Welcome to The Daily CAFE

We are passionate about professional development and have found a new way to support our colleagues all over the world who are trying out The Daily 5 and the The Cafe Menu, or Classroom Design in their classrooms. We have worked hard on this website for over a year, and believe it will provide you with a wealth of ongoing and updated professional development support right when you need it. Click play on the video below to learn a bit more about the community we are creating here for teachers, or click on this link About The Daily Cafe to read more about the site.

Some of you may be surprised that this is a subscription based resource. We have invested a great deal to make what we are offering the highest caliber possible. We think, once you look at the free samples and peruse the featured article blurbs, that you'll agree there is nothing else like this on the web to support your professional development. We hope you will be as excited about it as we are and that you'll decide to join us as we embark on this new web adventure.

Warmly,

Gail and Joan

CAFE - Curriculum Calendar (DOWNLOAD) During our CAFE classes, we share the form we use for mapping out our whole group lessons for the year. We refer to this as our Curriculum Calendar. Many of you have asked for a copy of our Curriculum . . . more . . . Quick Start Guide #5 - Launching Word Work (DOWNLOAD) Featuring: Launching Word Work Downloads and Video A video lesson demonstrating which words to practice during Word Work A classroom tour of Word Work Materials . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Tour Word Work Materials (VIDEO) Many of the questions we receive about Word Work revolve around materials. Children begin to internalize spelling when they can manipulate letters, touching and moving them into correct order. Michael Grinder calls it developing their "Muscle Memory". The materials we use are conducive to this manipulation of letters. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Launching Word Work - I Chart (VIDEO) Word Work is one of the last Daily Five components to be launched. In this video, Joan and Carrie introduce Word Work and record behavior expectations on the "I" chart. You'll notice that familiarity with this process makes launching go quickly and students are able to contribute desirable behaviors with ease. One student even refers to previous "I" charts in order to see what might be transferred to Word Work. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - An Organizational Tool (VIDEO and DOWNLOAD) Natalie came from a school with a very structured reading program. She loves Daily Five, but in her first year of using it, felt a need to come up with a structure for managing the morning so her focus lessons and the timing of each round felt intentional. She also wanted to ensure that she was meeting with each student in her room as their needs dictated. If you tend to be like Natalie in your love of structure and order, check out this video then you may want to download her tool to use yourself or to inspire you to create a system that perfectly matches your own style and need. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - What's In the Book Box? (VIDEO) Are you wondering what goes into our student book boxes? Joan is going to let you take a peek and explains the purpose behind each student having a book box of their own. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Quick Start Guide #4 - Launching Read To Someone (D0WNLOAD) This is the fourth in the series of Quick Start Guides for Daily 5. We have posted all the videos and downloads for this on one page for ease of use. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Read To Someone - Book Choice (VIDEO) Have your students ever had difficulty deciding which book to read during Read to Someone? You have probably witnessed the same thing we have...each partner brings their chosen book and the pair wastes considerable valuable reading time negotiating (or arguing) about who's book they are going to read...sigh. In this video, Joan and Natalie teach students three strategies for choosing what to read while modeling respectful behaviors. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Read to Someone - Picking A Partner (VIDEO) Choosing a partner is a very sophisticated strategy. We used to just say, "Pick a Partner and get to work." Moments later we'd be wondering why they were not being successful. Though we were tempted to discontinue the use of partners, we believed in the importance of partner reading, so we persisted to find a way to help make the procedure successful. After task analyzing the process of Choosing a Partner, we broke it down into a few steps that could be replicated each time students chose partners. In this video you will see Joan and Natalie teach these steps to Natalie's class. We teach this strategy during the first weeks of school, even before we launch Read to Someone, so they will be ready not only for that, but for partner work in all other subjects as well. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Debrief Picking Partner (VIDEO) In this video, Natalie and Joan converse about how things are going with the Read to Someone portion of the Daily Five. Natalie shares what is going well, as well as the things that need some fine tuning. If you have dealt with issues like students always choosing the same partner, trying to manage the number of students who select Read to Someone, or wanting to foster a culture of kindness and respect toward others, you'll enjoy the troubleshooting tips Joan shares. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Book Boxes - Changing the Books (VIDEO) Book boxes in a classroom are a wonderful tool used by teachers all over the world. In some classrooms they are magazine holders, in others, zip-lock bags. Whatever the material of the box, the allure of having a portable vessel to hold good fit books for children can be great. However, along with this wonderful tool in the classroom, there are always questions that arise, "How often do I change the books?" "How many books should be kept in each box?" "Where do the books in the student book boxes come from?" This week begins a two-part video series on books boxes. Week one addresses the management of the books, when to trade them and ideas on how to trade out the books. