Updates, Small Group, and a FREEBIE

We started this week off with our Groundhog's Day Poem.  This is a poem that I wrote with my teaching buddy, Janet!

My class REALLY gets into it.  I have this one sweetie who is SO good for my ego.  Each week he exclaims,  "I LOVE this poem!!!!"  We don't just read or sing these poems... we "DO" them.  After we read/sing the poem, the whole class decides on the actions we will do with it. This is always hilarious (since I can rarely recall them).   The students correct me and we try it again.   Sometimes we see if the boys can sing it better or the girls... however, it always seems to end in a tie.  

This week we decided that we would show "an early thaw" by acting like we were on surf boards!   Ha!

Then we illustrate the poem!   I LOVE their little groundhogs!!!

We also launched unit 5 in our writer's workshop!

A month or so ago, I updated my Word Explorer's product to include activities for small group and literacy stations.   Because the lessons are already planned out (see the little card in the first picture), it literally takes me less than 2 minutes to grab the magnets I need for the lesson.  The images below are from my most challenged group.  They grabbed a hold of this lesson like that (imagine I just snapped by fingers).   I will review this lesson with them the next time.   Practice makes permanent!

Finally... here is your FREE item!

For the last few years, I have paper clipped cards to my student's guided reading books.  This helps the parents to know which book in their book bag I REALLY want them to practice.   I check the next day for fluency.   If the child had practiced the text, they should be able to read it like they talk.  

So, I turned this card into a bookmark.  I have left stars at the bottom so I can reward those students who demonstrate fluency.   I can tell when the book has not been practice because of this lack of fluency.  Perhaps this is something you can use in your classroom.

I would love to hear what you think.  Do you feel this would be helpful in your classroom?   

How do you reinforce student fluency?