Introducing Writing Tools

It's beginning of the year AND it's kindergarten.  With that being said, I needed an easy way to teach how to use writing tools, scissors, and glue.  Since I love mini books I set out to create something simple, yet effective.

The book, My School Tools introduces one tool a day for 6 days: pencil, crayons, map pencils, markers, scissors, and glue.

Page One: Pencil
Teach the phrase... 3 Fingers to Write.  Demonstrate how to hold a pencil with 3 fingers.  Have the children practice doing the same.

Model Pick & Flick.  Have the children lay their pencils on the table.  Pick the pencil up and flick the eraser toward the hand until it rest on its pillow (the fat,squishy part of the hand).

Have the class practice holding the pencil with 3 fingers and pick and flick.  I actually have the kiddos repeat these phrases while doing the action.  It seems to helps those that are not already holding a pencil correctly.

After practicing for several minutes, explain that... Pencils are used for writing words and doing math.  Pencils are not used for coloring.

Have each child color the pencil.  Then, have each child use a pencil to write his/her name on the line.  Once the entire class has completed the page read the page aloud point word to word as you read.  Locate and highlight the word "I".

Below is an example of the page for the first day of school.

    ___________

                             Write your name on the line.

        I  can use a pencil.

Page Two: Crayons
Follow the same procedures as before.  Except explain that... Crayons are used for coloring large areas.

Have the children color the crayons on the page.  They should only color the larger areas with crayon.  The will not color the rest of the page.

Once the entire class has completed the page read the page aloud point word to word as you read.  Locate and highlight the word "I".

Page Three: Map Pencils
Follow the same procedures as before.  Except explain that... Map pencils are used for coloring small areas.

Have the children color the map pencils on the page.  They should only color the smaller areas with map pencil.  They will color the larger areas with crayon.  Refer to yesterday's lesson.

Once the entire class has completed the page read the page aloud point word to word as you read.  Locate and highlight the word "I".

Page Four: Markers
Follow the same procedures as before.  Except explain that... Markers are used for outlining.

Demonstrate how to outline and object.

Have the children outline the marker on the page.  They should only outline the marker.  They will color the rest of the page with crayon and map pencil according to the rules learned.

Once the entire class has completed the page read the page aloud point word to word as you read.  Locate and highlight the word "I".

Page Five: Scissors
Teach the phrase.. Thumbs Up to Cut.  Have the children practice holding the scissors with their thumb toward the ceiling.

Teach the phrase... 3 Fingers to Cut.  Demonstrate how to hold the scissors with 3 fingers.  Have the children practice doing the same.

Now, explain that when you cut with scissors you will  have to have your thumb up and be using 3 fingers.

Have the children practice this on scrap construction paper.

Have the children glue a couple of pieces of cut paper onto the booklet page.  They will color the rest of the page with crayon and map pencil according to the rules learned.

Once the entire class has completed the page read the page aloud point word to word as you read.  Locate and highlight the word "I".

Page Six: Glue
Teach the phrase... Just a Dot.  Not alot.  and Too much glue makes a mess on you.

Demonstrate how to open and close the glue.  Have the children practice several times.

Allow the children to practice making glue dots on scrap paper.  Once the children have done this to your liking allow them to color the box of crayons following the coloring rules.  Finally, the picture should be cut out.

Have the children glue the picture onto the front cover of the book while repeating the phrases... Just a dot; not alot.  Cause too much glue makes a mess on you.

Once the entire class has completed the page read the page aloud point word to word as you read.  Locate and highlight the word "I".

Notes For Just for You:
 

• On day five, I do a lesson about quality work using the book, The Dot.  It allows the children to sue the first four tools for practice.  Kind of like a mini review.  Look for lesson coming soon.
• We reread this mini book for several weeks.  On day seven, we locate, read, and highlight the word "can" on each page.

My School Tools Book

Welcome Banner

I am a minimalist when it comes to decorating my classroom.  I am a firm believer that less is more when it comes to distractions and young children.  I leave my walls bare except for essentials... most of the time.

I do however think that the children will feel more ownership of the classroom if they take a part in the decorating.  With that being said, I decided to make a Welcome Banner for the wall that you see first thing upon entering our room.  Sometime during the first week of school each child will create a self portrait and trace their names.  Each self portrait will be displayed around the banner.

I think it will be perfect for a year long decoration that has a bit of character from each kiddo in the class.

To make the banner is really easy.

