Tips and tools
Tips and tools from an elementary school Literacy Coach
Reading Stations
I have never done stations before, because I taught fourth grade and I used the reader's workshop independent time to build stamina and strategy in their independent reading. But this year, with third graders(!) I have had to change things up! I have initiated eight stations. Please look at them, take what you want, and give me suggestions! Soon, I'll add pictures of the stations so you can see what they look like in the classroom!
You are welcome to any files linked here, but please oh please comment and tell me what you like and what you've downloaded! I would LOVE to know they have helped someone in their classroom!
Computers
I have two classroom computers. On the computers, kids listen to a fiction story from Storyline Online. Then, they fill out a graphic organizer (such as the one below) about the fiction story. These are all organizers we have used before. Sometimes I will use different maps or organizers to reinforce a concept we have learned during our shared reading, such as the Character Study Map from a previous post.
Fiction Story Map - directions
Word Study
In the word study station, kids engage in different kinds of word work. So far, they have worked on identifying VC, CVC, CVCC, anc CCVC patterns in words they find in their independent reading book. I recently added a file folder game about R-controlled syllables, and next, I am going to add word ladders from Timothy Rasinski. We have practiced them as a whole class and students are excited to be able to manipulate words on their own in the stations.
Sentence Building (Writing)
As a class, we have practiced using different parts of speech to create a basic sentence structure. We made a couple of foldables to practice these sentence structures (pictures to follow soon!). In the sentence building station, students practice creating a sentence using different parts of speech. There is a basket of bags. Each bag has a different part of speech in it (Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, Articles, Adverbs, and Prepositions). Most of the cards I purchased from the Dollar Tree on little sentence strips. Students combine the cards (and fill in endings with a marker) to create a sentence. When they're done, they add the sentences in their Language Study Notebooks. Then they can make a foldable we have practiced.
Spelling
Students have weekly spelling words that follow several different patterns, as well as a few sight words they need to learn. For example, last week, patterns included -an, -am, -ance, and -ant. At the spelling station, students sort the words into patterns and then build the words with magnetic letters on the metal side of my teacher desk. If time permits, they then quiz each other on the words on dry erase boards.
Fiction Response
In the fiction response station, students read a fiction book together. I try to make sure the genre of the fiction book is the same as the one we are reading in our shared reading so students can connect to the structure and elements. After they are done reading, they discuss with a buddy about the questions on these cards.
Nonfiction Response
At the nonfiction station, kids preview, predict, and read an article together. Then they record information they learned on this organizer. I have been working on encouraging kids to use nonfiction features (captions, maps, diagrams, etc.) to learn information, so I included the "I learned this from..." line so they can indicate what feature they learned the fact from.
For the past couple weeks, we have been practicing identifying the 5Ws in nonfiction. To reinforce this in the station, I am adding this 5Ws cube (Idea from Amy Lemons: Step into Second Grade! I just modified the sides of the cube to include the cues we have talked about to remind us of the meaning of each 'W') Kids can roll the cube and answer the questions. To build the cube, leave tabs on the sides to glue together.
Poem (Fluency)
As a class, we have a poem that we read for fluency. (In the past, it's been a weekly poem, but it's stretching out to a couple of weeks this year.)We identify language conventions used in the poem and mark them in our language study notebooks. We practice these skills daily (including grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling patterns, etc.). At the poem station, I have a poster-sized laminated copy of the poem. Students read the poem with their partner with fluency. Then, using vis-a-vis, students mark nouns, verbs, words following syllable patterns we have learned, and interesting punctuation marks. Then students mark the same noticings on the copy of the poem in their language study notebooks.
School Library
Self-explanatory! Kids grab their library card and go to the library! They are reminded to use their three-finger rule to choose "just right" books.