I was soooo excited today! I felt like a Mother Hen. I gave a math test to the students just to get them used to the routine of what a test is like and also to assess their addition and counting skills. During the test, my principal, director, and assistant superintendent came in just to observe. It was our Spanish day but I still use English to help support. I told the students "Si estas listos por numero 6, levante su mano" which means "If you are ready for number 6, raise your hand". I did not translate this for the class because I have been using this phrase often and have modeled it and a majority of the students know what it means. My assistant superintendent went over to one of my English speaking students and asked him what it means and he translated it perfectly!!!! I was beaming!!! I was soo proud of him!! They have been doing such a great job with the basic skills and have been trying so hard! My Spanish speaking students have been doing a great job learning their English alphabet and sight words! They have been working very hard!
Here are the pictures from the activities I was talking about during my last blog, the Rhyming Dust Bunnies and the 5 sentidos. The 5 senses flip book I created. They put a picture under each label about the Fall.
The Rhyming Dust Bunnies activity. Here is the book.
I also have been using some of the techniques to help with transitioning from this video! This is amazing!!! The whisper/say it in your hand is my FAVORITE!
Something else I have tried and the kids love it...when we practice reading our sight words (I put them on a powerpoint and make a slideshow out of them) I have them read it quietly, say it in their hand, and then we choose a silly voice to say it out loud it. The hits so far-opera voice, monster voice, and robot voice. We also use baby voice, sad voice, and whisper voice. The students seem excited to learn the words and they are participating more!
Wow...tomorrow is already September 24! I can't believe how fast time is flying! Sorry I haven't posted sooner! Between work, school and classes, and my two girls getting sick, I have not had much down time to relax. For my literacy degree classes, I have to learn about and administer a test a week and then write up a summary about it! Needless to say, my weekends have been pretty busy! I was able to go upstate though for the long weekend to see my in-laws and the girls had a blast seeing the animals on the farm and just relaxing!
Here are a few things I have been using in my classroom!
To help my students with practicing the alphabet in both English and Spanish and also to help them build a vocabulary, I have been showing these videos. They love them!
I read the book Rhyming Dust Bunnies and we did an activity where the students had to create their own dust bunny. I then showed this video and they were hysterical!
We love "El perro y el gato"! These videos really help the students practice their vocabulary! I show these during snack time because it can get a little crazy and this keeps them calm and relaxed! It is a working snack time!
Good video to show once the students have learned all of their Spanish vowels!
English version of the Alphabet-The students get a kick out of watching it, especially after I tell them this is how I learned my ABC's (Thanks Mrs. Zagarello!)-I love Really Rosie!
Spanish alphabet-Kids love this one and ask for it every day!
I am actually going to show this during the upcoming week-Harry Kindergarten has some GREAT videos!!!!
On my PARENTS/LOS PADRES page, you can see the format I use for sending home HW. I like to give students a choice format. The format will stay the same but I may change/add/take out an activity and obviously the words will change weekly!
I hope everyone is enjoying the fall! This week, we are working on apples and our 5 senses for Science! I will take pictures of our flip books that we created and also the Rhyming Dust Bunnies that they made!
Wow! Can't believe we are in September! Fall is one of my favorite seasons (the other being Spring-I love the changes that occur!) and I can't wait for the leaves to change, the pumpkins, Halloween...well, I better not rush things too much! I have a lot to do in the next few weeks!
My little girls went back to daycare. It is crazy to think but this time next year, they will be in nursery school! I remember bringing them to their first day of "school" (I call daycare "school"-they do a lot there! They have a music class, library, gym, perform plays-they are amazing!). They loved seeing all of their friends and I am so happy that they enjoy it!
I am very excited to meet my new group of students tomorrow and of course a little nervous! I think that I will always be nervous about the 1st day no matter how many years I have been teaching! This year brings a lot of changes-the Common Core standards, APPR, new programs-it will definitely be a busy, fun filled year! I will take pictures tomorrow of my classroom and post the final product!
Well, wish me luck! I have some great activities planned! They have to put the RULES puzzle together, creating a "No David!" rules book, reading "Have you filled a bucket today?", reading "The Kissing Hand", making graphs that show the number of letters in our name and how we get to school, and just getting into a routine and schedule!
Happy September! I hope to check in this weekend (with some uploads hopefully-my brother and I work different schedules and it has been hard to get him to help me!)
The 5 senses flip book I created. They put a picture under each label about the Fall.
The Rhyming Dust Bunnies activity. Here is the book. 
