Outdoor Learning
“The best classroom and the richest classroom is roofed only by the sky” - Marget mcmillan
Early Learning: Newsletters
Click on the links below to access the 2021-2022 DSB1 Early Learning Newsletters
Click the links below to access newsletters from previous years.
Early Learning: Reading
“Today a Reader, Tomorrow a Leader” - Margaret Fuller
PLAB / BAS
Primary Literacy Assessment Battery
Are you missing pages from your PLAB binder? Would you like access to a digital file to document your testing? Click on the link to access digital copies of all of the PLAB documents.
Click the buttons below to access a complete digital book of the PLAB assessments. If you are on an iPad, save the digital book to your iBooks library.
Coming soon!
Coming soon!
New to the PLAB? Want to learn more? Click on the link below the image to access a Google Slides document, which details each section of the Primary Literacy Assessment Battery and how it can support you and your students in planning next steps for literacy instruction.
Next Steps
Are you looking for activities to support students based on your PLAB results? Click on the images below to access a variety of small group/1:1 instructional strategies that you can use to support your students phonological awareness skills.
Inputting PLAB and BAS data into Aspen can support you and your students in getting the supports they need. Curious about the reporting dates for PLAB and BAS data? Click on the link to access the Growing Success document.
BAS
Curious how the 3rd edition of the BAS differs from previous editions? Click the link to get a breakdown of the changes.
Early Learning: Self-Regulation
“How well students do in school can be determined by how well they are able to self regulate” - Stuart Shanker
Documentation/ Assessment
“In our culture, we believe that every child is born with gifts. What will our schools do to uncover and develop the gifts of our children?”
Early Learning: Authentic Writing
“kindergartners have strong observations of the texts they read and their relationships to their own lives, and they have a strong desire to develop and communicate these ideas. When writing is engaged in this purposeful manner, even with kindergarteners, authorship emerges.” - A. VanNess
Early Learning: Math
“Mathematics skills among children in kindergarten are the best predictor of later school achievement.” - The kindergarten program
Building Thinking Classrooms…in Kindergarten!
We know that programming for mathematics instruction in Kindergarten is quite a bit different than programming for Grade 1-6 students. Early childhood educators are experts at following students’ interests, providing space to explore, and giving children opportunities to develop ideas over time. When we think about building thinking classrooms for our early learners, we can build on our young students’ strengths, and help them build mathematical understandings and mindsets through play and inquiry. As we learn about the practices of thinking classrooms, let’s continue to reflect on what this can look like in our early learning classrooms, and how we can engage our learners in authentic mathematical learning that gets them thinking.
Summer Symposium: Building Thinking Classrooms in Kindergarten
During the Summer Symposium, several Kindergarten educators came together to discuss Peter Liljedahl’s first three practices (tasks, visibly random groupings, vertical non-permanent surfaces) and how these connect to our early learning classrooms. Click on the link below to access the slide deck,
Using Super Source Math Tasks to Support Thinking Classrooms
The Super Source resources contain a variety of rich math tasks that challenge our students and implement the practices of thinking classrooms. Click below to access some lessons.
Inquiry Based Learning
“play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. but for children, play is serious learning.” - Mr. Rodgers
Kindergarten Writing: Articles
Click the images below to access a variety of articles related to writing in the early years.
Kindergarten Reading: Articles
Click the images below to access a variety of articles related to reading in the early years.
Kindergarten Math: Articles
Click the images below to access a variety of articles related to mathematics in the early years.
![Outdoor play WEMPS[1].jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5df7cf7b8ec71803cb7dd340/1579617942189-LWDG8R13UYF8VT35CBGG/Outdoor+play+WEMPS%5B1%5D.jpg)
Outdoor Learning Resources
Click the images below to access a variety of resources and articles related to outdoor learning.
How to Safely Set Up Ratchet Straps
Are you interested in setting up ratchet straps for your students to explore balance, swinging, fort making and more? Check out this video by Jill Bienenstock that walks you through a safe set up for your little ones to explore.
DSB1 Created Resources
DSB1 Outdoor Learning Guide
Outdoor Learning Resources List
Read Alouds to Support Outdoor Learning
Seasonal Outdoor Read Aloud Lesson Ideas
Professional Reading
Early Learning: Number Talks
Alex Lawson Numeracy in Kindergarten
Kindergarten Number Talks
K-2 Flexible Computation
Number Talk Templates
Ten Frames
Dot Images
Check out this “Tap Into Teen Minds” document to learn more about a variety of counting principles and strategies.
