Planning and
Implementing a
Reading Workshop
ELA Professional Day
November 8, 2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Essential Concepts from the Workshop
i - ii
General Information

Various Literacy Structures
1–5
(Multiple Book Reading, Readers’ Workshop, Whole Class Writing,
Writing Workshop, Literacy Workshop)





Planning a Readers’ or Writers’ Workshop
The Mini-Lesson – Characteristics
Overview of Mini-lesson Topics (RW & WW)
Teacher & Student Roles
Assessment in the Workshop
6
7
8-9
10 - 11
12 - 15
Readers’ Workshop









Starting Your Readers’ Workshop
Reading Workshop & Discussion Group Guidelines
How to Find the Right Book for Me
Mini-Lesson Activities
 Text Monitoring
 Fix-Up Strategies
 Literary Analysis
 How to Discuss Well
Reading Journals (Topics)
How to Use Post-Its
4-Point Rubric for Scoring Journals
Status-of-the-class chart & various reading checklists
Ways to Begin with Literature Circles
Extending the Reading Using Writing
36 - 37
 Lexile Proficiency Levels/ Workshop Themes & Related Novels
(Themes include: Identity, Friendship, Making Choices,
Taking Action, Discrimination/Conflict, Mystery, Survival,
Justice , The Pioneering Spirit, Perceptions)
Appendix





Resources for Teaching Reading and Writing Workshops
Readers’ and Writers’ Workshop Planning Page
The 30-15-10 (Prefix, Root, Suffix List)
Metaphorical Graphic Organizers
Literature Circle Role Sheets
16
17
18
19 – 21
22 - 23
24 – 25
26
27 - 34
35
38 - 40
Reading and Writing Workshop Essential
Content
General Workshop Information
1. There are 6 literacy structures: whole-group reading of one book/flex. groups,
multiple books, Readers’ Workshop (students choose their own books), Wholeclass writing, Writing Workshop (students choose writing topics), Literacy
Workshop (blends reading and writing workshop into one routine)
2. Procedures and expectations need to be modeled and taught to the students.
Including how students are to engage in group discussion.
3. Planning for a reading and writing workshop should always begin with the
outcomes/indicators to be taught. Planning should then involve how the students
will be assessed.
4. It’s important for teachers to gather information about their students’ reading and
writing strengths/areas of need prior to a workshop. This can be done with
surveys, conferences, anecdotal records, and reviewing student portfolios.
5. The teacher’s role in a workshop is to provide a positive learning environment,
instruct skills/procedures, model, respond, and evaluate.
6. The student’s role in a workshop is to engage actively in reading, writing and/or
discussions, accept responsibility, apply strategies, and be reflective about their
growth.
The Mini-Lesson
7. Structure of the mini-lesson: Introduction, teacher modeling, students modeling
and guided practice, summarizing and reflecting.
8. Follow-ups to the mini-lesson are structured with independent practice of skills
taught in the mini-lesson, application
9. Mini-lessons may be done with the whole class or a small group and usually lasts
from 5-20 minutes.
10. Mini-lesson topics are based on students’ needs from teacher observation during
reading and/or writing.
11. Should always go back to the literature being read and/or sample writing for
examples and modeling.
Readers’ Workshop
12. Readers’ Workshops can be developed around themes (survival, power,
challenges, making decisions, etc.) or genre (poetry, short story, non-fiction, etc.)
13. Mini-lessons can include strategies for monitoring text, using fix-up strategies for
vocabulary, analyzing literary terms, and responding to texts.
14. Teachers and students need to know their lexile levels. It should be used to select
materials for workshops and should be conveyed to students to teach them how to
select appropriate texts for themselves.
15. Literature Circles are small discussion groups where students can share their
thoughts, questions, and conclusions about a common book. Group should be
limited to 3-5 students.
Writers’ Workshop
16. The essential components of a Writing Workshop are: Time to write, Response
(conference time with students), Responsibility (students taking ownership), and
Literature (using vibrant texts to model and spark conversation about writing).
17. Revision is at the heart of the work done in a Writing Workshop.
18. The 6 + 1 Traits model focuses on 6 elements of writing: ideas, organization,
word choice, voice, sentence fluency, and conventions. The +1 Trait is
presentation.
General Information
Reading and Writing Structures
for the Classroom
There are many ways to balance literacy in the
classroom. One prescribed method or structure of a classroom
will not meet the needs of all students throughout the school year. However,
selecting and implementing various methods or structures will work to
balance English language arts instruction and enhance student learning. The
following are structures for reading and writing instruction:
One Book – Whole Class, Flexible Groups
Often referred to as whole-class instruction. In reality, however, flexible groups are being
used to individualize instruction. The only whole-class activity is that everyone is reading
the same book.
Time
Procedures
Strengths
Hazards
10 – 15
1. Activate prior knowledge
- Gives everyone
- Must be balanced
minutes
At least
20-25
minutes
2. Begin to read the literature
 Decide on the mode of
reading:
-
-

