Letter L

Last week students had the opportunity to explore the letter L. Tasks that reinforced letter and sound recognition of the letter L were woven into our daily learning activities. Below is an example of some of those activities. 

We began our exploration of the Letter L with a craft. Students were required to follow along as an adult demonstrated each step of our craft.

 Here, students are using materials from "Handwriting Without Tears" to build the letter L. 

After building the letter L, students used their finger and then a crayon to trace the letter. This tracing was paired with language that reinforced the correct formation of the letter L (ex. start at the top).

 Students were then given the opportunity to practice printing the letter on their own paired with colouring an image of something that starts with the letter L. 

In addition to daily desk work, exploration of the letter L, including learning the corresponding sound and discovering the variety of things that start with the letter L were explored during our daily circle and music times. 

After much practice, students were asked to trace and print the letter L independently in their Literacy journals. They were then tasked with picking a picture of something that begins with the letter L and finding that matching word in order to label their picture. 

We loved learning about the letter L. 

Weekly Reminders:

Tuesday November 19th: Swimming at Emily Follensbee

Friday November 22nd: No School-Professional Development Day

New Task Boxes for November-Part 2

Like last week's post highlighting our numeracy-focused task boxes, students also have the opportunity to explore literacy-focused task boxes each day. Below are some examples of our literacy task boxes for November.

For this task box, students are required to match uppercase letters in order to complete a simple bear puzzle. Oral language skills are practiced and reinforced with letter and sound recognition and discussion of colour. 

This task box requires students to use their receptive language skills. An adult will read the descriptor card and students must match the visual picture. Oral language skills are also reinforced as students name the animal card. 

This task box can be scaffolded depending on individual student skill. For some students, they use their visual discrimination skills in order to match the colour of the animal to the corresponding colour on the mat. Other students are tasked with using their receptive language skills as an adult will request a certain animal and students must match based on that oral request. 

This activity introduces early reading skills as students practice reading the sentence on each card. Numeracy skills are woven into the task as students must use one-to-one correspondence in order to complete each card. 

Students must use visual discrimination skills in order to find the shapes to complete each picture. Numeracy skills are woven into this task as some students are asked to count each distinct shape and print the corresponding written numeral. 

For this task box, students must use their visual discrimination skills in order to sort bears. Adults practice oral language skills by asking students to identify the colour of each category and the size of each bear. Counting skills are also woven into this task as students are asked to count how many bears are in each colour category. 

Reminders:

Tuesday November 12th: Swimming

Tuesday November 19th: Swimming

Tuesday November 26th: Swimming

Tuesday December 3rd: Swimming (This will be our last swimming session). 

New Task Boxes for November

Similar to last year, students in CSSI have the opportunity to explore task boxes daily. Task boxes provide an interactive, hands-on way for students to learn basic skills and concepts. Literacy and Numeracy concepts are woven into each task, and problem solving, oral language, visual discrimination and fine motor skills are also reinforced. Students have the opportunity to explore more numeracy-focused task boxes in the morning, and more literacy-focused task boxes in the afternoon. Task boxes are personalized for students, and are developed based on the skill level of students. 

Students were very excited today to see the new task boxes for November. 

Below, you will find examples from our morning Numeracy Task Boxes:

This task box reinforces colour discrimination, number recognition and counting with one-to-one correspondence. 

This task box requires number recognition, counting with one-to-one correspondence, and fine motor skills are reinforced with the action of students rolling play-dough body parts for each worm. 

This task box requires number recognition and visual discrimination skills.

The following task box requires students to recognize numbers to 15, use one-to-one correspondence, but also introduces the ten frame as a new number recognition/counting strategy. 

 This task box requires students to recognize numbers to 10, use one-to-one correspondence for counting, reinforces number printing skills, and helps to strengthen fine motor skills as students must roll and shape leaves out of play-dough to match the number. 

Task boxes are a highlight of the day for our students, and they work so hard at the skills required to complete each box. 

Weekly Reminders:

Tuesday November 5th: Swimming

Monday November 11th: No School-Remembrance Day

*** Please remember that we participate in outside Recess everyday. Please ensure your student comes to school with the appropriate outerwear in order to play outside.