﻿ Click

Click, Clack, Mooing to Fluency!  

Fluency Lesson

By: Amanda Svagdis


After students are provided with explicit phonics instruction, they learn to recognize words automatically and more rapidly. In this lesson, children will be able to gain fluency by reading and rereading texts, one minute reads, and timed reading.  Once children become fluent in their reading, they will be able to read more smoothly without having to stop and sound out words.



-Class set of Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin, Scholastic, 2001. 

-Stop watch for each pair of students

-1 cut out cow for each student with their name on it

Progress chart (This will be used for students to move their cow around the   farm as the number of words they read increases.  There should be a start line and a finish line which will have a typewriter.  Place the numbers 0-10, 10-20, 20-30, etc. around the farm.) 

-         Fluency time sheets for scoring  (attached)

-         Pencil for each student



1. To begin the lesson, explain to students why being a fluent reader is so important.  "Today we are going to practice being fluent readers.  Fluent readers are able to read smoothly without having to stop and sound out words like we have been practicing in our phonics lessons.  Once we have become fluent readers, we will be able to better understand what we are reading and read more efficiently."

2. “Today we will practice becoming fluent readers by doing repeated readings.  We will be completing these repeated readings in one minute. We will be read for one minute, after the one minute is up, the counter will count the number of words their reading partner read in one minute.  Be sure to read smoothly.  Do not try to read too quickly or you will make silly mistakes."

3. Present the book Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type with a book talk.  "We are going to read the book Click, Clack Moo Cows That Type. This book is about Farmer Brown and his rowdy farm of animals. Farmer Brown has a problem. His cows like to type and the sound of them clicking, clacking, and mooing is annoying. The cows type a note asking for electric blankets because the barn gets cold at night and Farmer Brown says “no way”. The cows leave another note saying, “Sorry we’re closed, no milk today.” What other crazy items will the cows ask for and will they ever get what they want? Let’s find out!

4. Model for the children how to reread.  "Listen carefully to me as I read the first page of this story to you in a few different ways."  First read to the students without using fluency and sound out each word slowly and choppily. Ok, now listen carefully to me the second time I read the same page. (Read with excellent fluency and expression.)  "Which sounded best?" "Was the first reading easier to understand or the second time I read it?"  This will show the students that being able to read fluently makes it much easier for someone to understand what is being read.

5. Give each pair of students a copy of the book, Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type, a stop watch, a pencil, and a fluency time sheet.  "First you will decide who will read first.  You will then read for one minute.  Try to read as many words as you can during the one minute.  After the minute is up, write down the number of words your partner read in the minute. After you both read for one minute, move your cows to the amount of words that you read on the farm progress chart. Your goal will be to get your cow to the typewriter. It’s okay if you don’t get it there the first day. Fluency takes lots of practice!”

6. After each student has completed a one minute reading have them read again for another minute using the same directions as before.

7. Each student should complete three one minute timed readings.  After the fluency time sheets are completed, allow the students to go to the farm progress chart to see how far around they have moved their cow.

8. To be sure that the students are doing the timed repeated reading correctly, go around and monitor their procedure. Collect their Fluency Sheets for additional assessment.

Assessment Sheet:

Date: ______________

Fluency Sheet


Your name: _____________________                       Partner’s name: ___________________ 


Book title: _____________________



First Try:

Amount of time for reading: ___________________


Number of words read: _________________



Second Try:

Amount of time for reading: ___________________


Number of words read: _________________



Third Try: 

Amount of time for reading: ___________________


Number of words read: _________________



Vernon, Kayla. “Race to Reading.”  http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/journeys/vernongf.htm 





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