Literacy Block

I wanted to continue linking up with Mrs. Patton's Patch because I SO enjoy organization posts. Today's topic is organization of your literacy block. I did a post about my Daily 5 organization recently so today I am focusing on how I organize my actual reading groups. Just to give you a bit of background, I run three types of groups. Guided reading (provides the most support-word attack skills is a focus here), reciprocal teaching (teaching students to have thoughtful discussions while acting as a facilitator-vocabulary and comprehension are a focus here), and book clubs (teacher acts as more of a silent participant in real discussions-text analysis is a focus in this group).

Prepare for a picture overload!!

I thought I would start with a view of my reading table area. You can see my table, green tubs where I store my multiple copy books, my reading binder full of plans, blue magazine holders that house comprehension and response sheets as well as resources for word attack, etc., my table top white board that I bought this year (and it rules!), and lastly a mini tub of stickies, markers, pencils and reciprocal teaching cards.

This is my reading binder. I have divided it up into many tabbed sections. Each section holds my typed out lesson plans for my multiple copy books. Over the years I have developed these plans with essential vocabulary, right there and inferential questions (including page numbers on where to locate the answers in case I forget), ideas for culminating projects, and chapter summaries. In the front of the binder is a list of all of my personal multiple copy books along with their reading level so I can group students and pull books quickly. I love this system and it is awesome for subs to use as well.

Here is a picture of my green stacking tubs which I purchased at Walmart. They house my multiple copy books. I have labeled them all for easy identification. Also, this system has worked so well for me this year.

This little blue caddy holds basic writing utensils for kids to use during group, ample sticky notes of course, white board markers for use on my table top easel and my reciprocal teaching cards.

This shelf sits directly behind my reading table. I have the entire top row stocked with blue magazine holders that I have labeled. They house my word attack cards, reading strategy bookmarks, comprehension question paper copies, reading response copies, and a teacher copy of the current chapter book all of my groups are reading.

Directly above the brown shelf is a bulletin board. To the far right you can get a glimpse of my reading strategy posters that I make using interactive or shared writing. What I wanted to show you though was the reading group posters that I made on my computer and laminated. Each time I meet with a reading group, I record their next assignment so they can't use any excuses for forgetting what the homework was (I have my kids prepare for reading group in class during Daily 5 or independent reading so these posters are good reminders).

My students each have their own plastic magazine holders that I bought from Really Good Stuff. They were a huge expense but soooo worth it. Splurge if ya can! They store their current reading group book along with other books they have chosen for independent reading and they Reader's Notebooks (if this sounds familiar then you already know that Beth Newingham is da bomb!)

I use Reader's Notebooks to hold any comprehension and reading response forms, reading logs, book club notes, and a few other resources for having successful book discussions, choosing appropriate leveled books, and topics for writing a response letter.

I have tabbed the Reader's Notebook to include two sections, reading response and book clubs. Later in the year I have most of my readers engage in book clubs in pairs during independent reading time (Also a concept I learned about and tweaked from Beth Newingham).

Well I hope that provides you with some ideas if you are looking for some organization tips. Normally I change things up a bit every year but I am not messing with this system at all. It really works well for me.

Looking forward to seeing how you 

organize your literacy materials too!