Thinking on our Feet

On this shortened, holiday week where we were squeezing in as much learning into four days as we possibly could, what happened?  Our projector for our SmartBoard went kablooey!  So we did all we could do - we just rolled with the punches!  We did our whole group phonics games, math games, and our calendar math all on my computer and the students took turns controlling the game the old fashioned way - with a mouse.  Luckily, our classes are small enough to do this.  Here are some links to the games we play during whole group math instruction.

Ten Frame Game

Curious George Bug Catcher

As novel as this week was, things should be back to normal next week (thank goodness)! 

The students learned a new way to interact this week that required no technology at all. They learned the game "Quiz, Quiz, Trade."  The game can be played in lots of different ways, but we use it to reinforce sight word recognition.  The students partner up with a sight word card in front of them.  Each reads the other's word and then they trade cards and find a new partner.  The game lasts about 2 minutes, long enough so they get to trade with several different students and maybe even get a word more than once.  We've used letters in the mix this week too, since there aren't enough sight words to go around just yet.

Landon and Braden play Quiz Quiz Trade

The students were introduced to another no-technology-needed-activity in our classroom; the Magic Fish Bowl of Questions. (Hey- there was a free plastic fish bowl in the teacher's lounge up for grabs and what's better than holding it up to your ear and pretending like it is telling you to ask the students special questions? And when you teach kindergarten, you have to check your pride at the door). This week and next week is all about our community and community helpers. We made an anchor chart this week about places we can go in our town and discussed the helpers we see in those places.  We first do a choral read (everyone together) and then the fishbowl has me ask questions like, "How many g's can you find?"  "Find a word that begins with an 'h'." "Where is the longest word?", etc.

Our centers were all new activities again.  In the Math Games center, they played Chicka Chicka 123. (We read the book last week).  It's basically Bingo in an apple tree disguise.  In the Number Work center, they compared numbers up to 10 using sparkly poms poms as alligator food and alligator mouths that tell "greather than" and "less than." (The alligators mouth always opens toward the larger amount > or <). We have a little chant to go along with it.

Alligator, alligator

Time for lunch

Find the biggest number and

Munch, munch, munch!

 



Kiran feeds the alligator the number that is more.

The students played on an app called "Endless Alphabet" in the Word Work center. It's another app that is free, fantastic, and FUNNY!

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The students are really enjoying going to music and PE twice each week. (And they will get to take home their first book from the library on Monday)! Here, I caught the tail end of the morning class playing their egg shakers along with Miss Moses's musical story.



  And here is the afternoon class hiding from me in PE on Wednesday as I came to get them. Who doesn't love that parachute?

 

And I leave you with a moment I just had to capture.  Kennedy was so proud to pay for her own lunch out of her fancy, red, grown-up purse!

Have a wonderful weekend and remember to have your child wear GREEN on Monday!