October is here…
Let me show you how I handle the open choice board for daily 5 each day for one hour.
Here is one of my little learner’s book box in her cubbie.
She has tons of books she can read and her Great 8 necklace.
{Yes, I run 8 stations because I am a little crazy and it works for me.}
Each day, we start our daily 5 at Read to Someone.
Why? Because this is our hardest area to tackle and it seems to work better for my little learners if we all PAIR up to start with.
We grab our boxes and we put on our necklaces.
And we go to read to someone for three books, or about 10 minutes. Whichever comes first.
I placed the hole punch on the bottom so my students can hold up the tag to see all the choices they have to go to.
When they finish that station or area, they use an overhead marker to check off their necklace.
They do this, not me.
Each station has a marker in it and there are extra markers at the choice board.
This is a way they manage themselves.
AND THEY LOVE IT.
They feel so responsible and so excited.
Plus, they don’t loose the necklace because it is around their necks.
Okay…
on to the choice board…
Here is a glimpse of some of my choice board which is on my white board in the front of the room.
{Remember I have 8 stations, but you can chose how many you have!}
You can see the Word Work and Work on Writing stations.
I actually do my cafe strategies at the blue teacher station.
I teach mini lessons and conference there.
This allows me to work with and read with my class everyday.
Since we have short attention spams and we need lots of practice, this works for us.
I also add an orange station that is NOT on the necklace.
It is just a work space.
Why? If a table or station is filled, or someone next to you is bothering you…
head to the work space so you can get things done.
Here is some more of the choice board.
My assistant is at the green station.
She usually does writing activities or swaps out reading with me.
One of us works on writing and one of us works on reading.
I am very blessed to have an aid for this time.
This would work for a parent volunteer.
I also have a Listening to Reading station
As you can see, this is at the red table.
And all my images and colors MATCH on the necklace and on the choice board.
The black and white is laminated as a while and taped to the board as our “home.”
I love the freedom and the choice aspect but you are right, it does scare me a little bit. Are your sight word centers a part of this or is that at another time of the day?
It sounds so scary… but dang if it doesn't work 100 times better. I am not managing everything… THEY ARE. A few friends need more help than others, but they will always need more help. My higher children excel because I am not limiting them. My lower kids get more time to complete what they need to complete. Plus, the first week we do free choice boards, I don't have a group. I help them learn the system. I started on Friday and by Tuesday they didn't need my help anymore so I started a group.
I do some sight word activities during this time, but I do a whole separate rotation system for Sight Word Station. We run these for 10-20 minutes after lunch. I plan for 10, but they LOVE more time and beg me for longer. Who am I to say no? Sight Word Stations are also free choice. If they stop progressing with their words, then I start to choose that students station for them.
Can you share (sometime) a little more of what you have in each place? I'm interested in seeing how you differentiate at each place. My current system is a little crazy, and I L-O-V-E your center system that I started using after I Teach K!. I think this would fit well in my room too. Thanks for sharing!
Amanda
A Very Curious Class
I am so glad centers work for you! They run smooth as butter in my room.
I will def post about the activities for Daily 5 this week too. Right now it is more like handwriting and sorts, simple activities to practice skills. As the year goes on we do deeper. I need more of an attention spam to tackle other stuff.
I love the lanyard check-off badges!! Do you do 8 different station activities each day or are they the same? Also, will you please post some more pics of your classroom setup. I am very into the matchy-matchy thing as well 🙂 Thanks for sharing!!
Do you change the activities in each "basket" daily? I like the concept of letting them select which center to go to and that they are unlimited in each center each day but I don't think I can handle changing them daily.
Try it weekly! You will be SHOCKED with how well they work.
How long is your daily five time? Do you change your centers daily or weekly? How many centers should students complete each day? Do you pull students from centers for small group work? I love your ideas!!
An hour to an hour and a half. I change them DAILY but most do weekly. I expect hard work and at least 5 stations. I am a station, so I don't pull them, I am a choice they can do to.
When and how do they come to you and is it by level that they come to you and your assistant? How is it managed?
Open Choice! They choose which station and at some point they come to mine. They have to complete all the stations so they get around it them all. I keep a class list next to me so I cross off who has come and I can call over some of my friends as needed. I don't manage it… THEY DO!
I am really excited to read about your Daily 5 Work Stations. I have been fine tuning my work stations, and this is just what I was needing. I love the necklace idea and will be using it. I use snack as one of my stations. It gives me an additional 15-20 minutes of class time. Thank you!
So they have free choice for the entire hour/hour and a half? Do you set some kind of timer for them to be at one station and then have them choose another. Just trying to understand it entirely! Love the choice boards! Thank you for all of your explanations.
Free choice the whole time.
Do you meet with guided reading groups during this time? Or do you meet with students individually as they “choose” to work with the teacher?
I see each student everyday. I keep a class list by me to make sure I get them all. They usually choose when, but they all typically WANT to get to me. 🙂
Is there anything they turn in for authenticity and to track progress?
You absolutely can!
Hi! Curious to know if during the entire allotted time a slower working child doesn’t complete all 6 or 8 centers what do you do? Do you give extra time at another time in the day?
Would also be able to share what your 8 centers are? I think you do all 6 with technology and _______?
Thank you!
I love this idea, but am confused about how you accomplish guided reading with kids coming and going from all different levels. I typically pull groups based on reading level and skill. I have a lesson plan for each guided reading group. I wold love to hear how this works for you. Open to new ideas!