Our First Month Together

We have officially completed our first month of school! We have settled into our routine, and have all had a chance to get to know each other better. What a wonderful group we have here in 6B!

Focus Skill: Sequence of Events

In reading, students have been focusing on the short "a" vowel sound. This week we have been reading the story, "The Hat" by Holly Keller. Our focus skill in this story is the sequence of events. We have been paying close attention to the order of events in this story. In the activity above, students were given a sheet of paper with the events placed out of order. We worked together to cut out each sentence and put it in the proper order.

Great job readers!

Chapter Two: Number Writing- A Kinesthetic Approach

In chapter two we will be learning to properly write the numbers zero to five. Our first set of numbers to work with are zero, one, two, and three.

In this activity the mathematicians practice writing numbers in the air and then on a partners back. As we form the number we recite the proper wording for correct number formation:

zero - Around we go, to make a zero

one- straight line down from the sun, that's the way we make a one

two- around and back on a railroad track

three- around a tree around a tree, that's the way we make a three

Next, we write the numbers on a partners back without reciting the verbiage aloud. Then, the person who had the number written on their back need to guess which number was written.

This was a great activity to get as read for pencil-to-paper practice.

Web of Sounds: Short "a"

To prepare for our first story unit, we have been focusing on the short "a" /a/ sound.

Our task during this game was to create a web of sounds with string. One person starts the web and says a short "a" word then tosses the ball of yarn to another student. Using only words that have the targeted sound we continued taking turns and were able to successfully weave the web! A few of the words we cam up with were: hat, apple, bat, & map.

Chapter One: More and Less

One of the final topics discussed in Chapter 1 of the math textbook, Compare and Sort Objects, was the concept of more and less. After introduction and completion of our written textbook work we were ready to play a fun game utilizing the cocept of more and less. The mathematicians were given:

• a "more" card
• a "less" card
• a "more/less" spinner
• 1 set of 10 connecting cubes per person

The concept of the game is to be the first to gain their partner's connecting cubes. To begin, each student breaks apart their set of 10 cubes into different pieces. The pair of students then chooses 1 set of each of their connecting cubes and matches them against one another. Which is more? Which is less? No cubes can be equal in this game. Upon deciding who has more and less, they place their cubes on either the "more" or "less" card. A student then spins the "more/less" spinner. If the spinner lands on "more", the student whose cubes are on the "more" card takes ALL of the cubes. If the spinner lands on "less", the student whose cubes are on the "less" card takes ALL of the cubes. The mathematicians had so much fun playing this game! It was a wonderful extension lesson with a hands-on approach.

Fine Motor Fish

One of our fine motor activities this week was to create the beautiful fish. We colored the fish in with crayons then dotted each circle with glue. We had to apply just the right amount of pressure to the bottle to apply the desired amount of glue. The last step was to pinch small amounts of glitter with two fingers and then sprinkle onto our glue dots.

Some friends even made a pattern with their color choices.

Bravo 6B!

Great Ways to Practice Sight Words

Use coins or buttons to form your words
Print your words on someones back using your finger. Have the person guess the word
Use yarn or string to form your words.
Record yourself saying and spelling your words
Use cooked spaghetti to form your words
Play BINGO with your words
Spread peanut butter or jelly on bread then use raisins to form your words
Use colored crayons or pencils to copy your words in as many different color combinations as possible.
Paint your words using water color or finger paint
Read a story. See how many times you can find your words
Write three or more sentences using each word
See how many times you can write your words in 1 minute
Use colored chalk to write your words on the sidewalk
Write your words in shaving cream
Fold a sheet of paper in fourths. Write your words one time in each square and decorate the squares with art supplies, stickers, etc.
Use cookie dough to shape your words and bake them
Write three or more words that rhyme with each of your word
Play Tic-Tac-Toe using your words
Create a game of "Memory" with your sight words
Create flashcards to review your words

Most importantly, HAVE FUN!!