Reading Comprehension Strategies, Sale, and Freebie

As I shared last week, I use a Reader's Notebook to help my students monitor their own thinking, as well as a place to show me that they are using the skills and strategies I am teaching them during the mini lessons. I have found that every year students come to me and they may know the strategies names, they don't really know how to use them on their own. It becomes my job to take them to that next level.

In general, my advanced students don't have a problem applying and recording what we are learning. The mini-lessons that we do each day are enough for them to jump right in and apply the skill. My lower and average students, however,  need a little extra support. To help them I have created different graphic organizers and "bookmarks" that can be used to support them as they begin to use the strategies in their personal choice books.

I start the year talking about "reading is thinking." My students and I generate a list of all the ways and things that they think about while they read. I then give them this bookmark as a way to remind them to always be thinking while they read. The students use it as a bookmark for the week and then tape it into their Reader's Notebooks for future reference.

Reading is Thinking Bookmark

As I introduce new reading strategies, I give my students new bookmarks to put in their notebooks. I will refer back to them when I am talking about a skill we have spoken about before. Having that visual really helps some of them.

Making Connections Organizer

I have created a file of bookmarks and graphic organizers that I use with my kids during  Reading Workshop. If you are interested you can find them here in my TPT store.
What do you use to help support your kiddos as they practice their reading strategies and skills? 

A few side notes:
I'm running a sale this weekend at my store, 3/29-3/31 (as are many other sellers,) so be sure to check them out this weekend!

I'm also participating in TBA-2nd birthday bash. When it opens up to the public you have to check it out. It is going to be epic!


I'm off to spend the long weekend with my favorite niece and nephew! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!