My UPDATED Guided Reading Tool Kit

Hey friends!  Last summer, I shared about a guided reading tool kit that I created.  You can read about it HERE.  It was really helpful to me this past school year so I took some time to update it for my Ohio State University presentation in June and to use for this coming school year.  So grab a snack, sit back, and enjoy reading because it’s going to be a long one.

Here’s what my tool kit looks like.  I purchased this file box from Walmart a few years back for about $5.  It really comes in handy for storing all of my tools for guided reading.  I also like it because I can store little items in the compartment on top such as pencils, timers, and tape.

 

There are many benefits of having a guided reading tool kit.  Here are a few.

Let’s take a look at what’s inside, shall we?

These cute little guys are used to help kids to “track” when they read.  I got them from Michaels craft store and Oriental Trading.  I typically use these with lower level readers, but all my kiddos enjoy reading with them.  Who wouldn’t? 

 

My kiddos could not get enough of these this past school year.

 

If you follow me on Instagram, you will know that I am a big fan of dry-erase pockets.  It’s easy to insert a graphic organizer in these babies and have the kids write.  I enjoyed using Michelle Hudgeon’s Guided Reading Games and Activities with these dry-erase pockets. 

I know you’re probably wondering why there’s a phone in one of the pictures.  Sometimes, I don’t have a chance to look at my students’ work before guided reading time is over, so I will take a picture of it with my phone and just look at it when I do my grading.  Easy Peasy!

 

You know those little marbles that people use for decoration inside of a vase?  I like to use these marbles instead of magnifying glasses.  They work like a charm.

 

These interactive response sticks are a big hit when answering questions about a text.  I use them to spark discussion.  You can grab these HERE.  If you have students in your classroom, who are reluctant to talk or share ideas, these are perfect!

 

Questioning is an important concept for me and my seconds when we are in small groups.  I love keeping my Bloom’s Taxonomy flip chart and my questioning sticks in my guided reading tool kit, so I always have good questions to ask about the text we are reading.  I’ve had my flip chart for years and can’t remember where I got it from.  You can pick up the Before, During, and After Reading Questions HERE.

Also, Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom by Diane Heacox  is a great read.  You can pick this book up HERE.  I use it specifically for questioning my higher level and gifted students.

 

One of my favorite items in my guided reading tool kit are these cute little night lights from Dollar Tree.  Of course, I don’t use them as night lights.  These are stop and think buttons.  Do you ever have students who read a whole book and have no idea what they read about?  These stop and think buttons help students to monitor comprehension.  The students read a page or two, press the button, and write or verbally tell you about what they read. Then they press the button to turn the light off and continue reading.  It’s kind of like Check for Understanding in the Daily 5 model.

 

I love anchor charts!  They are perfect for reinforcing learning and provide my seconds with resources to refer back to.  I love these reading strategy posters from Teri over at A Cupcake for the Teacher.  I have a set hanging in my classroom and I  keep a set in my tool kit for small groups.  My kids get to see them up close and personal.

 

Here are a list of other little items that can be placed in your guided reading tool kit. I hope you enjoyed reading about my updated tool kit. Do you use any of these tools for guided reading? I’d love to read about them.