Top Tips for Successfully Implementing the Daily 5 in Kindergarten
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Organizing an effective and efficient literacy block in kindergarten is no easy feat!
Not only are there SO MANY components that go into building a strong literacy lesson…
But you’re also fighting against time, knowing that you only have a small window of attention before you completely lose your entire class.
Not gonna lie, teaching kindergarten can be somewhat like herding cats at times, which is why I LOVED incorporating the Daily 5 framework in my kindergarten classroom.
By implementing the Daily 5 in my kindergarten classroom, I was easily able to build strong literacy skills while also teaching independence by harnessing the power of each of the Daily 5 framework components (Read to Self, Read to Someone, Listen to Reading, Word Work, and Work on Writing).
Implementing the Daily 5 in my kindergarten classroom not only helped with my classroom management but also provided a platform to seamlessly and easily differentiate the activities to support the continued growth of all the students in my class.
Why the Daily 5 is a Must-Have in Every Kindergarten Classroom
Even though I loved teaching kindergarten, it wasn’t easy…
Not only are you working with a very limited attention span, but you’re also fighting against an extremely wide range of abilities (especially at the start of the year). Then add that kindergarten is also where many students begin their literacy journey, which makes it important to make sure you’re getting it “right”.
This is why implementing the Daily 5 framework in kindergarten is so valuable.
By following the Daily 5 framework, you are ensuring that you are making time for what doesn’t always feel possible in the hustle and bustle of the day.
Not only that, but the Daily 5 creates a system that creates an environment that makes working with small groups possible, which then allows for the opportunity to differentiate instruction and support students in their literacy journey.
And then the cherry on top of all of this is that the Daily 5 was so important in teaching my students independence (which is a HUGE skill to learn in kindergarten). While it took time and consistency, my kindergarten students were able to sustain working independently and moving from station to station without me having to micro-manage transition time.
It sounds pretty amazing, doesn’t it?
How to Implement the Daily 5 In Kindergarten
I get it…
The idea of kindergarteners working independently on their own for a sustained amount of time can sound terrifying.
Or the idea of kindergartener moving from station to station on their own without direction from you sounds like something dreams are made of…
But teacher friend, it IS possible. BUT, it takes time and consistency (and an awful lot of patience!).
If you’re thinking about implementing the Daily 5 into your kindergarten classroom, here are a few things I learned along the way that will make your implementation of the Daily 5 seamless!
Introducing the Daily 5 in the Kindergarten Classroom
When first implementing the Daily 5 in your kindergarten classroom, it’s important to consider your audience.
As you start to plan how you’ll introduce each of the Daily 5 centers, it’s important to explain expectations and routines in a way that’s engaging in addition to being easy for kindergarten students to understand. Keep it simple!
You may also choose to incorporate songs or visuals to help prompt students about your expectations.
Modeling what expectations do and don’t look like can go a long way in establishing solid routines. Also giving students time to practice routines and build stamina while providing in-the-moment feedback can go a long way in solidifying your expectations. I love using Stamina Building Charts so students can track their stamina-building progress.
And yes, this will take TIME, but I encourage you to NOT rush this part. Start slow and make sure that students are meeting your expectations and nailing your stamina goals before moving on to introducing the next center. Believe me… Your future self will thank you!
Managing Time and Transitions
Transitions can quickly become your most pervasive time waster.
We’ve all had at least one experience where a transition didn’t go as planned and it derailed your lesson so much so that your classroom was in a state of disorganized chaos (ugh…I’m feeling stressed just thinking about it!).
But before you throw in the towel thinking that you’ll be micromanaging transitions all year, I want you to know that it IS possible for your kindergarten students to transition between centers independently.
It takes having a plan and providing structures and support so students can carry out their expectations seamlessly.
Some of my favorite strategies included visuals to support students in remembering what they needed to bring to each station and also using a song to signal when it was time to move to their next station.
Another game-changer was planning how students would rotate through the centers ahead of time. Every day I’d post the Daily 5 Choice Board on my smartboard so students knew - and could figure out on their own - which station they needed to go to and when.
Adjust the Daily 5 Components for Kindergarten
While the five components of a Daily 5 lesson stay the same no matter the grade level, what that center looks like will change depending on grade level standards and what is developmentally appropriate.
For example, consider choosing “Word Work” activities that directly correlate with grade-level standards. Here’s a pro tip: use an activity from your curriculum - perhaps the independent practice we so often skip or an extension activity - for your Word Work activity.
But what about “Read to Self” and “Work on Writing”? What does that look like for students who can’t read and write yet?
While yes, those are skills that your students are starting to develop, that does not mean that you can’t incorporate those stations.
Consider teaching your students different ways to “read” a book (i.e. “read” the pictures) and provide developmentally appropriate writing prompts where students can draw and label pictures to explain their thinking, or even consider incorporating handwriting practice pages for this center!
Implement the Daily 5 in Kindergarten with Ease
Implementing the Daily 5 into your kindergarten classroom will profoundly impact your literacy instruction.
No longer will you be stressing trying to figure out how to “get it all in” during your literacy block, and your dream of working with differentiated small groups will finally become a reality.
And to help you get started, I’ve put all of the Daily 5 resources that I used in my kindergarten class to transform my literacy block into an easy-to-use bundle.
In it, I’ve included stamina-building graphs and expectation anchor charts for each station, my Daily 5 Choice Board (I know you’re not supposed to have favorites, but THIS is definitely one of my favorite resources), and writing prompts for the entire year
Tips to Improve your Literacy Block TOMORROW
Looking for ways to improve your literacy bock TOMORROW?
In my FREE guide, I’ll give you 10 easy-to-implement steps that you can do tomorrow to see instant improvements to your literacy block.