Fluency Passages

Once I have determined the independent reading levels of my students we begin our Daily Fluency Passage reading.  This is a quick but extremely beneficial routine.  At the beginning of the week everyone begins a new passage and we draw names for our reading partner for the week.  We keep our passages in a plastic sleeve along with a second page that the students use to track the titles of all the passages they have read.  At the beginning of the year we talk about quick transitions, where to find a spot to sit, and how to sit "EEKK" elbow to elbow, knee to knee.  We also learn about what fluent reading should sound like.  We create an anchor chart together with 4 specific targets; accuracy, expression, rate and punctuation.  We use a timer that is set for 1 minute and each partner has a go at their passage, underlining the word they were at and marking the day of the week under it when the timer sounds.  Peer assessment is an important part of our routine as the students encourage one another by verbally providing a star and a wish according to our anchor chart criteria.  My kiddos love this routine!  It also gives me a chance to quickly listen in to 2 students each day with my own reading assessment checklist.  You can grab a copy of the leveled  passages HERE.