Guided Reading "Toolbox" Linky!
Yay! I'm finally getting around to showing you all my goodies I like to use for my guided reading groups! I really love doing small groups, and I try to see all my groups every day. Some I meet for 5 minutes, and others I meet for 15-20 minutes. Check out my other recent post on it {HERE}. I also did a linky last year on guided reading groups. Check out those posts {HERE}, {HERE}, and {HERE}.
Back to some of my favorite "tools." I don't use all of these every time I meet with my kids, but they are in my little "bag of tricks" that the kids love to use.
I really like using my Scholastic News magazines for my guided groups. Or I really like using Reading A-Z books. They have SO many books, leveled readers and phonics readers! Here are some of my other "tools" that I like to use.
A - Witch fingers for pointing! The kids love them, and it's around Halloween right now, so I'm sure you can find them anywhere! I've had mine forever, so I don't remember where I got mine.
B - Chips. Mine are one side red and one side yellow. I use these for math too, but for reading, we count out our sounds with them.
C - "magnifying rocks" which came from one of the Dollar stores, and are those glass beads you put in vases or whatever??? We use them to magnify words as we read them
D - pencil box of markers, highlighters, and erasers.
E - magnifying glasses, to go searching for words - like words that follow a phonics rule, or a grammar skills
F - Helping hands. I have no idea where I got these, and they are so old, but they are reading strategies to remember while reading
G - Wikki Stix! We use these to cut and put under words that we find that follow phonics or grammar rules. The kids love them because they're so sticky.
H - Story cubes - fiction and non-fiction. I think these are from Lakeshore??
I - Whisper Phones, homemade! Check out my post on how I use them {HERE} and my how to make them post, {HERE}
J - reading strategy bookmarks, kind of like the helping hands, but these are bookmarks. I've had these for a few years, and there isn't a name on the file, so I don't remember where I got these. (if they're yours, let me know and I'll give you credit!)
K - Easy Readers. I have 2 different versions, and these both came from Really Good Stuff. They really do help the kids track as they read.
L. - Sticky note bookmarking. A quick reference for the kids to do as they read.
Then, I have a goody bag of stuff. lol. I know. It's never ending! But I really believe in teaching in small groups, so I keep adding to my "stash" of goodies...lol
Making Words Folders, which I don't remember where I got them!?! I use them mainly for mini offices when we build words with our foam letters.
I also have the Word Pattern Playlist from Ladybug Teacher Files - find them at {THIS} post. and the Making Words Folder that I found from Rachelle at What the Teacher Wants - find them at {THIS} post.
I also have my Sound Mapping pages laminated and ready to go. These are a freebie, download them {HERE}. There is also an alphabet reference sheet for each student to use. I have them in all of my classroom packs, with the alphabet.
Our school used to do 100 Book Challenge. We still do it, just not as rigorously as we used to. But we still have the level cards, which have sight words on the back and comprehension and skills on the front that are like a checklist. I really like using these with my students, and it's also a great way to keep the parents informed of their progress and a great way to keep the parents involved with their reading at home.
And lastly, one of my favorite things I use, are my bumpy foam letters. I like them because i tell them to make sure the bumpy side is up, and they are small enough that I fit them in little 1/2 cup tupperware containers (which I got from the dollar store too!) I keep a whole alphabet in each container, and 6 containers on hand. I also have a like a little toolbox container that has all the other letters sorted out in drawers, that way if I need more e's for that day's lesson, then I can quickly grab some.
Want to show what your favorite Guided Reading Tools are!? Write a post and link up!! I would love to see if there are more things I need to add to my toolbox!
Add my linky picture to your post, and link up! Make sure you link up your actual POST and not just your blog address. Can't wait to see what everyone likes to use!
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