Australian Animal– Mr echidna

We are learning as much as we can about Australian Animals as preparation for our first big excursion to the Australian Reptile Park next week.

My Little Learners gobble up every fact and gleefully use the facts in thematic discussion times.  Doesn’t it just amaze you how many facts they can actually recall when they are only 5 and 6 years old… Now if I could only remember where I left my keys!!

On Friday we looked at the echidna then we made our own little guy.

The Little Learners used pencils to shade the entire picture of an echidna.  (Okay stop laughing at the design…yes I drew it.)  Next they cut up a rectangular piece of light and dark grey paper to form triangular shapes.  Finally each shape was attached to the body with glue only on the thick part of the triangular piece so that the spikes would stick up and be…well…spiky!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love it that the Little Learners are not inhibited to always recreate reality but dare to be dynamic and colour as they see it.  The rainbow face is a classic example.

Happy Sunday!
Mrs Stowe

little learners Love playing teacher

Mini chalkboards are a hit with my Little Learners.

While I cough at the dust as they bang the chalk filled dusters against the little boards and cringe as chalk dust covers their clothing, the Little Learners thrive! 

They simply love to draw and write for each other.

  First the Little Learner’s  read an early reader and participated in a guided reading session. 

Next they were asked to teach a partner something from their story orally.  This was hilarious.  There were Little Teachers having their partners clap sentences, finger spell and rhyme.

Then the Little Learners were to ask their partner to write a sentence that they dictated to them onto the chalk boards.  Of course the partners were chosen from the same guided reading group to assist with the sentence content, sight words and grammar focus.

 

I captured a few mini teachers in action today!

I love the photo’s.

 

 

Happy Wednesday!
Mrs Stowe

Whole Brain Teaching– 5 Class Rules

Whole Brain Teaching excels again!!
 

5 Essential Rules
 

Right from Day 1 of Kindergarten I teach my Little Learners the 5 basic class rules that underpin our positive classroom environment.  The wording of the rules below is a slight variation from those introduced by Chris Biffle at wholebrainteaching.com but the effect is the same…pure bliss!!
 

According to WBT the brain learns best from multisensory learning, seeing, saying, hearing, doing and feeling.  These rules very quickly become part of daily routine and begin shaping responsible Little Learners right from Kindergarten.

 

The  posters are displayed in our classroom,
laminated A3 sized,
for reference throughout the day.


I also use a smaller A4 sized set everyday with the Little Learners.


Ashley from www.thekinderpolkerdotpatch.com created the bare bones of the posters above.  I added my beloved gingham border to personalise them slightly. I have also made my own spotty posters available at  my TpT store  for free.
 

Routine

Every morning without fail the Little Learners and I run through our class rules. 

I Love the WBT multisensory approach as the little Learners are able to read the A4 sized rules…flash card style. (visual stimulation)  At the same time the Little Learners recite the familiar rules chorally, (auditory stimulation) and make big gestures ( gross motor stimulation)

 

How Long does it take?

Honestly… I thought it would take several weeks for the Little Learners to know and participate in our class rule gestures.  How wrong was I!!!!  They knew them in a day and within a week were taking turn out the front of the class leading the gestures.

 

Variation…

Good to shake things up after a while. BUT…warning DON”T STOP.  Don't think that they have got it and slack off reciting.  If you stop regular reminders of the rules the Little Learners will think that you no longer value the rules then disaster… so my advice is plain and simple.  Keep it regular and keep it routine.

 

How to do it?

Rule 1 – Listen while your teacher is talking.
Gesture 1 – cup your ear saying ‘listen’, point to the teacher saying ‘teacher’, open and close fingers together against thumb (like a duck beak) saying ‘is talking’.

 

 

Rule 2 – Follow directions quickly.
Gesture 2 – move 2 fingers like legs walking from your shoulder into the air space directly above as you saying ‘follow directions’ then quickly pull the arm back down to your shoulder as you say the word ‘quickly’.  the kids LOVE this. 

 

 

Rule 3 – Keep your hands and your feet to yourself.
Gesture 3 – shake both hands in front of body saying ‘ keep your hands’ then point repeatedly to your feet saying ‘and your feet’ ,finally make a fist with your hands keeping thumbs sticking up tilted towards your chest saying ‘ to yourself’.

