Sample Pages

n
Powerful
Que n
To E n han ce
n

Grades K–6 Resource

The Great Books Foundation
Enhance Your Guided Reading Program

Like Junior Great Books, guided reading

®

programs are an important component of

a robust, high-quality literacy curriculum. By
adding powerful questions to your guided
reading program, you can ensure that your
students are developing their reading and
thinking skills while also becoming more
engaged, enthusiastic readers.

Using powerful questions in your guided

reading discussions helps students:
• Build their critical thinking skills
• Develop their listening and speaking skills
across the curriculum

In addition, using powerful questions as

prompts for writing exercises increases the
coherence of your students’ learning across
multiple guided reading sessions.

We are pleased to offer three different types

“The most important characteristic
of a book is not its level, but its
quality and appeal to readers.”
—Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell
Guided Reading: The Romance and the Reality
of guided reading collections—Bookroom,
Grade-Level, and Guided Reading Level
Collections (see page 7). All of these
collections include:
• Our brand-new teacher resource—
Using Powerful Questions to Enhance
Guided Reading
• A balance of fiction and informational
materials
• Prepackaged 6-packs in plastic bags
• Lesson Plan Cards for each title
• An additional guided reading teacher
resource with assessment and instructional
support
• Classroom-ready storage bins with leveling
labels

Using Powerful Questions to Enhance Guided Reading provides ideas, activities, and
practical guidance on:
• Selecting texts • Encouraging and using students’ questions
• Preparing questions • Extending understanding and increasing
• Asking spontaneous questions comprehension

Reproducible masters for teacher and student templates, handouts, and graphic organizers
are also included.

2 Sample Pages greatbooks.org • 800.222.5870

 Using Powerful Questions Sample

Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
How to Use This Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Preparing for a Guided Reading Lesson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Selecting a Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Understanding Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Preparing Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

During the Guided Reading Lesson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Enriching Text Introductions with Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Encouraging Students' Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Mini-Lesson: Asking Questions About a Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Asking Spontaneous Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Using Questions After Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Asking Questions for Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Optional Activities to Extend Understanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Extending Understanding Through Drawing and Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Ideas for Center Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Extending Understanding Through Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Other Reading Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Using Texts for Multiple Purposes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Read, Question, Engage! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Reproducible Masters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Using Powerful Questions to Enhance Guided Reading 3

read.think.discuss.grow.® Sample Pages 3

 Introduction
Using Powerful
This book is designed toQuestions
help you grow as aSample
teacher by providing you with new ways
to reach your students and further their growth and development as readers. When
you increase your awareness of the role of questioning in teaching and learning,
you have the opportunity to engage
Introduction
students more authentically, and
This
to book
help themis designed to help you grow as aGuided
become enthusiastic teacher reading is anyou
by providing important
with new component
ways of
to reachreaders
lifelong your students and further
and learners. a robust,
This their growth high-qualityasliteracy
and development readers.effort,
Whenbut it is
you increase
book providesyouryouawareness not the entire
with ideas,of the role of questioning literacy and
in teaching program—it
learning, takes place
you have the
activities, andopportunity to engage
practical resources within a larger framework. Key components
students
to more
take your authentically,
guided and
reading lessons of this framework include:
to ahelp
newthem
levelbecome enthusiastic
of effectiveness and Guided reading is an important component of
lifelong readers
enjoyment, bothandfor learners.
you and your This • Guidedhigh-quality
a robust, instruction literacy
and practice
effort, in reading
but it is
book provides you with ideas,
students. (phonemic awareness, phonics,
not the entire literacy program—it takes placefluency,
activities, and practical resources vocabulary,
within and comprehension)
a larger framework. Key components
For students, these literacy
to take your guided reading lessons of this framework include:
experiences should appear to flow • Independent reading
to a new level of effectiveness and
together seamlessly, as each area
enjoyment, both for you and your • Guided instruction and practice in reading
• Teacher read-alouds
overlaps with and reinforces the (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency,
students.
skills learned in every other area. vocabulary,reading
• Challenge and comprehension)
and in-depth
For students,
And within each theseof literacy
these contexts, discussions
experiences
students should
should appear fiction,
encounter to flow • Independent reading
together seamlessly,
nonfiction, poetry, and as all
eachthearea
other • Writing instruction and opportunities
• Teacher read-alouds
overlaps
types with and reinforces the
of text.
skills learned in every other area. • Speaking and listening instruction and
• Challenge reading and in-depth
This book primarily addresses opportunities
And within each of these contexts, discussions
guided reading, the component of
students should encounter fiction,
your literacy program that provides • Writing instruction and opportunities
nonfiction, poetry, and all the other
students with targeted instruction
types of text.
in the strategies and skills that • Speaking and listening instruction and
This book readers
proficient primarily addresses
use. You will undoubtedly seeopportunities
ways to use these approaches and reinforce
guided
the reading,
skills the here
described component of
during independent reading conferences, teacher read-alouds, and
your literacy program
instructional discussions. thatTheprovides
focus on questioning helps students practice listening and
students with
speaking acrosstargeted instruction
the curriculum and builds critical thinking skills. Further, writing instruction
in the
that strategies
flows and skillsreading
from students’ that experiences, including related questions, increases the
proficient readers
coherence of theiruse. You will
learning andundoubtedly seelimited
maximizes the ways toclass
use time
theseavailable.
approaches and reinforce
the skills described here during independent reading conferences, teacher read-alouds, and
instructional discussions. The focus on questioning helps students practice listening and
speaking across the curriculum and builds critical thinking skills. Further, writing instruction
that flows from students’ reading experiences, including related questions, increases the
coherence of their learning and maximizes the limited class time available.

