The Structure of the Daily 5 in the Classroom

In our book, The Daily 5, we created a visual look at the structure of The Daily 5 in the classroom. It resembles a traditional workshop model showing each round of The Daily 5, the whole group lessons in between each round along with sharing at the end.

The form below gives another look at the Daily 5 Structure in the classroom. It comes from our friend in Quebec, Lynn Senecal, who has given us permission to share it with you. Lynn has taken the structure and moved it from the circular look of a traditional workshop model and made it very linear. She shows all five rounds, with the whole group instructional times in between each round. We love this form as much as we love our friend Lynn.

http://www.thedailycafe.com/public/291.cfm

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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.

http://www.thedailycafe.com/members/292.cfm

Wouldn't it be wonderful if each year we had a group of kids who could become independent by merely doing the 10 Steps to Independence? Alas, this is rarely so and at the end of each year we often reflect most fondly on some of the children who we supported the most. Seeing their growth and progress somehow means even more to us than that of others.

Since we finished our book, The Daily 5, we have begun to put into writing different levels of support we provide to our kids who need extra help to become independent. We noticed that many years we had students who seemed to consistently be the barometer children, or those who had the least amount of stamina.

The form below, Levels of Support for Barometer Children, identifies five levels of support we offer these students. This article is the first in a series of two articulating the first two levels of support for Barometer children.

http://www.thedailycafe.com/members/293.cfm

Launching each Daily Five occurs over the course of a few weeks. Many of us know what the first day looks like when introducing each of the Daily Five. But what about the second day, how is it different from the first?

Watch Gail, Heather and her fourth graders as they show you the second day of launching Read to Self and review the "I" chart from day one. Notice how behaviors are added to the chart. Gail forgot to add "the sense of urgency" on the first day, she realizes it on this second day and adds it to the I chart in front of the students.

As the video progresses Gail asks students to think about their strengths when Reading to themselves and then has them articulate to a partner what their goal will be while building their reading stamina. In addition to what you are seeing in this video, each day we review the 10 Steps of Independence, and build stamina.

http://www.thedailycafe.com/members/164.cfm

As many of us are setting up our classrooms for the fall, considering a variety of seating options can make our classrooms work more efficiently and productively. Check out this slide show for a variety of seating options in a classroom.

http://www.thedailycafe.com/members/196.cfm

Until next week!