Real Books for
Real Readers
Birds
by by Kevin Henkes.
(HarperCollins, 2009.) |
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See below! |
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1. ABC Phonics: Sing, Sign, and Read! Now Available |
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ABC Phonics: Sing, Sign, and Read! book and CD features an innovative “Multisensory ABC and Phonics Immersion” strategy, creating an engaging and memorable way for children to learn letters and sounds
and begin the reading process. The integration of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning pathways builds success for all young learners. With delightful watercolor illustrations and ASL signs, a team of engaging children join you on
this lively musical adventure.
Because still pictures alone do not fully convey the beautiful flow and motion of ASL, Sign2Me publishers has created complimentarily online tutorial videos to help you learn the signs in this ABC Phonics book.
 See video clip:
ABC Phonics: Sing, Sign, and Read!
Download complimentary “
Family ABC Wall Chart”
Download article:
Optimal Learning with ABC Books
To Purchase ABC Phonics Book visit our
Online Bookstore now!
Special thanks to Susie Haas, Sally Rudnick, Diane Larson, and Julie Lay for inspiring the development of this “Multisensory ABC and Phonics Immersion Program.” |
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2. With Happy Hearts We Dance and Sing
and Celebrate Language! |
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Kathie Bridges is a mentor kindergarten teacher who uses Sign Language and the arts to build an optimal learning environment; she was also a part of our action-research team for “Multisensory ABC and Phonics Immersion.”
See
Kathie Bridges’ Children Memorize, Recite and Perform Language.
“I believe that music MUST be included in the classroom every day. Singing and dancing are an integral part of our daily class time. It’s fun to see how comfortable children become as young singers and dancers
when they are exposed to music daily. It is especially wonderful to watch those who were reluctant to participate in the beginning of the year grow more comfortable as the year progresses. Music is an extremely important and effective
component of a multisensory and balanced early literacy program,” she says.
“Hardly a day goes by that we don’t dance together,” explained Kathie. What are the reasons for this?
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Children who playfully sing and dance together build speech communication skills in a most delightful way.
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Dance motions that include crossing the midline develop the healthy neurological integration needed for reading and writing success.
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Dancing requires keeping a steady beat, which supports reading fluency and rhythm.
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Movement energizes the brain, creating the optimum (brain-friendly) conditions for making new leaning connections.
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Movement and dance builds physical fitness, good health, confidence, and happy learning memories!
See video clip:
With Happy Hearts We Dance and Sing. At the end of the dance, Kathie Bridges talks about her intentional use of cross-lateral movements and the literacy benefits gained when children dance and sing every day.
See video clip:
End-of-Year Rap
See
Tips on Teaching Children to Dance |
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3. May Curriculum Connections: Poetry, Children...and Nature |
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May Wind is Busy
May wind is busy
Brushing the robin’s tail.
Combing the willow tree,
And whispering to my ear —
That summer is near. |
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Kazue Mizumura |
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Children’s connections with nature can often be captured in short, memorable poems such as the one above.
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Hearing and memorizing poetry makes any meaningful class study richer in imagery and language. We want descriptive, poetic language to become a part of every child’s speaking and writing vocabulary.
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The more young children memorize, the larger their capacity for memorizing becomes.
May poems and curriculum connections:
Poetry and Songs for Mother’s Day (Download individual pages for your “I Can Read” Poetry Notebook.)
Mother’s Day Curriculum Connections:
Little Giraffes
Connections with Nature: Our Studies of Birds and Rocks
May (just like every month of the year) provides opportunities to awaken children’s love of nature. Children are inherently fascinated with the natural world outside the classroom, and this often creates compelling reasons to draw,
write, and read. One of the most important goals is for our children to initiate their own scientific explorations over the summer—to learn more about birds, collect rocks, and observe changes of nature.
Curriculum Connections:
Our Study of Birds with Joanie Cutler
May Themes with Diane Bonica
See also:
Our Study of Rocks with Joanie Cutler
My Rock Collection Book, a form for observation and “Kid Writing” |
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4. End-of-the-Year Rituals Bring Closure |
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Over the years, my kindergarten colleagues and I have shared many vignettes of memorable classroom rituals, traditions, and celebrations. For us, school has always been a “celebrative place.” We delight in
making each child’s learning experience more memorable and meaningful through thoughtful attention to classroom rituals, traditions, and celebrations. These symbolic acts help us build a thriving community of learners. Children come
to school with diverse background experiences. It is the stories we tell, the songs we sing, and the traditions we build that bind the children together emotionally and intellectually, creating an optimal climate for
learning, both social and academic.
