Daily Five Math

My version of Daily Five Math


Schedule

15 minute Review & Reteach
20 minute Whole Group Lesson
2 - 15 minute Small Group Lessons
10 minute Fact Fluency
15 minute Small Group
10 minute Evaluate



The Plan

We have 100 minute Math block in our district. So, we start with Review & Reteach time first. As the students come in, they grab their individualized Review boxes while I either meet with a group to review graded work from the day before or walk around and play with the kids. I use magazine file boxes with paper pockets taped to the front for our Review Boxes. My students are numbered so I have craft sticks with their numbers in the pockets. This way each box has 2-3 students working on similar tasks and the sticks help making changes easy. In the boxes I place games and tasks that the student needs help on or needs to review. The games stay in their box for a couple weeks. I keep a schedule to go by each group during these two weeks to "play" with them. This allows me to check in and monitor their progress.

This is followed by our whole group time using our district curriculum adoption and activities. We follow the 5Es, so during this time we complete the first 3; Engage (usually anchor chart, quick problem solving or technology), Explore (hands on activity in groups/pairs), and Explain (work modeled then allow them practice while I monitor those who are struggling and those who are succeeding, which will help me set my groups for the day).

Our small group time is split only due to recess, otherwise I've done all 3 rounds together too. We follow the Daily Five philosophy by allowing the students to "check-in" to make their choice before going to the activity. Being that the block is shorter than Reading, we only have three choices. I usually pull one larger group (8-12 students) of those who are doing well with the skill. I will do an activity with them all, allow for time to explain their thinking, model and share problem solving, and work on activities in partners or triads. My other two groups are smaller to allow for more intensive and direct modeling and instruction.

Our Fact Fluency time is as they return from recess so they first go to their tables where we have fact bags to practice for a couple minutes. Then we either do activities to practice facts or timed drills to assess.

We finish with a page from our curriculum to assess and evaluate what they have learned today. I will give support to my intensive and special education students while others work independently. As they finish and turn their work in, they then can make a free choice of a center not done today.   

Math Daily Five Choices


Solve It

     * They solve problems from a folder that contains problems from previous assessments or problems worked on in small group. I have 4 different colored folders with differentiated problems. I have a chart which tells them which color folder they are to work in. After solving, they will record explanation of how they solved in their Math Notebook.
     * As a challenge, they can also use that problem to write their own problem in their Math Notebooks.
     * We also have word problems with QR answer choices that let them know if they got the answer correct or how to solve if they didn't.


Play to Practice
This is where we put all the games and activities we have done during the course of the current unit we are working on. Some activities are leveled and placed in colored folders which correspond to a poster just as in the Solve It choice.

Fast Facts

They will have number games, flashcards, dice, etc to practice their number sense and fast fact recall.



Management

* No more than 6 students in each choice. If one in particular gets to loud or crowded then I'll limit that one to only 4 (which is usually the case with the Fast Facts choice).
* Keeping with the philosophy of the Daily Five, we heavily review expectations and purposes for each choice before having a completely independently working choice time. As needed, we will discuss behaviors seen during choices (both good and bad) during check-in time.
* The color coordinated folders and posters helps us to level activities and differentiate their learning, however, depending on the activity I let them work with a friend from their folder instead of their own as long as they return to their own folder as well.
* I make time in my schedule to walk around and "play" with the class. I would suggest NOT to let the whole class make a choice while you monitor as this will make extra large groups which will create bad behavior and loss of focus. Instead I usually do this while I leave a small group on the floor with an activity.