Hi, This will be my first year teaching reading and writing to kindergarten. Would this be a good resource to purchase. I was heading to the store tomorrow to pick it up. I have the one when I taught first grade but was too overwhelmed to use because it was my first year teaching.
Lori, I, too, like this Month by Month book, but I also like the original book Building Blocks. I think it explains the whys and wherefores of this framework well and I also have the Predictable chart book. You don't really need that one if you read in the Building Block and Month by Month book HOW to do Predictable charts. You can do them based on what your themes are etc. I love this framework and put together with Kidwriting you have a very age appropriate program. Jan
On 6/03/04, Lori/k wrote: > Hi, > This will be my first year teaching reading and writing to > kindergarten. Would this be a good resource to purchase. I > was heading to the store tomorrow to pick it up. I have the > one when I taught first grade but was too overwhelmed to > use because it was my first year teaching. > > > lori
On 6/03/04, Lori/k wrote: > Hi, > This will be my first year teaching reading and writing to > kindergarten. Would this be a good resource to purchase. I > was heading to the store tomorrow to pick it up. I have the > one when I taught first grade but was too overwhelmed to > use because it was my first year teaching. > > > lori
I may be teaching a k/1 combo class next year, and I'm really struggling with organizing my schedule.
I will have Ks half a day from Mon-Thurs.
In a straight K, I would use literacy centres and Building Blocks. In a straight 1, I would use Four Blocks. I thought that I could modify both programs. I will work on Building Blocks activities and book studies in the morning while the Ks are there. There will also be about 30 minutes time for literacy centres. In the afternoons, I can devote another hour to language arts. I was thinking of doing 2 blocks with the first graders daily, and all four blocks on Friday. This means that the first graders will do each block only 3 times a week. Will my students progress with this, or am I setting them up for problems? Should I use another reading framework altogether?
I'm feeling a lot of angst over this, so any help would be greatly appreciated. You'll notice that I don't have science and social studies on the schedule. They will be integrated in language arts and learning centres. As for physical education or specials, I have no idea where I'm going to find time for those! I will have 2 40-minute planning periods each week. I'll have to fit them in somewhere.
This is cross-posted on the Four Blocks board.
8:40 morning chart, morning meeting 9:10 literacy centres (multi-level) (Friday: writing) 9:40 building blocks / book studies (Friday: SSR) 10:10 recess 10:30 snack, book time 10:45 calendar, math bins 11:15 learning centres (Friday: math) 11:45 story time 12:00 lunch / K dismissal 1:00 Mon/Tues: writing Wed/Thurs/Fri: guided reading 1:40 Mon/Tues/Fri: WWW Thurs: SSR Wed: 2:00 dismissal 2:10 Mon: SSR Tues/Thurs: math Fri: art 2:45 closing ceremonies 3:00 dismissal
I love the book Launch Into Reading Sucess Thorough Phonological Awareness Training by Pamela Ottley. But...all you need to know are the skills you want to teach and there are many ideas on the web. I was at an inservice today so i will try and think of some ideas.
1. WOrd Counting: make a line of four attached squares and chldren move a token into each box for each spoken word.
2. Syllables -use your hand and hit upper arm, lower arm, left knee then right knee(that would be for a 4 syllable word
3. Rhyming
4. On/Set and Rime: practice blending word families first it is easy! c/at is cat!
5. Hearing beginning and ending sound
6. Segmenting--stretching words I start by having kids make two fists and put together and stretch out the word but then once they get it I have them count the phonemes on their fingers so that they can stretch words and write at teh same time. I think there aer a few steps I missed but this is from the top of my head! Hopefully it helps!
On 6/13/04, Jen wrote: > I'm going to try small groups with my K's. What would be > the best resource to buy to teach phonemic awareness? Dear Jen, Try looking at their writing. Start where the kids are and you should be well on your way to either diagnostic/perscriptive teaching or "following the child."
