Sight Word Game

When practicing those sight words- keep it fun! Here's an easy to make game for home. Grab a peice of paper (or use the blank game board I've sent home) right some sight words along a "path" and the borrow a die from a game you already own! Your child can use any small object to move along the path such as a cheerio or penny. Start at the beginning, roll the die, move that many spaces, read the word!

I found this idea (and SOOO many others) on Pinterest. If you aren't on pinterest and would like to be then let me know and I can send you an invite! Click here to view my "Classroom Board" for more fun ideas!

Alphabet Letter Formation Poems

Alphabet Letter Formation Poems

 

A - Pull down twice from the point to the top. Add a seat to view the apple crop.

a - First make a round apple to eat, then a slide for an ant when he's finished his treat!

B - Big old B has a tall straight back and two big bellies 'cause he just ate a snack!

b - Draw a straight back just like me. Don't forget to add a belly for b.

Cc - Cars can cruise down curvy c. Stop near the ground- that's it you see!

D - Down to the ground, then take a break. Half a circle is what you'll make.

d - First you make a dime to spend. Go way up high then down to the end.

E - Pull straight down for capital E. Then add some shelves 1, 2, 3.

e - A little line start off e. Add a plate for an egg- here's breakfast for me!

F - Big F is a tall flower for you. E has three lines, F has two.

f - This flower grows tall and hangs a little. Add a line right in the middle.

G - Big round circle but don't go too far. Add a garage to park your car!

g - A garden starts with a little seed. The roots grow down that's all you need!

H- Make two lines, high to low. Connect the lines so they can say hello!

h - First start high then take a jump. Little h has a little hump.

I - Big I starts with one side of a door. All it needs is a roof and a floor.

i - Little i goes down, it's an ice cream treat. Add a sprinkle on top and it's ready to eat.

J - Jumping jack J jumps up and down and then curls up. Jack needs a hat 'cause he likes to dress up!

j - Little j is so thin and lean. Jump way down, then add a jellybean!

Kk - K and k have three lines as you can see: a tall straight back and a sideways v.

L - Pull down a line and add a lap. Lie down, lazy! It's time for a nap!

l - Little l looks like a number one. Just draw a line and you are done!

M - Go down, hit the ground, then draw a V. Down to the ground again big M is two mountains for me.

m - Go down, hit the ground then get ready for bumps. Little m is easy to write, just add two humps.

N - Stick a nail in the ground and slant another one right. Add a third pointing up and say “nighty-night”!

n - Go down, hit the ground and your almost done. Little m has two humps, n has only one!

Oo - Oh yum! An orange to eat! Nice and round, it's a healthy treat.

P - Pull down your pencil, then pick it up off the ground. Add a half a penny, nice and round.

p - Pop on down and then up, you see. Finish it off with a little pea!

Q - Big Q is a round quarter to spend. Add a line when you're at the end.

q - A fancy queen with a little pearl. Give q's hair a special curl.

R - First draw a line and then a rainbow. Add a ramp and you're ready to go!

r - Go straight down, then race on back. r has an arm, like a little rack.

Ss - Silly S and s, those slippery snakes. Twisty, turny, ready to shake!

T - Big T is a big tall tree. Add a fort at the top so you can see.

T - Little t is a little tree. Add a fort in the middle for you and me!

U - Big U is just like a cup. Start by going down and then curve up.

U - Curve down and up, then down once more. Little u is a cup that's ready to pour.

V v - Slant down first then up like so. This upside-down volcano is ready to blow!

W w - W and w have two pointy waves. Swim in the water if you're brave!

X x - A criss and a cross and in case you forgot, where is the treasure? X marks the spot!

Y - Capital Y has a V in the air. The pole at the bottom holds it there.

Y - Slant down right, down to the ground. Slant down left and take it underground.

Z z - Zigzag Z and z are easy, you see. Just zig a zag - 1, 2, 3!

Sight words ("Star words" to us)

**This was taken from Ms. Barker's classroom blog. Thanks for helping us!**

If you have not already begun to work on the Dolch Words with your child, please get started now! (Smiles!) These high-frequency words are useful because:

*As readers learn more, having many words that are quickly recognized helps to move the reading along so that problem solving is not necessary on each word; fluency is supported by a large number of easily recognized words.

*Being able to write a small group of high-frequency words quickly without conscious attention helps young writers produce longer and more meaningful messages; they keep the momentum going because they do not have to slow down to puzzle out every word. 

Here's a link to the 220 Dolch Words (arranged according to frequency): http://www.mrsperkins.com/dolch-words-all-freq-printable.pdf

Educational Apps!

