Please find the show and share Calendar (AM and PM). For those who were not able to do it today, June 4, Siena, Kate and Emily can do theirs on another day!
Monday, June 4, 2012
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Learning Stations (May 21 - 25) (May 28 - 31)
These learning stations are to be for two weeks due to a certain number of day offs (e.g., Victoria Day, PA Day, etc.)
Literacy Station
Using the poem, Pig in a Puddle, the children are learning the letter 'P'. With a worksheet, they colour their pig and practice writing the letter.
The children will determine their patterns for the caterpillar's body based on the pattern being asked on the work card (e.g., AAB or AB) and then they copy their pattern on the worksheet. Children learned to recognice and create their patterns.
The science station has the children labelling the parts of the butterfly. During a mini-lesson, I read to them a science fiction text about the parts of the butterfly and we identified and discussed the parts of the butterfly. Children increased their scientific vocabulary in the process (e.g., proboscis, thorax, compound eyes).
Literacy Station
Using the poem, Pig in a Puddle, the children are learning the letter 'P'. With a worksheet, they colour their pig and practice writing the letter.
Math Station
The children will determine their patterns for the caterpillar's body based on the pattern being asked on the work card (e.g., AAB or AB) and then they copy their pattern on the worksheet. Children learned to recognice and create their patterns.
Science Station
The science station has the children labelling the parts of the butterfly. During a mini-lesson, I read to them a science fiction text about the parts of the butterfly and we identified and discussed the parts of the butterfly. Children increased their scientific vocabulary in the process (e.g., proboscis, thorax, compound eyes).
Art Station
The art station is a continuation of the art station from last week. After doing their papier mache balls which are the different parts of the caterpillar's body, the children are painting the caterpillar's body in order to make their caterpillars. After that, we will connect the caterpillar's bodies together.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Learning Stations (May 7 - 11) (May 14 - 18)
The week focuses around the famous book of Eric Carle, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. It is a great book that focuses on art, math, science and language.
Art Station
Art Station
This is going to be a very challenging art station that will go on for two to three weeks - making a papier mache caterpillar. Each student is making a roll up ball that they have put pieces of paper on it with lots of glue. Then, it has to dry. It will be a good experiment for the kids to do papier mache.
Literacy Station
This station focuses on the story sequence of the book. I found this fantastic story sequence card sheet on the internet and saw the importance of printing the sheet t in colour. I love the fact that the children loved to cut and paste the story sequence cards on the story sequence worksheet. They loved the story!
Math Station
I constructed this worksheet graph from word document with a lot of pictures taken from the internet. The activity focuses on graphing, counting, number recognition and story recall to accomplish the task.
Science Station
The story focused on the life cycle of the caterpillar. The children were able to read the different stages of the caterpillar from egg to a beautiful butterfly from the book. And based on that, the children would cut and paste the different stages in the life of the butterfly on their worksheet.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Interactive Websites for Jack and Jill and Hickory Dickory Dock
The kids have been playing on the websites for the Mother Goose verses:
Jack and Jill Interactive Website:
http://www.literactive.com/Download/live.asp?swf=story_files/jack_and_jill_US.swf
Hickory Dickory Dock Website:
http://www.literactive.com/Download/live.asp?swf=story_files/Hickory_Dickory_Dock_US.swf
But now, I just found Humpty Dumpty (I have not been able to do this with the kids):
http://www.literactive.com/Download/live.asp?swf=story_files/humpty_dumpty_US.swf
Sorry, no interactive game for Little Miss Muffet :(.
Please add this as favorites to your browser. Thank you!
Jack and Jill Interactive Website:
http://www.literactive.com/Download/live.asp?swf=story_files/jack_and_jill_US.swf
Hickory Dickory Dock Website:
http://www.literactive.com/Download/live.asp?swf=story_files/Hickory_Dickory_Dock_US.swf
But now, I just found Humpty Dumpty (I have not been able to do this with the kids):
http://www.literactive.com/Download/live.asp?swf=story_files/humpty_dumpty_US.swf
Sorry, no interactive game for Little Miss Muffet :(.
Please add this as favorites to your browser. Thank you!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Learning Stations (April 30 - May 4)
This week's rhyme is Little Miss Muffet.
