Sample Reader’s Workshop Schedule

Based on a 70 Minute Period

This could be adjusted as you needed; it is just a sample.

• Session 1

– Teacher Read Aloud 15 Min

– Mini Lesson - 15 Min

– Student Led Book Discussion Groups; Teacher meets with one group – 15 Min

– Independent choice activity; teacher confers with students – 20 Min

– Homework Assigned – 5 Min

• Session 2

– Teacher Read Aloud 15 Min

– Mini Lesson - 15 Min

– Vocabulary-building and word study – 15 Min

– Independent and or group choice activity; teacher meets with one group – 20 Min

– Homework Assigned – 5 Min

• Session 3

– Teacher Read Aloud 15 Min

– Mini Lesson - 15 Min

– Vocabulary-building and word study – 15 Min

– Independent choice activity; teacher confers with students – 20 Min

– Homework Assigned – 5 Min

• Session 4

– Teacher Read Aloud 15 Min

– Mini Lesson - 15 Min

– Student Led Book Discussion Groups; Teacher meets with one group – 15 Min

– Independent choice activity; teacher confers with students – 20 Min

– Homework Assigned – 5 Min

• Session 5

– Teacher Read Aloud 15 Min

– Mini Lesson - 15 Min

– Record keeping or portfolio work, or conferences – 15 Min

– Independent choice activity; teacher confers with students – 20 Min

– Homework Assigned – 5 Min

What Makes a Good Mini-Lesson?

A Good Mini-Lesson:

Ø Addresses something real that real readers really need.

Ø Is something that students feel they need to learn.

Ø Addresses a single strategy or problem.

Ø Addresses something that at least one third of your class needs to know about at the time.

Ø Is taught with high interest material and in the context of the students’ own reading experiences.

Ø Can be applied by students in a guided practice setting as soon as the lesson has been introduced.

Ø Has a simple analytic vocabulary (specific terms and/or a set of criteria) students will use to talk about what they have or have not learned.

Ø Is no more than 20 minutes long, preferably 5-15 minutes.

How Do You Deliver a Mini-Lesson?

Ø Explain the rationale for giving the lesson; this is the purpose or the “So what?” piece.

Ø Tell what the lesson is about.

Ø Model the lesson in an authentic way for the students.

Ø Think aloud so students see you thinking about your thinking (metacognition).

Ø Provide a simple analytic vocabulary students can use to talk about the lesson.

Ø Encourage students to apply the lesson in guided practice and in their independent reading.

Ø Apply the lesson yourself often, across content areas if possible, and in a variety of texts, so your students see the application of the lesson.

Ø Praise students whenever possible as you see the strategy being used.

Are You Ready To Give This Lesson?

	Questions You Can Ask Yourself to Prepare
Rationale and Content What is your rationale for giving the lesson? What is the lesson about? Does it have a title?
Modeling and Examples How will you model the lesson for the students? How will you model holding your thinking? What signal can you give to students that you are thinking aloud? Is this lesson better suited for an authentic cold read and think aloud or for a prepared read and think aloud?
Analytic Vocabulary What specific terms or phrases will you introduce to help students talk about the lesson and apply it in guided practice and independent applications?
Assessment Is there an assessment component students will use to analyze their progress? Will you use a formal or informal assessment to determine the progress of students? What assessment type will you use for the lesson?
Materials What materials do you need to have prepared for the lesson (overheads, books, articles, sticky notes, think marks, etc)?