Writing the Room!

How JK children pick up reading and writing skills never ceases to amaze me. At the beginning of the year, many were learning their pencil/marker grip and practicing their "form drawing". We often do our form drawing when finished our snack, but this practise has evolved over the year. Recently I have noticed that the children are eager to demonstrate that they know how to write letters, numbers and words that are in our morning message, poem or chart (shared writing). We have now incorporated a new routine - writing the room!

       

This child has read the word "Mom" on the big chalkboard and written in on his whiteboard.

     

This little one found the number three on a bulletin board and opted to copy it out on her whiteboard.

This JK student is copying down the captions written underneath our Mother's Day 

show & share bulletin board. 

This little guy copied a word from a chart paper (brainstorming page) back from when we were 

looking at pets.

This child is copying down a word from a chart created when brainstorming things that grow

from seeds.

This little writer is also copying from a recent chart that was co-created, pertaining to things that

grow from seeds.

I share these wonderful samples (....and there were many, many more!) to simply demonstrate that the children are learning through what is modeled for them. When you write a grocery list, a chore list, or the weekly menu, you are modeling what writers do. I am overjoyed to see that ALL of the children are eager to "write the room" and demonstrate what they know. 

They know the letters of the alphabet, and many of the sounds associated with them. 

Most know how to pick up a marker. 

They know the difference between a letter and a word.

They know that letters are joined together to make a word.

They know that words contain meaning.

I am so proud of all of our little writers!

Thank you for visiting our atelier!

We've got the Springtime "Shoes"

The recent weather inspired many of our "read alouds" of late, and we shared an old favourite of mine, Big Sarah's Little Boots by Paulette Bourgeois. It is a story of a little girl who is excited to try on her favourite rubber boots, only to discover that she can't get her feet into them. She tries many different strategies to try and make them fit, such as filling them with rocks, watering them, stretching them, but to no avail. Sarah is resistant to buying a new pair of boots that fit, but in the end passes her boots down to her younger brother and settles for another pair that end up being just right!

This story inspired lots of "talk" about growing, and recent trips

to the shoe store. 

From here, the idea for our new dramatic play centre was born!

We brainstormed ideas, and you sent in the supplies! 

Thank you!

Our dramatic play centres have provided many opportunities to

slide literacy into the programme. The children created our OPEN/ CLOSED

sign that hangs in the "window".

And while it is very faint in this photo, note the sign on the

blackboard / puppet prop that reads:

Shoe Store

"boots"

The children also tried their hand at sorting the various types of

footwear that came in. 

"flip flops"

"crocs"

And more signs were created, using inventive spelling. We listened for the sounds that we hear when saying the words, and the children used letters they know to represent the sound they hear.

"flep flap, kroks, bits" = "flip flops, crocs, boots"

Well done!

"numeracy" at play

They also created a sign to identify the sizes available.

And this just in - a new pair of shoes!

Thank you for sending these in.

I wonder what sign these might inspire?

Meanwhile, please take some time to have a listen to "blues" song we've been working on, from composer Rob Sayer, titled: I've Got the Shoes.

Thank you for visiting our atelier.