on Writing
Team B
Daily 5 Activities:
*Read to Self
*Read to Someone
*Listen to Reading
*Word Work
*Work on Writing
Optional Team #
Or Additional Station
Activity
Friday
All Teams
Rotation Catch-Up
Day/Literature Circle
Discussion Groups
Guided Reading with
Teacher
*This time slot rotation
may be added or removed
according to class size or
grade level.
*Super School gives you an opportunity to work with those students that need intervention which, can provide time for you
to work with guided reading. This may give you a window of opportunity to facilitate “literature Circles” with other teams.
Created by Gloria Aguirre & Adalberto Garcia
Myrtle Cooper
Balanced Literacy Structure Guide
2011-2012
15-20 Min
15-20 Min
15-20 Min
Daily
Rotation
↓
1
2
3
Team C
Literature Circles
Literacy DI
Menu/or
Novel Literature
Study Tic Tac Toe
Activities
Daily 5 Activities:
*Word Work
*Work on Writing
*Read to Self (SSR)
Team D
Literacy DI Menu/or
Novel Literature
Study Tic Tac Toe
Activities
Optional Team #
Friday
All Teams
Rotation Catch-Up
Day/Literature Circle
Discussion Groups
Literature Circles
Daily 5 Activities:
*Word Work
*Work on Writing
Read to Self (SSR)
Whole Group Wrap Up (5-10) Min. Give students the opportunity to expand and solidify their understanding of the concept and/or apply it to a real world situation.
Created by Gloria Aguirre & Adalberto Garcia