The First Post

Sharing some little things from the class as I start to learn how to create my first blog. Exciting!

These activities are available on shelves (labelled with these pictures) along with our puzzles and some simple games. The purpose of this center is to enable children to select a task and complete independently before returning to the correct location ready for the next person.  I usually have these ones out early in the year and later the tasks get more difficult.  It is a great skill to teach first off as students learn how to keep the classroom organised which makes everything easier.

 

The first one is a simple matching activity with a focus on texture. Lots of describing words here! Students often use the fabric in other activities (eg, role play, block corner - which is fine with me as long as they put them back).



 
Sorting buttons and beads. So many different ways to sort these things; colour, shapes, but I have also learnt so many other ways from my little friends. My favourite was a girl who sorted them into "ones I like" and "ones I don't like"! However they are sorted they really work on the fine motor skills.











Numbers! Fill the vases with different pop sticks
to match the numbers. There are dots on labels 
also so that those children that do not recognize 
numerals can count one to one.

Sorting gems (everybody loves these) what a beautiful object to count with, sort, construct patterns - just can not stop playing with them! The sorting mats (available in different grids - 2, 4 and 8) are laminated paper (not card) so that they may be used on the light box. Just adding one more fun aspect as the light makes the gems magic.
  



 


Rice and letters nothing to say on this one except go to the kitchen right now (yes now) and shove your hand into the rice canister. Now you understand! Fill it with anything, letters, numbers, shapes etc. Great for calming some of those children who can not keep their hands to themselves.





Colour match (base mats made with paint ship samples and pictures from old magazines and calendars). This activity seems a little simple but the students seem to love it as they can do it and get it right. I throw in some black and white clip art of simple objects like carrots, and frogs to make the students think about characteristics of common things without the colour clue.

AND MY FAVOURITES!!!

Mr Potato Head Construction.  Students have to follow picture cues in order to build their potato friend (this is so difficult for some students) Change over the potato pieces to keep it fresh or cut the instructions into separate cards so that students need to place them back in order by number.






Rice search. One plastic coffee jar, rice, small found objects, searching sheet, and some counters to mark off the finds. Who needs Wally! So much fun to complete alone or in pairs. Make sure you glue the lid on to avoid disasters.

And that is it my first blog post. Some old photos a little text and a thousand questions. How do I add more fonts? Why didn't my photos upload with blogger? and Will it look the way I want on the blog? So much to learn but so much excitement. Hope you enjoy and thanks for stopping in :)