Ms. Kathy's Kids Blog

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Math Manipulatives

As I'm cleaning and packing for the school year's end, this container of poker chips was returned from one of my students' class. I found these poker chips at a Dollar Tree store some years ago. What an inexpensive way to gets and use math manipulatives!

Now they will probably end up in my car with the stuff I'm taking home for summer school!

If I have posted this idea before, please excuse me as it is the end of the school year and my brain is southern deep fried!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

AGGGH! Snake!

I have to apologize as lately I have been posting articles rather than my day-to-day activities and ideas for working with our kids. The reason is that the paperwork is overwhelming and my caseload grew from seven schools and fifteen children to nine schools and twenty-two children. On top of that, I have admin who have felt that I should have school duty like a regular classroom teacher and just work my way around that. We have also had a busy semester with IEPs as many of them done by a certain date in the Fall had to be revisited this semester.

Why is this Child Playing with Snake in a Bucket?
Because he's a snake handler, that's why! Actually, it's a "Grow Snake" and of course it is a toy. I would not have been in the room to snap the photo if it had been real.

He's learning braille and there is a contraction for "OW" (dots 2, 4, 6). As he spelled aloud some words that contained the letters O-W one of the words, as you can figure, was the word "grow." The snake is supposed to double in size if left in water over night, so I allowed him to fill the bucket with water, take the snake from the package, and put the snake in the bucket of water.

Then we wrote a sentence about what he thought would happen using the word "grow" using the new contraction.

In braille the sentence "The snake will grow" has some previous signs like the T-H-E sign and the W for the word "will." We can lengthen it using "T-M" for "tomorrow" or "T-N" for "tonight."

"The snake will grow tonight. Tomorrow it will be big."

When you get up, do and apply rather than just write the word over and over you're more likely to remember it and how to write it.

Another concept was reinforced with this simple exercise
was sequencing. His mom told me that he couldn't get off the bus before he started telling all that had happened and why he was coming home with a wet snake in his bookbag.

Message from Mom to his visual impairments specialist: "Well...thanks for the snake...I think."

Glaucoma--Hair Loss Explained

http://hair-losssite.com/2011/05/14/glaucoma-drug/

Visual Impairments Specialist
Westminster Elementary School
http://lee.ebrschools.org/kathynicholslee
http://www.kathyskids.org
http://teacherweb.com/LA/RobertELeeHigh/MrsMichael/t.aspx
http://mskathyskids.blogspot.com

Monday, May 16, 2011

Two Genes Linked to Severe Glaucoma Identified

http://www.medindia.net/news/Two-Genes-Linked-To-Severe-Glaucoma-Identified-84888-1.htm

Marketwire news release

Eye Remember, Canada-Do You?
CNIB Reminds Canadians to Enter the Eye Remember Photo Contest Before May 18th
May 12, 2011 11:00 ET

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - May 12, 2011) - May is Vision Health Month, and CNIB is reminding Canadians that there is just one week left to submit a memorable photo in the exciting Eye Remember contest.
Visit http://www.eyeremember.ca/ and upload a photograph that represents a cherished memory – whether it's a shot from your honeymoon, a memory from a cherished vacation spot or an old black and white that makes you smile. Contestants are also asked to include a brief description of why the photograph reminds them to be proactive about their vision health.
All uploaded photos will be reviewed by three

Healthy Vision Month

http://www.nih.gov/news/health/may2011/nei-12.htm

My Life Story

This is an e-mail from (Nigerian Tribune) sent by Ms. Kathy. You may also find the following link interesting: http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/you-a-eye/21791-the-story-of-my-life