guided reading programme

Literacy: Guided Reading Rotation Programme A complete guided reading programme suitable for use with any fictional texts. •

Stimulating and fun activities that explore different facets of a book.•

Clear direction and expectations, that allow students to work independently of the teacher, •as needed.

Guidelines, tips, timetables and other support material for teachers.•

Coverage of the important areas of the English curriculum.•

So you think guided reading is important, but you need guidance on setting up and planning literacy rotations? If so, these resource books, covering the lower to upper primary grades, are ideal. The activities, in the form of A5 cards, comprise small-group tasks relating to independent reading, comprehension and detail, language and vocabulary, art and illustration, and reflecting and responding. The cards not only state the task required, but also include examples and additional information to facilitate group independence and greater understanding.

Code: 0361

Code: 0358 ISBN: 978-1-877440-58-8

Code: 0359 ISBN: 978-1-877440-59-5

Code: 0363 ISBN: 978-1-877440-63-2

4AGES 9-11

Code: 0360 ISBN: 978-1-877440-60-1

Code: 0362 ISBN: 978-1-877440-62-5

Bks 1–2 3–4 5–6

Age 7–9 9–11 11–13

NSW yrs 2–4 yrs 4–6 yrs 6–8

VIC yrs 2–4 yrs 4–6 yrs 6–8

QLD yrs 3–5 yrs 5–7 yrs 7–9

WA yrs 2–4 yrs 4–6 yrs 6–8

NT yrs 2–4 yrs 4–6 yrs 6–8

SA yrs 2–4 yrs 4–6 yrs 6–8

ACT yrs 2–4 yrs 4–6 yrs 6–8

TAS yrs 2–4 yrs 4–6 yrs 6–8

NZ yrs 3–5 yrs 5–7 yrs 7–9

Other books in the series

Literacy: Guided Reading

Rotation Programme

Book 4 Middle Primary

Janet Bruce

Title: Literacy: Guided Reading Rotation Programme

Subtitle: Book 4, Middle Primary

Author: Janet Bruce

Editor: Paula Wagemaker

Layout: FreshfieldsDesignLimited

Book Code: 0361

ISBN: 978-1-877440-61-8

Published: 2008

Publisher: Essential Resources Educational Publishers Limited

NewZealandOffice: AustralianOffice: PO Box 5036 PO Box 90 Invercargill Oak Flats, NSW 2529 ph: 0800 087 376 ph: 1800 005 068 fax: 0800 937 825 fax: 1800 981 213

Websites: www.essentialresources.co.nz www.essentialresources.com.au

Copyright: Text © Janet Bruce, 2008

Edition and illustrations: © Essential Resources Educational Publishers Limited, 2008

About the author: JanetBrucehastaughtatalllevelsoftheprimaryschoolinAustralia.Asacurriculum coordinator, her primary responsibilities were to develop the school-based English curriculum. Janet initially developed the guided reading programme that is the focus of this present resource while teaching lower primary students. She then adapted it when teaching other grade levels. The resource has emerged from her passion for reading and inspiring younger children to develop a love of reading. The open-ended tasks that appear in this fun resource are therefore a product of her detailed knowledge of English and literacy curricula, as well as her varied classroom experience.

Photocopy notice:

Permission is given to schools and teachers who buy this book to reproduce it (and/or any extracts) by photocopying or otherwise, but only for use at their present school. Copies may not be supplied to anyone else or made or used for any other purpose.

Contents

Notes For Teachers: The Guided Reading Book Club

What is a Guided Reading Book Club? 4

Setting up a Guided Reading Book Club 5

WhatAreLiteracyRotationActivities? 6

TheLiteracyRotationActivities 7

UsingtheActivity(Task)Cards 8

Book Marks 9

Organisation of the Guided Reading Groups andtheLiteracyRotationActivities 10

For Students: The Book Club Meeting

Book Club Meeting Guidelines 11

BookClubDiscussionQuestions 12

Literacy Rotation Activity Cards

ComprehensionandDetailCards1–20

LanguageandVocabularyCards1–20

ArtistandIllustratorCards1–20

ReflectingandRespondingCards1–20

Guided reading is an activity where students gather together with the teacher to read a section of a book. Afterwards,thegroupdiscussesthebook and the development of the story. The main focus of the Guided Reading Book Club is for the students to engage in dialogue about the text they are reading and to do this at regular intervals as the book progresses. The club provides you, the teacher, with a good opportunity to discuss features of the text and to engage your students at a deeper level.

