Growing Independence and Fluency

Michelle Mummert


Rationale: Fluency is the ability to recognize words accurately, rapidly, and automatically.  When fluency is achieved, the reader has the ability to recognize words automatically and comprehend written text faster than non-fluent readers.  This lesson is designed to help students increase their fluency by rereading text and becoming familiar with it.  During the lesson, students will learn fluency helps them gain more meaning from the text.  After the lesson, students will be able to use a strategy to increase fluency in their independent reading.


Materials: Stopwatch(one per group), Speed Record Sheet for each child, Fluency Literacy Rubirc for each child, Chalk, Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson, copy of Here Comes the Strikeout by Leonard Kessler for each student

Fluency Literacy Rubric

Name:____________         Evaluator:____________         Date:___________

I noticed that my partner… (color in the circle)

After 2nd                         After 3rd

O                                    O                          Remembered more words

O                                    O                          Read faster

O                                    O                          Read smoother

O                                    O                          Read with expression



Speed Record Sheet

Name:________________           Date:__________

1st time:______

2nd time:______

3rd time:______




  1. Introduce lesson by explaining that in order to become better readers, we must begin to read fluently.  Once we become fluent readers, we will be able to understand the text more easily.  One way to become fluent readers is to read a text more than once, each time reading it faster and more automatically.
  2. First let’s review how we figure out a word we do not know as we are reading.  Remember we should use the cover up approach.  If I had this word scratch (write on board) I would cover up everything but the vowel /a/.  The a=/a/.  Now I look at what comes before the vowel which is scr and blend them together.  Then we look at the end of the word tch=/ch/.  Put them all together and you have scratch. Remember if you are stuck on a word this is a great way to figure it out!
  3. Demonstrate to the students the difference between reading with fluency and reading without fluency.  Write a sentence on the board (The dog likes to play in the sun.)  Read the sentence once without fluency “The d-o-g l-i-k-e-s to p-l-a-y b-a-l-l in the s-u-n.” Notice how I read the sentence slowly.  Now I am going to read the sentence again but this time I will read it fluently.  “The dog likes to play ball in the sun.”  See how I did not draw out the sentence. I kept readig the sentence smoothly.  Which way was easier to understand?  Right it’s easier to understand text when you read with fluency.
  4. Take out Here Comes a Strikeout.  Give students a book talk and let them read the rest of the story to themselves to find out what happens.
  5. Pass out a copy of this book to each student.  Have students practice reading this book on their own.  Once all students are done, discuss the story with the class.  Ask questions to ask for students understanding of the story.
  6. Now split students up into partners.  Explain to the students about the Speed Record Sheet and Fluency Literacy Rubric.  Tell the students that one is going to be the “reader” and the other is going to be the “recorder”.  The reader will read the book for one minute three times.  The recorder should announce when to begin and stop when one minute it up.  Each time the recorder will record how many words were read in that one minute.  Once one student has read three one minute read alouds, students switch roles.
  7. Once students have finished recording the one minutes read alouds, have students fill out a fluency Literacy Record Sheet on their partner.  They should color in the circles on how they thought their partner did during the second and third round.
  8. For assessment, I will make each student come to me and do a one minute read. (Have student read Bear Snores On).  While one student is doing a one minute read have the rest of the students practice reading a book with fluency quietly at their desk.


Reference: http://www.auburn.edu/rdggenie/guidelines.html



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