There are many variations of balanced literacy. The main consistencies are that balanced literacy includes reading, writing, listening, and speaking. In addition, the main blocks of balanced literacy are known as Read-Aloud/Shared Reading, Guided Reading, Word Study, and Independent Reading.

1. For your final assignment, you will create a balanced literacy lesson plan for grades pre-K to third. In a 10- to 12-page paper (not including title and reference pages) written in APA style, include the following components: Grade Level (pick a grade from pre-K to third)
2. Anchor Standard
3. Text—include author/illustrator, title, brief summary
4. Complete this chart. Make sure all your activities support each other and align with the anchor standard. See below for guidance/prompts.

(Attached) 

Balanced Literacy Block

6.Describe how your activities support the anchor standard.
7.Describe your assessments. How do these assessments evaluate students’ reading skills and/or progress?
8.Discuss the benefits of teaching from a balanced literacy approach.

Balanced Literacy Block

Guidance—Do not include this column in your chart

Read-Aloud/Shared Reading

(30 minutes)

In this block, the teacher activates prior knowledge and interactively reads aloud a piece of quality writing to the whole class. The teacher will stop at planned points to ask a variety of questions that elicit student response. Following the teacher’s modeling and prompting, students learn to think deeply about text, to listen to others, and to develop their own ideas. This block is not meant for students to just listen to the teacher reading aloud; it is designed for students to interact with the teacher and learn how to think about text from the teacher. The teacher uses this time to explicitly model reading strategies and skills that the students need to learn. For younger readers, you might want to read from a “big book” that has large print and pictures. Logistically, you could also use the document camera to show the book pages on the big screen. Traditionally, teachers have read on the carpet as well. You need to somehow arrange it so students can see your text.

Describe or show via video how you will read aloud the text and how you will model questioning and thinking strategies. Be very specific about listing the questions you will ask and at which points in the book or text you will ask the questions or model the critical thinking. Indicate page numbers, etc.

Write this out so that a substitute teacher can implement your lesson plans.

Word Study (10 minutes)

In this block, the teacher works with the whole class to develop word study or vocabulary skills. Word study is the study of our alphabetic symbol system. This includes mini-lessons that address one of more of the following: phonics (letter/sound relationships), morphemic analysis (using word parts to denote meaning), and automaticity for sight words. Word study involves both the decoding (reading) and encoding (phonics and spelling) of our symbol system; the objectives of word study are to help students make meaning from an author’s message and to help them convey meaning in their own messages.

Describe one word study activity that supports your Read-Aloud and that can be implemented to the whole class. How would you present this to your whole class? How will you facilitate the students’ learning and make sure they are all engaged and challenged?

 
Write this out so that a substitute teacher can implement your lesson plans.
 

Guided Reading (40 minutes; you will meet with each group for 10-20 minutes)

Guided reading groups are also known as strategy groups. In this block, the teacher meets with a small group of students who read at the same reading level. The teacher works on specific strategies or skills. Each student has a copy of the text, which can be a basal, passage, or trade book. The teacher uses this time to explicitly model and practice.

Create a guided reading lesson plan for one of the following reading level groups: Far Below Grade Level Reading Expectations, Below Grade Level Reading Expectations, At Grade Level Reading Expectations, Above Grade Level Reading Expectations, or Far Above Grade Level Reading Expectations. Your guided reading lesson plan must include the following components: group level, text, objectives, phonics skills or word study, pre-reading, new vocabulary, during-reading, after reading, and writing connection.

 
Write this out so that a substitute teacher can implement your lesson plans.
 

Independent Reading

 
In this block, the teacher sets up routines for students to engage in independent reading. There may be time for SSR or DEAR, but for the most part, teachers are conducting guided reading group lessons while students are independently reading and/or participating in literacy centers. Independent reading is a time when students read text (either self-selected or teacher recommended) at their independent reading level to practice reading strategies and/or develop fluency and automaticity. This is not free reading; it is purposeful reading. Teachers may also confer with individual students at this time for brief reading conferences. Teachers also have students respond to the text in meaningful ways through writing, sketching, etc.
 
Describe how you will accommodate independent reading. Be specific about routines, student expectations, teacher expectations, texts, etc. Include a description of your classroom library.
 
Write this out so that a substitute teacher can implement your lesson plans.
 

1. Complete this chart. Make sure all your activities support each other and align with the anchor standard. See below for guidance/prompts.

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