 

 

Rule 4 – Raise your hand to speak or stand.
Gesture 4 – move hand up above head as when indicating needing assistance saying “raise your hand to’  while its up high make the duck beak talking gesture saying ‘speak’. Next tilt the wrist forward and make 2 little legs with fingers to represent standing tall or stand’.  this all happens really fluently.  It is much harder to write than actually do.

 

 

Best is always last!!!
 

Rule 5 – Keep you dear teacher happy. ( add on …by being safe, kind and honest.)
Gesture 5 – hold hands either side of face, fingers spread apart, big smile on your face tilting head and hands  from side to side (like a clown) saying ‘ keep your dear teacher happy’.  I always quickly add the words,  “and I will be happy if you obey the rules and are safe and kind and honest.”  The Little learners nod their heads as we chant these last words…it’s adorable.

 

 

Want to know more?…
 

Common you know you do…head on over to wholebrainteaching.com and see these rules for yourself.   Love that this site and its contents are free, free, free and very helpful.

Then head on over to my TpT store and get my rule posters for free.

 

Well that’s it from me…Happy Monday! Mrs Stowe

Another space Organised

Who hates disorganisation?? 

Me, I do, pick me!!!

I am thrilled to have a shelf in my school office organised.  I wish that I could write that I have a whole bookshelf organised but alas I do NOT.  However, this is my goal one shelf at a time.  You have heard the story of the Hare and the Tortoise… that’s me…slow but steady.

I was so excited when this shelf was ready. 
Please excuse me for photographing it from many angles and sharing.

Yes I do walk past the door and look in at it too…

sad but true!

Happy Tuesday!
Mrs Stowe

Shh…it’s a secret sentence

Once a week my Little Learners joyfully participate in a Secret Sentence lesson. 

It begins like this…

Teacher:  Shhh everyone.  I have a secret sentence for you.  I can’t say it too loudly or the next door Kinders will hear. (loads of drama, loads of fun to lure them in)

Instantly the Little Learners are focussed on what I say next even though the same thing has happened each week using different sentences. Got to love Little Learners adorable enthusiasm.

Next, I whisper the secret sentence and have the children echo back in whispers.  We clap and count the words as we whisper.  We identify any sight words orally.  We repeat it one more time to a neighbour.  All of this fun is to secure the sentence in short term memory, encourage identification of sight words and prepare the children for the next step which is a graphic representation of the Secret Sentence. Then the children are now given a worksheet with each of the words in random order within separate boxes.  These boxes become cutting guides for fine motor skill practise as the Little Learners prepare their activity for assembly.

Finally the Little Learners reassemble the sentence and paste into a scrapbook and illustrate to match the text. 

In order to differentiate the task.

1. Learners requiring support – match the words to a support sample as they reassemble and paste.
2. Standard learners – reassemble and paste into books as described in  outline above.
3. More able Learners – Write the sentence, copy style, below their reassembled sentence.
4. Advanced Learners – complete the task as listed at top then add another sentence or two of their own.

All Little Learners read their sentences back to me individually.

I have created many of these Secret Sentences and will post when they are bundled ready for your use.

Happy Monday!
Mrs Stowe

 

 

PS  The above samples are from the first three weeks of the school year.  Sentences increase in complexity as ability demands. 

Is it a bird?…

It began with a few odd shaped bits of coloured paper…

 

and finished as a bird in a nest…

We sure had fun today learning about how birds build nests as well as the many different kinds of nests.  The Little Learners were fascinated with the intricate way the birds weave with their beaks. Although they didn't weave like birds during this lesson, they did create clever nests.  They even cleaned up well at the end of the lesson. 

Tomorrow they shall write recalling the facts learned.  Should make a great display area.

Happy Thursday!
Mrs Stowe

Circus style

My Little Learners turned into colourful circus clowns and wondered if people would recognise them.

This gorgeous sign was created using a freebie frame on TpT by 3am teacher.  Isn’t it cute!

I Love our clown photo window.

I got this idea from my Kindy colleague and loved it so much I did it a few days later.  Not sure if she made it up or was inspired by someone BUT I do know I love it!!

I printed an A4 black and white photo of each child then had the Little Learners add clown features in bright oil pastels.  Finally, we pasted on a cut out clown hat, mounted the whole thing on black card and voilà!!!

– Kinder Clown Cuties-

 

Happy Wednesday!
Mrs Stowe

 

PS Last Clowns …promise!