Daily 5 and CAFE

Ponderosa Parents,

Our first graders are on a  Daily 5 and CAFÉ adventure! This is the reading and writing structured routine implemented in our classrooms.

Daily 5 is the structure we use to plan our 90 minutes of uninterrupted reading block. Children are busy completing meaningful literacy tasks. The choices are:

·  Read to self

·  Work on writing

·  Listen to reading

·  Read to Someone 

·  Global Awareness, Current Events, and Critical Thinking                     (A new implementation we created that we are doing whole group)

During Daily 5 we are focusing on increasing our stamina to work independently during Read to Self time. The children can read independently for 30 minutes at this time.  Children also Read to Someone in EEKK style-(elbow to elbow, knee to knee).  Children Work on Writing during this time and Listen to Reading.   Each first grade teacher is meeting with small groups and conferencing with individual students. 
Word Work Wednesday is flexible grouping spelling groups.  At this time we have 5 spelling groups working on: beginning sounds, short vowels, blends, digraphs, and long vowels. Each child took a pre-test to see exactly what spelling skills he/she should be working on.                                             
Daily 5 is how we schedule our language block. CAFÉ is what we study during this time. CAFÉ is an acronym for the four major components of reading.

They are:

·  C for Comprehension

·  A for Accuracy

·  F for Fluency
·  E for Expanding Vocabulary

The children learn reading strategies within each category. These strategies will become tools for the children to use to help themselves become better readers and writers. We will keep you informed through FIRST NEWS when new strategies are introduced. Then, when you read with your child at home, you will be able to reinforce these concepts.

It is exciting to watch your child's reading and writing skills blossoming.