F & P

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Home : 2003 : July : 27

F & P
By Pam M

This year I also started with the First Twenty days of reading. It is in the Independent Reading section of F & P I think. I found that it gave my class a clear idea of what reading time should look like. If you look at it
you might think that it seems slow, but it is really important to set the tone for your Literacy Block up front so that you can have time to teach in small groups later. At the beginning of the first twenty days I use the time that they are actually reading to test the kids and to have individual conferences. I was really pleased with my reading block last year and it was both mine and

the kids favorite times. They really enjoyed sharing about books that they were reading, and we had a "Star Picks" book carousel for them to recommend books to each other just like in a regular book store. As to your question about times for guided reading and lit circles. After the First Twenty Days, I do guided reading groups 4 days a week meeting with two groups a day twice a week (on the 5th I conference). I gradually introduce lit circles by using the read aloud book that I am doing to model responses and being respectful. I'm planning on starting small group lit circles in late October. I don't usually do lit circles and guided reading at the same time. Instead I alternate them. If you email me I could send you my plan for this year (which is of course very tentative right now). I hope this helps. Good luck with the F& P I think it is fantastic.