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Quick Start Guide #3 Work on Writing (DOWNLOAD) This is the third in the series of Quick Start Guides for Daily 5. We have posted all the videos and downloads for this on one page for ease of use. . . . more . . . Design - Ginny's Classroom Map (DOWNLOAD) It's hard for us to imagine that some of you have been back to school for weeks. Most of us here in the Northwest are just beginning our pilgrimage back to set up our classrooms in anticipation of th . . . more . . . CAFE - Literacy Cafe Menu Bulletin Board Headings (DOWNLOAD) We have received overwhelming requests from members to make available downloads of the Literacy Cafe headings we use on the bulletin board in our classroom. So here they are! There is a link below to each heading, one large 8x10 and one small 5x8, for you to download and print off if you wish. This is the only component of our Cafe Menu Bulletin Board that is teacher made. All of the strategy cards are created by students. We used to make the strategy cards on our computer, complete with beautiful fonts and clip-art, but now we don't. We've learned over time that the person who does the most work does the most learning. We sure learned a lot that year we created all the cards. What we learned is that the students didn't actually SEE the cards when we created them. Students never used the cards or referred back to them when they were created by us. Now, the words are in their handwriting and they like looking at the pictures their classmates create to illustrate the strategies. . . . more . . . Tip of the Week August 22, 2008 Literacy Cafe' Bulletin Board Headings We have received overwhelming requests from members to make available downloads of the Literacy Cafe headings we use on the bulletin bo . . . more . . . CAFE - Joan takes you on a tour of the Pensieve, or Conferring Notebook (VIDEO) One thing our colleagues are most curious about is our conferring notebook, or as we have nicknamed it, our Pensieve. This tool holds all of our most important thoughts and notes as we work with our children via whole group, small group and one-on-one conferring. Coming up with the "perfect" system for keeping anecdotal notes is a little like shopping for the perfect purse or briefcase. You know what it's like…you open it, take the stuffing out…imagine your own things in the various pockets and compartments, buy it….only to feel months down the line that there must be a more perfect version out there, and the hunt begins again. The beginning of each school year found us rolling out our new improved product, notebook, pen, card system, etc with joyful anticipation of how easy it would make our anecdotal recording lives….only to find there was always something about it that made us want to begin the hunt again. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Troubleshooting (VIDEO) The number one question we hear from teachers using Daily 5 is, "What do I do about students who struggle to sustain interest in independent tasks?" This video is the first in a series titled, "Troubleshooting Daily 5: Working with Kids Who Struggle with Independence." It features some of our favorite Trouble Shooting Tools being used with Alise, a second grade student who has a very difficult time staying in one spot and reading the whole time. Her off task behaviors are inhibiting her ability to grow as a reader. . . . more . . . Levels of Support for Barometer Children (DOWNLOAD) Wouldn't it be wonderful if every student was independent following the 10 Steps to Independence? "Ahh, yes." But we know that real life in the trenches of our classrooms each year provides us with a . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Quick Start Guide #2 (DOWNLOAD) This is the second in the series of Quick Start Guides for Daily 5. We have posted all the videos and downloads for this on one page for ease of use. . . . more . . . Daily 5 Literacy Block (DOWNLOAD) In our book, we created a visual look at the structure of The Daily 5 in the classroom. It is a variation of the traditional workshop model with a short, focused whole group lesson, brief whole group lessons in between each round and sharing at the end. The form below gives an alternate view of the Daily 5 Structure and comes from our friend Lynn Senecal, who has graciously agreed to let us share it with you. Lynn has taken the structure and moved it from our circular representation to a linear view. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Quick Start Guide #1 Read to Self (DOWNLOAD) This is the first Daily 5 we introduce to students. We typically teach this on the very first day of school, but you can choose any day to begin the Daily 5. This is Part I of Launching Read to Self. The Quick Start Guide Part II of Launching Read to Self will feature video relating to revising the "I" Chart and supporting our Barometer Students. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Three Ways to Read a Book (ARTICLE) We find this to be a foundational lesson before we introduce Read to Self. It's necessity became very clear one year as we were asking students to read to themselves and about one half of our first graders chimed in, "I don't know how to read". How could we possibly ask students to read silently if they truly did not possess reading skills? At that time we would partner students up or create a center for them to do, because they couldn't read words yet. We heard a similar story with our older students who were ELL, just arriving to our country and not being able to read English. Without . . . more . . . Daily 5 - First 5 Days of Preteaching Daily 5 Skills (DOWNLOAD) This Download is a visual representation of our first week launching Daily 5. We designed it after our book was written because so many teachers asked us, "What does your literacy block look like during the first days of school?" . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Check for Understanding - Whole Group lesson (VIDEO) The comprehension strategy 'Check for Understanding' is one of the first strategies we teach all of our students on the first days of school, along with "3 Ways to Read a Book" and "Good Fit Books" for our older students. This is one of the strategies we refer to as a "preteaching" lesson. We teach this strategy and reinforce it often, since it is a strategy readers do on their own and when reading with a partner. In this video, Joan team teaches with Natalie in her K-2 multiage class. Together they practice the Check for Understanding strategy in front of the class. This strategy lesson happens to be anchored to Read to Someone, which is a critical link in the success of Read to Someone. . . . more . . . CAFE - Joan and Daniel talk about goals for Maria (VIDEO) In this third of a three part video series, Daniel and Joan work together to set goals for Maria, one of Daniel's youngest ELL learners. After discussing what