I have this poem on the Calendar wall, and
we read it together. After we've read it several times, I give each
student a copy and we read it again, slowly, letting their "fingers do
the reading," touching beneath each word as they say it. Even my
kinderkids can do this by the end of the first day. By the end of
the week, we have made two copies of this poem into Big Books, illustrated
by the kids.
As we read through the poem, we use crayons
to underline the color words. I have a little drawing at the end
of each line to help them remember the words. Every child leaves
my classroom on the first day of school as a successful reader, and they
take this poem home to read to their family. They get an extra copy
for their poetry journals.
Orange is an orange. Yellow is the sun. Brown is the bear and Purple is the plum. Red is an apple. Green is a tree. Black is witch's hat. I can read! Listen to me.
Mary Wore Her Red Dress
This is another very successful First Day of
School reading experience. I have a set of the old Houghton Mifflin
reading series, with the A, B, and C pre-primer books. Each child
has the A book (green) in their desk when school begins. We read
the first story -- Mary Wore Her Red Dress -- together several times, and
then they practice reading it to each other and by themselves. The
illustrations make it easy for them to memorize the colors and the words.
We also sing this story to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb.
I have two monthly pocket charts up on the
first day of school. One holds our monthly Good Morning song, and
the other holds our monthly "Happy" poem.
September Good Morning Song
Good morning to the bus. Good morning to the school. Good morning to the pencils and the pens. Good morning to the teacher. Good morning to the kids. Good morning to learning with my friends.
Apple Happy
This is apple happy. This is apple sad. Now you see him sleepy. Now you see him mad. This is apple in pieces small. But in a pie he's best of all.
School
This simple story is also in a pocket chart,
with simple illustrations. This is a perfect piece for modeling how
to use the pointers when doing Read the Room, and it's great for teaching
one-to-one correspondance. Later in the week, the children will get
books with this story in them, to illustrate and put in their individual
book boxes.
I also have the words written on large
computer paper, ready to be folded into a Big Book after the children have
made illustrations on 8" squares of construction paper. I hang the
computer paper story from a clothesline that runs beneath my chalkboard.
We leave it there for several days as a Wall Story, before stapling it
shut. I make many books of this type, and always make two or three
copies, so that all the children can illustrate a page. These become
a part of our class Big Book library, used during Literacy Centers, and
are models for the smaller books the children will be making all year during
Writers Workshop. At the end of the year, there are many books for
the children to take home as keepsakes of a wonderful year.
School By Mrs. Smith's Class
A bus. A flag. A book. A pencil. A crayon. A child. A teacher. School!
This Pocket Chart tip came from the mailing
list:
On the first day of school, I hang a pocket
chart on a stand outside the classroom door. The name of each student
is written on a sentence strip (I cut them in half and then decorate one
corner with a sticker or stencil) and placed in the pocket chart under
the heading "Bienvenidos al Salon 35" ... Welcome to Room 35. The
names are reusable throughout the week as well as the year for other activities.
Make a few extra for the kids who "show up" at the last minute who may
not be on the original list.
A Book for Teaching Safety
Officer
Buckle and Gloria 1996 Caldecott Medal Winner This book was recommended by a KinderKorner subscriber, and I've already ordered mine. The customer reviews at Amazon are filled with praise for this story.
School Themed Poems
Someone shared this poem with me during the summer, and I plan to send it home with my students the first day of school:
There's Nothing in My Bag Today
Today I did my math and science, I toasted bread. I halved and quartered. I counted, measured, used my eyes, and ears and head. I added and subtracted on the way, I used a magnet, blocks, and memory tray. I learnt about a rainbow and how to weigh. So please don't say, anything in your bag today?
You see I'm sharing as I play. I learned to listen and speak clearly when I talk, to wait my turn, and when inside to walk. To put my thoughts into a phrase, to guide a crayon through a maze. To find my name and write it down, to do it with a smile and not a frown. To put my pasting brush away, So please don't say, what, nothing in your bag today?
I've learnt about a snail and a worm, remembering how to take my turn. Helped a friend when he was stuck, learnt that water runs off a duck. I looked at words from left to right, agreed to differ, not to fight. So please don't say, did you only play today?
