Friday Tip

We use "magic reading stars" to help us track the words we are reading.  It is amazing the difference having something like this makes to the accuracy and fluency of reading.  Of course you can use a pencil or a even a finger, but it isn't half as fun!

Our Class Has a Very Bad Case of the Stripes!

Our language arts class read A Very Bad Case of the Stripes by David Shannon last week.  I love this story for its message- not being afraid to be who you are and letting your light shine.  This is a great story to read at the beginning of the year because it can be an ice breaker and a good getting to know you book.  First we read the book, and then we discussed what we like that other people might not like or understand.  Camilla Cream, the main character, loves lima beans, but she is afraid to admit it because she thinks her new classmates will think she's strange.

We wrote about the things we like, and then we gave ourselves a case of the stripes by adding colors to our own black and white pictures.

Then we took it one step further and studied the book by looking for effects and what caused them to happen.  Once we were finished we put our work up in the hall to prove that we are not afraid to be ourselves.  Maybe our case of the stripes will be cured!

Calendar Month Song

Part of our calendar time is devoted to learning the days of the week and the months in the year.  We have been singing this song to help us remember the months.  The class has been asking me for a while to be uploaded, so here it is!  I think that they are a fine group of singers!  We also review temperature, weather patterns, money, graphing, number sense, tallying, seasons, variety patterns, and much more during our daily calendar time.

Paper Plate Clocks!

Today we made these cute little paper plate clocks.  Many students find it difficult to tell time, especially in today's world of digital clocks.  I like making these clocks because it provides a very tangible and concrete way to check the time.

How it works:
Have the students arrange the hands on the clock so that they are pointing to numbers.  The hour hand (short/red) is read first.  Just say the number it is pointing to.  In this case we would say "6." Then follow the minute hand (long/blue) and fold up the flap.  Say what it says under the flap.  In this case "15." Now put it together- 6:15.  As the class gets more comfortable with this procedure we can challenge them to say the time without opening the flap, and they can self-check.

How to make:
Write the numbers on a plate (always start with 12, 3, 6, and 9).  Then add the other numbers 2 finger spaces apart.  cut a slit between the numbers and glue the plate (only put glue in the middle) to another plate.  fold up the flaps and add 00 under 12, 05 under 5 , 10 under 2 and so on.  cut out hands from construction paper and attach them with a brad.

It's easy as that, and the kids had a fun time making them!  These will stay in their chair pockets, and we will use these as a form of "quick checking" when we start math class.

Wilson 1.3 Digraphs

This week I introduced the concept of digraphs.  This is nothing new for the students and the same digraphs and keywords are used in FUNdations.  However, digraphs can still be tricky because they contain 2 letters, but they only make one sound.  As you can see from the clip we are still working on letter-sound relations, but I have been impressed with the classes' ability to "tap" unknown words.  Don't judge my videography skills too harshly, but I thought this would give a little insight into the wonderful world of Wilson.  In the clip a student says the wrong sound for a letter.  When that happens, always direct them back to the letter and keyword combination. 9 times out of 10 this will lead to self-correction.

We will also be incorporating Secret Stories into our reading class as a way to make digraphs more memorable. Secret Stories are pictures of digraphs that are related to a story.  I'll add a post about Secret Stories when we get deeper into that.

The Words Their Way sorts are connected to the Wilson rule we are covering, and it is another way students can connect with words in a tactile and authentic way.  When working with the word sorts at home, encourage your child to explain why he or she put their word in that particular pile. Being able to verbalize the rational behind the sort, and teach another about it is an excellent way of remembering the material.  Homework has been pretty skimpy this week, but it will pick up some next week once the class is back in the habit of marking words and self-correcting.


I'm curious how many parents are comfortable "tapping" at home, would a primer clip about tapping be helpful?