Here is some video footage that we took of our A Class literacy centres yesterday. We used One True Media (a website) to merge the three videos into one. We hope that you enjoy the result!
It is great to see the children working and learning together. They have obviously progressed a lot in their reading, writing, and oral language skills. The ease in which the students use technology to enhance their learning is also wonderful to see. We are so proud of them! Click on the thumbnail image underneath to go the website to view our students in action.
Have a great day!
Aviva and Dianne
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
Our Twentieth Post -- March 13, 2009
It has been another wonderful, but busy, week in our room. We started our new literacy and math centres this week, and we will finish these centres after the March Break. Ask your children about these new centres.
We also started our math problem in class this week. The children are learning how to read a problem, understand what it is asking them to find out, and complete the problem using pictures, numbers, and words. While we are completing the math problems as a class right now, as the year progresses, the children will have the opportunity to complete these problems in small groups and individually. We look forward to having them show you what they can do.
This is also Cassi Smith's last week in our room. Dianne Kunz will be returning after the Break. I (Aviva) want to thank Cassi for everything that she has done for me and for the students. It has been a pleasure to work with her.
Have a wonderful March Break!
Aviva and Cassi
We also started our math problem in class this week. The children are learning how to read a problem, understand what it is asking them to find out, and complete the problem using pictures, numbers, and words. While we are completing the math problems as a class right now, as the year progresses, the children will have the opportunity to complete these problems in small groups and individually. We look forward to having them show you what they can do.
This is also Cassi Smith's last week in our room. Dianne Kunz will be returning after the Break. I (Aviva) want to thank Cassi for everything that she has done for me and for the students. It has been a pleasure to work with her.
Have a wonderful March Break!
Aviva and Cassi
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Our Ninteenth Post -- March 7, 2009
On Thursday and Friday, we told the children that from now on, we will no longer be completing our calendar routine. We will be reviewing the months and days through our morning message routine. Instead of calendar, we will start completing math word problems next week. These word problems will allow us to review key mathematical concepts with the students and also help teach them the importance of the language of math. We look forward to this exciting addition to our math program!
We have also made a slight change in our Language program too. Last year's EQAO results indicate that many students have some difficulty with answering multiple choice questions. To help our students learn this important skill, we have included a multiple choice question as part of our morning message routine. The children each get a chance to vote on what they think is the correct answer, and then we complete the question together to find out for sure. These multiple choice questions are a great way to review key language and mathematical concepts taught in class.
Thank you for your continued support of our program! We look forward to another exciting week next week: the last week before March Break. Have a great weekend!
Aviva and Cassi
P.S. Due to the Board server issues this weekend, our Board e-mail addresses are not working either. If you have any questions, please phone us at school on Monday (905-304-3255). Thank you!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Our Eighteenth Post -- Math Centres for the B Class
Here is some video footage of the students in the B Class completing one of their math centre rotations today. It is interesting to see how they are interacting with each other and to hear what they have to say. The children are obviously learning and having fun at the same time.
Have a great day!
Aviva and Cassi
Have a great day!
Aviva and Cassi
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Our Seventeenth Post -- Math Centre Video Footage
We decided to try something new yesterday: we recorded video footage of the children completing one of their math centre rotations. We are new at this, so we apologize for some of our camera work. That being said, it is interesting to watch the students as they work together. They are obviously enjoying this round of centres while thinking and learning too! Check out the Kindergarten Website by March 7th for descriptions and photographs of these centres and of the literacy centres as well.
Have a great day!
Aviva and Cassi
Have a great day!
Aviva and Cassi
Friday, February 27, 2009
Our Sixteenth Post -- February 27, 2009
It is hard to believe that another month is almost over! The children are working so hard in class, and we are really noticing some significant improvements in their skills.
This week, Cassi Smith started her supply teacher position in our room. All of the children enjoyed meeting and working with Cassi. She completed the morning message routine with the class and she reviewed the literacy centres with the students. On Thursday, she also completed the calendar routine with the class. The children are getting very excited about the calendar routine because we are almost at our special days: the 101st and 102nd days of school. We have some special math and literacy centres planned for next week to help the children celebrate these special days.
In language this week, we continued to work on the concept of "point of view." The students are doing a fantastic job at understanding and communicating various points of view. Work at home with your child on this concept by talking to your child about what he/she might be thinking and what you might be thinking given various situations (e.g., if your child does not eat his/her dinner, if your child goes to bed right away, if your child breaks a valuable item, and if your child helps out his/her sibling, etc.). This is a great oral language opportunity!
In math, we continued to work on addition: not just being able to combine sets of objects, but also being able to discuss what it means to add sets of objects. This metacognitive step is really important. Many of the students are doing an excellent job at communicating their thinking. We posted an addition activity under the Activities link on the Kindergarten Website. Try it out at home with your child.
Have a wonderful weekend! We look forward to another exciting week next week!
Aviva and Cassi
This week, Cassi Smith started her supply teacher position in our room. All of the children enjoyed meeting and working with Cassi. She completed the morning message routine with the class and she reviewed the literacy centres with the students. On Thursday, she also completed the calendar routine with the class. The children are getting very excited about the calendar routine because we are almost at our special days: the 101st and 102nd days of school. We have some special math and literacy centres planned for next week to help the children celebrate these special days.
In language this week, we continued to work on the concept of "point of view." The students are doing a fantastic job at understanding and communicating various points of view. Work at home with your child on this concept by talking to your child about what he/she might be thinking and what you might be thinking given various situations (e.g., if your child does not eat his/her dinner, if your child goes to bed right away, if your child breaks a valuable item, and if your child helps out his/her sibling, etc.). This is a great oral language opportunity!
In math, we continued to work on addition: not just being able to combine sets of objects, but also being able to discuss what it means to add sets of objects. This metacognitive step is really important. Many of the students are doing an excellent job at communicating their thinking. We posted an addition activity under the Activities link on the Kindergarten Website. Try it out at home with your child.
Have a wonderful weekend! We look forward to another exciting week next week!
Aviva and Cassi
Friday, February 20, 2009
Our Fifteenth Post -- February 20, 2009
Even though it was a short week, it was definitely a busy and exciting week in our room! On Tuesday, the A Class celebrated Valentine's Day with our special literacy and math friendship centres. They definitely enjoyed these activities as much as the B Class did. We also used Valentine's Day to introduce our students to our new school focus (SMART Goal): point of view. For one of our activities, the children had to make a pattern on a cookie using Smartie's or Skittles. We had a child help us introduce this activity to the class, and after the child decorated the cookie, we took the cookie, said how good it looked, and ate it. We took a photograph to capture the expression on the child's face, and then discussed with the class what we might be thinking and what the child might be thinking at the time when we ate the cookie. We explained to the children that this was pre-planned because we wanted to help them understand about "point of view." As one of our new literacy centres, the children are looking at the photograph of this event and drawing and writing about our thoughts and the child's thoughts. This activity definitely helped the children understand the difficult concept of point of view. In the coming weeks, you will hear your child talk even more about point of view.
On Wednesday and Thursday, we also introduced new literacy and math centres to the students. The children are very excited about these new centres. Try talking to your child at home about them. In the coming weeks, you will find information about these centres and photographs of these centres on the Kindergarten Website.
Have a great weekend!
Aviva and Dianne
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)