Happy kindergartners in Eugene, Oregon are busy hand-painting wings this month for their End-of-the-Year Kindergarten Fly-Away Celebration. Parent volunteers trace and cut out a set of wings from railroad board for each child. One of the
teachers explains, “After the children paint their wings with bright colors and designs (and sometimes feathers and glitter), we attach two elastic straps to hold these on their arms. On our last day of school,
families are invited for an informal picnic lunch and Popsicle event, which concludes with the children donning their wings and ‘flying away’ from kindergarten. Children love the effect of flying in their wings down the sloping
hills and meadow areas at the edge of the school woods!”
Families watch and applaud at the bottom of the hill as their joyful child comes floating up and down again and again. What a lovely, symbolic way to bring closure to a joyful kindergarten year!
See article:
End-of-Year Family Ritual: Kindergarteners Paint Wings and Fly Away.
For other end-of-the-year celebration ideas, see:
Photo Essay:
The Kinder Stars’ Year-End Celebration with Celeste Starr
Kathie Bridges video clip:
End-of-Year Rap |
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5. Closing the Achievement Gap Over the Summer |
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Powerful kindergarten literacy gains can easily be lost over the summer, especially by our emerging readers and writers who are still building foundational skills. Wise kindergarten teachers have developed strategies to
support family fun and literacy learning over the summer:
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Remind families to reread, recite, and sing together from their child’s “I Can Read” Notebook pages of poems, songs, rhymes, and chants. Children will continue to gain reading fluency with
these short, familiar works of language.
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Encourage your children and their families to reconnect with nature over the summer.
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See
www.greenhour.org and
www.richardlouv.com.
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See the eloquent NKA letter,
“Connecting Children to Nature” by Anna Rainville.
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See Summer Learning Fun:
Playing in Your Own Backyard.
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Share information with families about your local public library summer reading programs.
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Teachers ask each child to carefully print two self-addressed envelopes so you can write to the child. In return, the child is given two addressed envelopes or postcards so he or she can write to their teacher. Children
love to send and receive mail, so this will encourage them to continue their passion for drawing and "Kid Writing" all summer long.
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Teachers send home a blank drawing/writing book to use as a Science Journal or Summer Happenings Book.
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Encourage the child to verbalize their summer learning goals during the final student-led parent conference and the last week of school…“This summer, I want to learn about…”
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Send home a summer reading journal for each child. Explain that they can draw a picture of their favorite part of each new picture book and write the name of the book, author, and one sentence about it. “I like
the…”
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Give each child a favorite paperback book from their teacher. “Happy summer reading…”
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We believe our role in building strong, joyful family learning connections may be one of the most important contributions we make toward creating healthy schools and healthy communities.
For more information, see Parents as Partners in Kindergarten and Early Literacy: Family Connections that Multiply our Teaching Effectiveness at our
Online Bookstore.
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6. Summer Seminars and Salem Cadre Meeting |
The Magic of Signing Songs: Enhancing All Children's Language, Literacy, Engagement, and Joy!
with Diane Larson and Nellie Edge
June 28 and 29, 2010
See seminar announcement
Writing to Read in Kindergarten: Explore the Power of "Kid Writing"
with Julie Lay
(Day 1) June 21, 2010
See seminar announcement
Organizational Model for Writing to Read in Kindergarten
with Julie Lay
(Day 2) June 22, 2010
See seminar announcement
Begin the Year with "Best Practices" in Joyful Accelerated Kindergarten Literacy: Proven Strategies that Produce Exceptional Gains.
with Nellie Edge
August 2, 2010
See seminar announcement
Next Cadre Meeting:
with Laura Flocker and Nellie Edge
May 10, 2010 (Monday): 4:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Candalaria Elementary
935 Hansen Avenue South, Salem, Oregon 97302.
School Phone is (503) 399-3136
Art, Science, Literacy, and the Kindergarten Child: Continued Explorations and Inspiration from an Arts-Rich Kindergarten with Laura Flocker and Nellie Edge. Learn more from Master kindergarten-researcher, teacher-artist,
and Reading Recovery® teacher, Laura Flocker about our action-research on kindergarten-friendly handwriting and brain exercises to build fluency with letters, words, and reading. How do we teach children to see like an artist and think
like a scientist? Laura will demonstrate how she weaves art, science, and literacy connections throughout the curriculum. Learn how Laura organizes parent volunteers. Look through several beautiful “I Can Read” Notebooks and
Year-End Memory Books. (Bring one of your own to share!) Come early and have an opportunity to visit Kate Anderson’s joyful kindergarten classroom again too! Bring your camera!
ABC Phonics: Sing, Sign, and Read! will be available for purchase. E-mail
info@nellieedge.com to reserve a copy. |
Smiles!
Nellie Edge |
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