This is my first year using Building Blocks with my pre-k class. I'm so excited -- it's going just as the book says! I'm doing a morning message every day, and the name activities. I used our class mascot, Snowball (a polar bear) as our first name. That day one child at the writing center asked if she could write Snowball's name! Now the children are drawing pictures for him and writing his name. One boy's mom said it was the first word he's ever tried to write other than his name. I'm doing shared reading with books I've enlarged and I'm sending home a mini version of the same book each week. We'll do our first predictable chart this week. The only problem I'm having is finding enough time in my 2 1/2 hour morning.
On 9/22/03, Janet wrote: > This is my first year using Building Blocks with my pre-k > class. I'm so excited -- it's going just as the book > says! I'm doing a morning message every day, and the name > activities. I used our class mascot, Snowball (a polar > bear) as our first name. That day one child at the > writing center asked if she could write Snowball's name! > Now the children are drawing pictures for him and writing > his name. One boy's mom said it was the first word he's > ever tried to write other than his name. I'm doing shared > reading with books I've enlarged and I'm sending home a > mini version of the same book each week. We'll do our > first predictable chart this week. The only problem I'm > having is finding enough time in my 2 1/2 hour morning.
With a 2 1/2 hour time frame, I would alternate between Shared Reading and Predictable Charts weekly. With Pre-K, you're not going to be held to the fire as much as older grades, so relax and give the kids time to really enjoy their activities and don't worry about trying to squeeze everything in.
How about predictable sentences on how the pumpkin is feeling? They can go along with discussions of feelings and how you can tell someone is feeling that way. Kids draw a pumpkin/jack-o-lantern face.
My pumpkin is mad. My pumpkin is sad. My pumpkin is glad.
My pumpkin is grumpy. My pumpkin is scared. My pumpkin is proud. My pumpkin is shy. My pumpkin is surprised. My pumpkin is amazed. My pumpkin is disgusted. My pumpkin is worried.
This doesn't really fit your theme but we are studying apples and just came up with this idea for a predictable chart. We are reading: 10 Apples Up On Top
Chart: I have 10 apples on my _____________(body part).
We think the big book we will make will be really cute!
On 9/30/03, Cindee wrote: > On 9/29/03, Riley wrote: >> Hi! Looking for Building Blocks training in Michigan >> (preferably northern Mi)....anyone have any clues!?? Riley > There is an SDE program in January in Detroit. Hope that > helps! Cindee , do you know where I can find information about this? Thanks!!
We have an incredible Building Blocks Training Beyond the Basics planned for June 14-15, 2004 (Monday and Tuesday) in Grand Rapids, Michigan. If you want information, email me
Do any of you think that Building Blocks would be appropriate for 1st and 2nd grade students who are special ed? Some do not have letter recognition yet and some know letters, but do not have letter-sound correspondence. Thanks in advance!!
On 10/03/03, jenny wrote: > Do any of you think that Building Blocks would be > appropriate for 1st and 2nd grade students who are special > ed? Some do not have letter recognition yet and some know > letters, but do not have letter-sound correspondence. > Thanks in advance!!
yes! yes! yes! I taught special education for 15 years before coming to Kindergarten. I wish I knew of Building Blocks when I taught special education. Morning Message is perfect for all areas especially attention problems. It is continual modeling of skills. Also ,if done right,morning message is a very predictable event that is needed in a special education class. Repeated practice of one or two words such as predictable charts is perfect for 1-2 grade.
I was very stressed out yesterday when I got home and NEED help from anyone! For my reading program my school uses the Houghten Mifflin reading series AND the land of the letter series. What I have been doing is just following the Houghten Mifflin series and then adding the letter people with that. Anyways with this series the Hougthen mifflin introduces letters (one letter a week) and the sound that goes with that letter all in one week. Then eventually each letter builds on eachother to make words and small stories. Well I teach a letter a week with this series and I have taught the letter and sound of a, d and n. Anyways yesterday we started a book where the children had to sound out words with these letters in them. Ex: Dad and Dan. About half of the children were clueless as to what we were doing. They were struggling finding the sound of the letter (unsure what sound it makes). They also seemed even unsure that letters made up words and EVEN what way to read the word. I just feel at a loss and and unsure what to do. They struggle SOO much connecting sounds as well to make up words. What should I do? Is there any really good books I could use or rescources you have used? How do you introduce reading and phonics to the children? HELP!!
Don't panic! Get the Building Blocks month-by-month Kindergarten book and start using the activities the best you can. ESPECIALLY focus on the "getting to know you"/name activities. I used to do letter of the week, and I know exactly what you're going through. Using the BB name activities, they'll learn that letters make up words, and they'll also quickly learn what sounds those letters make. You will start to notice a change very quickly. Secondly, I'm not familiar with Houghton Mifflin, but we use McGraw- Hill (I think). I've been able to combine aspects of the textbook series with BB. I've also still used the letter people at times, though I've slacked off lately. I bet you can use your series together with BB if you need to. If you don't have immediate access to the BB month-by-month book, e-mail me and I'll explain the name activities enough to get you started. Good luck!
I have this fantastic book by Fountas and Pinnell called Introduction to Phonics. It has great lessons and a book of blacklines that go with it. The lessons focus on different aspects of reading and writing literacy through phonics. I was struggling before I found this book. My kids love doing some of the lessons so much they choose to do them independently during free choice time! Definitely look into this book.