Science Station
The focus will definitely be a favorite of most kids, the infamous spider. The children will watch a video about the life cycle of the spider (I found this great video entitled Insects and Spiders from a garage sale for free!) and afterwhich, they will label the different parts of the spider. The children will increase their vocabulary with new knowledge about the body parts of the spider.
Math Station
The children will pick up a spider card which will show a number on the spider's body. The child has to place the exact number of flies on the spider's web. If everyone agrees that the child has placed the correct number of flies 'ensnared' on the web, the child gets a chip. The children with the most number of chips wins the game. Three rounds of the game will be done to give everyone a chance to practice number recognition and counting.
Art Station
Using construction paper, string and googly eyes, the children will make their own spiders. I will eventually put all the spiders on the board to see how many spiders we can all make in a week!
Literacy Station
Story sequence of Little Miss Muffet will allow the children to practice story retell and recall. It will show the flow of the story. Each card must be placed correctly to show the rhyme events in sequence.
Science Station
The focus will definitely be a favorite of most kids, the infamous spider. The children will watch a video about the life cycle of the spider (I found this great video entitled Insects and Spiders from a garage sale for free!) and afterwhich, they will label the different parts of the spider. The children will increase their vocabulary with new knowledge about the body parts of the spider.
An anchor chart will provide the children spider facts as well.
Math Station
The children will pick up a spider card which will show a number on the spider's body. The child has to place the exact number of flies on the spider's web. If everyone agrees that the child has placed the correct number of flies 'ensnared' on the web, the child gets a chip. The children with the most number of chips wins the game. Three rounds of the game will be done to give everyone a chance to practice number recognition and counting.
Art Station
Using construction paper, string and googly eyes, the children will make their own spiders. I will eventually put all the spiders on the board to see how many spiders we can all make in a week!
Literacy Station
Story sequence of Little Miss Muffet will allow the children to practice story retell and recall. It will show the flow of the story. Each card must be placed correctly to show the rhyme events in sequence.
Learning Stations (April 23 - 27)
The nursery rhyme during this week was Hickory Dickory Dock.
Art Station
The children make their mice and paste it on the big clock!
Math Station
Since we are talking about the clock, what better activity than to teach the children to tell time by the hour? A clock game is the focus of the Math Station where the children will pick up a clock card and say what time it is (e.g., 10 o'clock). Then, he/she shows it to the group and if everyone in the team agrees, he/she wins a chip. After two rounds, the children work on their worksheets which will make them draw the short hand of the clock to show the time being asked for them to write on the worksheet.
Literacy Station
The children make their Itsy Bitsy Book of Hickory Dickory Dock!
Science Station
I read to them a non-fiction book entitled What Is A Rodent? It was a good thing that the mice page were two pages that summarize the facts. The children have a worksheet of a House Mouse which they will label the different parts of the mouse and I will scribe to them an interesting fact that they heard from the reading.
Art Station
The children make their mice and paste it on the big clock!
Here is a picture of all the mice made during the week!
Math Station
Since we are talking about the clock, what better activity than to teach the children to tell time by the hour? A clock game is the focus of the Math Station where the children will pick up a clock card and say what time it is (e.g., 10 o'clock). Then, he/she shows it to the group and if everyone in the team agrees, he/she wins a chip. After two rounds, the children work on their worksheets which will make them draw the short hand of the clock to show the time being asked for them to write on the worksheet.
Literacy Station
The children make their Itsy Bitsy Book of Hickory Dickory Dock!
Science Station
I read to them a non-fiction book entitled What Is A Rodent? It was a good thing that the mice page were two pages that summarize the facts. The children have a worksheet of a House Mouse which they will label the different parts of the mouse and I will scribe to them an interesting fact that they heard from the reading.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Math TLCP (Teaching Learning Critical Pathways)
The TDSB has been encouraging teachers to adopt new methodology of creating student learning and success. One is called Teaching Learning Critical Pathways. Who in TDSB has not heard of these yet?
Most schools are involved in pathways and still developing their methodologies to handle the activity. It really shouldn't be an add on, but rather a compliment to what we're already doing in our classroom.
