BLM 1
BLM 2 Fluency Self-Assessment Master Checklist Speed/Pacing Did my speed and pacing match the kind of text I was reading? Did my speed and pacing match what the character was saying? Did I read with a natural talking voice? Did I slow my reading down when appropriate? Did I pay attention to punctuation? Pausing Did I pause to keep from running all my words together? Did I pause in the correct locations? Did I pause for the appropriate length of time? Did I pause to help my reading make sense? Did I use punctuation to help me figure out when to pause? Inflection/Intonation Did I make my voice rise at a question mark? Did I make my voice fall at a period? Did I think about what the author was saying so I would know when to read louder or softer? Did I think about what the author was saying so I would know when to stress or emphasize words? Phrasing Did I notice the phrases? Did I read all the words in each phrase together? Did I think about what the words in the phrase mean when they are together? Expression Did I look for clues so I could anticipate the mood of the passage? Did I use my tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language to express what the author or characters were thinking or feeling? Did I change my reading when something new was about to happen? Integration Did I read the words right? (accuracy) Did I read the words at the right speed? (rate) Did I read with expression? (prosody) Did my reading sound like talking? Did I understand what I read? Yes No
BLM 3 READER S THEATER The Odyssey Narrator 1: Odysseus was a legendary Greek ruler whose quick thinking helped win the Trojan War around 1200 B.C. After the war, he set sail from the ancient city of Troy for his home on Ithaca, an island off the west coast of Greece. Eurylochus: All twelve ships are in the harbor and ready to sail, my lord. Elpeenor: These wheels of cheese are as tall as I am! And I could bathe in these buckets of milk! Castor: Great Zeus! The earth is shaking and a shadow is darkening the mouth of the cave! Look, it is a giant, an ugly, one-eyed giant, and he looks mean! Polyphemus: (roaring) Who trespasses in my home? Odysseus: I will return you safely to your families. Narrator 2: Along the way Odysseus and his men had many adventures. Their first was at the land of the Cyclops, the one-eyed giant. Odysseus: Let us see who lives on this island. We shall take twelve men and a jar of the wine that Apollo s priest gave us. Odysseus: We are Greek warriors. We have stopped here on our long journey home. Polyphemus: Silence! Do you not know that I am the terrible Cyclops, Polyphemus, son of Poseidon, god of the sea? Odysseus: Then where is your hospitality, Polyphemus? We are your guests. Narrator 1: The men walked until they reached a giant cave surrounded by dozens of sheep. Eurylochus: I wonder where the shepherd is. Odysseus: Let s go inside the cave and look around. Polyphemus: Hospitality? Do you expect me to have you to dinner? Ha! I will have you for dinner... and for breakfast and lunch, as well. Narrator 2: The Cyclops grabbed two of the men and quickly gobbled them. The others froze in fear. Then Cyclops brought his sheep inside the cave and blocked the entrance with a giant boulder. 2 3
BLM 4 Adverbs Directions: Identify an adverb in the text and write it in the top left oval. Then note what it modifies in the center oval. Complete the word web by writing five other adverbs that could modify the same thing. Modifies:
BLM 5 READER S THEATER The Odyssey Odysseus: We must be careful. This is a strange place, and we have lost many men already. Eurylochus, take half our men and see who lives in that white castle in the distance, then report back to me. Narrator 1: The men walked until they came to the castle, which was surrounded by wild animals. Castor: Lions and tigers surround the castle! They re sure to eat us. I refuse to go any closer! Narrator 2: Just then, a beautiful woman walked out of the castle. In one hand she carried a slender wooden stick. In another, she carried a tray laden with bread, wine, and cheese. Circe: Do not be afraid, travelers. I am Circe and these, um, these animals, are my pets. They are completely harmless. Elpeenor: They are as tame as my dog in Ithaca; why, look at how they wag their tails! Elpeenor: Go back to the ship if you want to, Eurylochus, but we re staying. Eurylochus: (quietly) I ll just keep an eye on things from behind this tree. Elpeenor: This food is delicious, Circe. I hope you ve got lots more. Castor: Yes, I hope you ve got lots more because we re so hungry! Gobble, gobble, gobble. Circe: Fools! Since you behave like pigs, pigs you shall become! Meta! Meta! Meta! Now you are swine! Elpeenor and Castor: Snort, snort. Eurylochus: I knew that was more than a stick it s a magic wand. And she s used it to turn our men into pigs! I must tell Odysseus. Narrator 1: Eurylochus ran to find Odysseus. Circe: Sit. You look tired and hungry. Eat! Eurylochus: Wait. I m not sure if I trust her. There s something about the way she clutches that stick, and those animals... It s unnatural. They are so tame they appear almost... human. Eurylochus: An enchantress named Circe lives on this island, and she has turned our men into pigs! Odysseus: What?! I will find that enchantress and make her turn my charges back into men! Let s go. 8 9
BLM 6 Reader s Theater Self-Assessment Directions: Complete the rubric below. Tell how you plan to improve your reading fluency in the areas where you answered no. Skill Behavior Yes No Fluency and Phrasing Intonation Pacing Accuracy Character Analysis I read in longer, meaningful phrases. I paid attention to the author s language patterns. I made the reading sound like dialogue. I stressed certain words to emphasize their importance. I used my voice to make the reading reflect feeling, anticipation, tension, mood, and the personality of my character. I paid attention to punctuation. I raised or lowered my voice to interpret the punctuation of sentences. I used an appropriate speed of reading. I read the lines with the same speed and flow that I use when I talk. I read with very few hesitations or unnecessary pauses and repetitions. I recognized words quickly and read them correctly. I really thought about the meaning of the story and known words and word parts to help me figure out unknown words. I corrected myself when I made an error. I made the words sound meaningful. I made inferences about my character. I used my voice (tone) to sound like the character. I used my voice to express a particular feeling of the character. I used body language (gestures) to better express the feelings of the character. I used appropriate facial expressions to represent my character. Plan of Action: Describe how you will improve your reading fluency during the repeated readings of your character s lines.