Today I am learning to read Christmas stories in a smooth voice. I will try not to stop at every word, and I will use my voice to show punctuation and feeling.
Success criteria – I can:
Read each group of words 2 or 3 times. Try to get smoother each time.
Now read these phrases. Try to slide your voice through the whole phrase.
| Read 1 | Read 2 | Read 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time (seconds) | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| How smooth? | 😊 / 😐 / 🙁 | 😊 / 😐 / 🙁 | 😊 / 😐 / 🙁 |
Read this story out loud 3 times. Each time, try to sound a little smoother and more confident.
It was early Christmas morning, and the sky was still a soft, pale blue. The house was quiet, but Mia was wide awake. She slipped out of bed and padded down the hallway in her fluffy socks. When she reached the lounge room, she stopped and stared. A sparkling trail of red and gold glitter ran across the carpet. It started near the front door and led all the way to the Christmas tree. Under the tree, small lights blinked gently. Mia could see a big box wrapped in green paper and tied with a silver bow. Her ginger cat, Willow, sat beside the box, swishing her tail. Mia smiled and whispered, “Did you make this trail, Willow, or was it someone else?”
| Read 1 | Read 2 | Read 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time (seconds) | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| I kept going even if I was unsure | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No |
| My reading felt… | 😊 / 😐 / 🙁 | 😊 / 😐 / 🙁 | 😊 / 😐 / 🙁 |
What changed between your first and third read?
Now read this story about Christmas Eve. Remember: smooth and steady reading is more important than reading fast.
Late on Christmas Eve, Tom lay in bed and listened to the wind outside. At first, the night sounded quiet. Then he heard a soft tapping on his window. Tom sat up and pulled back the curtain. Tiny snowflakes were falling from the dark sky. They landed on the glass and melted into tiny drops of water. Tom gasped. It almost never snowed where he lived. He grabbed his slippers and crept to the back door. When he stepped outside, the grass was dusted with a thin, white blanket. The garden light made the snow shine. A little reindeer ornament on the lawn looked like it was standing in a real winter forest. Tom took a deep breath and felt the cool air on his face. “It feels like the whole world is waiting for Christmas,” he whispered.
| Read 1 | Read 2 | Read 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time (seconds) | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| I paused at commas and full stops | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No |
| I used expression to match the feelings | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No |
How do I feel about my reading today?
Something I did well today:
Something I want to keep practising:
Use this copy to mark miscues, note phrasing, and calculate WCPM.
It was early Christmas morning, and the sky was still a soft, pale blue. The house was quiet, but Mia was wide awake. She slipped out of bed and padded down the hallway in her fluffy socks. When she reached the lounge room, she stopped and stared. A sparkling trail of red and gold glitter ran across the carpet. It started near the front door and led all the way to the Christmas tree. Under the tree, small lights blinked gently. Mia could see a big box wrapped in green paper and tied with a silver bow. Her ginger cat, Willow, sat beside the box, swishing her tail. Mia smiled and whispered, "Did you make this trail, Willow, or was it someone else?"
| Read | Date | Time (sec) | Errors | Total words | WCPM | Notes (phrasing, expression, self-corrections) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ______ | ______ | ______ | ~150 | ______ | ___________________________ |
| 2 | ______ | ______ | ______ | ~150 | ______ | ___________________________ |
| 3 | ______ | ______ | ______ | ~150 | ______ | ___________________________ |
Use this copy for fluency marking (errors, phrasing, WCPM) over multiple sessions.
Late on Christmas Eve, Tom lay in bed and listened to the wind outside. At first, the night sounded quiet. Then he heard a soft tapping on his window. Tom sat up and pulled back the curtain. Tiny snowflakes were falling from the dark sky. They landed on the glass and melted into tiny drops of water. Tom gasped. It almost never snowed where he lived. He grabbed his slippers and crept to the back door. When he stepped outside, the grass was dusted with a thin, white blanket. The garden light made the snow shine. A little reindeer ornament on the lawn looked like it was standing in a real winter forest. Tom took a deep breath and felt the cool air on his face. "It feels like the whole world is waiting for Christmas," he whispered.
| Read | Date | Time (sec) | Errors | Total words | WCPM | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ______ | ______ | ______ | ~170 | ______ | ___________________________ |
| 2 | ______ | ______ | ______ | ~170 | ______ | ___________________________ |
| 3 | ______ | ______ | ______ | ~170 | ______ | ___________________________ |
Suggested comprehension answers:
Fluency focus: praise self-corrections, attention to punctuation, and any growth in smoothness between Read 1 and Read 3, not just raw speed.