Funky Sock Monkeys in Daily 5 and CAFE Freebie

Back to Back Freebies!  This is the last of the freebies to align with decor sets.  I sure hope you understand but I'm ready move on to DATA!!!! This fulfills the last of my special request from to align with the decor units. Several buyers asked to have Daily 5 and CAFE posters added to match the theme.  I just completed the request and uploaded the file to my store as a freebie! This file, as with all, is a labor of love.  If you download, please take a minute to rate my product! 

If you love the file, click the first image to link for my Funky Sock Monkeys Daily 5 and CAFE freebie.  If you are interested in the decor unit, I have large visuals available to view by linking to my blog post (here).  The graphic below will take you to the unit in my store!  

Hipster Monsters in Daily 5 and CAFE Freebie

Happy Wednesday!  I hope your summer is going well!  I've split my time between working, creating, redesigning my home, organization, and rest.  I'm stopping in today with a special request from a few buyers who purchased my decor set.  They asked to have Daily 5 and CAFE posters added to match the theme.  I just completed the request and uploaded the file to my store as a freebie! This file, as with all, is a labor of love.  If you download, please take a minute to rate my product!  

 

If you love the file, click the first image to link for my Hipster Monster Daily 5 and CAFE freebie.  If you are interested in the decor unit, I have large visuals available to view by linking to my blog post (here).  The graphic below will take you to the unit in my store! 

Butterflies in Daily 5 and CAFE Freebie!

Happy Saturday!  I had a special request from a lovely lady who purchased my decor set.  She asked to have Daily 5 and CAFE posters added to match the theme.  I just completed the request and uploaded the file to my store as a freebie! This file, as with all, is a labor of love.  If you download, please take a minute to rate my product! 

If you love the file, click the first image to link for my Butterflies in Daily 5 and CAFE freebie.  If you are interested in the decor unit, I have large visuals available to view by linking to my blog post (here).  The graphic below will take you to the unit in my store!

Croptoberfest Work Stations, Daily 5, and Athens!

.
.
I've been working to introduce Daily 5 in my classroom  We used this wonderful chart I created.  It's my goal to keep rotations organized.  I allow students to make the first choice but once this has been made, the rest of the work stations will be a rotation! 

Notice the cute box near my daily five chart?  I made this too!  It hides holds the remotes perfectly!  Look closer!

This weekend my husband and I went on a road trip to Athens, Georgia to visit friends.  What a pretty town!  We seriously made employment inquiries during our visit. Check out some of the charm!

I was smitten with the campus!  BUT my heart still belongs to the Florida Gators!

During my drive, I prepared games for this upcoming week.  A little Daily 5 and Math Work Stations!  I'm gonna generate fall excitement with the an Autumn Appreciation Celebration on Friday!  Yay!!

 Click Image to Link

Here's a preview of my file..

Click to Enlarge

Daily 5: Chapter 4

This chapter began with understanding three ways to read a book.  This lesson is broken into two days: two ways to read a book (day 1) and retelling (day 2).  

To assist, I created posters for Read to Self.  As you may recall from my post on chapter one, my theme for the school year will be superheroes.  I wanted to create the center/work station poster to fit the theme. 

 Click Image for Free Download

I like that the sister practiced read to self with 3 minutes to allow students the feeling of success.  When I meet my goals, I create new goals.  Why shouldn't this sense of accomplishment be the same for a students' reading success!?!

The discussion check points are the key to a successful implementation of Daily 5.  Building a sense of right and wrong through demonstrations and I-chart.  You may recall the download on my post for chapter two which has suggestions for charting behaviors and graphics that can be used to enhance your anchor chart.

Lory, Lindsey, Anna, and I will be back on Monday with post for chapters 5 and 6.

Daily 5: Chapter 3

This chapter covers key materials, concepts, and routines.  If you missed my post for chapter 2, you'll want to link here.  I included a large freebie on how teachers in my district establish routines through anchor lessons.  

It surprises me to see the amount of elementary classrooms I've visited over the past several years that do not bring students to the floor for whole group instruction. I've often wondered why?!?  No matter the age of the child, a gathering place is essential.  The movement allows oxygen flow to the brain.  The space provides a safe, distraction free place to learn and communicate. 

This past summer I read Donalyn Miller's The Book Whisperer.  If you haven't had a chance to read this book, it will inspire you to learn more about your students decisions, empower kids to love reading, and give you the confidence to make appropriate book recommendations for various readers!  I created a kid friendly student interest survey to get to know my kids better.  Now that I'm heading to Kinder, I'll be sending this survey home.  Grab your free copy here.

Although it's important to understand students' interest to empower them to read more, the goal of Daily 5 would be to guide students to make decisions independently.  The sisters have developed an idea for Good Fit Books.  I've translated their idea into a kid friendly poster for you!

Click to Download

(Option One available for iPod fun)

Click to Download

(Option Two available for Shoe Lesson)

In the shoe comparison, the sisters discuss choosing different shoes to share with the kids.  Cleats, High Heels, Tennis Shoes, etc.  When displaying the heels, I may ask if these shoes would be a "good fit" for playing tennis.  The purpose of this lesson would be to guide students in understanding their is a purpose for choosing a "good fit" book. As the lesson develops, a large pair of men shoes are pulled out and placed on the teacher's feet.  This should lend itself to book s that are too hard to read and that we don't understand. 

As kids begin to understand the concept of I PICK, have them model in front of their peers.  This will help students understand how to choose a good fit book.  Revisit this concept throughout the year to help children avoid wandering aimlessly during their independent work. 

