| Take
Home Book |
Children
may/may not complete the take-home book on a daily basis. This is a
full-group activity if posted, that must be completed before dismissal. |
| Journal |
A
small group activity. The task? To draw and write something of their own
choice. |
| Independent
Reading |
Small
predictable books that have been practiced in class; poetry binders;
read-around the room; pocket charts or experience charts. The children
stay in the story corner and read aloud to themselves. |
|
Paired
Reading |
Children take turns
reading to a partner and listening to them read. Reading selections are
made from the Independent reading materials. |
| Guided
Reading |
Leveled
books with several copies of each are used. Groups are homogeneous, and
focus depends on ability and development of group. Focus may be on print,
picture cues, letters, punctuation, tracking, rimes, etc. |
| Guided
Writing |
Children
have individual needs when it comes to writing and so this is on an
individual, paired, or small group. The focus may be on pencil grip,
letter formation, phonetic spelling, or scribing. |
| ABC’s
|
A
tub of materials for children to play with: alphabet blocks, letter tiles
or stamps, alphabet books. |
|
Browse
Books |
Children
may "browse" books on the shelves or from the tubs. They know
the meaning of this word - to look from front to back, looking at the
picture cues to get a sense of the information. Or, visual research. |
| Puppets |
Oral
language is the basis for all print. Some children will need encouragement
to move their oral language in new directions. A puppet center can be play
oriented or "play performance" oriented. |
| Listening
Centre |
This
center is for books with tapes. Class favorites may be recorded during
story time, or purchased sets can be used as well. You may have several
children listening to one story, or you may collect Walkmans for
individual use and selection. |
| Phonemic
Awareness |
Sounds!
Collected pictures for initial or final phonemes (like a /s/ envelope);
sound games; Little Leap and other computer games; rime play. |
| Computer |
This
can be individual or small group depending on your computer access.
Programs like Wiggleworks and story packages as well as interactive play
games like Franklin's Reading World or Chicka Chicka Boom Boom |
| Recording |
For
story retellings or read-alouds by child(ren) |
| Magnetic
Letters |
Creating
text, finding letters, ordering, games |
| Making
Words |
Elkonin
boxes, onsets and rimes |
| Printing
Practice |
Demonstrated
letter formation - as in "drawing" which is completely different
from composing. |
| Alphabet
Games |
Matching
upper and lower case, BINGO, pegs in letters, Fish, Memory, and so on |
| Feeling
the Letters |
For
the tactile learners; use salt, sand, playdough, pudding in baggies, clay,
flannel, sandpaper |
| Puzzles |
Alphabet puzzles - table
and floor |
