On the Road and In the Air Week !

We started our transportation week out with a discussion to see what the children knew about transportation.  Each child was able to provide us with something that they knew about the subject.

We read a wealth of books on the subject but the class favorite by fare was I Stink! by Kate and Jim McMullan

We even had the children put items in a glass jar that we would normally place in the trash to see what would happen if we never took out the trash.  (I only stayed in there for about 4 days before we opened it outside to take a smell)  No picture sorry.

Children retelling the story The Seals on the Bus at the magnetic board.

During small group we did a variety of activities like

Counting cargo boxes on trucks

We even did some without numbers so that the children had an opportunity to write numbers

and add numbers

We sorted by the beginning sound

We drove in the snow

Creative Art Center Projects

Car

Truck

Pizza Truck

Car

All of these small group projects can be found in the lesson plan On the Road and in the Air.

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Checklist and Portfolio Assessment Tools

Assessments are a vital component in preschool and kindergarten to ensure a high quality early childhood program.  Assessments will help teachers understand and support the development of young children's learning process. 

The finding that you will get from conducting assessment will help teachers provide the right instruction for individualized teaching as well as instruction for the whole group learning.  Teachers will be able to create learning environments that support each child's learning needs.

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This packet has been in the works for a long time.  It has been a trial and error process to come up with this Checklist and Portfolio packet.  Checklist and Portfolio Assessment tools will help teachers complete any assessment tool that your program, agency or state has you using.

If you are a teacher or agency that needs to complete the Desired Results Development Profile then this packet is a must have for you.  These check list will help free up some valuable time that we all need when it comes to complete our assessments and it will provide a clear picture for where each of your students stands academically. 

What you will get...

This packet will provide for you:

Assessment Checklist for

Scissor Skills

Fine Motor Skills

Book Handling

Concept of Print

Phonological Awareness

Gross Motor Skills

Counting

One to One Correspondence

Length

Size Sorting

Number Sense -Counting Objects

Number Sense- Mathematical Operations

Shape Sorting

Patterns

Portfolio Sheets

Monthly Draw Person

Monthly Name Writing

Would you like to have a copy of the Desired Results Developmental Profile for Preschool Children, just click on the image for a PDF copy.

Organized Classroom Magazine

Charity Preston from the Organized Classroom has launched her very first digital magazine, and all of us on Learning and Teaching with Preschoolers get to view her fist addition for free.   You really need to check out this great resource if you are looking to tame that paper monster that currently sits on your desk. Click on the image below and check it out for yourself.

Let us know what you think...  Leave a comment 

Assessment Tool Updated

It is that time of year that we think about our assessment process.  I updated my assessment tool to include more colors to assess as well as picture clues for beginning sound assessment.

You can download this assessment tool for free on Teachers Pay Teachers and Teachers Notebook.

It is FREE

This assessment tool is a great way to show parents where their child is currently at with school readiness skills.  It is also a great assessment sheet to forward to the Kindergarten teachers so that they know where the children are at as they start off the new school year.

The teachers as well as the school administration that have gotten this sheet from me in the past have thanked me for the information that it provides for them to begin those students off on the right iinstruction.   

Please go to one of my stores so that you too can give your students, parents and future teachers the information need to support individualized instruction.    

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Hammer and Nail Station

 We placed two large palm tree rounds in our block area to create a nail and hammer station.  We also added some screws and screwdrivers.

Children had to wear safety goggles

They hammered in and pulled out nails.

They worked together to solve problems and help one another.

Oh and you ask, how many ouches did we get?  I am happy to say NOT ONE!!!

Writing on Slime

Are you looking for new ways to get your kids excited about writing, well do I have the fix all for you.

You got it Slime!.

Slime Recipe

Ingredients:

·      Warm water

·      Elmer’s or White craft glue

·      Borax (you can find in most grocery stores and the laundry soap isle)

·      Green food coloring

·      2 bowls

Directions:

1.  Mix together 3/4 cup warm water and 1 cup glue  into a bowl.

2.  In the second bowl, mix 4 teaspoons borax and 1 1/3 cups warm water.

3.  Pour the contents of the first bowl into the second bowl and do not stir. Let the mixture sit for about one minute.

I made a double batch to give me enough slime for a table of 8 children.

Give each child a small amount of slime and some color markers.

Children pat it until it is flat to write

 Write stretch and write again

 This project also turned into a great color mixing project.

Come a Board Freebie Math Game

I am getting ready to start my unit on transportation this week and I needed to dust off a little old and update some of my small group activities so...

I thought you might like the dusted off version of one of my most popular games in the classroom and that is my math game Say It, Count It, and Write It math game.

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Build number knowledge with these fun for children math game mats. Say It, Count It, Write It math games are a great activity for children to build an understanding that numbers represent a quantity.

This freebie comes with one of each

Plane

Bus

Train

Our Community Art

Children created community building in the creative art area.  Name cards were placed on the table as the children were working, this allowed them to be able to name their buildings.  

Community Helper project, children were provided a sheet of paper and a circle drawn on different shades of brown.  Children cut out the circle and glued to the sheet of paper provided.  Children had different types of clothes, accessories and yarn for hair to choose from to create the community helper of choice.  Next they used markers to add arms, legs and facial features.

Nurse and Police Officer

Doctor and Firefighter

Baker and Cal trans Worker 

Firehouse with firefighters

Bakery and Hospital with staff

 If you are looking for some community helper or transportation ideas to change it up you can find those ideas in the 127 lesson plan bundle on Teachers Pay Teachers or Teachers Notebook