Name Game!

For the past few months (on and off) I have been trying to work with my students on recognizing their name in print. I know most are a little ways off from spelling it all on their own but it is important for them to recognize it when they see it. I've been better about it some days than others, I'll admit that for sure!

We try to take a few minutes during our morning Circle Time to play our name game. I have printed and laminated each of their first names, I spread out two or three at a time and have one of them come up and try to pick out their name from the group. If I know they are a little better at it than others I'll put down all names that start with the same letter as theirs but if they need help I usually give them hints or less names to choose from. I have several students that are starting to remember the name of the letter theirs starts with, too! Very exciting! If they don't get it-- that's okay too because I'll usually try and sneak in time with them later to find their name somewhere around the room or to write it down on their papers when they are paying attention. This way it doesn't seem stressful for them to try and learn it as quickly as others.

My next challenge is to make some printables using this free tracer website I found (in addition to the other one I posted) to send home and do at school to get them to start learning what it feels like to write their name and learn the letters. Two of my girls are spelling their own name without help now and are SO ready to start writing it! I can't wait to watch their progress. One of the many great things about preschool is the ability to take that Montessori approach of challenging them individually and no worries about grades or strict tracking!

P.S. I think it might be fun at home to laminate or put the printable in a clear view pocket, like you'd use in a binder, and use dry erase markers! This would add to the fun and no need to waste paper! :)

Free Handwriting Printables

I had to share this website for anyone who has kids practicing handwriting or just starting out. You can choose print or cursive and make your own worksheets :)

http://www.handwritingworksheets.com/

Cars, trucks and trains, oh my!

The kids and I are talking about all land transportation vehicles this week!

We started today off with a craft using paper plates to make cars..

All you need:

- white paper plates

- circles cut from construction paper

- rectangles cut from construction paper

- paint to decorate your paper plates

Cut the paper plate in half, paint both pieces, staple halves together so there is a flat bottom. Add circles to the flat bottom for wheels, rectangle for doors.

Easy way to talk about shapes and the parts of a car!

Last week of 2011

My classroom enrollment has been very low the last two weeks since a lot of families are taking time off to visit family or just spend time with kids at home. I have had 4 or 5 of my normal 12 students everyday. It gets boring but I am loving the one on one time I get to spend with them while the numbers are low in the classroom. They really love it and their behavior reflects that.

We are trying to keep the routines as normal as possible even though we have more flexibility with the schedule during this time of year. I did some holiday stuff last week, wreathes from paper plates (circle cut out of middle), star of david for hannukah and we did the christmas tree dot worksheet I had shared a couple weeks back. The kids loved the fake presents I wrapped and put in the dramatic play area too. The wrapping paper lasted all of one day as they sat on the boxes, threw them and passed them around. I try to incorporate curriculum into the centers as much as possible to enhance whatever we are trying to focus on that week. Some of my favorites were:

-Putting wrapped "presents" (empty boxes) in the dramatic play area with the kitchen and dress up clothes.

-Shredded paper in my science/sensory table for "snow." They had measuring cups, spoons, etc to scoop and play with the paper. It does go everywhere but the goal is for it to stay in the confines of the table.

-Snowmen cut outs that I laminated to use during circle time when we count. They would much rather count fun pictures than the manipulatives we always use for math.

-Christmas and winter theme books in the library. Our favorite is Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep! which tells of a bear that can't hear too well and doesn't understand that old man winter is telling him it is time to hibernate. He mixes up the word sleep for jeep, sweep, deep, etc. Fun rhyming words for the kids to try and guess throughout the book.

Can't wait to post pictures of our New Year's banner we are making and some other New Year's themed projects :)