The key to making your small, differentiated reading groups run smoothly is making sure that the students understand exactly what they are responsible for when they are not meeting with you (the teacher). Nothing is more distracting than having students interrupt you and the group you are working with because they are confused about the work they should complete or the order that it should be completed. This chart answers all of those questions. I have been using this organizational chart in my own classroom for over14 years. I begin by placing my students in small ability based reading groups. I try not to have more than 3 groups, but knowing that that is not always possible I have included labels for 6 groups in this packet. I usually name my groups color names, so I have included the following labels: Green, Red, Orange, Blue, Yellow, and Purple. Along with the groups’ labels, I have created work tags that include the descriptions of work that I typically ask my students to complete independently, such as story comprehension, handwriting practice, and computer time. I even included tags to indicate when the groups of students will meet with you (the teacher) or your assistant. These tags are especially helpful because they allow the students to understand what they are responsible for before meeting with the teacher, as well as after. Both the “Meet the teacher” tags and the “Meet the assistant” tags are offered with a choice of gender and ethnicity so that you can print that tags that best represent your classroom. Once all of the labels and tags are printed and laminated they will last you for years to come!
The following label / tags are included in this resource:
Group Labels: Green, Red, Orange, Blue, Yellow, and Purple
Work Tags: Meet with the teacher, Meet with the assistant, Computer, Early Finisher Folder, Read to yourself, Read with someone, Spelling (also labeled as Word Work), Journal, Process Writing, Comprehension, Morning Work, Worksheet, Go to a Center
I organize all of these labels and tags in a large hanging pocket chart (pocket chart not included), but you use these just as easily by laminating them and putting magnetic tape on the back. You just need a way that you can order and display the cards each day depending on the work that you want each group to complete and the order which you want it completed.
Please download the preview for a closer look!