Dear Parents,
Welcome to a new school year! I know each year in your child’s schooling presents new expectations and routines for you and your child to become familiar with. My goal is to introduce classroom routines and structures in a way that removes all of the guesswork from the children and allows them to concentrate fully on learning. In reading, the classroom structure I use is called "Daily Five". Soon your child will be talking about "The Daily Five" at home. The purpose of this letter is to explain to you what The Daily Five is and what you should expect to see at home.
The Daily Five is a literacy structure that teaches independence and gives children the skills needed to create a lifetime love of reading and writing. It consists of five tasks that are introduced individually. When introduced to each task, the children discuss what it looks like, sounds like, and feels like to engage in the task independently. Then, the children work on building their stamina until they are successful at being independent while doing that task.
When all five tasks have been introduced and the children are fully engaged in reading and writing activities, I am able to work with small groups and confer with children one on one. This structure is effective, the results are amazing, and the children really look forward to Daily Five time. Ask your child about Daily Five and see what he/she has to say. I anticipate your child will tell you about the class stamina, how we are working towards independence, and maybe you will even hear about some of the fantastic things your child has written, read, or listened to during our structured reading time.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.
Thank you for your continued support!
Mrs. Maxwell
Welcome to a new school year! I know each year in your child’s schooling presents new expectations and routines for you and your child to become familiar with. My goal is to introduce classroom routines and structures in a way that removes all of the guesswork from the children and allows them to concentrate fully on learning. In reading, the classroom structure I use is called "Daily Five". Soon your child will be talking about "The Daily Five" at home. The purpose of this letter is to explain to you what The Daily Five is and what you should expect to see at home.
The Daily Five is a literacy structure that teaches independence and gives children the skills needed to create a lifetime love of reading and writing. It consists of five tasks that are introduced individually. When introduced to each task, the children discuss what it looks like, sounds like, and feels like to engage in the task independently. Then, the children work on building their stamina until they are successful at being independent while doing that task.
When all five tasks have been introduced and the children are fully engaged in reading and writing activities, I am able to work with small groups and confer with children one on one. This structure is effective, the results are amazing, and the children really look forward to Daily Five time. Ask your child about Daily Five and see what he/she has to say. I anticipate your child will tell you about the class stamina, how we are working towards independence, and maybe you will even hear about some of the fantastic things your child has written, read, or listened to during our structured reading time.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.
Thank you for your continued support!
Mrs. Maxwell
Read to Self
The best way to become a better reader is by practicing each day, with books the students choose and are a "Good Fit".
The best way to become a better reader is by practicing each day, with books the students choose and are a "Good Fit".
Read to Someone
Partner reading allows for more time to practice strategies, helping to build fluency, check for understanding, hear their own voice and time to share in this learning community.
Partner reading allows for more time to practice strategies, helping to build fluency, check for understanding, hear their own voice and time to share in this learning community.
Work on Writing
Just like reading, the best way to become a better writer is by practicing writing each day.
Just like reading, the best way to become a better writer is by practicing writing each day.
Word Work
Expanded vocabulary and correct spelling allow for more fluent reading and writing thus speeding up the ability to comprehend what is read and get thinking down on paper. This time also includes work on Words Their Way.
Expanded vocabulary and correct spelling allow for more fluent reading and writing thus speeding up the ability to comprehend what is read and get thinking down on paper. This time also includes work on Words Their Way.
Listen to Reading
Hearing good examples of literature and fluent reading expands your vocabulary, builds stamina and helps you become a better reader.
Hearing good examples of literature and fluent reading expands your vocabulary, builds stamina and helps you become a better reader.
Pick books that you 'CLICK' with
The students are taught from day one about choosing and selecting books that are just right for their reading level. They are called "Good Fit Books".
C - Do I Connect with the book
L - Is it the right length for me?
I - Is it interesting?
C - Can I count 5 words that are too hard? Maybe not the best book.
K - Do I have knowledge about the topic?
C - Do I Connect with the book
L - Is it the right length for me?
I - Is it interesting?
C - Can I count 5 words that are too hard? Maybe not the best book.
K - Do I have knowledge about the topic?
3 Ways to Read a Book
Check for Understanding
This is a comprehension strategy that teaches children to stop frequently and check, or monitor, if they understand what they are reading.
Often as beginning readers, children are so aware of reading accurately that they forget to take time and think about what they are reading, checking to see if they understand the text. Advanced readers can develop the habit of reading through the text without monitoring if they were aware of Checking for Understanding as beginning readers.
This vital strategy is not only one of the first we introduce, but is also one we model frequently throughout the year.
When students are Reading to Someone, one partner holds a wooden or foam shape check mark. This helps them to remember their job of listening and retelling what their partner just read. Then they switch, the other student reads as their buddy holds the check mark and this time they "check for understanding".
Often as beginning readers, children are so aware of reading accurately that they forget to take time and think about what they are reading, checking to see if they understand the text. Advanced readers can develop the habit of reading through the text without monitoring if they were aware of Checking for Understanding as beginning readers.
This vital strategy is not only one of the first we introduce, but is also one we model frequently throughout the year.
When students are Reading to Someone, one partner holds a wooden or foam shape check mark. This helps them to remember their job of listening and retelling what their partner just read. Then they switch, the other student reads as their buddy holds the check mark and this time they "check for understanding".
Book Boxes
Each student in my room has a sturdy book box . Their book box contains "Good Fit Books" they have chosen, 6 books at their assigned reading level and their Writer's Notebook for Work on Writing. I let my class "Shop for Books" throughout the week. They LOVE this part and they can't wait to choose new books each week. This builds a sense of responsibility and provides these young readers a way to monitor their own reading abilities. The levelled books will be coming home as part of their home reading program.
Building Stamina
Many parents are amazed to hear their child speak about building "stamina". It's not a typical word you hear first graders say! When we begin teaching The Daily 5 parts, the first time we model, instruct, and demonstrate how to do this skill, the students start on their own for 3 minutes. Every day we add a few more minutes, eventually building their stamina to 20 minutes. The students "build stamina" for each part of Daily 5.
What is the teacher doing during Daily 5?
Explicit modeling, practice, reflecting and refining takes place during the launching phase, preparing the foundation for a year of meaningful content and instruction tailored to meet the unique needs of each child. After weeks and months of modeling, practicing, and building stamina for each Daily 5 part, the students become very independent and are on "automatic pilot". They know these routines, they look forward to them each day. In fact, they are disappointed if we don't get to all five if there is something special in our day. This automaticity allows the teacher to work with students one on one, in Skills Groups, or Guided Reading. The teacher can give assessments tests and can confer with students individually to discuss how they are developing as readers and writers and discuss their goals.