Group your students according to needs, based on reliable classroom-based assessment procedures. The Guided Reading Book Club is an excellent method for developing higher-order thinking skills in those students who are already reading.

The Guided Reading Book Club requires a group of students to select a text from several that you offer. The text should suit the reading interests and reading ability of the group’s members. Students must each have their own copy of the text.

Notes For Teachers: The Guided Reading Book Club

This section, written for teachers, provides a range of discussion points and suggestions that you can use while taking a guided reading group.

Whenthechildrenfirstreceiveabook,their initial discussion should focus on the cover and title to encourage the group to make predictions on content. Subsequent discussions should focus on deepening the students’ understandings of the text and on encouraging their higher-order thinking.

Studentsbenefitsignificantlywhenparticipating in a Guided Reading Book Club. The many strategies provided enable them to build greater meaning from the text and to increase their comprehension. This development, in turn, allows them to develop greater fluencyandreadingskills.

What Is a Guided Reading Book Club?

4 © Essential Resources Educational Publishers Ltd, 2008

The aim of the discussion the children engage in during the Guided Reading Book Club is to encourage open, natural conversation, where personal opinions, experiences and questions are welcomed and explored. Your role is that of facilitator, not a group member or instructor.

1. Group your students according to their reading ability.

2. Each group should consist of four or six students.

3. Askeachgroupofstudentstositina circle, and then take turns to read the book aloud.

4. Make sure each student has their own copy of the book so they can follow along and that they also have a number of book marks (see page 9).

5. Alsomakesurethateachgrouphas a book that is appropriate for their reading level and a task activity card as appropriate (see following pages).

6. Have the groups meet regularly to read so they can discuss a section of the text at a time.

7. Atthebeginningofeachsection,askthestudentstobrieflydiscussthe section of the book they read during “independent reading” and then to take turns reading the next section of the book aloud.

8. Encourage their discussion of each section of the book by answering questions from the “Book Club DiscussionQuestions”list(seepage 12). This list can be copied and laminated, making it a handy resource to use with any book.

9. Alsoencouragethestudentstoclarify their understanding by asking the other members of the group questions.

10. Assessthechildrenwhilelisteningto their individual reading and their responsestothequestions.Alsoassess the extent and nature of their participation and their book work.

Setting up a Guided Reading Book Club

5© Essential Resources Educational Publishers Ltd, 2008

What Are Literacy Rotation Activities?

Literacyrotationactivitiesconsistoffivedifferentsmallgroupactivitiesthatrun in conjunction with the teacher taking a small group of students who are participating in the Guided Reading Book Club.

The literacy rotation activities (given in this resource as a series of task cards) provide students with stimulating and fun activities that explore different facets oftheirbook.Theactivitiesareself-sufficientinthattheyprovidestudentswithclear direction and expectations, thereby allowing the teacher to engage with the book club group without distractions. The literacy rotation activities cover important areas of the curriculum as outlined on the next page.

Teacher with a Guided Reading Book Club

Independent Reading Group

Comprehension andDetailGroup(Activitycards)

Language and Vocabulary Group(Activitycards)

ArtistandIllustrator Group(Activitycards)

ReflectingandResponding Group(Activitycards)


The Literacy Rotation Activities

Independent Reading

This activity requires students to read the next section of their book independently. Each student should write on their book mark any interesting or unusual words they come across as they read. When the book club meets the following week, they will discuss the section of the book read during “Independent Reading” before beginning their Guided Reading Book Club session with the teacher.

Comprehension and Detail

These activities aim to develop students’ comprehension. The activities are varied and encourage the students to engage with the text to extract greater meaning.

Language and Vocabulary

These activities focus on language, grammar, understanding and applying new vocabulary. The activities encourage students to seek out, identify, understand and apply new and interesting words.

Artist and Illustrator

These activities explore the creative and visual aspects of the book. They also explore the emotions and pictures created in our minds when we hear particular words, phrases, and passages. The activities enable students to visualise the thoughts and feelings they have in relation to the text and to re-create these artistically.

Reflecting and Responding

Theseactivitiesaskstudentstoreflectonandrespondtoaparticularaspect of their text to provoke a written response. These activities are particularly interesting for students because they enable them to respond in a personal manner.


Example of Display Board

Guided Reading Literacy Rotation Activities

Timetable

GroupsGroup 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 Group 6

Cards

The cards are designed to be photocopied, cut out and laminated. There are 20 cards in each section, which means you will have a full year’s supply of task cards to use. The timetable on page 10 provides you with a clear fortnightly timetable that allows each group to rotate through all activities over the two-week period.