Number Talk templates to print or use on your SmartBoard / iPad
Wonder Wagon Content Ideas:
(From: Kelly Demers)
Outdoor Lessons / Activities
12 Days of Outdoor Learning
Are you looking for new, winter outdoor learning activities for your Year 1 and Year 2 students?
Click on the image to access the Outdoor Learning Advent Calendar. 12 days of outdoor learning lessons that you can use for the remaining 12 school days in December.
Bundle up and happy learning!
Winter Outdoor Learning Padlet
Spring/Summer Outdoor Learning Padlet
Fall Outdoor Learning Padlet
5 Days of Winter Outdoor Learning
Outdoor Learning and Math
Echo Reading
What is echo reading? What instructional moves will support nudging your students forward in their reading ability? Click on the links below to access some key strategies shared by MaryLou McKinley for implementing echo reading with your early readers.
Video Examples:
Documentation
“We don’t have to teach [children] to ask “why?” because inside each human being is the need to understand the reasons, the meaning of the world around us and the meaning of our life...But children not only ask “why?” They are also able to find the answers to their whys, to create their own theories....Observe and listen to children because when they ask “why?” they are not simply asking for the answer from you. They are requesting the courage to find a collection of possible answers.”
Resources:
Documentation Panels (The Learning Exchange)
“Phonological awareness refers to the ability to focus on and manipulate not only phonemes, but larger spoken units such as syllables and words. Phonological awareness activities include segmenting sentences into words, segmenting words into syllables, and blending syllables to make new words. ”
“All children can benefit from classroom experiences that focus on literacy development. It is important for the educators to build on a child’s strengths and focus on what the child is already able to do. It is also important for the team to make adjustments to learning opportunities on the basis of on-going observation, conversations, documentation, and analysis of their development for the child.” (The Kindergarten Program, 2016)
Alphabet, Phonological Awareness and Phonics
“Phonics builds on the foundations of phonemic awareness, helping students to connect the sounds they hear with the print they see on the page in order to make meaning. Phonics instruction focuses on the relationships between letters, in written language, and sounds, in spoken language. It involves teaching students how to use their knowledge of letter-sound relationships to read and spell words.”
(From Guide to Effective Instruction in Reading)
Early Reader Activities:
(From Guide to Effective Instruction in Reading)
Rhyming and blending, segmenting, and manipulating syllables and sounds
Letter sound relationships with more complex letter sounds
Introducing appropriate high frequency words and adding to word wall (reinforce previously learning high-frequency words)
Word making activities (i.e. using magnetic letters to form high-frequency words)
Manipulating onsets and rimes
Emergent Reader Activities:
(From Guide to Effective Instruction in Reading)
Rhyming
Clapping
Listening to sounds in words
Manipulating sounds
Alphabet activities (recognition and recall)
Focus on the most common letter-sound relationships
Introducing appropriate high frequency words (beginning with students’s names and add to interactive word wall)
Blending sounds to make simple words, while using letters to demonstrate the relationship between sounds and letters (i.e. add magnetic letters to a board as each sound in a word is spoken)
Chanting, singing action songs, using finger plays
Environmental print in the classroom
Ideas to support phonological awareness:
(From: First Steps Literacy Reading Resource Book)
Phonological Awareness Instructional Strategies
I Spy a Sound
Are you looking for a digital resource to support phonological awareness? Click on the image to access a Google Slides “I Spy a Sound” document which can be used to support your virtual teaching.
Subitizing, Counting and Problem Solving
Subitizing
““Subitizing is a fundamental skill in the development of students’ understanding of number” (Baroody 1987, 115). Students can use pattern recognition to discover essential properties of number, such as conservation and compensation. They can develop such capabilities as unitizing, counting on, and composing and decomposing numbers, as well as their understanding of arithmetic and place value-all valuable components of number sense.”
Subitizing Games and Activities:
Counting
Students need to be able to do 3 things in order to count accurately":
Number Sequence
Tagging / Pointing
Co-Ordination
Number Sequence:
“The sequence of number words you use to count” (Lawson, 2015, p.12)
Doesn’t have to be attached to objects - just the verbal counting
Possible errors:
Missing numbers
Repeating numbers
Saying numbers out of order
How to work with these errors:
“Teach” the number sequence using songs/videos
Don’t focus on backwards counting yet
Tagging / Pointing:
Pointing at or touching each object you are counting only once (often called one to one pointing)
Possible errors:
Student doesn’t know to try and touch each object
Student tries to touch each object only once but loses track
How to work with these errors:
Support students to know to touch each obect - “Can you put one cracker on each plate?” (during snack routine); “Can you touch each item one time?”
