1. Harcourt STORYtown:
A new resource for literacy Resources for Parents
instruction at Oakwood, K-2
In April 2009, the District 113A Board of http://www.reading.org/Information
HU
Education approved the adoption of a For/Parents.aspxU
new reading series for kindergarten, first,
and second grade students at Oakwood. http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/
HU UH
Several classes at each grade level will be
field testing the new series during the
parentsHome.jsp
Literacy Instruction in
2009-2010 school year, before full
implementation in 2010-2011.
http://www.readingrockets.org
U
Lemont-Bromberek
STORYtown, from Harcourt publishers, is http://www.rif.org/parents
U
District 113A:
aligned with the Illinois standards and will
http://pbskids.org/lions/parents
The Literacy Block
provide the scope and sequence of HU
instruction for students K-2. It will be teachers/
U
K-5
used as a resource for phonemic
awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary,
and comprehension instruction. It will
not be used as the core reading material,
but will be used as one of many student
and teacher resources.
Parents should not expect the student
reading book to be sent home on a
regular basis. Other materials, geared
towards each student’s reading level and
particular needs, will be used to
differentiate the curriculum for all
learners.

2. Literacy Block: POWER HOUR
A Model for Balanced Literacy Guided Reading is... Oakwood, Grades 1-2
Instruction K-5
 using leveled reading materials In order to best meet the needs of all
Shared &
Skill learners, Oakwood will be
Modeled to support each reader at
Building implementing a new format for small
Reading his/her level. group Guided Reading instruction.
Writing
 working with a small group of Students will be changing classrooms
Guided Teacher students with a common need. for reading based on their instructional
Reading Read Aloud  having students reread the same reading level. Classroom assignments
text several times to gain and groups will be adjusted periodically
Key Components: in accordance to student needs and
fluency.
Skill Building: The teacher guides students in progress.
phonemic awareness, word study, phonics,  modeling what good readers
vocabulary, and fluency instruction. do: predicting, clarifying,
All students will receive the same
Modeled Reading: The teacher reads aloud a questioning, summarizing, self- reading curriculum in their homeroom
short piece of text. The teacher models a strategy
in Think Alouds. He/she reveals his/her thinking
monitoring, visualizing, class during the Skill Building and
processes including use of comprehension making connections, Shared & Modeled Reading Block.
strategies during reading.
synthesizing, and using word During Power Hour, skills and
Shared Reading: As the teacher reads a solving strategies. strategies introduced in the whole
challenging text, the teacher involves students in group will be practiced during small
the process of a Think Aloud. The students think  writing to make meaning of the
group instruction and independent
along with the teacher. text. reading. The homeroom teacher will
Guided Reading: The teacher interacts with small  changing group membership be the contact person for questions
groups of students as they read silently or whisper often by reassessing the needs and concerns about literacy instruction
read a book at their instructional level. The
teacher coaches students in a comprehension or and progress of students. and student progress.
word solving strategy.
Teacher Read Aloud: The teacher exposes
students to high quality text with robust
vocabulary in uninterrupted reading.