Each fortnight, select one card for each of the following groups: • ComprehensionandDetail• LanguageandVocabulary• ArtistandIllustrator• ReflectingandResponding.

I keep these cards all together in an envelope at the front of the classroom, attachedtotheorganisationboard.Asthe diagram below shows, the board displays the names of each of the children in each group and a copy of

the timetable. I also have a pocket for additional book marks that the children can take and use when needed. (For information about the book marks, see page 9.)

The activity cards are designed to be used as follows:• Onecard(laminated)ishandedto

each group completing that activity.• Thechildrenreadtheactivityonthe

card.• Thechildrenwriteallresponsesin

their own literacy rotation work books.

When it is time for the Guided Reading andLiteracyRotationActivitiestobegin,one person from each group collects theactivitycardforthegroup.Allotherchildren collect their books and any other materials required and begin the task card. The children sit together in their groups to complete the activities.

Using the Activity (Task) Cards


Book Marks

The children use the book marks mainly during the independent reading and guidedreadingsessions.Asthechildrenread the book, they should write down any unusual or unknown words on the book mark. They then use these words

Name:

Book:

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Name:

Book:

Author: Wor

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Name:

Book:

Author: Wor

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Author: Wor

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Name:

Book:

Author: Wor

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for some of the activities in the Language and Vocabulary section. When children identify and write downnewordifficultwords,theyarestrengthening and broadening their own vocabularies.


Organisation of the Guided Reading Groups and the Literacy Rotation Activities

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Book Club

Meeting Guidelines

You will need your book, a pencil and your book mark.

1. Form a circle.2. Get organised within one minute.3. Brieflysummarisewhathappenedinthelastsection

of the book you read independently. 4. Read the next section of the book.5. Take turns to read small sections of the text and

follow along as others read.6. Cooperate with your group and support one

another with reading.7. Discussthesectionyouhavejustread.Ifyouhave

any questions, ask your group.8. Finally, choose a few questions to answer from the

“BookClubDiscussionQuestions”list.


Book Club Discussion Questions

• Whichcharacterismostlikeyou?Describewhatcharacteristics you have in common.

• Whichcharacterwouldyouliketohaveasafriend?Why?

• Doyouknowpeoplewhoarelikeanyofthecharactersinthe book?

• Howdidyoufeelasyoureadthestory?

• Whatdoyoulike/dislikeabouttheauthor’sstyleofwriting?

• Saywhatyouthinkwillhappeninthenextchapter.

• Haveanyofthecharacterschangedinthestory?Whatcaused them to change?

• Howareyoudifferentfromone of the characters? Explain.

• Ifyouwerethemaincharacterinthestory,wouldyouhave acted differently? Explain why or how you would act differently.

• Wasthereacharacteryoudidn’tlike?Whydidn’tyoulikethis character?

• Whatwastheauthor’smessage?Whateventshelpedyoufigureoutthemessage?

• Canyourelatetoandwiththecharactersandeventsinthe novel? Explain why or why not.

• Didyouenjoyreadingthisbook?Whyorwhynot?

• Whichcharacterdoyouthinkisthemostimportanttothe story? Why?

• Howcouldtheauthorcreatemoreinterestforreadersyour age?


Aim

© Essential Resources Educational Publishers Ltd, 2008


The aim of the comprehension and detail

activities is to develop students’ comprehension

and understanding of the text. The activities

encourage students to engage with the text

to extract a greater depth of meaning and

understanding.




Please Explain

Please explain what happened in the story you have just read. You will need to write a brief description of the main events that occurred in the story. Write your description in the order that the story took place.

Quality Questions

Write three quality questions about the characters or events thatoccurredinthebook.Aqualityquestionisacleverquestionthatreallygetsthebrainthinkingtofindtheanswer.

These questions are not straightforward; they do not have an obvious answer.


Comprehension and DetailCARD1

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Main Idea Momentum

Themainideasinabookareusedtokeepthestoryflowingandtokeepthereaderinterestedandengaged.Describeone event in the book that had you interested and wanting to read on. Share your response with other people in your group.

Character Clarification

Choose two characters from your book. Fold a piece of paper in half to create two columns and write down the name of one character at the top of one column and the name of the other character at the top of the second column. Underneath each character make a list of how that character differs from the other one.



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Title Transformation

Look at the front cover of your book and study the title and illustrations.Dotheillustrationsmatchthetitle?Ifso,statethereasons why. If not, describe alternative illustrations that would suit the title.

