This document provides information on designing effective minilessons for reading workshops. It discusses the key components of minilessons including a 5-10 minute teacher-led focus on a specific teaching point using read-alouds and think-alouds. During the main part of the workshop, students engage in independent reading, guided reading, or literacy stations for 40 minutes while the teacher conducts conferences. Minilessons conclude with a 5-10 minute partner share or book club discussion to review the teaching point. The document offers templates and examples for structuring minilessons and suggests considering student examples, familiar texts, and other resources to determine teaching topics.

1. Building Better Readers
Through Strong Minilessons
Presented by
Betsey Kennedy-Olotka Elizabeth.Kennedy@cobbk12.org
Elizabeth Marsili Elizabeth.Marsili@cobbk12.org

2. Essential Questions
• What are the key components of a
strong minilesson?
• How do I design minilessons that
impact readers in brief amounts of
time?

3. Daily 5 Schedule/
Reading Workshop Schedule
Daily 5 Intermediate Schedule
Minilesson
Reading Workshop Schedule
Work Session
Closing
Focus
Lesson
Focus
Lesson
Work
Session
Work
Session
Closing

4. The Structure of
Reading Workshop
Place the words and
phrases in the
appropriate sections of
the Reading Workshop
Instructional
Framework.
MinilessonClosing
Work Session

5. The Structure of
Reading Workshop: Work Session
MinilessonClosing
Work Session
• 40+ minutes
• Independent Reading
• Guided Reading or
Strategy Groups
• Conferencing
• Response to Reading
• Daily 5
• Literacy Stations

6. The Structure of
Reading Workshop: Closing
MinilessonClosing
Work Session
• 5-10 minutes
• Review of Minilesson
• Partner Share or Book
Clubs

7. The Structure of
Reading Workshop: Minilesson
MinilessonClosing
Work Session
• 5-10 minutes
• Whole Class
• Teacher-led
• Specific Teaching Point
• Read-Aloud/Think-Aloud
• Develop Teaching
Charts/Anchor Charts

8. The 5 W’s of Minilessons
• Who?
• When?
• Where?
• What?
• Why?
Explicit instruction
Authentic Learning
Attention Spans
Community
Gradual Release

9. The Big Question:

10. Minilesson in Action

11. Minilesson Observations

12. A Closer Look at the
Architecture of a Minilesson
1. The Connection
2. The Teaching Component
3. Active Involvement
4. The Link

13. The Connection
• First 2-3 minutes
• Connect to previous lessons
• Intimacy and Immediacy
– Personal Stories/Student Examples
– Work is important today and everyday
• Specific Teaching Point & Procedure
– “Today I’m going to teach you ____,
by ________.”

14. Teaching Component
• Focus on something that is universal in
reading
• Revisit familiar read-alouds
• Demonstrate (Think Aloud)
• Teach small
• Have students think along with you
• Remind students that they should
try this too

15. Active Involvement
• 2-3 minutes of practice
• Use a specifically chosen portion of a shared
text
• Every child is actively involved, not
just listening

16. The Link
• Restate what children should have learned
• Remind students that this will always be
important for reading
• Add teaching point to compilation chart
• Quickly review previous lessons
• “Off you go.”

17. Minilesson in Action
Check off the elements you
see included in this minilesson
as you watch.

18. Minilesson Observations

19. How do I know what to teach?
Think about your own reading

20. How do I know what to teach?
Read and think about teaching points

21. How do I know what to teach?
Listen to your students

22. How do I know what to teach?
Consider other resources
Units of Study for Teaching
Reading: A Curriculum for the
Reading Workshop, Grades 3–5
Frank Serafini’s Reading
Workshop Books
Guiding Readers and
Writers, Grades 3–6,
Fountas and Pinnell

23. Creating Minilessons
Time to try your
hand at this!