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November
/December 2010
16th Issue
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Teacher Quote of the Month...
"Wow! What a difference. Less time spent testing, more time spent on instruction. I was able to see at a quick glace where I needed to go with my teaching." ~Aurora L.
Kindergarten Teacher Redlands, CA
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Monthly Tip:
Holiday break is a time for students to participate in all the festivities associated with the season. As students spend time away from the classroom, encourage students and parents to continue to read.
Here are 3 helpful tips for motivating your kids:
1.Host a book fair. What better way to keep your students reading through winter break than to put literacy at the top of their "wish list"!
2. Offer a small prize or incentive for students that hit their reading goal of reading together with family and friends over the break.
3. Communicate with your student's parents the importance of continuing to read together during this time. Holiday themed books and activities can focus around their holiday traditions. Have students share when they return back to the classroom.
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Great Resources: Counting Game Math - Game of counting the apples with printable resource to reinforce counting skills.
Image RecognitionFind the difference in the pictures game before time runs out Do you know of a website with great resources you could not live without? Send us a link at info@esgisoftware.com |
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Our Image Gallery just got a whole lot better!
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ESGI has teamed up with Smart as a Fox to provide you with a new offering of hundreds of kinder-friendly images to use when creating tests. The images were illustrated by Dwayne Kohn, kindergarten teacher, and owner of "Smart as a Fox". The best part is that the images go along with initial sounds, word families, kindergarten themes, and other categories that make them perfect for creating tests. Dwayne designed these images for use in his "flip-books", which he sells all over the world. Be sure to check out his site at http://www.misterkindergarten.com/. |
Thoughts of thankfulness
From the ESGI Crew
Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie - ask your students what Thanksgiving is all about and chances are their first response will be a list of traditional menu items. Sandwiched between the candy of Halloween and the shimmering lights of the holiday season, Thanksgiving has become somewhat of a lost holiday.
Here at ESGI, we believe that Thanksgiving is a perfect time to count our blessings and focus on helping your students develop an "Attitude of Gratitude."
Gratitude is defined as a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation. "Thank you" probably ranks among the first phrases children are taught. Why? Not only because it is polite, but also because we all enjoy being appreciated.
At this time of year, ESGI would like take this opportunity to say, "THANK YOU!" to our faithful users. We want you to know that we appreciate your business, not only during this festive season but throughout the year.
Most importantly, we are thankful that dedicated teachers like you continue to shape our youth. Teaching can be a thankless job, but it is among the most important professions of our culture. You not only teach them reading, writing, and math - you are a role model and mentor on a daily basis.
We are thankful that you chose to be teachers. With dedication, you take on everyday challenges in your classroom in an effort to mold the next generation into one that is filled with thankfulness for those around them. Know that ESGI is committed to do all we can to help you!
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ESGI Update:
Click. Click. Done...that is all it takes to get your assessments done using ESGI. No more paper checklists and packets, now its just a few clicks of the mouse. What previously took countless hours and loads of frustration can be done in a quick, convenient way.
ESGI has adopted a new tag line and graphic. You'll begin to see this in our brochures, at conferences, and on our newsletter. We are happy to announce our new branding initiative and we hope that you find it to be an easy way to describe exactly what ESGI does to your friends and co-workers.
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Resource Spotlight:
KinderLit continues to combine creativity
and learning skills to the classroom
As one of our favorite resources here at ESGI, we wanted to take the time in this issue to share what makes Kinderlit so special.
With a mix of teaching, creativity, and overall fun, Linda and Lisa built a fantastic tool that helps students create books unique to the marketplace. Everybody wins - students, teachers and parents!
Developed by two teachers with over 20 years teaching in adjoining classrooms, these reproducible books teach valuable skills through literature. The books give kindergarten-aged children the opportunity to become authors and illustrators of their own versions of classic children's literature.
Children benefit from using the different skills from creating a book through Kinderlit including letters, sounds, numbers, and counting. Students enjoy using their creative side and have a book they can keep forever....Parents adore these keepsakes too! Teachers appreciate Kinderlit because it's a time saver to making books in the classroom. It's fun and easy because the work is already done.
Kinderlit continues to grow as they regularly introduce new titles. Watch for an upcoming number book based on Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. Sign up for their newsletter packed with free tips and the announcement of monthly book sales promotions that make the connection to the following month's lesson.
Check it out for yourself at www.kinderlit.com .
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Meet Our Team:
Meet the ESGI team at the Indiana Kindergarten  Conference hosted by SDE Nov 29 - 30th in Indianapolis, IN. This will be the first time we will display ESGI at an Indiana Conference. We are excited to do demonstrations and share ESGI with all of the Indiana teachers who attend!
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Our celebration of Thanksgiving is highlighted this month in our newsletter. Provided by our friends at Frog Street Press, here's a fun learning activity that will use student's sense of touch and smell with one of our favorite things about the fall season - the pumpkin.
PUMPKIN PLAY DOUGH
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
I cup salt
2 cup water
3 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
orange food coloring
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 teaspoons cream of tarter
1. Combine ingredients in a large pot and cook on low heat.
2. Stir until down forms and pulls away from the side of the pot.
4. Store it in an airtight container.
3. Remove the dough and let it cool.
Place the Pumpkin Play Dough in an area for children to use to make alphabet letters, numbers, and shapes.
Encourage your class to talk about their experience.
How does it feel?
How does it smell?
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