Mrs. Davison's Kindergarten: Reader's Workshop

Exploring and Discovering The Value of Reading Strategies

A young child discoveries how by using his finger to point to words as he reads, helps him understand what he is reading.

Another child discoveries how using her finger helps her to match words to what they say.

What Are Just Right Books?

This morning 2 former Kindergarten students, from Mrs. Rodliff's class visit our class to talk to us about what it means to read a "Just Right" book. We learned that Just right books help us become stronger readers. If we read books that are too hard, we get frustrated. If we read books that are too easy, it is hard to learn new things. Just Right books help us become strong, independent readers.
The Very Busy Spider!

Look At These Wonderful Spiders!

This morning during our Reader's Workshop time Ms. Kea read another story written by Eric Carle. We made text to text connections and we shared what we noticed about the spider. We had fun creating our own spider out of clay. Then we created a habitat for our spider. Afterwards we learned a song called; "Itsy, Bitsy, Spider."

Creating and Exploring Our Names!

A child makes a connection with his name with the story, "Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom".

Making a Text To Text Connection

A Wonderful Story! "Have You Filled Your Bucket Today?"

We read a wonderful story on Friday about how to keep your "bucket full." The idea is if you are kind and do and say nice things to others, you then feel great inside and your "bucket is full." We enjoyed getting our own buckets after the story and then we "filled our own buckets" before we went home on the bus.

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The Very Busy Caterpillar!

Today while we were rereading the story;"The Very Hungry Caterpillar" a couple of the students noticed things and made connections!

Nursery Rhymes!

We are reading a variety of nursery rhymes and poetry in Kindergarten. We are noticing that many rhymes and poems have rhythm which helps us remember what we hear and read.

Reader's Workshop

During our Reader's Workshop time the children spend lots of time reading Just Right Books. These are books that are right for them to read. if we read books that are too easy or too hard we are not reading what is "just right" for us to become a better reader. Sometimes readers make connections too! In the photograph you see a child making a text to text connection! He is re creating his own non-fiction book about bears. He is making a text to text connection because he found another book about bears.

Interacting With Tools To Help Develop Reading Strategies

Reader's In Action!

This morning we used our SMARTboard to help us create CVC words. When you watch the video you will be able to see and listen to how we tap out sounds to create words. We are working on strategies to help us become strong, independent readers.

The children get daily opportunities to practice the strategies that they learn daily during our reader's workshop time. The children sit side by side, listen, look at the words and pictures as well as make connections and ask questions. Amazing!

Tag Pens

The children really enjoy using a tag pen when reading a children's story. One of the neat features of the pens is that children can play literacy games with the book, read the book or listen to the story being read to them.

Echo Time!

Below you will see a couple of great photographs of children using their "Echo Tool" kits. The kits are great because it gives us an opportunity to interact with the reading strategies we are learning in Kindergarten.

Comprehension Strategies That Help Us Understand What We Read

During our reader's workshop time the children have been learning about different comprehension strategies that help us understand what we read. The strategies are making connections, asking questions and visualizing.
When we make connections we will sometimes make 'tracks" using post it notes to remind us of the connection we made and/or the type of comprehension strategy we were using.

A Great Connection!

We use the Fundations reading program in Kindergarten. The child in the video is making a connection with a reading skill she recently learned during our "Echo Time."

Making Connections!

Identifying familiar words

During our morning meeting time we have lots of opportunities to practice what we know about words. We call this word play! We identify words we know, we scoop sentences to help us read with fluency(which is like we talk!) and then we practice writing the words and sounds we explore during part 1 of our reader's workshop time.

The children make connections by interacting with our SMARTboard by identifying words we know and letters and sounds. Through this interactive experience the children can then write the letters and sounds in their special dictation booklet we use during our "Echo Time".

Pumpkin Heads!


Look at our pumpkin heads!

We enjoyed a wonderful story called;"Pumpkin Heads" during our reader's workshop time. The story gave the children an opportunity to practice using one of our comprehension strategies, called;"visualization". Visualization is when you listen carefully to what is being read and you try to visualize/imagine what it would look like. When we read the words give us many clues about the meaning of a story. The children each created and designed their own pumpkin head. They are on display in our classroom for you to see.

Echo Time!

Everyday we have Echo Time in Kindergarten. It is part of our reader's workshop time. We are learning how to form lower case letters. Today some of the children made some interesting comments about their work. Listen to what 1 of the children had to say.

Reader's Workshop in Kindergarten!

Reader's Think and Talk About Books With Others

Children are given lots of opportunities to read with their reading partner, independently and with a small group. The children know they are successful when they are sitting side by side and placing the book in the middle, taking turns, sharing ideas and connections as well as giving their partner an "I'm interested message."

Children need lots of opportunities to engage with a variety of texts. Through practice and modeling children learn the parts of a book, the different features and begin to develop reading habits that promote the love and interest of literacy.