Succinct Summary

You have been asked to create an informative description of the book you are reading to replace the blurb on the back cover of the book. The blurb should introduce some of the main characters and inform the reader about what to expect in the story without giving away the ending. The blurb should entice the reader to read the book.



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Courageous Character

Events take place throughout books all the time. They are called complications. What event in your book had a great effect on one of the characters? How exactly did this event influencethischaracter?Describethe event and give details about the impact it had on him or her.

Character Adventure

Pretend to be a character from your book. Write about one particular adventure you experienced in the book. Remember to write about the feelings this character experienced during thistime.Whenyouhavefinishedwritingyourdescription,read it to your group.



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Classic Choice

Why do you think the author chose the characters and events he or she did as the subject of the book? Give five reasons why you think the author decided to write this book with this subject matter. Present your ideas in an oral presentation to your group.

Awesome Author

What do you think the author of this novel is like? Think about where this person might live in the world, where they get their ideasfrom,howoldtheyare,etc.Discussyour ideas with the group and write a paragraph describing your image of the author.



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Author’s Purpose

There are many reasons why authors write.Authorswritetoteach us about something, to entertain us, or to persuade us to think a particular way. Think about the book you are reading and write a paragraph describing the author’s purpose. Was his or her purpose to teach, entertain or persuade? Give reasons for your choice.

Scan Scram

Open the book to a page you have previously read. Scan the page for interesting, exciting or new words. Write down five words. If you do not know the meaning of a word, look it up in the dictionary. Your challenge is tousethesefivewordstocreatea descriptive sentence that makes sense.



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Predicting the Ending

Before you reach the end of the book, predict what might happen later in the story and at its end. Write your predictions, making sure your ending involves all of the characters.

Opposite Order

Think about the events that took place in the story. Your task is to write a list of the main events that took place from last to first.That’sright—youaretogobackwards!



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Wicked Words

Locate a wicked word from your book and act it out to other members of your group. Your task is to use only actions to get the other people in your group to guess your word.

Quiz

Designaquizthatinvolvesobjectsmentionedinthebook.Here is an example from a story about the owners of a shop:

“Who stole the chocolate bar from the corner store?”



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Pass It On

Allgroupmembersneedtositinacircleforthisactivity.Youwill need a large piece of paper and something to write with. Taketurnstorecallthestoryyourgroupisreading.Thefirstperson begins by writing the first thing that happened in the story, the second person continues by writing the next thing that happened, and so on. Continue this process around the circle until the story is complete. Have one person read the story out loud when it is completed.

It Happened Where?

If you could change the location your story took place in to another location, how would this change the story? Choose an alternative location and explain how it changes the story.



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Dramatic Details

Choose one event from the book you are reading and dramatise this event using mime. Practise your act and perform it to your group. Each person in the group should try to guess the event you are acting out.

Newspaper Reporter

You are a newspaper reporter, reporting on an event that took place in your book. Come up with a catchy headline to draw people in and then write a brief article outlining the event.



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Aim



These activities focus on the language, grammar and

vocabulary within the text. The activities encourage

students to seek out, identify, understand and apply new

and interesting words.




Wicked Word Bank

Create a wicked word bank by writing down any original and attention-grabbing words you come across as you read. Choose strange words you have not seen before, or expressive words you might like to use in your own writing.

Describe and Decode

You will need to complete this activity in pairs. Choose a characterfromthestory.Describethischaractertoyourpartner. Your partner will need to think about your description to guess the name of the character. Now swap over. To make things a little trickier, describe a particular part of the story instead of a character.



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Story Sticks

The story you are reading has ten sticks or key points. The sticks represent the main structure of the story. Without these sticks, the story would not be strong. Choose ten graphic words from the story to express the main features and structure of the story. Next, draw ten sticks in your work book and write your words on the sticks.

Clue Count

You will need to complete this activity with a partner. Choose an event that took place in the book you are reading. Write ten descriptive clues about this event. Read one clue at a time until your partner guesses the event. How many clues did your partner need? Now listen to your partner’s clues and try to guess the event in as few clues as possible. The person who guesses the event with the fewest clues wins.



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Mad Metaphors

Sometimes authors use special language called expressions to get across their ideas and thoughts. One type of expression is called a metaphor.Ametaphormakescomparisonsbetweentwo seemingly unrelated things. For example, saying that somebody is a snake does not mean they are actually a snake, but rather that they exhibit similar qualities to a snake. Find other metaphors from your book. Explain what each one means in your own words.