Simply put, a TLCP or pathway involves:
•Gather Evidence (EQAO, DRA, CASI, other classroom assessments)
•Determine Area of Greatest Need •Current Practice (identify and share effective teaching practices)
•Design: Rubrics, Culminating Tasks, Data Walls
•PLC Action (professional learning community - ongoing dialogue about what's working and not, successes and failures, questions, sharing of best practices
•Culminating Task (what teaching is being done in order to ensure that students are able to complete the culminating task successfully?)
•Moderated Marking (building common understandings of what a level 1, 2, 3, and 4 look like)
•Communication (reflection)
Don't think of this as being in a set order (remember, no one size fits all model exists) - it really is a cyclical process with ongoing reflection and communication happening throughout the process.
However, in Kidergarten, we are not involved in rubrics, data walls. Math TLCP is supposed to make the kids explore the math concept and through hands-on, the teacher is supposed to assess the students' learning.
The other new concept of TLCP is the getting rid of worksheets for Kindergarten. And in the coming months, I will continue to be trained in workshops to develop my understanding of learning pathways and inquiry-based learning. Hopefully, I will come back armed with new teaching styles that will be conducive to more student success!
Kindergarten TLCP focused on Math and the topic that we are learning is 3D shapes!
Most schools are involved in pathways and still developing their methodologies to handle the activity. It really shouldn't be an add on, but rather a compliment to what we're already doing in our classroom.
Simply put, a TLCP or pathway involves:
•Gather Evidence (EQAO, DRA, CASI, other classroom assessments)
•Determine Area of Greatest Need •Current Practice (identify and share effective teaching practices)
•Design: Rubrics, Culminating Tasks, Data Walls
•PLC Action (professional learning community - ongoing dialogue about what's working and not, successes and failures, questions, sharing of best practices
•Culminating Task (what teaching is being done in order to ensure that students are able to complete the culminating task successfully?)
•Moderated Marking (building common understandings of what a level 1, 2, 3, and 4 look like)
•Communication (reflection)
Don't think of this as being in a set order (remember, no one size fits all model exists) - it really is a cyclical process with ongoing reflection and communication happening throughout the process.
However, in Kidergarten, we are not involved in rubrics, data walls. Math TLCP is supposed to make the kids explore the math concept and through hands-on, the teacher is supposed to assess the students' learning.
The other new concept of TLCP is the getting rid of worksheets for Kindergarten. And in the coming months, I will continue to be trained in workshops to develop my understanding of learning pathways and inquiry-based learning. Hopefully, I will come back armed with new teaching styles that will be conducive to more student success!
Kindergarten TLCP focused on Math and the topic that we are learning is 3D shapes!
Monday, April 16, 2012
Learning Stations (April 16 - 20)
The theme continues to be Mother Goose Rhymes. After two weeks of having Jack and Jill due to the two holidays, a special day for Easter activities, Backyard Bugs Special Scientist in the School, our new Mother Goose rhyme to center our activities around is Humpty Dumpty.
Art Centre
Using construction paper, grey paper, crayon and any other media that the kids want to include, the students have to make their own version of Humpty Dumpty AFTER THE FALL. The king's horses and the king's men tried to put him torgether again but alas, this is what they have been able to assemble him so far!
Then, they have started to paste their Humpty Dumpty's on the wall as below:
It is fun to see the different Humpty Dumpty's on the wall!
Science Centre
The students are going to 'test' the different the three dimensional shapes to see if the structure is stable or not. I simply use the term 'stacked on top of each shape without falling apart'. They will follow the worksheet as seen below:
Using the worksheet, they will use the specified 3D shape blocks gathered in preparation for this science activity as seen below:
Literacy Centre
Story sequencing is one of my favorite activities concerning a story or a poem. I like the children to remember the sequence of the story/poem upon hearing or reading a story/poem. This activity will make them think of the sequence in the story.
Sequence Cards for the children to colour and cut out
Worksheet for the sequence story cards to be placed on
Math Centre
With a worksheet below, the students are going to pick a card of an animal or insect from a paper bag called Animal Count. With the picture, the children are going to count the number of parts that they see (e.g., eyes, whiskers, ears, mouth) and record the numbers on their worksheet. Counting, number recognition and number writing are some of the expectations that the children practice in this activity.
