Creative Building

There are some architects, engineers, and construction workers in the room! Here we are making really amazing structures and then drawing our fabulous creations. There has been everything from a city, to a castle, to a school, to a skateboard park! Each day the designs seemed to get bigger and bigger and peaked the interest of those who typically aren't into building! We've had some large wooden block creations too; I'll try to get the kids in action working together so you can see their little minds ticking away!

Mini Books

Recently we have used these cute, simple puzzles to inspire us to make some mini books. The words are easy for the children to sound out (c-v-c), and the pictures clearly support the text as we can look at the picture to give us a clue if we are stuck on what the word may be.

 

 

It was one of those activities that nobody was really drawn to at first, and so to make it more enticing, they were given the opportunity to read us their book during final circle! Majic!

Interactive Poem

Check out this cool poem that Ms. Sarah (another Stonecrest teacher) has happily let us borrow!

This poem is so fantastic because it is interactive! With just a little velcro behind some five frames we were able to move them on and off the poem over and over again. This activity is great because the poem is easily remembered, the students only have a few words per line to touch/tap as they read, and it shows what a numerals quantity is when represented as a picture. Love it!
Thanks again Ms. Sarah!

Sorting 101

Remember last month when each child's name was selected to help take attendance to the office, be the line leader, and overall helper? If it was John's turn we talked about the letters (capital and lowercase), how many there were, what it looks like on a ten frame etc. Well this month we are sorting the letters in the helper's name and deciding if  they are tall, small, or if they fall (See Vala's name below). As we sort the letters we are having yet another review and quicker identification of upper and lowercase letters.

Sorting is something the children are very comfortable doing....especially when it comes to sorting colours! Below is a chart that we worked on together for a number of days and later used for referral in the completion of another, more independent, activity revolving around Halloween items.

But wait.....we couldn't stop there! Why not incorporate a language activity too! Notice the piece of paper in the student's hand? He is looking carefully at the word in his hand and comparing it to the chart paper to see if this is the word he is looking for to finish the sentence that tells how he sorted. Strategies such as identifying the initial letter on a word, counting letters and comparing were all topics of discussion! It was so much fun to watch, listen, and see their reaction when they found the word they needed!