Guided Reading

Activities
with

A collection of primary reading strategy activities and

worksheets to spice up your guided reading lessons!

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Clip art from Thistle Girl Designs

Dear Family,
I am looking for donations of the sticky tabs shown below to create
interactive reading strategy cards. These tabs can be found at your local
office supply store, Walmart, or Target.

or

A big „ole “Thanks” in advance for any donations!

Dear Family,
I am looking for donations of the sticky tabs shown below to create
interactive reading strategy cards. These tabs can be found at your local
office supply store, Walmart, or Target.

or

A big „ole “Thanks” in advance for any donations!

Dear Family,
I am looking for donations of the sticky tabs shown below to create
interactive reading strategy cards. These tabs can be found at your local
office supply store, Walmart, or Target.

or

A big „ole “Thanks” in advance for any donations!

Dear Family,
I am looking for donations of the sticky tabs shown below to create
interactive reading strategy cards. These tabs can be found at your local
office supply store, Walmart, or Target.

or

A big „ole “Thanks” in advance for any donations!

 HOT SPOTS
Are you looking for MORE interactive activities students can do while
they‟re reading? If so, Hot Spots are for you! These are two of my
FAVORITE activities to do during guided reading so they are
teacher-tested and kid-approved!

Hot Spots: self-monitor their reading

First, take an ordinary index card. If you have access to fluorescent ones – use
those!! Next, simply cut strips of post-it notes or pick up a pack that are already cut
into strips (once again, the brightly colored ones will go with the whole “Hot Spot”
theme). Write HOT SPOTS on the index card and stick 5 of the post-it strips to it:

Give each child a Hot Spot card when they are reading. As they come to something
that doesn‟t make sense, have them put a Hot Spot on that page and continue reading.
As they read on, the part they initially misunderstood might now make sense! If this
happens, have them go back to that Hot Spot, reread the text for meaning, take off
the post-it, and put it back on the index card. If a child has used many of the Hot
Spots upon finishing the text this would give you the opportunity to re-teach rereading
for meaning, asking “Does that make sense?”, and comprehension strategies.
Hot Spots: Questioning Strategy
Once again, take an index card and write HOT SPOT ANSWERS on it. Use the
same post-it strips from the previous idea. Next, write numbers one through five
on the front, non-sticky end of the post-it strip and attach them to the index card:

Write 5 questions about the story on a white board and place it in the middle of your
guided reading table. The students will read the text and, as they come to an answer,
they should place the corresponding numbered post-it to that page:

When done, go over the questions. Since many of these will be “right there”
questions use this discussion time to make text to text, self, and world connections.

Management Tips:
*Keep both of the cards in one envelop and have the kids take out the card for the
skill they‟ll be working on that day.
*If you‟re going to use the Hot Spot Questioning cards frequently, 3M makes smaller
flags like the tabs used on the Smart Reader cards. These will last longer than the
post-it strips (they look like strips of tape with a colored flag on the end).
*These are a PERFECT project for parent helpers to make, especially those who
can‟t come into the classroom but still want to help. Have them put the cards
together, and put them in envelopes (they can even decorate the envelopes!!)
 Parent Night mini-Lesson
As all primary teachers know, one main
question the parents of young readers ask is,
“How can I help my child become a better
reader?” Often times, when reading at home
with their child, parents might use strategies
they learned when they were in school, simply
tell their child the word, or become frustrated
because they do not know the reading “lingo” you
use during the day. Here‟s a note I pass out and
go over at each Parent Night to help families
become familiar with the reading strategies we
use at school. I hope you can find it helpful!
L Strategies to help Your child L
become a better reader
Good Readers…
Point to the words as they are reading. One to one correspondence helps
reinforce the print to voice connection. When you read to your child, model
this and your child will also practice this reading behavior. Pointing to the
words also helps them find word parts which is another reading strategy.

Find word parts. If they are struggling with the word doghouse you can say, “Is
cat
there a small word in there that you know?” You might see your child cover
up house in the word and say, “dog!!” We also talk about word chunks or word
families. In a word such as bump, direct their focus on the –ump chunk.

Look at the pictures. If your child comes to the word giraffe, it‟s very likely
there is a picture of a giraffe on the page.

? Think and ask, “Does that make sense?” Students are better able to decode
tricky words and self-correct when they think about the story as they read.
If your child read, “The boy fell also on his pillow,” you could say, “Does that make
sense? Do you fall also on your pillow?” No, you fall asleep on your pillow.

