Blog

Let's go shopping!
8 March 2013

This year our school has implemented a new phonological awareness plan in the hopes of bringing our school up to speed with the Australian National Curriculum. This means that in Kindy we are now teaching syllables and rhyme in term 1 (previously taught in terms 2 and 3 respectively). Phew! It sure is a lot to get through in a short time, particularly when you take into consideration we do half groups for half days for the first 2 weeks. Throw in public holidays (4 days this term!!), testing days (speech screen) and professional development courses there really isn't much time left in term 1!

With all of this in mind I have revamped the structure of my day to include lots of opportunities for the students to play quick syllable games. Some of the games we have been using include the syllable house game and a syllable flower game that I found on TPT by Young and Lively in Kindergarten. The students love picking flowers and then sorting them into the correct pot.

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Still in need of another syllable game I created a syllable shopping game. Be honest, who doesn't love shopping?! Well now you can shop with your students while practising segmenting words into syllables!

To play this game I attached the 1-3 syllable cards (we left 4 syllable words out of it to start with) to a shopping basket, though you could use a box or brown paper bag - whatever you have to hand really! The students then took turns to go shopping for 1 item and brought it back and show their group. They then named the item (great for improving vocabulary too!) and body tapped the number of syllables in their item. For example potato was po (tap head) - ta (tap shoulders) - to (tap hips). They then counted the number of syllables and placed it into the correct basket. So much fun!

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I found a large tub of plastic food at Kmart (I think!!) for less than $10 so this is what we used to sort into the baskets. However if you don't have plastic food I have also included 6 pictures for each number of syllables so simply print and laminate them!

For those of you who aren't members of Top Teacher we will also be adding this game to out TPT store so you can grab your copy there.

 

'Remember keep calm and pretend it's on the lesson plan!'

Top Teacher xx

Boring is easy... and you're better than that!
4 March 2013

Have you seen Kid President? Take the time to watch this video, you wont regret it! This kid is amazing, inspiring, funny and encouraging - so get to it!

 

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Click here to watch the video

According to the makers of this video - 'We all need a little encouragement every now and then. Kid President, knowing this, has put together a video you can play each morning as you wake up or to share with your friend who needs a kick in the right direction. Take a moment and spread some encouragement. "It's everybody's duty to give the world a reason to dance."

Take the time to brighten up somebodies day!

 

Top Teacher xx

My Mini Office
28 February 2013

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Create mini offices for your students to refer to during writing time, independent work and to also use as a divide during tests or other quiet independent activities. They are especially useful because they are close to the kids eyes, and therefore usable, rather than some of the things that are up on the wall.

I used 2 manilla folders to create mine and stapled them together after making sure they were able to fold shut properly. I like to laminate and add Velcro dots to the pieces so I can change them during the year to suit the kid's needs and what we are learning about.

My kids love using these during writing activities and are becoming more equipped to independently refer to them when they need help. My Year 1's constantly ask to use them now and I find the work a trick at keeping wondering eyes at bay during their spelling tests!

This document is 13 pages.

It includes 4  cover pages

  • 2 colour versions
  • 2 black and white versions

To go inside it includes:

  • blends
  • year 1 digraphs and spelling patterns
  • year 2 digraphs and spelling patterns
  • alphabet
  • contractions
  • common sight words and also a blank sight word template to put your own words into
  • punctuation
  • what do writers write
  • what can I write about?
  • other words for big, little, said, good, bad, pretty
  • how to spell a word
  • writing reminders
  • parts of a story
  • when, who, what, where, why
  • days and months
  • noun, verb. adjective
  • story elements
  • beginning, middle, end
  • traffic light sentences

 

Find the mini office here

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'Remember keep calm and pretend it's on the lesson plan!'

Top Teacher xx

Cat in the Hat!
25 February 2013

This term we are having a Dr Seuss extravaganza!

Our first book has been 'Cat in the Hat'  The kids have loved the Cat in the Hat activities this week! We read the story every day and also watched Justin Bieber read the story (this was a major hit!)

We used the super cute hat template from atozteacherstuff.com and added our faces. Glitter was added to make them even more cute!

My Year 1's wrote about what they would do if the Cat in the Hat came to their house and we scribed the Pre-Primary kids answers.

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We created Thing 1 and Thing 2 using handprints! We spoke about the things they did in the story.

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We made our own Cat in the Hat fruit kebabs using banana, strawberry and grapes.

My Pre-Primary kids had a go at writing the ingredients we used and drew a picture of their fruit kebab.

My Year 1's used our activity retell cards to write about what we made, what we used and the steps to create them. They then had to draw a labelled picture of their kebab.

Find the templates here

 

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Stay tuned for more awesome Dr Seuss activities

'Remember keep calm and pretend it's on the lesson plan!'

Top Teacher xx

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