Warm Up: Read Like a Robot!

Objective: To introduce the concept of reading with expression by contrasting it with monotone reading.

Instructions for Students:

1. Robot Voice: Read the following sentence in your best robot voice. Make your voice flat, with no feelings or pauses.

   The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

   
   
   
   

2. Human Voice: Now, read the same sentence again, but this time, pretend you are a human telling a story. Add feelings, pauses, and make it sound interesting!

   
   
   
   

3. Think & Share:

   • What was the difference between reading like a robot and reading like a human?
   • Which way of reading made the sentence more interesting?

The Champion's Cup

The Sunnydale Soccer Club was buzzing. The big day was here: the final match for the Champion's Cup! The Falcons, a team known for their speedy striker Leo, were facing the Eagles, who had a super strong defense.

Coach Maria (cheerfully): "Alright, team! Remember our motto: 'Play together, win together!' Every pass, every save, every goal counts!" She clapped her hands, her eyes sparkling with encouragement.

Leo (with a determined grin): "I'm ready, Coach! I'll score all the goals!" He bounced on his toes, eager to get on the field.

Maya (softly, but firm): "We score together, Leo. It's about the team." Maya, the Falcons' thoughtful midfielder, reminded him.

The game began! The whistle blew, and the crowd roared. Leo got the ball quickly and dribbled fast, past one Eagle, then another. He took a powerful shot! But the Eagles' goalie, Sam, made an amazing save!

Announcer (excitedly): "Oh, what a save by Sam! The crowd is going wild!"

The first half was tough. The Eagles' defense was like a wall. Leo tried to do everything himself, but it wasn't working. The score was still 0-0.

Coach Maria (at halftime, calmly): "Falcons, remember: teamwork makes the dream work. Pass the ball, support each other, and communicate!" She looked at Leo, who nodded, a little frustrated but listening.

The second half started. This time, when Leo got the ball, he looked up. He saw Maya open on the wing! He passed to her! Maya dribbled, then passed to Ben, who sent it soaring towards the goal! GOAL!

Announcer (with booming voice): "GOOOOOAL! The Falcons score! What incredible teamwork!"

The Falcons played differently now. They passed, they moved, they communicated. They were a flowing river, not just individual drops. With five minutes left, Leo got the ball near the goal again. Instead of shooting, he saw Maya running into position. He passed! Maya took a careful shot, and it went right into the net! Another GOAL!

Announcer (shouting): "UNBELIEVABLE! Maya with the clincher! The Falcons are on fire!"

The final whistle blew! The Falcons won the Champion's Cup! The team rushed together, cheering and hugging. Leo found Maya.

Leo (happily): "You were right, Maya. Teamwork really does win the race... I mean, the cup!" He grinned, holding up the gleaming trophy with his teammates.

Everyone celebrated, understanding that the greatest victories are shared ones. From that day on, the Falcons always remembered that working together made them true champions.

Activity: Fluency Phrases Charades

Objective: To creatively explore and practice different aspects of prosody (expression, pace, tone) through physical enactment.

Materials:

• Small slips of paper or index cards with 'fluency phrases' written on them.
• (Optional) A hat or bag to draw phrases from.

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Phrases: On separate slips of paper, write down various ways to read or feelings to convey. Some examples are below:

   • Read very excitedly
   • Read like you're asking a question
   • Read very sadly
   • Read super fast
   • Read like you're telling a secret
   • Read very slowly
   • Read like you're angry
   • Read like you're surprised
   • Read like you're bored
   • Read like a wise old person

2. Form Groups: Divide the class into small groups (3-4 students per group works well).

3. How to Play:

   • One student from a group chooses a slip of paper without showing it to their teammates.
   • This student then acts out the phrase without speaking. They should use their body language, facial expressions, and movements to show how someone would read (e.g., for 'very excitedly,' they might jump up and down, make big gestures).
   • Their teammates try to guess the 'fluency phrase' (e.g., 'excitedly,' 'sadly,' 'super fast').
   • Once the phrase is guessed correctly, another student in the group reads a simple sentence aloud, trying to match the expression or pace of the guessed phrase.
   • For example, if the phrase was 'read very sadly,' a student might read: "The cat sat on the mat." in a very sad voice.

