If you are considering implementing reading stations in your 4th or 5th grade reading classroom, Daily 3 or Daily 5 reading stations are a great option. If you are not familiar with Daily 3 reading, it is a variation of the Daily 5 reading which you can read more about here. Daily 3 reading is how I structure my literacy block to allow my students to complete daily reading tasks.
The best part about the Daily 3 reading stations? The focus is on authentic literature experiences with a heavy focus on reading actual books. Keep reading to learn more about how I implement Daily 3 reading stations in my 5th grade classroom, as well as example reading activities in each rotation.
Looking for more traditional reading centers that don’t follow a Daily 3 or Daily 5 structure? Click here to check out even more reading center ideas for 4th and 5th grade.
What is Daily 3 Reading?
Daily 3 (or the traditional Daily 5) is a way of structuring your reading block into reading stations or centers. The heart of this reading structure is books…and reading, writing, and talking about those books. The goal of using a reading structure like Daily 3 is to create lifelong readers who love reading and read for a variety of purposes.
The reading activities that you choose to use in each reading rotation will vary based on the needs of your students and the resources you have available. No matter what resources I use, I try to always keep the philosophy of creating lifelong readers in mind. I want to, as often as possible, provide authentic literacy experiences.
With that being said I do have standards and skills to teach, so I try to find a balance between my personal reading philosophy and ensuring my students have plenty of practice with grade-level reading skills.
This post will share the types of activities that I include in my Daily 3 reading rotations, but I highly encourage you to read The Daily 5: Fostering Literacy in the Elementary Grades. This will ensure you have the right mindset and knowledge when implementing this in your classroom.
Why Use Daily 3 Reading Stations
Instead of the traditional five reading rotations, I only do three rotations a week, making it a Daily Three reading center program.
I choose only three reading rotations for a few reasons:
- Time – we really just don’t have time to implement more than three rotations a day. And since I pull guided reading groups, students only visit two of the daily 3 rotations in a day.
- Modified for upper elementary – I choose to modify the reading rotations to fit the rigor and needs of my reader, so doing all five on a regular basis is not something that I choose to do.
The traditional reading rotations using the Daily 5 structure are:
- Read to self
- Read to someone
- Word work
- Listen to reading –> Listen to reading is one that I don’t typically have in my rotation. When I do implement this reading station, it usually done on a student-by-student basis and will take the place of independent reading.
- Work on writing -> I rename this station as write about reading. We have a rigorous and separate writing workshop, so there is no need to implement a writing rotation during our reading rotations. Instead I rework the work on writing to be write about reading to give my students necessary practice with responding to their reading.
The three reading rotations my students complete from the beginning of the year are Read to Self, Word Work, and Write about Reading. After Christmas, I introduce Read to Someone as well but we have to build our stamina and reader behaviors before we can get to that. At that time, we rotate Read to Someone with Word Work, keeping it at three rotations per week.
I choose to implement a Daily 3 reading routine because I loved the focus on reading real authentic books. The structure also allows for easy differentiation as the focus is on the books the students are reading. All you need is to make sure you have plenty of engaging books at a variety of levels and you can easily implement these Daily 3 reading stations.
Daily 3 Reading Station #1 – Read to Self
For the read to self reading station, students read independently for an entire rotation every day. This is a no excuse with me. They have to read every day.
Keeping Students Accountable During Read to Self
While the students are independently reading they mark their thinking with thinkmark codes, (P-Prediction, C-Connections, etc). Read this post to read more about thinkmark codes and how I use them in my classroom.
I also require an accountability piece at this point in the year with the particular class I have. I call a five minute warning and that is when they complete a 4 Square Handout over what they have read that day. They must complete one bullet from each box a day. The vocabulary section is a little more flexible though. There are four bullets, so the students have one day as a make up day or to just read and mark their thinking with thinkmarks.
Daily 3 Reading Station #2 – Write About Reading
- Reader’s Response Letter (click to here to read more about our reader’s letters that are rigorous and common core aligned)
- Book Recommendation – Once the students complete a book, they can choose to complete a book recommendation on that book -> Grab some free book recommendation forms here.
- Book Talk Form
- Strategy Practice (This is typically a graphic organizer that requires the students to practice a specific skill.)
Daily 3 Reading Station #3 – Word Work
Look/Say/Cover/Write/Check from Word Matters: Basically, the students look at their spelling word, say the spelling word, cover the word, spell the word, then check to see if they are correct. If they are correct, they move on to the next word. If they are incorrect, they repeat the process.
Making Connections: The students choose one word from their spelling and make different connections to that word. I have a list of connections on a chart paper and they choose the four they want to use. You can read a detailed post about this word study activity by clicking here.
Additional Word Work Activity
Another student favorite word work activity that I implement every now and then is Word Work Jenga. The students use their spelling list to play Jenga, completing different tasks with the blocks they move. To read more about this word work activity using Jenga and grab the free printables, click here.
Daily 3 Reading Station #4 – Read to Someone
Read to someone is one of my students’ favorite reading stations and it is highly versatile as far as the work that the students complete.
I do still like to stay as true to the philosophy of reading real authentic books, however I do take a little leeway with this reading center. This is a great reading rotation to use to have students practice specific reading skills and standards.