Materials:

• piece of recycled cardboard from a cereal box
• pencil
• large printable letters from the Internet
• scissors
• double sided tape
• 3 different coordinating 12 X 12 scrapbook pages
• hole punch
• twine

Directions:

1.  Print the letters for the word WELCOME from the site linked above.

2.  Cut out the letters.

3.  Draw a triangle onto the cardboard large enough to fit the M.  Cut out the triangle.  This will be your tracer.

4.  Lay the tracer onto the back side of a sheet of scrapbook paper.  Trace and cut out the triangle.

5.  Repeat step 4 five more times on your various scrapbook papers.  You should have 6 triangles of three different patterns when you are done.

6.  Lay the triangles out on the floor in an ABC pattern (123123). 

7.  Place the letters onto the triangles and position them like you want them.

8.  Pull one letter off at a time and adhere it to the triangles with double sided tape.

9.  At this point, laminate the triangles for durability and cut out.  Hole punch each top corner of the triangles.  Lace twine through the holes to make your banner.

10.  Hang the banner on the wall.  I am going to hammer a nail through each end of the twine.

Super easy and super cute.

Tips for the First Time Kindergarteners

Do you have a kiddo going into kindergarten?

 Is this you first experience in the public school?

Below you will find tips and links to help you make the first day of school a SUCCESS! First and foremost remember... this is your child's first day of school. You want this experience to be remember as a positive one. Kids are very resilient. Many times we are more worried about the unknown than they are.

On the first day of school, plan on dropping your child off in the designated area. A quick kiss and hug good-bye. Then, mom and dad need to go. If your child is upset or crying, I promise you staying only prolongs the process. 9 out of 10 times the child stops crying as soon as mom and dad are gone.

Secondly, make your child's lunch and pack a HUGE snack. Packing a familiar lunch makes your child feel safe. Going through the cafeteria line to purchase lunch the first time is scary for a child. The child is so afraid that they will go hungry. At five, this is a big deal. Also, consider writing a love note on your child's napkin. This will bring a smile to your child's face in such a new and exciting environment.

Next, be consistent with dismissal. Many parents want to pick their child up from school the first week. In the long run, this is very stressful on the child. Just when your child begins to know the routines of school and feel comfortable, it not wise to switch things up on them. So... if your child is attending a day care, have your child go to day care starting the first day of school. You could be at the day care center ready and waiting to pick him/her up when they arrive.

Finally, pack a thin sweater or jacket as well as a change of clothing. Many classrooms are a bit chilly... even in the hot Texas weather. As for the change of clothing, it's just better to play it safe. Even those kiddos that haven't had an accident in years have been known to slip up under stress. Place the clothes in a large zip lock baggie. This gives your child a safe place to put any wet clothing and keeps the backpack from getting soiled.

If you follow the above suggestions, your child should have a fun and exciting start to his/her school career.

2 Things to Note:

*If you fear your child, may need a reminder from home to help with transitioning into school life, send a small family photo. I have found that looking at the photo helps tremendously at easing unnecessary worry.

* Many schools have a "Tears and Tea" in the library. If you are wanting to meet other kindergarten parents that feel just as worried and unsure as you, stop on by. There will be plenty of tissues and you might just make a new friend.


Helpful Sites:

•Buggie Bungalow: my classroom blog

•Buzzing Into Kindergarten: What My Little One Should Know

•Pre-Writing Skills for Children Under Five

•Star Fall: everything from learning the alphabet to actual reading

•How to Hold a Pencil

•Spinner the Spider: letter formation: trace letters using the mouse

•Preschool Playground: a place to find tons of online games

•Picadome Math: tons of basic math games by skill

Chicka, Chicka Boom, Boom

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is a favorite among children and adults alike. It is a wonderful introduction the alphabet in a sing song rhyming format. Children almost sing the refrain right along with the reader... Chicka chicka boom boom will there be enough room for all the letters in the coconut tree?

Activities For Before, During, and After Reading:

before reading...

1. Look at the cover. make predictions about what the book will be about.

2. Flip through the book and talk about each page.

3. Locate various letters through out the book. Choose to hunt by name or sound depending on the skill level of your kiddo.


during reading...

1. Point to each letter as the letter name is read.

2. Stop periodically and inquire about the rhyming words.

3. Encourage your child to chime in and "read" the parts he/she can. This will be from memory at this stage, but that is perfect.


after reading...

1. Color a coconut tree. instead of having all the letters going up the tree, have your child cut out the letters to his/her name and glue them in the correct order under the tree or going down the trunk.