Play Today by Leila P. Fagg
You say you love your children and
are concerned they learn today? So am I -- that's why I'm providing
a variety of kinds of play.
You're asking me the value of blocks
and other such play? Your children are solving problems; they will use that skill every day.
You're asking what's the value of having your children play? Your daughter's creating a tower; she may be a builder someday.
You're saying you don't want yout
son to play in that sissy way? He's learning to cuddle a doll. He may be a father some day.
You're questioning the interest centers;
they look like just listless play? Your children are making choices; they'll be on their own some day.
You're worried your children aren't
learning and later they'll have to pay? They're learning a pattern for learning; for they'll be learners always.
My Promise
Each day I'll do my best, And I won't do any less.
My work will always please me, And I won't accept a mess.
I'll color very carefully, My writing will be neat.
And I simply won't be happy "Til my papers are complete.
I'll always do my homework, And I'll try on every test.
And I won't forget my promise-- To do my very best!
I Like To Go To School (tune: Farmer in the Dell)
I like to go to school. I like to go to school. Heigh-ho-the-derry-oh, I like to go to school.
I like to sing new songs. I like to sing new songs. Heigh-ho-the-derry-oh, I like to sing new songs.
I like to play with friends. I like to play with friends. Heigh-ho-the-derry-oh, I like to play with friends.
ABC School Chant (tune: sounds like the Marines marching cadence)
A B C D E School is where I want to be. F G H I J Learning to read and write each day. K L M N O Boys and girls I want to know. P Q R S T Sharing books with you and me. U V W X Y Now it's time to say goodbye. Z Z Z Z Z School is where I want to be.
Read To Me By Jane Yolen
Read to me riddles and read to me rhymes, Read to me stories of magical times. Read to me tales about castles and kings. Read to me stories of fabulous things. Read to me pirates and read to me knights, Read to me dragons and dragon-book fights. Read to me spaceships and cowboys and then, When you are finished -- please read them again.
Classroom Brighteners, Perfect First Week Picture Books, Unity Builders, Ice Breakers, Getting to Know You activities 20% off Scholastic's price Under $8
The
First Days of School How
to be an Effective Teacher Author Harry Wong spoke at a conference I attended several years
ago, and I left completely re-energized. This is an awesome book
for setting up your room, your expectations, your procedures and rules, and just about anything
else you can think of to get off to a great start. Highly recommended.
Save 20% ($5.99) by buying it here.
6 themes, including My World, Animals, Mother Nature, Seasons &
Holidays, Fantasy, and Colors & Numbers. Includes Poems of the
Week, complete lesson plans, extensions into writing and phonics, blackline
masters, and much more.
Hello, _____, Hello, _____ How are you? How are you? We're glad you're here to learn and play, We know we'll have some fun today, We love school everyday, And so will you!
Who is Here Today? (Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star)
Let's see who is here today, Who has come to join our play? Everyone sit close at hand, Say your name, then you can stand, Let's see who is here today, Who has come to join our play?
We Like to Come to School (Tune: Farmer in the Dell)
We like to come to school, We like to come to school. Our school is such a happy place, We like to come to school !
Good Morning Song (Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle)
Good morning. Good morning It's a good, good, good, good morning. We say hello and how do you do, To all our friends and teacher, too. Good morning. Good morning. It's a good, good, good, good morning.
The Walking Song (make up a tune ~ I wish I knew who sent me this one, it's great!)
Oh I'm five blocks from school. I'm five blocks from school. I walk awhile and rest awhile. I'm five blocks from school.
(Next verses go down from four, three, two, one. Then sing
...)
Oh I'm almost at school. I'm almost at school. I walk awhile and rest awhile. I'm almost at school.
Oh I'm here at my school. I'm here at my school. I open the door and step on the floor. I'm here at my school.
My bookstore pages have lots of information
on how I use various materials in my classroom, and on activities you can
do with your students. The thematic pages are complete unit resources,
with lots of poems, songs, and links on each page. Make yourself
comfortable and take a look around!
Choose from the categories below. Underlined subjects are links, the
other ones are coming soon!
