Alphabet Collage- Trinidad and Tobago Sporting Heroes

Hello everyone, it has been a while since I last shared with you. However, my post tonight was also done for the school's Open Day I mentioned in my last post.

As indicated before, my second year class was charged with presenting the area of Sports in Trinidad and Tobago for our Open Day. In putting together the class presentation, I wanted to do an alphabet chart, depicting our sporting heroes.

I firstly, went about identifying men and women in sports whose names( either first or last), started with the corresponding alphabet letter sound and not simply the letter. For example, with the letter b, I selected Bovell and not Brian, because Bovell has the initial /b/ sound, while the initial sound in Brian is the consonant blend /br/.
There was one exception, with the letter t, where I used Thompson, which starts with /th/.

I was able to identify 21 sporting icons whose names could be used.

After this first step, I assigned persons to each student and the students were asked to bring in pictures of the identified sporting icons.

It was then my job, to present this on an alphabet chart. This proved to be a problem, because the dimensions of the pictures I requested would not allow all the pictures to fit on one chart.

As such, with the Open Day fast approaching I decided to create an Alphabet Collage. Each picture of  the sporting heroes was glued to an individual piece of bristol board and their name written. These individual boards were then carefully placed on red bulletin board paper.

My students were very happy to see the 'Alphabet Collage' with the pictures that they brought in.

Hope You are Inspired!!!

Our Olympic Family Tree

Hi everyone, I am so anxious to share with you.
 Over the past few weeks my students and I were preparing for our school Open Day- 'Building a Nation Together'- Nationhood. The second year class focused on the area of Sports.

Firstly, we linked one item to our Social Studies topic 'Family'. Previously, each student constructed a picture of their family tree for our Social Studies activities.

Therefore, I decided that we would construct an 'Olympic Family Tree'.

Then they began to work on the tree on which the pictures would be placed.

Students were asked to bring pictures of the athletes who represented us at the 2012 Olympic Games. 

 

My students enjoyed this experience greatly.

 

My classroom Word Wall

My Classroom Word Wall

In keeping with my classroom theme- 'Car Racing' here is a picture of the Word Wall in my classroom. I used pictures of a Starter's Flag on a black backgrounnd. This Word Wall really pops and my students do enjoy using it.

There's an Alligator Under my Bed!!

Hi everyone, I am very happy to share with you what my second year students are doing. Last week, I read the book, 'There's an Alligator Under my Bed' by Mercer Mayer.

I used this text to demonstrate to my students the comprehension strategy: making connections. I modelled text-to-self connections with the text and was able to make some authentic connections.
At this point I am only modelling making connections to my students, they will start making their own connections in future lessons.

However, they did get to complete some activities which were related to the book.

In the first activity, my students thought about what they felt would be under their bed and they did some lovely drawings to show this.

In the picture on the left, the student felt a snake would be under his bed, while the student on the right felt an ocelot was under his bed.

                                                  Schema- What I Know!!!

Students were asked to show what schema they have about alligators. This students effectively completed an alligator with sharp teeth and a picture of a long green tail.

                                                     Alligator Paper Craft

I am sorry the pictures have not been rotated, but I was getting some trouble in rotating them.
I do hope that you enjoy looking at the paper alligators my students and I made.

Hope you are inspired!!!

Students' Awesome Pictures- Days of the Week

Hey guys, yes it has been a long time since I my last blog. The new term has started and boy I am soooo busy organizing my classroom. However, on the first day of school I read 'Today Is Monday' by Eric Carle to my second year students.

I selected this book, because of the repetitive language and bold pictures. My students really enjoyed this book. Since only seven students came on the first day I asked them to select a day from the text and draw the picture they saw. They did such a wonderful job that I felt I must share it with you.

I stuck their pictures onto blue construction paper and wrote the days of week and the food the animal ate. These are now posted in the classroom.

Craft Idea: Olympic Symbol

Ok, the 2012 London Olympic Games are finished. However, many of our students watched the events during their July/August vacation. They are eager to tell you and their friends about their favourite moments during the Olympics.

As such, why don't you decorate a wall in your classroom to display pictures students collected, students' drawings and students' writings about the Olympics.


Craft Idea: Olympic Symbol
1. Get five sheets of construction paper- blue, black, red, yellow and green.

2. Cut out a length from each sheet- 11 inches long by 2 inches wide.

3. Fold each sheet into a circle and staple together.

4. Cut two 1 inch slits into the blue circle and insert the yellow cirlce.
5. Cut two 1 inch slits into the black and insert the yellow circle.
6. Cut two slits again into the black circle and insert the green cirle.
7. Finally cut two slits into the red circle and insert the green circle.




8. Stick the 'Olympic Symbol' on the classroom wall to decorate.

Welcome Wall

Hey guys, I know as we prepare to welcome our students we are considering presenting a Welcome Chart on our door or for some of us on a blackboard. However, instead of a chart this year why not create a Welcome Wall.

Yeah, it does seem daunting, but just imagine how your students will feel as they enter your classroom area every day.

Here's what you would need:

• A creative Idea, to spark your students' interest in learning. (lights, stars, favourite story or character etc.)
• Bulletin Board Paper (36" x 36") for the least.
• Cut-outs of various items. To enhance the wall, try using materials of different textures.
• Letter stencils to convey your message.

It is a great idea to create an initial draft of what you intend to do on a small surface, to get an idea of the best position for letters and objects and appropriate colours.


Hope you are inspired!

Getting your Imagination Going!!!

It's close to that time again....... a new school year. Yes, I have started to organise my classroom decor. This year I am creating a Racing Car Theme to help motivate, inspire and engage my second year students.

In deciding on this theme, I took into consideration my new class which will have four boys to every one girl. Also, I wanted a theme which would captivate my students' interests.

Here are some of the items I have started to make for the Focus Wall which students and visitors will see as they enter my classroom- the racing track, spectators and of course CARS!! On each car I will place each student's name.

Soooo, the question is.....What theme are you planning on using in your class this term? Teachers remember, the creativity we bring to our classrooms are integral in fostering our students' creativity also.

Suggested Themes-
A beach theme
Circus theme
A Farm Theme
A Hurricane Theme
Festival Theme
Space Theme