I borrowed this listing from this blog: http://aplacecalledkindergarten.blogspot.com/2010/08/i-love-my-new-ipad.html

 

Robot Reader (free) a robot voice tells you the letter, sound, word and definition of something that starts with that letter

1 2 3 Color ($1.99) I love this app! It is basically a fancy color by number, letter or color picture. The letter, number or color only disappears if you choose the right one.

Letters A to Z ($.99) This is the app that I am going to use first. It is letter and sound flash cards with cute illustrations.

iWrite Words ($2.99) Great app for practicing writing upper and lowercase letters, numbers and words. Love how you have to send the letters down a "hole" when you are finished.

Letter Lab ($2.99) Great app for writing upper and lowercase letters.

Pocket Charts! Beginning Sounds ($1.99) Match a letter to a picture of something that starts with that letter. The only thing I do not like about this app is that the pictures are shown in alphabetical order.

Pocket Charts! Vowel Sounds (($1.99) Identify short and long vowels. Great app.

Learn Sight Words ($.99) This is an iPhone app, but it is worth it because you can flag the sight words that you use or sight words that a child is having trouble identifying for practice.

ABC Sight Words Writing ($2.99) Good app for practicing spelling and writing sight words.

Memory Zoo ($.99) Love the pictures on this app. This is an animal memory game.

Week of Oct 31

Mrs. Barr’s Shining Stars News

October 31, 2011

Mrs. Barr’s Message:

The 1^st quarter of school ends this week! There will be no school for students on Friday as this is a teacher work day to complete report cards. Kindergarten does NOT receive a grade for the first quarter. We will have a conference to discuss your child’s strengths and weaknesses next week. As of right now we are scheduling families with multiple students. Once those are complete I will send home your child’s conference time. Remember- this is the sponsor’s “place of duty” at that time. If your commander/1Sgt will not let you off for your child’s conference please let me know.

Unit 1 tests are complete! Math testing is going on this week. All results will be discussed at your conference time.

Donations needed this week: Egg cartons (10-12ct please).

Thanks for all you do!!!

IMPORTANT DATES:

11/1: Principal’s Coffee- 9am

11/3: End of 1^st Quarter

11/4: No school for students

11/5: Craft Market Fundraiser

11/9-11/10 Parent Teacher Conferences (no school for Elem. students

11/11: No school Veteran’s Day

11/21: School wide Continuous School Improvement mtg

3pm

Monday 10/17 Art

Tuesday 10/18 Host Nation

Wednesday 10/19 PE

Thursday 10/20 Music (in the AM)

Friday 10/21 PE

!!!REMINDER!!!

Library is on Friday

Check out information, resources, kid web sites, and pictures on our classroom blog:www.mrsbarrshiningstars.blogspot.com

Homework is not mandatory but highly recommended!!

Writing:

Sight words: have, is

Review: am, I, little, it, a, the

KE1a.9: Listen to and say consonant-vowel-consonant (cvc) sounds and blend the

sounds to make words.

KE1a.14: Match all consonant sounds in simple words (such as mad, red, pin,

Science:

Animal Habitats

KSb.1: Recognize what organisms need to stay alive (including air, water, food, and shelter).

Reading:

Letters:  reviewing all

Families: -at

Reviewing character, setting, sequence, and sorting/classifying.

Life in an Ocean

KE1a.14: Match all consonant sounds in simple words (such as mad, red, pin,

Math:

K.M.2c: identify, reproduce, describe, extend, and create color, rhythmic, shape, number, and letter repeating patterns with simple attributes;

K.M.3a: name, describe, sort, compare, and draw two-dimensional shapes;

Books:

3 Billy Goats Gruff

Math math and more math books!!!!

Plus many more!

THIS WEEK’S POEMThis week we focus on the /a/ in the middle of
wordsIt’s Time to Go Camping

It’s time to grab a handy map,

It’s time to pack a bag too!

The ride is long; we’ll take a nap,

It’s time to go camping!

Dad packs all the pots and pans,

Gram packs Sammy, the cat, too!

Ann lines up at the yellow van,

It’s time to go camping!

COLOR OF THE WEEK:

(don’t forget Show-n-Share on Friday! It

must be the color of the week!)

Orange

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt

(Leader)
We're going on a bear hunt!
(Group)
We're going on a bear hunt!

We're gonna catch a big one!
We're gonna catch a big one!
I'm not afraid!
I'm not afraid!
Are you?
Are you?
Not me!
Not me!