Co-Ordinating:
Assigning a count to each object as you point at or touch it.
This skill requires both number sequence and tagging/pointing
Before working on co-ordinating, students need to have number sequence down at least up to the numbers you are working on
If solid to 12, you can work on co-ordinating with smaller sets. IF not solid to 6, will need even smaller sets.
Possible errors:
Tagging objects more than once or missing an object
Number sequence error
How to work with these errors:
Support in developing number sequence past 6
Counting games/activities with a BIGGER action (i.e. throw bean bags and count, count steps on stairs) - this helps to draw attention to the word and action at the same time
Move objects from one place to another (put counters in a jar)
Cardinality:
An understanding that the last number they say represents the amount of objects in a set.
After counting with students, try asking: “So how many are there?” to see if they have the key idea of cardinality.
Problem Solving
“Mathematical experiences for very young children should build largely upon their play and the natural relationships between learning and life in their daily activities, interests, and questions.”
Children become intensely engaged in play. Pursuing their own purposes, they tend to tackle problems that are challenging enough to be engrossing yet not totally beyond their capacities. Sticking with a problem — puzzling over it and approaching it in various ways — can lead to powerful learning, in addition, when several children grapple with the same problem, they often come up with different approaches, discuss various strategies, and learn from one another. These aspects of play can promote thinking and learning in mathematics as well as in other areas. (Scholastic)
How can educators join students in their play and prompt/question them to intentionally bring out the math? See below for some suggestions shared by the LKDSB ways in which educators can prompt for a variety of additive problem types to gather information and provide support for students in their mathematical thinking.
“I notice you have some teddy bears there! How many do you have? If I gave you 4 more, do you know how many you would have then? How do you know?”
“Can you tell me what you are doing? How many do you teddy bears do you have? If you gave me 6 teddy bears, do you know how many you would have left? How do you know? ”
“What are you doing with those teddy bears? Do you know how many of them you have altogether? If you wanted to have 20, do you know how many more you would have to collect? How do you know?”
Rich Read Alouds
Math Rich Read Alouds: Connecting Math and Literacy
Looking for lesson plans to accompany rich read alouds in math? Check out the educators from Passionately Curious and their extensive list of resources!
Repeated Read Alouds Support Children
Looking at implemented a weekly repeated read aloud? Passionately Curious has shared their lessons for each day of the week to support comprehension, vocabulary and higher order thinking.
“Use emotion graphs during your repeated reading to explore character’s emotions in a text.”
The Four Frames
The Four Frames in a Nutshell!
Communication of Learning
Communicating Learning for Educators
Check out “The Learning Exchange” for a recorded virtual session on documentation, communicating learning and building reciprocal relationships between teachers, children and families.
Growing Success
Communicating with Parents about Children’s Learning
Hot News / Authentic Writing
Kindergarten Writing Continuum
Author’s Chair
The Author’s Chair: Writer’s Navigate the Response
From Chapter 2 of “When Writers Drive the Workshop” by Brian Kissel
Writing Conferences in Kindergarten
Provocations
12 Days of Tuff Trays
Are you looking for some fun and creative ways to utilize the Tuff Trays that were purchased for your classroom?
Click here or on the image to access “12 Days of Tuff Trays”.
Each snowflake will reveal a new tuff tray idea, materials required, as well as opportunities for learning and documentation.
Happy planning!
“[Provocations are] deliberate and thoughtful decisions made by the teacher to extend the ideas of the children. Teachers provide materials, media, and general direction as needed, but the children take the ideas where they want. This allows children to develop skills of creativity, inventiveness and flexibility in thinking, planning and reflecting.”
Types of Provocations:
Direct Prompt: could be written or shared with students.
The educators use a direct prompt along with materials to guide/invite the children to explore and learn.
Implied Prompt: educators will stage or set up materials with a specific prompt or idea in mind, but will not provide a direct prompt. Children may explore the implied prompt or use the materials in a different way.
Open Exploration: educators share a collection of materials for students in a basket or on a table without a direct or implied prompt of any kind.
(From: Reggio-Inspired Mathematics by Janice Novakowski)
From: Passionately Curious Educators:
A collection of beautiful provocations inviting students to engage with early mathematics through play. All of the photographs have been shared with permissi...
Thoughtful, Intentional, Provocations
Check out this video from “Passionately Curious Educators” for some great ideas from Ontario teachers to create invitations for learning.
Classroom Environment
From: Passionately Curious Educators:
Learning Environment: A group of passionate educators has shared some of their thoughts, reflections and experiences on the learning environment.
