The Daily 5 is more than a management system or a curriculum framework - it is a structure that helps students develop the daily habits of reading, writing, and working independently that will lead to a lifetime of literacy independence.

Since the publication of The Daily 5, our learning about each component has flourished. We continue to study our children, refine the structure, and fine-tune our teaching.

In this section, you will discover our newest thinking and refinements, tailored to specific grade level bands. We look forward to meeting your needs as you read written support documents, listen to podcasts of conversations about our learning, and view The Daily 5 in action through web video.

Daily 5 - Reviewing for Success It's time for a much needed and much deserved winter break! Before you leave, you might want to jot down your lesson plans for the week you return, so you can avoid what we term, "Sunday Night Blues". You know the feeling you get when you haven't thought about school for a day or two, and you realize you need to go in a little early to prepare lessons you didn't have enough energy to do before you left on Friday. We suggest you write "Review Daily 5 'I' Charts" in your literacy block. We have found the first few days after a long break can be like starting over. Stamina is shorter, behaviors are a little bumpy . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Work on Writing - Word Choice(VIDEO) This small group of writers is meeting with Gail and Natalie to discuss word choice. Gail uses 2 different pieces of writing to demonstrate the purpose of finding the right words. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Parent Choice Awards (Website) Have you been so focused on assessments, instruction, planning, etc. that you didn't notice the holidays sneaking up on you? Are you starting to panic about buying, wrapping and baking? We'd love to help, and you will love this link to The Parent's Choice Awards site. The Parent's Choice Awards program honors the best in books, music, games, and more for children of various ages, backgrounds, skills and interests. You are sure to find some treasures there! Here's a favorite tip from Gail . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Keep The Children Reading (Article) Are you looking for something inspiring to include in your monthly newsletter before the holiday break? Are you wishing you could impart an urgency in your kids, so they won't abandon reading during their time off? Would you like to help parents with creative ideas to keep the literacy lamp burning? . . . more . . . Daily 5 - I Don't Know What to Write (DOWNLOAD) "I don't know what to write about!" Do you ever hear those words in your classroom? Sometimes those seven words evoke the same emotional response in us as when a child says, "I think I'm going to throw up." When someone says, "I think I'm going to throw up." we run for the trash can, plug our noses, and escort them quickly to the nurse's office. Hmm…maybe if we did that with our stumped writers they'd have something to write about. Daily 5 is all about the fluency of writing and giving students time to practice writing. . . . more . . . Daily 5- Regarding Parent Volunteers A few things come to mind when we think of parent volunteers. We value and appreciate this valuable resource, but with the economy the way it is, more and more parents have to rely on two incomes, creating less time for them to offer support in the classroom. While we value and rely on parent volunteers in our classroom for everything from Cinderella chores to helping students memorize math facts, we hold our Daily 5 time as sacred, and respectfully ask that parents provide their help and assistance outside of that block. . . . more . . . Q- What if my students have already had experience with the Daily 5? Won't they be bored? A Colleagues are frequently concerned about students who've had one or more years experience with the Daily 5. Will they be bored? Will their learning become stagnant within the familiar framework? . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Modeled Writing and Heart Words (VIDEO) Years ago we bought a professional development book that was all about modeled writing. The book was good, but produced in us a great yearning to actually see it in action. What did it really look like and sound like with children in the room? We recognize the power of real modeling, so here is your chance to see Joan in action with her little ones. Joan does a great job of of modeling and reinforcing a variety of strategies and writing targets in this short (6 minute) focus lesson. She gets an idea, prewrites verbally, discusses conventions, refers to heart words, models what to do if we come to a word that doesn't look quite right, rereads to make sure it makes sense, and adds a simile to create a clear picture in the mind of her audience. We laugh every time we hear the suggestion that the worm was as big as a.....TRUCK! . . . more . . . Daily 5 - A Website for Listen to Reading Websites are such a valuable tool! We heard from many of you regarding our list of wonderful websites for Listen to Reading. We'd like to add another, and thank the many friends who wrote about . . . more . . . Q - Daily 5 is up and going and I just got a new student. What do I do? A We always celebrate the arrival of a new student! We truly believe that if they were placed in our room it's because we need them and they need us! New students provide a perfect and often timely opportunity to review, with a purpose, what we are all about. . . . more . . . Design - Gathering Space and Focus Lessons (ARTICLE) When creating a culture for learning and independence, two of the essential pieces are a gathering place and focus lessons. A gathering place is an open space large enough for the whole class to gather while sitting on the floor. The space also includes a chart rack and white board for focus lessons, class created anchor (or living) charts, an overhead projector or document camera, Café Menu board and other teaching materials. We have a gathering place in every classroom we teach, regardless of the age level. Even intermediate aged students benefit from this gathering routine. