Digital Story

This is a work in progress...I'm still working on getting voice integrated into my digital story. I made this to help my students understand the difference between using details when drawing picutures and not using details. My hope is that this will encourage studnets to use as many details as they can when drawing a picture, because details tell a story!

Can You Make Words Rhyme?

Two weeks ago I introduced rhyming to my students. I did so with this catchy song! The kids love it and to continue practicing our rhyming skills we sing our song throughout the day and plug in two words that rhyme. For example, getting ready to go home, I may begin singing and students join in with me. The tune goes along to the song "Do Your Ears Hang Low?"

Drawing With Details!

My class has been working on reading pictures in picture books to tell a story. During this time student's have focused on details in the pictures to tell what's going on in the book. Now I have introduced writing by creating detailed pictures. I created this video to show students the difference between details and no details and why drawing with details is important. After discussion and the video was shown, students were asked to draw a detailed picture of their bedroom. I told them that when we looked at their picture it should feel like we were standing right in the middle of their bedroom! They did a great job adding details to their pictures!

Looking at the Listening Going on in Kindergarten!

My class has been working on exhibiting good listening in our classroom and around our school! Together we brainstormed ideas of what good listening looks like and sounds like and made a poster so we could refer to it everyday. I discussed with students that when I noticed good listening habits being exercised I would take a picture, which eventually turned into our Animoto! We now have this video as a model to watch periodically and to remind ourselves what good listening looks like!

Reading Stamina

I’ve been working with my students on how to read to self, the concept comes from the text, The Daily 5 written by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser. Students and I created an I-Chart together in which we discussed why we read to self, what students will be doing during read to self time and what the teacher will be doing during read to self time. After creating the I-Chart students can begin practicing read to self. Each day as we practice, I track their reading stamina. I describe to students that stamina is how long you can doing something for without stopping, therefore we are going to see how long we can read without stopping. Each day I track the amount of minutes my class reads to self and all students are held accountable. If one student is not practicing the read to self behaviors on the I-Chart, I stop the timer. The goal is that each day our stamina increases and we track our stamina until we get to our big goal, which is 15 minutes. If you’re interested, check out the stamina graph I use with my students!

Listen Buddy

This week we have been talking a lot about how to be a good listener. An awesome story I found to support this is called, Listen Buddy, if you get a chance you should check it out! It's about a bunny who finds himself in trouble when he doesn't listen. After the story our class made a poster to display the important components of good listening, such as eyes on speaker, ears listening, body still. After the poster was created that class was paired up to turn and talk to share their name and something they like do. Students practiced how to be a good listener and after, shared with the class what their listening buddy did to be a good listener. They did great! :)

Online Stories

Storyline Online is a website I use throughout the year with my students. It has a collection of books that are available to be read to the listener as the illustrations are being shown. I use this website a lot in my listening center and upon completion of the story, I have students write and illustrate the character or setting of the story. If you get a chance, check it out!

Wonderful Website!

Wonderopolis is a website used to answer all sorts of wonders...Great to use in the classroom for  grades ranging from K-12. Wonderopolis is a place where natural curiosity and imagination lead to exploration and discovery. Check it out to see what the wonder is about!

                                                                 

Week One Complete...

Week One Complete...
This past week has been an interesting one. Each year it is always eye opening when the names of your students are no longer letters on a paper that you've been staring at for weeks, but instead little bodies occupying the seats in your classroom. Some eyes filled with tears, some tears streaming down faces, smiles here and there, but mostly quiet young boys and girls just watching you to see what will happen next.
We spent a bunch of time this week getting familiar with our room and our "Classroom Family." I ask students to look at our classroom as a family because we will take care, respect, and help each throughout the year. Only four days in and you feel like you've accomplished so much, yet there is so much more to go!
Today was the first day my students walked down to our classroom on their own. For the past three days I have picked them all up in the gym and we make the walk down together. However, this morning they were on their own and they did great. We talked about how proud they should be of themselves and you could see it in their faces that they were.
Week One Complete...

Introduction

Hi my name is Jillian Raffone and I am going into my 5th year teaching Kindergarten. I teach in Cromwell, where I student taught at Edna C. Stevens Elementary School. I went to Central Connecticut State University for my undergraduate studies and now attend University of Saint Josephs to obtain my masters. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, hiking and reading.