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Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Winter Sports Centers

After all the calamity days and 2 hour delays----and then the long weekend due to President's Day--I'm plum tuckered out!!   It doesn't help that there are no special or breaks of any sort for 3 days in my week.  LONG days with firsties...and if I think it's a long day, I can only imagine how they must feel.  I try to break our day up with movement, read alouds, centers---but they are still stuck with me all day long.  They need a change of pace sometimes
 (and I need to find a way to get a restroom break!)

This week, I steered away from my basal.   They were to be working on ai/ay patterns.  Friends, 3/4 of my little guys are still having a hard time mastering silent e. 
Why on earth would I move on if they aren't ready?
I feel that sometimes things move too fast!  I want them to understand it--not just keep pushing!

SOO---here's our day today!

My little ones worked hard.   We reviewed nouns, verbs and adjectives.
Sorted, graphed and tallied them!

In Math Intervention, we worked on comparing 2-digit numbers.

These two pages are both in my "Waddle We Do Now?" pack
I blogged about it HERE and shared a sample freebie from the pack.

My littles were introduced to American symbols in a our little reader.
(It's to the repetitive wording of Brown Bear, Brown Bear)

They were so excited about this story!!  
We also read this cute story about George Washington and his Dog.
 
Click the image above to read about it on Amazon. 

Tomorrow we will continue our discussion on American Symbols with 
another reader from my US Pack. 
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-United-States-Symbols-People-and-Landmarks-A-mini-unit-494356
You can read a little bit about this pack, grab a freebie and find a few other great things in 
THIS POST from last year.

Today we also worked on centers from Read like a Champion.
This is a phonics based pack.

Here is an example from one of the centers.
 This activity is called Medial Medals.  I worked on it with one of my groups today.
  I had the students tell me each short vowel sound.  They chose a word card and named the picture.  Then we sorted the pictures.  E and I are always hard sounds with my kiddos.  I had them tap the sounds out down their arm as they stretched the word out.  This helps them hear that middle sound.  It can be so difficult for something of them to determine that medial vowel sound.

Since I'm doing this as a reinforcement with a group of kiddos, I didn't place it at a center.
Instead, I took the activity and extended it during our group time.
I had them each choose two cards, gave them a dry erase marker and a board.
We divided our board in half (quick math review--symmetry, 1/2, two equal parts--lol) ;)
I had them place a card on the top of the board above each section.
Then they had to tap out the CvC words and record them on their board.
We repeated with two more cards.

Friends, let me tell you---they were spelling!  They were reading! 
They made me a Proud Mama Bear and I told them how proud I was!
Their smiles lit up my room!


If you're interested in checking out the phonics centers for Read Like a Champion, here is a preview.

Here's a quick break down of the activities included.
Long Vowel Luge is a sort much like the Medial Vowel Sort above, but they are working on the sounds of a, i, o, and u in long vowel form.  There is an activity sheet used as a follow up.

Bobsled Beginnings--Students will choose a picture card and record the beginning sound onto their recording sheet.  The sounds are consonants, digraphs and blends.  Choose from 3 differentiated sets.

Ski with Silent E--Students will read word cards and match them to their picture.  I've also included variations to the activities in the directions to help you differentiate your classroom centers.

Short Vowel Skate Mates--This station is much like Ski with Silent E, 
but it focuses on short vowel words. (CvC)

Snowboarding with Sight Words--Two variations are included for this activity for your students needs.  Students will determine the scrambled sight word, 
write it correctly and then use it in a sentence.


 I currently have this pack on sale for $4.
(because as always, I'm late to the party--one of these days I will be on time!)

Have a great night and a happy week!!
 

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