Created by Wendy Taylor Taken from Debbie Diller Workshop 2009 (author of Practice with Purpose)

 Set up your classroom and make space for whole group, small group and station work areas  Whole group teaching area-place for class to gather on floor-interactive read aloud/shared reading  Small group teaching-make sure you can see whole room-guided reading  Classroom Library -sort by genre, topic, author  Writing Center –comfortable-place to display student writing  Creating a word wall  Independent Work areas-labeled-some stationary- some portable and students bring basket or bin to location in room

 Think about 4-5 stations that you might like to try first week that are fairly easy to set up (buddy reading, classroom library/independent reading, computer, word study(sorting), listening)  For the first 4 weeks-partner kids together by who seems to get along well  Begin with independent reading-teach kids rules for independent reading (looks, sounds and feels like chart) and how to pick a “just right book” from classroom library  Listen in and talk to kids while reading  Build background for stations through modeling

 Model how to think about a book-lots of whole group instruction  Discuss difference between fiction/nonfiction and model how you read them differently (make a chart to display near library)  Model how to summarize when reading-other skills/strategies  Teach kids how to buddy talk during whole group-how turn and talk works  Have kids help sort classroom library-discuss how to sign out books, put them back, keep track on a reading log  Get the class reading independently-build stamina (some teachers incorporate a reader’s notebook where students write responses to what they are reading )

 Maybe introduce 2-3 stations throughout the week  Pick an easy set up station like buddy reading  Introduce station, write directions or “I Can” lists together-students gain ownership of work  2 kids model for the class while other kids give feedback  Several kids sample stations for about 5-10 minutes- get a taste, check it out during down time  Then maybe introduce listening-write directions for tape recorder-have a couple of kids sample it when you have some time  Or simple word study station where kids work on sorting spelling words or stamping high frequency words

 Continue to introduce about 1 station a day (maybe writing, guess my word, poetry, newspaper)  Same pattern (introduce, write “I Can”, 2 kids model feedback and some sampling)  Then you can have half the class independently read at seats and other half go to stations  Just verbally ask kids-who would like to try classroom library? Okay you 2 go there. How about listening?  Kids stay for about 10 minutes (remember only ½ class)  Then switch and those kids now read independently and the other ½ of class now tries stations

 Add management board (see wiki under Literacy Work Stations)  Students rotate through 1-2 stations a day- cards tell them where to go  Make two sets of cards-back one in orange and the other set in purple  Rotate cards down for the next day

 Switch up partners to kids who are in the same guided reading group-so as not to upset partners when you pull a group  Put a “Meet with Me” card over top of their station card so they know they will be meeting with the teacher for guided reading during that time

 Share how it went after trying stations  Do lots of modeling of station activities whole group before moving it to a station  If you are going to have students play a word study game like syllable brainstorm- play the game whole group first  Literacy work stations are practice of what you did whole group-should reinforce phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension