October Center

We are decorating small pumpkins as an independent center. I wrote their names on the pumpkins earlier so they can find their pumpkin. Also I will know who is missing one, especially if someone was absent.






Our shape of the week is triangle so the kids cut out two and I pre-cut the mouths with a circle punch.





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Environmental Print Bulletin Board

The kids glued on signs and logos they can read for homework last week!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Letter Recognition

I was recently asked, "What do you do to improve letter recognition?"

For letter recognition, I...

host Alphabet Bingo!

go to the dollar store and buy flashcards for my struggling kids and send them home to use with a note.

use cookie sheets and sugar to have them write specific letters in the "snow" (great sensory activity).

use flashcards and when the student gets it right I let them feed the flashcard to "The Muncher" (a monster-like trash can).

(we) sing and dance to Dr. Jean's "Alphardy".

(we) say the ABC chant every day.

make letters out of Play-Doh.

use www.tickettoread.com as a center and on Fridays in the computer lab.

use a LeapFrog DVD, "The Letter Factory".

use whiteboards and play, "Simon Says." Simon says write a G.

play Letter ball (a beach ball with letters written on it; kids have to say what letter they touch).

line my kids up by first letters of their name. "If your name starts with A line up."

use fridge letter magnets for ABC order.

That's all I can remember for now... The red activities are links to blog posts and more details.

What do YOU do to improve letter recognition? Leave a comment!

Play-Doh Letters

About twice a week, I hand out small pre-made balls of Play-Doh, so the children can make our letters, shapes, and numbers of the week.

This also prepares them for Play-Doh center. They learn how to clean up the Play-Doh, stay on task, and keep it off of the floor!

Who does this?!

Who thought it would be a good idea to give you less border in a package than a standard bulletin board amount?! :(



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Wow.

http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/The-Shocking-State-of-Our-Schools

Entry Tasks = Buying Some Time

Our morning routine entails "moving the children's names"and sitting down to an Entry Task. (Sigh.) I love Entry Tasks because the kids are doing something productive while I collect notes and complete lunch count.

Over the summer, I created 180 Entry Tasks in a single Word document. Each Entry Task is a half sheet of paper with a REVIEW topic. Today the kids were asked to draw their shoes (since it's only Day 6). As they come in the Entry Task is always at their seats and they are trained on what to do.

Entry Task topics I created were drawing shapes, forming letters, name practice, writing words, drawing pictures, and writing environmental print found in the room.