she already knows, they decide to move her forward by using something Maria is very interested in...the letters in her name. . . . more . . . Design - Classroom Supplies-a Simple Idea (VIDEO) One question we are repeatedly asked is, "What is the best way to manage our classroom supplies?" There are many "best" ways to organize, display and make student supplies accessible. Joan and her students love the sense of community that comes from sharing supplies. She'll give you a quick peek at what that looks like in her classroom via the video below. It used to be that we only thought about labeling supplies with pictures for our youngest learners. However, we have found going visual with as many things as possible provides scaffolding for our English Language Learners and helps prepare the way for the success of all, regardless of age. . . . more . . . Design - Library Makeover, Part III (DOWNLOAD) The past two Tip of the Week entries addressed Classroom Libraries, a Fresh Way to Organize. The first part of the series featured the process we went through to organize our class library. In the second portion, we posted a couple of looks at the library table of contents. In this third and final portion of the series, we focus on the tubs themselves. A big part of setting up a classroom library which empowers children to independently self select and return just right books is making sure the tub labels are child friendly. Some teachers have students create the labels for tubs as shown in the photo above. Others create the labels on their computer. Do whatever works best for you. We wrap up our Library series this week with copies of labels for tubs that you can use as is, or as a springboard for your own personalized library. . . . more . . . Cafe - One-on-one Conferring (VIDEO) This is the second video in this series, and we got excited when we watched it for the first time because it is a perfect example of a teacher really knowing and understanding more than their confidence level will let them believe. Daniel is a new kindergarten teacher. Joan offers him a conferring sheet that will scaffold his one-on-one instruction because he has a desire to glean more information from his observations and assessments in order to guide his teaching. You will notice as you watch that Joan doesn't really provide him with new information regarding Maria, but articulates and organizes what Daniel has already shared to confirm the direction he already believed was necessary. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Graphing Stamina (DOWNLOAD) We know from experience that making a goal visible helps us stay motivated to achieve it. Our kids aren't any different, so we use this graph to help inspire the growth of stamina in our rooms. We introduce it on day one and update it daily so students can see how long they were successful at Reading to Self, Working on Writing, etc. We have found that our students are able to push themselves a bit farther when we record their progress and make it visible. We think you'll like it too. . . . more . . . CAFE - Assessment Area (VIDEO) Joan is going to take you on a tour of the assessment area in her classroom and show you the system she uses for organizing her assessments. How she stores the data she collects so she can use it for instructional purposes really works for her. If you are looking for a way to organize and store your assessments, wondering what to do with assessment sheets once they are filled up, or hoping to design an assessment area for yourself, this video may be helpful. . . . more . . . CAFE - Conferring with Maria, a beginning reader: Part I (VIDEO) In this first of a three part video series, Joan and Daniel (a featured teacher on our site) confer with Maria about the letters in her name. Names are important and unique, and many kindergartners come to school with a real sense of urgency to be able to spell, write and read their own names. The conference focuses on the letters and sounds in Maria's name and really meets her zone of proximal development since she knows all the letters in her name except for one. Watch as Joan layers the conference with new learning and a look toward future learning. . . . more . . . Design - Classroom Libraries (SLIDESHOW) In this slideshow, you will see photos from the library makeover of our friend Lori's classroom as well as pictures of Joan's classroom 'den.' . . . more . . . Design - Phases of an Environmental Change This download details the phases we go through when making an environmental change in our classrooms or any classroom we help redesign. This is especially helpful if you are already in the particular classroom. If you are moving to a new school, you will skip the part where you move all the furniture out...you have already done that! This form dovetails with our other Design downloads . . . more . . . Design - A Fresh Way to Organize... Classroom Libraries When we set up our classrooms each fall, one of the spaces which require thoughtful consideration is the classroom library or 'den'. The way we plan for its use can mean the difference between a spac . . . more . . . CAFE - Accuracy, Flip the Sound (VIDEO) Flip the Sound is a powerful accuracy strategy that not only helps students figure out words independently, but aids them in the process of monitoring and thinking about their reading. Joan introduces the strategy to a delightful group of first graders, but it is a strategy that works with older beginning readers just as well in the context of a one on one conference. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Circular Graphic (DOWNLOAD) Here is one look at the big picture of The Daily 5 and how it works within a literacy block. This chart is similar to the graphic on page 14 of our book, The Daily 5. When we originally developed this form, it was in an effort to show the similarity between a traditional 'workshop' model and The Daily 5 structure. The biggest difference with The Daily 5 is that instead of one focus lesson, one work time, and one sharing time, three to five smaller workshops are woven into the literacy block. Each 'round' of Daily 5 includes a focus lesson, as well as an independent work time which allows the teacher to provide small group and one on one instruction. