Our Reading curriculum in Room 27 includes a combination of several research-based
Reading structures and instructional strategies. The state of Indiana now requires third
graders to have 90 uninterrupted minutes of Reading instruction per day. During this block,
students will participate in a variety of activities to strengthen Reading skills, in a variety of
formats in order to maintain focus and interested throughout this lengthy time.
Scott Foresman Reading Street
This is our adopted Reading series for third grade. We will use our basal text as an anchor for our Reading
curriculum. Students will read a different story from the textbook each week as a class. We will work on
each story’s targeted skills and reading strategies. Students will also participate in vocabulary and
comprehension exercises related to each week’s story.
Mini Lessons
Each day’s Reading block will contain one or more mini lessons. Mini lessons are short,
simple introductions or reviews of specific topics, including Reading skills and strategies,
and phonics topics. Many of our mini lessons will also include sharing children’s
literature with the students that may help to reinforce or demonstrate the skills
presented. Mini lessons provide a nice time for the entire class to meet together as a
group in our meeting area.
The Daily 5 Station Time
Tuesdays – Thursdays, students will rotate through a total six stations,
including Word Work, Reading to Self, Buddy Reading, Listening to
Reading, Writing About Reading, and Working with Mrs. F. These
stations will help to reinforce the reading skills and strategies that we
are working on, as well as phonics skills.
Guided Reading
Throughout the week, all students will have the opportunity to participate in one or more guided reading sessions
with Mrs. Ferguson. Students will be grouped in a variety of ways throughout the school year, including by reading
level and targeted skills. These groups are flexible, and students will have the opportunity to read with most
students in the classroom as the year progresses. Guided reading provides a special time for the students and
teacher to read together and work together on individualized lessons and skills.
Literacy CAFÉ
Each nine weeks, Mrs. Ferguson will examine student data and form small groups based on one of the four
Literacy CAFÉ skills: Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency, and Expanding Vocabulary. Students will be
placed in a group based on their individual needs, and they will participate in small group and individualized
activities to help strengthen this particular skill area. Students placed in each group will work to either
establish, reinforce, or enrich this skill. ALL readers have the need and potential to improve their skills in
some capacity, and this targeted instructional time will allow them to do just that. Students will participate
in these targeted groups on Fridays. Through mini lessons throughout the week during our regular
Reading time, all students will be introduced to key skills in each of these four areas.