This year we have implemented the Daily Five into our literacy block. During the time where I read one on one with students from their leveled readers, the other students are doing different stations that involve different areas of literacy. Each day we have three rotations that are each 20 minutes long. The students will have the opportunity to choose which stations they would like to do each day, but they have certain requirements for the week that they have to meet.
One station is called Read to Someone. This is a time where students partner up and read stories together. They are allowed to choose a book out of their book boxes, off the bookshelf, or one of our You Read to Me, I'll Read to You books. They take turns reading either a whole story or a page at a time with their partner. After reading, they may ask each other questions about the story or share why they liked or didn't like the story. This is great practice for reading out loud. It is also a great time for students to work together to figure out tough words.
The student's favorite station is Word Work. This station focuses on spelling and word building. The children practice spelling their spelling list words and tricky words using a variety of different methods. Children are able to choose from making play dough words, stamping words, using dry erase markers, making words with magnetic letters, and a fun activity called rainbow writing. When they rainbow write, they roll a dice to see which color they should use to write the words. The girls love this one- they enjoy using all different colors of markers, pencils, and pens! There will be different activities added throughout the year such as "secret code" words where students use picture codes to make their words and "eat your words" where students will make their words using cheez it scrabble and alphabits cereal. This station makes spelling fun and exciting!
Another favorite station is Listen to Reading. At this station the students get to choose a story to listen to at our listening center. If it is a special holiday or occasion, I may choose the book to go along with what we are studying in class. They get to listen to a book with a partner for the whole time. Many times they get to choose several fun books to listen to. Sometimes at listening center the children will have a comprehension check. I will either give them a listening center response sheet where they have to describe their favorite part of the story and draw and write about it or a graphic organizer to complete about the story. This shows that the children are really listening and comprehending the story during this time.
The main station that the children have to complete daily is Read to Self. Each child has a book box with books that are on their reading level that they will read each day. The students are allowed to choose two books that are on their reading level and one free, fun reading book. They keep the books for two days. During read to self, the children can read the books one of three ways : read the words, retell the story, or read the pictures. This is a time for the students to interact with text that is appropriate to their reading level . It is a also a time that they are able to read what they choose, rather than what they are told to read. Allowing students choice during this time is huge! They are able to tap into their own interests and opinions. Later on in the year, students will complete graphic organizers about their books on "Thoughtful
Thursday" to show me that they understood the plot and were able to comprehend the story that they read. After they have completed all of their leveled readers, they will also begin taking AR tests to show their understanding of plot and vocabulary words in the story.
All of these fun ideas make learning to read and spell fun for the children. Every day they get excited about which stations and activities they will take part in that day. Daily 5 gives the children many chances to practice reading, writing, and spelling in ways that are fun and engaging and that make sense to them. All of the different kinds of exposure to written and spoken text helps them to become fluent readers and writers.
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