Daily 5: Chapter 2

There are six principles essential to implementing Daily 5...  

TRUST.  This principle develops as mutual respect between student and teacher is formed.  The start of my school year begins with district anchor lessons and goals of building positive behaviors in reading and writing.  Through these lessons, my students will gradually sustain more control of their learning.  With each lesson introduced, students will activate their schema and rely upon their previous learning experiences to have confidence in their newly acquired skill.  

I've worked to incorporate balance in my district anchor lessons and Daily 5...

CHOICE.  The only choice I've provided students would be literacy tubs adapted from reading Debbie Diller's Literacy Stations.  Each tub has a variety of scaffold activities for student to choose from.  This is called a controlled choice.  Students are still assigned a station to attend and rotate throughout the week.  I love the idea of choice as presented in Daily 5.  I'm still working on putting all the pieces together but found a few wonderful ideas through pinterest and wanted to share...

The idea pictured below can be used with the Captain Kid posters.  I can start the year with controlled choice and slowly release control as routines are established and trust is mutual.  

Response to Intervention Website

The next picture is linked to the how-to post.  You can learn how the poster was created and how the poster is used.  I love this concept because it incorporates meeting with the teacher.  She has offered her icons as a free download.  =D

Fabulous Flamingos in Second Grade

The next picture is my favorite.  I love using the smartboard as an option for students making a choice about their learning.  Once independence has been established and trust is mutual, I can see opening up this decision with 'big kid' technology.  The only problem presented would be the use of the board as an option for word work.

Tales from a K-1 Classroom

Just as I was going to publish this post, I found a wonderful files free for you!  Mrs. Meacham provides lots of freebies, pictures, and a smartboard file (pictured below) on her website.  Yay!

 

Choice begins with students understanding their plan for the day with five important questions. What are my goals in reading and writing?  Whom will I work with?  What will I accomplish?  What was I working on yesterday that I want to continue?  

Purpose + Choice = Motivation

COMMUNITY.  The concept of building community is not foreign to me.  I'm big on creating a sense of "family" and work to understand my students in and out of school. One of my favorite books to help build character and routines at the start of the year is Seven Habits of Happy Kids by Sean Covey.  We learn through our reading  that accountability and synergy is key for success!

SENSE OF URGENCY.  Humans are ingrained to ask why?  I was speaking to my colleague who says her two year old ask why so many times that she runs out of answers.  Getting results from students comes when we create a sense of urgency in learning by explaining why we do things. When students understand the reason behind the task then they become motivated and won't let anything get in the way of their success. 

STAMINA.  I love the analogy that stamina needed for the Daily Five is much like the stamina needed for physical exercise.  Understanding students fatigue in reading is similar to that of a person working out for the first time.  I've worked on student accountability and stamina for the past few year.  The kids maintain their own data notebooks.  SO I'm eager to incorporate class stamina charts or personal stamina charts this year.  

Ms. Fiorini's Stadium: All Star Ideas

Teaching with Style

STAY OUT OF MY WAY.  Oh.my.goodness.  I never thought about my interruptions throughout their independent practice.  While building stamina, I would circulate the classroom checking the progress, encouraging through praise, and giving reinforcement for on-task behaviors.  I interfered with their personal growth as the children looked for my acknowledgement to sustain reading.  It's no wonder I had a wonderful class but challenges with subs. 

This chapter was enlightening!  I see many areas of focus for the 2012-2013 school year.  I'm eager to reinforce these positive behaviors in Kindergarten and grow with the kids as we loop back to second together. So my question for you... How would you incorporate the questions highlighted in pink above with Kindergarteners?

Don't forget to link up your Daily 5 Chapter 2 post.  I'm eager to read your reflections!  You are welcome to link if you responded to other parties about Daily 5 Chapter 2.  Please take the time to link the post and not your blog.

Daily 5: Chapter 1

I'm in my 7th year teaching.  Reflecting back, I see many successes and failures.  I just so happened to get hired during a time when our school experienced outrageously high numbers of students in the classroom.  To remain in compliance with class size amendment, co-teachers were hired.  I had a remarkable co-teaching experience.  During my first year, my counterpart had completed her internship for the leadership program.  A veteran teacher, soon to be new assistant principal (and now principal), mentor, and a close friend... I had nothing but the best modeling expectations for me.  We had a very structured classroom and children were provided choice time through a controlled choice.  I did spend much of my free time, when folks would otherwise spend with their family, in my classroom preparing for the next day.  My husband is a police officer on the midnight task force so I had many free nights.  I look back at the many wasted hours of preparing work stations for students.  I stapled  writing books or cut out pieces to center activities and placed them in baggies. I checked their work for understanding and to determine groupings.  Everything was time consuming and micro managed.  I now think...Were the kids happy? I thought so... Were the kids engaged? They looked to be...  But now I wonder if it was all so robotic and scripted through consequences rather than a deeply ingrained sense of understanding! 

My goals as defined through my reading will drastically change this coming year.  It's my intentions to teach anchor lessons and practice skills until behaviors become habit.  I'll build a community by defining and practicing behaviors so that the kids build stamina. I'll attempt to incorporate strong self monitoring from students. And I'm releasing control to ensure I have a student led classroom which fits along side with integrating Dr. Marzano's nine strategies into reading.  

This coming year my theme will be superheroes.  I've already used Batkid and Superkid for common core standards... so I included Captain Kid for Daily 5.   Enjoy!

 

Click Image for Download

Yes... I have many new changes on the horizon.   I pose this question to you... What kind of self monitoring would you do with Kindergarteners?  

I'd love to read your thoughts but don't forget to link up with Lory!