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Listen to Reading Websites (DOWNLOAD) Joan was on her way to confer with a student when she froze in place, puzzled by what could be making a very distracting whirling noise. She deftly scanned the room and realized a chief rascal was missing in action. She raced to the source of the noise, the little bathroom adjacent to her room, and there sitting on the floor was Mariano, with what used to be a basket full of audio tapes on his lap. She entered in time . . . more . . . Check-In Daily 5 (VIDEO) Calling all kindergarten teachers! -- if all of your Daily 5 components are up and running, you might enjoy this video demonstrating how to help children learn check-in procedures. You witness the beginning stages of teaching children how to think of and express what their first choice will be in order to speed up the check-in process. You will also observe Joan reminding students to check-in with the materials and words they are using for word work. This process begins to lay the gro . . . more . . . Daily 5 - What Sets Daily 5 apart for Students (DOWNLOAD) Daily 5 is more than just five tasks. It is a system to teach all students the behaviors of independence and a structure to manage a literacy block. There are distinct and unique features to the Daily 5 which set it apart from other systems or structures we have used in our classrooms. We divided these features into two sections: What sets Daily 5 apart for teachers? What sets Daily 5 apart for students? . . . more . . . Q: How does my room arrangement affect The Daily 5? A: Our current room arrangement includes areas such as: The Gathering Place, The Den (classroom Library), small private work spaces, work spaces that can accommodate small groups of children, and open spaces for larger working groups. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Check for Understanding - Partners Reading(VIDEO) Check for Understanding is the workhorse of comprehension strategies. It is the one we consistently use, either consciously or unconsciously throughout our lives. It is so critical to comprehension that we teach it and revisit it during whole group and small group instruction, as well as during individual conferences. One of the places we encourage children to use this strategy is while they are Reading to Someone. . . . more . . . Q: Could I see a sample of your schedule? A: We know that every classroom, school, school district and even state has its own idiosyncrasies with daily classroom schedules. Some years we get the most wonderful schedule ever, and other years - not so much. Seeing the way other teachers have scheduled their day can open up a whole new way of looking at our schedule, or it can affirm the decisions we have made. Check out these schedules below. We hope you have created your own coveted schedule!! . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Good Fit Books for Intermediate Students (ARTICLE and DOWNLOAD) A few days after teaching the Good Fit/Shoe lesson, our good friend, Lori Sabo, teaches another object lesson that presents a powerful image for children, in particular our older students. Included with this page is a copy of her Good Fit Bookmarks. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Supporting Individuals Choosing Good Fit Books When a child asks for help (or it becomes apparent to us that they need help) finding a Good Fit book, we go through the same process each and every time. First we ask them what their purpose is. They might want to do research for a report they are working on, or find a new author to love, or get lost in an entertaining story during Read to Self. . . . more . . . Q: I have a question about procedures during the stamina building training period of the Daily 5. A: I have a question about procedures during the stamina building training period of the Daily 5. When the teacher goes to the assessment/small group area during the training time, the teacher just sits there quietly, not making eye contact right? Does the teacher do this all the way up to the 30 minutes total time during the entire training period? . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Picking Good Fit Books (ARTICLE and DOWNLOAD) Reading "Good Fit" books is absolutely imperative if students are to progress as readers. Children must spend the majority of their independent reading time engaged in books which they can decode and comprehend at very high levels. The challenge is how? How do we impart the urgency and know-how so students can successfully self select books they have a purpose for reading, are interested in, and can read as well as understand? . . . more . . . How much time for building stamina? (DOWNLOAD) One question that frequently arises as teachers begin their journey into Daily 5 is, "When do we move from practicing and building stamina for Read to Self to introducing the next Daily 5?" We typically begin introducing the next Daily when students can sustain the following minutes of stamina: . . . more . . . Quick Start Guide #6 - Launching Listen to Reading and Sharing (DOWNLOAD) Here it is, the last in the series of Quick Start Guides for Daily 5. This Quick Start Guide #6 takes a look at launching Listen to Reading as well as the Sharing component, which takes place at the end of Daily 5 each day. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Substitute Plans (DOWNLOAD) So many teachers love Daily 5 but worry about what to do when they must be absent from the classroom. "How do you explain to a guest teacher the structure of Daily 5?" "Do you have guest teachers lead your guided groups?" These are just a couple of the questions we are asked repeatedly by Daily 5 users around the world. Below are a couple of different looks at Substitute Plans. We are including our plans as well as those from two dynamite teachers, Patti Johnson and Angie Freeland, who are from Stoney Creek Elementary in Michigan. We had the joy of meeting them in Illinois last spring and with their permission, we are sharing not only their plans for when a guest teacher is in their rooms, but this note from them as well: . