Daily 5 Book Study Chapter 6

Work on Writing:

Writing is one of my favorite parts of Daily 5 because it is so important for kids to have a time to free write during the day. I find that it can also be a difficult time to get first graders to stay on task and not just work on their pictures after 2 sentences in the beginning of the year. Over time though my students get the hang out it and produce some wonderful work. One way to help them with ideas is to get them to get a heart map and to write class books. 

On Friday after Daily 5 I give my students the chance to share any of their writing from that week. They get to sit in the rocking chair and read their work to the class. As a class we always give one compliment, one thing they could work on (I didn’t understand that part or you could have told me more about the character-nothing mean!) and then another compliment to finish out. If I know a student who is very shy wants to share we won’t critique at the end. Some students don’t want to share, which is okay, but I let them know they have to be an active participant in this time.

For work on writing or writing as I call it in my class students need to:

Get materials out quickly and quietly.

Get started right away.

Stay in one spot.

Write the WHOLE time.

Use finger spaces and punctuation.

My students mostly like to write at the writing table or at their seat so staying in one spot is easy for writing the most difficult part is writing the whole time.  In my writing area I have my word wall to help them spell sight words correctly and use them in their writing. I also have a writing board that helps them get ideas for writing and see different types of writing.  In the writing center I have reference books they can use, fun paper to write on, extra paper other than their journals, crayons, markers, erasers, pencils, and writing idea cards.

Word Work:

Word work without a doubt is always my kid’s favorite activity because there is just so much for them to do! I give them so many options so they feel empowered to do what works best for them. This is the area where I keep my games, themed center activities, spelling, vocabulary, and sight word work. I use Fry words in my current school and have used Dolch words in the past. I personally like the Fry words because of the Fry word phrases and can find so many activities online for Fry words. 

Get materials out quickly and quietly.

Get started right away.

Stay in one spot. (away from guided reading table/library where kids read because this is the noisiest center since kids will be interacting)

Work the whole time.

Clean up quickly and quietly.  (This is major because sometimes there are a lot of pieces and if they don’t start cleaning up right away we end up waiting on them.)

This is where I store a lot of the word work materials. Other materials get stored in folders which I change out weekly accord to skill, theme, and what my kids need practice on.

Word work options:

Spelling or sight words work:

-use magnetic letters

-use stamps

-use stickers

-use a whiteboard

-use smelly markers

Vocabulary or spelling:

-use 4 squares to demonstrate knowledge of the word one corner is definition, picture, sentence, and similar word to it the word goes in the middle

Other:

-various games from Lakeshore

-word sorts

-unscrambling sentences

-putting words in ABC order

-read and write the room

Pretty much anything that has to do with words go into word work. I teach my students any new games when I pull them in groups on Friday. I don’t play the whole game I just make sure they understand what to do. This is an awesome way to differentiate in your classroom. If you know a certain group of students is ready to move on to compound words and others aren’t their then introduce them to the group that is ready and have them practice during word work. If students need extra practice with their letters/sounds then have them work on that during word work.

I love how flexible Daily 5 is in the classroom. It looks different in each room but has the same principles of getting kids engaged and excited about learning!

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