Creating A Christmas Tree…

Stage 1

My Little Learners have had so much fun this past week making mini Christmas trees.

Helping each other

   

They decorate our room perfectly even when unpainted and not yet decorated. 
I am thrilled with the results. 
Take a look…

First each child selected a substantially thick magazine. 
ie Australian Women's Weekly, Top Gear, which incidentally the boys loved!

Steps to Success

To begin simply fold the top right corner of a single page in towards the centre to form a triangle and make a firm crease as below.

Next take the newly formed right corner and bring it across to the middle of the magazine ensuring the hypotenuse is now straight along the magazines centre.  The page should still be completely attached yet hanging off at the bottom due to the folding as in picture below. 
The Little Learners call this move “making a Dads tie”.

Lastly, fold upward the small section that is hanging off the bottom of the ‘tie’ as shown below. 
Ensure the crease is firm and strong then turn the newly shaped page and start again. 
Continue with all pages including the covers. 
This took my Little Learners approximately 2hours to complete.

Once completed, stand upright and tape covers together. 
This makes the folded pages fan out slightly and form a Christmas tree shape.

 

Now the trees are ready to spray paint with green paint. 

 

Pop back tomorrow to see the spray painted trees,
the star and decorations that really finish the activity beautifully.

I hope you are inspired to have a go.

Happy Tuesday!
Mrs Stowe

Moving On With Daily Five

Loving implementing Daily Five…

After launching Read To Self, it was time to move on into

2. Read to Someone

Again we started with the suggested anchor chart for Read to Someone
and
practised the behaviours that would ensure this was a successful station. 

In my mind it was risky practising the anti behaviours as ‘the sisters’ suggested but…they were right. 

My little rascal was doing his usual thing so I selected him to demonstrate the behaviour that would not be good to have during this Read to Someone time.
 
Needless to say…

He excelled in his demonstration of rolling around the floor, taking the ‘shared book’, being noisy and making ridiculous faces.  The Little Learners laughed hysterically and I immediately ventured ( as suggested) into having him then demonstrate helpful behaviour for Read to Someone. 

SHOCK , HORROR…

He did this perfectly so naturally we all applauded and praised his demonstration.  HE beamed with this attention.  Now for the best news ever,  he AMAZINGLY employed the correct behaviour for the whole session of Read to Someone.  Yes I was astounded.

My Little Learners are proudly now achieving 20minutes of Read to Self perfectly and 12 minutes of Read to Someone brilliantly too.  Have a look at the following photo’s.  They echo my ramblings.  By the way the Little Learners even get up and change their books without being disruptive.

And now…

I'm gathering ideas for Work on Writing so please
share anything you do that’s great and help us out.  Much appreciation for anything!

Happy Saturday!
Mrs Stowe

Beginning the Daily Five

Just the beginning…

After Reading so much about it online.
after buying the book and reading some more,
after watching a bit of it in practise online…

I was ready to launch

Daily Five!!

and I love it.

1. Read to Self

We started by creating an anchor chart for Read to Self and practised the rules and anti behaviours as described by the sisters.  I was thankful for all of the wonderful resources available on TpT for Daily Five and had a hard time choosing the theme for my classroom as I thought they were all so cute.  Head over to TpT if you are wanting some quality resources all ready to use.  It certainly takes the stress out of creating your own. 

The Little Learners were amazing.  I admit I was doubtful…forever optimistic but definitely cautious.  However,  my wildest dreams were superseded.

My delightful Little Learners love Read to self. They are
self directed,
self motivated and
responsibly stay on task.

 

 

 

 

 

I have only one question…
why isn't this approach HUGE in Australia. 
If you are using it please leave a comment below. Id love to hear from you!

Happy Thursday!
Mrs Stowe

Kindergarten Big Kids???

As we begin the downhill run in Kindergarten, Term 4 indeed, we enjoy all kinds of
satisfaction as Kindy teachers
don't we.

Our Little Learners are now able to
read, write and do Maths independently.

They draw pictures….and we know what they are!

They colour rather than scribble…praise the Lord for that one!!!

They can make two lines without help.

