The Teachers' Guide to the Four Blocks

by Cunningham, Patricia M.

• ISBN13: 9780887244940
• ISBN10: 0887244947
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-12-01
• Publisher: Four Blocks

Summary

By summarizing each of the Four Blocks, steps for implementation in the classroom, and a variety of student activities, this book explains how teachers can help all children become better readers and writers. Supports the Four-Blocks Literacy Model.

Table of Contents

Overview	2	(4)
Sample Day in a Four-Blocks Classroom	4	(16)
Opening	4	(1)
The Guided Reading Block	4	(3)
The Working with Words Block	7	(7)
The Writing Block	14	(3)
The Self-Selected Reading Block	17	(1)
Daily Summary and School-Home Connection	18	(1)
Centers	19	(1)
The Self-Selected Reading Block	20	(22)
Teacher Read-Aloud	22	(4)
Children Read and Conference with the Teacher	26	(2)
Variations in How Children Read	28	(1)
Conference Variations	29	(5)
Sharing Variations	34	(1)
Making the Self-Selected Reading Block Multilevel	35	(1)
Summary of the Self-Selected Reading Block	36	(6)
A Typical Week in the Self-Selected Reading Block	37	(4)
Teacher's Checklist for Self-Selected Reading	41	(1)
The Guided Reading Block	42	(44)
Reading Variations	46	(20)
Choral Reading	46	(1)
Echo Reading	46	(1)
Shared Reading	46	(8)
Partner Reading	54	(2)
Coaching Groups: Small, Flexible Groups	56	(1)
Three-Ring Circus	57	(1)
``Book Club'' Groups	58	(4)
Everyone Read To (ERT)	62	(2)
Sticky Note Reading	64	(2)
Before-And After-Reading Variations	66	(10)
Picture Walks	66	(1)
Predictions	67	(1)
KWL's	68	(2)
Graphic Organiers	70	(3)
``Doing'' the Book	73	(2)
Writing Connected to Reading	75	(1)
Making the Guided Reading Block Multilevel	76	(2)
Summary of the Guided Reading Block	78	(8)
A Typical Week in the Guided Reading Block	79	(6)
Teacher's Checklist for Guided Reading	85	(1)
The Writing Block	86	(36)
Mini-Lesson---Teacher Writing	87	(1)
Children Writing and Teacher Conferencing	87	(1)
Sharing	87	(1)
Variations within the Writing Block	88	(5)
``Driting''	88	(2)
The Half-and-Half Format	90	(1)
Writing, Revising/Editing, and Publishing	91	(2)
A Variety of Mini-Lessons	93	(13)
Choosing a Topic	95	(2)
What To Do When You Can't Spell a Word	97	(1)
Adding On to a Piece	98	(2)
Editing Checklist: Capitalization and Punctuation	100	(2)
Parts of Speech	102	(2)
Revising and Editing	104	(2)
Focused Writing Weeks	106	(7)
Letters---Focused Writing	106	(4)
Reports---Focused Writing	110	(3)
Making the Writing Block Multilevel	113	(3)
Summary of the Writing Block	116	(6)
A Typical Week in the Writing Block	117	(4)
Teacher's Checklist for the Writing Block	121	(1)
The Working with Words Block	122	(47)
Word Walls	123	(13)
Doing a Word Wall	123	(2)
On-the-Back Word Wall Activities	125	(5)
Word Wall Variations Across Grade Levels	130	(6)
Phonics and Spelling	136	(25)
Rounding Up the Rhymes	138	(4)
Making Words	142	(6)
Guess the Covered Word	148	(1)
Using Words You Know	149	(2)
Reading/Writing Rhymes	151	(8)
Decoding and Spelling Variations	159	(2)
Making the Working with Words Block Multilevel	161	(3)
Summary of the Working with Words Block	164	(5)
A Typical Week in the Working with Words Block	165	(3)
Teacher's Checklist for the Working with Words Block	168	(1)
Questions	169	(22)
References	191	(3)
Teacher Comments	194	(5)
Reproducible Pages	199