Here are some ideas of reading activities we complete during Read to Someone:
- Partner reading the same book -> Read more about this and grab some free partner reading printables on this post.
- Reading game boards -> The students read a passage and then a play a game that has them answering text dependent questions. Click here to see the reading games I use from my TpT store.
- Hands-on reading activities – > My students pair up and practice reading skills using my reading spinners or my reading puzzles. Grab some FREE vocabulary spinners and vocabulary puzzles on this post.
FREE Daily 3 Reading Checklist and Accountability Forms
I use a Daily 3 reading checklist to help the students keep track of their assignments and to help me grade. The students staple the checklist to their center work for the week. I put their individual grades for each center on the lines.
For the Write about Reading, you will have to write in the number of how many activities the students must complete. This allows you to differentiate this reading center. Click here or on the image below to download the Daily 3 reading checklist and the other two reading rotation forms shown on this post.
Further Reading
If you are interested in implementing a daily three or daily five reading structure in your 4th or 5th grade classroom, I highly recommend you read The Daily 5: Fostering Literacy in the Elementary Grades by the original creators of this structure, which you can see on Amazon by clicking here.
The Daily 5 and CAFE are trademark and copy written content of Educational Design, LLC dba The 2 Sisters. Educational Design, LLC dba The 2 Sisters does not authorize or endorse these materials.
Hi Jennifer!! I LOVE these forms! Do you plan to add them to your Teachers Pay Teachers store? I would definitely be buying them!! You are my favorite store there!! Have a great day!!
I am starting rotations next week – for the first time ever. I have been so nervous about not being in control. These resources are VERY helpful- THANKS!
Peggy
Hi Melissa! I don't plan on adding them, but if you send me an email at [email protected], I will gladly email them to you!
HI Jennifer – I love the forms. I just started using this this year. Would love the forms also. I will send you my e-mail if you don't mind sending them.
Danielle
Scrappy Teaching in FL
Some great ideas!
I love this can you send me the forms too? Thanks! [email protected]
I've been wanting to do the same for 2 years. I would love the forms too please! [email protected]
I’m interested in the forms as well! This looks fantastic!
[email protected]
I am switching to the upper grades from the primary grades…these look great and I so appreciate your ideas…believe me! 🙂 I would love these forms too, if you wouldn't mind. [email protected]
I love these forms. I am a brand new, fresh out of college 5th grade teacher and I would be so grateful if you would send these forms to me! My e-mail is [email protected]
Thank you so much for helping this new teacher out!
Hi Jennifer are you planning on adding your forms to teacherspayteacher? If not I would LOVE to get them from you! This fall will be my first time doing the Daily 5 (well Daily 3) with my class!
I would love a copy of these forms please. [email protected]
Thank you so much!
[email protected]
Amazing- would love a copy as well 🙂
Would love these forms! Plan on implementing a version of the Daily 5 for the first time this year!
[email protected]
Hi there! Could you send me the list you put on chart paper of the “Making Connections” options that the students reference during the four square activity? It would be so helpful to my 4th graders! That would be great, thanks!!
Robin
Hi Robin, I have a blog post coming up about this very topic, but if you email me at [email protected], I will send you a picture of the chart I use. Thanks!
What great ideas! Could you send these forms to me at [email protected] ?
Thanks.
I would like the forms as well.
Thank you!
Do you have an example of what the checklist looks like with partner reading on it?
Could you send me the forms as well please?
[email protected]
Hi Jenny, you can download the forms on this post now. Thanks!
Hi Jennifer, I just wanted to let you know that I am so grateful for your blog and posting all of your hard work and insights! I’m a first year teacher at a Title I school in 4th grade and I love your strategies and I have no idea what I would do without your awesome published works being put to use in my classroom. You’re appreciated!
Thank you so much, Caroline! That means so much to me that you say that!
Thank you so much for all your hard work and sharing it with the world. i’ve been teaching for 7 years and I recently started teaching 5th grade after teaching first for 4 years. I needed some guidance and found your daily 3 on Pinterest. Your website is filled with so many wonderful resources and I love your style. It is very similar to my style. Thank you again!
How long do your centers/stations last?
Hi Jennifer,
I read your post several years ago and keep coming back to it for meaningful reading tasks during reader’s workshop. I like the format of your checklist and was wondering if there is any way to send .the checklist so I can edit it as needed?
Thank you!
Thank you for this. I was wondering if I could have a copy of your forms as well. I am implementing this for the first time this year and your stucture and forms seems the most beneficial to kids. I would also love a picture of your connections paper.
I LOVE using so many of your materials for ELA! I am hoping to implement centers next year and would greatly appreciate it if you could send me a copy of your forms. Thank you so much!!
Sweet blog! I found it while browsing on Yahoo News.
Do you have any suggestions on how to get indexed in Yahoo News?
I’ve been trying for quite a while nevertheless i never seem to
get there! Many thanks
My blog – CarrieQNitti
I am new to fifth grade starting next year. I love your forms for Daily 3. Would you be able to send them to me? Thanks so much for your help.
I just came across this and am really interested in using it for my classroom? Are you still emailing people the forms?
I am not sure how to use your checklist for the daily 3. Can you explain this in more detail?
question about implementing… what do you do before the daily 3 starts? for example do you teach how to do the reading response letter or the think marks? In other words how do you know they’re ready to start and how soon do you?