Guided Reading Plan
Group, text, focus blank frame.
The Guided Reading Plan template provides a blank frame for teachers to record the reading group, the selected text, the teaching focus, and the planned activities for a single guided reading session. Sections for before-reading, during-reading, and after-reading prompts ensure the lesson has a clear arc rather than drifting into unstructured read-aloud time. Teachers also note the text level, any word-study targets, and a quick observation space for jotting what individual students demonstrate during the session. Literacy teachers and reading specialists in Kindergarten through middle school use this template to run small-group instruction efficiently. Because it is entirely blank, it suits any guided reading approach — whether following Fountas and Pinnell levels, the Daily 5 framework, or a school-developed literacy block — and works for fiction, non-fiction, and poetry texts alike.
Learning objectives
- Plan a focused teaching point tailored to a specific reading group's current needs
- Structure the session with distinct before, during, and after reading phases
- Record the text level and word-study targets for each group separately
- Capture brief anecdotal observations during or immediately after the session
- Build a session log that informs the next guided reading rotation
How to use this template
- Print one sheet per reading group session, or keep a digital copy on a tablet.
- Write the group name or code, date, and text title at the top.
- Select and record the teaching focus — a specific strategy, skill, or vocabulary target.
- Plan before-reading activating questions, during-reading prompts or stopping points, and an after-reading response or discussion task.
- During the session, use the observation space to note individual student strengths and next steps.
Classroom & home ideas
- Prepare plans for all three or four reading groups on Sunday evening so Monday's literacy block runs without gaps between rotations.
- Clip the plan to the specific book or text set so everything needed for that group is in one place when you call them to the reading table.
- Use the after-reading section to plan a quick word sort or vocabulary activity that extends the text's language into writing workshop.
- At the end of a fortnight, review accumulated plans to decide whether a group is ready to move to a harder text level.
- Share annotated plans with a literacy coordinator or mentor during coaching observations to make your decision-making visible.
Skills & curriculum links
Frequently asked questions
How many students does a typical guided reading group have?
Most guided reading groups contain three to six students who are at a similar instructional reading level. The template has a group name field but no fixed number of student slots, so it flexes to your group size.
What does the 'teaching focus' section mean?
The teaching focus is the one specific reading strategy or skill you want to explicitly teach and coach during this session — for example, monitoring for meaning, identifying main idea, or reading dialogue with expression.
Can I use this template for whole-class shared reading?
It is designed for small-group guided reading, but the three-phase structure (before, during, after) works well for any reading lesson. For whole-class use, simply leave the group-level fields general.
Should I write a new plan for every session with the same group?
Yes. Even if you are continuing the same book, the teaching focus and prompts should be updated to reflect what you observed last time and what the group needs next.
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