Do You Bee Bot?

We do! This is the first school year that my county has initiated coding in kindergarten. My kinders and I are having fun with it! They are completely engaged and excited about learning with our bee bots. After a few lessons about coding, directional words, and algorithms, they were ready to work in small groups.

First, before splitting them into groups, we discussed how we could synergize and communicate with our teams. Each child was given a job: Coder, Card Handler, Algorithm Reader, Beebot Programmer, and Supervisor. The job cards were made into necklaces so that each child remembered his job.

Supervisor: decides where Beebot goes and makes sure everyone is doing what they are suppose to

Coder: creates algorithm for Beebot to get to the specified area

Card Handler: puts directions cards down for the algorithm created by the coder

Algorithm Reader: read the algorithm to the programmer

Beebot Programmer: push buttons on Beebot and make sure Beebot stays safe

They switched jobs after a round of trying to get Beebot to the specified area. This way, each child got a turn at all the jobs.

In math, my kindergartners used Beebots to describe and identify shapes.

 During our literacy block, some groups reviewed letters and sounds.

 Another group worked on reviewing sight words.

Yesterday, we used retelling pictures on the mat to help retell a story using Beebot. It is so easy to use whatever cards I have and place them under the transparent cover to teach whatever skill I need to. Where has Beebot been all my teaching career??

0

Monday Made It- Pennant Banner

I am loving how everyone seems to be making all these beautiful colorful pennants. I was wishing somebody would make some in colors that I needed to match my owl classroom. Then this weekend, I had a realization. I could do it myself! It is really quite easy if you already use powerpoint. So here goes my first tutorial...

 

You need to be in powerpoint. I made sure my page setup was portrait 8.5 X 11 inches. Then I chose a triangle from the drawing tool box. If you don't have that on your screen, go to the Insert tab and click on shapes. You'll see a variety of shapes. After getting my triangle on the page, I went to shape fill... see where the red arrow is pointing in the picture below... this where all the variations can take place...

 



When you click Shape Fill, a variety of choices pops up. You can pick different colors. I wanted to use some pretty patterned background pictures I had. So I picked picture and selected the file I wanted. Next, I went back to the Shape tools, and under the Shape Fill is the Shape Outline. I selected the color that I wanted. You can also choose Shape Effects to add shadows or a glow. I didn't do that to mine. Once you have the triangle done, you can overlay on top other shapes or clipart frames. I had fun playing around with a variety of options. I've created some new things for my classroom with the colors and owls of my choice! I haven't printed it out yet, but I am thinking of how it will all tie together in my new classroom! Below is a preview of what I am working on. Click on the picture to get the Welcome pennant for free.

 

 

Two of my bloggy friends are having giveaways. Wendy from Read With Me ABC is having a 100 Follower Giveaway and Amanda from Mrs. Pauley's Kindergarten is having a 400 Follower Giveaway. Congratulations to both ladies on their wonderful blogs! Click below to check them out.

 

 

 

 I am linking up with Tara for her Monday Made It.

 

 

 

 

 

7

Mimio Monday: Starfall ABC

At the beginning of the school year, I like to start up my computer center on the first days of school. In order to do that, I use Starfall, since it is easy enough for my kinderkids to use. At my TPT store, I have a Starfall ABC book for free there. My students use this book to keep track of the letters they learn about on Starfall. Click on the picture to go to my TPT store to get it for free.

Before my students can do this book independently, I need to model the steps. I can do this through an interactive whiteboard program. I use Mimio software. Click on the Starfall ABCs cover to get it for free at google docs.

 The first lesson I show my students is how to get to Starfall.com. I usually make it the home page for the beginning of the school year. Then we review what our job is. We do the first letter together. It may be one that I let the students choose or review a letter we have just learned about the day before.

 After interacting with the Starfall program with one letter, then we look in our Starfall ABC books to find the letter. On the whiteboard, I will have my students demonstrate how to draw the letters and draw 2 pictures that start with that letter sound. Then we will use kid spelling to label.

 Afterwards, we go to our ABC chart to color the letter we just completed.

I will repeat this lesson a couple more times during the first 2 weeks of school. That way my students will know what to do when they are at the computer center.

