Chapter 10: Organizing for Instruction
Multiple Choice Items
1. In October, the fifth grade students in Brady School formed literature circles. Throughout the
school year, these students should:
a) stay in the same groups to maintain academic and social relationships
b) occasionally form new groups that meet their needs and interests
c) read only one book per month to promote discussion
d) read selected books in a round-robin manner
2. Basal readers usually:
a) provide the greatest opportunities for student choice
b) provide the greatest opportunities for teacher choice
c) contain a strong skills component
d) contain authentic literature
3. When participating in literature circles, effective teachers encourage students to read:
a) only stories
b) only informational books
c) stories and/or informational books
d) basal reader selections
4. Mrs. Lewis went to a thrift store and bought a bag of children’s books for her eight-year-old
daughter, Alexis. When Alexis sorted the books into the categories of “too easy,” “too hard,” and
“just right,” she was using the:
a) Miscue Analysis
b) Elkonin Box Strategy
c) Goldilocks Strategy
d) Matthew Effect
5. When sixth grade teacher Donna Collingdale collected her students’ reading logs, a veteran
teacher correctly advised her that reading the logs would:
a) violate her students’ privacy
b) help her monitor her students’ prosody
c) be a waste of time because they would not yield useful diagnostic information
d) help her monitor the ways in which her students use reading strategies
6. When discussing reading and writing workshop, the principal correctly advised that reading
and writing workshop:
a) could be used as the primary instructional approach in a classroom or as a complement to
other instructional approaches
b) should only be used as a supplemental approach to literacy instruction
c) reflected a behaviorist theory of literacy instruction
d) reflected a teacher-centered view of instruction
7. During Writing Workshop, it is most appropriate for students to work on projects:
a) they’ve chosen themselves
b) chosen by the teacher
c) that require only narrative writing
d) that require only expository writing
8. When students participate in literature focus units, the books they read are usually selected by:
a) a student committee
b) a parent committee
c) the teacher
d) the school librarian
9. Of the following, the most individualized instructional approach is the:
a) basal reading program
b) literature circle
c) literature focus unit
d) reading workshop
10. The school librarian has correctly advised a fourth grade teacher that his classroom library
should contain:
a) only books written at a fourth grade level
b) only books written at second to fourth grade levels
c) books written at a range of reading levels
d) books to be used for round-robin reading sessions
11. Of the following, the instructional method that relies most heavily upon teacher direction is
the:
a) basal reading program
b) literature circle
c) literature focus unit
d) reading workshop
12. Because the students in Mary Pat’s second grade class complete workbook pages every day,
they are most likely participating in:
a) literature circles
b) reading workshop
c) a literature focus unit
d) a basal reading program
13. Basal reading programs provide a wide variety of materials to support student learning. The
essential component of a basal reading program is:
a) a collection of trade books
b) a student textbook or anthology
c) an audiobook or DVD
d) a skillpad
14. A fifth grade teacher began an author study by introducing several books written by Lois
Lowry. Of the following, the primary reason for implementing author studies with elementary
students is to:
a) monitor the books that the students read
b) provide role models to inspire their writing
c) restrict their reading to specific genres
d) demonstrate the difficulties that writers encounter
15. All of the students in Al Gallo’s class are reading the novel, Maniac Magee, by Jerry
Spinelli. They have grand conversations about each chapter, respond in reading logs, and add
important words from the chapters to the class word wall. These students are participating in a:
a) basal reading unit
b) reading workshop
c) content area unit
d) literature focus unit
16. When third grade teacher Anne Shirley developed a poetry unit, experienced teachers
correctly advised that she should monitor and document her students’ work by using a(n):
a) graphic organizer
b) assignment checklist
c) anticipation guide
d) rubric
17. Students are most likely to engage in authentic writing activities when they participate in:
a) Response to Intervention
b) Basal reading programs
c) Workbook activities
d) Writing workshop
18. One advantage to using basal reading programs is that these programs:
a) provide minimal teacher support
b) provide the greatest opportunities for individualization
c) are accessible to all – teachers have copies of grade-level textbooks for every student
d) have workbooks with authentic activities
19. When students are participating in a Literature Focus Unit they should:
a) always work independently to pursue their own interests
b) always work together to build class spirit
c) sometimes work independently and sometimes work in small groups or as a whole class
d) complete all assignments at home
20. Because teacher Marie Nercoff wanted to share her love of science fiction, she developed a
unit using science fiction texts written by Jules Verne, Madeleine L’Engle, and other authors.
This teacher developed a (n):
a) genre unit
b) novel unit
c) informational unit
d) text unit
21. Students often assume roles such as the Discussion Director or Word Wizard when the
participate in:
a) Basal Reading Programs
b) Literature Focus Units
c) Literature Circles
d) Guided Reading
22. Most basal reading programs end in:
a) first grade
b) third grade
c) sixth grade
d) twelfth grade
23. Of the following, the best way to prepare students to participate in literature circles is to
involve them in:
a) grand conversations
b) round-robin reading
c) popcorn reading
d) word sorts
24. When they met in literature circles, some second grade students used inappropriate language
and did not discuss the selected books. After observing this behavior, the principal the correctly
advised their teacher to:
a) discontinue use of literature circles
b) eliminate discussion and ask the students to write their responses
c) join the literature circle to model appropriate conversation
d) select more challenging books for the students to read
25. Literature focus units which center upon one novel are usually completed in:
a) one week
b) three to four weeks
c) one semester
d) one academic year
1. Choice is an essential feature of literature circles. Describe three ways in which literature
circles provide opportunities for students to make choices.
2. How does Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) differ from Reading Workshop?
3. Students in Amy Jersey’s fifth grade class could not work cooperatively in literature circles.
Some students monopolized the discussion while others displayed disruptive behavior and made
negative comments about the books and their classmates. Describe three steps this teacher could
take to improve the quality of literature circles in the classroom.
Chapter 10 Answer Key for Multiple Choice
1. Choice is an essential feature of literature circles. Describe three ways in which
literature circles provide opportunities for students to make choices.
2. How does Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) differ from Reading Workshop?
3. Students in Amy Jersey’s fifth grade class could not work cooperatively in literature
circles. Some students monopolized the discussion while others displayed disruptive
behavior and made negative comments about the books and their classmates. Describe
three steps this teacher could take to improve the quality of literature circles in the
classroom.