On 10/03/03, ANG wrote: > I was very stressed out yesterday when I got home and NEED > help from anyone! For my reading program my school uses the > Houghten Mifflin reading series AND the land of the letter > series. What I have been doing is just following the > Houghten Mifflin series and then adding the letter people > with that. Anyways with this series the Hougthen mifflin > introduces letters (one letter a week) and the sound that > goes with that letter all in one week. Then eventually each > letter builds on eachother to make words and small stories. > Well I teach a letter a week with this series and I have > taught the letter and sound of a, d and n. Anyways > yesterday we started a book where the children had to sound > out words with these letters in them. Ex: Dad and Dan. > About half of the children were clueless as to what we were > doing. They were struggling finding the sound of the letter > (unsure what sound it makes). They also seemed even unsure > that letters made up words and EVEN what way to read the > word. I just feel at a loss and and unsure what to do. > They struggle SOO much connecting sounds as well to make up > words. What should I do? Is there any really good books I > could use or rescources you have used? How do you introduce > reading and phonics to the children? HELP!! > > Ang
I am doing a research project on using the Building Blocks Program to improve students reading skills. I need to find some articles from a professional, educational journal that have research on the Building Blocks program. If you can give me any help, please let me know.
I only have 11 students in my literacy group, so we went through "special person of the day" very quickly. Does anyone have ideas for doing a 2nd round?
On 10/04/03, Jennifer wrote: > I only have 11 students in my literacy group, so we went > through "special person of the day" very quickly. Does > anyone have ideas for doing a 2nd round? This is what I do: Round 1- Cheer the name, count the letters, clap the beat, mix up letters and put in order, interview, check them out, draw a picture and make a book for the SOTD to take home. I have made up special sheets for the next 8 rounds of names. I give each student one and we write together letter by letter. Round 2- ________ is Student of the Day. He/She has ______ letters in his/her name. He/ She is ____ years old. From ________
Round 3- Have them write the SOTD's name and their name below it and circle the letters that are the same.(first and last)
Round 4- Have them write the SOTD's name (first and last) and their name below it and circle all of the vowels. I go through each vowel one at a time.
Round 5- __________ is Student of the Day. From _______ They write all of this.
Round 6
1,2,3,4,5 6,7,8,9,10
_________ is student of the Day again.
From__________
I go through the number poems and I have squares that they write the numbers in at the top of the page. Round 7 and 8
Dear _______,
(They write a sentence on their own.) From ______
Is this as clear as mud? Email if you have any questions. I would be happy to send you a copy of them all. Kerri in Missouri
I am looking for Building Block schedules for a 1/2 day Kindergarten program. How do you fit all the blocks into the short time frame? I would love to see and hear about examples.
I am new to BB this year. (I taught 2nd grade with 4th blocks last year)
Here's our day (as of now - it has changed several times - I just go with what works). 8:40-9:00 - eye opener (table centers, coloring sheet, etc) 9:00-9:15 - calendar and names activities 9:15-10:00 - stations (free play at first, as year progresses this will be more of a workboard assigned learning center time) 10:00-10:15 - recess 10:15-10:30 - predictable chart or shared reading (this sometimes goes longer) 10:30-11:00 - math/science/Land of the Letter People activity (distict required curriculum)/theme activities 11:00-11:15 - morning message (end of day journal), read- aloud, closing & dismissal
The afternoon session has the same chunks of time just in a different order. I work at a school with a very high ELL population, so we are starting VERY slowly. I do my morning message at the end of the day - my classes asked if we could keep a journal of what we had learned at the end of each day instead of starting the day with the message, I figured, why not?
Hope this helps, Ali
On 10/08/03, Hide wrote: > I am looking for Building Block schedules for a 1/2 day > Kindergarten program. How do you fit all the blocks into > the short time frame? I would love to see and hear about > examples.
I read your half day scedule with interest. I am a principal of an early childghood center with 18 sessions of HDK. Do you have specials? (PE, MUSIC). OIf so, when. What about snack? How much time between each session? Thanks so much. Judy [email removed].
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I am looking for small pictures to place in my sound muncher to help students learn beginning sounds. Do you know of a site on the internet that might have something like this? Thank you.
On 10/23/03, Miss Donna wrote: > On 10/10/03, Goldie wrote: >> I am looking for small pictures to place in my sound >> muncher to help students learn beginning sounds. Do you >> know of a site on the internet that might have something >> like this? Thank you. > I do not use a web site but I do give each child three index > cards and a glue stick on Friday afternoons. > Their "homework" is to find three pictures from magazines > that begin with the letter that we are studying and glue them > to the index card. The children love to bring in > their "homework" on Monday mornings and feed it to the Sound > Muncher!. They are so proud!
On 10/23/03, Miss Donna wrote: > On 10/10/03, Goldie wrote: >> I am looking for small pictures to place in my sound >> muncher to help students learn beginning sounds. Do you >> know of a site on the internet that might have something >> like this? Thank you. > I do not use a web site but I do give each child three index > cards and a glue stick on Friday afternoons. > Their "homework" is to find three pictures from magazines > that begin with the letter that we are studying and glue them > to the index card. The children love to bring in > their "homework" on Monday mornings and feed it to the Sound > Muncher!. They are so proud!
On 9/22/03, Janet wrote:
> This is my first year using Building Blocks with my pre-k
> class. I'm so excited -- it's going just as the book
> says! I'm doing a morning message every day, and the name
> activities. I used our class mascot, Snowball (a polar
> bear) as our first name. That d...See More