Independent Reading: Book Bags

DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Book Bags Collection of books at student’s

independent reading level Teacher uses ongoing assessment

to determine appropriate books Teacher and student select books

together from book baskets 1-2 “interest” books may be

included Book bags are refreshed during

Reading Conferences

“If kids become readers by reading, then we must have texts that will entice them to pick up a book day after day. This has as much to do with having texts that are accessible in terms of students’ reading fluency as with having literature that interests them because of the topic.”

--Joanne Hindley (1996)

Emergent Reader Book Bags 5-10 books Books that have been read to them Small copies of Shared Reading

books or Guided Reading books Might include simple alphabet

books and pattern books

Early Fluent-Fluent Reader Book Bags 3-5 books, depending on size Variety of genres or Text set (same author, subject) Student takes on more

responsibility for selecting appropriate books– 3 or 5 finger test– Goldilocks strategy– Easy, Just Right, Challenge– Ability to comprehend and retell

Emergent Reader ActivitiesWhat else can emergent readers do in

addition to reading their books?

Emergent readers can: Read Big Books and poems

from Shared Reading

Read with a partner

Sequence sentence strips from Guided Reading books

Listen and read along with a book on tape

Respond to their reading