Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Circle Time

I hope I don't come off too public school like, but I decided to add in circle time this year.  I felt like there were so many subjects that I was not hitting regularly last year.  However, they were subjects that I did not want to create 20 to 40 minutes of space in a scheduling book for every day.  So I decided that circle time was the way to get all the little things squeezed in.  Every day circle time consists of family prayer, saying what we are thankful for, calendar skills, the Spanish word of the day, and an Occupational Therapy (OT) project.  I also add in something else such as music, character training, math game, reading game, or cooperative game.  This way I can touch on a lot of subjects in 40 minutes or less.  


So far this week, our circle time is looking like this:


Monday ~ After opening prayer and saying what we were thankful for, we learned our Spanish word of the day (El Globo=balloon).  Then we did our calendar skills.  We then moved on to a money matching game, Don't Break the Ice (OT and cooperation) and two songs from the kindergarten song CDs I have. 




Tuesday ~ We did calendar skills, Spanish word (La flor=Flower), cutting skills (OT) and more kindergarten songs.  We reviewed the Brother Offended chart (character training).




Little Red Ridinghood loved cutting time!  She is really concentrating in this picture.  I think she cut out about five patterns and asked to do more later in the day.


Today ~ We opened with prayer and gratitude.  We then reviewed our Spanish words so far and added with a new one, El libro=book.  The kids loved doing the mazes and did several before I could get them to do the dot to dots (OT).  We finished with more kindergarten songs.




I think this is going to prove to be a great way to get in the extras and wake up the kids' brains at the same time.  Now I just have to figure out a way they can exercise so that I can exercise.  They walk so slowwwwly!


Blessings, Dawn

5 comments:

  1. I am giving you the "Share the Love" bloggy award for being a great friend!

    pam


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  2. Sounds like a great way to squeeze in some more learning.

    As for going to St. Louis, I haven't been there in a long time but the Science Center is wonderful and the kids will love it also. Also at the zoo, there are a few things there that if you get there from 8 to 9 in the morning, they are free to get in like the ChildrensZoo. That is til Sept 2nd. After that some of the scheduling is changed. We are hoping to make another trip sometime for the Museums and the Arch. Oh yes, you have to go up the Arch. I did that when I was 13 (now 43) and I would love to do that again. Hope that helps. Have a great day.

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  3. Looks so fun!


    Thanks so much for the award! I will get to it soon!

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  4. The circle time looks great! I see nothing wrong with it at all. I am just seeing your artist study slideshow. Wow! That's amazing!!! I want to hunt around on your blog and find more details about that. In fact, why am I not subscribed to your blog? I always enjoy it. I'm going to do that now!

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  5. Great idea! My autie kiddos (the HF ones) will drag everything out at times; I think your 40m would turn into over an hour here lol.

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