Smartboard Games from Lakeshore Learning

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I'm over-the-moon to have the opportunity to share a few products from Lakeshore Learning.  Each of the products are for the Interactive Smartboard. 

Life has changed in Room 113.  My kids are working independently on various skills: Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Calendar, etc.  With the new evaluations in place, teachers are working in overdrive to improve student scores, increase student accountability, and monitor a student led classroom.  

Over the past month, I've been evaluated through a district classroom walk-through and information observation.  My principal was overjoyed with student interest and ability to manage the Smartboard without the assistance of myself.  Yes, I've been able to manage small group instruction since September in Kindergarten. Thank You Lakeshore Learning!  With high interest, the kids are eager to practice daily skills with our new games.

Up first...

Alphabet Fun

This game has been used with my lower quartile through tutoring and RtI.  Students match letter and picture tiles to the corresponding alphabet letter which is randomly selected by the alphabet machine. This daily practice includes over 100 tiles for kids to manipulate.  You'll love the printable assessments to track student progress!!! 

Here are a few additional images!

Next...

 Phonics Fun

I love that our daily practice for my low quartile has shifted from alphabet recognition to beginning sounds.  With the same game on-hand, my babies were able to transition into the new game without a hitch.  They giggle every time the robot cheers them on when the correct image is matched to the letter tile.  Wrong answers are crushed and disappear.  As with the first game, there are over 100 picture tiles to sort for independent practice and monitoring sheets for accountability.

Here are a few additional images!

I'm not finished yet...

 Phonemic Awareness

The majority of my class is working on Beginning Sounds and Rhyming games.  I cannot get over the giggles when the kiddos hear the sound effects from the dog!  These effects are in place as a correcting process and provides continued independent practice during work stations.  I'm eager to transition into syllables as I feel the practice is appropriate on individual needs.  As with each of the games provided by Lakeshore Learning, progress monitoring sheets are available to print.

Here are a few additional images!

AND pictures taken during my informal observation!!

Last...

Interactive Calendar Math

This product is NUMERAL UNO in my book! It's marketed for 1st-2nd grades.  As you can imagine, the concepts are a bit challenging for most kinders.  I'm grateful for the product because I have gifted students that need the challenge to ensure interest levels are peeked!!  As a looping teacher, I'll be able to use this software for years to come.  That makes me a happy girl.

Here are a few skills targeted:
• Calendar concepts
• Operations
• Number patterns
• Number sentences
• Problem solving
• Money combinations
• Algebraic thinking
• Mental math 

If you are interested in any of the games, I directly linked each titled graphic to the products above.  I'm am pleasantly surprised by the gains my kids are making and eager to pick up additional games as we move through the standards this year!  

Thanks again Lakeshore Learning! 

iTune Out Drugs: Red Ribbon Week

OMGoodness, y'all!  I set out a thirty minute lesson that turned into one of the most meaningful afternoon!  My group of little ones walk around with inquiring minds.  I began my day introducing Red Ribbon Week.  The kids were so excited to "Use their heads and sock it to drugs"!  With wild and crazy hair styles and knee high mismatched socks, my were ready to tackle conversations about "misuse"!

I used several Brainpopjr videos to spearhead discussions and peek curiosity for a webquest.  I ordered a single computer subscription to Brainpopjr several years ago.  I spend 8 dollars a month and use my work laptop.  I can search/plan at home before sharing with the kids through a projection.  Money well spent!  

The first topic tackled dealt with the effects of prescription and over-the-counter meds on the body.  I was certain the kids were not prepared to understand the reactions that can come from taking pills that aren't prescribed by a doctor.  Not the case, my students embraced the importance of knowing the size of the dose, how long to take the medicine, and with what a pill should be consumed (food, milk, water, etc) to keep their little bodies from getting sick.  

My darlings were surprised by the difficultly in determining the difference between candy and medicine.  I scooped up a lesson by my sweet friends, Nicole and Melissa from Lesson Plan SOS (in which I had dinner with on Saturday night in Chicago).  Oh.My!  What darlings.  These ladies have a great lesson on this subject and follow up sheets to assist with instruction.  Link {here}!  

Nicole (left in black) and Melissa (right in pink and black)

I didn't expect much more out of my little sweets but the kids begged to continue.  Our discussions about smoking were just as meaningful.  We talked about the marketing of cigarettes when their parents were kids and how it was glorified in movies and on TV.  The discussion quickly turned to the harmful effects and preventative measures from exposure to second hand smoke.  One of my lil ones says, "I can asked my dad to go to the park with me and maybe he will decide to tune out drugs without me telling him to quit".  YES, YES, YES!  What a brilliant idea!!!

So to conclude, we complete iPods and wrote about ways we'll tune out drugs!  Don't you just love!?!

 

If you are interested, you can scoop up the craftivity {here}.

If you are interested in the fonts used in the product, you can scoop them up in Lanier's Kindergarten Lions store: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/ABC-Bubble-Font!

Shape Monster!

Click image above to link

I searched and searched for CUTE and EASY to assemble shape monsters but came up empty handed.  I suppose sometimes it's easier to create them yourself!  After a few hours, I've created, cut, and prepared examples for this coming week. This week is gonna be exciting!!!!

Columbus Day Activity and DonorsChoose Match Code!

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There's no place like home!  Can you hear me clicking my ruby reds?  Today has been a stinker and I couldn't be happier to put food in my body and pull my feet up EVEN if I only have an hour left in me!  

I wanted to share a cute unit I used today for Columbus Day. I used Mary Lirette's Columbus Day Unit {link} to introduce vocabulary.  We read In 1492 {link}by Jean Marzollo.  We've been working on the strategy of compare and contrast.  This was fun!  Kids can say the funniest things.  =D  This book is filled with rhyming words and the kids shared every one of them! Following the comparisons, we created the cute pictures below.  You can find the templates in Mary's unit.  We concluded the day with a free Brainpopjr {link} video on Columbus. 

Today began the Friends and Family campaign.  If you make a donation to any DC project and put in a match code of PUMPKIN, the project's donation will be matched up to 1,000 dollars.  Yay!  If today would have gone like planned, I would have set up a linky party for DC projects.  Sorry!  

Here's my DC project.  http://www.donorschoose.org/project/the-magic-carpet-ride/803801/  

I have 15 days remaining because I'm a dummy! I left the old project linked on my sidebar without realizing it!  Grrrr!   If you work for a company that's looking to fund projects, spread the word about the DC campaign.  AND if you have a project, link in my comments below!

Good Night Sweet Friends!

Short Term Motivation FREEBIE!

We all have students that can be very busy!  I haven't thought to share this until a friends inquired about short term reinforcement for behavior management.  After working with a district behaviorist, I came up with a sheet that I felt could best motivate a student with specific goals and short term rewards.

Click to Download