Are you ready?

.... for Summer?

I am working on it.  We have four school days left.   

AAAHH!!

It has taken me a few weeks but...

I have cleaned out all of the closets, cupboards, games, art supplies, and toys.

Everything is organized and ready to go.

I have also been preparing for summer.

I have laid out our schedule.

It is a flexible schedule, but nonetheless a schedule.

I plan to share this with you in a few days because...

Today, I am too excited to share our big summer project.

Some of you already know all about this.

We do it every year.

Every year it is a little different.

I have added some new elements this year.

Around here we like to call it:

Alphabet Summer.

Alphabet Summer info from 2008.

This year instead of flying by the seat of my pants each morning.  I am a little more scheduled.  The kids are getting older and I think they need to have some expectations.

We will do Alphabet Summer every MWF.

In the morning, they will work in their journals.

In the afternoon we will do a craft, project, play, or field trip that correlates with that letter.

I don't go in order.  I pick a letter that fits with our week.

I decided to be on  my game with their journals.

In years past, I have just printed out their sheets the morning of.  Not this year.  I need to have time to EXERCISE!!

I found these folders that Jex used his Kindergarten year.  I decided to re-use them.

They had his name on them in permanent marker, so I covered that up.

I made this little diddy in photoshop, and taped it on.

Then I made a sheet for Jex to write a short story on. 

He will make up a story. 

I will help him pick a topic that works with our letter of the day. 

Behind that sheet is a blank sheet to draw a picture about his story.

Isaac and Stella have worksheets in theirs.  I found them at http://www.dltk-teach.com/alphabuddies/index.html

I just printed one off for each folder, and then placed a blank sheet behind to draw a picture.

Stella will do well to trace the letters, and then draw a picture of something that begins with the letter.

Isaac will probably color the picture at the top of his tracers.  On his blank sheet, I plan on writing the letter big, and letting him color it. 

We will also discuss the sound the letter makes.

Here is a previous post with alphabet ideas.

Go here and here to see some of them in action; one of these posts has links to great ABC ideas.

Two more from 2009, here and here.

This is their folders all ready to go in their special spot.  Every thing in a place, ready to go, without chaos.

My kids can't wait.  They keep talking and talking about it, and asking and asking about it.

They are speculating about what we will do for each letter.  They have come up with some pretty hilarious ideas. I am keeping it a secret.

Stay tuned for my ABC project ideas for 2010, and our summer schedule.

As a side note:  I know this little summer tool helps our kids with their reading.  The first summer we did this was right before Jex went in to Kindergarten.  He went in reading, and now reads almost 2 whole grades above his grade level.  He is completing first grade, and read Harry Potter 1 and 2 this year. 

He does not stay in his classroom for reading.  He goes on to a second grade class to read each day.  He will do the same next year.  I think Stella is well on her way.  She is beginning to read, and spell.  Knowing the sounds to your alphabet is such a good piece of knowledge.  It helps pre-readers feel confident.

Two Tips:  Leap Frog DVD's/ The Letter Factory and Word Factory

www.starfall.com

Isaac uses this site, as did the other two.  He is well on his way to knowing and recognizing his letters.