2. Color a tree and have your child cut a specified number of brown circles and glue them onto the tree. (Be sure to review the shape of a circle and talk about it having a curved face and no sides.)

Write a simple sentence below the tree... I have __ coconuts in my tree. Have your child copy of write the numeral in the blank.

Use this page to practice beginning reading. Read the sentence to your child several times pointing at each word as it is read.

When you feel your child is ready, have him/her point to the words and read them to you. Again, do this from memory is a-ok. The more the sentence is read from memory the more likelihood of the words being recognized in another context.

3. Write the above sentence or a similar sentence on a strip of paper. Follow the same reading format as in the above activity.

Once your child can point to the words and "read" them fairly independent count the words as they are read aloud. Practice counting the number of letters in specific words. Have your child cut the sentence into individual words (with your help). Now your child can reassemble the sentence and reread it.

Have your child pick up specified words and then place the word back in the correct location in the sentence.

4. Create a CONCENTRATION game. Choose between 6-10 letters your child needs to recognize and create cards for each letter. You will need to make two sets of the cards.

For example, you will need two As, two Ms, etc. Lay all the cards face down on the playing surface. Have your child flip over 2 cards and name each letter. If the letters match, your child keeps the pair. If not, the cards are flipped back over and play continues. The winner is the player with the most matches at the end of the game.

Ways to Play Concentration:

* match uppercase letters to uppercase letters

* match uppercase letters to lowercase letters

* match a letter with a cut out picture that starts with that letter sound... example: F matches with a face

* name the sound when the card is flipped over instead of the name of the letter

* name a word that begins with that sound when the card is flipped over

5. I have create a letter and sound game for download. It is perfect for alphabet practice.

6. Magnetic letters are fun to sort and begin to spell some basic sight words. Sort the letters by color, size, capital and lowercase, letters or numbers, sticks letters and curve letters, letters that hang below the line and letters that do not, etc.

Write a few words your child would like to know on index cards. For example... mom, dad, cat, dog, like. Have your child make the words out of magnet letters. Discuss the difference between a letter and a word. If the letters on in the correct order... c a t, this is not a word. The letters have to much space between them. These are simply just letters. For the letters placed in this order to be a word, the must be little to know space between each letter... cat.

Note: You can use metal cookie sheets or stove top burner covers as a surface to build words on or to create sorts. If you are going to use the cookie sheet for sorting, painters tape is great. you can tape off the cookie sheet into however many sections you want. The child can place the letters into the various spaces depending on what characteristics the letters have.

I almost forgot. Magnetic letters can also be placed in ABC order. OR... you can name a letter or sound and have your child find that letter. If he/she gets it correct the letter goes in a pile in front of the child. If not, the letter goes in a pile in front of you. Your child wins if he/she gets more letters than mommy.

7. Watch the story come to life with the following You Tube video. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom You Tube Video

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn is one of my favorite books to start the year. A little raccoon named Chester is going to school for the first time and he is afraid to leave his mommy. Chester's mommy kisses the center of his hand and tells him when he misses her to touch his hand to his cheek and her love will flow into his heart. At the end of the story, Chester gives his mommy a much needed kissing hand that she uses as soon as he scampers off to school.


Possible Activities:

•Homework: In my meet the teacher packet, I provide each child with a piece of construction paper and directions for making their own kissing hand. Mom/Dad traces his/her hand and cuts it out. Then, Mom/Dad needs to decorate the hand any way she/he chooses.

When I made T Man's kissing hand, I covered the entire hand with photos of the family. No part of the construction paper was visible. T Man loved his hand.

Anyways... During the first week of school, the children take turns sharing their kissing hands with the class. I hang the hands in the hallway next to our classroom door. If a kiddo needs a little reminder of home, he/she can easily just go outside the room and look at the hand. It always works to bring a smile to the child's face.



•Chester Raccoon: The main character of the story, Chester, quickly becomes a favorite with all children. They know they are not alone in their feelings on the first day of school. Years ago I found this super, cute way to make Chester that is easy enough for the beginning of the kindergarten year. It does take a bit of prep on the part of the teacher, but well worth it in the end.

What You'll Need For Each Child:

3 x 6 brown rectangle

3 x 4 black rectangle

3 x 4 brown rectangle

small black triangle

1 x 2 black rectangles

small brown triangles

3 x 3 white squares

Just assemble the pieces to look like the above picture. The site this activity was originally found at is listed in my links at the bottom of the post.

Great Links for the Kissing Hand:

•virtual vine

•little giraffees