Learning and Blending Sounds with Movement

When learning sounds or how to blend sounds to read, adding movement activities can help for increasing focus and solidifying the learning. 

There are lots of programs with motions that connect letters to sounds - if you have access to one or can find one on YouTube, it’s a great way to help your child(ren) make connections between sounds and letters. If not, consider making up one of your own!

As a next step, blending across your fingers (touch each one as you make a sound) or up/down your arm (chop each sound at a different point on your arm) are great ways to start with helping beginners understand the art of blending sounds together to make words.

Sometimes it helps to add objects and hand movements to understand blending. For CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words, grab three objects and touch each one as you say a sound - blending as you go. “B-A-T bat.” 

For even more movement, use some painters tape or sticky notes to make letter spots on the floor or go outdoors with some chalk. Make letter circles or squares to hop onto or into, to blend and make words. Think of a word, then jump from letter to letter to make it! Once you turn it into a game, and practice it, they will start to play it on their own. 

Keep it simple to start! Begin with one vowel and a few consonants within reach of each other and take turns building words. Kiddos love an example and then freedom to make their own choices. Even “nonsense words” can count - if the sounds are right! Give guidance as needed :) 

Have fun!

Social Distancing with Small World Play

Looking for ways to incorporate interactive play in these days of separation and caution? Playing in pairs can still work with some social distancing hacks :) Use plexiglass or other sturdy see-through materials to set up stations to do paired small-world play! 

Kiddos LOVE to build with all sorts of materials and to make “worlds” where small figures or animals can play. Offer interesting materials, like chucks of wood, twigs, shells, small rocks, glass florist stones, etc. and watch as they construct interesting landscapes. Keeping small tubs to house natural elements spurs children to gather and bring in interesting pieces to add to the bins. Using the plexiglass to separate but bump up against each others’ “worlds” will help build excitement, seeing what their partners are adding and constructing with. Conversations and interactions can still occur, with proper social distancing :) 

Don’t feel trapped by tables either! Use your sneeze guard materials on the floor, with some “tummy time” play, using the same ideas. You will be amazed at how focused some friends will be and able to stay within your social distancing guidelines :) No plexiglass? No problem .... Take those old chart stands, or make a stand from some PVC pipes, and securely drape some sheer shower curtains to divide some space. 

One group I had a few years ago “designed” a Winter Olympics setup - I could see something like this applied to a partitioned play area, geared to individual-but-together play. Little friends like to just construct landscapes with no particular end, so let them create :) 

Play is definitely tricky these days, but try ....

And, have fun!

Remote Learning: Reading Aloud Tips

In a remote learning model, as in any type of teaching, you have to make choices about best practices for teaching reading. 

Live read alouds can be a wonderful way to connect with your students, modeling reading fluency and how a good reader thinks ... as long as all are engaged :) 

Take the time when doing live read alouds to set norms, just as you would in a face to face classroom. Make sure all of your little ones are ready to settle in :) 

Try these tips to set up ...

• Start with a simple but calming movement activity before settling in -  a few yoga poses or a shake-it-out settling activity 
• Have a “cuddle toy” that each child has on stand-by next to their workspace for keeping their hands occupied during reading time. (Might cause a stir at first but will become a commonplace tool)
• Express “Get comfy” directions and give a short wait time before launching into your story 
• Consider having reading time as “tummy time” depending on how flexible your students’ tech is - this can help with focus for some and for developing core strength 
• Use frequent question or recap breaks to stay on task - just like you would in person :) 
• Try to engage each child by using names when talking and mentioning things in the story. Avoid putting them on the spot but rather invite them to share when appropriate :)

If live reading isn’t feasible, consider using Zoom, YouTube, or another program to save your stories to be listened to independently, but build in the suggestions above. Building in short breaks for thinking about questions keeps your students engaged and encourages them to think about what the story is all about, aiding in their comprehension. 

By recording, you also give the children the ability to revisit a story several times, which promotes deeper thinking and allows them to become more familiar with story elements - win, win! 

Have fun! 

