Reading Group Organization

Who doesn't love to be more organized?  Even when I think I am organized I know there is always room for improvement.  I would love to share with you how I organize everything for my reading groups.  It makes my life so much easier during our guided reading time.

I use one of the ten drawer carts that you can find at teacher stores, Michaels, or even Sam's Club.  On each drawer I put a picture of an animal.  All of my reading groups are animal names.

Inside each drawer I have everything that I need for that group.  You will find in each drawer, the lesson plan for that group for the week, the book they are working on, magnetic letters (for our focus sight word), sentence strips, envelopes, pencils, and scrap paper.  You can also sometimes find a Words Their Way sort or Elkonin boxes depending on that group's activities for the week.

When it is time for that group's lesson, all I have to do is pull out the drawer and bring it over to my guided reading table.

I love organizing the group materials this way for a few reasons:

1.  It is easier when I have a sub.  I just tell the substitute teacher to pull out the drawer and everything is there for her.

2.  I have two reading aides who come in to help with reading groups so all they have to do is grab the drawer and go sit with their group.  Easy peasy!

3.  It makes my life simpler.  

When I go to plan for the next week, I take out all the drawers and only put them back in when their drawer is ready to go!

How do you organize your materials for your reading groups?  I would love for you to tell us in the comments.