Welcome To Kindergarten 2020/2021

Posted on by
Reply

Welcome to Kindergarten at South Slope Elementary!

In the next few days I will be emailing all of you the details for the first few weeks of school.  I thank you for your patience as due to this unprecedented pandemic, our school district is still formulating plans and preparations for our return to school.

Please click the link below to see a list of items that are needed for School:

Primary (K-3) Supply Information & Needed Items 2020

Here is the link to a free social story that might help your child as they begin Kindergarten in this very unusual year:

www.SocialStories4Kids.com

 

Daily Schedule Cards – For Home Learning

Posted on by
Reply

Here are some printable cards (found online) that can be used to create a visual schedule/routine/plan for your child’s day.
You and your child may enjoy creating your plan for the day together, and then ‘checking’ off (flipping upside down or taking down) the activities your child has finished to feel a sense of accomplishment.

Visual Schedule (Home Daily Living)
Visual Schedule (Daily Living 2)
Visual Schedule (Eating)
Visual Schedule (Learning 1)
Visual Schedule (Learning)

Another FREE schedule option can be found on Teachers Pay Teachers:  Free Daily Schedule (you just need to sign up – which is also, free)

Don’t have access to a printer?  You can make your own using anything you have at home (post it notes, recipe cards, old magazines and felt pens, a tablet using the Notes app)

Please remember:  you know your child best, and you know if a list or small pictures or a combination would work best.  In the classroom, these types of cards are used as a visual support to create independence.  We talk a lot about “flexibility” in our day plan, sometimes certain things take longer than expected so other activities can be moved to tomorrow or later.  Help your child by being responsive and providing times for brain breaks throughout the day.  Colour code cards to show the difference between traditional learning activities with daily life activities.  Have fun with it!

Below,  is a picture of Ms Shuster’s sample schedule for the day!!

📚✏️Learning Ideas for Home!✏️📚

Posted on by
Reply

Reading Activities! 📚📙
You can use Raz-kids on your computer using this Raz Kids link or you can also download the Kids A-Z app from your device’s App store
Raz Kids  ⬅️  (Click blue link)

  1. It will ask you to enter Teacher Username:  MsLawder
  2. Help your child to find their name and click on it.
  3. It then asks for student password. It will be two of the icons.  Don’t try to guess or you may lock yourself out.   Please email me I will give you your child’s password.
  4. A fun outer space screen will pop up.  Select:  Reading Room

Your child may then select books to listen to and practice reading aloud when they are ready.  Then, if they click on the ?  they can answer questions that test their understanding. They will need your help with this part as the questions will be above their reading level but they will be able to tell you the answer.
 All of the Kindergartens are very familiar with the Epic Books App!  Just download Epic from the App Store or log in to www.getepic.com.  I’ve added each child’s name into our class. Just enter Epic using our class code:   pqk8510.  When your child enters their page- just make sure to click “Read to Me” menu.

Tumble Books – click on the blue ‘Story Books’ tab near the top of the page.  There are tons of great books to listen to!

Storyline Online – ⬅️ – click on the blue link  – Famous Actors read Stories aloud.  Just check the suggested Grade level prior to choosing a book to listen to.

Famous People & Author’s Reading Children’s Books! ⬅️ – click on the blue link

Audible for Kids  ⬅️ – click on the blue link.  While schools are closed Audible is offering Free audiobooks for Children from 1-18!

Scholastic Learn at Home  ⬅️ – click on the blue link and you can select a theme to study each day.

Fluency & Fitness  ⬅️ – click on the blue link & sign up for free Literacy, Math and Fitness activities!!  This looks like fun!  It is free for 21 days – so, set yourself an alert to cancel after 21 days.

Boom Cards ⬅️ – click on the blue link or download the Boom Cards App from the App Store.  Email me and I will give you your child’s username & password

Virtual Field Trips🌋  🚀
30 Virtual Field Trips  ⬅️ – click on the blue link and visit Mars, Zoos, Farms, Volcanos and lots more!

Art Activities! 🎨 ✏️
We all Love Mo Willems (The Author of:  Elephant and Piggie & Pigeon drives the bus). He will be adding a daily drawing lesson.  Grab a paper and a pen…then, click on the link below:
Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems!  ⬅️

25 Ways To Learn with Lego at Home!  ⬅️

Scratch ⬅️   Have fun together and learn how to code and tell stories using computer programs

Scavenger Hunts!
  

