Reader's Response D5 Work on Writing

Hello Everyone!
Thanks for stopping by to take a peek!!  I've had some questions about what I do for the "Work on Writing" component of Daily 5.  Among other written expression activities, I reserve a lot of time for the kids to do a Reader's Response piece in their journals. This is another reason why I love Daily 5.  The opportunity to build wonderful connections between reading and writing is made so relevant.  What is learned in one area can be used to extend the other.  Reading and writing are so related on every level of literacy development!
Because of this, writing about what we have been reading can be purposeful, relevant, and functional! Sometimes I give the kids a prompt, and other times I let them choose from some response prompt cards. I just finished revamping my cards for the first semester. I will do more that deal with nonfiction reading later. Here are some pics of some of the journal entries, and a pic of the first few pages in my packet.

***If you are one of my kids reading this, print off the cards and get reading and writing.  I know it's summer, but what a better time to enjoy some good books and practice writing!!! 
 Love you!! Mrs. V!


My kids use a simple composition journal for most responses.

 for your 9 page free printable of our reader's response cards click here! :)

Have fun and Keep Reading and Writing!!
Joyfully!
Nancy

CAFE Menu Board

Hello Everyone!
Just moved the rest of my "30 years of teaching stuff" to my new room!  Oh My Aching Back!  Now to organize it all and put it all back together!  Fun times!!  No, seriously, I loooove decorating a new room! I am going to continue with my western cowboy theme since I've invested way too much already.  I decided to make some new western style CAFE signs for my board.  Are you familiar with CAFE?  If you are doing Daily 5, you have probably heard of CAFE.  If not, it's not too late!  Pick up a copy of The CAFE Book by Boushey and Moser and dig in!  The Sisters present a way to engage all your readers in the areas of Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency, and Expanding Vocabulary.  Using it along with Daily 5 is a perfect combination.  To get you started, I'm sharing my new CAFE board.  I'll take some pics when I get it all put up, But here are a few snippets. You can click below to get your free 20 page printable.

Click here to download your own set!

There are pages for each heading, and all the strategies to build literacy in your students.

I love the Sisters!!

Let me know if you have any questions!!!

OH! A friend caught a minor typo in my Reading log. (I hate typos!UGH!) If you've already downloaded it, check again for the new one.

Here's the new link :)

Have a wonderful and joyfilled day!!

Nancy

Reading Log

Hello Everyone!
Just a quick share today!  I am still working on moving my classroom.  With the air off in the building, ugh! It gets pretty steamy!
Anyway, today I wanted to share our reading log.  Our first graders are required to read at least 10 minutes every evening.  They keep a reading log in their binders and record every book they read.  We send home leveled readers but kiddos can, of course, read other books as well!  Families work on reading 
TO their first graders, 
WITH their first graders or listen to their first graders read
 BYthemselves. That is documented as well. All are important!
We value the support we get from home and love watching our firsties grow so much in their skills as readers!  The home/school connection is immeasurable!!  Thanks moms, dads, grandmas, and grandpas!!!

Here's the link to the free printables! :)

I hope my kids are reading over the summer!!  I think I will check on them! :)

Joyfully!

Nancy

Weekly Lesson Plan Template

Hello Everyone!
First of all, thanks for the awesome support on my attempts at blogging!  Your positive comments and questions have been a blessing and an inspiration! 
I have had a few questions about how I fit everything in to our wonderfilled day. I figured the best way to help you would be to show you my weekly lesson plan template.  I know when I first started teaching I wished someone would have helped me get organized and help me plan out the day. Going in to my 30th year of teaching I have learned that I should have a plan, but if we don't finish one activity, it is okay to float over into the next time slot.  Flexibility is the name of the game when it comes to first graders, but you should always have a starting place! :)
  I also know from experience that having books in the hands of my kiddos is one of the most important ways to increase literacy. Since I started doing the "Daily 5," I find that priority addressed. I don't think I will ever go back to just reading groups and "stuff" to just keep the other kids busy.  I find that it helps me to work smarter, not harder.  
I am linking you to an "editable" lesson plan template so you can customize for your needs. Hopefully it will get some of you started! Here are some quick pics.

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Click here if you are interested in the template! :)


Let me know if there's anything else you want or need!  I'm here to share!!
Joyfully!
Nancy

Give Me Five!

Hello Everyone!
I love having time to rethink procedures and management details. So grateful for summer break!! :)
Today I worked on our "Give Me Five" attention grabber.  We use the age old symbol throughout our school, but I don't think kids always realize that they should be reading more into it than just raising their hands.  I put together a little chant to go with the whole idea.  Kids can still raise their hands holding up five fingers, but then as they are chanting, put fingers down and put hand on their hearts at the end.  I can't wait to try it!!

