Map one teacher across three groups
This original illustrative plan uses groups Cedar, Maple, and Birch as neutral labels. Membership and reading materials are teacher-supplied; the names do not imply levels or diagnoses. The block has three stations: teacher reading, paired retelling, and independent annotation.
The creator's public rotation-schedule listing describes customizable time blocks and group organization. The rotation below is original; it does not reproduce the downloaded template or adopt its color-ranked grouping.
| Round and time | Cedar | Maple | Birch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1, minutes 3-13 | Teacher reading | Paired retelling | Independent annotation |
| Round 2, minutes 16-26 | Independent annotation | Teacher reading | Paired retelling |
| Round 3, minutes 29-39 | Paired retelling | Independent annotation | Teacher reading |
Every group has one station each round. Every round has one teacher-reading group. Each group visits the teacher exactly once. Read both across a row and down a group column to check those different constraints.
Keep the complete 42-minute budget
- Minutes 0-3: setup, confirm materials, and review station directions.
- Minutes 3-13: first ten-minute round.
- Minutes 13-16: first three-minute transition.
- Minutes 16-26: second ten-minute round.
- Minutes 26-29: second three-minute transition.
- Minutes 29-39: third ten-minute round.
- Minutes 39-42: close, return materials, and identify a next reading step.
The total is 3 + 10 + 3 + 10 + 3 + 10 + 3 = 42 minutes. Do not extend a teacher conference into the transition while telling the next group it starts at minute 16. Adjust the schedule openly if your actual tasks require longer.
Write directions for the two independent stations
Paired retelling: Use the teacher-selected passage. Partner A retells an important event or idea; Partner B points to supporting text and asks one clarification question. Switch roles. Keep a short note of the passage reference and a question to bring back. For nonfiction, use an appropriate idea/explanation task rather than forcing a story sequence.
Independent annotation: Reread the assigned section. Mark a passage that supports an important idea and record one question. Use the approved annotation method, such as a separate response slip, rather than assuming learners may write in a shared book.
Teacher reading: Bring the assigned text and the group's prior question or work sample. The teacher supplies the instructional focus from actual observations. Leave the text title, pages, and focus as [TO SUPPLY] until those inputs are known.
Offer an explicit early-finish direction: reread the marked section and prepare to explain the evidence. Do not add unrelated busywork solely to fill the rotation.
Copy a rotation-planning prompt
Create an original guided-reading rotation schedule in US English.
Total minutes: [duration]
Neutral group labels and teacher-confirmed membership: [labels; omit private names from sample]
Teacher availability and number of stations: [inputs]
Permitted texts, sections, and materials: [inputs]
Teacher instructional focus from actual observations: [inputs or unknown]
Setup, transition, and closing time: [inputs]
Required school format: [format]
Build a group-by-round schedule with each group assigned exactly one station per round and no teacher assigned to simultaneous groups. Show each group's complete route and each round's complete station occupancy. Give independent stations concrete directions, materials, output, early-finish task, and transition cue. Fit setup/transitions/close inside the total, showing arithmetic. Flag collisions or insufficient time instead of hiding them.
Do not infer reading levels, diagnose pupils, invent text titles/pages, attendance, or assessment results. Use [NEEDED: input] for missing materials/focus. Describe optional local group/round inspection with keyboard controls and text states; do not claim a roster or attendance tracker. Return the requested plan, keeping real learner records in approved school systems.
Check the route with a colleague
An HTML rotation plan can be saved and rendered in NOS while a colleague checks teacher availability and independent directions. Keep actual names, grouping decisions, and reading records in approved school locations. Before the block, follow one group's entire route and one round's full occupancy; both should lead to tasks learners can begin with the materials you prepared.