NEW WORK STATIONS

This past Monday we introduced some new activities to be completed during Work Stations.  Here they are...

FINE MOTOR STATION~Children have been asked to complete 3 cutting pages.

 ALPHABET STATION~Children are completing a rhyming task.

 WRITING STATION~Children are tracing 5 of our recent passwords.  As they trace the word, they say each letter out loud as they are tracing.

 PROJECT STATION~Children are working on the following math activities...

 PATTERNING~Children complete the patterns on each card using unifix cubes.

 TANGRAMS~Children use the shapes in the photo below to complete the puzzle cards in the following photos.  The cards start out simple and then become more complicated.  This is an example of a spatial reasoning activity.

LILY PAD~  Children complete the following language tasks...

 Children are required to match pictures that rhyme.

 Some children will match the rhymes using the words instead of the pictures.

 Children need to identify the beginning sounds of words in the activity in the photo below.

 Some children will identify the ending sounds of words using picture cards and letters such as in the example below.

DISCOVERY STATION~Children discriminate between pictures that are representative of Spring and those which do not represent Spring.

NURSERY RHYME~This week we will finish our study of Outer Space with learning more about the moon.  Today, we introduced a new nursery rhyme that includes the moon!

3-9-12

Today we changed Friendly Frog into his Springtime outfit!

STAR OF THE WEEK~

Our new Star of the Week is Jack!  We learned that Jack's favorite color is yellow; favorite dessert is brownies; and his favorite animal is a porcupine.  Jack shared many photos with us and one of his favorite toys...the Joker from Batman! 

 BALLOON ROCKET EXPERIMENT~

Using a balloon, a drinking straw, tape, and a piece of string stretched from the ceiling to the floor, we did an experiment to represent how a rocket blasts off into Outer Space.

 We first asked the children how we could make the straw travel from the floor to the ceiling on the piece of string.

 The children suggested a blow up the balloon, tie it, and tape it to the straw.

 I followed the students' suggestions but then they changed their mind.....

 I blew up another balloon but the children told me not to tie it.

 I taped the balloon to the straw and we did a countdown!

 When the balloon was released, the air came out causing the straw to travel up the string.  The straw wen half-way up the string.  The children quickly commented that if more air was put into the balloon, the farther the straw would travel.  Of course they wanted to see the straw travel to the ceiling.

 So, Mrs. Spolter blew up the balloon again putting more air into the balloon this time.  As a result.....

 the straw traveled all the way up the string to the ceiling!

3-8-12

DON'T FORGET...

WE WOULD LIKE FOR EACH CHILD TO BRING IN TO SCHOOL TOMORROW (FRIDAY).......2 ITEMS/OBJECTS THAT RHYME.  THANKS!

FREE CHOICE FUN~

Mary and Cooper  fill in the number tiles on the 100 board.

Mary and Adrianna do weaving with ribbons.

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY!~

Today we helped Alek celebrate her birthday!  Alek's mom read the story, Mimi The Mermaid and The Pearl Necklace.  Then we enjoyed eating ice cream cones for Alek's birthday treat!  Happy Birthday, Alek!

 ZERO THE HERO DAY~

Today we celebrated our 120th day of school!  Alek's family and M.J.'s mom came in to help us celebrate!  Each child decorated his/her own "trinket box" that was in the shape of a 0.  Thank you for a great activity!

SPANISH CLASS~

Be sure to view the slide show below for photos of the work children did in Spanish class today.  Senora Robeano has been teaching the children the names of shapes in Spanish.  She also tied this into a lesson on the artist Pablo Picasso and how he used shapes in his artwork.  In today's Spanish class, children created their own cubism pictures!

Cubism - free slideshow

3-7-12

 Be sure to ask your child about the new popcorn word we presented today.

 

 Children were asked to draw the other half of the rabbit shown in the photo below.

 A funny Space story!

 Work from our handwriting books....

3-6-12

FREE CHOICE~

Jack colors his rocket at the Discovery Station.  He will then attach a straw to the back and use another straw to "launch it".  Look out for these flying rockets at your house!

 Mary enjoying "roller" painting.

 PROBLEM-SOLVING ACTIVITIES~

Today we introduced 2 new problem-solving/logical-reasoning activities that will be available during Free Choice time.  The children were very excited about both activities!

The activity in the 2 photos below is Sudoku using unifix cubes.

The 2 photos below are of the game, RushHour, Jr.  To play this game, the players set up the vehicles on the game board exactly as the card shows.  Then, each player takes a turn moving a vehicle to try to get the ice cream truck out of the "rush hour".  Players must slide the vehicles and cannot pick them up off the game board when making moves.

3-1-12

 STAR OF THE WEEK~

Today we learned more about our friend, Gavin!  Gavin's favorite color is green; favorite dessert is a donut; and favorite restaurant is Bob Evans.  Gavin shared his wonderful photos with us and his LEGO ship, one of his favorite items.  Thanks for sharing today, Gavin!