Read Like A Pro!

renadalewis

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Read Like a Pro!

Students will learn and practice strategies to improve their reading proficiency and fluency, enabling them to comprehend complex texts more effectively and read with greater ease and expression.

Strong reading skills are fundamental to success in all academic areas and in everyday life. This lesson will equip students with practical tools to become more confident and capable readers, enhancing their ability to learn and engage with information.

Audience

7th Grade Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, direct instruction, guided practice, and independent application.

Materials

Smartboard or Projector, Markers or Whiteboard, Read Like a Pro! Slide Deck, Fluency Focus Reading, and Reading Comprehension Worksheet

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Review the Read Like a Pro! Lesson Plan and all linked materials.
- Ensure the Read Like a Pro! Slide Deck is ready for presentation.
- Print copies of the Fluency Focus Reading and Reading Comprehension Worksheet for each student.
- Prepare a marker and whiteboard or have access to a smartboard.

Step 1

Introduction: The Reading Challenge (5 minutes)

5 minutes

Begin with a quick poll: "How many of you sometimes find reading challenging?" or "Who loves to get lost in a good book?"
- Introduce the lesson using the Read Like a Pro! Slide Deck (Slide 1-2). Explain that today they will learn strategies to make reading easier and more enjoyable. Connect it to real-world benefits like understanding news or enjoying stories more fully.

Step 2

Decoding Strategies: Fluency Boosters (10 minutes)

10 minutes

Use Read Like a Pro! Slide Deck (Slide 3-5) to introduce fluency strategies: chunking words, reading aloud with expression, and rereading challenging sentences.
- Model one or two strategies with a short, complex sentence written on the board or projected.
- Distribute the Fluency Focus Reading. Have students practice 'chunking' a paragraph silently, then volunteer to read it aloud, focusing on expression. Provide constructive feedback.

Step 3

Comprehension Unlocked: Active Reading (10 minutes)

10 minutes

Transition to comprehension using Read Like a Pro! Slide Deck (Slide 6-8). Introduce strategies like predicting, questioning, visualizing, and summarizing.
- Read a short section from the Fluency Focus Reading aloud. Pause to model one or two comprehension strategies, thinking aloud as you do.
- Have students read the next section silently, applying a chosen comprehension strategy. Then, have them briefly discuss with a partner what they visualized or what questions they had.

Step 4

Wrap-up & Practice (5 minutes)

5 minutes

Distribute the Reading Comprehension Worksheet. Explain that this will give them a chance to practice the strategies independently.
- Use Read Like a Pro! Slide Deck (Slide 9) to review the key takeaways: reading is a skill that improves with practice and using strategies.
- Assign the Reading Comprehension Worksheet for homework or independent practice. Encourage them to try the strategies in their other classes' readings.

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Slide Deck

Ready to Read Like a Pro?

Do you ever struggle with reading?

Do you want to enjoy books and articles more?

Today, we'll unlock some secrets to becoming amazing readers!

Welcome students and gauge their current feelings about reading. Connect the lesson to their experiences.

Our Reading Adventure Today

Objective: Learn and practice strategies to read more fluently and understand better.

Why it matters: Good reading skills help you in all your classes, understand the world, and enjoy great stories!

Introduce the session's objective and what students will gain.

What is Fluency?

Reading smoothly, accurately, and with expression.

Think of it like talking! When you speak fluently, it's easy to understand you.

Introduce the concept of reading fluency and why it's important.

Fluency Strategy 1: Chunking It Up!

Break long sentences into smaller, meaningful phrases.

It's like finding the 'natural pauses' in a sentence.

*Example: "The quick brown fox / jumps over / the lazy dog."

Explain and model the 'chunking' strategy.

Fluency Strategies: Read Aloud & Reread

Read Aloud with Expression: Use your voice to show the feelings and meaning in the text.

Reread: If a sentence is tricky, read it again slowly. Practice makes perfect!

Explain and model reading with expression and rereading.

Beyond the Words: Comprehension!

Comprehension means understanding what you read.

It's not just seeing the words; it's understanding the message, the story, the information.

Transition to comprehension, explaining it's more than just reading the words.

Comprehension Tools: Predict & Question

Predict: What do you think will happen next? Why?

Question: What are you curious about? What don't you understand?

Introduce two key comprehension strategies.

Comprehension Tools: Visualize & Summarize

Visualize: Create a movie in your mind as you read.

Summarize: Put the main ideas into your own words after reading a section.

Introduce two more key comprehension strategies.

You're a Reading Pro!

Reading is a skill that gets stronger with practice.

Use your new strategies in all your classes and for fun!

Keep reading, keep growing!

Conclude the lesson, encouraging continued practice.

Reading

The Mystery of the Whispering Woods

Deep within the ancient, gnarled Whispering Woods, where sunlight struggled to pierce the thick canopy, stood a weathered stone cottage. Its windows, like tired eyes, peered out from beneath a shaggy thatch roof. Local villagers avoided the woods after dusk, convinced that the wind carried not just the rustle of leaves, but the hushed, mournful whispers of long-lost travelers.

Elara, a young girl with an insatiable curiosity and a tendency to wander, scoffed at these superstitions. To her, the woods were a playground, a labyrinth of hidden streams and secret clearings. One crisp autumn afternoon, armed with a sketchpad and a pocketful of berries, she ventured deeper than ever before. The air grew colder, and the familiar bird calls faded, replaced by an eerie silence.

Suddenly, a faint, rhythmic humming reached her ears. It was too steady to be the wind, too melodic to be a stray animal. Intrigued, Elara pushed through a curtain of ivy, revealing a small, forgotten grove. In its center, bathed in a solitary shaft of sunlight, sat an old woman. Her hair, white as winter snow, cascaded around her as she spun thread from a distaff, her lips moving in a soft, tuneless song that seemed to weave itself into the very fabric of the woods.

Worksheet

Reading Comprehension Worksheet: The Mystery of the Whispering Woods

Directions: Read the passage "The Mystery of the Whispering Woods" carefully. Then answer the following questions, using the comprehension strategies we discussed.

Part 1: Fluency Check

Chunking Practice: Choose one sentence from the reading that you found a bit long or complex. Rewrite it below, adding slashes (/) where you would naturally pause to "chunk" the phrases. Explain why you chose those spots.
Expressive Reading: Pick a sentence that describes Elara or the woods. How would you read that sentence aloud to convey its meaning or mood? Describe your tone, pace, and emphasis.

Part 2: Comprehension Check

Predicting: Based on the ending of the passage, what do you predict Elara will do next? What might happen between Elara and the old woman? Explain your reasoning.
Questioning: What questions do you have after reading this passage? List at least two questions you would ask the author or a character.
Visualizing: Describe a specific scene or image from the story that you visualized clearly in your mind. What details made it stand out?
Summarizing: In your own words, summarize the main events and key details of the passage in 3-5 sentences.