Has anyone read the book Daily Five? Does anyone try to implement the management of the daily 5 into a 10 (or about 10) literacy station rotation? I'm am pretty sure this post makes no sense whatsoever!
I haven't read it, but I've heard of it. To me it sounds a lot easier to do with 2nd grade and up. I think my kids would get tired of it. I do 12 work stations now and I like the way it works.
How do you manage your workstations? I have done lots of research on the internet and read Debbie Diller's book, but I just can't figure out how to make a sign that shows what students go when and where!
Just ordered the book, Lynnn - should have it by Wednesday - then I'll let you know! Goehring - I'm still working on the group activity/center chart(s) myself!
I read Diller's book earlier this summer and am in the middle of the Daily 5. I like the idea of Daily 5 because it sounds like I wouldn't have to change out as many centers and give up as much of my tiny room to so many stations. It also sounds more productive because it's authentic literacy. I'm still trying to build up my confidence about how it'll all work though!
Daily 5 does work and it's so easy on the teacher! You just have to really model, explain expectations, and build stamina at the beginning of the year. My kids did end up growing tired of the work with words and I wasn't allowed to do work on writing during my reading block, so my kids were mostly reading alone, with a buddy, or listening to books on CD. I even had children ask pretty often to just stay at read to self for more than one rotation. I never minded as long as they were really reading and not just playing.
The Daily 5 is AWESOME! I did it in Kindergarten last year and am planning on doing again in 1st grade this year. I had to modify it for kindergarten and it was more like the Daily 3...but my kids loved it! The point is simplifying and cutting out all those extra centers. The kids have five options and know what to do at each place. There isn't a lot to create or change every week and management is easy. It felt great because I knew my kids knew what to do and I also knew I wasn't just giving them "busy work". Good luck!
Totally agree, I felt like it took a load off me and I could spend more time planning and developing better small group instruction since I wasn't wasting time changing center work each week.
I did daily 5 this year with my first graders. It was great!!! I was already using the 4 blocks...so i kinda put them both together and did a daily 4!!! First semester we started with Daily 3. Our first block is guided reading, then working with words, then work on writing. During each block I meet with a group so this lets me meet with 3 a day and then 4 a day during second semester. It works really well. You may have to adapt it to you liking, but not that much. It really can work in first grade. And it SURELY beats all those centers. I haven't planned centers in years. Every couple of months I chage one or two activities. The kids love it. I love it!!! It a win-win!!
I'm required to meet with each reading group daily, and to have a computer "center" for all students daily as part of our rotations as well. I'm trying to figure out how to encorporate the Daily 5 with Storytown and Reading First. If I had taught for more than one year, it might be easy, but.... A couple of thoughts - my kiddos are doing the writing station at their desks, using mini-offices on which I will put our word wall (updated regularly), writing conventions, etc. I have a small classroom, so I really don't have room for a word wall. Also, Word Work doesn't have to be one static activity - especially as they become more proficient. I used word searches, crossword puzzles, etc., at my word work table last year, and the kids loved it and I had GREAT spellers!
Just curious, since I'm also a Daily 5 newbie - Do you think that the daily (required) teacher table work (which includes reading to me) takes care of the "reading to someone" part of the program? I'm not sure I will have time to include buddy reading every day.
Is the daily teacher table work your guided reading? I think I will be doing more of a daily 4! But it will be weird for me because they can only choose one of those activities each day, whereas in the book they have like 5 opportunities each day. It's too hard for me to explain my system I will attempt. Are you going to do the daily 5 as it is explained in the book?
I don't think I can - that's my problem. I've got to determine if it will work with Reading First. I'll ask my instructional coordinator tomorrow.
I have been reading the book as well. I know that I don't have enough time in my schedule to allow for all five rotation as in the book. I have put it down several times because I just don't see how it will fit in my schedule. I see many of you are adjusting it to your own schedules. Do you just take from the book what you can manage? How are you incorporating into your busy schedules?
Yes, i am just taking bits and pieces from the book. I like the management ideas (the charts, the modeling) and the stamina building ideas. I can't fit but one daily 5 session into my schedule. I am taking away one of my literacy rotations and they will choose a daily 5 activity instead. So my class will have one literacy station a day and 1 daily 5 activity a day. During those times I will pull G.R. groups. The group I pulled that missed their literacy station will go to their literacy station when everyone else is doing the daily 5.
Well...I say that's my plan but I may very well scratch the whole daily 5 thing altogether. But I want to at least try some of it. Decisions, decisions, decisions!
I've read Daily 5 and The CAFE this summer. I loved both books but I am having the same problem. How do I fit it into my schedule? I may do a daily 4 during reading. (Skip the writing) Then during my language arts time I will do word work and writing--Daily 2. (As students work with spelling words or write in their journals, I could conference with students about their writing.) The reason I would have to do it that way is because we trade kids for reading and then have our homeroom kids for spelling and writing. Does that make sense? Do you think that will work?
