The short answer to the question above is that you can’t. I know, it’s probably not what you expected to hear, but I’ve been teaching for 10+ years and never have I ever been able to fit a phonics lesson, reading mini lesson, writing lesson, and an hour of small group instruction into my ELA Block. Its mathematically impossible and yet teachers are still expected to live up to this unrealistic expectation. Well, what if I told you I have a solution to your problem? It will make planning easier and you will feel more accomplished and productive during your ELA Block.
My Solution to the ELA Block Dilemma is….. THEMED DAYS!
Monday Model
I love to start my week with a great read aloud book! Mondays are the perfect day to introduce a new skill or review a skill from the previous week. I use this day to dive deep into a standard or skill to ensure full understanding. This includes introducing the standard & completing a read-aloud while modeling my thinking. Students will work with a partner to practice & work independently during Reading Stations after my lesson.
Here’s a Quick Breakdown:
- Phonics Instruction – should be completed in your ELA block daily!
- Read-Aloud – I will model my thinking/explain the standard or skill in context.
- Partner Work – Students will model for a partner as I did for them.
- Reading Stations – The first station is an independent task related to the lesson. I will monitor and bring students back to my small group table to reinforce as needed.
Talk About It Tuesday
On Tuesday I teach a Social Studies lesson that includes a short response. To be honest, the main part of my Social Studies lesson is reviewing reading skills and modeling short response writing. I usually give myself a half an hour for this and then send the class to Reading Stations so I can see at least 2 groups for the day. I keep the lesson short because my main focus is spent at my guided reading table rotating groups, but it is mostly student led with partners working together.
Wednesday Writing
Wednesday are the best time to teach students how to analyze a writing prompt and complete a writing task. I will connect this task to the book I read on Monday, so I don’t have to use more time to analyze another text. Think… Long Writing Wednesday, I want the class to understand essay writing and ALL the steps involved in writing a great piece.
Thursday Small Group
Thursdays are very similar to Tuesdays, I teach a quick SS lesson with a short written response & then straight to Reading Stations. I want to see 2 groups during my ELA Block today. Small group instruction is a necessity in ALL classrooms. It is a time for you, the teacher to meet the needs of each student in your class.
Friday Formative
Close the week out with a short formative. My Social Studies formative does double duty. There is a short fill in the blank portion with SS terms and then a written response which I use as a writing grade. It saves time and are easy to grade. For reading, I give the students a short passage with 5-8 questions that pertain to the standard/skills we practiced during the week.
This strategy can be adjusted to meet the needs of most teachers trying to fit it ALL in. It can be tweaked to work with your schedule.
My biggest piece of advice would be to try to focus on one BIG thing each day.
- Monday- Model Your Lesson
- Tuesday – Groups
- Wednesday – Writing
- Thursday – Groups
- Friday – Formative
This strategy has helped make planning easier and I feel more accomplished during the week.
Thanks for stopping by!
