Check out these FREE fiction and nonfiction questions in easy-to-use task cards! Do you have quick readers who finish reading before all the other students in the group? Do all of your students finish reading at different times in small groups? I made these task cards to help you keep those kids engaged in reading during your group, no matter how quickly they finish reading. These questions work with any fiction or nonfiction text, so there is no planning required.
Do you have this problem in your small reading groups?
You’ve introduced the text and set a purpose for reading. All of your students are quietly reading the text as you are coaching one student through the first paragraph and one of your readers is, “done.” You patiently tell her to read it again because others in the group are not finished, but a minute later she is “done” again! So, you abandon the student you are coaching to have the student who is “done” reread the text to you, because there is no way that she has actually read the whole thing.
What can you do with those students who are “done” reading before the rest of the group?
Engage your fast-finishing readers in answering text-dependent questions written specifically for fiction or nonfiction.
Here’s how to use your FREE FIction and Nonfiction Questions in small groups:
Materials: Copies of fiction or nonfiction question task cards, Post-it notes, and pencils.
Procedure:
- Choose the appropriate set of cards before the group begins (fiction or nonfiction).
- As students finish reading, hand them one question card and one Post-it note.
- Students write the answer to the question on the Post-it note and silently hand it back to the teacher.
- The teacher checks the answer and possibly asks for text evidence to support the answer. If it is correct, the student gets a new question to answer.
- This process continues as long as needed.
Why do Fiction and Nonfiction Question Task Cards keep students on task in small groups?
Everyone reads at different rates. It’s frustrating to watch others finish before you and it’s frustrating to wait for others to finish reading.
Giving your faster readers a way to engage with the text when they have finished reading benefits them because they can work on their comprehension skills. It benefits your slower readers because they are not distracted by the students who have finished reading.
Why is it important for ALL of the students in my group to read their text?
There are many complicated reading programs, but to simplify any program – students need to read to become better readers! The best way that you can help your students grow as readers in your reading groups is to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to read their text.
Interested in reading more about why it is so crucial for every student to read every day?
Check out these blog posts:
EduTip #7: Stop Popcorn Reading (Popcorn Reading is also known as Round-Robin Reading)
Daily Reading Practice and the Magic of 15 Minutes
10 Staggering Statistics About Struggling Readers and Reading Growth
Need some help keeping independent workers busy while you are running your reading group? Check out these blog posts on how to set up and master your literacy centers:
How to Set Up Literacy Centers on the First Day of School in Upper Elementary
How to Master Literacy Centers in Upper Elementary With This Powerful Strategy
How can I help? I’d love to hear about your intervention challenges.