5 – 10
Minutes
Varies
according
to
activity
Teacher-Supported
Reading (read aloud,
shared reading, guided
reading)
Cooperative Reading
(partners)
Independent Reading
Be aware of less-able
students trying to “hide” to
avoid showing weakness
areas.
3. Respond to the reading
(usually writing)
4. Discussion or reading
- Whole-class discussion
- Literature Circles
5. Support and Extension
(includes: mini-lessons, creative
responses, vocab. Activities,
-
-
a level playing
field 9boosts
confidence of
leower-level
readers)
Supports
discussion
involving all
students.
Structure is
flexible. The
class does not
have to be done
in the described
order.
-
-
with the multiplebook plan to give
kids appropriate
books for their
level.
Need to bary modes
of reading,
discussion groups,
and activities or all
students will be
limited.
Need student
choice.
Avoid dividing
students into
reading levels with
one novel.
writing, art, etc.)
- Teacher-guided
lesson/activities
- Cooperative activities
- Independent activities
Multiple Books
This framework for organizing the classroom is when several books of various levels are
selected to accommodate individual reading needs.
Time
Procedures
Strengths
Hazards
10 – 15
minutes
At least
20-25
minutes
5 – 10
Minutes
Varies
according
to
activity
1. Introduce book choices to
students.
2. Begin to read the literature
 Students/teacher decides on the
mode of reading:
- Teacher-Supported
Reading (read aloud,
shared reading, guided
reading)
- Cooperative Reading
(partners)
- Independent Reading
3. Personal response and
discussion
 Journals
 Literature Circles
4. Support and Extension
(includes: mini-lessons,
creative responses,
vocabulary activities, writing,
art, etc.)
 Teacher-guided
lessons/activities
 Cooperative activities
 Independent activities
-
-
Provides
instructional
support on
student’s
reading level
Provides student
choice
-
-
Management
Teachers don’t want
to interfere with
student choice
(students may
choose
inappropriate
books)
Resources may not
be adequate
Readers’ Workshop
The reading workshop is a time when the entire class is engaged in reading, responding,
and sharing books with the teacher and with peers. The heart of the workshop is time to
read.
Time
Procedures
Strengths
Hazards
5-10
1. Teacher Sharing Time (shares
- Provides a
- Using all selfminutes
literature to spark students’ interests and
motivate them for independent reading)
5-10
minutes
2.Mini-lessons (teacher directed lesson
focusing on pre-reading activities to
activate prior knowledge for genre, skill
or strategy.)
3-5
minutes
40-60
minutes
3. State-of-the-Class Conference
(students state what they will be doing
in class. Teacher records info.)
4.Reading and Responding
Choice A – Students may engage in:
- Self-selected reading
(10-20 min.)
- Literature Circles (20-30
min.)
- Conferences with the
teacher (20 min.)
Choice B – Students may engage in:
- Whole-class reading and
responding (10-20 min.)
- Self-selected reading and
responding (10-20 min.)
- Literature circles (10-20
min.)
- Conferences with the
teacher, held during teacherassigned reading or only on
selected days (10 min.)
5. Student Sharing Time (5-10
min.)
- Students share what they are
doing or what they have
structured and
well-balanced
literacy
program for a
block of
instructional
time.
-
selected novels
limits in-depth
discussion of
the novel for a
wide-range of
students.
Students may
not be
adequately
prepared.
done. May be done in small
groups or as a whole class.
Writing Structures for the Classroom
Whole-Class Writing
Students are writing for a common purpose. May include whole-class topics or genres.
Time
Procedures
Strengths
Hazards
10 – 15
1. Whole class or large groups may
- Allows for solid
- May move
minutes
work to develop a common piece.
(teacher or students write text.)
5-10
minutes
2. Mini-lesson to revise or improve
the class generated piece.
15-20
minutes
3. Student Writing (students may go
directly to Step 4.)
modeling of
writing
Instruction is
scaffolded
Can easily be
combined with
writers’ workshop
-
30-40
minutes
-
students too
quickly or too
slowly
through the
piece of
writing.
4. Independent Writing
Writing Workshop
This structure is similar to the reading workshop. It allows students time to engage in
writing.
Time
Procedures
Strengths
Hazards
10 – 15
1. Mini-lesson: Focuses on some aspect
- Allows for
- Requires a
minutes
of writing or a writing skill needed by
the class. (whole-class activity)
3-5 minutes
2. State-of-the-Class Conference: Use
the state-of-the-class chart to record
what students are doing.
30-40
minutes
3. Write and Confer: Students write.
The teacher circulates and confers as
needed. Scheduled conferences may
also be held.
-
individual
needs to be
met
Can be
combined
with wholeclass writing
structure
-
definite plan for
use
Routines need
to be share with
and taught to
students or
workshop
becomes
ineffective and
chaotic.
5-10
minutes
4. Group Sharing: Teachers and
students share and comment on writing.
(Not a show and tell session)
Literacy Workshop
Blends the reading and writing workshop formats into one routine. This format includes
four main components:
1. Teacher Sharing - getting students excited with a read aloud or something written
2. State-of-the-class conference - find out what students are doing.
3. Reading-writing-conferring - students work on a project that involves both
reading and writing. Always have time for independent reading and writing as well.
Reading and writing conferences take place.
4. Group Sharing – students share, talk about, and get reactions to their reading and
writing projects.
This structure is a long-term goal and may not fit or develop readily for many teachers.
Adapted from: Literacy: Helping Children Construct Meaning by J. David Cooper, 1997.
Planning a Readers’ or Writers’ Workshop
1. Outcomes/Indicators to be taught – determine which
indicators from the Cecil County content standards/VSC that you will be teaching
and assessing during the unit.

Include literary analysis, comprehension strategies, expectations and
performance in the workshop (e.g., how you want students to respond, how to
engage in discussion in a student-led literature circle), writing skills, grammar,
vocabulary, etc.
 See Mini-Lesson Ideas sheet
2. Assessments –
 Develop your unit assessment of selected indicators.
 How will you assess student learning throughout the workshop?
(formative/summative assessments)
3.
Select a theme/genre and gather materials
–

Readers’ Workshops can focus around: Non-fiction, poetry, short stories,
novels

Writers’ Workshops can focus around: Types of writing – narrative, poetry,
memoir, non-fiction
4.
What will be read/what writing will be
used and generated to teach your selected
objectives? (See Workshop Planning Organizer – Appendix)
5.
Create a general framework for the
workshop/unit. Down the left column of piece of paper, list how many
days you anticipate that the workshop will last. (Typically, workshops last
between 2-3 and a-half weeks.)
Example:
Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 3:
 Begin with your final assessment. When will it be given? Do you want
students to go back and review it/revise it once it is given? Fill this in on
your unit framework.
 Plug in the objectives/lessons to be taught throughout the unit frame.
(Some lessons may take more than one or two days.)
 You may want to leave a day or two as flex time to re-teach/or extend
lessons as needed.
6.
Other considerations:
 Do you want your students to participate in Literature Circles (Book
Discussion Groups?)

If so, you will need to plan time to teach students the
guidelines and expectations of the discussion groups, and
you may need to allot time for group ice-breakers to get
conversation practice in prior to discussing their shared
novels.
The Mini-Lesson
Structure:
1. Introduction – Introduce the tool/skill/content. Let students know what they will
learn and relate it to literature and/or their writing.
2. Teacher Modeling – model the element being taught using the literature or
writing to show examples. Use think alouds as needed.
3. Student modeling and guided practice – Kids read short text (segment from
novel, short story, graph/chart, poem, news article, selection from non-fiction,
etc.) and practice the skill/element. Encourage students to locate other examples
of what is being taught.
4. Summarizing and reflecting - helps students summarize what they have learned
and talk about how and when they might use it. For example, students could meet
with a partner or small group for a quick discussion. (5-10 min) , then engage in a
whole-class debriefing on their learning.
Other Characteristics:
-
May be done with the whole class or a small group and usually lasts from
5-15 minutes.
Topics are based on the students’ needs from teacher observation during
reading and/or writing.
Should always go back to the literature being read and/or sample writing
for examples and modeling.
Follow-up to the Mini-lesson:
1. Independent Practice – have students read or write what has been taught.
2. Application – Give students repeated opportunities to immediately use or apply
what they have learned in other reading and writing experiences.
3. Reflecting – Have students reflect about use. After several opportunities to apply
what was taught, encourage students to talk about how they used what they have
learned.
Teacher and Student Roles
Note: Teacher roles are varied in the workshop format.
The teacher’s role is to:





