Saturday, September 26, 2015

Apple Sauce...YUM!

Apples
On Monday we coloured parts of an apple.


On Friday we made apple sauce. We peeled and cut apples before school started. Then we let them boil during calendar. Once the apples had cooled down the children took turns mashing the apples. Then we added some cinnamon and brown sugar. 



When the sauce was ready we had a taste test to see what we preferred: apple sauce or apple juice. 

We made a graph to show what apple product we liked more: sauce or juice. We also used cubes as a different way to show the numbers and compared lengths. 

We made apple trees with sponges, brushes and our fingers. They look amazing and each one turned out very unique. We got the idea Crafty Morning.

Math
This week was all about patterns. We extended, copied and created our own patterns. We learned that patterns can be made with movements, objects and colours. To finish the week we created a paper chain pattern.







Animated Literacy:
On Monday we learned about Mimi Mermaid who turns monsters into mice with her magic mop.

On Wednesday we drew mom and wrote a sentence.






On Friday we sang "Skip to my Lou" and substituted the nouns. Then we completed a worksheet. I am attaching our lyrics as well as a link to a video so that you can hear the tune for the song.








For more information on this program please visit http://www.animated-literacy.com/Animated_Literacy_Home.html
Handwriting Without Tears
This week we learned how to write uppercase letters D, P, B and R. 
For information on the order that I will be teaching letters please go to their website: http://www.hwtears.com/hwt/why-it-works/teaching-order

Puzzle Pieces:
The children have been doing a wonderful job presenting their name puzzle pieces. I sent home the "interest puzzle piece" this week. It is a purple piece. Here is my example:



Don't Forget:
Send a healthy snack with your child. A list has been sent home or you can visit 100 Days of Real Food for some awesome ideas.

Each child needs to have indoor shoes, a backpack and appropriate clothing for the weather.

Feel free to contact me anytime with any questions or concerns. I can be reached at the school, by email or just drop in.

Friday, September 18, 2015

A Full Week In September

Apples
We discussed the life cycle of an apple and an apple tree this week.
Apple trees start as seeds, with water and sun they grow into a tree, they grow apples and then we get seeds again.
Apples start growing in the spring with flowers, then the bees pollinate them, the petals fall and a small apple (ovary) remains, the apple grows and turns either red, yellow or green and then we pick them.

We also created a sensory poem about apples. This is the new poem that we will start reading in the morning. They loved being writers and thought that it was so cool that we could write our own poem.

Apple Art
We strengthened our fine motor skills this week by creating some apple art. The children had to trace the apple shape, cut it out and then glue the tissue paper. The finished project looks great!




Math
On Monday we practiced counting objects and remembered touch each object with our finger to help us.

On Tuesday we reviewed what we had learned by playing "Number BINGO". I would say a number and they had to count the objects and colour in the space with that number. The game was over when the board was all coloured in.

For the remainder of the week we began learning about patterns. We completed patterns with our movements and with objects.
Patterns with Movements

Stand Up, Sit Down

Clap, Lap
2, 1
Touch Your Head, Touch Your Shoulder
(AB Pattern)

 Stomp, Stomp, Clap
Reach, Reach, Jump
Jump, Jump, Squat 
(AAB Pattern)

Patterns with Objects


Animated Literacy:
On Monday we used word substitution and learned the song "I Caught A Fish Alive". We replaced the word fish with other animals such as snake, shark, lion and dinosaur.

On Wednesday we learned about Ollie Ostrich who is a doctor that heals patients with magic olive omelettes.

On Friday we drew pop (or dad).









The Ollie Ostrich character page and the words for "I Caught A Fish Alive" were sent home, please go over the handout with your child to review the sound, letter and song. They can colour the picture and then circle the special sound within the song at the bottom. 

For more information on this program please visit http://www.animated-literacy.com/Animated_Literacy_Home.html
Handwriting Without Tears
This week we learned how to hold our pencil properly and practiced the "flip trick". For more information on pencil grip please go here: http://www.hwtears.com/getagrip

We also learned how to write the letters F and E. 

For information on the order that I will be teaching letters please go to their website: http://www.hwtears.com/hwt/why-it-works/teaching-order

Reading:
I am slowly introducing the students to sight words and sentences. We have learned six words over the past three weeks: I, a, am, the, up, is. I created sentences with these words and they loved being able to read them. Try to find these words all around you to practice. They can be found in books, signs and newspapers. 


French:
This week we continued practicing:
"Bonjour" (hello)
"Comment ça va" (how are you?)
"ça va très bien." (I am very good)
"ça va bien." (I am good)
"ça va mal." (I am not good) 
"Comme ci, comme ça." (So-so)

The children also learned "Comment t'appelle tu?" (What is your name?) and the response "Je m'appelle __________." (My name is ______.)

Don't Forget:
Remember that this is school and attendance is important. Each term the report card will show how many lates and absences there has been. Your child's learning is dependant on being at school and participating in the lessons taught.

Send a healthy snack with your child. A list has been sent home or you can visit 100 Days of Real Food for some awesome ideas.

Each child needs to have indoor shoes, a backpack and appropriate clothing for the weather.

Feel free to contact me anytime with any questions or concerns. I can be reached at the school, by email or just drop in (I am usually around before school).