Parents, Check This Out! App Info

This quarter, I've been able to add an iPad to our literacy and math stations!
These stations encourage independent learning while offering the opportunity to differentiate according to needs and abilities.  Every Friday, a fabulous website, SmartAppsForKids, offers free apps for a limited time.  Bookmark the site!  Below, I'm introducing you to several apps that we have used.  The pictures will not take you to the app store, but you can search the names and choose downloads for iphone or ipad capability.  Some may be available for PC, etc.

Paint Sparkles is the first app that we tried on the iPad.  

It is easy to use, fun to print!

I've taken screenshots of many finished products; some are very detailed and others show room for fine motor improvement.  This may be a glorified coloring book, but the skill development is vital!

The lite version is free, but the extended pages are worth the price.

A kindergarten colleague introduced me to Subtraction Lite.  Her class experienced success with subtraction mastery by practicing this game.  I tried it with our class and I am pleased with the results!

This is a free app!

Letter School is a new discovery, and I was able to grab it for free, today!

I've noticed that many students are forming letters from the bottom up, or are adding curves after picking up their writing tool.  This app includes a D'Nealian set of letters and numbers!

I'll be using it over the next four weeks with the children, 

but I encourage you to use it over the summer!

I have not tried the next two apps, but both look relevant and interesting!

Butterfly House~Field Trip

We read to the docents!

We all took a turn in the human cocoon.

After we decorated flowers and butterflies,
we demonstrated our knowledge of camouflage.

Blue Morpho

The butterfly blends in with the food!

The proboscis can clearly be seen in this pic,
curled up under the head.

Moth

This butterfly has hatched and is waiting for wings to dry!

Camouflaged Butterfly

The giant cockroaches are... interesting.
According to the docents, each roach has a unique personality!

Weeks 9 & 10: Bats & Spiders

We added words to our book about nocturnal animals.

We know the beginning sounds of words.

We wrote a mission statement!

We made mini smores and ate them around our 'campfire'.

marshmallows/chocolate bars/teddy grahams

We choose quiet spots to read together.

We match numerals with ten frame cards.

We created owl booklets during Writer's Workshop.

Mrs. Platts squealed with delight when she found this spider.
It's alive!

We added sets of numbers in the spider webs.

We stretched the sounds to form words.

We have spider schema!

Wind

The wind was glorious on Wednesday!  We shared the bubble wand, but the wind did the work!  We also checked the direction of the wind with our paper props.

Pajama Day

The children are working on writing 
during literacy stations.
Above, you can see a story in progress.
Below, words are ordered for sentences and then written.
We also write lists for our theme words!

This is a photo I snapped from the Living Earth App.
A-MAZING!

Skills

As I evaluated last week's work, I noticed that several students are neglecting to write their names on assignments.  I am noting this on paperwork from this day forward.


I will also be circling backward numbers on paperwork.  At this point in the year, numbers should be facing in the right direction, more often than not.  You may also see that your child's name is being circled on paperwork.  As with numbers, correct letter form in name-writing is achievable as 3rd quarter progresses.  We are working on correct form with focused hand-writing pages during morning work.


A copy of the D'Nealian alphabet is in the W.O.W. binder.  Thank you for practicing this alphabet at home!  

Printable Lunchbox Notes

I came across the most adorable lunch notes while searching for holiday ideas.
You can find them HERE!

Online Number Games

Count the spots on the ladybugs and match them to the proper leaf!  This game shows different spot combinations for each number.


Sequence numbers in this game!  Finding a missing number is an important kindergarten skill.


Find many games for math skills ranging from counting to division at the main page.

Pencil Grip Resources

Click the links for a thorough explanation of  correct pencil grip development, exercises to strengthen hands and fingers, and the importance of crossing the mid-line!

2011-2012 School Year

As you can see, the blog contains posts, pictures, and page links that were created for the '10-'11 year.  In August, I will update the blog by creating new pages for the coming school year!  If you are visiting the site, I hope you see the joy and love that children experience in our kindergarten.  

Please feel free to email me with any questions!  

Enjoy your summer!

Summer Reading

One of the most important things your child can do this summer is READ!  
Follow these links for information on reading reward programs:
Scholastic Summer
Barnes and Noble
St. Louis County Library
Borders
Sylvan's Book Adventure

Online Game & Video-Numbers/Dolphins

Illuminations-- Ten Frame Game
Check out this link!  The prompts reinforce addition and subtraction skills to ten.

Dolphin video
National Geographic Kids hosts this interesting video about dolphin babies and their moms!

SAT Testing-- April 4-8

Next week, we will be taking the SAT for kindergarten!  PLEASE, let  me know if you have a dental or doctor appointment scheduled for your child, or if you anticipate an absence.  The subtests are difficult to administer if a child misses them.  Testing will take place in the morning hours.

Providing your child with a balanced breakfast, healthy morning snack, and adequate rest wiill give her/him a good foundation during testing.  Thank you!

Toy Day!

The children may bring a toy to class on WEDNESDAY, 3/9!  The children earned letters to spell "president" from the teachers in computer, spanish, music, and PE.

If possible, please choose toys that fit in the backpack.  :-)

Penny Experiment

    Cleaning pennies with vinegar is popular in PreK classrooms.  Knowing this, I broadened the children's experience by providing ketchup and toothpaste for our penny shining experiment.

It worked!!

  

Teeth, lost & found :-)