Guided Reading Super Sleuths




Guided Reading is a favorite time of day for me...but, I always seem to get bored with what I am doing so I have to shake things up a bit from time to time :)

So..this is how I'm doin it.....

 = FUN!!!!

I went to the dollar store to pick up a class set of these bad boys and we are having a ball!  I created a Guided Reading Detectives unit to introduce all of the skills that I begin my year with in terms of reading comprehension.  I focus on Prediction, Setting, Plot using time order words and Beginning, Middle, and End, character traits and comparing characters, vocabulary development and on and on :) So I was trying to think of a way to make it fun and interactive and I think I might have hit it on the head!

Introducing....

Guided Reading Detectives



This is the briefcase we are going to make to keep all of our "Investigations" in!


This is the first inside spread of the briefcase.


This is the second inside spread.




This is the third inside spread.
This spread consists of Phonics Word Hunts.
If you do not want to add this into your briefcase,
you don't have to.  You can just make it have 
two double spreads.



This is the back of the briefcase.
This is where they will write the titles of the books they
Investigated and they will write a short opinion paragraph
about which book they liked the best and why.


I have been working on this unit for about three to four months in addition to other activities that I do within my reading groups. I introduce each of these  skills as whole group lesson.  Then we  practice each skill during our Guided Reading groups.  This is where my Detective Glasses come in!!! They will wear these glasses as they are doing their writing...How fun..right??!!
 Every couple of days or even once a week, depending on my new group of kiddos, I will introduce a new comprehension skill and then I will do the same skill during our guided reading group time.  We will complete each of the flip-flap books during our group time and then we will adhere them into the briefcase.  
The only prep work that I will do,
is make the actual briefcase and make my copies.  The students will do the writing and the folding for each of their flip-flap books and then adhere them to their briefcases!  I am so excited to work on this new unit with my kiddos!  Here are some pictures of our
Work In Progress...






We are a little further along now and have finished most of our Sound Hunts.  I will be sure to take some pics of the final outcome! 

Wanna hear something FUN!!??  I was observed a few days ago and I did a compare and contrast activity from my Detective Briefcase and my principal LOVED IT!  She told me I should sell it on TPT..hee-heee....so I had to tell her. She said she LOVED TPT when she was in the classroom :)

A woman after my own heart!  I received an AMAZING review and I am so excited about it!


If you would like to get your hands on it now and get it all ready for Back to School, you can pick it up in my TPT Store :)  
Just click the picture below and it will take you there!



Hugs,

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