Cafe: Chapter 7- Strategy Groups

I'm following along with The Cafe Book study over at We Read, We Blog, We Teach. Jana's post is fantastic today so I'd recommend checking it out!

Chapter 7 is the last chapter and one of my favorite parts about The Cafe- Strategy Groups. This is definitely one of those "Why didn't I think of that?" moments- grouping kids by strategy rather than reading level. Of course, I still have kiddos together roughly at the same level because they have similar needs, but it doesn't matter what book a student is reading- they can always practice the strategy they need.

Before strategy groups can start, you need to assess and confer with individuals and begin Daily 5. During the assessments, keep track of who would fit into strategy groups together. The Sisters usually start these groups in mid-October, or about 6 weeks after school begins. They start with the most at-risk students and create groups based around the students' needs.

They have students all choose a book and quietly read aloud at the same time. They listen to each student in turn. Then they teach the mini-lesson that they would like the students to use. They have them practice alone or with a partner, and then they make a plan for next time and encourage students to use the strategy during read-to-self. The structure is very similar to the individual conferences. The great thing is that you can use these groups to plan for partner reading so they can practice together and students know who they can go to for help.

If you are interested in more information about Cafe, head over to The Daily Cafe website run by The Sisters. They have a section specifically on Cafe and some freebies to get you started.

Cafe: Chapter 6- Whole-Class Instruction

I'm following along with the book study over at We Read, We Blog, We Teach.
*I'll be posting my thoughts on Chapter 7 later today!

Chapter 6 is all about Whole-Class Instruction. The Cafe Menu has all of the strategies that you will teach your students roughly in order, depending on your students' needs. 

This was my board for second grade. We covered a comprehension lesson every day plus an accuracy lesson and then either a fluency or vocabulary lesson, as suggested by The Sisters. Check for Understanding is at the top of the list in Comprehension, so that is one I taught right away. The skills get a little harder as you go down the list. Now, if I was teaching K or 1, I might do more accuracy strategies because that is what those students are working on. Intermediate teachers might do more of a focus on comprehension and fluency since many students already have those accuracy strategies. Never hurts to review, though!

My team has also matched these strategies to our basal curriculum so sometimes we do go out of order. 

The Sisters recommend teaching the lesson to a whole group and allowing them time to practice with partners. Then they have a student write the strategy on a sentence strip and put it up on the menu. Students are encouraged to practice the new skill during independent reading. They review it the next day and connect it with other strategies that they have been working on.

Here are some questions that Jen over at We Read, We Blog, We Teach asked in her post about this chapter (my answers are in red):

• I absolutely LOVE the look of the CAFE menu bulletin boards I have seen.  If you don't have the space in your classroom for such a large bulletin board, how are you planning to list the strategies for all to see?

I have used a small bulletin board, cement block wall, and a whiteboard to display my Cafe Menu. It can go anywhere- I might use my cabinet doors this year. If you do have a limited space, I'd recommend pre-cutting the sentence strips so kids can't write forever. ;)

• I have a 90 minute literacy block.  With all I need to squeeze in, will it be possible to have 3 whole-class strategy lessons a day?  How are you fitting in your strategy lessons - will you plan on having 3 a day?

I usually do three a day. I schedule them all over the place. I usually have one strategy lesson immediately after Morning Meeting. This one is usually about 10 minutes- either a quick lesson or review. I have one before we start Daily 5, and another after Round 2 of Daily 5 before lunch. It doesn't have to be around Daily 5 time- it can be when you have 8 minutes before recess or 10 minutes before math.

• I used to start my literacy block with independent reading (and I would conference with one or two students during this time).  If my students should be practicing the CAFE strategy taught during independent reading, should I move my reading time?  For those of you that have tried CAFE already in your classrooms, when do you have your students reading independently?

I start my literacy block with a mini-lesson and then do Daily 5. I have three rounds of D5 during the day which is separate from my basal time. My students choose their independent reading time during one of the three rounds of D5. If I had older students, I would still start with a mini-lesson and then have the independent reading time. Maybe a strategy lesson to break things up in the middle of the time or else at the end.

