Sunday, August 26, 2012

On to the Learning Train!!

This week the kiddos have been working hard and learning lots!!! I have been teaching phonograms, parts of a book, stamina reading, reading books independently, sight words (we worked on a, I & my), writing nouns and numbers 1-5 in math.  Every kiddo in my class is constantly using their brain muscle and becoming stronger learners!!

As promised, my number of the day being implemented during calendar time: 
I always have the number filled in for the day.  We talk about what the number looks like in writing and the word.  Then the kiddos show me different ways to make that number on their fingers (using one hand or two).  We fill in the ten frame discussing how much of the frame is filled in and how much of it is empty.  The students are really successful at determining the numbers that come after the number of the day on the number line but really struggle to determine the ones that come before (we are working on using our number lines at our seats to have extra exposures with this process).  For the last part, "picture", the students all think in their head of a shape or shapes that show that number, then tell their neighbor it, and finally a random student is called upon to share and I will draw to show.  Very soon, I hope to move into the kiddos using the pen to fill in the parts. 

We also started working on finishing simple sentences by adding the noun.
We start by reading the sight word (A for this day) and then I read the nouns aloud.  Everyone thinks of the noun they would like to write about.  Then the kiddos go back to their seats and circle the noun they want to pick.  We then come back together and I randomly call on a student to tell me the noun they decided to pick.  Then I model writing just the noun in the first space followed by the whole sentence again below.  We then discuss in length how when writing our pictures should always match our sentences.  Since this one was "mom" I constantly ask, "What should I be drawing?".  The students answer.  Then I ask, "Are you sure I shouldn't be drawing a space ship?" and I call students to tell me why not.  I repeat a couple times and then the students are sent to independently finish their own sentences.
 As you can see some writing is a little shakier than others but everyone has been writing a simple sentence and drawing a corresponding picture to the best of their ability!!

One last thing: 
I just wanted to show my weekly letter I send home.  I really like to keep my parents in the loop of what is going on at school each week.  I tell them what we are learning, important upcoming events, and any notes they need to remember.  Some of my parents do not have email so I send a hard copy home every week on Monday with the kiddos homework packets.  
Parent involvement is key in a students learning so the more informed they are the better!!


Happy Teaching!!!

13 comments:

  1. I really need to make a number of the day chart. I love your finish the simple sentence activity!

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    1. Thanks! The number of the day chart seems to be really working! We made it through numbers 1-10 and are going to do them again (just not in order this time). My co-worker and I also made an adjustment to our simple sentence activity (they were not understanding spacing). I try to put it up next week to show you the change!

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  2. I love the number of the day! How high do you go up in the number of the day?

    I am thinking of the size of each section on my calendar wall.

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    1. Thanks!! For now, we just made it up to number 10!! (It was a struggle!) so I am going to do 1-10 again and then move up to numbers 11-20. (I am going to have to adjust the 10 frame--maybe just add another one. I will let you know when the change happens :)

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  3. Hi Jody! I'm your newest follower! LOVE your Number Of The Day Chart!

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  4. Thanks Jessica!! I'm following you now too! I LOVE your "prize jars" display!! Awesome and adorable idea!!

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  5. I love this number of the day chart! I am going to make this tonight and start using it with my two boys over spring break.
    Btw, I am totally not trying to be rude or hurtful here, but I immediately read your little bio on the right side of the page and you spelled the word "fisilitate" incorrectly. I'm sure other people have caught this, but most people don't correct spelling... My philosoply is it is kind of like when you always want your friends to point out if you have something stuck in your teeth. While I don't know you, I really hope you take this the way I am intending. (It is spelled facilitate. :)

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  6. Just a heads up, **facilitate is spelled incorrectly in your bio. Thought you would want to know. (-:

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  7. Can you tell me the approximate size of each white piece on the number of the day? I was thinking of using half of an 8 1/2 x 11 piece and wondered what you were using successfully to make sure to have enough room to write info.

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  8. I created a Smartboard file based on your 5 Ways to Show a Number. Email me and I will send it to you scraig@milforded.org

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  9. I love the number of the day and the sentence activity. Do you have the template for the sentence activity that you can share? Thanks so much!

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