Overview of Group #1's Media Time

Well, I have not done a very good job this year of getting this updated as I was supposed to.  I apologize.  I did help create a newsletter for all our Wheatley Specials, though, to share what we are doing in our respective classes.  Here's a link to the school's website, where you can access our first newsletter (and other information)...next one will be coming out on February 26th...which is also the first day for Group #2 to start in Media.

But, back to the plan for this post.  Group #1 started in October.  The classes included in Group #1 were all our PreK classes: Stephenson/Sims, Miranda/Vincent, Pascual, Stickley/Denhardt, Ellis/Short, and McDonald/St.Juste; as well as our 3-year-old Inclusion classes: Copeland, Federline, Walderman, Geonzon, Neri, Lewis, & Hare.

We started out talking about the rules and expectations for the Media center. For instance, our "Carpet Rules"

We also talked about behavioral expectations and the students were introduced to Tucker Turtle...who helps us remember to think of good solutions to problems. You can download and read the Tucker Turtle story here. 

After the first month, we started our regular routine--read a story all together and then break into centers.  We have 5 centers this year in Media:

In this center, students explore different
activities on the SMART Board.

In this center, students do different activities on the iPads.

Students can choose a book to read or
they can use interactive materials to retell stories.

 

Students explore activities on our
interactive SMART Table.

Students explore a variety of activities including
Mr. Potato Head, puzzles, and counting and sorting games.

During our first session, these are the books we read together...and the kids LOVED them.

 Some of the PreK classes even got to hear the sequel to Frog on a Log?...which they also loved.

The next two weeks, Wheatley's students will be exploring different activities as part of our Black History Celebration...and then we will welcome our second group to Media.  The 2nd session will include these classes: New, Hunt, Littleton, Shannon/Lance, Andrews, Leyden, Freeman, Parris, Shipps, Santos, Dakes, & Long.  I will try to be a little better about updating the blog once our next session starts.

New week...new story

Continuing with our Things That Move theme, we have shifted gears this week.  For the last two weeks, we focused on moving our bodies.  For the next two weeks, we're focused on moving from one place to another--traveling.  

We're reading The Bag I'll Take to Grandma's by Shirley Neitzel...

To make it a little easier for larger classes to see the book, I have projected the book using PowerPoint and our SMART Board.  We also use pictures...

Pictures used with story

 ...and the actual items...

Actual items from the story

...to help with telling the story.  Then we have an activity on the SMART Board to help us with recalling events and vocabulary from the story.  With some of the groups, we will focus on the difference between things we NEED to pack for a trip and the things we WANT to pack.

Balloon Pop - vocabulary from the story

Memory Game - Things we WANT

Sorting Game - want vs. need

 
 

Last week in media...

Our theme this month is "Things That Move" so we started the month (first two weeks) with a focus on moving our bodies.

We started out with some MeMoves...

...read From Head to Toe by Eric Carle...and moved along with the book...

...and followed directions in a movement song.

 

We made a movie!

As this (our first) week draws to a close, I thought I would share one of the videos we made.  When the children visited the MMC this week, they got a *tour* of our centers and met the MMC teachers (me & Miss Helen).  After our tour, they helped us make a video of what they learned using the Storyrobe app on the iPad & some photos I had taken of the different centers and people in the MMC.  We had a lot of fun with it, and the kids did a great job remembering all the names of the centers!

Here's a sample from one of our afternoon PreK classes...

New - Language Cards

I'm adding some language cards to each center...these can be used by the adults to clarify verbal directions, or for students to ask questions or get assistance. They will be hanging on the center sign in each of the 5 centers...once I get some hooks, that is.

Language cards (visual supports) for centers

I also created a set to use when the whole group meets on the rainbow carpet. 

Visual supports for whole group meeting

Welcome Back!

I hope everyone had a wonderful summer!  We are back to school, and getting back to work in the MMC.  We're doing things a little differently this year in the hopes that we will be able to better meet the needs of our students.  We've divided the school into 3 groups, and each group will come to the MMC every week for a 9-week session*.

Here's how the year looks...
Group #1: 9/9/2013 - 11/8/2013
Group #2: 12/2/2013 - 2/7/2014
Group #3: 3/3/2014 - 5/23/2014

So, as you can see, we're getting ready to welcome our first group to the MMC this coming Monday!  That being said, I'd better get back to work to make sure everything is ready!
Stay tuned...

Last week of classes

As another year draws to a close, we are seeing our last visitors of the year in the MMC.  This week will be the final week of classes.

 

Here are some shots of some of our friends during their last visit to the MMC this year...love those smiles!