Building Blocks Plus Training Conference Providing the Building Blocks of Success by understanding the “how, what, and why” of effective literacy instruction With Debbie Arechiga Trainer, Consultant from Tucson, Arizona
Monday, August 2, 2004 and Tuesday, August 3, 2004 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Prince Conference Center at Calvin College, Maple Room 1800 E Beltline SE Grand Rapids, MI 49546
Target Audience: Kindergarten and First Grade Teachers who are familiar with the Building Blocks Philosophy for teaching. Debbie has lots of experience with ESL learners. Debbie taught first grade in Arizona for numerous years incorporating the Building Blocks and Four Blocks philosophies into her classroom.
This conference is beyond the basic Building Blocks including information about brain-based learning, strategies for teaching phonemic awareness (specifically blending and segmenting), alphabetic principle, and transition tips that engage all learners with multi-sensory experiences, and LOTS MORE!
Teachers will learn about developmentally appropriate practices for kindergarten classrooms and pre-school programs that integrate with and support the Four Blocks framework, MLPP and the Five Elements in the No Child Left Behind Act.
Two-day Conference Fee $200 Substitutions allowed, but no refunds given. Registration Deadline: July 22, 2004
Books available from Beach House Books at conference.
Send registration to: Susie Williams 2731 Elmwood Dr SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506 Phone (616) 975-2994 Make checks payable to (purchase orders accepted): 4 Blocks Training / Susie Williams
REGISTRATION: Building Blocks Plus Conference, August 2-3, 2004 Conference Fee ($200/person) Name: _________________________________________ Phone: _______________________________________ School: ________________________________________ District: ______________________________________ City: __________________________________________ State: ______________ Zip: ____________________ Registration Deadline: July 22, 2004
i am from india ,i teach at an orphange for girls ,my >>> students are having vacation, >> ,to bring some excitedment & know >> different >>> countries which ,they can only dream of visiting ,i have >>> started post card project ,can you plz send post card >>> ,plz do contact us ,we are looking for ppl from >> different part of world
Every year I seem to want to change the way i run my centers in the morning. I usually start the year with table centers (An activity at each table) The students rotate every 15 minutes. I may have a math, an art, a writing, fine-motor, etc. In Januaris when i start my workboard when the students are working more independently so I can work with my guided reading groups. My free choice centers are in the afternoon.
Can anyone share what works for them? I am also in need of more math/literacy center ideas.
We only have one center time during the day, and unfortunately it is only 20-25 minutes. I do guided reading groups during a different time during the day. I have five groups, and each group does a different activity each day. I always have one group at our library, one is free play, one is writing or math, and one is puzzles/blocks. I alternate the others between extra math, extra reading, or art. A reading activity we like is "fishing for words" (we do this later in the year). I wrote c-v-c words on fish and attached a paper clip. They get a fishing pole with a magnet attached. If they can read the fish (with or without help, depending on how far along we are), they get to keep it. I they can't figure it out at all, I keep it. The "team" always beats me, which they like. For math, I do a lot with pattern blocks, unifix cubes, etc. I also have games. They can roll a die and graph it on a bar graph that shows 1-6. In another game, they roll a die and cover up a square that has that number (kind of like Bingo on their own). I also made cards that show color patterns. They put unifix cubes over the nails on our geoboards to copy the patterns.
I was at Barnes and Noble using a birthday gift certificate and came across (drum roll please)....
Chicka chicka 1-2-3 (by Martin, Sampson and Ehlert)
The NUMBERS go up the apple tree. First 1-20, then to 30 - 90 and ending with 99. Zero keeps saying (Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3... Will there be a place for me?) Then they all tumble out (except 10) and zero goes up to make 100! The story ends with "Chicka, Chicka 1, 2, 3! 0's hero of the number tree!"
I HAD to buy it! ($15.95 before teacher discount).
Lori,
I, too, like this Month by Month book, but I also like the
original book Building Blocks. I think it explains the whys
and wherefores of this framework well and I also have the
Predictable chart book. You don't really need that one if
you read in the Building Block and Month by Month book HOW to
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