Imagine That!

Have you read a story that painted a clear picture in your mind? If so, it was probably because the descriptions in the book were clear and detailed. Locate one good description from your book that paints a clear picture in your mind. Write this description and draw a picture of the image you can see in your mind. Share your description and picture with other people in your group.



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Proper Noun Knowledge

Aproper noun is the name of a person, place or thing. Proper nouns usually begin with a capital letter becausetheynamespecificpeople(e.g.,Patricia), places (e.g., Samoa) and things (The New York Times). Identify as many proper nouns as you can within a section of your book. Compare your answers with the answers of other people in your group.

Fresh Vocabulary

You will need to work with a partner to complete this activity. Didyoufindanyattention-grabbing or new words in your book?Listthesewordsandfindtheir meaning in the dictionary. Then read the meaning of each word out to your partner and ask him or her to guess the word.



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Description Depiction

Use a big array of good descriptive words and phrases to create a vivid description that clearly depicts the character. Brainstorm good descriptive words and then use them to construct your description of the character. Read your description out to the other people in your group. They should know exactly which character you are describing without you telling them who it is.

Helpful Hook

How does the story hook you in at the beginning? Make a list of words and phrases that you consider are effective in making you want to read on.



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Exciting Exclamations

Exclamations can be a word, a phrase or a sentence that shows a strong feeling. These arefollowedbyanexclamationpoint!Someexamplesofexclamationsinclude:Wow!Oh,no!Wewontherace!Noway!

Authorsuseexclamationstogetastrongmessage or feeling across to the reader. Look through your book and write down all the exclamationsyoucanfind.

Comfortable Comparisons

Authorsoftenmakecomparisons between two objects or characters in direct or indirect ways. Readers gain a better understanding and picture of what the author is trying to tell them because they are able to compare one thing with another. Locate a comparison in your book. Write this down and then suggest an improved or a different comparison.



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Figurative Language Find

Authorsusefigurative language to suggest ideas and evoke images in the reader’s mind. Figurative language is often used to help the reader visualise what the characters are feeling and whatishappeninginthestory. Locateexamplesoffigurativelanguage from your book. Write down one good example and describe the imagery it creates in your mind.

Similar Synonyms

Synonyms are words that have the same or a similar meaning. Synonyms are used to make the writing more interesting andclearertothereader.Athesaurusisthe best reference for synonyms. They offer alternative options for every word. Choose a sentence from your book and write it down. Use a thesaurus to alter and rewrite the sentence using synonyms. Be sure you do not alter the meaning of the sentence.



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Happy Homophones

Homophones are words that sound the same but have a different meaning and spelling. Scan through your book to searchforasmanydifferenthomophonesasyoucanfind.Write down the homophones from the book and write a matching homophone for each word. Here are some examples:

• See/sea

• Hear/here

• There/their/they’re

• Week/weak.

Compound Creations

Acompound word is made when two words are joined together to make a new word, such as base + ball = baseball. In a set period of time, each member of your group needs to locate and write down as many compound words from the book as theycanfind.Whenthetimeisup,compare your words and count how many each of you has collected.



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Words Gone Wild

Start a word chain by writing down a word that comes to mind when you think about the book. Write this word down and think of a word from the book that begins with the last letter of the previous word. Continue the word chain for as long as you can. Example:

Friendooraceggswimichaelaceshopoolucyelloveveryone . . .

Vocabulary Challenge

You will need a partner for this activity. Each person writes down ten unusual or challenging words from the book. Each player takes it in turns to give the other player a maximum of three clues to guess the correct word. The clues given should be based on the letters that make up the word. Here is an example: • Thiswordbeginswiththelettert.• Itcontainsadoubleletter(ee). • Ithasfour letters in the word.The word is tree!



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Missing Nouns

Write three sentences from the book you are reading. Leave a space where the nouns (i.e., people, places or things) should be located. Give your sentences to a partner soheorshecanfillinthemissingnouns.

Topic ChainAtthetopofapieceofpaper,writethenameofatopic that relates to something in the book you are reading. Write one word associated with that topic underneath the heading and pass on the piece of paper. Each member of the group passes their topic around the group in a clockwise direction and adds a word to the list. Keep passing the lists around until no one can think of any more words associated with each topic.

Example:

Weather

• Sun• Rain• Forecast• Seasons...



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Aim




These activities explore creativity and visualisation. They

investigate the emotions and images that are created in

our minds when we hear particular words, phrases and

passages. The activities enable students to visualise the

thoughts and feelings they have in relation to the text

and to re-create these visually.