I also did Storytown last year with the Daily 5. MY reading block was like this: 20 min. whole group with Storytown, 60 min. guided reading (3 groups 20 min each) and the other kids were doing a Daily 5, then 30 min. intervention with my lowest group while others did a Daily 5. So most kids did two Daily 5's and met with me during the 60 minutes and then did another D5 during intervetion. So there was really no way for them to do all 5 in one day. I started off telling them which D5 to do and then around January I began letting them make their own choices. I don't think there are many of us that have schedules that would allow for all 5 in one day like the book describes, but I think doing all 5 througout the week is just fine.
I think that the self-choice and Daily 5 work best with older grades. I really can't see 1st graders in my school doing it "by the book," so to speak. Not to mention the fact that we have so many grant requirements we have to cover - all while using our brand new Storytown series!
I think I'm gonna try this small group rotation matrix. I've been working on it all evening. Please comment - if you have an idea, let me know! I can customize the different centers and change them out - this just gives me a rotation that will work. Note: All of my students MUST come to the Teacher Table (Guided Reading) and MUST have computer time during reading center/workstation time. We have a 2-hour literacy block.
1stgradeNana: I was confused in the book - would writing just be like writing with a purpose - but choosing what to write, then later in the day you have your "writer's workshop" or explicit writing lessons? If you have an additional writing block then I think this schedule would work - otherwise you wouldn't have any time to confer with writers.
The book confused me, lol! How do students write before the lessons? Aaarrrgghh! Calgon, take me away!
The Sisters say to modify it to meet your needs. I use their modeling, stamina-building and charts for many other subjects. If you only want to do a little bit of the Daily 5, I'd suggest just doing "Read with Someone." I think you'd be very unsatisfied with the program trying to put everything in but only having one choice per day. Just an FYI for those wanting to do the Daily 3/4/5 etc- the Daily 5 refers to the five choices- not that you have to do everything every day. My students have 2 choices Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3 choices Mondays and Wednesdays and at least 3 (but up to the full 5) on Fridays just because of our schedule. For my students, I require Read to Self every day. They have to get through the others by the end of the week. The writing in the book is a seperate writing time than Writer's Workshop. Some teachers doing this program chose to drop the Writing aspect as a choice during the D5 rotation and just have students write during WW. Some teachers leave it in. Of those, some let the students free write and others have the students use that time as "write about reading."
I'm going to disagree with this . I have a classroom of first and second graders and it works very well for them. I really like the choice aspect. The Sisters have recently modified how they introduce choice and I like it MUCH better than how they show it in the book. Instead of having them start choosing after you've introduced all the dailies, you start the choice after you've introduced the second daily. That allows students to start making the choice a little earlier and without so many other things in the mix. The other thing the Sisters have modified is the start order- they now introduce Read to Self first (like before) but then introduce Writing. They said that kids have more stamina with those two. I made this change last year (as well as adding the choice in after the first two were introduced) and I really liked the change. Would it help to see a check-in in action? You'll also see my students stating their goal and strategy (part of their CAFE book/program). If you wanted to do just D5, you could modify as needed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H_dSj2_Yrw
Oh- please, please, please ask more questions. The Daily 5 might not be for you- I understand that. I'd hate for you to give up on it because of a misunderstanding or being overwhelmed!
How do you incorporate a basal reading series in this? I know it would be much easier to not use it; however, I have to. I need to have time to teach the story from the basal as well as give them books on their level in small groups. It seems like it could be helpful but time consuming in your schedule!
I loved the video, pippi - just a couple of questions: Why did you circle the L on one child's choice? What time of year was that video done? Like the other poster, do you incorporate the basal series? Thanks!
Would your students have other time doing the overall skills involved (reading to themseles, listening to reading (even a read aloud), working with words, etc? I find those skills really help push my students along as readers. If they're getting those skills in other places, you may be okay with it.
This video was at the end of the year. When I first started Read with Someone, I had the kids JUST say their goal (comprehension, accuracy, fluency, expanding vocabulary). Then, they echoed, and pretty soon they could do it by themselves. They were fairly proficient by the end of the first quarter. For my students, they can do Listening twice per week. The first time they do it, I put an L next to their name. The second time, I circle it. It is a quick way for me to see whose already done it. I am required to teach the skills of the basal but I don't have to use the basal. My students still have to take skill tests each quarter. What I do is go through my teacher's guide and write down all the skills week by week. Then, when I am planning my mini-lessons, if the entire class needs that skill, I teach it as a whole-group lesson. If a few kids need it, I pull a group. If only one or two need it, we do a conference. My students all have a basal in their book box (they call it their "big book," but they don't all have the same basal. Whichever one is at their reading level is in their box. Other teachers go heavy on the basal, skills and vocab along with the story on Mondays, do mostly D5 T-Th and then do a skill test on Friday.
Yes, I have word study everyday, independent reading everyday (we pretty much use minilessons from Growing Readers), and Writer's workshop everyday.
