Monday, October 1, 2012

Daily Five and Improving My Centers

This year I am back doing the Daily Five in my classroom (Wahoo!).  I am super duper excited!  I love Daily Five and I think it really does work to help my students become lifelong readers and writers.  

This year has been kinda difficult to get my Daily Five centers to be completely like I want them to be because we had to start small groups so early.  My students have practiced and practiced and everyday they are doing better.  I think after people read the Daily Five book, people get their own interpretation about how to complete it in their classroom.  My interpretation is based on Daily Five, however I did change it to fit my class and to make it work for me.  It is a tad different than how the Sisters suggest doing it, but for right now it is working and I am already seeing improvement in the students. 

Photo of Lesson Plans by April Wolfe 
Click picture to see my lesson plan. 

My morning is broken up into chunks.  We do a whole group lesson and then we break up into centers/Daily 5.  (This is how the Sisters suggest to do the Daily Five)  I really think by breaking my day up into sections has helped the students retain more.  I used to do my reading, phonics, handwriting, and letters all during whole group time.  This year I have separated it and I am really liking it.

Here is a general idea of how my morning is.

8:15-8:45 My students are coming to the classroom, unpacking, doing their chores (Putting their snack where it goes, moving their lunch clip, etc.), and then completing their morning work. 

At 8:45 we start with learning the new letter for the week.  We go over how to write it and practice writing it.  We go over a poem with the letter and sing an ABC song.

Around 9:00 I have my first guided reading center and the students complete their first Daily Five center.  I have a group, the computers have a group, and then the rest of the class is participating in the same Daily Five center.  

Once I am finished with my guided reading center we come back together for a mini lesson.  After the mini lesson we switch centers.

My mini lessons consist of: Introducing a letter for the week using the Read Well program (parts of the program).  Writing lesson.  Read a story.  Go over phonograms and sight words.

Everyday I think about my Daily Five centers.  I want to make sure I am giving the students the best centers that I know how to do and help them become a successful reader and writer.  I have always wanted to do this, but this year I REALLY want to since I know I will be missing 2 months of school for my maternity leave. 

The students and I are constantly talking about what they should be doing during the center.  I always ask them what the principal would want to see if he walked in.

I have noticed that the Word Work center is usually the loudest of the Daily Five centers.  Here are some of the things we are completing during this rotation.


Photo of Letter Bingo
Letter Bingo!

Wiki Stick Letters photo
Making letters with Wiki Sticks.

Photo of Playdough letters
 Making letters with Play dough.

Photo of ABC Puzzle
 Alphabet Puzzle

Right now we are really concentrating on learning our letters during Word Work.  I will add different items for the students to do throughout the year with sight words, words, and writing sentences.

I LOVE the Daily Five!  Again, I am so excited to be using it in my classroom.  By the end of the year, my class WILL be successful readers and writers! 

Does you use the Daily 5 in your classroom?  How is it going for you?




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3 comments:

  1. I'm definitely unveiling mine differently than it was given in the book, but I'm really happy with it so far. I feel like my kids have so much more authentic READING! I am having a hard time fitting in everything I want to do (especially because almost everyone on my grade level follows the basal), but I love that my students are upset anytime we miss a round of Daily 5. They really want to do it every day, so we get at least 2 rounds in! They are loving reading, and it's gone about as well as I could've hoped so far :)

    Jenny
    Luckeyfrog's Lilypad

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    Cynthia
    2nd Grade Pad

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