Reading Workshop: Tricks & Treats!

I'm linking up with Jivey from Ideas by Jivey for her Tricks & Treats for Reading Workshop! I feel like my reading workshop is running great this year and I haven't had to do a lot of "Just Right" book "tricking" so far. We're actually just finishing up our first unit on character and getting ready to start nonfiction very soon! As we wrap up our unit, here are a few of my tricks and treats for Reading Workshop!

Trick #1: Make a "scavenger hunt" for reading activities. Students love competition and thinking things are a game when really they are investigating a new topic. I have an investigative scavenger hunt to help students learn the purpose of text features during our nonfiction unit - they love going around my room and looking at all my posters trying to figure out the feature plus how it can help us as readers.

Trick #2: Give students different materials to write with and on! This year I found some neon notebook paper at Kroger and we've used it for a reading response letters and some grammar work. The students go crazy when I get it out. They also love writing on "fun" post-its. I found discounted "Q's" for when we add quotes to our pieces to show evidence and support from a text. I also have some great creepy fingers from the SLANT exchange that I'm trying to incorporate during October. Plus, my fifth graders love just plain colored post-its! Rock what you have!

Trick #3: Get excited about reading! I start each unit off with a "virtual" book pass where we all watch You Tube previews or videos for the featured book club novels. The kids love watching all the "previews" and getting excited about books. I also swoon over authors like movie stars and show-off my photo with Roland Smith in my library!

Trick #4: Play the CD! So many books have a fantastic audiobook. I was a little offended the first time my students asked for the "Lady on the CD" to read to them but I soon gave in because they wanted to read! They do love listening to me read - but it's also nice to hear a different voice or accent to help bring certain characters to life! Listening to fluent and expressive readers during read aloud is fantastic. I also encourage audiobooks and reading along to all my struggling readers. Two of my favorites on CD are The Tale of Desperaux and Love that Dog/Hate that Cat.

Treat: A not so scary list of reading response ideas for those "Stop and Jot" moments during your Reader's Workshop. Click the image to download your own copy!