Describe and Decide

You will need to complete this activity in pairs. Take turns to describe an illustration from a page in your book. Your partner will then have a go at locating the correct picture in the book.

Story Map

Drawastorymapforthestoryyouarereading.Yourstorymap should be a visual account of the settings and locations mentioned throughout the book. Think about all the different placesandsettingsinthestory.Drawamapshowingthemainplaces where the story occurred. Your drawing should be drawn from a bird’s-eye view. Make sure you label each location.



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Picture Story

Think about the story you are reading and identify ten important moments in the storyline.Drawapictureofeachof these key points. Make sure your pictures are labelled and are in sequential order.

Movable Puppet Choose one character from your book to create a puppet with movablelimbs.Draweachpartofthecharacterseparatelyoncardboard.(Drawaheadandbodyasonepiece,twolegsasonepieceand two separate arms.) Colour and cut out each part of the puppet. Position the arms behind the body to sit above the chest and position the legs towards the bottom of the torso. When you are happy with their position, push the pins through the body and split the pins at the back. You should now have a movable puppet.



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Circular Chaos

Circles form the starting point of many different things we draw.Drawaseriesofsmallcirclesalloverapageinyourwork book and change these circles into as many different things as you can think of. Look through the pages of your book for inspiration.

Dream Cloud

Drawanoutlineofacloudonapieceofpaperoronapageof your work book. Choose a character from your book and draw pictures of things you think your character would love to have. Think about their likes, interests, dreams and hopes. What sorts of things will you draw inside this cloud? Make sure the itemsyouchoosematchthecharacter’spersonality.Asyoudraw each item, think about the reasons why the character would like it. Tell the other members of your group why you think the character would like these items.



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Emotive Image

Characters experience all kinds of different emotions. Choose one emotion a character from your book experienced. Think about what colours you associate with this feeling. Use the colours to create an abstract design to show this emotion. Use lines, shapes and movements to explore this feeling. Examples:

• Anangry drawing may contain sharp, jagged, red tones.

• Acalmdrawingmaycontainsmooth-flowinggreentones.

Character Cutout

Foldalargesheetofpaperinanaccordionstyle.Drawtheoutline of one of the characters from your book on the front piece. Make sure the outline touches each folded side. Cut out around the outline, being careful to stop at the folded edges. Openupyouraccordionfoldstofindyourcharacterfiguresjoinedtogether. Createdifferentlooksforeachfigure.Thinkabout having different hairstyles, clothes and expressions for eachfigure.



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Scenic Sensation

Think about settings and scenery that were described throughout your book. Choose one of the settings from your book—forexample,thebeach,abackyard,aplayground,afarm, etc.

1. Use a pencil to draw the outline of the scenery.

2. Use watercolours to paint the scene.

3. Label the scene and write the name of the book you are reading.

Mini Mural

CutapieceofA3paperintothirdslengthwisesothatyouendup with three long, thin pieces of paper. Each person in the group will need one piece of this long, thin paper. Create a mini mural on it. Start by drawing the scenery and events that occurred in the story. Begin your drawing from the left side, beingcarefultodrawtheeventsinorder,untilyoufinallyfinishoffwiththelasteventontherightside.Asyoulookatthemini mural, your drawings should tell the story in picture form.



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Positive and Negative ShapesForthisactivity,youwillneedapieceofblackA5paper,apieceofwhite A4paper,somescissors,apencilandglue.

1. Fold a piece of black paper in half. With a pencil, draw an outline of half an object or character from your book along the fold.

2. Use scissors to carefully cut around the pencil outline. You now have two pieces of foldedblackpaper–oneistheimageyoudrewandtheotheristhepaperleftoverwhich shows the outline of that image.

3. Cut along the centre folds so that you now have four separate pieces of black paper.

4. Laythefourpiecesoutsothattheyfittogether,likeajigsaw.Taketherightpieceof the object or character and discard it. Now take the left side of the outline and discard it.

5. Positionyourremainingpieces–halfoftheobjectorcharacterandhalfoftheoutlineoftheobject–onapieceofwhitepaper.Theblackshapesonawhitebackground will reveal a positive and negative image of your object or character.

6. Glue these two pieces of black paper onto the piece of white paper.

Dough Design

Use playdough or plasticine to create a model of a character from your book. Mould your character to show a true representation of their

• Physicalappearance

• Clothing

• Actions.