1

Daily 5: Listen to Reading

1. How will you instill the importance (or urgency as the sisters call it) of “listening to reading” in your students and especially those who have had little “lap time” or reading done for them in their homes? To instill early learning habits at home, I use a baggie book check out system in my classroom. This usually starts the 2nd week of school. In the past, I had my students pick any book. Now, I have them all start at an easy level, until I figure out their level. Then, they may choose different books at their level. I send home reading tips approximately once every other week. My first reading tip is sent home in the ziplock bag with a popsicle stick that has an eye on it. Click below on the popsicle picture to see my Reading Together letter and tip at Google docs.

At school, it seems natural for students to be interested in listening to reading. As long as I have enough space and materials for each child, it works out well. My difficulty lies in teaching my students to use a tape player! Marsha, at Differentiated Kindergarten, has a wonderful visual for helping with that!

2. What devices or strategies are you going to use to conduct listen to reading? Will you use a community recording device with one cd and several earphones, individual CD players, taper recorder, ipod-type devices, or computers? I have several listening to reading areas. I have a tape player and 3 walkmen in a basket which is called the listening center. No earphones for the tape player. Just books on tape. I also have a CD player for songbooks or books on CD. I also use the computer for listening to reading. I use software programs, such as Instant Readers. We also use online programs, such as Starfall or Tumblebooks. At the beginning of the year, my students work on an abc starfall book that I created. Click below to visit my TPT store for a free download and directions for using Starfall's ABCs.

3. What expectation will you have for your students during “listen to reading” and how will you keep them on task and independent instead of needing your assistance when they can’t manage the devices? At the beginning of the school year, I model the listening center with the whole class.  We listen to a story together as I hold the book up for them to see. Then we talk about our reading response journals. I model the steps, and they follow along. We do this for the first 2 weeks, and I let them be. However, I have had more problems with using a tape player in more recent years. I guess they no longer use them at home!! So I really need to work on the mechanics!

In the past, at each of my centers, I use a clear plastic sleeve for holding my directions. That way, I can easily type my directions up and change them as needed. I usually doodle some picture clues when I go over the directions with my students. For example, on the second page, at the end of the computer center directions, it states you may need help. I discuss with my students how they can do that and draw some suggestions.

Google Doc Link:

4. Do you have enough “listening to reading” type materials? If not, what ideas do you have for securing these materials? Where will you store them? How will your students retrieve these items? Where will they be used (will there be a designated spot in your class for listening or reading or will it be their choice)?  I do have a nice collection of books. I have tried varied ways of storing them. I had them stored with my theme boxes, but am back to switching them into crates. I only keep a few out in a basket. I use ziplock bags to keep the books, tape, and reading responses. Yep, ziplocks are my favorite! There are designated spots for the CD and tape player. The walkman may be used around the room.

To get more listening center material, I have had parents and school staff members record themselves reading a book. It is played at the listening center. The children have fun trying to guess who it is. Then we have the mystery guest reader come in and read to the class. Sometimes I like to throw them off by inviting a PE teacher or principal. Look below for starting Mystery Reader in your class.

Google Docs Link:


5. The sisters do not really talk about this in their book, but how do you feel about listening response sheets? Will listening to reading be just for “listening” or will there be follow-up work required of your students? If there is a reading response sheet, what will they look like? I do like reading responses. My students have a reading response journal. This is where they keep track of books they listen to. If my students only listened, I think some do get restless. So having them work and respond in a journal allows them to collaborate with others and draw their ideas on paper.

6. I would be remiss to not add this so… how can this station be differentiated to meet the various learning profiles, interest, and/or readiness of your students? Since my students have a reading response journal, and the question is usually open ended, my students work at their own levels. Some may draw with only beginning sounds, while others write sentences. Usually at the beginning of the year, I have them glue a reading response into their journal. My students draw a picture and write what they can about it.

Phew! This is a long post!! In case you haven't heard... I am having a Giveaway!. Please check it out!

1

Daily 5 Chapter 3

http://livelovelaughkindergarten.blogspot.com/2012/06/kd5-ch3-linky-party.html

1. Establish a gathering place for brain and body breaks. 

I just call it our meeting area. I've also called it "the carpet". I do like the idea of giving it a name. Perhaps, my new students will help think of a name for our meeting area.