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - The Daily 5 Linear Graphic (DOWNLOAD) On page 14 of our book, The Daily 5, there is a circular graphic of how we originally visualized this structure. Then our friend, Lynn Senecal from the Quebec school system, showed us the linear representation she created. We love how her brain works and have found her depiction makes the structure clear for people who may struggle with our illustration. We are grateful to Lynn for giving us permission to share her graphic, and for letting us modify it to show how flexible the structure is for meeting the needs of various age groups as well as the differing time constraints facing each of us. . . . more . . . CAFE - Comprehension - Whole Class - Predict and Confirm (VIDEO) While working with the comprehension strategy of Predict and Confirm, Gail weaves in the processing strategy of Turn and Talk. Engaging all students in a whole group lesson can be difficult. At times it feels like the teacher is holding the conversation and learning with the one student who raises their hand the fastest and is called on most often. Turn and talk, moves students from being passive receivers of information to active constructors of meaning. Gail involves them in thinking . . . more . . . CAFE - Comprehension - Whole Class - Determining The Author's Purpose (VIDEO) How do we help students understand and utilize the strategy of determining importance? Christie tells her students the secret...we have to know why authors write. After turning and talking, Christie's students share out a couple of the authors purposes they discussed. Christie then nudges them to give examples of books and titles that validate their thinking. Our state learning standards require proof of student . . . more . . . CAFE - Expand Vocabulary-Use a Dictionary (VIDEO) In this video, Christie's whole group focus lesson is on Vocabulary. After reviewing the strategies her fourth graders already know and use when they come to a word they don't know the meaning of (read around the word and infer, ask a friend, read the smaller words within, etc.) she introduces the strategy of Using a Dictionary. . . . more . . . CAFE - Whole Group Expand Vocabulary (VIDEO) In this video, Christie works with a fourth grade student named Herman. She approaches the one-on-one conference with the usual focus on comprehension, and takes time to model a variety of vocabulary development processes and strategies that will help him reach his goal of increasing vocabulary. . . . more . . . CAFE - Vocabulary - Setting a Reading Goal (VIDEO) Ethan, a fourth grader, shows us how much students know about themselves as readers, especially if we ask. While vocabulary is his goal, Heather and Gail discuss how to monitor increased vocabulary, and how to structure an individual conference with a student who is reading above grade level. . . . more . . . CAFE - Literacy Cafe Menu (PHOTO) Thousands of you have asked to see a photo of The Café Menu in our Classroom. Here is a picture of Joan's Café Menu taken in early November of last year. The Café starts with the black heading titles at the top and the colored sheets below. Beginning the first day of school, we start introducing and teaching the strategies from the Café Menu. Once the strategies are taught and modeled for a few days, we have a child take a blank card from the cache of cards located in a clear pocket on the lower left side of the Café board, write up the strategy and post it in its correct place on the board. The Café Menu board is built together. Once each child has been assessed, together we look at the Café Menu and set their goal: Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency or Expand Vocabulary. Each child then takes a small sticky note, writes their name on it and puts it below the Café Menu title that corresponds with their goal. . . . more . . . Design - Consider the Walls "The quality of the classroom environment is one of the key non-verbal messages students receive in their schooling. Classrooms that are warm, bright, attractive, stimulating, and cared for send children a powerful message that the teacher values them as individuals and is committed to their learning and achievement. High-quality classrooms convey a sense of comfort, respect, and stability within which positive behaviors and learning skills can be developed." John Visser (May 2001) . . . more . . . Design - Classroom Architect Do you want to play around with redesigning your classroom and trying out different layouts without breaking your back? If so, you will want to check out this link. This web tool gives you the flexibility to look at different classroom layouts and move all the furniture in your classroom over and over again…with just the touch of your mouse. Put in the dimensions of your classroom and then slide around the different types of furniture based on what you have in your own room. The size of the furniture automatically adjusts to scale. . . . more . . . Design - Making Classroom Walls Work (SLIDESHOW) When we were beginning teachers our classroom walls looked very different than today. We used to have a different colored paper on each wall, with a variety of borders. We realize now having each bulletin board a different color; each border a different pattern creates high visual noise in our rooms. This noise can elevate the level of distraction for our at risk kids as well as turn the focus to the bulletin boards themselves rather than the thinking placed on them. Below is a slideshow of the boards in Joan's classroom showing how we can make our classroom walls work for us. . . . more . . . CAFE - Cross Checking Lesson Plan (DOWNLOAD) Cindy, a teacher at Gail's school, once remarked during a conversation, "I can teach the strategies if you give me a clue as to what you mean by 'flip the sound', or 'cross checking', etc. Shouldn't we all be consistent with our terminology and teaching so we don't confuse the students?" We realized she was right! We all peek at the CAFÉ Menu through the lens of our own background knowledge, and it would be really helpful if we could synchronize our understanding and vocabulary. . . . more . . . Daily 5 History - What Do The Kids Remember (VIDEO) While Gail was in Heather's fourth grade classroom, they took a few moments prior to introducing the Daily Five to review what the students remembered about it from their previous years. It was enjoyable watching and listening as they reminisced, sharing their most vivid memories of Daily Five, some of which surprised us. We also use this lesson to wrap up . . . more . . . CAFE - Accuracy Picture Clues (VIDEO) The power of utilizing pictures while reading can bridge the gap between being unable to read a new word and reading successfully, especially for our beginning readers and our English Language Learners. In this video, Janet works with a group of students who are beginning to break the reading code. The purpose of this lesson is to teach students how to use the pictures