BIG

One of the most simple year-long centers that I have ever implemented into my classroom offers my kinders the opportunity to explore print in LARGE proportions! I am a huge fan of using literacy centers that grow with them all year long and are open ended.

So this center is filled with big books and large print materials that my kinders are both familiar with...

and with books that are new to them. We keep our shared read aloud pieces/favorites in a specific place to make for quick finding. My father built this blue shelf since I just couldn't find a really good way to store lots of big books all at once or for even simple storage and display. It's open on the right side for books to slide into and has a slight lip on the front.

 

On the shelf next to these books we keep our most-needed tools: large and exaggerated pointers (stored in a pasta storage container) and drawers to hold our smaller pointers and print exploration tools.

We try to keep everything needed relatively close to each other to assist in the clean up process (can I get a - "hello!"). So just below our favorite books (read 4-5 times), we keep the rest of our big book collection. I tried to show you what this big book storage unit is like with a quick image, so hopefully you get the idea. I love the rounded top edge because it allows books to easily be found and the supporting dividers separate books to keep them up straight and in good condition.

Next to these big books we keep our mats for making reading a bit more comfortable and cozy. They were a good price when it was time for back to school sales (Dare I say it when we're only 6 days from being done? I just did!). They will last 3-5 years so it's worth the investment to create a center that can be taken to any part of our classroom!

My kinders are guided at this center by a poster that will be updated with the common core language arts standards that apply. It's all to increase the amount of time kinders spend engaged with text. 

{click to get poster and labels}

It is rewarding for me (as it is for them) to watch the progression go from looking at pictures to finding sight words, to really reading many parts of these books. In my book, that's BIG!

Grab some free pointer toppers to help get BIG things started in your room!

{click} to grab yours

Do you let kinders handle big books in your room?

standards-based computer pages {just for k!}

click a little, learn a little... and then learn a little more!
Do you have access to computers, ipads/tablets or a computer lab? I hope you do! We are really looking to beef up our technology equipment that we have in our classrooms.

Needless to say, my kinders only have access to a computer lab twice weekly. In order to make the most of our time spent in computer lab (and cut down on the lesson planning for myself) I knew I needed a plan to work smart and not hard. Yes... we have programs loaded on the computer at our school, but they aren't exactly what I'd call developmentally appropriate or standards based. We need to begin with the basics and quickly grow into practicing a variety of standards to make it most worthwhile!

I scoured the internet for sites that led me to the most standards-based and kinder-friendly interactive activities I could find. Now... how to organize them and keep them handy on a regular, kinder-friendly basis?

 

I created a weekly set of combined math and literacy activities that would meet the general needs of my class and match the pacing of our standards. I needed to also find a few sites that could start my kinders out with basic mouse movement, clicking and dragging practice. Now, I've got enough material that sequentially introduces,  practices and/or extends my kinders learning to fill an entire year!

Feel free to come download the free sample file (that includes the standards for each week) to see how they measure up! Go on.... click an little, learn a little and then learn a little more.

   

At the end of each set, there is a page of audio books to help keep your fast-moving kinders learning with the open-ended nature of listening to books read aloud. 

{Click to get this free sample}

If you want the entire's years worth - they are ready for you! Happy clicking and therefore, happy learning!

What are some of your favorite ways to collect and store your favorite student websites?