CAFE freebie

Hi friends! Just checking in to let you know I've added a few things to my tpt store....

I made these CAFE posters...that are free :)

 

I can't seem to get them all on the same line, but you get the picture!

I've also been working on new alphabet cards and number cards with ten frame dots to go with what I've been learning about number sense this summer.

Those are some examples...I'm really into polka dots right now (clearly) - and I'm going with a purple, blue, and green theme! All can be picked up here!

Hope you're all having a great Tuesday! I feel like it's the most productive I've been all summer...I'm almost finished with a pack of number sense math stations too :)

Cafe Questions

This is my third year trying to implement the Cafe model of guided reading, and although I love many aspects of it, I still have some questions. I used to teach guided reading using Fountas and Pinnell's model, which I know works based on research, but also feel like I want to keep evolving with the valid trends. I am hoping other people may have had the same questions and can give me a little help/clarity.  I think my favorite thing about cafe is that it organizes my strategy instruction, gives a nice classroom visual for our reading strategies, and develops self-awareness in students in terms of who they are as readers. I love doing strategy mini-lessons (especially comprehension) and I love focusing my small group time around strategy instruction. I also really like the opportunity to meet with students in individual conferences as needed. I appreciate the time to check in with students and their self-selected books. It seems more authentic than a typical guided reading group where I have chosen the book and have planned out the lesson very carefully. That said, I have a few unanswered questions:

1. Has anyone successfully implemented strategy groups in their classroom? I have tried, but either I don't seem to be able to wrap my mind around it or it just hasn't come up in my room - where I have students from a variety of levels needing the same strategy at the same time.

2. Are all your mini-lessons strategy lessons? Does anyone ever do a grammar lesson or a shared reading/interactive writing lesson instead?

3. For my lower students (I have 11 out of 30 students in 2nd grade reading at independent level C and below) I am thinking the more traditional Fountas and Pinnell guided reading lesson will be more effective. They are still so emergent and need that structured lesson plan that will give them explicit phonics/word study instruction, sight word practice, as well as accuracy (or decoding) strategies. Am I missing something, or do strategy groups Cafe style not look like this?

4. For people who do writer's workshop in addition to a literacy block, do you ever do writing mini-lessons (I'm thinking for students to practice during work on writing) during the literacy block?

As of now, I do three mini-lessons (comprehension, phonics dance, and then a rotation between accuracy, fluency, and expand vocabulary).

Anyway, I'd love to hear your philosophies on guided reading and what works in your classrooms! Your comments and opinions are so appreciated!

Happy Friday!

Daily 5/ CAFE

So many people are blogging about daily 5 and CAFE so I thought I would join in the fun! I have been doing daily 5 and cafe for two years now and just love it!

Last year, my literacy stations included: read to self, partner reading, RAZ-kids, work work, work on writing, and reading response. Literacy Stations was by far my kids' favorite part of the day. They love having choice at each station as I have multiple activities at the word work, work on writing stations, and reading response station and they choose their own books (with guidance in choosing "just right books") for partner reading, independent reading, and RAZ-kids.

This year I am thinking of adding a fluency station. At this station I will have repeated reading passages with stopwatches for students to track (on graphs) their oral reading rate, poetry, readers theater, rhythm walk sentence strips, and anything else I can come up with!

What I love about the CAFE model of guided reading is that it allows me to differentiate for more than just level - I can group by strategy! I love the actual menu and showing students what strategy we are working on and why we are working on it. The goal sheets are so nice for 2nd grade because it allows students to take ownership for their learning and gives independent reading a purpose. I also really like the idea that I might need to meet with some students in individual conferences as opposed to small groups. If you haven't read the book, I strongly recommend it! The sisters are geniuses :)

The schedule went like this:
- 15-20 minute comprehension mini-lesson focusing on explicit strategy instruction and always using read alouds
- 20-25 minute independent reading - students have book boxes (I meet with guided reading group)
- 10 minute accuracy/decoding/phonics mini-lesson
- 20 minute "round" of literacy stations (I meet with guided reading group)
- 10 minute fluency/ vocabulary min-lesson
- 20 minute "round" of literacy stations (I meet with guided reading group)

Here is a picture of our CAFE board at some point in the middle of the year...a work in progress!