Do you struggle to find comprehension activities that your students can tackle on their own? I think my biggest struggle was finding something that was simple enough for my students to understand how to do on their own, while also being challenging enough for the activity to be worth it.
I had been using the typical graphic organizers, but I wanted something that would mimic the types of questions I would be asking a student if I was reading along with them. Enter my mini comprehension books:
The size was just perfect and I found that by folding the sections up this way, it made it easier for my students to focus on one part of the activity at a time. The also enjoyed folding them on their own, so that’s a win for teachers! Just copy and hand out. The kids do the rest!
When I made them I thought they would be ideal to use with our weekly reading anthologies. As that year progressed, I realized how flexible they were and how they could be used in many more ways. Over the years I’ve used them during guided reading, as a reading center, early finishers, and even as homework! I made a bunch of copies to have on hand of each book so that I could pull them out at a moment’s notice. For example, after a great read aloud so we could dive deeper into the story.
Let’s talk about using these in centers. This is definitely one of my favorite uses as it requires no planning. Just put them in their reading center materials and kids know exactly what to do (after modeling each one of course).
When everyone went digital, I decided to make digital copies of these. You can assign them via Google classroom or in class using PowerPoint. I also added a Spanish version for my dual language friends.
If you have access to one-to-one technology, these might be just the thing for you. You don’t even need to run copies!
Would these be helpful for your class? You can find them HERE in my shop.
Want to try one out with your students? You can pick up a sample here for your class to try out!