Activities for First Grade Small Reading Groups
Reading moves beyond seeing words on the page, to writing words and finding ways to really enjoy and interact with words. Dividing first grade students into reading groups helps a teacher focus on specific reading needs and helps students shine above the rest of the class. Reading activities for small groups in first grade should reach beyond the book to get students involved in the whole reading experience.
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Written Response to Reading Center Selections
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Leave paper and pencils in the reading area, then gather a small group there. Read a book with the group, then allow the children to write a response or reaction to it on color-coded paper matched to bins that are labeled to represent love, indifference or disdain for the book. Children can also be offered different writing implements, such as crayons, pencils, pens or markers. The children will regroup after a few minutes of silent writing to share their ideas and opinions of the book. Encourage them to distinguish reasons for their book opinions.
Guided Reading and Continuous Book Discussion
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Small groups are advantageous because children can take turns reading a story. Each child can read a page or a section of a page, then pass the book to the next child. After the book has been fully circulated and finished, the group can discuss what they have read and what they think about the subject matter. This small group activity helps children develop a relationship with reading and encourages them to take reading at their own pace for further enjoyment.
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Snap!
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This game is best played with a smaller group. A leader, either the teacher or the student, leads the game by calling out words to a rhythm. The rhythm is decided by the leader, and can be kept by beating a thigh or clapping. The words will be single or double syllable words. Occasionally, a rhyming word will be introduced, and at that time, everyone will snap their fingers. If children cannot snap, they can clap their hands above their heads or stomp their feet once on the floor. For example, a word list can include, jump, sit, stand, bump! Snap when the word bump is called. This game increases phonetic awareness.
The Vocabulary Game
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The vocabulary game is an introduction to synonyms. This game works well with small groups because the children are allowed to call out words at random. Provide an object or locate an object in the room, and ask children to describe it. Pick one of their descriptive words, such as "big," and ask the group what other words mean big. The teacher adds words to the list as well as the students. When the list has a decent amount of words, review it and then find another object to repeat the process.
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References
- Warren Consolidated Schools: Warren Michigan: First Grade Smart Goals
- Florida Center for Reading Research: Differentiated Reading Instruction: Small Group Alternative Lesson Structures for All Students
- North Central Regional Educational Library: Literacy Activities for First Grade
- Education.com: Play the Vocabulary Game
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