Go back and reread. After using any of the strategies to figure out tricky
word always have your child go back and reread the sentence.

Read fluently and with expression. Successful readers read smoothly like they
talk. Reading with expression makes the story more exciting and enjoyable.
Modeling this when you read to your child will reinforce this strategy.

If your child is still unable to figure out the tricky word using these reading strategies, tell them the
problem word and have them go through the strategies again to reread the word successfully.
Name: Date:

V Contraction Action V
Story Title:
While reading your story, look for contractions and write
them in the first column below. Write the 2 words from which
the contraction was made in the second column.

Contraction Long Form

Name: Date:

MLNKMLNK MLNKMLNK
H At this point in the story I feel about the main character

because

E If I could change one thing that has happened so far, I would change

to

because

L
I think the author used really great

Here’s an example:

T I think this story is because

NI recommend this book to a friend

because
Name: Date:

Independent
Reading Log
Title:

This book was:

Title:

This book was:

Title:

This book was:

Title:

This book was:

Title:

This book was:

Name: Date:

DFECDFECDFECDFECDFE
Independent Reading Response

DFECDFECDFECDFECDFE
Name: _____________________________________ Date: _______________________

Non-Fiction Reading Response

Look at the Table of Contents to find something that interests

you. The topic you want to learn more about is
______________________________. The pages in your book
that will tell you about this topic are ___________________.

A Read those pages and then do the activities below A

Here’s a picture of something I learned:

Three important facts about my topic:

H
H
H
 UW WU
e Title of Book:

First, find a picture in your book and describe it

below using lots of descriptive words! Then, give this
sheet and your book to a friend to see if they can
find the picture you described.

I found your picture on page .

I found it on my try.

Z Finder’s Signature:
I Punctuation Station i
Story Title
Find all of the punctuation marks on page of your
story. Write the word before the punctuation mark and the
mark in the left column. Then, tell why the mark was used
(end of a sentence, quote, end of a question, end of an exclamation, to
separate a series of words, after an abbreviation).

Word and Reason

Punctuation Mark Used
Name: __________________________ date: __________________________

D Now, it’s your turn! D

Write 2 sentences, circle the punctuation, and give the reason used.

1.)

Reason used:

2.)

Reason used:

Name: __________________________ date: __________________________

D Now, it’s your turn! D

Write 2 sentences, circle the punctuation, and give the reason used.

1.)

Reason used:

2.)

Reason used:
WRYUSFGHWRYUSFGHW

Rhyme Time
WRYUSFGHWRYUSFGHW
Story Title: __________________________________________

While reading your story, pick any word and write it in the left
column. Then, write a rhyming word in the right column.
Let’s see how many words you can rhyme!
Name: ______________________ date: ______________________

Story Predictions
L L

Title:
Author:
Illustrator:

e ge ge ge ge ge
My prediction:

I think I am going to: like not like

This story because

I Now read the story! I

Did it match your prediction? ________________

e ge ge ge ge ge
MENTAL IMAGES
P By: R
Close your eyes and imagine the story based only on
the cover of the book. Draw what’s in your mind.
Before Reading:

Now, read the story! When you’re done...

Draw a new picture, adding changes and
details to make it match the story.
After Reading:

How did your mental image change after reading the story?
Name: Date:

Find 3 words that start like your name:

E

Find 2 words that end like your name:

E

Find 3 words with double letters:

E

What is the longest word you can find in your book?

E
Name: Date:

Find 3 contractions:
E

Find 2 quotes:
E

Find 3 compound words:

E

Find one question:

E
Name: Date:

Find 3 two syllable words:

E

Find 3 three syllable words:

E

Find 2 four syllable words:

E

What is the longest word you can find in your book?

E Number of syllables:
Name: Date:

Find 3 singular nouns:

E

Find 3 plural nouns:

E

Find 2 proper nouns:

E

Pick one of the nouns above and use it in a sentence:

E
I’m a detective hired
to investigate
words.

I will honor the code

of the S.W.I.A.
(Special Word Investigation Academy)

And I Will perform my

duties with Pride and
Determination.

Detective assigned to case:

qpsrtyuok

’s

STORY JOURNAL
for the book

By:

qpsrtyuok
 Day 1: Book Intro

like not like

c Now read the story!

Day 2: Story Elements

Characters: Setting:

Problem: Solution:
Day 3: Story Events
Day 4: Character
Day 5: Reader Response
 Book Intro

like not like

c Now read the story!

 Story Elements

Characters: Setting:

Problem: Solution:
Story Events
Character
Reader Response