Educators

This page is for all the educators out there who want some more information on play based learning and some great links and articles which I have found online. I have also included some pictures of my classroom. If you scroll down below the pictures you will see all the links.

 Pictures of my Full Day Kindergarten class in Canada.

We have been working with the children to make success criteria. Here we have made a list of ways we can be responsible with our belongings.

Here we made another success criteria of what it means to be a good friend. These outcomes are tangible for a young child to achieve as they come directly from their own ideas and experiences.

This is our class made word wall. The children helped to create each letter and come up with a few samples. During our writer's workshop if they children don't know how to write a word I encourage them to use the picture dictionary or ask for assistance. We then create a new sticky note together and add the word to the word wall.

We have a variety of picture dictionaries for the children to use. We also encourage them bring in dictionaries from home with their home language. We have also created our own class dictionary.

We like to include the children when we create new centres. We ask them what they want the centre to be? And what materials we will need to make it.

When the children come to school each day they sign their name on this board. We like to compare how they have progressed in writing their name over time.

This is the self help snack centre. Children can come to the snack centre during activity time. They have to read what is for snack and how many. They check off in their box when they have eaten snack.

Each night children take home a special levelled  book to read. They are responsible for bringing it back to school each morning and choosing a new one. This is a great way for families to read with their children each night. Inside the bag I have provided samples of reading strategies for families to engage their child.

This is our poem and song folder. Each week we have a few poems and songs that we learn at school. At the end of the week the children take home their book for the weekend and can teach their families the new songs and poems. It is a great way to build oral language and also to develop reading skills.

This is a sample of our enquiry lab books. We use these books to document our enquires in the natural world. We like to go outside and observe changes in the natural world through the seasons or go for nature walks. We also use these books in the classroom when doing science experiments and documenting what we think will happen.

This is where we meet for our  group times. The children have been very excited to learn all about different countries, you can see the map on the wall with our flags and marks of where each family comes from. You can also see the questions box below the chart stand.When children have questions or want to enquire about something we encourage them to share their ideas with us. We ask them to write it on paper and put into the questions box our have a teacher write it. We show them how we can do research to find our answers and we get assistance from the class to share their knowledge. We talk about ways to find information such as from others, the library, the Internet, etc.

These are all the art materials that are available for the children to use during activity time at the art centre.

This is the discovery table. The children love to collect materials from the natural world and bring here to investigate. We also have a bucket on the far right with dinosaurs and bones and children have been exploring digging for them. The children love to bring in artifacts from home to share at this centre.

Out planting table. We are growing pumpkin seeds and apple seeds which have finally started to grow. The children take ownership of the car of the plants and each day water them.

This is the dramatic play centre. Right now it is a restaurant. We try to change it often with the assitance of the children and their imput.


Resources for Educators

Great links:
http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/preschool-rhymes.htm
http://www.learn360.com/index.aspx
http://www.tumblebooks.com/
http://www.eworkshop.on.ca/edu/core.cfm
http://mothergooseclub.com/
http://first-school.ws/
http://www.prekinders.com/
http://storyplace.org/
http://www.dltk-kids.com/


My Kindergarten Manual ( includes how to set up your class for September, the flow of the day, etc).
Kindergarten Manual


Resources Links:
Emergent Curriculum
Letting go of Letter of the Week
Stages of Writing
Literacy Activities using names
Developmental Reading Assessment Information
Math Activities
Parent-Teacher Interview Tips 
Using Documentation Panels to Communicate with Families
Drawing to Learn 
Educational Songs for Teaching



Inquiry Learning Information Links:
Environmental Inquiry Resource 
How to start Environmental Inquiry in September
Learning by Inquiry
Inquiry learning in Kindergarten
Planning based on Children's Interests



Curriculum Documents:
Early Learning for Every Child Framework 
Early Learning for Every Child
Early Learning Framework
Ontario Full Day Early Learning Document


Articles: 

About the transition from preschool to Kindergarten
http://etfovoice.ca/site/waabgon-gamig-excellence-in-early-childhood-education-and-teaching-on-georgina-island-first-nation/


Please comment below if you have any helpful links to resources, websites or articles.