to figure . . . more . . . CAFE - Accuracy Cross Checking - Part I (VIDEO) As an adult, what do you do when you come to a word that you don't know or doesn't make sense? You probably use the strategy modeled in this video called Cross Checking. Cross Checking is an accuracy strategy as useful to emergent readers as it is to adults. It is the process of slowing readers down when they come to a word they don't know, or one that doesn't make sense, and applying the strategy to the unknown word. . . . more . . . Design - Conferring Locations (SLIDESHOW) Where do you meet with small groups of children or confer one on one with your students? Envisioning how to set up a classroom in a way that will accommodate the diverse needs of our students can be easy, once you've seen examples you like. This slide show will give you a tour of how Joan's room is set up to lead cozy small group instruction as well as individual conferences. . . . more . . . CAFE - Steps for Conferring (DOWNLOAD) When people started asking us to share what our conferences with children looked and sounded like, we had to step back and be really cognizant of the elements that created their structure. We began taking notes, writing down exactly what we were doing and saying, and e-mailing them back and forth to each other. As we poured over them, a common thread became apparent…we weren't focusing so much on what they were reading and how they liked it and when they thought they would finish, etc. (an informal conference), but had shifted to a conference that was more like a coaching . . . more . . . CAFE - Accuracy - Modeling How to Confer and Trade a Word (VIDEO) Gail models use of the conferring form during a conference with a second grader named Davis. Davis is just learning about goal setting and beginning to identify the strategies he uses. This conference is a great example of the "Trade a Word" strategy. You'll notice how Gail identifies the strategy for Davis and then layers "Cross Checking" onto his repertoire of accuracy strategies. The structure of a conference and the conferring form are . . . more . . . CAFE - Conferring Sheet Sample - Part I (DOWNLOAD) Our conferring used to consist of in-depth conversations with students which focused on their family, their feelings about reading, elements of story grammar and good summaries. We believed that in order to have a meaningful conference we had to have first hand knowledge of the text so we could hold them accountable for really reading, and not, as Cris Tovani coined, "Fake Reading." We were, to some degree, the reading police. Subtly over time our conferences took on the roll of support . . . more . . . Design - Classroom Seating Options (SLIDESHOW) Our friend Lori said she knows summer is over when she lays in bed at night and mentally moves furniture around her classroom. Thoughtful seating options have the power to make our classrooms work more efficiently and productively. So, if you are mentally or physically setting up your classroom for a new school year, you may want to look at the variety of seating options shown in this slideshow. . . . more . . . CAFE - Conferring Sheet with Icons - Part II (DOWNLOAD) This form reflects our newest form that we include in our Pensieve. We use it to scaffold teachers who are new to using a conferring notebook. It will help keep your conferences short and focused. This is the blank version of the Sample Conferring Sheet seen in the first part of this series. The icons are intended to be visual reminders of conference components, but if you prefer a form without icons, stay tuned for part three of this series. . . . more . . . CAFE - Conferring Sheet, Reading - Part III (DOWNLOAD) If you prefer a conferring form without icons, here it is. We run them back to back and keep a copy for each child in our pensieve. When the form is full of writing, we replace it with a clean one and transfer the full one to our assessment notebook or student file. These become an invaluable source for celebrating growth . . . more . . . The Literacy CAFE Menu (DOWNLOAD) CAFÉ is an acronym for Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency and Expanding Vocabulary, four research-based components critical to reading. We developed it as a guide and system to focus our instruction, help students set reading and behavior goals, monitor their progress--and do it all without losing our sanity! As teachers, CAFÉ enables us to stay focused on children's needs and goals as well as keep records that help us plan focused individual conferences, flexible small-group instruction and whole-class lessons. This CAFÉ menu identifies the skills and processes we've researched and . . . more . . . CAFE - Holding a Student Accountable for Reading (VIDEO) Do you find that your older students or your reluctant readers of any age are frequently abandoning books? Pam, a sixth grade teacher shows us one way to address this situation with her student Artur. Pam confers with Artur about his goal of reading twenty minutes each night and logging in details about his reading. After he shares many of his reasons for not reading for twenty minutes, Pam gets to the heart of the issue, he continues to abandon books. She sets the expectation that . . . more . . . CAFE - Fluency - Back Up and Reread (VIDEO) In this video, Kelly reviews Chloe's reading goal of fluency and the strategy back up and reread. Watch what happens to Chloe's pace when Kelly asks her to go back and reread to make the reading smooth. After that little reminder, Chloe moves from robot reading to the fluent pace of a proficient reader. Kelly sends Chloe off to practice the strategy of rereading . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Launching Read to Self (DOWNLOAD) Do you ever wish you had the Cliff Notes to a book you have read? We know exactly how that feels. While we were creating the Daily 5 we use to take note paper into our classrooms to jot down what to teach that day so we could also reflect on teaching and learning. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Read To Self, Day 2 (VIDEO) Would you like to see what day two looks like when launching Read to Self? Join this fourth grade class as they revisit and revise their "I" chart together as a class, adding behaviors that make it more reflective of what it looks like, sounds like and feels like to be reading to themselves. Gail notices that the chart is missing the "urgency" for Read to Self, so adds it to the chart in front of the students. