Measuring!

Today in math workshop, we talked about measuring with different things. A couple months ago, we measured things using the unifix cubes. Today we played this game:

http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/length_strength1_clips/

and measured things with paper clips!!

We also traced our partner's feet and we will be using them the cutouts to measure things tomorrow! We're all so excited to measure!

Try to see what things you can use to measure at home!

Bead patterns

Patterns is something we have been learning a lot about since September and we practice making them all the time! We have been learning to make different kinds of patterns-not just with the pattern blocks. We used this website today to make different patterns with beads:

http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/exhibitions/tresors/ethno/ety0102e.shtml

Looking at art

Hi boys and girls! Last Friday, we started working with Ms. Rachel. She works at the Queens Museum of Art and has been coming to teach us new things about art. We are working on telling stories through art. We started making dioramas that tell our stories! The Queens Museum of Art is really close to our school and is a great place to go to learn more about art.

Go to this website to find out more about the free art workshops for families: http://www.queensmuseum.org/events/families/art-workshops-for-families

If you want to go, I have a few family passes that allow you to go to the museum for free so let me know if you want to have one! Have a great art-filled weekend!

Also, here is a fun website to start doing art on the computer: http://www.kids.albrightknox.org/index_launched.html

Making Connections

In reading, we have been working on making connections! A connection is when something in the story makes us think of something in our lives! Try to make connections when you are at home reading!

Try this too-listen to this fun story about Arthur and his family going on vacation and see if you can think of any connections to your life. I know the story made me think a lot about the vacations I go on!

http://www.speakaboos.com/story/arthur_family_vacation

The vowels of the alphabet! I know them all by name, oh!

We just started learning about vowels in school! Vowels are special letters in the alphabet. We learned this vowel song. You can sing at home with your family. (Note to parents: the song is sung to the bingo tune)

The vowels of the alphabet
I know them all by name, oh!
a-e-i-o-u
a-e-i-o-u
a-e-i-o-u
I know them all by name, oh!

The vowels of the alphabet
I know them all by name, oh!
[clap]-e-i-o-u
[clap]-e-i-o-u
[clap]-e-i-o-u
I know them all by name, oh!

The vowels of the alphabet
I know them all by name, oh!
[clap]-[clap]-i-o-u
[clap]-[clap]-i-o-u
[clap]-[clap]-i-o-u
I know them all by name, oh!

The vowels of the alphabet
I know them all by name, oh!
[clap]-[clap]-[clap}-o-u
[clap]-[clap]-[clap}-o-u
[clap]-[clap]-[clap}-o-u
I know them all by name, oh!

The vowels of the alphabet
I know them all by name, oh!
[clap]-[clap]-[clap}-[clap]-u
[clap]-[clap]-[clap}-[clap]-u
[clap]-[clap]-[clap}-[clap]-u
I know them all by name, oh!

The vowels of the alphabet
I know them all by name, oh!
[clap]-[clap]-[clap}-[clap]-[clap]
[clap]-[clap]-[clap}-[clap]-[clap]
[clap]-[clap]-[clap}-[clap]-[clap]
[clap]-[clap]-[clap}-[clap]-[clap]

The vowels of the alphabet
I know their short sounds too, oh.
(sing as short vowels)
a-e-i-o-u
a-e-i-o-u
a-e-i-o-u
I know their short sounds too, oh.


Here's a game you can play to help with vowels: http://www.starfall.com/n/matching/short-vowels/play.htm?f

End Sounds

Today, in word study we looked at end sounds! It is important to read the end sounds in the words we read too! Here is a website for a game that helps with end sounds! We played it in class today!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/words/dg1.shtml

Follow my pattern!

Today we played a really fun game with pattern blocks! We learned about patterns in September but we got even more practice with longer patterns today! We worked with partners and took turns making patterns and finishing out partner's patterns!

We also used this website to finish the patterns I made!

To parents: You can create any pattern on this website and then have your child follow/finish the pattern!

http://gingerbooth.com/flash/patblocks/patblocks.php

Start off the new year by sounding out words!

Happy new year everyone! It's now 2010! I am so excited for all the things this year will bring!! I am even more excited that I get to see all of you at school! I noticed today that we are all getting much better with stretching out our words and listening for the beginning sounds.

Here's another game that will help you with stretching out sounds in words!

http://www.professorgarfield.org/Phonemics/pumpkin_patch/pumpkin_patch.html