Star Reading

Background Knowledge - Students need to know why fluency is important (memory, meaning and comprehension). Students will also need to understand how to access http://www.storylineonline.net/ and www.graphjam.com . They will need to understand how to create a fluency chart in graphjam and what information must be included. They will also be required to use a flipcam to video a partner.

Introduction - The project will be introduced with a slideshow of pictures presented in PowerPoint via an LCD projector. The learners’ attention will be captured by presenting pictures of famous actors and actresses such as Tia and Tamera Mowry from the Disney Channel, Amanda Bines from Nickelodeon and Sean Astin from Lord of The Rings. It will also include people such as Al Gore and Elijah Wood. Briefly present James Earl Jones and his story of struggle with dyslexia. During the slideshow discuss each person, what they have appeared in or why they are significant (ex. Al Gore –vice president, Nobel Prize Winner).

Procedure -
Upon completing the discussion of the slides in PowerPoint, the teacher will question, “What is fluency?” She/he will write the word in bold letters on the board and discuss what fluency is, its components including smoothness and flow. The teacher will demonstrate with James Earl Jones’s reading of To Be A Drum by Evelyn Coleman. It will be viewed on the computer via an LCD projector through Storyline Online (http://www.storylineonline.net/). The story begins with James Earl Jones discussing, in his own words, his struggles as a child. The computer will be paused as Jones completes his personal story. The class will discuss how stuttering, a disorder Jones struggled with, might affect fluency. The class will then continue with the video and view his reading of To Be A Drum by Evelyn Coleman.

After completing the video of James Earl Jones reading, the class will discuss why it is important for actors and actresses to read fluently. The class will then discuss why it is important for us to read fluently (memory, meaning and comprehension).

Students will be instructed to locate a partner. They will then be directed to the Star Reading bookshelf. Books included on the Star Reading bookshelf:
Wilford Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox
No Mirrors in My Nana’s by Ysaye M. Barnwell
To Be A Drum by Evelyn Coleman
Guji Guji by Chin-Yuan Chen
Sebastian’s Roller Skates by Joan De Dev Prats
Sophie’s Masterpiece by Eileen Spinelli
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
The Night I Followed the Dog by Nina Laden
Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother by Patricia Polacco
Knots On A Counting Rope by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
Brave Irene by William Steig
Private I. Guana by Nina Laden
Somebody Loves You Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
Me and My Cat by Satoshi Kitamura
Dad, Are You the Tooth Fairy? by Jason Alexander
When Pigasso Met Mootisse by Nina Laden
White Socks Only by Evelyn Coleman
Romeo and Drooliet by Nina Laden
Enemy Pie by Derek Munson
A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon

If the teacher does not have each book or cannot gain access they may be able to arrange to check out each from the library until they are needed. Each student pair will be instructed to check out one book, one stopwatch (located in a bin on the bookshelf) and pick up one guide sheet (located in a folder hanging above the bookshelf) per student.

Students will be given the project instructions.
Part I
Students will be instructed to designate who will be the reader and who will be the timer. The reader will be instructed to read from the book chosen for 60 seconds. They will be instructed to read quickly. The timer will be responsible for timing the reader. He or she will tell the reader when to begin and when to stop reading. The timer will also be responsible for counting the number of words read and recording it on section one (demonstrated below) of the guide sheet. The students will switch roles and perform the tasks again. Students will complete this task on four separate occasions utilizing the same book.

Reading #1 - _________ WPM
Reading #2 - _________ WPM
Reading #3 - _________ WPM
Reading #4 - _________ WPM

- Section #1 of the Guide Sheet

Part II
Each student will read the entire book aloud to his/her partner. After the second reading, the partner will complete the second section of the reader’s guide sheet (demonstrated below).

I noticed my partner…

Remembered More Words
Read Faster
Read Smoother
Read with Expression

The student will complete this after the second and third reading.



Part III
After each student has completed four sixty second reads on four separate occasions (section #1) and read the same book, completely, to his/her partner three times (section #2), they will utilize a classroom computer to access http://www.storylineonline.net/. The partners will choose the book they read and view the telling/video of their story. After completing this they will each read the story again while the other videos the reading. The teacher will download the video to a classroom computer and the students will view their own reading of the book (student example included - Shannon, D (1999). A Bad Case of Stripes. New York, NY : Scholastic, Inc.). They will then complete section three (demonstrated below) of the guide sheet, expressing their own opinion of their reading.

After the 4th Reading I felt I …
Remembered More Words
Read Faster
Read Smoother
Read with Expression


Part IV
Students will access a classroom computer to graph section one, their words per minute, in graphjam. This will be completed at www.graphjam.com. Students will be instructed to begin by entering www.graphjam.com and selecting Make Your Own at the top of the page. Students are required to create a line graph, but may also create one of their choice after they become comfortable graphing their scores. Students will be instructed to create points or columns in horizontal or X axis and name each Reading 1, Reading 2, Reading 3, and Reading 4. The vertical or Y axis should be demonstrated in counts of 10 (student ex. http://cheezburger.com/View.aspx?aid=3072364288). We will complete several together using an LCD projector. The graph will be printed and attached to the guide sheet. Both will be submitted for a grade.

After completing a book students will select another from the Star Reading bookshelf and continue reading, using the same process. Students will be given Star Reading time 60 minutes per week. Students are expected to complete at least one book per month.

Star Reading Rubric
Name of student:________________ Date:_______

1
2
3
4 Score

Progression
The student is making very little progression. The student completes at least one book, guide sheet and WPM graph per 8 weeks. The student completes at least one book, guide sheet and WPM graph per 6 weeks. The student completes at least one book, guide sheet and WPM graph per month.

Content

The student completed a very small portion of the project. Only portions of each section of the guide sheet are completed. No WPM is attached when submitted. Only portions of each section of the guide sheet are completed. A WPM is attached when submitted. All three sections of the guide sheet are completed with an accurate WPM attached when submitted.

Participation

The student did not participate in the activity The student only participated in some parts of the activity The student participated in all of the activity The student participated in all of the activity and set example for others