Once, before there were any people in the world, the different animals and trees lived and moved about and talked together just like human beings. The pine trees had the secret of fire and guarded it jealously, so that no matter how cold it was, they alone could warm themselves. At length an unusually cold winter came and all the animals were in danger of freezing to death. But all their attempts to discover the pines’ secret were in vain, until Beaver at last hit upon a plan.
At a certain place on Grande Ronde River in Idaho, the pines were about to hold a great council. They had built a large fire to warm themselves after bathing in the icy water, and sentinels were posted to prevent intruders from stealing their fire secret.
But Beaver had hidden under the bank near the fire before the sentries had taken their places and when a live coal rolled down the bank, he seized it, hid it in his breast and ran away as fast as he could.18
17 This text is used for fluency instruction and practice in Grade 5 Module 1 Lessons 10–12.
18 “How Beaver Stole Fire from the Pines.” The Journal of American Folklore, vol. III, Houghton Mifflin & Co., 1890.
Grade 6 Modules 1 and 2 Fluency Instruction
Directions: Review the following chart, which outlines fluency instruction in Grade 6 Modules 1 and 2. Note how the modules address teaching, practicing, and evaluating fluency.
Lesson Text Student Learning Description of Fluency Instruction Module 1
1 Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis
Identify elements of fluent reading.
Teacher models fluent reading.
Class creates an anchor chart for elements of fluency. Students contribute ideas for how readers demonstrate accuracy, phrasing, expression, and articulation, pacing, and volume.
Students complete a Quick Write, explaining what fluency is and why it is important.
1–4 Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis
Practice and assess
fluent reading. Students practice the fluency passage at home.
On the last day, students reflect on their progress.
2 Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis
Examine role of phrasing in fluent reading; practice reading with proper phrasing.
Pairs practice reading the homework fluency passage, focusing on accuracy.
Teacher models fluent reading as students annotate the phrasing they hear.
Students practice fluent reading, using the annotations.
Students suggest additional phrasing annotations, and teacher rereads.
Students reflect on their experience.
3 Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis
Examine role of expression in fluent reading; practice reading with expression.
Pairs practice reading the homework fluency passage, focusing on phrasing.
Teacher models fluent reading as students annotate the expression they hear.
Students practice fluent reading, using the annotations.
Students suggest additional annotations for expression, and teacher rereads.
Students reflect on their experience.
4 Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis
Examine role of articulation, pacing, and volume in fluent reading; practice fluent reading.
Pairs practice reading the homework fluency passage, focusing on expression.
Teacher models fluent reading as students annotate the articulation, speed, and volume they hear.
Students practice reading the homework passage, integrating all the elements of fluency.
6–9 Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis
Practice and assess fluent reading.
Students practice the fluency passage at home.
On the last day, students reflect on their progress.
8 Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis
Practice fluent reading;
provide feedback to peers on fluency.
Pairs practice the homework fluency passage and evaluate each other’s fluency performance.
10 Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis
Analyze tone in a passage; practice reading with appropriate tone.
Students reflect on the tone of the homework passage.
Students annotate the passage for variations in tone.
Class Choral Reads the fluency passage.
Focus on Fluency • Fluency Resource Packet • Grade 6
Lesson Text Student Learning Description of Fluency Instruction Module 1
22–25 Out of the Dust,
Karen Hesse Practice and assess fluent reading.
Students practice the fluency passage at home.
On the last day, students reflect on their progress.
24 Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse
Practice fluent reading;
provide feedback to peers on their fluency skills.
Pairs practice the homework fluency passage and evaluate each other’s fluency performance.
27–30 Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse
Practice and assess fluent reading.
Students practice the fluency passage at home.
On the last day, students reflect on their progress.
28 Out of the Dust,
Karen Hesse Practice fluent reading;
provide feedback to peers on fluency skills.
Pairs practice the homework fluency passage and evaluate each other’s fluency performance.
Module 2
5 Ramayana:
Divine Loophole, Sanjay Patel
Practice fluent reading to support comprehension.
Class reviews the elements of fluent reading.
Pairs practice fluently reading a paragraph from the text and then answer questions about it.
5–8 Ramayana:
Divine Loophole, Sanjay Patel
Practice and assess fluent reading.
Optional (assigned by teacher): Students practice the fluency passage at home; on the last day, students reflect on their progress.
6 Ramayana:
Divine Loophole, Sanjay Patel
Practice fluent reading to support comprehension.
Class reviews the elements of fluent reading.
Pairs practice fluently reading a page from the text and then answer questions about it.
7 Ramayana:
Divine Loophole, Sanjay Patel
Practice fluent reading to support comprehension.
Class reviews the elements of fluent reading.
Pairs practice fluently reading a paragraph from the text and then answer questions about it.
10–13 The Odyssey,
Gillian Cross Practice and assess fluent reading.
Optional (assigned by teacher): Students practice the fluency passage at home; on the last day, students reflect on their progress.
15 The Odyssey,
Gillian Cross Practice fluent reading to support comprehension.
Students review the elements of fluent reading.
Pairs practice fluently reading a paragraph from the text and then answer questions about it.
15–18 The Odyssey,
Gillian Cross Practice and assess fluent reading.
Optional (assigned by teacher): Students practice the fluency passage at home; on the last day, students reflect on their progress.
23–26 Ramayana, Trans.
T.H. Griffith, Book IV Yuddha Kanda
Practice and assess fluent reading.
Optional (assigned by teacher): Students practice the fluency passage at home; on the last day, students reflect on their progress.
35 Students’ own writing (narrative scene)
Practice fluent reading;
provide feedback to peers on fluency.
Pairs read their narrative scenes, give each other feedback, and revise their scenes according to that feedback.
36 Students’ own writing (monomyth presentations)
Perform fluent reading. Students fluently deliver their original monomyths in small groups.
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