CVC Puzzles Short Vowel O

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  3 Types of readers in children Whether you are a parent or teacher, working with children and helping them learn to read is rewarding. I had the opportunity to teach 6 year olds this past year and I have observed that there are three types of students: strong readers, emerging readers and weak readers. Strong readers  have good phonemic awareness and are excellent decoders. (Please refer to my introduction to phonemic awareness and decoding words) Emerging readers  are on the way and are expanding their knowledge of phonics sounds and applying it to decode familiar and unfamiliar words. Weak readers  need frequent prompts for segmenting and blending the sounds together. In severe cases, they may even struggle to remember letters and consonant sounds. HOW DOES THE BRAIN PROCESS WORDS? ·           Through Phonological awareness (i.e learning the sounds of words) and orthography (spelling of words). Skilled readers were abl...
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Terrarium Making with Kids

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The December holidays are here! So today's post is about making a Terrarium. You see before the term ended in November, one of my students gave me a Fittonia plant as a gift. I was never a plant person but this was the beginning of my love affair with urban gardening. Plus, the last central idea with my class of 5-year-olds also sparked a sense of appreciation for plants. I believe that plants have a calming effect on humans, especially in cities like Singapore where it is like a concrete jungle.


Thankfully, it was our founding father Mr Lee Kuan Yew who shaped Singapore into a verdant and green landscape and literally made it a garden city that it is today. He once said, "We need greenery to lift our spirits.” Now, who would disagree with that?




So today, my kids and I headed down to the nearest Terrarium shop @ Clementi Mall, Fittonia Mania. The objective was to give our Fittonia plant a make-over. So here's our Terrarium making experience:

Materials Needed


Glass globe Terrarium 14 x16cm
Sand
Potting Mix
Fittonia
Moss
Coloured sand
Water
Plastic spoons

Instructions


Step 1: Place sand by scooping it and fill up the first layer.





Step 2: Pour in the potting mix evenly and cover the base.

Step 3: Layer coloured sand along the outer edges of the glass globe for aesthetic purpose.



Step 4: Finish the top layer by adding more potting mix.

Step 5: Now, for the sensorial part of the activity. Get your hands in there and squeeze the pot to nudge the plant out. Take care not to pull the roots. Separate the plant into smaller sections.


Step 6: Create a hole in the soil and push in the roots firmly into the soil. We also added Moss. Since it does not have roots, just simply lay it firmly on the surface.

Step 7: Lastly, water the Terrarium and wash the soil off the inner walls. Decorate with mini figurines. This is my little greenery on my desktop.

Fittonias are hardy and easy indoor plants, watering it when soil is dry to the touch. Do not overwater as this makes the plant prone to root rot. Place indoors with partial sunlight.


Watch Video: Terrarium Making Workshop






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