Provide a Positive Learning Environment
 Establish clear student responsibilities and effective routines
 Make available a variety of reading materials
 Provide more personal student interaction
 Promote reading through displays that highlight authors and bulletin boards
and posters that sell reading
Instruct
 Present mini-lessons of approximately 10-15 minutes targeted to specific
needs of students, saving individual questions for after the lesson
 Present groups with discussion topics until they are able to generate their own
 Help students find and focus topics
Model
 In the beginning guide student participation and model good group behavior
 Read with and to your students
 Join a discussion group to model the way to share thoughts and opinions
 Guide students through a variety activities to help them find meaning in what
they read
 Cut and paste during revision
 Show students how to eliminate the ‘fluff’ in their writing
Respond
 Listen to students’ ideas
 Listen to students read portions of the text they have written
 Speak with individuals, asking probing questions about novels they’re reading
and text they are writing
 Comment in journals to affirm, challenge, or extend reader’s thinking
 Help students sort through their thoughts
Evaluate
 Confer with student on individual student goals
 Record daily a few concise statements about the progress of students
 Hold a minute or two reading conferences, noting clues as to student strengths
and weaknesses
 Accept that learning is individual and students will progress at their own rates
 Offer suggestions for revision
 Confer with students over finished writing pieces
The student’s role is to: (Student roles may vary throughout
workshops.)
 Do much of the reading or writing in class.
 Maintain reading logs (journals) to record reactions to their reading, answer
questions, take notes, include questions of their own, write about their feeling












Accept the responsibility of participating in discussions
Draw conclusions about their reading, analyze ideas of authors and compare to
their own
Respond to important issues or complex questions, open-ended questions and go
into in-depth analysis of meaning
Value everyone’s opinion
Learn how to select reading materials that interests them
Learn how to select reading materials on their reading level. (See “How to Find
the Right Book for Me” chart in the Readers’ Workshop section or the 5-Finger
Strategy.)
Accept responsibility for behaving properly in a workshop setting
Find and develop topics for writing
Try new strategies and techniques to improve writing
Accept responsibility for completing pieces of writing
Maintain a portfolio for keeping their writing
Grow as a reader and a writer to produce ‘best work’
Overview of Mini-Lesson Topics
Structural / Procedural Mini-lesson Topics
Reading












Expectations for reading
Rules for Reading Workshop
Workshop Routines: the day’s schedule of read
aloud and independent reading
Status-of-the-class
Classroom literary resources
Reading logs & recommended reading list
How to select an appropriate book (using lexiles)
Rating books (using lexiles and interest)
Procedures for book talks
Self-evaluation procedures
Goal-setting in reading
Establishing a portfolio to show evidence of
growth as a reader


















Writing
Expectations for writing
Rules for Writing Workshop
Workshop Routines: each day’s schedule (poem,
mini-lesson, status of class conference, independent
writing/conferring, group meeting – sometimes)
Status-of-the-Class
Finding and using writing resources in room
Daily writing folder (its purpose and organization)
Why we confer about writing
What happens during peer conferencing
Use of response forms when conferencing
Group conferences
Creating individual proofreading list of conventions
How to use an editing list
Modes of sharing publicly
How to whisper
Self-evaluation procedures
Goal setting in writing
Showing one’s growth and goals as a writer
What to do when a writer is finished
Reading Mini-lesson Topics
Text Monitoring












Rereading
Reading ahead
Questioning
Stop and Think (Does it
make sense?)
Summarizing
Finding Main
Ideas/Details
Role Sheets
Response Logs
Post-Its
Predicting
Text-Coding
Bookmarks/Trouble
Signs
Fix-Up Strategies









Prefixes/Suffixes/
Roots
Context Clues
Key Concept
Vocabulary
Personal vocabulary
list
Reading to end of
sentence
Rereading
sentence/paragraph
Using phonics
Using a dictionary
Text structure
Literary/Structure Analysis





Genres (mystery,
poetry, legend,
memoir, essay, comic,
drama, mythology,
historical fiction, etc.)
Elements of Fiction:
character, problem,
change, plot, pace,
voice, point of view,
setting, lead,
conclusion, dialogue,
theme, tone,
symbolism
Figurative Language
Sound in poetry
(alliteration,
assonance,
onomatopoeia)
How characters are
Responding




Reading
journals:
diaries,
response
journals,
dialogue
journals,
double-entry
journals and
how to write
them.
Literature
discussion
circles
Readers’
Theater
Response
charts
Writing Mini-lesson Topics
developed

































Craft
Revision methods
Drafting leads and conclusions
Qualities of a good title
Ways of organizing information (non-fiction and
narrative)
Ways to create a character – questions to consider
Crafting realistic dialogue
Ways of generating specific examples for idea and
opinion pieces
Different points of view
Transitions and transitional words – effective use
Poetic techniques
Rereading during drafting to maintain pacing
Theme in narrative and poetry
Plausibility in narrative
What writers do when they rehearse, draft, reread
Writing letters, news articles
Persuasive writing
Surprise endings
Conciseness
Voice
Using strong verbs
Varying sentence length
Developing imagery
Pruning writing – cutting what you don’t need
Developing settings
Flashback/time transitions
Creating a dramatic scene
Using humor
Adding voice
Importance of strong nouns and precise verbs
Eliminating adjectives and adverbs that don’t add
to meaning
Poetic techniques: line and stanza breaks, using the
white space, figurative language, rhyme schemes,
sound patterns, how to revise a poem
Using a thesaurus
Revising versus recopying
Conventions
(Should come from observing students’ writing)
 What are they? What they do for
readers. Why we need them.
 How to edit formally (using another
color of ink)
 Using handbooks about conventions
 Paragraphing
 Keeping a consistent point of view
 Keeping consistent verb tense
 Comma rules
 Apostrophe use
 Punctuating dialogue
 Commonly confused words (they’re,
their, there, lie, lay, sit, sat)
 Run-ons and fragments
 Allowable abbreviations in text
 Combining sentences
 Types of sentences
 Treatment of titles
 Purpose of the hyphen and dash
 Appropriate use of contractions
 Need for end marks of punctuation
 Letter formats
 Subject-verb agreement
 Why spelling matters
 Creating a personal word list
 Spelling studies
Assessment in a Reading or Writing Workshop
Adapted from In the Middle: Second Edition by Nancie Atwell and 35 Must-Have Assessment & Record Keeping Forms for Reading
Questions/Activities for Making Informed Decisions for Teaching
Talking with students, collecting information from conferences and writing, dialoguing with last year’s
teachers, scanning portfolios, will enable you to identify students’ needs and indicate instructional implications.
Watching your students as they work in pairs, groups, or alone, and then reflecting on what you’ve observed, can
also help to inform your teaching decisions.
Student Observational Style Checklist
_____
I circulate around the room and rarely sit at my desk.
_____
I pause and chat briefly with each student to learn about their reading or writing
and thinking.
_____
I observe, for five to ten minutes each day, one or two students and jot down
objective notes about what I see.
_____
I read students’ written responses to literature to learn more about their recall and
comprehension.
How Do I Know That Students Can Use a Strategy?