For your free printable, Give me 5 and click here! :)

Have a joyful day!!!

:)

Nancy

Daily Five Mini Posters

Hello Everyone!
Thanks for the peek!  Today I'm sharing a few of my Daily Five Mini posters.  This unit consists of  a poster for "Urgency," "Ways to Read a Book," "D-5 Check In," and a mini motivational poster. If you have read "The Daily 5" book by Boushey and Moser, you will know what these are all about!  Holler at me if you want further explanation! (I know the posters look like they have a blue background here, but when you print them, they will be white.) 

Click here for your printables


Check back soon for more first grade ideas!!!
Joyfully!
Nancy

Writer's Tool Box

Hello Everyone!
Welcome to this amazing wonderfilled world of first grade.  One of my favorite things to teach my first graders is written expression.  One of my favorite resources to use is Lucy Calkins Units of Study.  Our writer's workshop time can be a stressful time for some kids, so my showing a draft style of guided writing and taking the kids through all the steps to publication and celebration helps to calm those nerves.  I always do a modeled writing directly in front of my kids, with thinking aloud as a focus.  There is a lot of talk and discussion and sharing about what each kiddo is going to write. The kids make a map of their heart (things they love), an I chart (personal words to them), lists of things they can write about, and a personal word wall.  These become part of their Writer's Toolbox. All of these tool along with a supply of draft book paper are kept in a folder.
I include a target skill with every modeled writing.  Being such young writers and being a very visual learner myself, I came up with little visual cues to help us remember what target skill we are working on. They are posted in the classroom and the kids draw the little visual on their draft book paper. I am sharing my little unit with you. I have included  28 printables for the heart map, the I chart, list page, small visual cue pages (you can print and put in kids folders) some larger visuals and a couple of little chants.   If you have any suggestions, please don't hesitate to contact me! Happy Writing!!

For your 28 page printable writer's toolbox and target skill visual cues click here!

First graders are writers!!

I hope you are writing over the summer, kids!! :)

Joyfully!!

Nancy

Beginning of the Year Forms

Hello Everyone!
No, this is not a post about Daily 5! Sorry! I'll get back to that in a bit. For now I wanted to share some quick forms that I have parents fill out at Meet the Teacher Night. (or bring home and send back!) I have included in this little packet: a parent questionaire, an "At a Glance" student info card, a little "First Homework" (bring your fav book to school), and a safe snack notice. I have found all of these to be extremely helpful and important to starting the year off right! I especially love the little info card. Run on cardstock. Easy to carry with you!

To get your copies, click here! :)

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day!
Joyfully!
Nancy

Daily Five - Read to Someone-Poetry Collections

Hello Everyone!
More Daily Five stuff! :)  "Read to Someone" is a component that my firsties love!!  We practice over and over how it should look and sound.  We practice sitting EEKK style, reading quietly, sharing, asking questions, etc. Many ask what my kids read during "Read to Someone."  Most of the time they are sharing books from their book baskets, but at least once a week, they read poetry together.  We build a collection of poems in a folder starting from day one of first grade!  Many of the poems integrate reading and social studies or science. Some have to do with the word chunk we are working on.  Some are seasonal. Some are interactive chants that specifically help kids share their reading!  Perfect for "Read to Someone!" I just revamped the cover of our Poetry Collection. The folder also contains a letter to parents about practicing and returning the folder.  By the end of the year our folders have at least 50 poems. A wonderful anthology of our first grade year. Here is what the cover looks like along with the poems with which I like to start the year.

Click here for a copy of these if you would like!

Stop by again soon for another installment of my D5 ideas! (and more poetry!)

Joyfully!

Nancy

Daily Five Word Work Choice

Hello Everyone!
Another post about Daily Five.  :) One of the kids' favorite parts of D5 is the Word Work component.  I do believe in giving the kids room to make their own choices, even when it comes to the word work activities. Research also tells us that a multi-sensory approach to anything will help reinforce objectives.  As far as word work goes, I'll discuss which words my kids choose to work on during the week at another time. Tonight I wanted to share the different choices to practice those words that may be on the menu for the day! I pick about three different menu items from the list daily. I'll put a clip next to the items.  Kids can choose any of the three but they have to stick to that activity for the duration of that "Daily." Most of the activities are self explanitory.  I've included some recording sheets in the unit.  Most of the time my kids will practice in their Word Work Notebooks (which is just a spiral), but you may need some of the recording sheets.  "Write Right on White" is simple practice on their mini white boards.  "Teacher Treat" is when I have come up with another fun way for them to practice that may go along with our chunks, eg. using Chips Ahoy cookies for working on oy words.  Most of the rest take very little prep work or explanantion after training and modeling the first time.  I love the consistency of having predictable choices! (I'll post some pics of the kids working later!)

