Daily 5: Chapter 5 Freebies and Unit Updates

Alright friends, it's that time again! Monday seems to come so quick! I think it has to do with the fact that I am teaching summer school, but who's complaining, not me.....nope. Okay so maybe a little, but I am really excited to say that this is the last week of summer reading camp! Then the summer is officially mine. I will have 3 weeks to get my checklist completed. I am really not sure if I have enough time to get everything done but for now I guess I will worry about showing all the ideas I have for chapter 5 in the The Daily 5. So here it goes!

Can Someone say, "CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING"?!?

I think that my big ah-ha moment was when the sisters were talking about how students or buddies need to "check for understanding." I have always had my students' buddy-read and then at the end of our time had them fill out a comprehension organizer. I never thought to have the buddies check for understanding after they read a section and then switch roles while completing their reading! Can someone say GENIUS!?! I just fell in love with this idea and cannot wait to use this with my students. After reading this section I became really aware of the fact that my buddy reading procedures were really lacking! I had procedures for during reading but they did not focus on checking for understanding the way the sister's introduced me. So needless to say I am going to have a new and improved read to someone next year.

My next big to-do in this chapter is my listening center needs to be more organized for students to really find books that they are interested in listening to. So I am still in the process of thinking about how I want to organize this. I have a great tape/CD player and headphones. I just need to get my stories in order. I have a few ideas, so once I think about it for a while I think that a little listening center pack might be in the works.  So, just in case you were wondering about the freebie update, the focus for the listening freebies that I added to the Daily 5 Classroom Pack have to do with organization!

So just as always you can click on the Daily 5 Classroom Pack cover below and get the most updated freebies! Hope you all enjoy what I have included. I am still keeping it a surprise! All I can tell you is that they are things from the preview below. Just not everything!

Also like normal I will show you what I have added to the Daily 5 Classroom Unit! It is going to be a pretty big preview because I have finished adding clip art to everything as well as new posters/activities/organizers to use with the daily 5.

Here is where I assigned a visual "clip art" to match each of the Daily 5 posters. I think they look pretty CUTE!

The other rotation cards as well as the hanging clip chart have matching clip art too. So not only are the letter abbreviations on each poster but so are the visual representation of each choice.

The next part of this unit I am excited about is the voice level chart. I have picture representations for all of these as well! I am in the process of putting this together and hopefully I will have a picture to show everyone soon. I am also liking how there is a small sign that can be displayed at each center with the voice level number right there. I am hoping this will make the students feel the accountability here!

For this part of the unit I wanted to include fun and useful resources that will help the flow of your Daily 5. I included a fun Daily 5 "Do or Don't" stick for when you are going over the behaviors of each center. I thought this would be a fun and interactive way to do the lessons when the sisters tell you to give an appropriate example as well as a non-example! Next, is that I have made the check in signs as well as a organizer to fill out on how their day went according to their goals. I really love that she keeps it positive here! Then I made a stamina watch for goal setting as well as a large "I PICK" chart. Also included is a stop sign for that one student who will still try to come in and interrupt your guided reading group! I have had years where I would not need this but then I have years where I wish that I did! So this is a "just in case" kind of tool! Last, there is a Daily 5 "King and Queen" you can award one boy and one girl in your classroom for showing royal behavior during centers. I am most excited about using all of these materials {FYI: I feel like I am going to say this on every section}!

As I go though each of the daily 5 they will all have the I-charts to fill in as well as an example poster which is already completed. I have chosen to make them in a web format instead of a list. I wanted the students to see the expected behaviors/qualities coming from the clip art. In this there are also 5 different exit tickets, a reading response log, and a vocabulary poster for the word, independent.

So for the read to someone portion of this unit I have included the web I-charts, an EEKK poster, ways to read to someone poster, comprehension bookmarks, buddy reading notes sheet, and {my favorite part} 4 different "check for understanding" check marks {fiction and nonfiction}!

For the "listening to reading" section I made 4 different response sheets for responding to the story after the students listen to it {fiction and nonfiction}, web I-charts, an "I can" poster for how to use the listening center, as well as labels to organize your listening center. I can't wait for next week's chapter and to see what everyone else is offering in the Daily 5 link up for this chapter!

Speaking of Linky! I was checking out Lindsey's blog and guess what? She has a linky going for your top 5 picture books! I LOVE picture books and I can truly say that I am addicted to them! I mean who doesn't love all your students shining faces engrossed in a story? It really is one of my favorite moments of the day! Anyway, here are my top 5! If you want to check out the linky party just click on the adorable graphic she made below! Oh, also, if you want to purchase the books I have linked them to Amazon where you can grab yourself a copy! I love that they offer free shipping{5-10 business days}!

1. The Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon. I mean who doesn't like Lima Beans! I know I love them! It's great for teaching attributes and it has a great lesson for kids at the end of the story. It is always a crowd pleaser.

2. Aaron's Hair by: Robert Munsch. This book always gets the kids laughing and wanting to read it on their own. It is great for teaching the kids about personification too!

3. The Gingerbreadman Superhero! by: Dotti Enderle. This was a new read for me last school year. But my boys loved this one and everyone would literally beg, borrow and steal to be the next one to read it. We had to make a sign up sheet just for this book! I have to agree, it is a pretty cute read. I mean, as it is they love gingerbread books and this is just another great one.

4. I Need My Monster by: Amanda Noll. I really enjoyed this book and the illustrations were amazing. This was also new for me last year and the boys liked this one a lot too. We read it in October and ended up writing our own monster under the bed/scary stories with it. It is not a real scary book, I think it was just that inspiring. The kids would always ask me for it throughout the year..... "Remember that monster book you read to us?" "Yes I do." "I liked that one, can I read it?"

5. Cindy Ellen- A Wild Western Cinderella by: Susan Lowell. I always do a fairytale unit with the students each year and this was a new find for me. I always try and bring in some fractured fairytales because the kiddos are familiar with some of the more traditional stories.  This one is nothing like the original and it keeps them wondering what will happen next. It has  great writer's crafts in there as well.

Well that about does it for my top 5! I wish I could do more but then I don't know if I could get myself to stop. So, 5 it is. I'm sticking to the rules on this one.

Before I call it a night and head off to the Rays game I wanted to let everyone know that I posted a freebie at my TpT store. It is for anyone who in interested in or who already has a classroom economy. A fellow blogger asked if I had the template for my students' wallets and was willing to share. So I did have them on my school computer and I always like to  share things! The wallet that I had at school said, "Bulls Bucks" on it, which I know would not work for everyone. So I made them universal and, of course, cute for any classroom theme. So if you are in need of something like this, it is ready to download for free at my TpT store. I also included classroom cash for you to use as well! Just click on the picture below to download!

I hope everyone has a fantastic week!