Circulate and watch students during guided practice.
Observe partners practicing a strategy.
Note how students apply a strategy during guided strategic reading groups.
Discuss a strategy during one-on-one meetings with students.
Read students’ journal entries and self-evaluations.
Reflect on These Reading Assessment Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Do I focus on what each student knows and can do well?
Do I discover what the student can do when working independently?
Do I observe the child working with a partner or in a group?
Do I communicate my observations to students in ways that can support their progress?
Do I include students when setting goals and planning interventions?
Do I teach and invite students to self-evaluate and use their evaluations to support them?
Do I use peers to support each other?
Do I offer enough practice of a strategy for students to understand its benefits and apply it to
their reading?
9. Do I provide opportunities for students to transfer their knowledge of how a strategy works to a
variety of reading materials?
10. Do I record some of my observations and use them in progress reports to parents and
administrators?
Behaviors to Note:
During/After Minilesson






Listens to demonstration
Studies chart carefully
Asks questions
Shares strategies and process
Remains silent in follow-up
discussion
Shows confusion during
questions/statements
During
Independent
Rdg.






Settles into reading
quickly
Fidgets, moves around
for a long time
Frequently talks to
others
Concentrates on book
Occasionally pauses
to share a section
Changes books
several times









After Discussion Grp
Meets







Comes prepared with book, pencil,
and journal
Reads assigned pages
Shows an understanding of strategy
Talks about how strategy works
Understands how strategy helps
reading
Asks probing questions
Shares process
During Paired
Reading





Listens carefully
Follows text as
partner reads
Retells selections in
great detail
Supports partner
Skims, rereads to
improve retellings
During Book
Discussions
During Short
Conferences
Comes prepared with book,
pencil, journal
Reads assigned pages
Listens while others speak
Participates in discussion
Takes notes when
appropriate
Values others’ ideas
Supports points with story
Reads examples from text to
prove points
Shares in group decisionmaking


Watching Journal
Writing





Heads page correctly
Follows journal-entry
guidelines
Returns to book to collect
specific details
Stays on task
Volunteers to share entry
with group/class


Talks about issues
Can/cannot explain
confusions
Participates in goalsetting
Can apply strategies to
reading
Reading Journal
Entries





Follows guidelines
Offers support from
text
Use story details
Shows understanding
of
character/setting/plot/th
eme
Makes inferences from

Uses text to show an understanding
of strategy
text
Evaluating Student Achievement and Growth in a Workshop
The following is a list of possible assessments that can be used to evaluate student achievement and growth
throughout a readers’, writers’, or literacy workshop.
Reading
 Student Self-Evaluation:
Writing
 Status-of-the-Class Reports
 Amount of participation
 Conferencing
 Degree of progress of meeting individual student goals
 Degree of progress of meeting county goals

 Student Self-Evaluation:
o How many books have you read?
o What were your reading goals?
o What progress did you make? How have your goals
changed?
o How have you changed as a reader?
o What new techniques/strategies did you try?
o What helped you the most?
o What did you learn about yourself as a reader?
o What were the most meaningful mini-lessons?
o What have you learned about….?
 Contents of the portfolio: Reading log of books read, 1 or 2
favorite journal entries

o How many pieces of writing did you complete?
o What were your writing goals?
o What progress did you make? How have your goals
changed?
o How have you changed?
o What new techniques/strategies did you try?
o What helped you the most?
o What did you learn about yourself as a writer?
o What were the most meaningful mini-lessons?
o What have you learned about….?
Contents of Portfolio (# of pieces completed)
Readers’ Workshop
Starting Your Readers’ Workshop
Initial Steps:
1. Book Talk each book.
2. Teach a strategy to determine if a book “fits” or is too difficult:
a. 5-Finger Strategy: As a student read one page (from anywhere in the
book), he/she puts up a finger for each word that he/she does not know. If
he/she has 5 fingers “up” before getting to the end of the page, then the
book is too difficult for him/her.
b. Class Discussion: Title chart paper, “When is a Book a Smooth Ride
for You?” or “What Does a ‘Just Right’ Book Feel Like?” Brainstorm and
list student answers on the chart paper. Leave posted for student
reference.
3. Allow students time to preview the books
 Placing one copy of each title at each group works well.
4. Students could record their names and their top 3 book choices (in order of
preference) on a slip of paper. Fold and collect.
If you are conducting Literature Circles: You will want to limit the number of
students in each discussion group. Groups should be 3-5 students but should not
exceed 6 students because management and accountability became challenging.
a. By having limits on each title – students are not guaranteed their first
choice. A consolation might be offer a popular book again in another
workshop during the year and give those students first placement in the
next discussion group.
b. You could draw names and place in groups during class or reserve that
process to be done before the next class.
5. Assign books to students and explain the minimum number of pages to be read
each day.
6. Begin your workshop mini-lessons.
Reading Workshop Guidelines
During the Reading Workshop, you should…
 Come to class each day with materials (novel,
journal, binder, pen/pencil) and be ready to
read.
 Draw conclusions from your reading. Think
about what you are reading, examine and analyze
ideas of authors, and compare them to your own.
 Be willing to work in groups and discuss your
ideas about what you have read.
 Remember courtesy. Do not disturb other or put
your words into their brains by talking.
 Do not do homework for other classes in
Readers’ Workshop.
 Accept responsibility for completing assigned
work and doing your best.
 When I conference with you, speak using the
same volume as I do (a whisper).
Discussion Group Guidelines
When you come to Literature Group meetings,
you should…
 Come prepared for the group with assigned
reading completed.
 Bring your journal entry and post-it notes and
be ready for discussion.
 Share your thoughts and ideas.
 Respect and accept the ideas and opinions of
others. You do not have to agree with
everyone’s opinions or viewpoints; however, you
do need to recognize that each person is
entitled to an opinion.
 Allow 1 person to speak at a time.
 Share your thoughts and ideas willingly.
 Plan what you wish to say before speaking.
 Do not interrupt the speaker and listen
politely.
 Stay on topic when sharing ideas and asking
questions.
 Comment to a speaker in a constructive and
positive manner.
 Explain why you might disagree with a speaker.
Reading Mini-Lesson Activities
Rationale: These monitoring and fix-up tools remind students to:
 Enter a text thinking.
 Be conscious of their responses as they read.
 Stop (during or after) reading and record their thinking.
Note: All notes from reading travel to discussion groups to refresh memories and
stimulate discussion.
Lessons to Teach Text Monitoring: (Introduce/select only 1 or 2
of these to use for your 1st workshop, add others through other workshops)






Role Sheets – provides structure if you’re using Literature Circles, ultimate
goal is to make them obsolete.
Response Logs – See Journal Topic List
Post Its – See explanation sheet
Bookmarks/Trouble Slips – cutting scraps of paper into bookmark-size
strips, provide each student with several strips. As they read, they make notes
on their bookmarks, flagging those words and passages to get clarification on
trouble spots.
Drawing - Have students create an image to reflect their interpretation of an
element of the story: a scene, character, moment, or event from the story; an
image or picture that came to mind while you were reading – it could be a
memory or scene from your life; a diagram, flow chart, or map of the story; an
abstract form that represent a thought or feeling you got from the reading – an
explosion, a thunderbolt, a pattern, etc. (May require some teacher modeling
on what is expected.)
Sentence Starters – have students complete this sentence starter: I don’t
understand…If it’s a challenging segment, they might need to complete 3 “I
don’t understand…” statements. Students get into small groups or pairs to
share their statements and help each other clear up confusion. Other focus
starters include:
 I noticed…
 I wonder…
 I was reminded of…
 I think…
 I’m surprised that…
 I’d like to know…
 I realized…
 If I were…
 The central issue(s) is (are)…
 Once consequence of _________ could be…
 If ________, then…
 I’m not sure…
 Although it seems….