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Check-In (VIDEO) Students "check-in" before they begin each round of the Daily 5. We call each child's name and record their choice in our Check-In Form. Students who can't decide what to work on during a rotation are asked to stay with us when the others go off to work independently. In this video, Heather brings 3 students up closer to her on the floor and coaches them through the thinking process of what to do during their Daily. You will even hear Heather explain to Sevilya what goals she . . . more . . . CAFE - Check for Understanding (VIDEO) Does conferring feel like a mystery or guarded secret to you? Are you wondering what a conference really looks and sounds like? Gail demonstrates that it isn't scary or complicated, just a combination of thinking, modeling, practicing and learning. Using a side by side approach, Gail models a comprehension conference using the strategy of Check for Understanding for Heather . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Launching Read to Self - Part III (VIDEO) This video of Christie's 4th grade students shows the process of taking the two dimensional 'I chart' for Read to Self and making it three dimensional. Students take their ideas and immediately apply them in practice, later reflecting and refining for success. When using The 10 Steps to Teaching and Learning Independence, you may wonder if Steps 4 and 5 (Model Most Desirable Behaviors, Model Least Desirable followed by Most Desirable Behaviors) are critical . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Launching Read To Self - Stamina Part II (VIDEO) Stamina may be a new word for your students. If so, listen in while Joan works with Christie and her students. She tells a story about stamina that we use with all grade levels. We relate stamina to running, because many students have background knowledge with running, being tired and pushing themselves to run a bit farther. Listen and watch the children begin to understand how stamina relates to reading. We believe teaching the students the word stamina will help them stick with reading, even when it is hard. Joan tells them honestly . . . more . . . CAFE - Conferring Notes (VIDEO) Heather, a fourth grade teacher, reflects on and shares her conferring successes and challenges. Heather is finding, like so many of us, that she has a handle on her higher needs students, whom she meets with daily, but she is wondering if she is meeting the needs of the higher level readers who don't require such frequent monitoring. The questions she has about how to stay focused on their goals and wondering what to write down when conferring . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Launching Read To Self - "I" Chart, Part I (VIDEO) Asking the class to think about and articulate what goes on the 'I Chart" for Read to Self is one of the vital steps for launching or fine tuning this critical Daily 5 component. When students define what it will look like, sound like and feel like when they are independent, they are enabled to understand and sucessfully meet the expectations. The chart content will be similiar, whether made in September or mid year, as in this video. The featured 4th graders create an I-chart together and have had some previous Daily 5 exposure. Classroom charts vary . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Launching Read to Self - Barometer Child Part IV (VIDEO) One of the most critical steps when implementing The 10 Steps to Independence is also one of the most difficult for teachers to do. Step 8, Stay Out of the Way, can feel counter-intuitive. However, we must situate ourselves away from the group, allowing children to practice without our interfering reminders to correct behavior or interruptions of praise. If we truly want to build independence, then this step is crucial . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Launching Word Work (VIDEO) In this video, Janet introduces for some of our youngest learners, the Word Work choice- 'Write the Room'. Janet models use of the tools required for this word work choice - whiteboards, markers and erasers. She also reminds them how to move around the room as they look for words - quietly and slowly, as well as how to clean up afterward. The children have had extensive exposure to these materials as well as how to move in the room. Pre-teaching both of these components prevents the need for exploration time and allows the focus to . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Word Work "I" Chart (VIDEO) In Daniel's Kindergarten Classroom, he and Janet have been using The 10 Steps to Independence to launch Word Work for the past 3 days. The class adds new thinking to the I chart daily, as they reflect and refine what they should look like, sound like and feel like during Word Work. This video shows the process of taking the messy, whole group chart and transferring it to a smaller . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Listen To Reading - Reviewing the "I" Chart (VIDEO) We all have days when our kids seem to have forgotten the expectations for one of the Daily 5 Choices. If it is just an off day for the class and things get back to business the day after, no problem. But what if the behavior seems to be getting worse? What should we do when independent behaviors begin to slip? This video shows how we revisit the "I" chart to review and remind the class what they decided Listen to Reading should look like, feel like and . . . more . . . CAFE - Conferring with a Beginning Reader, Part I (VIDEO) Have you ever been faced with a beginning reader, managed to help them progress in the reading process and then wonder what to do next? In this video, Daniel and Joan take a look at an emergent reader who has made Daniel wonder that very thing. Devlin is a very bright boy with an amazing vocabulary. He easily acquired letter recognition, letter-sound correspondence and knows many sight words. However, Devlin seems to have stalled . . . more . . . CAFE - Conferring with a Beginning Reader - Part II (VIDEO) We are tickled to introduce you to a hysterical kindergartner named Devlin. Joan models reviewing the phonemic awareness strategies of segment onset and rhyme and then moves into the review of blending the cvc words to build off of what Devlin knows. By the end of the conference, the instructional direction Devlin needed became clear and was recorded onto the Reading Conferring Form. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Launching Word Work - Part II (VIDEO) This video continues the introduction of Word Work. The "I" chart is filled with the brainstormed behaviors and a new chart entitled "Where do we get our words?" is begun. Though it might be tempting to save precious minutes by preparing this ahead of time, we think it is important to do it as a class. What we have learned is, if the students are part of the brainstorming process, they are doing most of the thinking and therefore most . