Sonrisas Spanish School Arrived Today!!!!!

It's here! The newly released version of the Sonrisas Spanish School Level 1 Curriculum for preschoolers and kindergarteners has arrived in our mailbox today.  I was given the opportunity to use and review this curriculum with Alyssa. Alyssa and other young children are at the prime age for learning a second language ... having such a natural ability to learn new languages.  I have a Spanish degree ... even though I am not 100% fluent ... I want to give her the gift of being bilingual by adding a foreign language program to our curriculum.  She is a very eager learner and has already caught on to what little I have taught her over the years.  She is fascinated with the language and communicates in Spanish at times already.  I wanted to motivate her with meaningful activities so that she can appreciate the language and communicate freely.  The package arrived yesterday and I have already started digging into and reading the teacher's manual in preparation for our new journey. Please stay posted to hear more about our experiences with this curriculum. I plan on keeping you informed. This curriculum includes music, art, and literature activities along with other activities that seems to encourage movement and communication.
Tracey

Library Reading Program

Alyssa participated in the local library's summer reading program. She really wanted to win the bike for her age group (Bike #1). She independently read aloud for an hour not too long ago and wouldn't come down for breakfast until she read all the books that she picked out for the day. She constantly read every chance she got ... she worked so so hard.  She talked about the bike with the ANGEL backpack every single day!

I am proud to say that SHE ACTUALLY WON!!! I was so happy for her ... I cried! I think I was the only parent that cried.  LOL! Now, she can finally learn how to ride a bike. She has been telling everyone that she read lots and lots of books to win it. I am glad that she understands why she received the bike.  She set a goal and reached it!

Thank you Canyon Lake Pilot Club for donating 10 bikes to the library for this program! We all appreciate it!

Alyssa is 3 years and 7 months old

We don't do school time every single day at this point, but here are a few things we are doing. I plan to start VERY soon whether I am organized or not ... I have realized that I am the type to organize and reorganize over and over again. It will be a project that I am constantly working on and trying to improve as the year progresses. I tend to have too many organizational ideas and cannot afford to put it all together as planned due to finances. 

Language Arts

Alyssa independently read Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Jan Brett the other day. She continues to read MANY books on her own. I am so proud of her ... she struggled with a few words in the book which is to be expected at her age. She still has a LOVE for reading and enjoys school time. Still begs! She spent a whole hour reading aloud when she woke up this morning. She is participating in a summer reading program at the local library. They are giving bikes away to children that read the most. Unfortunately the documentation is limited ... so I am hoping parents will be honest. Alyssa wants the bike with the Barbie backpack on it ... she describes it to me on a daily basis.  She has known the basic sounds for all the letters for quite some time now. We are currently working on additional sounds. She has mastered many including the sounds for the letter "y." Her handwriting has improved and she enjoys writing short sentences on her whiteboard. Last night she wrote, "I Love mommy, and Daddy, and dogs."It was so cute! She has also been writing sentences that contain her sight words or word family words. She continues to use the whiteboard to write the numbers 1 through 20.  She stops at 20 for some reason even though she knows more numbers exist. I noticed the other day that she was explaining how to write the numbers as she wrote them on the board ... apparently she is playing teacher and I am the student. I LOVE it! Reading sight words seems to be pretty easy for her so we have been focusing on how to spell them.    

Math

She has been exploring all of my math manipulatives. She seems to be intrigued with learning addition lately. We are also playing lots of math games. She loves Dice in Dice Addition! I placed two die in a spill-proof paint container. She shakes the container and looks at the bottom to add the two numbers. She uses her abacus when she needs help solving problems. 

I know that we do more but I just wanted to touch base with my readers.

 

I made the choice to start using curriculums to cut down on planning time and time spent on the computer researching ideas and themes. I have made some recent purchases via Ebay.  I am currently preparing for the new school year. Alyssa and I have already tried several lessons from different curriculums and she is doing well with what I bought. I have some reservations, but will continue using them as long as she is interested and enjoying it. I hope to post our curriculum choices soon. I am also supposed to be receiving a Spanish curriculum to review in July.    

Speaking of reviews, I have been writing and editing my "candid" review for Time 4 Learning. So many things have happened since we started our trial month ... I am late posting it. My niece from New York visited me for a week, my husband went to the ER room after a ceiling fell on him while putting out a fire, and then he broke a tooth while eating dinner ... on the SAME day. During our trial, Alyssa was sick and we left for a week long vacation. 