Text Coding –
 Symbols – Develop a system of “codes” to use to indicate
thoughts as students read a text. (i.e., ! = this is new; ? =
confuses me; x = contradicts what I thought)
 Color Coding – give students a yellow and pink highlighter.
Read a difficult passage, with highlighters in hand, and highlight
every single word in the text. Use the yellow highlighter for words,
phrases, sentences, or entire passages that they understand. Use the
pink highlighter for everything that they do not understand. This
pinpoints exactly where student comprehension breaks down.
 Scoring Comprehension – Chunk a piece of text. After reading a
segment of it (i.e., a paragraph) students score their level of
comprehension on a scale of 1-10, with 1 meaning you have little or no
understanding and 10 meaning you thoroughly understand the text. *
Could be done with post-it notes.
Lessons to teach Fix-Up Strategies:
For Problems at the Word Level:


Search Prefixes/Suffixes/Roots for Partial Meanings – See 30-15-10 list in
appendix. List of 30 most common prefixes, 15 most common roots, and the
10 most common suffixes. (Other resource: Language Network: Vocabulary
and Spelling workbook)
Figure out Sound-Alikes – Teach students to pick apart a word to find
familiar aspects. May be helpful for bi-lingual students.
For Problems at the Sentence Level:

Context Clues – Model and explain how to use context clues to determine
word meaning. Provide scaffolded instruction as needed for students to
become proficient in using this strategy. (Resources; Language Network:
Vocabulary and Spelling workbook)
Note: These will need to be explicitly taught to students. Use samples and modeling of
effectively completed notes, role sheets, journals, etc. and demonstrate how to use the
comprehension monitoring tools using think-alouds and guided practice.
Lessons to teach Literary Analysis:
1. Characterization: How does the author develop characters? What is the
difference between “flat” and “round” characters? Which minor characters play
important roles? How do the characters advance the plot and conflicts?
2. Time and Sequence: Which themes emerge from the book? Is there an
overriding theme? Do minor themes emerge? How are these themes developed?
3. Author’s Purpose: Why do you think the author wrote this book? What did he
or she really want to say? What was the historical context in which this book was
written, and how did this influence the author? Who is/was the author’s intended
audience?
4. Diction: How does the author’s choice of words advance the story? Is dialogue
used effectively? Does the diction ring true? Does the author effectively use
figurative language – metaphor, simile, personification?
5. Symbolism: How does the author effectively use symbolism to advance the
story? How do these symbols enrich the novel?
6. Voice: Who is telling the story? Which point of view has the author used? How
are the other literary elements revealed through the use of narration, dialogue,
dramatic monologue, etc.?
7. Setting: Where is the story set? How does this setting affect the story’s
development?
8. Conflict: What are the central conflicts in the work? How does the author
develop these conflicts? Are the conflicts primarily internal or external?
9. Irony: How is irony used in the story? What kind of irony advances our
understanding of the characters?
10. Tone: What is the author’s attitude in this work? How and where is it revealed?
11. Metaphorical Graphic Organizers: Can be used to teach students to analyze
character, plot and structure, and setting. (See attached sheets in the Appendix.)
Lessons to teach kids to discuss well:
Note: Need them to be able to monitor their thinking first!



Ice breakers with group before first discussion to get comfortable with
conversation in the group.
Routines/expectations of workshop Literature Circles.
Fish bowl of good discussion: Have a small group of students model a
Literature Circle discussion while the rest of the class observes and makes
note of effective techniques. Discuss observations as a whole class.
Journal Entry Topics
Ideally, your journal entries will be off-shoots of the
thoughts, ideas, connections, and questions that you record on
your post-its. However, sometimes our brains need a
jumpstart into thinking. These journal starters may help you to
think more deeply about your reading:


















Describe what you wonder about or don’t understand.
Guess what might happen in the story.
Tell whether your predictions were right.
Tell what a character is like and offer evidence for your opinions.
Tell what or who the story reminds you of in your life.
Figure out the “big idea” or theme the author may be trying to get across
to the reader.
Describe the story’s problem and how it was solved, or explain another
solution to the problem. If the problem wasn’t solved, explain why and
tell how you might have solved it.
Tell what you would have done differently if you were the author.
Describe the way that the author writes beginnings, endings, chapter
titles, etc…
Show how two characters are similar and different. Within this story or
across different texts.
Explain how the author has drawn you into the story.
Explain some of the hidden meanings that you are finding.
Explain how effectively the author creates either setting, characters, or
conflicts. Are they authentic? Why or why not?
Describe the main character’s transformation throughout the story.
Select 3 key events and show how each provided insight into a
character’s personality.
Select an important quote from the story (1-3 sentences), explain how
you connect to the quote and show how the quote relates to a theme,
conflict, or character in the text.
Summarize and evaluate two to three decisions the main character made.
List several things that you value or are important to you. List what your
favorite character values. Compare and contrast lists, pointing out what
you have in common and how you differ.
 Choose a minor character and show how he or she was important to the
plot, main character, or themes.
 Visualize a scene or a character; use drawings or words to illustrate these.
 Tell what you have noticed about what kinds of things this writer does in
a story that might be different from other writers you have read.
Sentence Starters
 So far I think this book is….Explain your opinion by giving
specific examples to tell more about the story or the writing
style.
 One character that I see myself in is…Tell why by giving
examples of the way the character is like you.
 If __________________ (a parent, older brother or sister, friend) were
reading this book, he/she would think it was ….because…
 A question that’s on my mind after reading this part is …Tell why you
want to know this! What are some possible answers?
 If I were telling this story, I would…Explain what you would do
differently or keep the same.
 Reading this book reminds me of…Tell more about what it reminds you
of – another book, an experience, a place, a person – and why.
 The part I just read makes me think a little differently about…because…
 My feelings toward (character’s name) have changed since the beginning
of the book…Explain how your feelings have changed.
 A part of this book that I really don’t understand is…because…
 If I read another book by this author, I would know it was the same
author because…
Journal Questions for Non-fiction text:





