1. The Pledge of Allegiance: New Literacy Links and ASL Video Clip | 2. Poetry Connections: The Study of Fall Leaves
3. Art and Literacy Connections with Laura Flocker | 4. Plan Now: CKA Conference - January 2009 | 5. Updated Assessments and "Kid Writing" Seminar - November 7th | 6. Salem Kindergarten Cadre

October 2008

Welcome

Click here to read this issue online, if you are not able to access links in your email version.


1. The Pledge of Allegiance: New Literacy Links ASL Video Clip
Pleade of Allegiance

Download Anthology Page:
I Pledge Allegiance

“We have only had 12 days of school and already my kindergartners can recite and sign the Pledge of Allegiance! Everyone is so amazed…” so began one delightful teacher on the phone last week. (And that’s why I enjoy answering the phone!) For all of you who are taking advantage of how the kindergarten brain learns best (while teaching The Pledge of Allegiance), here are some resources for connecting oral language to print simultaneously building speech, language, and reading skills:

Literacy Connections for The Pledge of Allegiance

(4 page PDF) includes:

I Pledge Allegiance: Make Your Own Class Signing Book
Systematically Organize for Accelerated Literacy
Connect Oral Language to Print
I Pledge Allegiance: Use Sign Language and Art to Build Meaning

Share American Sign Language (ASL) with Families

Download ASL Guide Sheets: The Pledge of Allegiance

  See ASL instructional video The Pledge of Allegiance.

2. Poetry Connections: The Study of Fall Leaves

This fall, give children the most exquisite language we speak—poetry.  Greet children at the door with a poem about leaves or the weather.  Weave poetry into the study of trees and seasons; speak to the children in “small poems of some delight” throughout the day.  Children love to memorize, recite and perform poetic language.  Make language charts for shared reading and community building.

Children will enjoy dramatizing poems and songs from our October poetry collection. Bring in a large basket of leaves and invite them to dramatize and dance the images with leaves in each hand. How can they show “twirling”, “trembling”, “dancing”, and “falling” while reciting the language?

Give children individual copies of the new poem to illustrate.  Watch them read and reread the text with increasing fluency and confidence from their personal “I Can Read” Notebook.

Mount and laminate one or more illustrated copies of each new poem. Store these in a “poetry box” for children’s reading selection.  Familiar poems and songs make great “read to self” material.

Download copies of our expanding monthly collection of 8.5" x 11" large print, copyright-secured poetry, song and rhyme pages October and Falling Leaves

Like a Leaf or a Feather

Like a leaf or a feather

In the windy, windy weather,

We will twirl around

And all sink down—together.

anonymous

Leaves are Falling

Leaves are falling

Falling to the ground.

Leaves are falling

Falling to the ground.

See them gently twirl around

Dancing till they reach the ground.

Leaves are falling

Falling to the ground.

Nellie Edge

Who Has Seen The Wind?

Who has seen the wind?

Neither I nor you.

But when the leaves hang trembling,

The wind is passing though.

Who has seen the wind?

Neither you nor I.

But when the trees bow down their heads,

The wind is passing by.

Christina Rossetti

Involve Families in Meaningful Fall Science and Literacy Experience

Invite parents to take walks with their child and collect leaves, press and return the leaves to school for observation, classification, drama, science and art projects.  When the child brings home their Poetry (“I Can Read”) Notebook featuring poems about leaves, families can celebrate the language and images of fall all over again.

Connecting Science, Art and Literacy: Sun Catchers and Tree Journals

  • Place pressed leaves between sheets of 8.5" x 11" clear (sticky-side) contact paper or adhesive mylar. Hang the leaf collages on the windows to catch the sun or use them to adorn the covers of children’s art notebooks.
  • Invite each child (or the class) to pick a tree on the school ground to observe and study. Keep a Tree Journal: draw and write about how the tree changes through the seasons.

Individual Tag Project: Study and Identifying Local Trees and Leaves

Evergreen Tree

Does an evergreen tree

Ever wish

It was

Deciduous?

N.E.

Encourage an interested child to read and study about trees, using drawings and photos to make a book. This is the kind of higher level learning challenge that TAG parents especially appreciate. You may soon have some kindergarten “tree experts” and “leaf experts” who are eager to share their new knowledge. These happy learners may inspire other children to want to study, make books and become an “expert” about their own fascination with the natural world.

See:

Becky Leber's Fall Newsletter: Collecting Leaves
Photo Essay: The Poetry of Falling Leaves
Our Study of Leaves: “Kid Writing” with Julie Lay

This month also consider celebrating the Fall Harvest and Studying Nocturnal Animals.

