Journeys Common Core Reading Series Supplemental Materials

Shew!  It's been a whirlwind of a week.  We are back in full swing!  Last week was a four day week with students, so this upcoming week is our first official full week.  Our district adopted the new Journeys Common Core reading series and I plan on starting the first lesson this week.  I plan on doing my best to use both the reading series with the Daily 5 setup.  I decided to make supplemental units to go along with each lesson to use during whole group, small group, and Daily 5.  


I wanted to dedicate a couple of blog posts to showing how I plan on breaking up my reading block and how to use these supplemental materials.  Starting a new reading series can be very overwhelming, so I wanted to create a pack that would contain supplemental materials that were easy to print, implement, and set up.


Each component is organized separate from the others.  The comprehension component goes along with whatever the target skill for the week is.  It includes mini posters, a board game, flap book, mini-book, and a Case Files Book.  These are just fun additions that aren't your typical worksheets.  I use all of these during whole group and some during small group.  

The Reader's Case Files booklet is probably my favorite part of this.  With the common core focus, it's important to teach your students to be detectives when reading.  They make their own little case files book recording evidence from the text to answer the questions.  The case files is based on the anchor text.


The vocabulary in context cards that came with the series are great but the words are hard to see in a pocket chart because they're so small.  I have included cards to use in your pocket chart that you can just put underneath the words in context cards.  I am also using those little coupon holder thingies you can find in the target dollar spot this year for holding flash cards.  Each student has their own.  They will draw a picture on their own vocabulary flash cards to store in the little holder {I don't know what they're really called as you can see!}  There are two whole group or small group games included: Draw My Word! and Guess My Word!  There are also vocabulary flap book directions that can be used over the duration of the whole week and notebook tabs if you want to do an interactive vocabulary notebook.


The spelling, phonics, and word work component contains lots of options for you!  If you have ever bought my word work units, it's pretty much the same.  I am addicted to those things so I had to include them for Journeys.  They really work!  I have noticed my word study scores on the Stanford really improve since I started using this format.  I usually always do the push and say, word sort, phoneme fun, and read the room every week.  You can see all the other printable components above.


One of the spelling tests has students dictate sentences if you prefer.  I actually use the one on the right every week to get them used to bubbling answers.


Above are the five word work games/sorts.  I either use these at the word work station or in small groups.  Sometimes I will put one at each table and rotate them each day.  It's totally up to you and it depends on how much time you have.  There is a word sort with sentence dictation, abc order, rhyming matching, Bingo, and a board game.


Finally, there is a grammar and writing component.  You will find mini posters, handwriting practice, a subject and predicate sort, and a sentence or not a sentence sort.

I know there is a lot in this pack, and I don't use everything every week.  But I like to provide lots of choice to accommodate your students or the week you are having.  I will make one of these for each lesson in each unit.  They will follow the same format, so that students can become familiar with the format and the activities.  I know that makes it so much easier for me in my classroom!  I don't have to explain every week what is expected.   None of these activities were taken from the series.  These are things that are similar to activities I have used in my classroom for the past several years that go along with the skills and common core standards mapped out in the series.  


So far, I have the first two lessons completed and posted {Henry and Mudge and My Family}.   I am working on the third lesson now.  Hurry and stop by my store this weekend to check them out.  I am putting them on sale until midnight Sunday night {August 11th}!!!  I hope you all are having a great weekend!  

5 comments

  1. OMG....I absolutely LOVE these! I don't think Journeys has anything to offer that comes close! I hope you're going to do this for the other units!! PLEASE let me know if you do! (jeditari@gmail.com)

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  2. I was just wondering if you have a craftivity component to these packs? I am starting back in 2nd grade next year and I really like the idea of keeping it fun and crafty when they are still little! Thanks!

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  3. Do you have the entire series complete now and can out be purchased in a bundle?

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