The Daily 5, pt 2: Choice

This is just a short one to a) let you all know I haven't completely vanished, and b) update anyone who is interested in how I am adapting the Daily 5 program into my teaching. Due to the scheduling at my school, I get my English classes in 50 minute blocks each day. Add to that the time it takes my class to arrive at my door and settle and we are down to about 45 minutes. That's not a lot of time so my Daily 5 is weekly.

Each week, my students check in with me and have the following options:

1. Independent Reading - Just as it sounds, students read quietly to themselves.


2. Reader`s Theatre - Students choose a script, assume a character, and read through it using voice and expression.


3. Free Writing - The kids I teach like Free Running. I liken it to that but with a pencil. Write whatever you like...just write. (...hmm... that might be a better name for this activity...)


4. Writing Skills - Students work on editing a text, vocabulary, punctuation, or whatever I identify as the focus for the week. 

One of my concerns that I expressed in an earlier post, was that I was nervous about starting up something new without really knowing what I am getting into. As I started to draft up what this program would look like in my classroom, I was thrilled to realize that I already do most of these things! Reader`s Theatre will be a new addition to the classroom and Writing Skills will look different but the biggest change to my English classes will be the increase in choice and independence. Pretty sweet, eh!