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Feeling Free

What did you think of the story? How did the story make you feel? Use crayons to express your feelings about the story. Let your hand move over the page to create different shapes, patterns and colours. Share your abstract picture with your group.Describethedifferentelements of your drawing and the way you felt as you were drawing.

Collage

Choose one character from your story. Look through magazines and cut out pictures of things this character would like or enjoy. For example, if you chose an eight-year-old boy, you might decide to cut out pictures of clothing, sports equipment, food, etc that a boy this age would like.

Once you have collected a wide range of pictures, overlap themonapieceofA4paperandgluethemontothepage.Finish your collage by cutting out the letters of the character’s name and gluing the name in the middle of the page.



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Family Portrait

Drawagroupportraitofthecharactersinthebookyouarereading. The characters would like the portraits to be family portrait style. Make sure your portrait includes all the characters in the book. Finish your drawing by drawing a frame around it.

Cute Caricature

Acaricature is a drawing of a person that distorts or exaggeratesparticularfeatures,butisstillidentifiableinvisuallikeness. Caricatures often show oversized heads and smaller bodies. They are recognised by the top-heavy body shapes. Caricatures also usually exaggerate one prominent facial feature, such as a nose, chin, lips or eyes. Choose one character from your book. Study his or her face and body, and then draw a caricature of this character. Be sure to label your caricature with the character’s name.



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3-D Collage

Collect items described in the book you are reading to create a three-dimensional collage. Use heavy card as the base and attachtheitemsusingPVAglue. Ifyoucannotfindspecificobjects, create them.

Rock Characters

Collect a rounded stone or rock. Paint and decorate the rock to resemble a character from the book you are reading.



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Geometric Illustration

You will need scissors, glue and coloured card for this activity. Start by choosing either a scene or a character from the book you are reading as the basis of this activity. Now construct the scene or character using only geometric shapes (squares, circles, triangles, rectangles, octagons, parallelograms, etc). Place the pieces together on the page and then apply the glue. Label your drawing and display.

Pop-up Scene

You will need a paper plate and some recycled materials for this activity. First of all choose a scene from the book to recreate.Usethepaperplateasthebaseofthescene.Addother props to the base to create a three-dimensional scene.



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Aim




These activities require students to reflect on and

respond to a particular aspect of the text. They require

students to give a thoughtful, reflective response to

the text. The activities enable students to respond in a

personal manner to the text.



Truly Terrific

Write a journal entry describing your true feelings about the book you are reading. Be sure to discuss the storyline, characters and events that have occurred sofar. Givethebookaratingoutoffive (5 being the highest mark) and give reasons for your choice.

Excellent Evaluation

Your teacher would like to know what books children like and dislike. Your job is to write an evaluation of the book you are reading. Tell your teacher what you liked and didn’t like about the book. Finish your evaluation with a recommendation for your teacher as to whether this book is suitable for children your age.



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Was That Me?

Copy a description from the book that reminds you ofyourself.Drawapictureof yourself in your book and around it write a few sentences explaining how the description reminds you of yourself.

Lovely Links

Write a good description of the main character in a few sentences. Think of another person this character is similar to. Describethesimilarpersonandstatewhythesetwopeopleare similar.



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Description Drama

Choose an event from the book that is similar to an event that you have experienced in your life. Your challenge is to write about your experience using exciting and descriptive language. Whenyouhavefinished,compareyoureventwiththesimilarevent that took place in the book. Which event is more interesting? Why?

Character Change

Describehowacharacterfromyourbook developed from the beginning to the end of the book. State what events made this character change.



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New Character

The book you are reading could use another character in the story to create more drama and excitement. Create a new character for your book and write a detailed description of him or her.

In the Beginning

Write a brief description about what you think happened before the story began. What events took place? What were the characters doing?



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What Do You Like?

The author would like to create a new and exciting book andwantstofindoutsomeinformationaboutwhatqualitieschildren like in the characters they read about. Think about one character you love reading about. Identify what it is about this character that you like so much. In a few sentences, describe the character and outline your reasons for choosing him or her as your favouritefictionalperson.

Tongue Twister

Write an alliteration poem about a character from your book. Analliterationpoemisonewherenearlyallthewordsinitbeginwiththesamesoundorletter.Adictionarycanhelpyoufindwordsthatbeginwiththesameletter.

Here is an example of a sentence that uses alliteration: The big, brown, burly bear blew bubbles in a bowl before breakfast.



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What Would They Do?

