This morning in the AT&T Classroom the second graders were introduced to tools and apps that they can use during their Daily 5™ rotations. Daily 5™ is a framework for structuring classroom literacy instruction so students develop lifelong habits of reading, writing, and working independently. During the Daily 5™ time block students select from five authentic reading and writing choices to work independently toward personalized goals while the teacher meets individual needs through whole-group and small-group instruction, as well as one-on-one conferring. The reading and writing choices include: Read to Self, Work on Writing, Read to Someone, Listen to Reading, and Word Work. 
The students’ Daily 5™ rotations include a collection of web-based tools for reading practice.
Storyline Online is a free reading website sponsored by the Actors Guild. The website offers numerous children’s stories that are read aloud by famous actors with accompanying text. BookFLIX is a reading website offered through INFOhio and provides free access to classic video storybooks with related nonfiction e-books. Many of the nonfiction titles focus on concepts in social studies and/or STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). The sites is designed to provide engaging fiction and nonfiction reading opportunities that help to build children’s phonemic awareness and phonics decoding skills while also strengthening vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. The students are also using EPIC! is an ebook library designed for students ages 12 and under. EPIC! is accessible on all platforms and devices giving students access to thousands of books straight from their device. Paid subscriptions allow for student profiles to be created for tracking readers’ progress and offering personalized recommendations based upon the reading level and interests of the student.
As part of their Daily 5™ rotations the second graders are also using Vocabulary-Spelling City for Word Work. Vocabulary-Spelling City is a multi-platform tool available for PCs/desktops, Chromebooks, iOS and Android tablets and Kindles. The tool is based on best practices research in education and uses a game-based approach to target important skills for mastering vocabulary terms and spelling rules. Teachers are able to create word lists that students can access for both skill practice and assessment.