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Launching Word Work - Part I (VIDEO) Word Work generates many questions for teachers and students. What materials are used? What words are practiced? Is this my spelling program? What about vocabulary? When are new words introduced and practiced? Because Daily 5 focuses on teaching the behaviors of reading, writing, listening and manipulating words, each teacher is able to bring their own curriculum, materials and favorite lessons to the structure and have them fit beautifully. Similarly, Word Work is a system for teaching children how to practice words, so your spelling, sight word and phonics programs can be infused into the structure seamlessly. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Adding Choice and Checking In (VIDEO) After Read to Self and Work on Writing have both been launched, we often feel a bit like we are standing on top of a mountain, admiring a view of great beauty. Students are actually reading and writing for extended periods of time and liking it. And we are loving it! Why would we mess with something that is going so well by throwing choice into the mix? We ask ourselves the same thing each and every year. Then we remember that there is a higher peak we can reach when we introduce choice. Students . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Lesson Debrief of Check In (VIDEO) Heather just taught the class how to check in by stating their goal and strategy. After the students go off to their Daily 5 choice, Gail and Heather debrief the lesson. They discuss how articulate the students were in stating their goals and strategies. Heather reminds Gail that the goals had recently been identified through individual conferences. She feels the students have real ownership in their . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Check In with Goal and Strategy (VIDEO) When we first ask students to "Check In", they do it by telling us which Daily 5 they will work on during that round of the Dailys. Eventually we teach them how to "Check In", by naming their Daily, their goal and finally the strategy they will practice. This video takes you into Heather's classroom as she introduces this more sophisticated "Check In". Before Heather introduced this "check in" procedure, she assessed all of her students reading and writing abilities, met with each student to discuss their strengths, helped them declare a goal and identified strategies . . . more . . . Design - Establishing an Environment for Learning (DOWNLOAD) A few years ago we started teaching classroom design courses, which have been very well attended. We all spend so much time in our classrooms that it isn't surprising we want them to be and feel beautiful. So, how can teachers get started when thinking through a new classroom design? This is the first tool we share when teaching our "Trading Spaces" classroom design courses, the strategies for working through a new design step by step . . . more . . . Design - Reflection On Classroom Environments (DOWNLOAD) Thinking back on our first years of teaching, the environment we created in our classrooms looked very different then than it does now. Yet at that time the space reflected what we believed; the teacher, needed to have complete control over the classroom, curriculum and childrens behavior. The room was set up for quiet since our teaching was evaluated on the amount of noise that was produced in our rooms; little noise...great teacher, much noise...teaching was deemed out of control. At one time in our teaching history we even had student desks in rows with our teacher desk looming in the front of the classroom facing the students. . . . more . . . Design - Layers of Classroom Design (DOWNLOAD) Have you ever thought of redesigning your classroom environment but didn't know where to begin? Setting up a classroom at the beginning of a new school year can be overwhelming. There is so much to think about...where do the student desks go? How about the paper on the wall, what about the teacher desk? With so many questions swirling in our heads, we needed a systematic way to reconstruct our rooms. This system really works for us, and we think it will help you as well. In fact, we follow these steps every time . . . more . . . Design - Seven Steps to Designing Physical Space (DOWNLOAD) Once the reflecting process and planning for your classroom environment is complete (or you are just tired of thinking about it and want your room changed RIGHT NOW) - these 7 steps may be just what you need to get started. When reconfiguring a classroom or moving into a new one, it can be tricky to see the space through new eyes. Some of the phrases that we hear or have used ourselves that interfere with change are, "I have to have the room set up this way because it's how I always do it." Or "My desk has to go over there." To begin with a clear head we move . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Check-In Form (DOWNLOAD) Oh yes, we have tried just about every Daily 5 check in system you can think of! We've had children fill out charts or choices in personal notebooks. They've placed their name, magnet, clothes pin or push pin on a bulletin board or white board. If you can think of it, we have probably tried it. After many years of experiments and countless gimmicks, charts, and ways to check in, we have found having children verbally check in and tell us their Daily 5 choice for that round, as in Nancy Atwell's "Status of the Class", to be the most efficient, . . . more . . . Daily 5 - I Pick A Good Fit Book (DOWNLOAD) What were you looking for the last time you went to a book store? How long did you stay? If you purchased a book, was it a challenging book or a "Good Fit" book? What factors went into your selection process? After we examined how we choose books, it changed the way we help children pick a perfect book. Reading "Good Fit" books is essential if students are to progress as readers.The real challenge is teaching children a simple method of choosing Good Fit books, giving them a tool they take with them each time they go to the library, book store or classroom book area. This simple, yet complex tool empowers children and their families to overcome that difficult statement…"I can't find . . . more . . . The Daily 5 Tasks - Creating a Sense of Urgency (DOWNLOAD) When we are committed to trying something new, it helps to have something concrete to refer to. If you are like us, you might want to download this quick reference to the Daily 5 Tasks. They have been neatly written and confined to one page so you can post them in your room or carry them in a notebook. