Choice Lit Topic: Guiding Groups
How many? How often? How to assess? What’s the teacher’s role? We share flexible and creating strategies for leading groups, and teaching students how to partner and work well with classmates independently. Resources include everything from planning and assessment forms to scores of video examples of groups in action at many grade levels.
Results
Evidence Claims in a Middle School Small Group
Christy Ruth-Levine leads a small group of eighth graders as they explore how to include textual evidence in their literary analysis essays.
Russell Freedman Book Clubs
I love the idea of having all my students read the same book and discuss it. The shared interest and excitement that comes from having book clubs in the classroom...
Guided Reading Run Amok
“I don’t know what I’m doing wrong,” said Sharice. “I plan, reflect, and read. I watch videos on YouTube and Edutopia. I even tried filming myself and watching the videos....
Enticing Young Readers: First-Grade Group
Bitsy Parks helps a small group of first graders engage with the library early in the year by introducing a series with companion stuffed animals.
Using a Storyboard for Reflection and Comprehension
Christy Rush-Levine shows a group of three students how they can use a storyboard to help track thinking while reading.
Group Meeting: Sharing Resources for Animal Study
Katherine Sokolowski helps her fifth-grade students expand their territory for their animal research projects by sharing information sources and peer connections.
Goals in Small Groups for English Language Learners
The past few months have been a steep learning curve for me. After nine years in a fourth-grade classroom, I moved to a literacy interventionist position, in which I pull...
Girls’ Book Share in Fifth Grade
Katherine Sokolowski demonstrates how she helps a group of girls in her fifth-grade classroom learn to help each other select books based on previous experiences and tastes.
Better Student-Led Literature Discussions
A good discussion increases the dimensions of everyone who takes part. Randolph Bourne “I can’t believe they just left her behind on purpose,” laments Danielle, gripping her book and...
Gradual Release of Responsibility in Small Groups
At times in our teaching careers, we’ve stepped back and realized we've been teaching too much. It happens when we’ve gradually fallen into a cycle of teaching a new minilesson...
Lunchtime Author Discussion Groups
Sophia stands in front of me, panic-stricken. “I need Sisters and it’s not in the bin!” She is holding Raina Telgemeier’s graphic novel Drama in both hands. Sisters is another...
Flexible Groups: Moving Beyond Levels to Assess Reading Needs
Gail Boushey and Joan Moser ("The Sisters") discuss how their thinking has evolved when it comes to flexible groups. The video excerpt shows Joan working with a group of kindergartners....
Environment Small Group: Habitat
Katherine Sokolowski leads a small group of fifth graders who have chosen similar topics for their environment projects.
First Grade Guided Writing Group: Goldilocks and the Three Writers
Katie DiCesare leads a guided writing group in her first-grade classroom. Click here to download the workshop guide. COMMON CORE CONNECTIONS: L.1.4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and...
Exploring Goals in Fiction
Gigi McAllister meets with a group of fourth-grade girls who are all using picture books to explore larger themes or the goals of the main characters.
Good Questions for Group Discussions
Gigi McAllister helps a group of fourth graders evaluate questions for fostering good group discussions.
Environmental Group Notes
Katherine Sokolowski meets briefly with a group of fifth-grade girls to go through the notes they are taking for their environmental studies project and talk through next steps.
Noticing Interesting Words: Small-Group Vocabulary Lesson
In this brief video, Gail Boushey (of "The Sisters") leads a small-group lesson on vocabulary. In the debrief following the lesson, Gail talks with Joan Moser about vocabulary instruction, and...
Fact or Fiction? Discussion
Christy Rush-Levine has her middle school students complete a fun and sophisticated reading activity using Muse magazine to sort through what might be fact or fiction. In this second installment...
Teaching Stamina Strategies to First Graders
Tammy Mulligan works with two seven-year-olds to teach them strategies for building reading stamina.
Nonfiction Research Group in Fifth Grade
Katherine Sokolowski meets with a group of her fifth graders who are all researching the use of nets in fishing and the environmental effects of the process. She works to...
