Yes, it has been awhile since I have written. Even longer since I downloaded photos off my camera and saw all the things we have accomplished this fall! I hope everyone had a very Happy Halloween!
children sort picture cards by beginning sounds during plan board time.
We have been busy learners in Kindergarten this month. We began a new routine called “Plan Board.” Plan Board is a time during the day where children move in groups to different centers following a picture plan. “Jobs” at centers include: trace and erase letter writing, Write Around the Room, browsing box, buddy reading, chart reading, phonics games, painting at the easel, listening center and many more! I have been impressed at the children’s ability to adapt to the Plan Board quickly and they seem to enjoy the challenge it brings each day.
During Plan Board time, I meet with small groups to teach beginning reading strategies, review our daily phonics lesson or other things that have come up we need more practice on. (PS: My new horseshoe table is working out great for this!
Has your child talked to you about syllables? In school, we introduced the concept of syllables or word parts. I taught the children how to put their finger underneath their chin and say the word to feel the syllables. Every time your chin moves down, that’s a syllable. Children love counting syllables in words. We have been practicing with our names, and other 3,4 or 5 syllable words. I hear there may have been a lively discussion at a dinner table over a sibling’s name. I love it! Keep up the discussions! In case you need a refresher, here are the six syllable types. (Don’t worry, kindergarten doesn’t cover all of them!)
This fall we also got back our ENO board! I am so happy to be using it for instruction again. We use SMART board notebook software, which allows me to create lessons and activities to enhance our learning. It also makes teaching handwriting a lot more fun! We have also been using it for our Let’s Find Out magazines because Scholastic has many great learning activities online to go with each magazine.
We had lots halloween celebrations this week. First, on Wednesday, we were visited by our 6th grade buddies. The children created their own scary monster faces after reading the story – GO AWAY BIG GREEN MONSTER by Ed Emberley. Each team’s monster came out so different. This is a wonderful partnership we have with our sixth graders.
On Thursday morning, we paraded in front of the school and through the building in our costumes with the pre-school students. At the end of our day, we had our Fall Fun Party, with help from many fantastic parents (some of whom dressed up to join in the fun!) There was an estimation station, witch hat ring toss, pin the tail on the black cat and a spooky ghost craft. What a fun way to end our Halloween together!
Now we are on to November – a short month, but another BUSY one filled with the 50th Day of School approaching, Term 1 Report Cards, and Ms. Purdin’s favorite holiday!