More Scavenger Hunts! ⬅️  Check back as she is planning on adding more each week.

A List of Educational Websites for Families to Use While School is Closed...⬅️

 

Gingerbread Blog – The Big Hunt!!

Posted on by
Reply

When she arrived at school, Ms. Lawder told the children she smelled gingerbread in our Classroom. She found our Gingerbread Man playing with some gingerbread toys in the class treehouse! As she approached, she stumbled and made a noise and she couldn’t catch him as he ran out the door. The children know he is still in the school! The hunt continues!
Later in the morning I listened in as Ms Lawder and the class planned who they needed to talk to on their hunt. After lunch, they set off to find their Gingerbread Man!!

Watch the video below to see where the hunt took the Kindergartens!

The Kindergartens Bake a Gingerbread Boy & He Runs Away!

Posted on by
Reply

The children made their Gingerbread Man today. I must say….he was a handsome looking fellow. They popped their little man in the oven and went back to their class. They were rubbing their hands together gleefully as they awaited their ‘gingery’ snack. I remained well hidden and was beside myself with worry.

When they went to pick up their snack…..imagine their suprise (and MINE!) when they discovered an open oven door and crumbs leading from the scene! By George, he did it — He ESCAPED! (scroll down for the video!)
The children hunted all over the school for their cookie, many teachers, staff and children had seen him and told the children which way he had gone. I think the little guy must have a great set of ears as he always managed to avoid them. As hunting didn’t seem to work the children decided to make Wanted Posters to post around the school hoping someone might find their Gingerbread Man. Ms. Lawder told them she thought they’d scared him with all their talk about eating him (man ‘o man she has that right!!).

 

 

 

 

Gingerbread Blog by the Gingerbread Man

Posted on by
Reply

Hi! I’ve just popped by from Gingerbread Land and I thought I’d tell you what I’ve seen happening at South Slope. The Kindergarten children have been listening to many variations of my story! Oh my, this sends shivers up my spine! They are loving comparing and contrasting the different tales — you should ask them to tell you about all the people and animals that have tried to eat me. They have discovered that the fox is often the trickster (man ‘o man, I wish I had known that earlier!!) and that some of my fellow Gingerbread Boys talk a lot more than others! I’ve quite enjoyed listening to the children help Ms. Lawder read the books — they all chime in as she is reading and there is a chorus of “Run, run as fast as you can. You can’t catch me I’m the Gingerbread Man!”

Several children have been so taken with my story that they have headed to the reading chair during Centres and spent their time re-telling the story in a very animated fashion.

Today the children were very excited!  They decided that they really must taste some Gingerbread so they made some Gingerbread dough and they are going to bake their own Gingerbread Man. They keep saying “YUM, YUM.”I really feel badly for the poor fellow they are about to make. I must say the day was rather unsettling for me. You should have heard them as they made their dough…. “I want the head!”, “I want an arm.” It really was quite horrible. Don’t they know we have feelings?? They are making their Gingerbread Man on Monday. I must think of a plan…

Rainbow Colour Days!!

Posted on by
Reply

clipart-rainbow
For our first few weeks of Kindergarten we will be learning about colours. Each day we will be introducing a new colour. Here is a list of the colours we will be learning about and the day in which your child should try to wear this particular colour. If possible, your child could bring a snack that matches the colour we are learning about (e.g. strawberries for red day, a carrot for orange day etc).

Monday, September 16 – Red day
Tuesday, September 17 – Orange day
Wednesday September 18 – Yellow day
Thursday, September 19 – Green day
Friday, September 20 – Blue and Purple day
Monday, September 23 – Brown day
Tuesday, September 24 – Black day & White
Wednesday, September 25 – Rainbow day – Students wear their favourite colours or a rainbow of colours

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Thank you,

Deanne Lawder

How to Tie Shoelaces! (Super Easy!!)

Posted on by
Reply

Here is a super easy way to learn how to tie shoelaces.  Watch this video with your child a few times and give it a try!!

If the shoes do not have an extra eyelet to tuck the laces into you can tuck the laces under the tongue of the shoe as well. Once your child has become comfortable with the looping method (in a few weeks or months) you can teach them to hold the loops rather than tucking them.

I was very lucky to have one of my fomer students and her mom to make this video for us!! Thank you M & K!!