Here comes the gate
" " (Group Echos)
Now we're on a bear hunt " "
We're gonna catch a big one " "
I'm not afraid " "
Are you? " " Not me! " "

We're coming to a tall mountain " "
It sure is high " "
It sure is wide " "
Let's climb up it " "
Well, there's nothing over there " "
Nothing over there " "
Nothing back there " "
Hey! Wait! I think I see something
Quick! Everybody run down!

We're going on a bear hunt!
We're going on a bear hunt!
We're gonna catch a big one!
We're gonna catch a big one!
I'm not afraid!
I'm not afraid!
Are you?
Are you?
Not me!
Not me!

We're going thru the tall grass " "
We're going thru the short grass " "
Hey! Look! There's a little tree " "
Well, let's shinny on up it
Whoa! It gets a little skinny up here at the top
See anything over that way? " "
Anything over that way?, Uh, oh!,
Oh, no! Whoa! Agh! let's get down!

We're going on a bear hunt!
We're going on a bear hunt!
We're gonna catch a big one!
We're gonna catch a big one!
I'm not afraid!
I'm not afraid!
Are you?
Are you?
Not me!
Not me!

Oh, no! " "
It's a big puddle of mud " "
Can't go around it " "
Gotta go right thru it " "
Yeuk! " "
Well, let's go.
Squish, Sqwish, Blaaahh.

We're going on a bear hunt!
We're going on a bear hunt!
We're gonna catch a big one!
We're gonna catch a big one!
I'm not afraid!
I'm not afraid!
Are you?
Are you?
Not me!
Not me!

We're coming to a wide river " "
And there's no bridge going over it " "
No tunnel going under it " "
It's just plain old water " "
And we're gonna have to swim " "
All right, dive in!
Start swimming
Do the back stroke
Do the side stroke
Do the doggie paddle
Try the little cat paddle
OK Jump out, shake yourself off

We're going on a bear hunt!
We're going on a bear hunt!
We're gonna catch a big one!
We're gonna catch a big one!
I'm not afraid!
I'm not afraid!
Are you?
Are you?
Not me!
Not me!

Shhh, it's a cave " "
Looks like the kind of cave that B-bears live in " "
I don't know if I want to go in there
You think we oughta go in?
Are you nuts?
There's probably a bear in there
All right I'll go in, You stay here,
And if I find a bear, I'll come out and get you
And we'll all go in and grab him together
Now, quiet, don't make a sound while I'm in that cave,
Cuz if you wake him up, I'll be in trouble
Bears are awful ornery when they first wake up, you know
OK, I'm going on in
Oooo, It's dark in here
It's really dark in here
I can't see a thing
Agh, there's spiders webs
Ooo, what was that???
What's this??.... it's soft, uh oh,it's kind of fuzzy

Ahg!!!!!!!!! Run! Everybody run!!
I saw a bear!!!!
Jump in the water! Swim fast!!
Do the backstroke!
The sidestroke, the doggie paddle
Jump out of the water
Run through the mud!
Forget the tree!!
Go through the tall grass
The short grass
Quick! Go up the mountain
Down the other side
Go thru the gate
Into the house, under the bed
Under the pillow
Hide!!!!!
Uh, it's awful quiet around here
I'm not afraid
I'm not afraid
Are you?
Are you?

 

Calling all computer techies!

I am trying to insert a book preview for you all to see. It is a word document though and I don't know how to link it so you can open it at home. Anyone know how??

Week of Oct 24

Sorry parents, no fancy newsletter this week!

In language arts we will be reviewing EVERYTHING we’ve learned up to this point: letters, sight words, sequence, characters, setting, writing the sounds we hear in words, etc. Instead of reading groups (during our “centers” block) they will be taking their Unit 1 test this week. We will also be giving the new reading assessment at the end of the week to those children who have already begun reading. As I finish testing your child I will send home results for you to review.

In math we will be reviewing all that we have learned up to this point plus learning shapes. I know most of the children know their basic shapes but we are learning ALL 2-D shapes- trapezoids, hexagons, pentagons, etc! We will take a shape walk through the school to draw the shapes we see and make shape collages.

This week we will also have fun Fall/Halloween activities for the children to do- if they choose to! If they don’t want to do something Halloween related we will have things for Fall- and ALL are fun! I figured with writing/publishing a book and all the “testing” they need to have a little fun!

The children have ALMOST earned a “popcorn/movie” party by filling our classroom bucket (ask your child about this!) so encourage best behavior and I bet we can fill that bucket by Halloween!

Donations needed: candy corn, dried leaves, ribbon in “fall/Halloween” colors