Read to Someone

I wrote a pretty extensive post HERE about my Word Work center, but there have been several questions about the contents of my other tubs.  Today, I'm focusing solely on my Read to Someone area, but keep your eyes peeled for the other centers throughout the week.  Please be aware of the fact that I am continually revamping and rethinking everything, and right now, these are a work in progress.  It's really nothing earth-shatterning, and  I have no idea how it's all going to fit together with Reading Street (for sure).  At this point, I can only speculate and cross my fingers that it will work like I hope it will.  I try to keep centers simple, easy to manage, and predictable so that they can be used for a variety of purposes and with a variety of books.  I have battled with trying to manage constantly-evolving centers in the past, and I admire teachers who make it work.  Simply put, it doesn't work for me.  :)   I would LOVE to hear how you have organized this center in your own classrooms!  

This is my little Read to Someone Tub.

Here's a little looksie inside of the tub.  I probably will add more goodies over time.  The pointers are drink stirrers!  The bookmark was created by Cara at The First Grade parade, and you can grab a copy here: http://thefirstgradeparade.blogspot.com/2010/09/word-helper-strategies.html

I filled little tubs from the Dollar Tree with comprehension questions so they can be read without opening the containers.  You can snag this freebie from Christina Bainbridge here: http://bainbridgeclass.blogspot.com/2011/08/some-exciting-news-and-comprehension.html

These checkmarks for "Check for Understanding" are also from Christina Bainbridge.  They are for sale at Teaching Oasis!

I don't remember where I downloaded the "Ways to Read to Someone" sign.   I adapted this idea from someone else's blog.  I think it may have been Beg, Borrow, and Steal: http://mchaffiek.blogspot.com/.

This is really blurry, but basically since I will not be able to do literature circles with my students anymore, I took two copies of each duplicate book I own and created a separate area for Read to Someone.  This will (hopefully) ensure that these books make it back to their home and aren't mixed in with the rest of the library.  The two crates hold clipboards and whiteboards for now... until I can think of a better storage solution in my new classroom.  I'm not loving this look!

Students will be permitted to sit on these reading rugs {from Target} while they read together.

The lion is a small nod to my old school.  I'll miss my MES Lions! Oddly enough, I'm at another MES now.