Daily Five- Preschool Edition

Back in my traditional classroom teaching days, I loved the Daily Five.  Daily Five is a literacy block rotation where students go to five different stations while the teacher meets with students in small groups. It works well in teaching children to be independent in their learning while giving the teacher much needed time to work with students. There are five components: Read to Self, Read to Someone, Listen to Reading, Work on Writing, and Word Work. (If you want more info on it, just Google it, you will find no less than 8 gazillion articles, posts, books, and ideas on the subject. It's been around for awhile and you will be set for life with information.)

So since Hollis still naps in the afternoon and Marin doesn't (insert eye roll here), I have decided to try the Daily Five with little Miss No Nap because, well, Momma needs a break. I am still trying to figure out my set up for it exactly but I've got some general ideas.

Read to Self/Read to Someone:
Clearly, she is going to read. Marin LOVES reading right now so she can "read" from a selection of easy readers or books we have read a million times so she can retell/read the story.  And if she so wants, she can line up all her favorite stuffed animals or her Wizard of Oz characters (Oh my gosh. Obsessed.) and read them a good book.

Listen to Reading:
I have a ton of these handy dandy QR Code listening centers in my shop. You can find them {here}. I print them and put them in a cheap photo album. I used to laminate, hole punch, and put on a ring. But I skipped all those steps and just throw them in a Dollar Tree album. Easy Peasy. But Marin will flip through, pick a book, scan the code, and listen the story. Fun, huh??

 

You can grab the Fall QR Code Listening Centers by clicking on the picture below!

Work on Writing:
For Marin this will be name writing and letter/number writing.  She can use dry erase markers and her notebook (more to come on the notebook). Also, there are a TON of apps on the iPad for writing practice. I want to make a "cheat sheet" with a picture of all the apps she can play during each of these times.

Word Work:
Again, the iPad has great apps for this one. But we have word puzzles, letter stamps, letter tiles, stickers, Wiki sticks /ABC cards, and games I will be making to go along with themes. She will be mostly working on sight words and theme words. Lots of manipulatives on this one!

There is still quite a bit to do and we will learn a new 'station' each week......building up to do all the rotations in one "quiet rest time'.  But to start things off, I have made an Apples: Daily 5 packet to use! I like having themes. Themes are cute. It has all the components with activities centered around apples for each rotation. I love it and can't wait to get it started.  Here is a little preview of a word work activity.........worm word families!

You can grab your copy of Daily 5: Apples by clicking on the picture. 

Baby steps but it is all coming together and I can't wait to get going!