 | Once again, time seems to have gotten away from me, and it feels like it's been awhile since I've updated my blog. Story of a teacher's life, I'm afraid. I wanted to add some Guided Reading tasks (done in the 'task mat' format that I've used with easier banded books) that I've used this year with my P5s. |
I have two large groups of P5 boys who are reading well, so one group has read Anthony Horowitz's 2 Groosham Grange books (Groosham Grange and Return to Groosham Grange), while the other group has gotten started on Alex Rider: 'Stormbreaker' (with plans to move on to Point Blanc once Stormbreaker is finished).
The first Groosham Grange book is a bit more challenging than the second, I think, but they make a good pair to read back to back. To follow the story line, kids need to use all of their reading comprehension strategies (checking for understanding, visualising, making connections, predicting, asking questions when they notice something odd or that they don't understand yet, etc). It's a challenge that my boys have risen to....because who doesn't want to read about vampires and ghosts and all things creepy?
The Alex Rider books are a step on from Groosham Grange, and require a bit more from readers. Currently, my plan is to have my Groosham Grange readers move on to the first Alex Rider book once 'Return to Groosham Grange' is finished.
If you are interested in using some of the guided reading tasks I've already prepared, you can click on the pictures below. I've left the task mats in Powerpoint format, so you can change any of the tasks to ones that will better suit your class. I have used these in class, and have made any changes children pointed out to me (they love to catch your mistakes!) - but there might be a few remaining. It's a good idea to read the tasks over before giving them to your class anyway, so hopefully you'll catch anything I've missed. If you do, and you have time - drop me a note to let me know, so I can fix the problem in the original.
For the 2nd Groosham Grange and the first Alex Rider book, I prepared the tasks over Spring Break, so had the time to create vocabulary cards on the computer. These are in separate links under the 3 main book links below (I've used the old Return to Groosham Grange cover and a different Stormbreaker cover for the vocabulary card links). I don't have those kind of vocabulary cards for the first Groosham Grange book, I'm afraid. We looked at tricky vocabulary using flashcards, but the flashcards were handwritten (with a note of the book page they came from, so we could read the word in context to work together to figure out its meaning).
The 'Return to Groosham Grange' and 'Stormbreaker' files also include teacher's guides for the tasks mats. It's important to read all the books, so you can guide the group discussion, but even if you have read the books, sometimes it's helpful to have a reminder of the answers you are looking for when you check written tasks. Unfortunately, I only have a teacher's guide made for the last few chapters of the original Groosham Grange book (adding teacher's guides for the rest of the book may happen next year, if I teach the book again!)
Hope these are useful to some of you, and I'll try to keep on top of this blog a bit more. Only a few more weeks to go!
The first Groosham Grange book is a bit more challenging than the second, I think, but they make a good pair to read back to back. To follow the story line, kids need to use all of their reading comprehension strategies (checking for understanding, visualising, making connections, predicting, asking questions when they notice something odd or that they don't understand yet, etc). It's a challenge that my boys have risen to....because who doesn't want to read about vampires and ghosts and all things creepy?
The Alex Rider books are a step on from Groosham Grange, and require a bit more from readers. Currently, my plan is to have my Groosham Grange readers move on to the first Alex Rider book once 'Return to Groosham Grange' is finished.
If you are interested in using some of the guided reading tasks I've already prepared, you can click on the pictures below. I've left the task mats in Powerpoint format, so you can change any of the tasks to ones that will better suit your class. I have used these in class, and have made any changes children pointed out to me (they love to catch your mistakes!) - but there might be a few remaining. It's a good idea to read the tasks over before giving them to your class anyway, so hopefully you'll catch anything I've missed. If you do, and you have time - drop me a note to let me know, so I can fix the problem in the original.
For the 2nd Groosham Grange and the first Alex Rider book, I prepared the tasks over Spring Break, so had the time to create vocabulary cards on the computer. These are in separate links under the 3 main book links below (I've used the old Return to Groosham Grange cover and a different Stormbreaker cover for the vocabulary card links). I don't have those kind of vocabulary cards for the first Groosham Grange book, I'm afraid. We looked at tricky vocabulary using flashcards, but the flashcards were handwritten (with a note of the book page they came from, so we could read the word in context to work together to figure out its meaning).
The 'Return to Groosham Grange' and 'Stormbreaker' files also include teacher's guides for the tasks mats. It's important to read all the books, so you can guide the group discussion, but even if you have read the books, sometimes it's helpful to have a reminder of the answers you are looking for when you check written tasks. Unfortunately, I only have a teacher's guide made for the last few chapters of the original Groosham Grange book (adding teacher's guides for the rest of the book may happen next year, if I teach the book again!)
Hope these are useful to some of you, and I'll try to keep on top of this blog a bit more. Only a few more weeks to go!
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| Stormbreaker - Vocabulary Cards | Return to Groosham Grange - Vocabulary Cards |
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