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      • retelling / summarizing
      • visualizing
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    • environmental print
    • fluency
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    • word building
    • word consciousness
    • vocabulary
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    • creative writing
    • grammar
    • informative writing
    • tripod grip
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    • computation
    • counting
    • numbers
  • science
    • animals
    • plants
    • science experiments for kids
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      • new for us foods
    • crafts
    • foundations
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      • st. patrick’s day
      • april fool’s day
      • easter
      • mother’s day
      • teacher appreciation
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      • july 4th
      • halloween
      • thanksgiving
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bugs, beads, bugs, beads

home / newspaper / bugs, beads, bugs, beads
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Two things ended up on our agenda today: bugs and beads.

  • Lightening Bug Articles: Today’s Kids Post had a really interesting focus–lightening bugs.

Maddy and Owen were totally psyched about it because they caught–okay, and inadvertently smashed–tons of these little guys on July 4th and had a serious blast. If I weren’t so darn tired by 9 o’clock every night, I’d have them do it more often, but I just can’t keep these eyes open much later. . .

So our paper-reading today stretched far past breakfast time; we read parts into the afternoon. We particularly loved the article about the families who are counting lightening bugs for a program through the National Children’s Museum, the firefly facts, and the awesome Fireflies for Kids site on the NCM website. The game was tough for Maddy, but I think she’ll be up for trying it again. It’s totally worth checking out.

I’m hoping to head on over to the NCM sometime soon. My friend Jessica just told me about how cool it was when I saw her on Sunday.
(Thanks Washingtonpost.com for the photo above.)

  • Beads: Maddy and Owen wanted to play with beads today. So before rest time, I brought out one of our bead boxes.

I’ve always found that when we string beads, Maddy and Owen talk non-stop. It’s a great time for me to work on my own listening skills and to help them work on theirs. I also try to model for them how to ask meaningful foll0w-up questions instead of just trying to talk over each other (like almost every young kiddo wants to do).

So we just strung beads, relaxed, and talked about fireflies, swim team, jewels, Madagascar, and anything else that came to mind.

Bead stringing is not only super-beneficial for working on fine motor skills, but beads of all types are awesome for talking about patterns, shapes, colors, and numbers.

One of our bead boxes.

That’s it for today–super-sneaky learning via the newspaper and some beading. Cheers!

Thanks for subscribing to teachmama! Have a good one!

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About amy mascott

teacher, mother, dreamer. lover of literacy, fun learning, good food, and three crazy-cool kids. finder of four-leaf clovers | dc metro ยท http://about.me/amymascott
tweet with me: @teachmama

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Quick! Thereโ€™s still time to see if your area is registered to participate in this yearโ€™s National Civics Bee! #ad

Click the link in my bio to learn more and to grab a TON of free resources for families and educators. 

This yearโ€™s registration deadline is approaching, but you still have time! 

What better way to get students to engage in civics and contribute to their communities? 

https://teachmama.com/bring-the-national-civics-bee-to-your-community/

#CivicsBuzz #strongcommunities #middleschool #civicsbee #teachersofIG
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Have you heard of The National Civics Bee? #ad 

The National Civics Bee is an initiative aimed at encouraging more young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities. 

Organized in partnership with The Civic Trust of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the competition in your community will inspire middle schoolers to become better informed about American democracy, to engage respectfully and constructively in the community, and to build greater trust in others and institutions. 

Learn how to bring The National Civics Bee to YOUR community now: https://teachmama.com/bring-the-national-civics-bee-to-your-community/

Iโ€™m thrilled to have partnered with @mom_select and @civicsbuzz for this exciting campaign! โ™ฅ๏ธ๐Ÿค๐Ÿ’™

#CivicsBuzz #middleschoolers #teachersofIG #communitypartners
View
Open
Oh HEEEEEYYY, @luvvie โ€” did you see that @littletroublemaker made our hallway bulletin board? ๐Ÿ˜‰โ™ฅ๏ธ

(Itโ€™s what Rusty the ๐ŸฆŠ is currently reading.) 

Find it at your favorite bookstore or order here: https://amzn.to/3Pu3tWs

(This is my affiliate link, so when you use it, I will earn a small percentage of the sale, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for using my link and supporting my small business!)

#readingteacher #raiseareader #kidlit #bestbooks #linkinbio
View
Open
How can people with dyslexia learn to read? ๐Ÿค”

Here are the 3๏ธโƒฃ elements that reading instruction should contain in order to be most effective for students with dyslexiaโ€”

#demystifyingdyslexia #raiseareader #readingteacher #teachreading #dyslexiaawareness
View
Open
Lately when I find four leaf clovers, Iโ€™ve been leaving them. ๐Ÿ€๐Ÿคท๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ

So if youโ€™re in Maryland, and you happen upon a lonely, little 4-leafer with very little grass, weeds, or leaves around it, I donโ€™t know WHO tried to set you up for success.

#yougotthis #keepyoureyesopen #itsthelittlethings #kilpattyluck
View
Open
Okayโ€”how do we know if someone has dyslexia? 

Which professionas are able to make that important determination? 

โ–ถ๏ธ Watch to find out. 

Hit me with the questions you still have about dyslexiaโ€”and know we have a few more posts to go!

#demystifyingdyslexia #raiseareader #teachreading #readingteachersofig
View
Open
What are some of the common signs of dyslexia?

Watch to learn and find out!

#demystifyingdyslexia #readingteacher #raiseareader #teachreading #dyslexia
View
Open
True โœ… or false โŒ?

#demystifyingdyslexia #dyslexiaeducation #readingteacher #raiseareader #teachreading
View
Open
What do you know about dyslexia? 

What questions do you have about dyslexia? 

For the next few weeks leading up to my own start to the school year I am sharing a new series called โ€œDe-Mystifying Dyslexiaโ€ and I would love for you to join me! 

Follow in my stories or on the highlight above!

#dyslexia #teading  #readingteacher #raiseareader #demystifyingdyslexia

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