Daily 5 Center Rotation

I was reading a post at the Wise Guys blog, when I was inspired to write one of my own.  If you haven't checked out their blog, you should: http://wiseguystpt.blogspot.com/

I was finding that when students were given the choice of centers, they were picking their favorite and never completing any of the rest.  So when I came across these Daily 5 rotation bookmarks, I was ecstatic! 

You can check out the originals at http://randalllearninglibrary.blogspot.com/2011/04/daily-5-bookmarks.html

If you laminate them, you can have the students check off the categories as they complete them with Sharpie.  It wipes off easily with rubbing alcohol.

The "Must-Do" at the top for our class is to read for 15 minutes from their buddy books.


As I mentioned in a previous post, I keep the literacy center activities stored in hanging pockets beneath my chalkboard.  I got these pockets from Really Good Stuff.  They're pretty sturdy and they keep the centers visible.

I keep the Daily 5 labels in the front of each pocket so kids know which activity they are completing.  I also staple one of those labels onto the activities so they make it back into the correct pocket.

Center Organization Linky Party

Two things I've really been working hard to try to incorporate in my classroom this year: The Daily 5 for intermediate grades and organization.  So, when The Lesson Plan Diva started hosting a linky party for center organization, I was more than happy to participate.

Check it out for yourself:

http://www.lessonplandiva.com/2012/01/center-organization-linky-party.html

So far my organization isn't fancy or ingenious, so I'm happy for any suggestions you might have.

These are the color codes I put on my classroom library books. This is based off of Beth Newingham's system.  Check it out at http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/library%20Organization.htm

I also use her basket labels that help students find different book genres more easily.  It's kind of hard to see the labels, so you can check it out at http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/basket_labels.htm

The double copies of books (buddy books) are in the baskets on top.  They're organized by the last name of the author.

This is the rack where I keep my "Hot Reads" (the books I've recently read and enjoyed). 

This shelf is half listening center (the white and blue baskets) and half student supplies.  The white baskets are portable tape players (known as walkmen for all us products of the 80s) and the blue are the portable CD players.  I wrote numbers on the CD/tape players in Sharpie, and hot-glued the corresponding number on the basket.  That way, students know which players belong in which basket.

This is a close up of the table that houses the hanging bags that hold the books on CD and books on tape.  Both the book and the CD/tape are in the bag.  I try to keep the CDs and tapes on seperate hanging racks.  There's a pull-out drawer on wheels below.  I keep the extra books and listening equipment down there.

I got the hanging racks at http://www.reallygoodstuff.com/product/store+more%26reg-+wire+works+hang-up+totes+storage+rack.do?sortby=ourPicks&from=Search for $20.00. 

Here's my "Literacy Center."  I'm trying to divide the pockets into various Daily 5 categories, but I'm not all done with that yet.

This is a close-up of some the cards I'm using to help the kids differentiate between the stations.  I also try to include these on the activities themselves, so everything returns to its rightful home at the end of the day.



Here's where I store extra center materials, particularly the bulky ones.

Getting on Board the Daily 5 Bus

So many teachers have the goal of integrating Daily 5 into their classrooms this year.  While I don't follow it to the letter, I feel like I could be making better use of it in my centers.  I use centers HEAVILY during Language Arts time, so I'm excited to do this.

I came up with an activity to help students "collect" interesting words while independently reading. The top words are then added to a class "word wall." It combines the Daily 5 goals of "Expand Vocabulary/Word Work," "Accuracy" and "Read to Self."

I'm trying to make money for a classroom project, so this one is only $1.00 if you'd like to pick it up.
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Word-Work-Daily-5-Activity-for-Centers.

Math WebQuest

Addicted, addicted, addicted....

http://www.zunal.com/webquest.php?w=129710

Reading Center WebQuest

So, I'm kind of addicted to this WebQuest thing.  Here's my Reading Center WebQuest:
www.zunal.com/webquest.php?w=129702

FREE WebQuest Site and My First WebQuest

So, I'm still on a mission to consolidate my classroom centers and make them more "user friendly."  In an effort to cut down on papers and worksheets, I thought, "Why not try a Webquest?" 

That's when I came across this little gem: http://www.zunal.com/index.php.  You'll have to create an account, but it's free and fairly user friendly.  It took me awhile to figure out the finer details, but it wasn't too tough. 

**WARNING** You can create one WebQuest for free.  Anything more than that, and you'll have to pay, but it's only $20 for 3 years.  I thought it was worth it.

This is my first attempt at a "Study Skills Center WebQuest":  http://www.zunal.com/webquest.php?w=129695.

I plan to put one paper at the actual center in my classroom to tell kids where to go on the Internet.  I save the link to the WebQuest on our school's shared network folder so all the kids have to do is open that folder and click on the link.