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - 10 Steps to Teaching and Learning Independence (DOWNLOAD) This download is a staple for our Daily Five presentations. We think these 10 steps are what set Daily Five apart from any other system. These are the steps we use to teach students how to be independent at just about anything.In addition to Daily Five tasks, we've used them in Math, Science, even with . . . more . . . CAFE- Strategy Groups (DOWNLOAD) We have many options available to us when it comes to the delivery of literacy instruction. Whether we choose whole group, small group, one on one instruction or something else, we keep in mind that grouping children for instruction is a method for facilitating learning--it is not an end in itself. This little form - very simple, completely flexible, sometimes a bit messy, is the heart of managing our groups. . . . more . . . CAFE - Reading Writing Checksheet (DOWNLOAD) The reading writing check sheet is a big picture of who we have met with one on one. It is the first sheet in our pensieve and the second form we consult before standing up from a guided group to head off to our first conference during that round of Daily 5. The first form we check is the calendar. We look to see who we have made an appointment with, and make a mental note to visit with that child or those children first. Then we consult our reading writing check . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Launching Listen To Reading (DOWNLOAD) Listen to Reading is typically last to be launched. The routine and consistency with which we launch each Daily 5 component is predictable and comfortable for the children.This consistency, which carries over to each launch, allows Listen to Reading to launch pretty seamlessly. We still create an "I" chart for reference, but by now you can probably guess what goes on it! . . . more . . . CAFE - Writing Conferring Sheet (DOWNLOAD) This is the writing version of our reading conferring sheet. We run them back to back and keep a copy for each child in our pensieve. When we have filled the form with our conferring notes, we replace it with a clean one and transfer the full one to our assessment notebook or student file. See the links below for more information on conferring as well as conferring sheets that we have made availiable . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Launching Word Work (DOWNLOAD) Each of the Daily Five has a launching chart. By the time we introduce Word Work, students are very accustomed to the routine of starting a Daily Five component. This Daily starts with setting materials up and putting them away and builds on gaining stamina with the materials. Again, you will see a pattern to this Launching Chart. The consistent template will . . . more . . . CAFE - Whole Group Using 3 Stratgies (VIDEO) In this video with Ashley's class, Janet models 3 strategies in combination. Author's purpose and Text Features help deepen comprehension, and paying close attention to pictures helps expand vocabulary. The story she has selected supports the strategy instruction beautifully. Watch how she introduces these 3 strategies, involves the students in the learning, and then wraps up the lesson for the children by identifing the strategies and their use. . . . more . . . CAFE - Comprehension - Cause and Effect (VIDEO) As students become more sophisticated readers, Cause and Effect could be a strategy to assist with comprehension. On many state assessments, students must have a command over this strategy. In this video, Gail uses a simple text with Brayden in order to model Cause and Effect. He quickly adds his thinking and goes deeper with the meaning. As the conference closes, Gail anchors the strategy to comprehension, and shares that we utilize . . . more . . . CAFE - Fluency - Adjust Reading Rate (VIDEO) Kelly models reading fluency and the importance of adjusting rate by including the students opinions as she reads a book four times. They give her a thumbs up, down, or to the side, reflecting their assessment of whether it was too fast or slow. Kelly "adjusts" her rate as necessary, to make the reading smooth and expressive, like a real conversation. . . . more . . . CAFE - Accuracy - Chunking (VIDEO) Do you have a favorite way to teach a strategy? This is one tried and true favorite Kelly relies on when teaching children that many words have little words or chunks in them. This fast paced lesson is interactive, using children's visual, auditory and kinesthetic processing systems to practice the chunking strategy. Consequently, students in Kelly's class often try this strategy first . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Behavior Goal - Read the Whole Time (VIDEO) There are many scenarios that make trouble shooting necessary. While we typically do trouble shooting during the launching phase of a Daily 5, it may be necessary to pull some problem solving strategies out later in the year for students who lose focus and stamina. This is the case with Trevor, who had more control earlier in the year than he is currently demonstrating. A perfect place to address individual behavior issues is through a conference. Janet meets with Trevor in this video . . . more . . . CAFE - Comprehension - Remember What I Read (VIDEO) The other day Gail was reading with and assessing a first grader named Ben. He read beautifully, with precise intonation and prosody, perfect rate and flawless accuracy. It couldn't have sounded better. Gail was so excited about his progress that she couldn't wait to celebrate with his teacher. She finished up the conference by asking Ben to tell her about what he just read. He looked up at her quizzically and said, "I didn't know you wanted me to think . . . more . . . CAFE - Tips on Conferring with Children (ARTICLE) One of the biggest shifts we made when endeavoring to improve our conferring skills was to truly get up, move about, and start conferring with children one-on-one. We were accustomed to guided reading groups - staying in one area, and asking the children to come to us. Getting up and moving to confer with students can be a little scary at first, but once you begin, it's exciting. The first concern we had, and many teachers share, is about time. How long will each of these conferences take? How can we stay focused, given that there is so much we might tackle with each child? And what exactly is my role in the conference? . . . more . . .