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Independent Work with Kindergarten (VIDEO) We once saw a sign on a classroom door which read, "Teaching kindergarten is like trying to organize earthworms." Those of you who teach classrooms full of nothing but ego-centric five year olds may be saying, "Amen, Sisters!" So, what does Daily 5 look like in a straight kindergarten (as opposed to the K-2 example already posted)? Let's peek into Joan's Kindergarten as the youngest learners in the school work independently with their Daily 5 choices and she sidles up to cozily confer with her little individuals. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Whole class Independent Work (VIDEO) What does a real live classroom really look like when all of the components of Daily 5 are up and running? We get to peek into Carrie's K-2 classroom. Her students have been taught independence for all of the Daily 5 components and have been given the element of choice when determining the order with which they will participate in the components. You will see Read to Self, Read to Someone, Work on Writing, Word Work and Listen to Reading taking place simultaneously. . . . more . . . Quick Start Guide #5 - Launching Word Work (DOWNLOAD) You will find all the downloads and videos to support your launching of Word Work, right here. There are 7 different support materials linked here for you to view and read when you are ready to launch Word Work. . . . 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 . . . Parent Letter Introducing Daily 5 (DOWNLOAD) The beginning of a new school year is an exciting time, particularly when we come back to school with new learning that we believe will enhance our children's time in the classroom. Sometimes the changes we make to the environment or the curriculum can be difficult for parents. We are one of the few professions in which everyone has experience to draw on because we all went to school. It can be especially challenging when parents and guardians wonder why our classroom looks and runs differently from that of their childhood. When we were doing the Daily Five with students and parents who were new to the routine, we found the transition went much smoother when we introduced it with a short letter. Parents enjoy knowing how their children will be spending their time and we want to assure them of how well we will be caring for their child each day. Since a structure such as The Daily 5 may look vastly different from what their own schooling looked like, a beginning of the year letter can help dispel fears, and answer questions. Below is a sample copy of a beginning of the year letter introducing The Daily 5. We left it as a Word Document so you can feel free to use parts or all of it. . . . 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 them out. . . . 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 . . . Daily 5 - Troubleshooting (DOWNLOAD AND 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 . . . Five Levels of Support for Barometer Children (DOWNLOAD) Wouldn't it be wonderful if every student was independent following the 10 Steps to Independence instruction? "Ahh, yes," we think as our minds momentarily float in that pleasant day dream. The truth is, the daily routine we are embroiled in provides us with rich opportunities to practice patience and provide support to that one child (or possibly few children) who will not be successful without additional practice and scaffolding. It is worth our effort! At the end of the year, we often say "Ahh, yes." for real when we see the growth and progress that our most challenging students have made. The specific steps we take to scaffold Barometer Children are outlined below. . . . 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 . . . 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 space where children independently find, read and return good fit books, or a space that becomes an eyesore which requires constant management from us. The classroom library can function as the heart of the room, or its Achilles heel. For years we grappled with the 'perfect' way to organize our c . . . 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 . . . 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 . . . 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 . . . 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 . . . 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 . . . 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 . . . 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 . . . 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 . . . 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 . . . 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 . . . Daily 5 - Launching Read to Someone (DOWNLOAD) Start teaching the many behaviors of Read to Someone well in advance of the day you launch it. This launching chart will help you identify the important behaviors, for example, how to sit next to your partner, what book to read, and how to choose a partner. Take it slow with this Daily. Preteaching the behaviors will make the actual launch go very smoothly. . . . more . . . Daily 5 - Launching Work on Writing (DOWNLOAD) The first day we introduce one of The Daily Five components, we say we are launching that Daily. After reading about launching Word Work, you may want a quick reference sheet. That is what the launching charts are all about. We are hoping to provide you with a synopsis of the most important information, a . . . more . . . How do I fit it all into a half day Kindergarten? (DOWNLOAD) How do I fit it all in? As a half day Kindergarten teacher, the precious minutes of each day with our youngest learners seem to zoom by with blinding speed! Not only do students come to school with little or no stamina, the developmental spread between them can be overwhelming. Some enter school never having been away from mom before, or with no recognition of letters or the ability to write their own name. Some have had years of preschool and are reading; while all the others seems to fall somewhere in between. How to best utilize our children's time is always a hot topic when we converse with K teachers throughout the world. . . . more . . .