Making Small groups Work Part V

Streamlining Planning & Organization

Planning for small groups doesn’t have to be time-consuming. The key is to have ready-to-use tools that help you stay organized without extra stress.

Some of  the teacher  "Must-Have"  Small Group Planning Tools:

✔ Data Tracking Sheets – Monitor student progress & adjust instruction. Copy some, and put some in each binder, folder, drawer that you are housing your resources in for small groups. 

✔ Lesson Plan Templates – Keep your small group lessons focused and efficient.   Pick 1 or 2 formats that you like. Use your data and create a bank of lesson plans for  skills and strategies such a  summarizing theme, tone,  main idea,  characterization, context clues, inferring 

✔ Goal-Setting Forms – Help students take ownership of their reading growth.   I recommend forms for teacher and students,  I kept  a variety of forms on hand,  Some teacher made, some purchased,  I even liked using book marks as a tool to record thinking and reading. I have even created a digital version that scholars know how to access.  I have a wide array of goal setting forms:  ( stamina, fluency, Skill and strategy based,  Standards checklist, a chart for  books read, books completed, books I will read and more )

✔ Classroom Library---  I think of this as a tool, because this is the main  task I use the most for  independent time.  Scholars are allowed to grab a spot, a pillow, stuffed animal and cozy up and read.  We would have been practicing building stamina from day one, so they will be required to read  15 to 30 minutes depending on the day. 

 The Library procedures, organization and use is introduced at the beginning of the year.  Make sure to have a wide array of books, topics and mediums that scholars can access.  This means you will have to teach kids how to shop, and check in and out books without interrupting small group instruction.

✔ Flexible Seating Options – Create an inviting, comfortable small group space.  When I taught primary grades,  I kept chairs and stools around the desk, in MS  students would bring their chairs, grab a stool  or bean bag and pull up to the meeting area.  Sometimes we just met on the carpet depending on what the goal is for that group that particular day.  

✔ Conference/Anecdotal forms---  a way to track what your observing, student needs and next steps I have these pre labeled with students names in folders, based off the data I have collected from them that put them in the groups they would be in that day.  I keep data forms in the folders for students, allowing me to refer to them as needed and add to them when I address a skill that they may have needed additional practice.

Check out this binder,  I got it from Amazon. 

 In Middle school I had one for each class,  It has 8 sections in them so it became my toolkit that I used not only for small groups, but  during progress monitoring when I was lapping the room gathering data on a Daily activity or some student task. 

When I taught elementary I would use a big binder with pocket dividers for each group,  and would have file folders labeled with the students names in a file cabinet and would move document un needed from the folder  that aren't needed or for creating a portfolio for the scholars. 

This binder has pockets dividers  that will allow you  to put material on both side of the dividers. Some of the things  I kept in them were:  bookmarks, anchor charts, word list, all of the documents mentioned above, along with different types of mentor text:  Mini poems and reading passages, excerpts from text, sticky notes and notebook paper.  

As teacher we all have our own way of doing things.  I hope that with this 5 part series you have found some tool, activity or new learning  that will support your implementation of small groups. 

For a more in depth look at small groups  I created an Eb-ook accompanied by a workbook.  Check it out HERE

When your small groups are organized and intentional, they run smoother—helping you spend less time planning and more time teaching.

Final Thoughts: Making Small Groups Work for You

Small group instruction isn’t about doing more—it’s about teaching smarter. When you have:

✅ A clear structure
✅ Flexible, data-driven groups
✅ Engaged independent learners
✅ Streamlined planning tools

…your small groups run efficiently, and you can truly focus on helping students grow as readers and thinkers.  It just takes using data to create intentional and targeted groups, have the right materials, allow for practice and feedback,  and make an effort to meet with every student at least once a week.  

My goal was to provide you a roadmap that I utilized to implement and set up for small group instruction. I hope you are able to utilize something from the series to support you in leveled up instruction in the Reading classroom.

If you missed parts  I- IV  go back and view my previous blog post.  If you would like to learn more about small groups and get access to some ready made resources:  CLICK HERE

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