Daily 5: Chapter 3

1. Establish a gathering place for brain and body breaks. I have a big carpet in the front and center of my room. I've never had a cute name for it like the 'family room,' I just call it the carpet haha. But, maybe I should change that? We use the carpet as a gathering place throughout the day--for calendar math, whole group reading, introduction to writing for the day, and we even sit in a big circle on the carpet for math a lot of the time!

2. Developing the concept of 'good fit' books. I like the shoe lesson the sisters talked about in the book and I also like the idea I read on Tammy's post on using Goldilocks to teach 'good fit' books. I am not 100% sure what I am going to do to teach this yet. I like the children to have some freedom at the beginning of the year when they are choosing books. I like to see them reading the pictures together and choosing books that really interest them. I don't really stress about whether or not they can necessarily read the books yet. 

3. Create anchor charts with students. I didn't catch on to anchor charts until about January of last year. I had never heard of anchor charts or learned about anchor charts. I started noticing them on blogs and then tried them out in my class. I love them now! I can't hang too many things on my walls in class (crazy, strict fire marshals!) but I think I am going to hang them with clothespins on a line and change them out periodically. I also want to keep up our 'class promise' anchor chart and an anchor chart next to each center with their center expectations.

4. Short, repeated intervals of independent practice and setting up book boxes. I have these from Really Good Stuff...

that I can use for the students book bins. I have a really cute book I made that is titled 'I Can Read' and the pages consist of pictures like McDonalds, Target, and places the children recognize. So, even if they can't 'read' they can read that book. It is really cute and would be a nice little addition to their book bins to start the year off. I also wouldn't mind adding a book on colors or an ABC book since these are the first skills we work on. As far as short, repeated intervals go...I am planning on keeping track of their stamina on a chart and creating goals for them.

5. Calm signals and check in procedures. I definitely don't have a calm signal right now...it is either a bell going off or me saying 'Clean upppp!' haha so I guess I should change this! I do like the idea of having a nice, calm chime. My students do have a specific place to hand in their work and they know to hand it in and then go sit on the carpet for further directions. This has always worked for me!

6. Using the correct model/incorrect model approach for demonstrating appropriate behaviors. Modeling behaviors is SO important and reminders are needed often in Kindergarten. I actually see my kindergartners walking much nicer then students in upper grades in the hallway because I repeat these expectations so much! I also use a clip chart in my class and students do move their name down when I see inappropriate behavior as well as moving their name up when I see them demonstrating wonderful behavior! When I notice my students getting wiggly or they seem distracted, I usually stop what I am doing and play a quick round of Simon Says. I will have them stretching and then the last thing I usually say is something like 'Simon says show me your best work!' and they get back to what they were doing. My children love this!

I have learned so much already from reading everyones posts on the Daily 5. However, the more I think about my class and my schedule I am still not sure if I am going to be able to implement this 100%. During my morning rotations, I am required to get students onto a specific reading program on the computer and this is also the time we have incorporated science and social studies. What I am thinking of doing is having 4 rotations and making 2 of the rotations something they have to complete (1 being meet the teacher and the other being science, social studies, a thematic activity, or computers) and then having 2 of the rotations be their choice. We will see though, I am kind of just thinking out loud right now ;)

Don't forget to link up with Tammy this week!

Next week we will be heading to Mrs. Miner's for Chapter 4!