2. Developing the concept of "good fit" books.

 The shoe concept is a great visual for teaching "good fit" books. I also like Tammy's (from Live Love Laugh Everyday in Kindergarten) suggestion to use Goldilocks and the 3 Bears concept too. Click on her linky party link above to go to her site. If you haven't been there yet, you're missing out. She has some great freebie visuals on this concept.

 
3. Create anchor charts with students. How will these be visual in the room? Where will you store them? What about small spaces?

After creating an anchor chart, I usually hang them on the whiteboard or up on our lights. Sometimes I create them on the computer and display them on the tv screen for students to reference during the time they may need them. Some anchor charts I send home with my students when we are done with them. Some anchor charts are put on hangers and put in my poetry/chart center. In the past, I have taken pictures of my math charts and put them into a classbook. If I did this with my all my charts, then I would have a reference of what I have done in the past. 

Here's a picture of my poetry stand. It is like a clothes hanging stand. I do not have a side view... sorry! It shows where we display the main poem or anchor chart we are using at the moment. Behind it, is a wooden bar that holds all my charts. I have them categorized. My students know they may use the charts at the front, near the hanging place for the chart. This is where I keep my student of the day charts, poems, and anchor charts. Separating the front from the back is a bunch of empty hangers waiting to house  a chart. At the back, I keep all other poems and charts for the year, waiting to be introduced.

 
4. Short, repeated intervals of independent practice and setting up book boxes. (How are you going to keep track of stamina? What will you use for book boxes? What are you going to put in those book boxes on the 1st day of school? 

I haven't officially kept track of stamina with my students. At the beginning of the year, we discuss and work our way up to 15 minutes, then as they matured and learned to read, they were capable of reading for longer periods of time. Last year, I purchased white book boxes from IKEA for each of my students with the intention of following Daily 5's recommendation of book boxes. Then my class quickly grew from 18 to 32 students. So, I did away with the book boxes and used ziplock bags instead. I have had chair covers in previous years be their "book boxes". In addition to book boxes, I also have group blue baskets of books. I use a "DEAR" (Drop Everything And Read) concept, following a 4 Blocks "Self-Selected Reading" for Daily5 Read to Self. At the beginning of the year, I gather books from my personal stash, Harcourt resources, and the library. There is a variety of books, ranging from easy readers, magazines, and picture books that I place in the baskets. I do not put any chapter books in kindergarten, until I see a need for it. My kindergartners make many easy readers at the beginning of the year. Those are the first books that are placed in their book box or ziplocks (which are kept in the group blue baskets). I do like having group baskets. Even though some children are not reading words, they can read pictures. After a reading group, I usually put our guided reading books into the group baskets. After reading a book to my class, I put copies into each group basket. My students love to reread these books.

5. Calm Signals and check in procedures. Do you already have a signal? How will you handle check ins? 
I use music for transitions. Dr. Jean has some great ones. I also play the xylophone or sing a tune to get their attention for a quick moment when needed. When I first start off teaching Daily5 concepts to my students, I am usually monitoring and checking in with my students. I start weening off after I have helped them learn "ask 3 before me", use anchor/direction charts, and how to get my attention for a problem that hasn't been solved. I discuss with my students they may interrupt me for an emergency. If they have a problem and the other ways did not help, they may stand by me and I may be able to answer them. We role play different situations and discuss ways to solve these problems. So besides that, I don't have calm signals or check in procedures, unless it was something discussed with one particular child needing that extra support. I am looking forward to reading what others do in this area!

6. Using the correct model/incorrect model approach for demonstrating appropriate behaviors.  I do not keep track of inappropriate behavior, unless I need to for RTI. Instead, I have to think about why the child is misbehaving: attention? work too hard? work too easy? enough or too much choice? social issues? Then we discuss ways to solve our problems or I adjust materials available to my students. If a child needs attention, then usually I have them on some type of positive behavior plan. Sometimes, I may pair a child with a partner.


On a different note, I just spent 3 days in a Got Mimio? workshop. I am excited about being able to do more with my Mimio software! I don't have the interactive part just yet, but I hope to get some updated technology in my classroom soon! They have a great piece where students record themselves to demonstrate their understanding. I think this could be used for small groups to work in creating anchor charts for Daily 5. Just wondering how you would tie in using an interactive whiteboard with Daily 5?

1