What conclusions can be drawn about the topic?
How did the author use evidence to reach conclusions?
What personal connections can you make to the text?
How does the author’s style help the reader to understand the topic?
How did the author organize the information in the text?
 Was the text objective or biased?
 What points of view did the author present?
 What opinions did you form?
 What might the author have included to make the information
more interesting or to make the information more easily
understood?
1. Would you like to read other text on this topic? Why or why not?
Using Post-Its to Respond to Texts
Rationale: the simple technique of marking selected passages can support strong
conversations about what was read. Students can also use post-its to identify places in
the text where they locate evidence toward their purpose for reading. You are teaching
students to “train your mind to think when you’re reading.”
Purposes for reading & marking texts w/Post-its:
The one page where they especially feel the author’s big idea.
A place where the main character changes.
Sections where the book reminds them of their lives.
Sections in which the book resembles another book.
Point where the text demonstrates/exemplifies characteristics of the genre.
Clues to unravel the mystery.
Sections which show a view of life with which the reader disagrees (or critiques).
Places where the author has done something they want to emulate.
Cool things they want to discuss.
Places that show a central conflict.
Places where the pattern in a book is broken.
Supporting Kids’ First Responses to Reading: Using Post-Its and Other Tools
Leave a post-it at funny parts to revisit it during discussion.
Choose two (and only two) Post-its that will remain in the book forever. Recopy the
notes, making their thoughts neater and more explicit and recording their name and the
date. – When other students come across the post-its, they will reread the line and
wonder why the line was marked.
They could move their post-it notes from the book into their writers’ notebooks
Peel all of the post-its off the pages and compile them into a tiny Post-it book that gets
titled and saved.
Tools Students Can Use to Help them Respond to Texts
Reading Notebooks
For jottings and page numbers (these can be tiny memo books
at first and move toward larger, thicker notebooks for more
extended writing, book lists, goals, and notes on minilessons.
Readers may also collect articles, book reviews and other short
texts they’ve studied.
Highlighters
For marking readers’ own text or duplicated copies of texts
Fine-point writing
For fitting thoughts into page margins
utensils
Bookmarks or index
To mark places in the text and to record jottings about those
cards
places.
Post-its
To mark places in the text and to record jottings about those
places
Paper Clips
To mark spots in books (make sure clips are plastic-coated so
they don’t leave rust-spots on precious pages)
Plain paper book covers For jotting thoughts and page numbers
Sketchbooks
For quick sketches, maps, and as graphic organizers for
thoughts
Ways Good Readers Respond to Books
Good readers…
1. Grow theories about
characters
2. Notice, admire, and
critique the way an
author writes
3. Develop big ideas
about the whole book
4. Predict
5. Walk in the shoes of a
character, speaking as
the character would
speak
6. Let books remind them
of their own lives
7. Find connections
between one book and
another
“I think Gilly is pretty mean” – Amy, Katherine
Patterson’s The Great Gilly Hopkins
“Right here I’m noticing how th boat is getting further
and further to the end, the author slows down the
story.” - Malika, Lois Lowry’s The Giver
“They’re bringing in pieces together to build a bridge!
Maniac and some other kids like each other.” – Brian,
Jerry Spinelli’s Maniac Magee
“ I think Mela might never go back to the sea!” –
Hallie, Karen Hesse’s The Music of Dolphins
“Mela: I will leave my human thoughts on the beach
and I will go home!” – Kevin, Karen Hesse’s The
Music of Dolphins
“When my dad talks to me like that, I get mad. I
wonder if he’s mad.” – Rajpal, Lois Lowry’s The Giver
“Prince Horace and Sarah Ida both act mean when they
are unhappy.” - Svenja, Sid Fleischman’s The
Whipping Boy and Clyde Bulla’s Shoeshine Girl
4 –Point Rubric for Scoring Journals
4 Points:
the text.
- Includes several supporting details from
- Makes personal connections and/or connections
to other books.
- Makes inferences using story details.
3 Points:
- Includes one or two supporting details.
- Makes a personal connection.
2 Points:
- Retells the story.
- Makes a personal connection.
1 Point:
- Retells the story.
Ways to Begin with Literature Circles:
1. Provide guided practice with role sheets to ease students into the independent
practice of them with their novels:
a. Use the role sheets to give students structured guidance for discussion.
i. Required Roles – Discussion Director (Questioner), Literary
Luminary/passage master, Connector, Illustrator
ii. Optional Roles: Researcher, Summarizer, Character Captain,
Vocabulary Enricher/word master, Scene Setter
b. Using a short selection as a whole class, distribute the role sheets. Group
students with the same role sheets together to discuss and complete their
role sheets.
c. Next day – provide another short selection as a whole class (may be
related to previous day’s reading). Each member of the group will have a
different role sheet to complete and to discuss the reading.
2. Could provide/post a role sheet rotation schedule:
Student A
Student B
Student C
Student D
Stopping Points
1
2
3
LL
DD
CC
WW LL
DD
CC
WW LL
DD
CC
WW
4
WW
CC
DD
LL
3. Rearrange the groups frequently to take advantage of various personalities and
viewpoints
4. Arrange the furniture to be conducive to group work
5. Initially provide topics which might include what the reader learned, how the
reader feels, what insights and understandings were gained
Extending the Reading
After reading, here are some ideas for students to demonstrate their
understanding of the text using writing.
1. 3 Degrees of… - Students consider the central theme and how it is found in
degrees in the contemporary world.
Example: In To Kill a Mockingbird, students identify racism as the central idea.
 First-degree racism: The Ku Klux Klan held a rally this weekend in
Kentucky.
 Second-degree racism: Recent racial-profiling statistics have shown that
African-Americans and other people of color are more likely to be pulled over
by the police.
 Third-degree racism: Though there are many African-American players, there
are very few African-American coaches in college football.
Other Ideas: Degrees of: evil, compassion, oppression, sacrifice, greed, love, or any
central idea found in the book.
2. Most Valuable Idea – Create a t-chart on a piece of paper. At the top of the
paper, students write what they think is the single most important idea found in the
book – in a complete sentence. In the left-hand column, students find an example in
the real world that illustrates the idea. In the right-had column, students explain the
connection between the idea found in the book and the real-world example.
“Most Valuable Idea” Form
In a complete sentence, write the most valuable idea found in the book:
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Affix an article here that illustrates the
Most Valuable Idea
This idea is still valuable today because…
6. Theme Notebooks – conduct a whole class discussion on themes found in the
book/selection. Record them as sentences.
For example: Themes found in To Kill a Mockingbird
 Students choose one theme as a focus for the Theme Notebook.

