This summer, I read a book called The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller. She advocates giving students individual choice in what they read in the classroom and structures her reading workshop around the individual choices the students make. She helps students learn how to become better readers and readers who LOVE reading in the process. She pulls skill groups weekly after mini lessons to work on modeling authentic and appropriate reading behaviors and skills. She assists with book choice and recommends new books once students have finished one. Her students read an average of 30-40 books per year! Fifth grade will be working on incorporating her school of thought into our reading and language arts block this year.
Reading and Reading Conferences
Each student has a goal of reading 30 books this school year in language arts. Book choice is dictated by the student. Each week, I will teach a reading comprehension skill and assist students on using that skill during their individual reading conference. Students will keep a Reader's Notebook to record book choice, a plan for future reading (recommended books), and to write a weekly reading response letter to me.
Daily Five
During Language Arts, we are using a "Daily Five" system to help keep us on track each day. Each day, we strive for 3 rotations. Daily 5 will look a little bit different this year! We will take out work on writing and add more read to self requirements. We will still read to partner, use social studies & science vocabulary for word work, and write picture books on Storybird.
Students record their daily choices on their check-in sheet:
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| Daily 5 Check In Sheet |
Students are quietly reading on their own. I am meeting with students for individual reading conferences - at least once a week. Students will record thoughts and write a weekly letter to me about their reading.
Read to Partner
With ONE partner, students are reading their weekly fluency passage. After reading it once through (each) in a normal voice, they are able to reread with a different type of voice (silly, scary, etc.)
Computer Writing
Students are writing stories on Story Bird or typing stories from their writing notebooks into Word. Story Bird is a website that offers a wealth of illustrations that students can choose from to help inspire a story. Stories can be published for the entire class to read.
Word Work
Students are using word work vocabulary (social studies and science vocabulary) in various offered activities.
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| Word Work Vocabulary is always displayed on the board |
Word Study
We will not have a structured spelling program this year. Fifth grade teachers are teaching students how to recognize misspelled words and how to correct them. Through our writing workshop and individual writing conferences, we will focus on the spelling needs of individual students as shown in their writing.
Writing Workshop
BES teachers were trained in the Lucy Calkins Units of Study earlier this summer. We will be launching a writer's workshop this year in our classroom to explore different types of writing. Each unit is organized around a central theme (research writing, memoir/small moment writing, persuasive writing, etc.) with a picture book or short story to support. Students use the mentor text to help understand the type of writing and they will spend 4-6 weeks working on one or two longer pieces.
Each child has a writing notebook and a writing binder. The writing notebook is used to brainstorm ideas and record stories that can be used as "seed" ideas for published pieces. The writing notebook can go home daily so long as it is returned to school. Occasional writing homework will be given and should take place in the writing notebook. The writing binder is a place for storing drafts, revisions, and tools to help during the writing process.
BES teachers were trained in the Lucy Calkins Units of Study earlier this summer. We will be launching a writer's workshop this year in our classroom to explore different types of writing. Each unit is organized around a central theme (research writing, memoir/small moment writing, persuasive writing, etc.) with a picture book or short story to support. Students use the mentor text to help understand the type of writing and they will spend 4-6 weeks working on one or two longer pieces.
Each child has a writing notebook and a writing binder. The writing notebook is used to brainstorm ideas and record stories that can be used as "seed" ideas for published pieces. The writing notebook can go home daily so long as it is returned to school. Occasional writing homework will be given and should take place in the writing notebook. The writing binder is a place for storing drafts, revisions, and tools to help during the writing process.
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