Sprinking Literacy Around the Classroom

In our classroom I look for opportunities to add literacy prompts in different spaces. After noticing that children spent a lot of time observing the aquarium, I hoped to capitalize on this interest and transform it into a richer experience. Next to the tank I added vocabulary cards, writing tools, and a clipboard with fishy outlines.

Children were encouraged to observe the fish in the tank and draw what they saw, or decorate the fish outline however they liked. Some recalled the book The Rainbow Fish and created that character using the template. Others were interested in the vocabulary cards and spent time reading them and then copying the print onto their fish papers. 

 

To reignite interest, I am adding papers with snail outlines this week as there are also brightly coloured water snails in our tank. As the days pass I will observe our classroom and see where else kids gravitate and add prompts and tools to those areas to further the literacy experiences. 

 

Click here for free downloadable copies of the vocabulary and templates to add to your own aquarium area.  

 

 

Meet Flash!

Did you know we have a Betta fish in our room? The children have spent time watching it this past week. 

We wanted to learn more about it so we read a nonfiction book. 

The children wondered how the Betta gets all the way from Asia to our pet stores in Windsor. We encouraged the children to suggest names for the fish and then we voted. 

Fish

Did your child tell you about the new member of our class?

We invited the children to help us name our new fish by printing their suggestions for a name on a large piece of paper. Tomorrow we will have a vote and see what our new friend will be named.

Ocean Playscape

We were just so captivated with the children's large painting that was made last Friday. The beautiful mix of colours - blue, white, and green - reminded us of a living ocean. We were inspired to create an ocean playscape using it as the background for play. We added plastic fish, seawood, and shells as props for the play. The children spent time working together to explore the materials.