Search for evidence of this theme in today’s world. (10 separate sources) (i.e.,
movies, newspapers, magazines, advertisements, political cartoons, song
lyrics, poems, drama, short stories, children’s stories, t.v.programs, novels,
original student stories, quotations, photographs, art, comic strips, jokes,
internet articles, video games)
7. Casting Call – Students select real people to play the roles of characters in the
novel.
a. Who is qualified? Not just someone famous!
b. Explain why a particular person is qualified to play a role.
a. What qualifies this person to play the role of this character?
b. What are the parallels between the character and the real-life person?
Alternative: Create a baseball card set. The cards depict the characters from the
novel; however, who are the real people to play the roles? Each card explains the
connection on the back.
8. Theme Layers – Identify the central theme. Demonstrate various layers of
real-world connections to that theme. For example, connect to self, family,
community and nation. Explain each connection.
9. Anchor Questions – Provide a question for students to consider while they
read the book - this helps to give a focus for reading.
Example: Can irony make us better people?
10. Hunt for Author’s Purpose – Assign this BEFORE reading the book!
What was the author’s purpose in writing this book? In an essay, explain the
purpose the author may have had in mind. Cite specific passages to reinforce
your thesis. Discuss why this purpose is still relevant to the modern reader.
Note: Mini-lessons can be planned to help students “discover” and chart
the author’s purpose as they read.
11. Metaphorical Graphic Organizers – Can be used as a springboard into
writing.
12. Alternate ending/next chapter – continue the story or create a different
ending.
13. Book Review/Critique – compose a review of the text. Using a “hook” at the
beginning of the review, offer a brief summary of the text and recommendation
for reading.
14. Theme/Shape Poem – create a poem that reflects the them of the story; write
the poem in the shape or symbol from the story.
15. Respond to a Quote – (connect a particular quote to the text)
16. Agree/Disagree Statements – pose a statement that students would need to
defend or refute and connect to the text. (i.e., “Everyone is capable of greed and
selfishness.”)
Lexile Proficiency Levels
Grade
5
6
7
8
At Risk
449 & below
499 & below
549 & below
600 & below
Basic
450 – 699
500 – 799
550 – 849
601 – 899
Proficient
Advanced
700 – 1000
800 – 1050
850 – 1100
900 – 1150
1001 & above
1051 & above
1101 & above
1151 & above
Reading Workshop Theme Ideas
Theme: Identity
Title
The Janitor’s Boy
The Well
Esperanza Rising
This Land is My
Land
The Giver
Losing Joe’s Place
I Am Regina
Theme: Friendship
Title
Pink and Say
Taking Sides
The Maze
Maniac Magee
Author
Lexile
Title
Author
Lexile
Clements,
Andrew
Taylor, Mildred
770
I Am the Cheese
Cormier, Robert
810
Farmer, Nancy
660
Ryan, Pam
Munoz
Littlechild,
George
Lowry, Lois
Korman,
Gordon
Keene, Sally
750
House of the
Scorpion
Among the Hidden
Haddix, Margaret
800
Avi
740
760
790
True Confessions of
Charlotte Doyle
Tangerine
Light in the Forest
Bloor, Edward
Richter, Conrade
680
870
720
Things Not Seen
Clements,
Andrew
680
Author
Placco, Patricia
Soto, Gary
Hobbs, Will
Spinelli, Jerry
Theme: Making Choices
Title
Author
700
Lexile
590
750
720
820
Lexile
The Butterfly
Stefoff, Rebecca
750
Speed of Light
Rosen, Cybil
540
Shiloh
Graduation of Jake
Moon
Naylor, Phyllis
Park, Barbara
890
680
Title
Freak the Mighty
Holes
Silent Boy
On My Honor
Author
Lexile
Rodman Philbrick
Sachar, Lewis
Lowry, Lois
Bauer, Joan
1000
660
870
750
Author
Lexile
Title
Surviving the
Applewhites
Nothing But the
Truth
The Contender
Tolan, Stephanie
820
Avi
NP
Lipsyte, Jonathan
760
Theme: Taking Action
Title
Author
Lexile
Title
Author
Lexile
The Children’s Book
of Heroes
Captain Kate
Bennett,
William
Reeder, Carolyn
820
Burning Up
Cooney, Caroline
720
920
Paulsen, Gary
840
Hoot
Flying Solo
Hiaasen, Carl
Fletcher, Ralph
760
590
Sarah Bishop
O’Dell, Scott
760
Sarny: A Life to
Remember
Nightjohn
My Brother Sam is
Dead
True Confessions of
Charlotte Doyle
Theme: Discrimination/Conflict
Title
Author
The Diary of Anne
Frank
Upstairs Room
Number the Stars
The Witch of
Blackbird Pond
Crash
Theme: Mystery
Title
The Westing Game
Jade Green
Blizzard’s Wake
Chasing Vermeer
Face on the Milk
Carton
The Undertaker’s
Gone Bananas
Theme: Survival
Title
Lexile
Frank, Anne
Reise, Johanna
Lowry, Lois
Speare,
Elizabeth
George
Spinelli, Jerry
Author
Raskin, Ellen
Naylor, Phyllis
Naylor, Phyllis
Balliett, Bleu
Cooney,
Caroline
Zindel, Paul
Author
740
Lexile
Greene, Bette
800
380
670
850
Paulsen, Gary
Kerr, M.E.
Bishop, Claire
Hutchet
830
630
560
Soldier X
Wulffson, Don
740
Lexile
Title
Author
Lexile
750
1040
910
770
660
Avi
Konigsburg, E.L.
Turner, Megan
Hoober, Dorothy
Avi
580
810
920
760
740
1050
Something Upstairs
Silent to the Bone
The Thief
In Darkness, Death
True Confessions of
Charlotte Doyle
House of Dies Drear
Lexile
Title
Author
The Incredible
Journey
Touching Spirit Bear
Blumberg,
Dorothy
Mikaelsen, Ben
I Have Lived a
Thousand Years
Britton, Gerta
Paulsen, Gary
1020
Island of the Blue
Dolphins
I Want to Go Home
O’Dell, Scott
1000
Trial By Wilderness
Author
770
Summer of My
German Soldier
Nightjohn
Gentlehands
Twenty and Ten
Hatchet
Korman, Gordon
Title
Paulsen, Gary
Collier, James
Lincoln
Avi
Hamilton,
Virginia
Lexile
1320
670
Theme: Justice
Title
Monster
Silent to the Bone
I Am the Cheese
Tangerine
Among the Hidden
Ender’s Game
Author
Myers, Walter
Dean
Konigsberg,
E.L.
Cormier, Robert
670
Bloor, Edward
Haddix,
Margaret
Card, Orson
Scott
680
800
Theme: The Pioneering Spirit
Title
Author
A Burst of Firsts:
Doers, Shakers, and
Record Breakers
Lewis, Patrick
Journey to Nowhere
Auch, Mary
Jane
Theme: Perceptions
Title
The Giver
The Contender
Lexile
Author
810
810
780
Title
Nothing But the
Truth
True Confessions of
Charlotte Doyle
The Witch of
Blackbird Pond
Sarah Bishop
House of the
Scorpion
Touching Spirit Bear
Lexile
770
Lexile
Author
Lexile
Avi
NP
Avi
740
Speare, Elizabeth
George
O’Dell, Scott
Farmer, Nancy
850
Mikaelsen, Ben
670
760
660
Title
Author
The Journal of
Augustus Pelletier:
the Lewis and Clark
Expedition, 1804
The Breadwinner
Lasky, Katherine
860
Ellis, Debora
630
Stargirl
Spinelli, Jerry
590
Title
Author
