We came, we saw, we presented! Thank you all who came to our presentation. We are so honored that you chose our session.
Preconference "selfie"
We had so many great questions. One question at the end of our session has prompted me to write this blog post. A participant asked, "When do you teach the Common Core standards?" Well, that is simple...the Daily 5 is Common Core. Let me explain a little more by giving you the full picture of my day.
Here is a rough schedule of our day.
7:55-8:15 Morning Work and Attendance
8:15-9:15 Daily 5 block
9:15-10:15 Math block
10:15-10:45 Shared Reading Block/Mini Lesson Time
10:45-11:15 Silent Reading
11:20-12:10 Recess and Lunch
12:15-12:30 Fundations (Phonic/Spelling block)
12:30-1:00 Special
1:00-1:30 Special
1:30-2:00 Writing
2:00-2:30 Science/S.S.
2:30-2:55 Snack and Assignment Notebook
2:55-3:05 Pack-up and go home
Where do I teach the Common Core? At the start of the Daily 5 block, I do a quick mini lesson. Remember mini lessons should be about as many minutes as your students age, but no more than 10 minutes. I reteach a reading strategy that I have taught previously during my shared reading block.
I save my new teachings for my shared reading time. I have blocked off 30 minutes for shared reading time, but as you can see I don't scheduled in bathroom breaks or flex time. My shared reading block usually is NOT 30 minutes because of this. My shared reading lessons are longer than 10 minutes, but I do try to keep them shorter for my students attention span. I often tell my students, "To be continued" if we need to end the lesson. However, I always challenge them to try the strategy that I am teaching them during this lesson.
This year we were given a work book! Eeek! Cue the scary music.
I am NOT a fan of workbooks. However, this one has almost been a blessing. (Never thought I would say that!) This book addresses all the reading Common Core standards in it. I start off my week with a lesson from the workbook. This is an introduction to one of the Common Core reading standards. The rest of the week I create shared reading lessons that helps up dive deeper into the standard and practice the various strategies. This book has given me a sort of scope and sequence to teach the standards in.
Here is an example...
Here was the first page of our workbook. It addressed CCSS RI.2.1.
On Monday we did this as a whole group. We added the strategy Ask Questions to our CAFE board under comprehension. This is why I highly reccomend reading and implimenting The Cafe Book.
On Tuesday we read a nonfiction book about spiders. Before we read the book, we wrote questions that we had. As we read the book we added more questions and wrote the answers down to our questions as we found the answers.
We continued in the same way with other non-fiction books on Wednesday and Thursday.
On Friday, just to spice things up and show the students that this strategy applied to fiction as well, I read the story, Where's Spot? by Eric Hill. We continued the same as we had all week.
After each shared reading lesson, I would challenge my students to ask questions before they read and to try stopping to check for understanding, by asking themselves questions about a book they were reading from their book bags.
While students are doing their Daily 5 task I am working with my guided reading groups. During guided reading groups I reinforce the shared reading lessons and strategies that we are working on in class. Again...teaching of the Common Core standards.
During silent reading students are practicing their reading strategies....common core in action! While they are reading independently, I am conferencing with students one on one. We read, discuss, and practice their strategies, which are all common core aligned.
At Pecatonica, we use Wilson Language Fundations program as our phonics/spelling program. This program is aligned to the Common Core standards. During this block is where I teach the foundational reading standards of Common Core. During word work for Daily 5 students are working on repeated practice of previously taught word wall words or "trick words" as they are called in Fundations. Sometimes, I will also have my students do word sorts, syllable sorts, or do other activities that were previously taught during my Fundations block. I never have students work on something that they have not been exposed to during our Fundations block!
We also use Write Steps Writing program to teach writing. This program is also aligned to the Common Core writing, language, and foundational standards. During this block is where I model writing for my students. Students also write during this time while I conference with individuals. During my writing for Daily 5 students have writing activities that reinforce previously taught writing skills.
There you have it folks. Our day in a nut shell. Please, don't let the Common Core standards steer you away from the Daily 5 and CAFE! Daily 5 is COMMON CORE. The integration of the standards are done through out the Daily 5 block and our day. I refuse to sell my soul to the Common Core Gods and sacrifice a balanced literacy program. I use Daily 5 time as the time where students are allowed to have the repeated practice of the strategies and standards that I have taught previously. That's what makes the Daily 5 program
rigorous. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me any time and I will do my best to answer your questions. Please share your Daily 5 experiences with me as well so we can learn from each other.
In case you did not get your coupon for your free Graze box, here it is! If you have not tried Graze yet, here is your chance with no obligation. I look forward to checking my school mailbox every Monday to find my week of healthy snacks nicely packed in the Graze box. For $6.95 each box...it is TOTALLY worth it!
