Guided Reading- Think Clouds

**I haven't blogged all year...oops!!  But I have recently come across a lot of really great tools to help with literacy and I thought I would try to keep stuff here.  That way friends and colleagues can look here for what I've been finding.

I get a lot of questions about guided reading and how to manage all that is involved with it.  One thing that gets difficult with guided reading is the fact that the kids at the table are all reading at the same time (which we know is best practice) but the teacher can only work with one at a time.  I found a little tool to monitor reading even when you aren't listening in. Hope King , who writes the blog 2nd Grade Shenanigans,  posted some great Guided Reading Think Clouds.  I have been using them during my LLI lessons for the students at the highest levels and they love them!!  In fact, sometimes they fight over who gets to take them.  

The thought behind them is that when the student notices their thinking, they take the Think Cloud.  This way, when you are done reading with everyone, you can use the think cloud as a discussion spring board.  They are great for all levels, but I have found a lot of success with my higher readers (which are at levels L-N).  I've even been able to get a few kids talking about their thinking when they wouldn't do that before!