(Laura Flocker calls them “Creatures of the Night”: Bats, Owls, Hedgehogs, Racoons and Foxes)

Here are some great links to begin on:

Teaching Heart Fall Unit
Mrs. Pohlmeyer’s Scarecrow Unit
Mrs. Pohlmeyer’s Bat’s Unit

3. Art and Literacy Connections with Laura Flocker

Kindergarten children are capable of learning how to use lines and shapes to draw animals, make sketches, use shading, draw realistic and abstract design elements, and develop confidence and pride in themselves as artists.

See beautiful photos of Laura Flocker’s Art-Rich Kindergarten Program 8-page PDF handout from our September Kindergarten Cadre Meeting in Salem, Oregon.

Enjoy Laura’s informative website: Laura Flocker’s Kindergarten

Thank You Laura Flocker!

What an amazing Salem Cadre meeting we had with Laura Flocker as she demonstrated art techniques and high-level vocabulary while introducing art materials (crayons) to us, just as she does to her kindergartners. Now we begin to understand why her children see themselves as artists from the first days of school. Keep checking Laura Flocker’s website for her expanding collection of parent and teacher resources. We anticipate hosting a Saturday in Kindergarten Workshop with Laura later this year.

4. Plan Now: California Kindergarten Association (CKA) Conference
January 2009

The California Kindergarten Association (CKA) Conference is one of our favorite conferences of the year.  There are hundreds of high-quality workshops and exhibits especially designed for kindergarten and early primary teachers and an amazing children’s art exhibit.  Study with nationally recognized kindergarten teachers and literacy leaders.

I will be presenting a mini-keynote Saturday morning.  My topic is: Joyful Accelerated Kindergarten Literacy Strategies That Produce Extraordinary Gains.  (Session A-1).  A new e-Book to accompany the presentation will be available on our website in January, 2009.

Pre-Conference Institute
Friday, January 16, 2009
Hyatt Regency – Santa Clara
For details see:  www.ckanet.org

California Kindergarten Conference
Saturday and Sunday, January 17 and 18, 2009
Santa Clara Convention Center

5. Updated Assessments and "Kid Writing" Seminar

Download Julie Lay’s updated Writing to Read Star Charts, 2008.


Join us Friday, November 7th to study Writing to Read in Kindergarten:
Explore the Power of “Kid Writing” with Julie Lay.

Download Seminar Flier

“This is the best kindergarten writing seminar ever!”

See: “Kid Writing” Seminar Sampler and other writing e-Books in full color. Teachers and principals are encouraged to download these complimentary e-Books to see visual images of joyful accelerated kindergarten literacy in action.

We are offering partial scholarships to all of our newsletter colleagues
($129 instead of $195) for pre-paid registrations while space is available
for this outstanding seminar.

6. Salem Kindergarten Cadre

Management and Organization Strategies for Kindergarten Success and “Read to Self”
With Katie Nelson

October 20, 2008 (Monday) 4:30 to 6:00pm
Salem Heights Elementary, 3495 Liberty Rd. S., Salem, OR 97302.
School phone is (503) 399-3187.

Katie will share tried and proven strategies for managing and organizing the kindergarten environment with a 2½-hour schedule. How do you fit it all in? (including math!) Nellie, Katie and colleagues will discuss successes and challenges in implementing “The Daily 5” and “Kid Writing”. How are your children doing in building reading stamina? How is your “Kid Writing” Workshop Progressing?

Salem Kindergarten Writing Seminar

November 7, 2008 (Friday) 8:30am to 3:15pm

“Kid Writing” Across the Curriculum in Kindergarten: Follow-up Session

November 17, 2008 (Monday) 4:30 to 6:00pm
McKinley Elementary, 466 McGilchrist St. SE, Salem, OR 97302. 
School phone is (503) 399-3167.

This meeting is especially intended for teachers who are already using the “Kid Writing” approach and have studied the Writing to Read in Kindergarten seminar with Julie Lay. It will be an interactive dialog time to share our insights and questions with Nellie Edge and experienced “Kid Writing” colleagues. You will love seeing Marcia Lioy's and Dee Myer's beautiful “Kid Writing” kindergartens.

  • We will set up some sample writing centers (in totes). 
  • Please e-mail me at info@nellieedge.com if you have specific writing topics you would like addressed.
  • Your handouts are contained in the two complimentary full-color “Kid Writing” e-Books. I suggest you download all 60 pages and organize them in a 3-ring binder. We will refer to many of the pages.

Wishing you joyful celebrations of fall,
Nellie Edge

This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. It is the monthly newsletter from the Nellie Edge Excellence in Kindergarten and Early Literacy site. For more information and resources visit www.nellieedge.com.
For questions email to info@nellieedge.com.You may update your subscription frequency and information or unsubscribe at any time.

We know your privacy is important. Email addresses and personal information are not released to third parties.

© 2008 Nellie Edge - Excellence in Kindergarten and Early Literacy