Weekly Round-Up: November 16, 2017

Brrr!

This week has been a cold one!

We have been focusing a lot on routines lately in our classroom to prepare for the cold weather. I am a firm believer in setting children up for success. To get ready for winter and to develop independence we teach students to learn how to zip their zippers up using their fall coats and/or sweaters for months prior to the cold weather. We use silly sayings to help kids remember what they need to do.

This week this effort has proven to be a huge sucess. It is the first week below Zero degrees Celcius and all of our students are wearing their winter clothing. They all have been able to put their winter clothes independently and will seek help to make sure they are using the best strategies instead of whining, “I cannot do it!”

We are over the moon proud of these kids for all that they have learned!

1. Math

Representing numbers with manipulatives can be a challenge for some students. I love adding mats to allow students to show their understanding of numbers. One side has numbers 0-5 and the other has 0-10. Some students sort objects as they represent numbers and others even created patterns as they played!

2. Writing

Spin a sight word! This is the first group that I have taught in a while who has not erased the sight words prior to playing this game and while playing this game! The easel used has two sides which we can write on. One side has a spinner and the other side simply has sight words for students to write. 

3. Fine Motor & Dramatic Play

Learning how to buildusing lincoln logs can be challenging for many students. Being able to create the cross pattern to fit the logs into place to be able to build can be hard. Adding materials to them, such as leaves and grass, allows students to explore these materials with the ability to not be exclusively reliant on their building skills. 

4. Calming Corner

Our calming corner gained a new addition!

Although this photo distorts the images there are three foam chairs that I added to our classroom. Although they fit in a couch I prefer to seperate them so that one student does not monopolize the whole set. It also prevents students from playing on them with playground behavior.

I bought these from a local foam store. They had a multitude of colors to choose from but since our class has a grey theme I choose a dark charcoal as it is neutral and not stimulating for students.

5. Outdoor Learning

We have added blankets to our outdoor learning. Simple games such as, “Who can fit under the blanket?” “Who is under the blanket?” and “How many feet can we fit under the blanket?” were a hit! It is always amazing how simple, authentic games can be created with such minimal materials!