Fluency (Gr. 1-3)Use the Mad Libs® books to supplement your lower elementary teachings about fluency with these activities. |
Pop-Out Punctuation Read aloud a story and emphasize the way you pause at each period, the way your voice goes up at the end of each sentence with a question mark, and the enthusiastic way you read a sentence that ends with an exclamation point. Then have children read a Mad Libs® story and highlight the punctuation mark at the end of each sentence so it "pops out." Have children pay particular attention to punctuation marks as they practice reading their story aloud several times. Then have them tape their story or read it aloud to a partner. |
You Don't Say! Use Mad Libs® stories with dialogue to practice oral reading. Have partners or groups of three select a story and rehearse a Reader's Theatre. Have each child assume a character's role while one child acts as narrator. Remind children to read with appropriate expression, rate, and volume. After they practice, invite children to perform their Reader's Theatre for a classroom audience. |
In a Flash! Have children identify difficult words from a Mad Libs® word list or story. To encourage reading with automaticity, have them make flash cards for the words and practice reading them with a partner. Then have children do at least three rehearsed readings of the story before reading it aloud to partners or a small group. |
Radio Broadcast Have children pretend that they are radio announcers. Then have them select a Mad Libs® story to read aloud to a small group. Provide them with a short cardboard tube with a Ping-Pong bail glued to the top as a toy microphone and have them practice reading their stories as a radio announcer might. Once children are confident in their reading, have them tape record their story and then "broadcast" it for the rest of the class. |
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