Week 3- Daily 5 and more!

A very exciting and busy third week of school!  I just am so surprised by how much a first grader does all day!!  They just go go go!!  There is definitely not time to be a kid.

Our basal book, Wonders, is confusing yet intense!  I have found my groove with the series.  It takes me about all day to finish everything and Daily 5, but I can see it clicking with my 'staches. (Thank you Smedley's Smorgasbord for the idea of calling my kiddos staches) Wahoo!

Here's some pictures of our week!

My 'staches are doing AWESOME with Daily 5!!  They built their stamina so quick compared to my kindergartners.  This week we started all 5 of Daily 5 at the same time!  The 'staches love being able to choose their center. 

Here are two of my boys doing Work on Writing.  I have a writing table setup that they can use or they can write in their journal.  The whole class is loving this writing center table!

Here are two of my boys doing Read to Someone!  I love how they are sitting, EEKK!!  I also love how focused they are on what they are supposed to be doing!!  Good job Boys!!

Our Listen to Reading center is on our computers.  Right now the students are practicing their skills that have been taught this week in our Wonders series. I do like how this series has an online practice.  The 'staches are loving the games online.

The next Daily 5 I have a picture of is my Word Work center.  I have 4 different options so far for Word Work.  The 'staches can put their spelling words in abc order, stamp their words, rainbow write their words, or use tiles to make their spelling words.  I have their words written on my board so they know which words to practice.  This has been a favorite of the 'staches!

The last Daily 5 picture is Read to Self!  My 'staches each have a book box with Good Fit Books in it.  They can sit anywhere in the room and read!

For Math this week we finished up our addition chapter.  This picture is addition story problems.  I gave my 'staches a white piece of paper and we talked and figured out the story problems step by step. 

1. Restate the question.  What do we have to do?

2. Make a part, part, whole box and figure out what the story problem gives us and what we have to figure out.

3.  Draw a picture to figure out the problem.  

4.  Write a number sentence.

We have 5 problems on this paper to complete.  It took us over an hour to complete it since we took it apart and really understood what we were doing.

Every day this week we had to figure out different ways to make a certain number.  This little 'staches is using dots to help him figure the different ways out.  I had all the students use the dots so they could visually see how to make the different numbers.

                                      

After our math and language arts was finished for the day we had science to learn. (Like I said before, go go go!) This week we are learning about our bodies.  On this day we are learning about our skeletal system and our muscular  system.  Slim Goodbody is a great source to watch to have the 'staches understand the concept.  Plus, he cracks me up with that suit on.

I hope you had a great week!!

Have a Wolfelicious day!

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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. 

 
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.

Letter Bingo!

Making letters with Wiki Sticks.

 Making letters with Play dough.

 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?