They help each other develop story lines and characters, sequence events, plan the mechanics of putting the book together, give each other feedback, and build on each other's ideas. Words from the story are compiled into word banks to be learned and mastered. Through an array of interactive activities, students learn to read fluently, spell, and use the words in their word banks correctly in meaningful sentences. In discussions with the teacher, students write meaningful sentences that include key words from the reading selection that give the writer and reader a clear picture of what the words mean. Students write sentences in teams first, then individually.
Partners check each other's sentences.
Students are given daily expectations about the number of activities to be completed, but they can go at their own rate and complete the activities earlier than planned, creating additional time for independent reading. Student dyads learn how to integrate word definitions with their own ideas and how to evaluate and refine their sentences using criteria for meaningful sentences. Usually, teachers spend several months modeling this phase through whole-class presentations. Students then practice writing meaningful sentences in teams, then with partners, then individually. Individuals Students are given a comprehension test on the story, asked to write meaningful sentences for each vocabulary word, and asked to read the word list aloud to the teacher.