Enjoyable & Easy Year Long Reading Group Rotation Activities

Summary

Learn why reading group rotation activities are important and how to implement effective reading group rotation activities that you can use all year long!

Two first graders share a book. Text next to the picture reads: easy and enjoyable reading group activities — To create, and use, meaningful reading group rotation activities first you need to find clarity. What are you hoping your readers get out of reading group rotation activities?

Every time I sat down to plan my reading group rotation activities I was lost—especially those first few years. I wanted to keep things fun and engaging, but I didn’t have the time to introduce new activities. I had my whole group lesson and wanted to make sure I had plenty of time for my small-group instruction. When I did take the time to introduce an activity, it was often a mess. The first group was okay, but as centers went on students (understandably) forgot how the activity went and they either made up their own rules (a win in my book!) or things disingrated quickly. Grab these for easy year long reading group activities for Kindergarten and First Grade!

After about a year of feeling frustrated and trying the same thing again and again, I figured out that was insanity. Nothing was changing. I was getting frustrated, as were my students. How could I easily make centers accessible and meaningful, while still getting to small groups and without spending hours creating activities? Learn from my mistake and implement some enjoyable and easy year-long reading group rotation activities in your elementary classroom tomorrow!

Purpose of Reading Group Rotations

To create, and use, meaningful reading group rotation activities first you need to find clarity. What are you hoping your readers get out of reading group rotation activities? For me, I like my readers to practice a solidified skill independently. I often remove any margin of error because I want to avoid my students practicing a skill incorrectly, and having to re-learn due to mastering an error.By targeting mastered skills, I can be more flexible in my other centers increasing student independence and overall flow of the room.

Benefits of Play Based Centers

I also use my reading group rotations (and my math rotations!) as a time to build community in my room. Half or more of my centers are play based. These include things like free draw, Legos, Magnatiles, CandyLand, and Zingo to name a few.

These play based centers serve a few different purposes during my reading group rotations. They naturally tend to lead to more independence. They have fewer expectations and students can explore. While conflict does arise, we set guidelines at the beginning of the year for when to seek adult support and when to solve independently. Playbased centers are more engaging and students are usually eager to go to that rotation. This provides a motivator for the academic reading group that precedes the play based. And lastly, play based centers in the reading group rotation activities can serve as a brain break for the students. Our centers have varied between 90min and two hours the past few years. I know I can’t handle a 2 hour meeting without a single break, why should my students have to?

A young girl plays with legos. Text above reads: use play based activities during reading group rotations. — These play based centers serve a few different purposes during my reading group rotations. They naturally tend to lead to more independence. They have fewer expectations and students can explore.

Benefits of Reading Group Rotations

There are numerous benefits of reading group rotations. One is the ability to differentiate your instruction to meet students’ individual needs. Once you have some data, both anecdotal and formal, you are able to target specific areas while other students are engaged in meaningful work and play. These short vowel worksheets are great for reading group rotations. With targeting each vowel, students get extra practice and learn the expectations for each activity – meaning less instructions and more teaching from you!

Reading group rotations should be used to practice and solidify previously taught or mastered skills. They are also a great time to build community through collaborative efforts such as completing puzzles or building with legos. While a majority of the class is engaged with independent activities teachers are able to call individual students or groups of 3-4 to their table to work on gaps in the students’ knowledge. This is a great opportunity to improve letter-sound knowledge, sight word fluency, and reading porosity in a low-stakes environment.

Research time and time again shows the benefits of small group instruction. Student participation increases, teacher differentiation is more meaningful, and student growth increases. Read more about simple things you can do to have stronger small groups!.

Getting Started with Reading Group Rotations

Getting started with reading group rotations can be overwhelming! Especially if you are alone with 20 students stressed about completing the curriculum. The best advice is to go slow to go fast. Check out this free download for how to structure your room to increase student independence and run seamless, and effective, small-group instruction.

a small classroom library is shown with books organized by topic. text above reads: go slow to go fast in reading group rotations — Before starting your reading group rotation activities, set clear expectations with your class. What will these activities look and sound like? What should students be doing during this time? Keep your expectations clear and short.

First, think about how your centers will run – you need to do what works for you! Some teachers choose to have reading activities set out and students freely move between them crossing their names off as they go. Others, like myself, prefer a more structured rotation where students engage in an activity for a set amount of time and then all move simultaneously.