Click her for your printable download word work unit

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me, or leave me a question.

Have fun!

Joyfully!

Nancy

Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum!

Hello Everyone!
Thanks for stopping by for a peek!  I wanted to share some ideas for fun beginning of the year activities, using a bubble gum unit!  What kid doesn't like bubble gum?? Included in the almost 30 page unit are some poems, math activities, research, literature, word work and a few other things!!  We are thinking of starting off the fall with this brand new unit. So stay tuned for some class pictures using all of this fun stuff!!

For your free unit click here!

Let me know if you can use any of this! 

I had a "BALL" creating it!!

Joyfully!

Nancy

Daily Five Independence Anchor Charts

Hello Everyone!
Daily Five part 3. Here are my Independence Anchor Charts.  As you make your way through the modeling and practicing of the components of D5, you will develop anchor charts to post in your room.  These are to remind kids of the expectations that should be in their muscle memory! :0)  I keep them up in the room to consistently refer to and perhaps remodel and practice. 

Click here for your 7 page printable unit :)

Stay tuned for part 4!

Joyfully!

Nancy

Daily Five Student chart

Hello Everyone!
Thanks for stopping by!  Post 2 on Daily 5!  There are many different ways to figure out which kiddos go to which Daily. I strive for complete independence and choice on the kids' part.  I just revamped my student chart. After weeks (about 4) of anchor I chart making, modeling and practicing, the kids are ready to "Do the Daily 5! Hoorah Hoorah! I have the kids choose their own daily, letting them go table group by table group.  If a station is full when they get there, they have to quickly select another. When they have completed the Daily and at the sound of my sweet little bell, they come back to seats. The kids mark a check on their own chart, and then we quickly discuss what went well, where the challenges were, etc. and I send them out again to choose another Daily.  Using a chart helps remind kids where they need to go yet. And I can see in a glance what each kiddo has been up to.  When kids come to me for guided reading, they simply put a T in one of the boxes on their chart. Kids learn that there will be some days when they will not complete all the dailies.  They  keep their charts in their binder all week. (We don't do D5 on Fridays as we save that day for assessments.)

Clik here if you would like the free printable

Stay tuned for some more D5 info, organization, and ideas

Till then, have a joyful day!

Nancy

Daily Five Song ! :)

Hello Everyone!
It is not a secret that I love the Two Sisters Daily Five set up for my literacy block.  It is my goal this summer to share some of my organizational strategies that I have found to be successful with my firsties.  One of my favs is our Daily Five Song.  I use this to get kids going on their dailies.  By the time we're finished singing the song, each kiddo should be settled in and ready to begin their first Daily, or transitioning to the next choice.   After learning the words and adding the poem to our poetry folders, transitions are a breeze! As we get into the routine of things, sometimes we even just hum the tune (The Ants Go Marching).  It works!  Stay tuned for more!

Get your printable here! :)

Let's get reading!

Joyfully!

Nancy

Alphabet Boogie

Hello Everyone!
Just wanted to quick share a fun uplifting little alphabet poem that I learned a few years ago.  I can't find the author, so if someone has heard of it before and knows the author's name, please let me know!  The kids looooove this Alphabet Boogie! I introduce it at the beginning of the year just as a refresher and a motivator!! A copy goes into the kids' poetry folders.

To get your own copy Boogie on over to this link!

Enjoy!

Joyfully!

Nancy

The Adventures of Star!

Hello Everyone!
I am constantly looking for ideas to make that important connection between home and school. One of my favorite ways to establish that connection is to send home our class mascot, Star, and have the kids write in a journal for him! I have done this for many years, and save the journals from year to year. The best thing is when I have a sibling of a former student have the opportunity to take Star home to the same family!  My kiddos write and take pictures for the journal, so the younger sibling sees Star with the family from maybe two or three years before!! Awesome connection!! Kiddos share Star's journal with the class on Mondays and he's off to visit with another family!
Star has gotten to do so many things over the years.  He goes to karate, dance, and soccer practice.  He goes to chili cook-offs and parties. He has been to several states,professional sports games, and visited many different relatives. I get to keep star over the summer and start a new journal every fall.

Star's Journal helps keep memories alive! :)

Such an easy, fun way to get that home/school connection going!! And as an added bonus, I get a peek into the lives of my kiddos, and they get a peek into mine! I like to include this pic when I start a new journal!

Thanks, kids for taking such good care of Star this year!!  I know he loved visiting you!  He can't wait to relax a little this summer and visit some more families next year!!

Joyfully!

Nancy