3. Directions on using the Guided Reading Lesson Plan
I have made the lesson plans and readers response example available for you to edit it and make it your own.
This Guided Reading lesson is intended for fluent readers levels O-Z that do not need much help with fluency or decoding. Fluent readers have those strategies already. These students are readers that still need help with comprehending the text.
Before Reading:
This is meant to only take 5-7 minutes. It could easily go longer so try to make it as short as possible. The italicized portion of the lesson is what the teacher says.
Give the students the text. If it is a book have them just look at the cover. If it is a poem just have them look at the title. Ask the kids a question to assess prior knowledge and have them turn and talk to their partner. For example if the cover of the poem is titled Frogs and there is a picture of frogs in a rainforest setting, you can ask the students if they have ever picked up a frog. This will help the students build their schema.
Genre is something that should be taught with every text. Make sure the students are using academic vocabulary to identify the genre and characteristics. Make sure to use the sentence starter.
Author’s purpose is also equally important. Make sure they are able to use the academic vocabulary that they will see on assessments. Make sure to use the sentence starter.
Discuss vocabulary that is essential to understanding the story that the students may not know. For example if the word is migrate and it is used often in the text, you might want to explain what it means if it is not defined in the passage. You may also want to put prefix/suffix words or context clues and do a quick minilesson on how to figure out the definitions. Only pick 2-3 words.
Make sure to state the standard the students will be focusing on for this lesson. You need to make sure you set a clear purpose for the reading. For example if the standard is to find the main idea of the selection, make sure to tell the students the expectation.
Tell the students when they are done reading the selection to answer the questions on the reader’s response. The reader’s response should match the rigor of the standard you are working on. It should also spiral in the other standards that you have been working on. It should always have an inferencing question and vocabulary question. It is also a good idea to have some open ended and some multiple choice questions. Try to keep the reader’s response to 4-5 questions. The reader’s response might only be over one section of a book or 6-7 pages of a passage. I have attached a copy of what it might look like for a nonfiction text.
There is a lot that happens in before reading. This is the part that takes the most planning on your part. It important to find a selection that will be easy to teach the standard that you are focusing on.

4. Directions continued During Reading: After Reading:
This is the time where the students are reading the text quietly to themselves. You can listen in on the students one-on-one by having them whisper read to you to check for fluency and decoding strategies.
You will also check for comprehension of every student by asking a question about the section they are reading. You can ask one of the reader’s response questions. Make sure they are giving you evidence for the answer.
Take anecdotal records on every student. You can write down what the student is struggling with and what you need to work on the next time. You can write down if they are having problems with decoding, fluency, vocabulary, or comprehension. There are many different types of anecdotal records that you can find on Pinterest or Teachers Pay Teachers. You can also use a sticky note to write the data.
When the students are done reading at their own pace they will work on the reader’s response. While the student is working on the reader’s response you are checking in on every student.
After Reading:
During the student led discussion you want to the students to turn and talk and retell the text they just read. Make sure you have some type of anchor chart available that has the way you want your students to retell or summarize the passage. It is important the students are using the academic vocabulary that is used for the standards that your state requires.
Go back and revisit the reader’s response and have all students prove their answers by providing text evidence.
It might take a while to get used to this type of format. It has worked in my classroom and I have seen growth with my students’ comprehension. I have been using this format for over 3 years in my classroom. This is a mixture of many workshops and professional readings. I did not come up with this format but I have adapted it to my classroom.
I hope this helps you with your small groups.

5. Guided Reading Lesson Plan
Group: __________________
Guided Reading Lesson Plan
Text: _______________________________________________________ Level: _______
Before Reading Activities (5-7 minutes)
Access Prior Knowledge: “Turn and talk to your partner and tell them what you know about __________________. Make sure to talk in a complete sentence.”
Introduce Genre: “Turn and talk to your partner- What is the genre of this text?” (use the genre sentence starter)
Discuss Vocabulary: Identify and teach 2-3 words in context related to the standard.
Words _______________________________________________________________________
Discuss Author’s Purpose: “Turn and talk to your partner- What is the author’s purpose of this text?” (use the author’s purpose sentence starter)
State the Standard: “Today we are going to ___________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________.”
Introduce Reader’s Response: “When you finish reading the text you will answer the reader’s response.”
During Reading (10-15 minutes)
Listen to student read and help problem solve any difficult areas.
Check for understanding using the reader’s response that is attached.
(one-on-one with each student)
Write anecdotal notes.
After Reading (5-7 minutes)
Student-led Discussion: “Turn and talk to your partner- Retell about what you read and show evidence from the text.”
You can also ask a question about the standard that you wanted them to focus on.
Readers’ Response: Have the students discuss the written reader’s response and prove their answers by providing text evidence.

6. Guided Reading Lesson Plan
Group: _________________
Guided Reading Lesson Plan
Poem: _______________________________________________________
Before Reading Activities (5-7 minutes)
Access Prior Knowledge: “Turn and talk to your partner and tell them what you know about __________________. Make sure to talk in a complete sentence.”
Introduce Genre: “Turn and talk to your partner- What is the genre of this text?” (use the genre sentence starter)
Discuss Vocabulary: Identify and teach 2-3 words in context related to the standard.
Words _______________________________________________________________________
Discuss Author’s Purpose: “Turn and talk to your partner- What is the author’s purpose of this text?” (use the author’s purpose sentence starter)
State the Standard: “Today we are going to ____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________.”
Introduce Reader’s Response: “When you finish reading the text you will answer the reader’s response.”
During Reading (10-15 minutes)
Listen to student read and help problem solve any difficult areas.
Check for understanding using the reader’s response that is attached.
(one-on-one with each student)
Write anecdotal notes.
After Reading (5-7 minutes)
Student-led Discussion: “Turn and talk to your partner- Retell about what you read and show evidence from the text.”
You can also ask a question about the standard that you wanted them to focus on.
Readers’ Response: Have the students discuss the written reader’s response and prove their answers by providing text evidence.

7. Example Reader’s Response: Monarchs on the Move
Name _____________________
Example Reader’s Response: Monarchs on the Move
What details from the selection suggest why monarch don’t live in warm places all year long?
____________________________________________________________________
2. The author wrote this text mainly to….
a. Tell a story about monarchs.
b. Persuade you to like monarchs.
c. Provide information about the lives of monarchs.
d. Express the importance of monarchs.
3. The main reason the monarch butterfly drinks plenty of nectar is …
f. To get fatter and fatter
g. To use the fat as fuel for the long trip south
h. Because it is hungry
j. Because it is sweet
Read the dictionary entry.
fuel [fyoo-uh l]   noun
1. something that gives nourishment; food
2. combustible matter used to maintain fire in order to create heat
3. an energy source for engines or power plants
4. something that encourages; stimulant
Which meaning is the best match for the word fuel as it is used in paragraph 2 of the section The Journey South?
a. Meaning 1
b. Meaning 2
c. Meaning 3
d. Meaning 4