My goal for this coming year is to create more literature based mini-units based on specific literature selections.  The one I created over the December break was based on the

Color Version

literature selection “Bear Snores On” by Karma Wilson.  I felt this would really correlate with the concept of hibernation and what animals do in the winter.

Shared Reading

This mini-unit includes an emergent reader that is a simple retelling of the literature selection.  It is offered in both color and black and white.  I use these readers for both shared and guided reading.  I project the color version on my Smart Board, enabling all the students to view the print.  I model the reading process on specific skills as outlined in the unit.  A page from the color version of the reader is displayed on the right.

Guided Reading

I would generally have five students within a group completing the guided reading activities outlined below.

There is a black and white version of the reader that I use for guided reading.  I always like to include an interactive component in each reader. The interactive component in this reader has the students cutting and pasting the correct animal that joined bear in his cave. The students are required to match the words found within the reader to those displayed on the picture.  It also requires them to apply what they know about beginning letters and sounds.

Black and White Version

I like doing this during guided reading because each student finishes the interactive component at different times.  This allows me to have an individual student read the selection to me, once they have finished cutting and pasting the correct pictures.  During this time, I can assess what skills they have acquired.

Literacy Centers

I have four Literacy Centers with duplicate games. There are two to three playing partners at each center playing the same game.  The students would rotate to each center. The entire process takes around 30 to 40 minutes.

Literacy Center One – Letter and Sound Identification

The playing partners would take turns rolling a die.  They would move around the game board accordingly and print the initial letter sound represented on the picture that they landed on. They could use the dotted printing sheet provided. There are also picture playing cards that can be used.  The playing partners would take turns drawing a picture card and print the letter sound represented.  Again, the dotted printing sheet could be used.

Literacy Center Two – Rhyming Game

In this Center student partners take a turn spinning a top.  They will place a bingo chip or another object on the picture that rhymes on their game card.  Once their game card has been completed, the game is over.

Rhyming Game

Literacy Center Three – Letter Naming

The playing partners take a turn rolling a die and moving their game player accordingly.  The partners must name the letter they landed on and print this letter on the printing sheet provided.

Letter Identification Game

Literacy Center Four –  Sight Word Identification 

Math Ten Frames Worksheet

The teacher would print the focus sight word(s) on the game board provided. Again, the students would roll a die, move their game player accordingly and say the name of the sight word they landed on.

Math

The students would cut and paste or print the correct number that correlates to the ten frames displayed on the sheet.

Location of New Mini-Theme 

The new mini-theme is found within the Winter theme unit.

Bear Snores on Mini-Theme

Indicate What Other Literature Mini-Units You Would Like to See Developed?????

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