Check out the video series from Edugains for information on how to create a rich learning environment for our youngest learners!
The Third Teacher
Designing the Learning Environment for Mathematics and Literacy
Block Play
“Block play allows children to interact with both science and mathematics content in authentic, meaningful, and hands-on ways. Young children can use blocks to interact with numeracy, area, and geometry. Block play supports their learning about simple machines, gravity, and force. Block play also engages young children in designing, engineering, and the arts in the context of the scientific process and logical/mathematical problems. By encouraging children to creatively solve meaningful problems during their block play in collaboration with peers, educators help them learn how to communicate using literacy and written expression and digital technology with peers and adults. Through observation, problem solving, design, and redesign of their block structures, young children learn to think critically in intrinsically motivating ways.”
Using Blocks to Develop 21st Century Skills
Stages of Block Play
(From: Kieff, J. and Wellhosen, K. 2001)
Carrying
Children explore the blocks using their senses - they examine them closely
Children only one block in each hand and hit them together, exploring sound
Children carry the blocks from place to place
Children knock down structures built by others
No actual building takes place within the carrying stage
Stacking
Children have a need to build rows and towers repeatedly - they do this before moving on to build other structures
Children can haphazardly stack blocks until they fall
Children can line blocks up, pushing them into an even line
When children have mastered building rows and towers, they build them in multiples - this can resemble floors and walls
Bridging
Children bridging or roofing the space between two upright blocks - the upright blocks need to be placed the correct distance apart to support the bridging block or the bridging block needs to be long enough
When a child has learned how to bridge, they repeat it over and over again
Children use this skill to build bridges on top of bridges
Enclosures
Children use blocks to enclose space. They need to have a cognitive understanding of knowing which direction to turn the blocks to enable this to happen - otherwise they place the blocks end to end like a road
Children then begin to experiment with the size and shape of them and begin to connect one to the other
Building Complex Structures
Children are fascinated with symmetry, balance and patterns - they use the blocks to form patterns and symmetrical designs
Children use the blocks to express their creativity - the building techniques they have learned in the other stages are evident in their structures
Children use a larger number of blocks - they incorporate towers, rows, bridges, enclosures and patterns in the same structure
Children name their structures whilst they are building or after (not yet before) - this is usually in connection with questions, “what are you building?”
Dramatic Play with Complex Structures
Children tell you what they are going to build before they start - this illustrates that children have a plan for their play with the blocks being used to set the scene
The buildings children make resemble familiar structures
The design features of the building represent the actual structure
Children create and add their own accessories to the structure (loose parts), supporting the dramatic play and their interpretation of how the world works
Stacking
Bridging
Enclosures
Complex Structures
Dramatic Play with Complex Structures
Inquiry Based Learning in Kindergarten
“Simply put, inquiry is the personal path of questioning, investigating, and reasoning that takes us from not knowing to knowing.”
Looking for open ended questions to promote inquiry based learning?
“What do teachers do that gets children so excited that they feel like learning is a birthday party?”
After viewing the short clip, when thinking about inquiry based learning in your classroom, consider the following:
Let your face speak what’s in your heart
Give yourself permission to slow down and really connect with the students, build relationships, find out what their interests are
Flow of the Day
5 Domains of Self Regulation
Reframing the Behaviour
Recognizing Stress
Reducing Stress
Enhancing Stress Awareness
Developing Strategies
ELKP Math: Small Group Instruction
Loose Parts for Learning
A DSB1 Video Series
We are very excited to share with you our new DSB1 Early Learning Video Series called "Loose Parts for Learning". This series showcases loose parts recommended by Jill and Adam Bienenstock from Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds. Several educators from across our school board share video and picture documentation of how loose parts connect to the curriculum and benefit student engagement through big body play, sensory rich experiences and problem solving opportunities.
Early Learning Resources
Click the links below to find a variety of professional development and planning resources to support your work.
Bienenstock Webinars
Nature Play and Outdoor Learning
Nature Play and Outdoor Learning: Webinar 1
Nature Play and Outdoor Learning: Webinar 2
Check out Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds YouTube Channel:
Early Learning Registration
Do you have families looking for more information about the Kindergarten Program at DSB1? Feel free to share this information booklet filled with details about the Kindergarten program, tips to help prepare their child for their first year of school, as well as links to a variety of resources.
We have also created a “Welcome to Kindergarten” video to support families who are registering their children at DSB1.
Are you looking for some COVID friendly ways to welcome your earliest learners to your school and classroom? We’ve compiled a list of idea to virtually support your Kindergarten orientation. Click on the button to access the document.