Oh yes this is the satisfaction end of Kindergarten.

Kindergarten Big Kids???

Yes, that’s right.

This week my Kinder Kids had a visit from the Kindergarten group for 2014 and we read stories to them.  It was so thrilling for my Little Learners to be skilled and grown up.  They embraced the experience and thoroughly enjoyed nurturing the ‘New Little Kids'. 

Too cute for words.

 

And so as one journey draws to a close we are reminded that another is just about to begin.

Don't grow too fast my Little Learners!

Happy Tuesday!
Mrs Stowe

Definitely Still Wearing My L Plates…

Well folks,
I tried really hard to run a give-a-way.
Yes, I even used the fool proof Rafflecopter but somehow I still managed to fail.  It didn't work and sadly I know it would have been user error.

However,
defeated I am NOT.
So the winners of my give-a-way were the lovely two ladies who left a comment on my post.

Barbara from Grade ONEderful

and

Mrs Whary the Teaching Fairy

I have emailed you both a copy of my flipbooks and
have all ten fingers and toes crossed that the email worked!!

If you feel pity for me then please leave me some advice or any tutorial sites and I will gladly do my homework. Please be kind

Happy Wednesday!
Mrs Stowe

My First Giveaway…

 
I have finally finished formalising a copy of this resource. 
It has been an old faithful year after year. 
It’s a word flipbook.
 

GIVEAWAY !!!

I think I just learned how to do this so here goes...
1 lucky reader will receive a copy of my flipbook free. 
Just enter above and the draw will take place
October 16. (assuming I did it all right...lol)
I tried to get the entry below
but...
well...
I couldn't so its above
...grrr!

 

Phase 1 (Begin with sounds only)

After the first couple of weeks of Kindergarten I begin using my flipbooks.
First, photocopy the cover and about 12 blank pages with the numbers 1-7 on the left. Note that the booklets are thin list style.  I cut an A4 page in 4 width ways.  The kids love the easy to handle size.  Its a bit like a longer notebook/shopping list style.

Now you are ready 

Everyday the Little Learners flip to a new page in the booklets and wait ready to listen. 
I call out a single sound, hold up one finger then repeat the sound. 
The children repeat the sound while holding up one finger then they write the letter on their page flip style.

Needing More

I repeat the above process daily
adding simple cvc, vc and cv words as the children become confident sound/letter users.

Phase 2

As the Little Learners are ready I introduce a single line next to the number and
begin to demonstrate how letters sit on a line.


I continue the dictation style as above.  I forgot to mention above that if I am dictating more than a single sound I always hold up the matching number of fingers as a prompt.  The children also do this as they repeat the given word before writing it.

Its quite funny but every year, every group of learners create a concentrating hum in unison as they orally sound the word they are writing.

It’s music to my ears!!

Phase 3

During term 3 of Kindergarten I introduce writing lines.  Obviously now the Little Learners are writing the letters to form words confidently and I am focusing on the correct letter height  in relation to the lines.

Assessment Easy…

This activity is quick and easy but does show you who is needing extra support and where. 
ie beginning middle or end sounds. 



It also shows who is confidently identifying all sounds. 
I gradually split these learners off with independent group activity and work more closely with the others. 


I use this process right until the end of the year. 
It is part of our daily routine.

Why not give it a go?

You could create your own flipbook by stapling a bunch of pages together list style and have the children make their own design on the cover.  I did this for years. 

Alternatively

head over to my Tpt store and grab yourself a copy. 
Each phase as described above is ready to print, cut and add 2 staples to the top.

Either way please give this a try with your class.  It works…
Don't forget to enter my draw at the top.

Happy Sunday!
Mrs Stowe

create and share

It was an amazing
39oC
Spring

day last Thursday. 
I can only begin to imagine what the Summer will be like!

Fortunately our classroom is air conditioned.  However,
after a 50 minute outside lunchtime the Little Learners
were exhausted
so we decided to have some building time.

 

 

Today is a beautiful 30oC Australian Spring Day. 
Just heading out to enjoy it.
Isn't funny to think we are heating up and elsewhere its cooling down.

Happy Saturday!
Mrs Stowe