Art Centre
Using construction paper, grey paper, crayon and any other media that the kids want to include, the students have to make their own version of Humpty Dumpty AFTER THE FALL. The king's horses and the king's men tried to put him torgether again but alas, this is what they have been able to assemble him so far!
Then, they have started to paste their Humpty Dumpty's on the wall as below:
It is fun to see the different Humpty Dumpty's on the wall!
Science Centre
The students are going to 'test' the different the three dimensional shapes to see if the structure is stable or not. I simply use the term 'stacked on top of each shape without falling apart'. They will follow the worksheet as seen below:
Using the worksheet, they will use the specified 3D shape blocks gathered in preparation for this science activity as seen below:
Literacy Centre
Story sequencing is one of my favorite activities concerning a story or a poem. I like the children to remember the sequence of the story/poem upon hearing or reading a story/poem. This activity will make them think of the sequence in the story.
Sequence Cards for the children to colour and cut out
Worksheet for the sequence story cards to be placed on
Math Centre
With a worksheet below, the students are going to pick a card of an animal or insect from a paper bag called Animal Count. With the picture, the children are going to count the number of parts that they see (e.g., eyes, whiskers, ears, mouth) and record the numbers on their worksheet. Counting, number recognition and number writing are some of the expectations that the children practice in this activity.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Learning Stations (April 02 - 05) (April 10 - 13)
April is the month for Mother Goose rhymes. It is important for children to understand what rhymes or rhyming words are. Exposure to beautiful poems that make childhood endearing is essential to an important and well-developed childhood.
Due to the many holidays in the coming weeks and the different activities in celebration of Easter, the learning stations are extended over a two week period in order not to feel that we have to cram everything in a week of activities.
First famous rhyme is Jack and Jill.
Art Station
The children are to make their own Jack's crown. They have a mini-book to color and trace words important to the poem (e.g., pail, water, hill, Jack, Jill). Then, they are going to cut the pictures and paste it to their pre-cut crown from construction paper.
Math Station
The children use the frogs and the lily pad to answer questions in addition. To support the visual learning of our children, I have created an anchor chart for reference.
Science Station
The children are to play a game board to determine the words 'in' 'on' 'under' 'over'. Each child will take turns in determining a card to be sorted under the said headings. Afterwhich, they accomplish their worksheet as well to show personal learning of the terms 'in' 'on' 'under' 'over'.
Literacy Station
Story sequence of the different scenes found in the rhyme allows the children to see the visual story behind the poem.
Due to the many holidays in the coming weeks and the different activities in celebration of Easter, the learning stations are extended over a two week period in order not to feel that we have to cram everything in a week of activities.
First famous rhyme is Jack and Jill.
Art Station
The children are to make their own Jack's crown. They have a mini-book to color and trace words important to the poem (e.g., pail, water, hill, Jack, Jill). Then, they are going to cut the pictures and paste it to their pre-cut crown from construction paper.
Math Station
The children use the frogs and the lily pad to answer questions in addition. To support the visual learning of our children, I have created an anchor chart for reference.
Science Station
The children are to play a game board to determine the words 'in' 'on' 'under' 'over'. Each child will take turns in determining a card to be sorted under the said headings. Afterwhich, they accomplish their worksheet as well to show personal learning of the terms 'in' 'on' 'under' 'over'.
Literacy Station
Story sequence of the different scenes found in the rhyme allows the children to see the visual story behind the poem.
Guided Reading Groups (AM and PM)
We have been doing something new ever since mid-February. Every second and fourth Wednesdays of the month, parent volunteers have come to guide our children in reading and writing. One of the resources that I have been using is a box set of 25 books (5 books per set for children to read together with an adult) in this aspect of my literacy program. Adults need to model reading to the children every day of their lives. And as an added activity, the children are given the opportunity to do a writing exercise based on the book. The worksheet will allow the children to copy a sentence based on the book or create their own sentence with the guidance of the parent volunteer. Please look at the previous blog for exact dates for guided reading if you wish to volunteer. I want to thank parents who volunteered and provided input/changes to the next cycle of shared reading groups. I really appreciate that!
AM
PM
AM
PM
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)