Teaching children to pick a book that is their appropriate level for reading can get tricky. But allowing them to pick their own books gives them higher motivation to read. I personally would much rather read a book about a British posh family, sipping tea in the parlor, with princes and princesses than basketball rules or game stats! I am sorry if you love basketball, I am sure you are a lovely person. Haha...You may rather read basketball. That makes the point of letting students pick their own books! The problem comes when they want to read so badly and quickly, they pick Harry Potter when they have trouble sounding out /c/ /a/ /t/.
Teaching the JUST RIGHT method with the help of Goldilocks has made it so much easier for me and for my students. You know the story, but I will recap to help explain.
Goldilocks comes to an empty house and finds porridge that belongs to Papa Bear. It is too hot. Then she finds Mama Bear's porridge and it is too cold. Last, she finds Baby Bear's porridge and it is JUST RIGHT.
Then she goes into the living room and finds 3 chairs. Papa Bear's chair is too hard, Mama Bear's chair is too soft, but Baby Bear's chair is JUST RIGHT. (She breaks Baby Bear's chair, but we won't discuss that.) Lol...
Goldilocks then heads to the bedroom and finds Papa Bear's bed is too hard. Mama Bear's bed is too soft, but Baby Bear's bed is JUST RIGHT! It is so comfortable that she falls asleep. I am drama mama with this. I snuggle my arms, smile a lazy smile, and look all cozy when I say JUST RIGHT.
Day 1
1. Tell the students that it's their lucky day! They are going to learn how to pick a JUST RIGHT book! I then draw the words in bubble letters at the top of an anchor chart, 'JUST RIGHT' Books.
2. Explain that some books are TOO HARD. Some books are TOO SOFT OR EASY. Some books are JUST RIGHT!
3. Then say, "I am going to read a book that will help to explain about a little girl that chose furniture that is TOO HARD, TOO SOFT OR EASY, but finally she found a bed that is JUST RIGHT.
4. Read the classical story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. I pause after each time Goldilocks finds the JUST RIGHT object and make a big deal by saying, "Boys and Girls, she found the JUST RIGHT porridge, chair, or bed. Drama mama here!!
5. At the end of the book explain, "There will be times you find books that are TOO HARD and TOO EASY. You need to be like Goldilocks at the end of the story and find books that are JUST RIGHT!
Day 2-Read another book or really the same one, with explanation of JUST RIGHT mentioned above. Add to the anchor chart, TOO HARD: I don't know 5 or more words. (Draw a hand.)
Day 3-Read another Goldilocks book or you could re-read the same book several times.
Add to the anchor chart, TOO EASY: I can breeze through. I am done too quickly.
Day 4-Read yet another or the same book.
Add to the anchor chart, re-emphasizing, JUST RIGHT: I might not know 1 or 2 words, but can read most words understand what I am reading.
6. I found several books at the library about Goldilocks and the Three Bears. So, I read one each day of the week. Each day, I recapped the JUST RIGHT concept and had the students repeat back to me when she found the JUST RIGHT object.
7. When students actually sit down and read, ask "Is this JUST RIGHT?" Listen to them read to check. Have them go back and pick another book if it isn't JUST RIGHT.
Here is a list of the Goldilocks books I read.
I hope this helps you! How do you teach students to pick a JUST RIGHT book?
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