Social Emotional Learning with Karma Wilson’s Bear books

SEL (Social-Emotional Learning) is a big topic these days, with all that is going on in our world. Anxieties are at an all-time high, even with the little ones. Opening up discussions about feelings can get an assist from reading an applicable story. Extend Social-Emotional Learning through thoughtful literature choices, giving children a way to identify feelings and relate them to happenings in their own lives.  

Help kiddos deal with BIG feelings that they might have - read Karma Wilson's Bear books with them. These stories are beautifully simple, and the illustrations, by Jane Chapman, are SO appealing to the kiddos, and draw them right in.   

These Bear books shine a light on one topic at a time, using the familiar Bear and friends characters, and tackle things like making a new friend, not feeling good, feeling scared, and other relatable issues.

When Bear expresses his feelings, pause and invite your students to share their own feelings ... “Does anything make you scared? What do you think is scary? What do you do when you’re scared? What COULD you do?” Opening up these topics lays the groundwork for future discussions or interventions, by establishing common reference points that you can refer back to when those big feelings emerge at a later time, in your class or at home. 

Act out some scenes with your kiddos to really solidify the learning - have them make faces that reflect feelings. Play a guessing game where friends guess how a friend is feeling by their facial expressions. Use emoji cards (super easy to make!) to give ideas :) 

Have fun while exploring feelings!

Remote Learning: Building Community

While your class may not be in-person, or only partially in-person, it’s still made up of people - little people :) 

One of the biggest concerns with remote learning is that students are feeling disconnected and aren't getting the benefits of being in a group. This is where consciously using Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) can help to make the kiddos feel part of things by building bridges between on-line, hybrid and in- person learners. Aside from targeting these feelings with good literature choices and class discussions, what else can you do?

Think about ways to build community amongst your students, in order to promote togetherness and belonging!

Use photos!

• Distribute class pics to be kept at home or in school (or both)! Have students send in a photo and put them together grid style (with permissions, of course) to be kept on display for reference during lessons, or anytime. 
• Make class graphs a part of your day! Use those same pictures, individually mounted on index cards or magnets (business card magnets are the best!!) to build bar graphs that tie in with a daily question, or that relate to whatever lessons you are engaged in. This "polling" method gives everyone a voice from time to time and allows them talking points based on commonalities - or even differences!

Consider pen pals within your class!

• Have your class send artwork/pictures/letters between class members to strengthen bonds. You might even want to switch partners every so often, to mix it up!     
• A roving paper class pet or something like Flat Stanley can be fun - each member of the class would take a turn having a visit and writing/drawing about it, and forward to the next, if it's doable :)      

Socializing is important for cohesiveness! 

• Try to make a point of holding a Social Zoom on a regular basis, including all in the class. No lessons - just a fun activity to have them interact. Maybe show and tell or a game to play - or just taking turns telling something that's going on :)
• Have a silly theme day from time to time - crazy hair, hat, socks, PJs - make it attainable for all :) Teachers - for those who forget on crazy hat day - keep a roll of aluminum foil handy - turn it into a Hershey’s kiss hat! 

Keep the class bonding, learning and belonging - it's so important!

Have fun!!

We Are Scientists: Simple Machines

Every little one likes to move things - it’s part of being a “little scientist”! One of the first science topics that we always work (play) with in early childhood (and up through the grades) is force and motion. 

Simple machines make great playthings for experimenting with movement and force. You can find them everywhere in your home, classroom, or schoolyard. The six simple machines are the wheel and axle, the lever, the inclined plane, the pulley, the screw, and the wedge, although the latter three are actually just extensions or combinations of the first three.

For this post, we'll focus on the first three :)

The Wheel and Axle 

Experiment with moving carts or wheelbarrows to get some idea of moving objects with and without the benefit of wheels. 

An easy thing to find might be some old or new luggage pieces. Luggage with wheels is very common these days, but also find a suitcase with no wheels for some experimentation. With your child, load each with some blocks or something with some weight (same in each) and try to pull/push them. Look for play cars or trucks that have removable wheels in your collection. Try to move them on a flat surface or even on an inclined one, without wheels and then with - your little scientist will be able to make all their own predictions and conclusions on this one! There are many LEGO wheel and rod pieces - again, try to move with and without wheels, for fun. 