4. Rotation: Students take turns acting and reading. Encourage everyone to participate.

Example Sentences for Reading Practice (use these or simple sentences from the current class reading):

• "The sun is shining today."
• "I have a new toy."
• "Where did my cookie go?"
• "It's time to go to bed."
• "Look out!"

Differentiation Tip: For students who struggle with motor planning or social cues (e.g., some with ASD or dysgraphia), provide clear examples of actions or allow them to choose from a smaller set of phrases. Alternatively, they can draw a picture of the emotion/pace instead of acting it out.

Game: Echo Reading Challenge

Objective: To develop auditory discrimination and vocal imitation skills for prosody and fluency.

Materials:

• A copy of Reading: The Tortoise and the Hare Remixed or any short, grade-appropriate text.

Instructions:

1. Teacher Models: The teacher reads a sentence or a short phrase from the designated text, purposely infusing it with specific prosodic elements (e.g., very high pitch, very low pitch, a whisper, a shout, an excited tone, a questioning tone, a fast pace, a slow pace).

2. Student Echoes: After the teacher reads, all students (or a designated small group/individual) 'echo' the teacher by repeating the exact same sentence and trying their best to match the teacher's prosody (expression, phrasing, and pace).

3. Round Robin: Go around the room, or call on students, giving each a chance to echo. This can also be done in small groups where students take turns being the 'leader' and 'echoers.'

4. Increase Complexity: As students become more comfortable, gradually increase the length or complexity of the sentences. You can also challenge them with more subtle prosodic variations.

Example Sentences & Prosody (from Reading: The Tortoise and the Hare Remixed):

• "I am the fastest creature in this entire land!" (Read with extreme boastfulness and confidence)
• "Perhaps, Mr. Hare, but slow and steady often wins the race." (Read calmly and gently)
• "You? Race me?" (Read with a scoffing, disbelieving tone)
• "See you never, slowpoke!" (Read quickly and mockingly)
• "No! This can't be!" (Read with a sudden gasp and panic)

Differentiation Tip: For students with auditory processing challenges or ADHD, keep the sentences very short initially. Use visual cues (e.g., hand gestures for speed, facial expressions for emotion) to accompany your vocal modeling. Allow for multiple repetitions if needed. For students with dysgraphia, this activity is entirely oral, removing writing barriers.

Discussion: Why Does It Matter?

Objective: To help students reflect on the importance of prosody and fluency in reading and how it connects to their own comprehension and enjoyment.

Instructions: Gather students for a brief wrap-up discussion. Encourage all students to share their thoughts. Provide sentence starters to support students who may struggle to initiate responses.

Discussion Questions:

1. Thinking back to our 'Robot Voice' warm-up, how does reading with expression make a story different?

   • Sentence Starter: When I read with expression, the story feels...
     
     
     
     

2. Why do you think it's important for us to read with good phrasing, like pausing at commas and periods? What happens if we don't?

   • Sentence Starter: Good phrasing helps me... but if I don't pause, it sounds like...
     
     
     
     

3. We talked about reading at a 'just right' pace. Can you think of a time when reading too fast or too slow made it hard to understand something?

   • Sentence Starter: When I read too fast/slow, it's hard to...
     
     
     
     

4. How do you think practicing prosody will help you when you read books or stories by yourself?

   • Sentence Starter: Practicing how I use my voice will help me...
     
     
     
     

5. What was one new thing you learned or practiced today that you want to try next time you read aloud?

   • Sentence Starter: I want to try to...
     
     
     
     

Teacher's Role:

• Facilitate the conversation, ensuring all voices are heard.
• Rephrase student responses to affirm and clarify ideas.
• Connect student experiences back to the main learning objectives.
• Reinforce that prosody is a skill that gets better with practice, just like playing a sport or an instrument.