Before starting your reading group rotation activities, set clear expectations with your class. What will these activities look and sound like? What should students be doing during this time? Keep your expectations clear and short. It is helpful to have similar activities each time, that way students stay engaged with the slight changes but can easily apply the expectations across new stations – meaning you give less instructions and can jump right in to the important teaching.

A teacher works with a group of students. Text above reads: be specific in your expectations of reading groups. — Before starting your reading group rotation activities, set clear expectations with your class. What will these activities look and sound like? What should students be doing during this time? Keep your expectations clear and short.

When starting your reading group rotations, do not start small groups at the same time. Tell students you are unavailable and hang around your small group area while observing the room. Redirect students as needed and praise them frequently when you see them following the expectations. Once students are settled into their reading group rotation activities and routine you are free to start your small group instruction!

Ideas for Reading Group Rotations

The most effective ideas for reading group rotation activities are the simplest. I love playdough, coloring, and legos as the play center. I enjoy using one cut and glue and another writing option for the working centers. For early finishers, place the work centers near your library so students can grab a book and read when they finish. A nearby puzzle table can also be helpful if your room allows it.

Kindergarten and First Grade classrooms will enjoy these printable phonics activities. Targeting letter sounds, short vowels, digraphs, and more these are great activities for reading group rotations. Using similar activities to teach new concepts takes the cognitive load away from students, so they can focus on the academic ideas rather than the rules of a new game.

Printable books are a great activity for a reading group rotation. Decodable reading passages, or decodable sentences can help students practice fluency while they rotate through their different reading groups.

Flexible Reading Group Rotation Activities

Each teacher structures their reading group rotation activities slightly differently. Some choose a center rotation, others create a system where students can choose which centers they go to. Still more, create a must-do/can-do system. Whichever system you create know that 1) it can change as you get to know your students and yourself as a teacher and 2) if you are intentional and reflective, your reading centers will be great.

Three first graders sit and discuss a worksheet at a table. Text above reads: flexibility is key for reading groups. — Create an expectation of flexibility when you are establishing your center routines. This can help students leave activities to work with teachers or complete other tasks during center time.

Just as teachers are flexible with creating their reading group rotation activities, it is important to be flexible with students as well. Some students may need more time to complete an activity, others may need a break before attending a center. Create an expectation of flexibility when you are establishing your center routines. This can help students leave activities to work with teachers or complete other tasks during center time. I always view centers as an “extra” to my small group instruction. Viewing it as extra helps me be flexible when supporting students throughout our reading group rotation.

Expectations for Reading Group Rotation Activities

As with most expectations in the elementary classroom, the clearer the better. Try to limit center expectations to 3 or 4 explicit expectations about what students can do. I often go with 1) quiet voices, 2) stay at your activity, 3) try the activity 4) independent work (i.e. problem solve before going to a teacher). Having similar activities, such as these year-long reading group rotation activities, throughout the year is helpful because it increases student independence as they are easily able to transfer directions and expectations from one activity to the next.

Reading Group Rotation Chart

A reading group rotation chart can be helpful if you don’t think your students will get through all the centers in a day. However, it can be helpful to structure your room so that students can get through all the activities in a single day. It takes off a mental load to have to remember who did what, and where students left off. Be clear with your students the expectations of centers is to practice and it is important to be flexible while working to meet with teachers. Viewing centers from a lens that prioritizes the small group instruction during that time makes it easier for teachers and students to focus on their tasks.

Leveling Up Your Small Groups

Overwhelmed by small groups? Been there! My first few years of teaching my small group instruction was a disaster. So much of successful small group instruction relies on independent activities and classroom management to ensure the rest of the class is engaged so you can focus on the teaching! I remember feeling so lost about small group instruction. After figuring out a strong routine and structure, I created this free guide to help others implement a successful small group system in any elementary classroom. The guide starts at day 1 with classroom arrangement, all the way through progress monitoring and changing groups. Grab your free small group instruction guide and use those reading group rotations effectively!

Find What Works for You

Reading group rotation activities are going to change between teachers and even between classes year to year. Being flexible and trying different ideas to find what works for you is important. You need to find what’s sustainable and effective for your room to create successful reading group rotation activities.