Daily 5 and CRAFT

The Daily 5 is a management system that I will use during reading to allow students more time for independent reading activities and myself more time for independent and group conferencing with students. The Daily 5 helps students to develop "stamina" by practicing 5 specific reading tasks daily until they have developed the ability to complete these tasks for a prolonged period of time without interruption. These five tasks are:

Read to Self

Read to Someone

Work on Writing

Listen to Reading

Word Work

As students become independent in these tasks, the teacher can allow students to independently develop reading comprehension, accuracy, fluency, and vocabulary while he works with students to sharpen those skills even further. Through Daily 5, students also learn that there is more than one way to read a book and that each way of reading a book makes them a better reader. Practice some of the ways of reading a book at home with your child!

Read the Pictures

Read the Words

Retell the Story

The Daily 5 also fosters an awareness in readers unlike any other. Students are encouraged to select books that are "Good Fit" books for them. They should be books that interest them but that also are not too hard and not too easy. We even recall the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears when we learn about "Good Fit" books because we are reminded of Goldilocks finding the things that were "just right" for her in that story! When your student wants to find a "Good Fit" book, encourage them to use the "Five Finger Rule." 

Look at the cover.

Read the Title and the Author.

Read the blurb on the back.

Flip through the book.
Read the first page.

Use the 5 Finger Rule (fingers represent unknown words on one page):

0-1 Fingers - Too easy

2-3 Fingers - Good fit

4-5 Fingers - Too hard

But most importantly, I want to make sure that students are reading books that interest them in a way that makes them want to read more and read on. For this we use our I-PICK strategy to gauge interest in a book to decide if it's the right book for us. Not everyone will like the same book -and that's ok! 

I choose a book. 

Purpose - Why am I reading it? 

Interest - Does it interest me? 

Comprehend - Do I understand it? 

Know - Can I read most of the words?

(This is where a 5 Finger Strategy should be used.)

Click here for more information on the Daily 5.


CRAFT
CRAFT is an acronym for Comprehension, Respond to Text, Accuracy, Fluency and Text Features - all of the essential elements for building a strong reader! With each letter from our acronym come many lessons, activities, and strategies to develop the areas with which your student struggles. Through individual conferencing and small group meetings, I will be able to deliver lessons that are relevant to the students who need them and focus my attention on their specific development in areas where they are weaker. By using CRAFT in conjunction with the Daily 5, I will be able to engage all students in independent, meaningful reading activities while allowing myself time to meet with students individually or in groups to focus on their specific needs.

Click here for more information about  CRAFT.