Swallowing Stones Classroom Procedures

Currently we are reading Swallowing Stones by Joyce McDonald in our ELA class. 

Procedures that we follow in class are:

• Students pick up materials as they enter the classroom: independent reading book, workbook, Swallowing Stones book, reading log/reading strategy sheet, homework sheet
  (read 30 minutes 4 nights a week and then write a 5-7 sentence summary of what you read), and vocabulary sheet.  
• When the bell rings students read silently for 15 minutes and teachers conference with the students
• After reading for 5 minutes students complete their reading log (write two sentence summary about what you read) and complete 1 reading strategy 
• Next is vocabulary: normally there are two vocabulary words which students need to write on their vocabulary sheets along with the definitions, synonyms, antonyms, part of speech, meaningful sentence, and in text citations. 
• Then students will complete a read aloud/think aloud with Swallowing Stones where they will listen to 1-2 chapters aloud and follow along in the book pausing at vocabulary words and to complete reading strategies. 
• Then the students participate in a classroom conversation where they verbally answer prompts about the reading using evidence from the reading to support their claims
• Last the students will complete the whole class instruction where they will practice a reading skill such as making inferences, predicting, character tracking, plot chart, writing, utilizing vocabulary in daily conversation, study skills, and literary elements. 

Students will repeat the above procedures until the book is finished.