Lexile
Lexile
760
760
Whirligig
Dicey’s Song
Fleischman, Paul
Voight, Cynthia
760
710
Gathering Blue
The Messenger
Lowry, Lois
Lipsyte,
Jonathan
Lowry, Lois
Lowry, Lois
680
720
Voight, Cynthia
Farmer, Nancy
770
660
Gentlehands
The Pigman
Kerr, M.E.
Zindel, Paul
830
950
A Solitary Blue
House of the
Scorpion
Ender’s Game
Monster
780
670
Pigman’s Legacy
Zindel, Paul
1010
December Stillness
Hahn, Mary
Downing
Avi
860
The Witch of
Blackbird Pond
I Am the Cheese
Card, Orson
Myers, Walter
Dean
Speare, Elizabeth
George
Cormier, Robert
NP
Walk Two Moons
Creech, Sharon
770
Nothing But the
Truth
850
810
Appendix
Resources for Teaching Reading and Writing Workshops
These resources can be used to plan mini-lessons and to guide teachers in the
development and management of reading and writing workshops in their classrooms.
Multiple copies of many of these resources are available in each middle school’s
English Language Arts professional library. Talk to your IST about the location of
these materials in your school.
Balanced Literacy
Four Blocks Plan Book
Simon, Cheryl
In the Middle
Atwell, Nancie
Harris, Theodore &
Richard Hodges
Literacy Dictionary, The
Literacy: Help to Construct
Meaning - 3rd
Literacy: Help to Construct
Meaning - 4th
Lesson plan book for the 4 block
structure
Writing/reading & learning with
adolescents
Sigmon, Cheryl
The Vocabulary of Reading & Writing
Creating an integrated & balanced lit.
classroom
Creating an integrated & balanced lit.
classroom
For upper grades - matching strategies
to students' needs
Breaking the Rules
Schuster, Edgar
Innovative Grammar Instruction
Fundamental English Quicktests
Help With Capital., numb &
abbrev.
Hutchinson, Emily
Reproducible tests on lang. use
Help With Punctuation
Masters, Ann
Modifying the Four Blocks
Cooper, J. David
Cooper, J. David
Grammar
Daniel, Wanda
Noden, Harry
Using Grammar structures to teach
writing
To Be a Boy, To Be a Reader
Brozo, William
Engaging Teen & Preteen Boys in Active
Literacy
Writing about Literature
Young Adult Literature in the
Class
Globe Fearon
Elliott, Joan & Mary
Dupuis
Reading it, Teaching it, Loving it!
Image Grammar
Novels/Literature
Reading Strategies
10 Terrific Reading Strategies
for Teens
Baily, Cate
Reproducible skills book
High interest & low vocabulary
reproducibles
Toolkit of Classroom Activities
(grades 6-12)
Building Comprehension
Building Reading Comprehension
Habits
Milliken Pub. co
Critical Thinking
Barnes, Dan
Differentiating Textbooks
Guided Comprehension
Forsten, Char
McLaughlin, Maureen &
Allen
I Read it, But I Don't Get It!
Tovani, Cris
A Teaching Model for Grades 3-8
Comprehension strategies for
Adolescent readers
Questioning the Author
Beck, Isabel, et. al
Enhancing Student Engagement w/ text
Reading Comprehension Workshop
Globe Fearon Pub.
Reading for Meaning
Taylor, Barbara
Reading strategies & activities
Fostering Comprehension in the middle
grades
Reading Reasons
Gallagher, Kelly
Motivational mini-lessons for MS & HS
Zwiers, Jeff
Reading, thinking, & reasoning skills
Strategies important to student
comprehension
Reading Reminders
Burke, Jim
Reciprocal Teaching at Work:
Oczkus, Lori
SSR Handbook, The
Pilgreen, Janice
Strategies that Work
Harvey, Stephanie
Tools, Tips, & Techniques
Strategies for improving reading
comprehension
How to organize and manage a SSR
program
Teaching Comprehension to Enhance
Understanding
Teach Them All To Read
McEwan, Elaine
Catch kids who fall through the cracks
Teaching Struggling Readers
Allington, Richard ed. Articles from The Reading Teacher
Reading Workshop
Mini-lessons for Literature
Circles
Daniels, Harvey
Reading Workshop Survival Kit
Muschla, Gary
How to set up and run literature
circles
Tools to set up, teach, manage
readers’ workshop
Vocabulary
Bringing Words to Life
Teaching Vocabulary
Beck, Isabel
Tompkins, Gail &
Blanchfield
Robust Vocabulary Instruction
50 Creative Strategies (Grades K-12)
Writing
6 + 1 Traits of Writing
40 Reproducible Forms for the
Writing Traits Classroom
Craft Lessons
Essay, The : A teacher's
Resource
Culham, Ruth
Culham, Ruth & Amanda
Wheeler
Fletcher, Ralph
SCOPE
Checklists, Graphic Organizers,
Rubrics and Scoring Sheets
Teaching Writing K-8
Persuasive, Narrative, Descriptive,
Expository
Essential Ingredients
Worsham, Sandra
Exemplar Series 6-8
Myers, Miles
Expository Writing:
How to Capture Live Authors &
Bring Them to Your School
Hickler, Holly
Improving Children's Writing
Murray, Elizabeth
Laughing Matters
Lessons that Change Writers
(kit & bk)
Hoomes, Eleanor
Act. to encourage creative writing
Atwell, Nancie
Mini-lessons for writers
Nonfiction Craft Lessons
Fletcher, Ralph
Nonfiction Writing
Robb, Laura
Teaching Info. Writing K-8
Writing lessons inspired by
conversations w/authors
Revision Toolbook
Heard, Georgia
Teaching Tech. that work
Sentence Combining
Teaching the Qualities of
Writing
Strong, William
A composing book
Lessons for Ideas, Design, Language
and Presentation
Teaching the Writing Process
Using Picture Books To Teach
Writing With the Traits
Millett, Nancy
Writers’ Workshop Survival Kit
Muschla, Gary
Writing for Publication
Writing Prompts for Literature
in the Trait-Based Classroom
Baumann, James
Writing Skills
Instruction. Fair Pub. Reproducibles
Melton, David
Portalupi & Fletcher
Culham, Ruth
Culham, Ruth
Recipes for teaching writing
High, Middle, Low samples of student
writing
From thought to action
Ways to schedule authors to come to
school
Guide for teachers and supervisors
Lesson ideas and activities to teach
and assess each writing trait.
Tools to set up, teach, manage
writers’ workshop
In reading & lang. arts
Prompts that encourage the use and
reflection on the 6 Traits of writing
Writing to Persuade
Globe Fearon Pub.
Written & Illustrated by...
Melton, David
Teaching students how to write &
illustr. books
How to Find the Right Book for Me
Name: ___________________________
Really Easy
Lexile
Range
100-250 Lexiles
Below
Grade: _______
Not Too Easy, Not Too
Difficult…Just Right
50 Lexiles Above – 100 Lexiles
Below
Lexile: _______________
Challenging
(Only if I’m really interested or
have background knowledge)
50 – 250 Lexiles Above
Reading Status-of-the-Class
Readers’ Workshop Planning Page
Title/ Theme of Workshop:
Frame:
Selection
READING
What will
be read?
(short stories,
novels, poems, nonfiction, etc.)
Time
Skills to be
taught/Reinforced
Vocabulary
Instruction Needed?