• Do you have your students create their own strategy cards?  I have seen a lot of premade cards (that will look great on a bulletin board), but the sisters really recommended having the students create them.  What do you do in your classroom?

I write the first one to model to students how the cards will look and then I have a different student write the cards each time. I LOVE my handwriting but I know it's important for the kids to write them. I have the kiddos with good handwriting make the important ones, though!

• I'm thinking I will somehow mark our cards each time we connect to a card we have already discussed - to give a visual that shows how interconnected the strategies are - and how we are never "finished" with a strategy.  Have any of you done this?

I haven't done this but there are a lot of connections! Maybe you could use a shape on the card for each connection- like ones with blue stars are all connected. It would be fun to have string attaching them together.

I did want to remind you that The Sisters have several Cafe Menus available on their website. There is an Emergent Menu, Transitional Menu, Cafe Menu, and Spanish menus available here. 

There are also fabulous ideas for teaching the lessons on the Interactive Cafe Menu here.

Chapter 7 (the last one!) coming soon!

Taking a Break

I'm just taking a break with the kiddos...I'll be back Thursday with my thoughts on Chapters 6 and 7 of The Cafe Book!

August Currently

I'm linking up with Farley from Oh Boy 4th Grade and her monthly Currently post!

Check out her blog and link up!

Freebie Friday

Primary Graffiti had a different Freebie Link-Up each day! There are TONS of freebies!

First Grade Blue Skies posted about her "Back to School, Splat!" freebie pack:

Mique from Thirty Handmade Days was a guest blogger on Kiki&Company and shared an Olympic Mad-Lib Freebie:

There is also another cute Olympic Memories printable in this post!

Amanda from One Extra Degree posted her spelling test template (it's two pages- a front and back):

And Christina Bainbridge from Bunting, Books, and Bainbridge just posted her Collaborative First Day Tips booklet. I have a little tip in there about morning work on the first day.

Cafe: Chapter 5- Eavesdropping on Some Conferences

I'm following along with We Read, We Blog, We Teach and their Cafe Book study but I'm a day early for this one since tomorrow I am sharing some free finds on Freebie Friday.

In Chapter 5, The Sisters let us take a peek at some conferences that they have with students. There are LOTS of examples of how to teach different strategies for beginning and advanced readers. 

I learned that you should definitely have sticky notes on hand when you are teaching Cafe strategies. ;) They use them all.the.time.

Another intriguing idea was a "Table Talk Notebook" where kids write down new words that they come across to share with their parents at home. They use a spiral-bound pack of index cards which makes it easy to keep in their book box and fits easily in their backpack.

One of the things I am excited to share is that The Sisters actually have three Cafe menus. The original, an emergent, and a transitional menu. The two newer menus are great for kindergarten and primary grades. I *think* you can find them here: Cafe Menus. I'm pretty sure these are public on The Daily Cafe site. The menus area also available in Spanish at the same link.

This chapter was definitely short- Chapter 6 is "beefier." It's all about Whole-Class Instruction!

New {School} Year Resolutions

I am linking up with Amanda from Teaching Maddeness for her New {School} Year Resolutions.

This year, I hope to:

1. Take More Pictures  I stole her first one because it's a good one! I want to share all the fun things that I'm doing with my class this year...and remember them for two years from now when I teach second grade again!
2. More Parent Communication/Involvement I know a few of the parents that will have a child in my class this year (they don't know who they are yet!) and I know that I will need more opportunities for them to help. I also want to include more positive communication with parents. The school that I am at is (for the most part) middle class families and with some upper and lower mixed in. There are a lot of moms that stay at home and love to help!
3. Throw Stuff Away! I am a hoarder of school stuff- I need to throw it or give it away! I need to get rid of all those worksheets and clutter-y things so I can have more of a sense of calm. Hmm...might mean some giveaways for you! Especially since I won't be teaching first grade anymore.
4. Write More My focus this year is to improve my writing time. I have a few books I've been reading over the summer and would really like to start a meaningful writing time. It seemed like it was always put on the back burner but my schedule this year allows time for a good chunk of writing.

I'm sure there are a jillion other things I will think of but that's a good list for now!