I better start preparing lunch. I hope you are all doing well and would LOVE to hear from you. Have a GREAT day!

Tracey

Independent Reading

Alyssa is 3 years and 5 months

Independent Reading Update

Alyssa is reading quite well now. We are currently on the search for an age appropriate curriculum that meets her reading needs (phonics, literature-based, etc.) She is reading many first and second grade books with ease. She still eagerly awaits school time. Any recommendations would be GREATLY appreciated? I look forward to hearing about your experiences with available products. I have been spending too many hours researching online and would love to hear your opinions at this point. The picture below is an old one of her reading one of the same books listed below. I didn't take any photos today. 

DEAR time (Drop Everything and Read) usually lasts 15-20 minutes, but today Alyssa sat and read for a longer period of time.

She read the following books independently:

1.) Mouse Tales written by Arnold Lobel

2.) Mouse Soup written by Arnold Lobel

3.) Frog and Toad Are Friends also written by Arnold Lobel

4.) The Pigeon Wants a Puppy written by Mo Willems

5.) The Beginner's Bible: Timeless Children's Stories (three stories)

6.) Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

I hope to hear from you soon!

Tracey

Montessori Print Shop - Another Amazing Giveaway!

Montessori Print Shop has started off the New Year with a bang ... with ANOTHER amazing giveaway!!!!!  This has got to be one of my favorite websites!  This time they will be giving away TWO, not one, but TWO (did you hear me say 2) Deluxe CD ROMS (winners will be randomly chosen).  This is an EXTREMELY GRACIOUS giveaway!  You have got to go check out the website to see samples of what is included on the CD if you win this AWESOME gift.  The CD ROM includes the ENTIRE COLLECTION of Montessori PDF materials on their website and if I am not mistaken ALL of the NEW product releases too.  It also includes the instructions on how to use the products AND ... the four teaching manuals.  If you are not familiar with the Montessori teaching method - this will help you out TREMENDOUSLY and get you started on the right foot.  Don't wait any longer to check this giveaway out  ... go to Montessori Print Shop to learn more about it.  I am sure that their products will impress you and if you don't win ... the prices are pretty reasonable you may find something you need or want to use with your child or in the classroom.  This giveaway ends soon so act fast - the winners will be posted on January 17th.  I am so excited about this giveaway!!!!!!!!!!!  Spread the word ... well, maybe not because it lessens are chances.  Just kidding!  Please tell everyone you know about this giveaway.  Two LUCKY families will be BLESSED this New Year!!!!
All can enter!
God Bless You All and Good Luck!
P.S. PLEASE WISH ME LUCK!  This giveaway would do wonders for Alyssa and I.  I know ... but I had to ask. LOL!
Yours truly, 
Tracey 

Montessori Print Shop Giveaway Day 2

I hope you didn't miss out on Day 1 of this giveaway, but if you did that's okay there are many chances to win other prizes.  It is Day 2 of the Montessori Print Shop 12 Days Giveaways.  Today they are giving away Two Montessori Teacher Training Manuals (Language and Math).  This particular giveaway starts today and ends on Saturday, December 11th.  One winner will be randomly chosen.  Please check out the Montessori Print Shop Giveaway blog post for more information on how to enter.  They have more giveaways coming so head on over to see what's happening this month!
Happy Holidays and Good Luck,
Tracey

     This week has been interesting for us!  I have been trying to win a kitchen for my niece and nephew ALL week but haven't had any luck yet.  I REALLY wanted to do something special for them.  I guess I will keep trying as long as the opportunities arise.
     We are still doing preschool (tot school) but I haven't figured out what I am going to do about not being able to post our weekly adventures without pictures.  I feel like photos really make a blog.
     Anyways, we may be getting an offer on our house tomorrow.  It has been on the market for almost a year and a half (with few viewings).  This means that the rest of this month might be spent organizing and packing.  We are VERY grateful that we have an interested buyer and hopeful that they will make a reasonable offer.  Please pray for us. We know that if they are the right buyers then God will make it happen when the time is right.  This is the first year that we have most of our Christmas shopping done ahead of time ... we started to wrap presents ... and the tree is decorated.  Funny how things work!  The couple asked us if we could be out before Christmas.  If it is meant to be then yes, but we have a lot of STUFF that I need to organize and go through before a move.  I just got done telling my husband that this was going to be our big project for the next two months.  Oh and of course we have no plan as to where we would stay right now.
     I hope you are all doing well!
Happy Holidays,
Tracey M.