Choose a particular character from the book you are reading. Thischaracterhasjustmovedinnextdoortoyou.Describewhat this character would do in his or her leisure time. Think about the things people are able to do and like to do in your neighbourhood, the age of the character, his or her personality and his or her likes and dislikes.

Chapter Clues

Asagroup,discusstheeventsthattookplaceinthelastchapter you read. List each event and write the names of the characters involved. Which character/s are the most popular? Arethemostpopularcharactersthemaincharactersinthestory?Asagroup,discuss why or why not.



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Ask the Audience

You are the author of the book you are reading. Create a list of captivating questions the author would ask the audience reading his or her books. Think carefully about the sort of information the author would like to findoutinordertowritebetter stories for children.

Amazing Idea

Think about the book you are reading. Where do you think theauthorgothisorherideasfrom?Doyouthinktheauthorwas inspired by something? Explain your thoughts and give reasons to support your ideas. When you have finishedwritingyourideas, share your opinions with your group.



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Choose Your Own Adventure

Rewrite the ending of your book to create a new conclusion. Wheneveryonehasfinishedwritingtheiralternativeending,take turns to share the new editions with one another. Take a vote to determine the best ending.

Thinking Time

Nowyouhavefinishedthebook,reflectonthewaytheauthorwrote it. Finish this statement: “I love the way the author . . . ” Be sure to give an example from the book to support your statement.



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Detective Yellow Hat

YournameisDetectiveYellowHat.Youhavebeengivenanew case that requires you to investigate all the positive, good points within the book you are reading.

• Whatarethebesteventswithinthebook?Why?

• Whatarethemostexcitingpartsofthestory?Why?

• Whichcharacteristhemostexciting one? Why?

Detective Black Hat

YournameisDetectiveBlackHat.Youhavebeengivenanewcase, which is to investigate all the negative, bad points within the book you are reading.

• Whataretheworsteventsinthebook?Why?

• Whataretheleastexcitingpartsofthestory?Why?

• Whichcharacteristheleastexciting one? Why?

• Whatisthebiggestweaknesswithin the storyline? Why?



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Detective Blue Hat

YournameisDetectiveBlueHat.Youhavebeengivenanewcase, which requires you to investigate the purpose and the organisation of the overarching storyline of the book you are reading.

• Whatarethemajoreventswithinthestoryline?

• Whathappensinthebeginning, middle and end of the storyline?

• Whatisthecomplication?

• Howisthecomplicationsolved?

Detective Colourful Hat

YournameisDetectiveColourfulHat.Youhavebeengivenanew case. Your task is to investigate the book you are reading by using a combination of two differently coloured hats from the colours below.

White: The facts of the story.

Red: The emotions the characters in the story experience.

Green: The problems and complications within the story.



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Literacy: Guided Reading Rotation Programme A complete guided reading programme suitable for use with any fictional texts. •

Stimulating and fun activities that explore different facets of a book.•

Clear direction and expectations, that allow students to work independently of the teacher, •as needed.

Guidelines, tips, timetables and other support material for teachers.•

Coverage of the important areas of the English curriculum.•

So you think guided reading is important, but you need guidance on setting up and planning literacy rotations? If so, these resource books, covering the lower to upper primary grades, are ideal. The activities, in the form of A5 cards, comprise small-group tasks relating to independent reading, comprehension and detail, language and vocabulary, art and illustration, and reflecting and responding. The cards not only state the task required, but also include examples and additional information to facilitate group independence and greater understanding.

Code: 0361

Code: 0358 ISBN: 978-1-877440-58-8

Code: 0359 ISBN: 978-1-877440-59-5

Code: 0363 ISBN: 978-1-877440-63-2

4AGES 9-11

Code: 0360 ISBN: 978-1-877440-60-1

Code: 0362 ISBN: 978-1-877440-62-5

Bks 1–2 3–4 5–6

Age 7–9 9–11 11–13

NSW yrs 2–4 yrs 4–6 yrs 6–8

VIC yrs 2–4 yrs 4–6 yrs 6–8

QLD yrs 3–5 yrs 5–7 yrs 7–9

WA yrs 2–4 yrs 4–6 yrs 6–8

NT yrs 2–4 yrs 4–6 yrs 6–8

SA yrs 2–4 yrs 4–6 yrs 6–8

ACT yrs 2–4 yrs 4–6 yrs 6–8

TAS yrs 2–4 yrs 4–6 yrs 6–8

NZ yrs 3–5 yrs 5–7 yrs 7–9

Other books in the series

guided reading programme

Documents