Increasing Reading Stamina and Comprehension

Introduction

• Project the Reading Stamina Chart on the whiteboard.
• Circle the words reading stamina and ask the students if they know what reading stamina means. Allow a few students to offer responses. Say, "Reading stamina means being able to stick with something for long periods of time. This stamina, or endurance, builds strength. Stamina can also be used when playing a sport or creating an art project. We can build our reading stamina by choosing 'just right books,' or books that we can read independently, without really struggling to read the words, for at least 15–20 minutes!"
• Project the Finding Just-Right Books worksheet on the whiteboard and briefly explain how to use the five finger rule to figure out if a book is at their independent reading level.
• Explain to students that today they will be working on their reading stamina as they read a "just right" fictional text independently. Write and read the following learning objectives in student-friendly terms and have the students choral chant the learning objectives back to you:
  • I can increase my reading stamina by reading a "just right" book independently.
  • I can retell a story after reading a "just right" fictional text.