Using Powerful Questions to Enhance Guided Reading 5

4 Sample Pages Using Powerful Questions to greatbooks.org

Enhance Guided • 800.222.5870
Reading 5
 A HIGH-QUALITY
Using Powerful
COMPREHENSIVE LITERACYQuestions
PROGRAM Sample
TA L K I N G
A HIGH-QUALITY
COMPREHENSIVE LITERACY PROGRAM
INDEPENDENT
READING
TA L K I N G
WRITING
INDEPENDENT
INSTRUCTION
READING

GUIDED
LANGUAGE

READING
WRITING

C O N V E S AT I O N
INSTRUCTION
READING

WRITING
WRITING WORKSHOP
GUIDED

R
LANGUAGE

READING
ORAL

C O N V E S AT I O N
READ-ALOUD
READING

and other shared

WRITING
reading
WRITING WORKSHOP

R
ORAL

WRITING TO THINK /
READ-ALOUD
EXPLORE
and other shared
reading
INQUIRY
CIRCLES
WRITING TO THINK /
EXPLORE
DISCUSSION
INQUIRY
CIRCLES

DISCUSSION
As shown in the diagram, oral language unifies the entire literacy experience, and questions
and responses make up a good part of the conversations and discussions that help create a
smooth, cohesive literacy program.

As shown in the diagram, oral language unifies the entire literacy experience, and questions
and responses make up a good part of the conversations and discussions that help create a
smooth, cohesive literacy program.

6 Using Powerful Questions to Enhance Guided Reading

6 Using Powerful Questions to Enhance Guided Reading

read.think.discuss.grow.
®
Sample Pages 5
 Tools for Teachers
Using Powerful Questions Sample
Text Review: Early Readers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Text Review: Transitional Readers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Text Review: Fluent Readers .Reproducible
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Masters
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Tools
Guided for Teachers
Reading Lesson Planner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Text Review:
Discussion Early . Readers
Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
48
Text Review: Transitional
Set Planner . . . . . . . Readers
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
53

Handouts for Students

Text Review: Fluent Readers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Guided Reading
Question Stems Lesson
. . . . . . Planner
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
51
Discussion Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Question Cards 55
Text Set Planner
Developing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
My Ideas 53

Handouts for Students

Key Word Organizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Question
My Notes Stems
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
58
Question
Our NotesCards
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
59
Developing My Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Key Quote Organizer 60
Key Word Description
Character Organizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
61
My Notes . My
Explaining . . . Evidence
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
58
Our Notes
Helpful . . . . . .and
Questions . . . Comments
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
59
Key Quote
Tips Organizer
for Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Discussions 64
Character Description
Reflecting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
on My Participation 61
Explaining My Evidence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Helpful Questions and Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Tips for Group Discussions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Reflecting on My Participation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Using Powerful Questions to Enhance Guided Reading 47

