Shopping Cards for Reading Workshop

Hello again! It is Robin from Class of Kinders. 

Like so many primary teachers, I use the Reading Workshop model in my classroom to teach reading. This Reading Workshop time begins with a mini lesson, followed by independent and partner reading and then we close with a share. 

Reading Workshop is one of my most favorite parts of the day. 

It's a magical time and so many amazing things happen!

During the independently and partner reading time, my students are reading from books that are "just right." A student's level is determined by a running record or a DRA at the beginning of the school year. Once I determine students' "just right" level,  they get a shopping card and off they go to shop for books! After all, without a shopping card, they would have their reading bags stuffed full of Junie B. Jones' books. Yes, those are FUN books to read! ...but NOT "just right" reading for most Kinders.

So, I have figured out that this little shopping card is the key to organizing the chaos!

It steers them to specific levels, but allows them the freedom to make decisions about what titles and types of literature they find interesting & want to read for the week!

This shopping card (which is printed, laminated and cut into a card) gets stapled to each students' reading bag so it is always close by and doesn't get lost.

Each week, students go to the classroom leveled library with their reading bag and shopping card to make their "just right" selections. 

The shopping card looks like this:

My students' names go at the top of the card. The far right circle is where I write their instructional level,  the middle circle is their independent reading level, and the left circle is one level below their independent level.  The numbers below the circles tell how many books they get to choose. 

So students are getting each of these levels each time they shop! Having all 3 levels available to read, is building their confidence and fluency as readers ...but giving them opportunities to stretch as well.

When I meet with my students throughout the school year to do running records and DRAs, I just make adjustments to their shopping card by using a magic eraser and a sharpie.  I wipe it clean and make the changes as they become stronger readers! 

We never miss a beat and it continues on this way each week.

And let me just say, their faces are priceless as we finish a running record and I give them the news that they have just moved onto a another level.  Before I can even get the magic eraser and the sharpie in my hands, they have already started to ask... "are you going to change my shopping card?"

I do. 

And of course, they usually take the looooong way back to their seat, making this announcement to all who will listen!

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(The cute little reading bag in the photo is from the Target Dollar Spot. I found them for $1 each and they have last all year long.)

Would you like a FREE copy of these shopping cards to use in your classroom?

Please grab them HERE from my store! 

Happy Reading!