The Big Cheese

Our leader of the day is called the "Big Cheese".  They get to hold doors for the class, be at the front of the line, help hand out notetotes at the end of the day!  Every student will get a chance to be the big cheese several times throughout the year.  Revealing of  the big cheese is done in different ways throughout the year.  Pictured below is the "magic name sleeve."  It reveals one letter of the child's name at a time.  This provides a great opportunity to integrate literacy skills.  It draws students' attention to the letters in their name.  If you could overhear our conversations during this time it would sound something like this,  "I have a [H] in my name, but it can't be my name because the [H] is at the end and not at the beginning."  

Beginning the Day Routines

Our day begins with independence and maximizing learning time in mind.  We learn how to follow routines and get started on our learning from the moment the bell rings.  To faciliate things we have a chart that we refer to, as needed, to remember all of the jobs we need to do in our cubby area. 

We made the chart together, took it apart and built it again on another day.  This chart is an example of an "Anchor Chart".  An anchor chart makes student thinking visible.  An anchor chart is constructed with the students so as to give it greater meaning.  It will support our learning of routines and be posted until it is no longer needed.  Just another tool, in addition to verbal reminders and watching other students, to help  our learning. 

Steps 4 and 5 refer to jobs students need to complete once they are in the classroom.  The first job is moving our name tag to the ten frame.  With this task we are learning to recognize our name, to count and to instantly recognize numbers up to ten (using the 10 frame). 

                                 

We then move to our "book mats".  Again we are learning to recognize our names and read books independently.    As we move on through the year we will be doing different jobs at our book mats. 

Having these jobs for students to complete gives me a chance to assist students who still need help in their cubbies and with other tasks, knowing that all students are engaged in a learning activity.

                                  

Soon we will be "signing in"  but I will update the blog when that occurs. 

Name Songs and Poems

In an effort to get  to know each other and as an introduction to shared reading we have, and will be reading, chanting and singing the following poems.  Try reading or singing some of them with your child at home.

Owl in the Tree is sung to the tune, Skip to My Lou

Wiggelty, wiggelty, bumblebee who can say their name for me?

(child says name)

let's all say it (name)

Let's clap and say it (name)

Let's whisper it (name)

What is your Name?
(Hush Little Baby)


What is your name? I'd like to know.

What is your name? I'd like to know.

Please won't you tell me before I go?

What is your name? I'd like to know.

Speech and Language

I've included a link to the first words website for those who are concerned about their child's speech or language development. I cannot stress enough the importance of addressing these concerns as early as possible. Often speech and language concerns are easily corrected and have little adverse learning outcomes if they are dealt with early.

http://firstwords.ca/aaaa/