6 Sample Pages greatbooks.org • 800.222.5870

Using Powerful Questions to Enhance Guided Reading 47

 Guided Reading Collections

SKU Description Price

Bookroom Collections
JGB-BRK3 Grades K-3 • Levels A-P • 960 Books (6-Packs of 160 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $5,849.95
JGB-BR46 Grades 4-6 • Levels Q-Z • 600 Books (6-packs of 100 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $4,009.95
Grade-Level Collections
JGB-GRK Grade K (5 Levels, A-E) • 300 Books (6-Packs of 50 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $1,769.95
JGB-GR1 Grade 1 (8 Levels, D-K) • 480 Books (6-Packs of 80 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $2,899.95
JGB-GR2 Grade 2 (5 Levels, J-N) • 300 Books (6-Packs of 50 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $1,869.95
JGB-GR3 Grade 3 (5 Levels, M-Q) • 300 Books (6-Packs of 50 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $1,959.95
JGB-GR4 Grade 4 (5 Levels, P-T) • 300 Books (6-Packs of 50 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $2,019.95
JGB-GR5 Grade 5 (5 Levels, S-W) • 300 Books (6-Packs of 50 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $2,019.95
JGB-GR6 Grade 6 (5 Levels, V-Z) • 300 Books (6-Packs of 50 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $2,019.95
Guided Reading Level Collections
JGB-LEV-A Level A • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $369.95
JGB-LEV-B Level B • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $369.95
JGB-LEV-C Level C • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $369.95
JGB-LEV-D Level D • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $369.95
JGB-LEV-E Level E • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $369.95
JGB-LEV-F Level F • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $369.95
JGB-LEV-G Level G • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $369.95
JGB-LEV-H Level H • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $389.95
JGB-LEV-I Level I • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $379.95
JGB-LEV-J Level J • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $389.95
JGB-LEV-K Level K • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $389.95
JGB-LEV-L Level L • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $389.95
JGB-LEV-M Level M • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $389.95
JGB-LEV-N Level N • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $389.95
JGB-LEV-O Level O • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $419.95
JGB-LEV-P Level P • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $419.95
JGB-LEV-Q Level Q • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $419.95
JGB-LEV-R Level R • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $419.95
JGB-LEV-S Level S • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $419.95
JGB-LEV-T Level T • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $419.95
JGB-LEV-U Level U • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $419.95
JGB-LEV-V Level V • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $419.95
JGB-LEV-W Level W • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $419.95
JGB-LEV-X Level X • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $419.95
JGB-LEV-Y Level Y • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $419.95
JGB-LEV-Z Level Z • 60 books (6-packs of 10 titles + Using Powerful Questions) $419.95
Additional Copies
JTR-GR Using Powerful Questions to Enhance Guided Reading $24.95
All titles have been leveled according to the guidelines recommended by Fountas and Pinnell.

For a listing of the titles in each level, visit greatbooks.org.

read.think.discuss.grow.® Sample Pages 7

Using Powerful Questions Sample
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J uni OR GR E AT B OOkS

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STuDEnT LOG Inquiry STUDEnT LOG Inquiry STUDenT LOG Inquiry
Unit 1 Unit 1
Unit 1
Can Robots Be People Too? Air Jordans: Demanding the Brand
Home Sweet Homestead

• Extend inquiry-based learning to

Unit 2 Unit 2
Unit 2
Small Acts Make a Big Difference Crows: Friend or Foe?
Give It Up for Happiness
Unit 3 Unit 3
Unit 3
Becoming Francisco X. Alarcón Young Inventors Making the Future Brighter
Storytelling in the Time of Slavery
Unit 4 Unit 4
Unit 4
Egg-cellent Bird Parents The Life and Legend of Johnny Appleseed
Out-of-This-World Weather
Unit 5 Unit 5

informational texts
Unit 5
Weather Watchers Zitkala-Sa at Boarding School
How Free Should Recess Be?
Unit 6 Unit 6
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Don’t Swallow That Spider! “We Show Up for Each Other”
Thomas Heatherwick: Making Things Happen
Unit 7 Unit 7
Unit 7
Children of the Oregon Trail Peer Solutions: Better Than Punishment?
The Richest Man in the World
Unit 8
Unit 8
Unit 8
Grunts, Flops, and Dives! Leave It to Beavers?
Plain, Ordinary Mrs. Roosevelt
Unit 9
Unit 9
Unit 9
Burger with a Side of Shoe Polish Bystanders Who Stand Together
Roads Take a Toll on Wildlife

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high-quality nonfiction units aligned Student Log Student Log
Student Log

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Antonio Hernández Madrigal Mary Hoffman

The invisible Hunters the scarebird

Nicaraguan folktale as told by Harriet Rohmer Sid Fleischman

Fishing Day Chin Yu Min and the Ginger Cat

• High-quality literature to support an inquiry-based

Andrea Davis Pinkney Jennifer Armstrong

CommuniTy Kindness
Perfect Crane the Gold Coin
Anne Laurin Alma Flor Ada

Hurricane Flowers the Magic listening Cap

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Ethel Pochocki Yoshiko Uchida

my Great-Grandmother’s Gourd the Mushroom Man

Cristina Kessler Ethel Pochocki

BeinG yourSelF ConfidenCe

The Wise little Toad the Banza
Rosario Ferré Diane Wolkstein

Doodle Flute the Upside-down Boy

Daniel Pinkwater Juan Felipe Herrera

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Crow Call Ghost Cat

Lois Lowry Donna Hill

Fresh The Hemulen Who loved Silence

Philippa Pearce Tove Jansson

resourCeFulness HumiliTy
shrewd Todie and lyzer the Miser The Enchanted Sticks
Ukranian folktale as told by Isaac Bashevis Singer Steven J. Myers
4

5
on sand Island Kaddo’s Wall
Jacqueline Briggs Martin West African folktale as told by Harold Courlander
and George Herzog

BOOK TWO
Book one

The Green Man

Gail E. Haley The Prince and the Goose Girl
Elinor Mordaunt

CoMMunICaTIon
ComPaSSion
song of Hope
Peggy Duffy
a Bad Road for Cats
Cynthia Rylant
Jean labadie’s Big Black Dog
French-Canadian folktale as told by Natalie Savage Carlson
lenny’s Red-letter Day
Bernard Ashley
Thunder, elephant, and Dorobo

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Through the mickle Woods
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