This Week In Pictures and Links (1/9-1/13)

Today was my first day back after the Winter ( dare I say Christmas) break and my kiddos were wonderful!  I was truly happy to see them and they remembered how to behave and everything!  Woohoo!
This week we are beginning a study of Seasons and Weather.  We are also working on the sight word "me", numbers 11-20 and blending sounds (phonemic awareness) as well as short a. 


I am going to post my pics and add links.  This takes me a really long time, so if I don't add a link to your product or idea, please be patient...I will get there!

Group Time activities:

This is my Morning Message for today (Tuesday)  We are focusing on our sight words, word endings, the th digraph and the seasons.  Our new sight word this week is "me". The helper of the Day will cirlce the sight words and take this home.

I got out some cards from our HM series and had the students match pictures to words.  I first said each sound and they blended them together.  Our focus is blending sounds and short a. They did great!

I will introduce the Weather book they will do in centers this week by reading this in the pocket chart.  I will read a weather book first and have the kiddos brainstorm types of weather.

As a group we will sort pictures into the Four Seasons. Then they can do this independently as well.  Season Sorts

I made this chart based on one I saw on Pinterest.  We will complete this today.  Link to come...

Now For Our Centers...My centers are all must do activities.  The students work in their table groups and complete 2 centers per day.  Each center has 2-3 activities.  If they are finished early, they read a book on the rug or complete an "I'm Done" activity which is typically an activity from a past center. I work with the reading center and my wonderful PM partner works at another center (typically the math one)

Center #1 is always our "Heart Word" Center.  This week the word is  me
Students warm up with letters and sounds fluency practice and then practice our sight words with the blue rings. Then they read the red book 3 times and circle the sight word. Next they write the word 6 times in the "Words I Know by heart" book.  Finally, I give students books that contain the new word me and other books with previous sight words.  this is also when I differentiate by giving individual students books that fit their reading level.

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Center #2 the students will warm-up with this great letter and sound fluency game.  From Donna Glynn

Next the students will practice handwriting and written conventions by "shadow writing" these weather sentences.  (this is from a book I have had for years)
The students will copy the sentences right below in their best handwriting.

Center #3   Here the students will warm-up with this sight word game.

Then the students will write in their journals about a topic of their choice.  They have dictionaries and word lists for ideas.  The little worm spacer is from Lakeshore.  Very helpful!

Center #4  Students will complete this fun Seasons book.  They cut and paste the picture that best matches the season in the camera page.  Then they will go back and color.  The Seasons book is from our science program.

Center #5  Students will start in the listening center.  This is a book from Houghton Mifflin (yes, I do  use our program once in awhile)

Then, they will complete this Weather book I created (see freebie on a previous post) and read (look at) weather books.

Here is the book in the pocket chart (also a freebie)

Center #6 The students will warm-up with a math game from our math program.  They will cover the number that the adult says until all are covered.  then they remove the balloons and say the number again.

Next they will complete this math page from our program.  It reviews numbers 11-20.  It will be very challenging to go backwards from 20!

Finally the students will have fun with this awesome game from K. Pederson

I will have them play independently. 

From Growing Kinders

I will be adding the Links very soon and sharing the adorable snowman art project we are making on Wednesday.

I hope seeing these activities is helpful!  Please leave a comment if you have the chance.  I truly appreciate hearing what you think!