The Lever

We see examples of levers every day - a seesaw in the playground is a lever. Kitchen tongs are levers. 

Your scientist(s) can make their own simple lever with objects in your home or classroom. Look for a glue stick or other cylindrical object and a popsicle stick, and make a simple seesaw. Take it a step further and design a catapult lever - the easiest way is to tape on a plastic spoon and use it to hold a lightweight object. Push down on the opposing end and your object will be airborne!

The Inclined Plane 

Children will see inclined planes in ramps, slides, and rollercoasters - all things that start high and go down on an incline. They are also part of working scissors, knives, and doorstops - they are designed to have a wedge shape to start with a slim side and get wider, like an inclined plane. 

To experiment, start with moving a toy car on a flat surface and see how far it can go. Have other elements laying around nearby and ask - How can we make it go faster?  Your child may decide to make a toy car move faster or farther by elevating one end of the road/block by propping it higher and making their very own inclined plane. By making a hypothesis and proposing a test, they are using the Scientific Method!!

Have fun!!

Book Choice: Expanding Equity

There are so many great, diverse books for children that can be introduced into your home or classroom library, enhancing your selection, making it more multi-cultural and more equitable. By showing characters of all races, creeds, and family and home situations, you are including all in your home or classroom, and making sure that your children are seeing that the world is full of wonderful diversity. Showing characters with physical challenges, or including characters who might have unseen differences, opens up great conversations and normalizes varied situations.

A short list of favorites doesn't even begin to touch on some fabulous new and old titles. Use this as a jumping off point, but keep adding to your own list - it's so important! 

Some books to look for ....

 

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson (2018)

This book doesn’t leave you at how people are different but rather reminds us that when we reach out and take the first steps, people meet us half way.

 

This Is How We Do It by Matt Lamothe (2017)  

One day in the lives of seven kids from Iran, Russia, Peru, India, Japan, Uganda, and Italy. Highlights differences and sameness about their schools, homes, dress, food, play, etc.

 

La Princesa and the Pea by Susan Middleton Elya (2017) 

This is a great retelling of the familiar fairy tale, with up to date illustrations by Juana Martinez-Neal. Check out the glossary of Spanish terms up front before reading.  So great for native Spanish speakers to celebrate their native tongue. Look for other books of this type - familiar stories with different languages and cultures featured.

 

Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall (2017)  

This beautiful, simple book is very relatable for all children – the main character is working up courage to jump off the diving board.  Looking for books that show characters of all colors helps students see themselves in books.

 

The Bad Seed by Jory John (2017)  

The cool, graphic illustrations show the Bad Seed (the "bad" kid) and how it got to be bad … you will start to feel sorry for the bad one and root for it to go good.  Shows a kid version of trauma, and trying to find good in what can sometimes be a tough world … the right book for a certain situation.  Great for helping students develop empathy.  

 

The Diwali Gift  by Shweta Chopra and Shuchi Mehta (2015) 

The characters get a gift from one’s grandmother, Dadima, to celebrate the Hindu Festival of Lights, Diwali. Explains some traditions of a Diwali celebration – may help some students make connections to their holiday, which may not be a holiday all know about. Definitely read the glossary in the back for definitions first. 

 

All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold and Suzanne Kaufman (2018)  

This story is told in its pictures and has to be looked at closer than just the words on the page. Pictures depict children of all races, religions, etc. working and playing together in a school environment. 

Whoever You Are by Mem Fox (1997) 

This is a sweet, classic book which celebrates the similarities among people, instead of differences. 

 

The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss (1961) 

This book has an important message for any/all marginalized groups. 

 

The Family Book by Todd Parr (2003)  

All kinds of family groups are shown in this inclusive book. This books shows us that no matter what size or shape your family is, it is a great family for you. 

 

The Paperbag Princess by Robert Munsch (1992)  

The Princess saves the prince and then figures out she’s better alone - flips the gender stereotype.

Do this important work to celebrate diversity! 

And, as always, have fun doing it!