Daily FiveBY: Gail Boushey and Joan Moser

Chapter 3:

What’s the Difference?: Key Materials, Concepts, and

Routines for Launching the Daily Five

When we follow routines day after day, our

students can use their energy to grow as readers

and learners rather than to figure out what we

expect them to do. And we in turn, can focus our

energy on teaching, not managing, our

independent learners.

- Kathy Collins

Key Materials, Routines, and Concepts

Establish a gathering place for brain and body breaks

Develop the concept of “good-fit books through a series of lessons

Create anchor charts with students for referencing behaviors

Short, repeated intervals of independent practice

Calm signals and check-in procedures

Use the correct model/incorrect model approach for demonstrating appropriate behaviors

Gathering kids in front for instruction, releasing

them to practice, and then bringing them back

to share their thinking represents the steady

flow that is at the heart of effective teaching

and learning.

-Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudis

(Strategies That Work)

Establish a Gathering Place

Have one regardless of the age you teach

It is another way to influence children to be successful

Distractions are limited and proximity allows you to check in on

behavior more effectively

Students are able to turn and talk to each other, engaging

everyone in the conversation of the lesson

Provides time for a change in their brain work along with much-

needed movement of their bodies

Good-Fit Books

A Child’s purpose for reading, interest in a topic, and

ability to comprehend play as large a role in finding a

good-fit book as readability

The challenge lies with teaching children to be

empowered to choose good-fit books for themselves

It requires frequent conversations to help children learn

It is one of the most important things to do to become a

better reader

I PICK(good-fit books)

I choose a book

P urpose- Why do I want to read it?

I nterest- Does it interest me?

C omprehend- Am I understanding it?

K now- I know most of the words.

The Sisters compare book selection to shoe selection

Different shoes have different purposes (show a variety of shoes)

Just like we choose which shoes to wear for which activity, we have a purpose when we choose books

Just like we choose shoes to wear with our various interests, we choose books of interest

Just like we choose shoes that fit us perfectly, we choose books that are not too hard and we understand

Good-Fit Books: Tips

Create a yearlong anchor chart to help students

remember the IPICK strategy

Spend time helping students find books using the strategy

Share the strategy with your librarian

When a child asks for help choosing a book, always ask

their purpose and what they are interested in first

Good-Fit Books: Tips Continued…

Have them model book choices in front of class

Send home a newsletter to parents explaining the

strategy

Revisit I PICK at least once a month

How this helps?

We know that the very best way to grow as a reader

is to spend lots of time reading, and the majority of

the time needs to be with a good-fit book.

Children who learn to select good-fit books will no

longer wander aimlessly in a library or classroom

collection looking for books

- Gail Boushey and Joan Moser

Setting up Book Boxes

Each child should have a personal collection of good-fit

books at hand while reading

Before the first day of school, set up a collection for each

child so they have books on the first day

Collect books from classroom library, public library,

donations, garage sales, etc.

Add to your classroom library each year

Children in classrooms with the

most books consistently outperform

their peers who are in classrooms

with little to no library.

- Jim Trelease (2001)

Anchor Charts

As each component is introduced, the class comes

together to make an anchor chart- “I” (for independent)

Chart

Discuss, whole group, student and teacher behaviors and

add to the charts

Post charts in the room so the children’s thoughts and

learning can be referred to yearlong

I PICK3 Ways

to Read

Boos

Short Intervals and Repeated Practice

Memory stored in the kinesthetic system evokes the longest memory. Movement is stored in muscle memory and becomes part of our default behaviors.

In each Daily Five lesson, the class auditorallybrainstorms correct behaviors on the I Chart

Next, children model these behaviors in front of the class (visual)

Last, the whole class practices behaviors kinesthetically for three minutes

Short Intervals and Repeated Practice cont.

Introducing each component includes a three-minute independent practice period (can be a little longer for older grades)

Repeat often throughout the weeklong launching phase

This process successfully prepares children for extended peroidsof independent work

The length of this period depends on the behavior of the students.

If even one student is off-task, call the whole group back to the gathering area to reflect on the practice time

Never set a timer because the

children’s behaviors should determine

when the signal is given

Do not use a punishing tone in

response to a child off-task. With

encouragement and practice, he/she

will increase stamina.

Signals

Get children’s attention in a calm and respectful way

Come up with a signal to get the students attention so they

know it’s time to gather and check back in (the Sisters used

chimes)

Explain the signal and its purpose carefully to students

Make an anchor chart with students about what it looks like

and sounds like (record students names with their

suggestions)

Check-In

Check-In is used in connection with the I-charts

Helps children become more aware of the expectations and

how successful they were as they worked

Come up with a sign for the students to reflect upon their

work (could be thumb up or to the side)

Reflection sign is related only to them- shouldn’t worry about

what sign classmates are showing

Don’t suggest a thumb down as it could give negative

attention

As the Sisters say, “We are all works in progress”

Correct Model/Incorrect Model

Modeling is key to teaching Daily Five routines

Begin by discussing what the skill looks like

A student demonstrates correct behaviors while the teacher

points out behaviors that are encouraged

A student demonstrates incorrect behaviors while the

teacher points out behaviors which are discouraged

Children are able to CLEARLY see what’s expected and

what they should not be doing

“The beginning of the year is all about

establishing routines, defining expectations,

practicing behaviors, and building stamina

with children within the Daily Five framework,

and it takes lots of discipline on the children’s

part as well as the teacher’s. We move slow

to eventually move fast. The payoff is

enormous.”

- Gail Boushey and Joan Moser

• PowerPoint presentation by Antoinette Day @

http://4321teach.blogspot.com/

* Note: The Daily 5 and CAFE are trademark and copy written content

of Educational Design, LLC dba The 2 Sisters. Educational Design,

LLC dba The 2 Sisters does not authorize or endorse these materials.