A Marvelous Monday

Independently, Gracie wrote a book.

Lucas, with the help of Lucas drew a dump truck!

Students played with cooked spaghetti.

 

 

 

Students had cold hands after playing with ice cubes and digging treasures out of the coloured large cubes. 

 

Ahmad made a tiny ladybug and wrote about it! 

 

 

 

Plasticine/ Modelling Clay

 

Abby created a polar bear out of plasticine.  When asked, "What do you know about polar bears?", she replied, "They like to eat fish and live in the Artic."   I asked her to describe the shapes on her creation, she explained that the head was a sphere and the legs were rectangular prisms.  

 

 

Lucas excitedly ran over to me and said, 'I made me!"

Gracie made herself.

 

Other friends made turtles, leopards, snakes and airplanes. 

Ask your child if they visited the table with the colourful plasticine. 

What did they create?

Did they work with a partner?

What shapes were in the creation?

 

 

 

 

 

Responding to the story 'The Dot' by Peter Reynalds

Collaborative Art

Painting Dots

 

 

 

 

All the Friends who signed up for sharing today all choose to sing songs.

1. Abby sang her ABC's and tracked her print using a pointer.

2. Angel sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

3. Hamzah made up his own song called "5 Little Cars". 

He used the song 5 Little Ducks as his inspiration. 

4.  Kaylo sang 5 Little Frogs.

 

The students are getting excited for the Spring Concert.  Don't forget to Save the Date -- May 28.

 

 

We had a Marvelous Monday!!!

All In One Day -- BUBBLE DAY

 

 

Lots of bubbles and tools in the water table to enjoy!

 

SPEECH BUBBLES

Students were giving photographs that were taken earlier in the year.  They could choose a photo and write what they were saying or thinking.  Some students choose pictures of their classmates and wrote what they were saying or thinking.

Here are a couple of examples:

I love playing blocks.

I was writing Michael Jordon's body and I looked at the smartboard.

 

When students are writing in class, they are encouraged to sound out the words and use their knowledge of letters sounds.  Also, students are encouraged to use the word wall, words around the room and to ask their peers for help.  The word wall contains many beginning and common words.  

 

 

 

Blowing Bubble Art

Mixture - soap, paint, water

 





Students blow into their own straw and make bubbles.  When the bubble are over top of the glass, they can take their paper to stamp a bubble print.  Some students experimented with putting their paper blow the cup of bubbles, then blowing enough to over flow.

 

 

 

 

Marshmallow Painting

Students used pencil crayons or markers to draw themselves  blowing bubbles.   Then, they used marshmallows to create bubbles floating in the air.

Two students cooperatively created a picture together. 

 

This is what they each said about their work,

Kaylo - "Me and Elijah were blowing bubbles with helmets on, and we used rainbow colours.  And we tried to do words- bubbles and Elijah tried yes."

Elijah - "We were making bubbles, some went over our faces, some are big and some are small and we made football helmets so they didn't get our faces.  Kaylo's is yellow and mine is blue.  And we tried to write words.

 

Stamping Fun

Ella was so proud, she ran over to me and said, "Look, the word 'the' !"

Building Blocks

A Pirate Ship

 

I asked the students, "Where does a pirate ship sail?"

 

This was their responses,

Lucas said, "Island."  I asked, "What is an island?" He responded, "It's where pirates live!"

Ally said, "Ocean."   I asked, "Can you tell me more about an ocean." She stated, "Well, an ocean has sharks, starfish, seaweed, sea plants, and crabs." She then grabbed the kaleidoscope (below) and said, "I'm looking sharks!"

 

 Blue Slime

Many students created worms, snakes and snails.  They compared sizes of their animals. 

 

  Basketball Pictures

 

Everyday there are always many basketball pictures!!!

 

 

Fostering Writing in a Play Based Program

There are many ways to foster

Writing in a Play Based Program.

Here's some of the writing that happened this week.

Daily sign in/Question of the day

Mystery Box

White boards

Writing Centre

(making cards, mini books, signs, art)

Items that may be at a Writing Centre includes: letter stamps, alphabet books, word cards, magnetic letters, a variety of paper and writing utensils, clip boards, newspaper

Surveying the class

Drawing and labelling

Creating materials for the Dramatic Art Centre

Chalkboards

Sign up sheet for Daily Sharing at our last circle

Important Key Notes

• Molding with clay, using Legos, picking up beads and playing with puzzles all prepare the fingers and hands for writing.
• Students writing should be authentic (no worksheets).  They love to write about things they are interested in (recycling boxes for dumping and class pets/insects)
• Every child develops differently.
• There are many different stages of writing.   http://wwcsd.net/~goodwinm/Writingstages.htm
• It is OKAY for children to use best guess spelling (sounding out the words). 

Young children need writing to help them learn about reading, they need reading to help them learn about writing:

and they need oral language to help them learn about both. 

Ideas for Writing at Home

• create a grocery list together
• make lists (favourite things, names of family members, places you have visited)
• make cards for relatives
• survey family members
• READ with your child for 20 minutes a day

Never underestimate the power of play

Moments to Remember

Butterfly Release 

Making Costumes

Collaboration making more helicopters

Writing Centre - making cards

'I made 2 circles'

 

"The colours are coming out."

Putting makeup on