October Themes ....Spider, Bats, and Fire Prevention

Each child wrote a fact about spiders and we put them on our web.  Then we did a whole group writing activity filling in the blanks for the spider chart. 

Every day we read a a few pages in a non-fictional Spider book.  The students wrote one fact that they learned each day. 

We made a list of animals that were diurnal and nocturnal. 

Using a few of our high frequency words and beginning sounds, we were able to do a whole class writing activity.  I used different colors lines so the children could easily keep up with where to write.

Predictable chart using common HF words

Whole group and center based independent activity

Community helpers chart and fire fighter attribute chart

How to grow a theme..

I am choosing the "Apple" Theme, only because it encompasses non-fiction and beginning reading skills.  You will see how children are writing in beginning sounds and using illustrations to depict understanding.  You will also see how we create whole class as well as individual projects. 

                                               This project is on Deanna Jump's blog. 

Graphic Organizers and Concept Boards

One of the hardest things to me to teach is comprehension.  But taking a graphic organizer that the CHILDREN CREATE, NOT THE TEACHER can ensure deeper understanding.  I read something once that said "If the teacher made the chart, and the teacher did all of the writing, and the teacher did all of the illustrating,  then the teacher is doing all of the thinking."  I think truer words were never spoken.  I am posting a GO from the first of the year so you can see how to take a child who just learning to draw pics and use beginning sounds and make an effective graphic organizer. 
Our concept board highlights our comprehension skills for a nine week period.  They include class projects as well as individual assignments.

 This GO is using illustrations only, but focusing on Main Character and Additional Characters in a story.

Math and More

I know it has been a while since I have posted and I have several things to share with you.  This year we started teaching math a COMPLETELY different way.  We started the year teaching the children how to explore, write, count, add, subtract and recognize numbers using five and ten frames.  It has forever changed the way that I will teach math!!  Just a few pics from earlier in the year.. We taught them how to explore numbers and the importance of seeing numbers on a five frame, ten frame, scattered, in an array, and in a  linear pattern.  It was SO much fun to teach, but LOTS of work!

 Playdough number mats.  If you will google this, they are a freebie on several websites and blogs. 

 This is called a KIM chart (Key idea, Information and Memory Clue)  These are great to explore both numbers and letters

  

This is how we counted the days in school