Sunday, February 28, 2010

Special Days February 28th-March 6th

It's Read Across America this week!!!!
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Monday, March 1st is National Pig Day
Believe it or not, according to Wikipedia, this "holiday" was begun by a TEACHER in 1972.  Ellen Stanley and her sister, Mary Lynne Rave wanted to celebrate one of man's most intellectual and domesticated animal...THE PIG!!  Visit this Wikipedia link for more interesting information about National Pig Day.

() Click here and you can sign up for a free trial at lessonplanet.com and get pig printables and activities for ALL grades.

() Here at about.com are some National Pig Day crafts.

() Click here for another short informational page about National Pig Day from holidayinsights.com

() There are lots of CUTE coloring pages here and they are FREE!!!!



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Happy Birthday to Dr. Seuss on Tuesday, March 2nd!

I'll bet MOST of you already have a favorite activity you like to do with your students on March 2nd EVERY year!  Would you be willing to share???  There is an abundance of activities, printables, and celebration activities for this day.  It's the Day we "Read Across America"!!

Dr. Seuss happens to be one of my favorites.  I remember reading One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish until my book began falling apart and knew EVERY word!  My children have always LOVED Dr. Seuss.  In fact, my five year old (who hasn't even been to preschool and won't enter Kindergarten until THIS fall) can read The Foot Book and Green Eggs and Ham without missing a word!!!  THANKS, Dr. Seuss

Below are a few activities, but I want to read all about your favorite!


() My school always has RIF (Reading is Fundamental) Day.  Click here to read more about RIF Day.  Each student is able to pick a book and take it home for keeps.  I always give my students a "Share Time" after they've chosen a book.

() Make Green Eggs and Ham!!!  This is a favorite among Kindergarten teachers.  Here are several Green Eggs and Ham recipes.  Or you could try gourmet Green Eggs and Ham with this recipe from Tyler Florence at FoodNetwork.com.

() If your students have a designated computer day/time, they can take a trip to Seussville.com for lots of learning fun!

() For those of you that read "The Grinch", there is an interesting quiz here.

() Click on the interactive games link for innumerable Dr. Seuss resources including Math and Science with Oobleck, and other interesting links.

() Horton Hears a Who craft is located at this link.

() Found another great resource at my newest favorite website PrometheanPlanet.com.  Click here for Dr. Seuss flipcharts!

There are SOOOOOO many things to do for Read Across America!  Please share!!!


Saturday, February 27, 2010

Friday's Finale

Our week ended with warm sunshine and recess OUTSIDE!  Yay...even though we spent yet another snow day AT HOME.  Below is a picture of the excitement my students and I experienced this week.  I hope your week was exciting and profitable!
My new Promethean Board!!!!

And...my little munchkin practicing her spelling words on SpellingCity.com.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Thursday's Thought

My thought today resembles last week's...Where is Spring??????  We've had yet another snow day...ugh!

Please chant LOUDLY:

SUNSHINE
SUNSHINE
SUNSHINE
SUNSHINE
SUNSHINE
SUNSHINE
SUNSHINE
SUNSHINE

Wednesday's Website

My new favorite website...Promethean Planet!  I've finally been brought into the 21st century.  I wanted to post a day late on Thursday evening so I could include a picture, but couldn't wait.  As of noon Wednesday CST, my classroom now has a Promethean Board.  It's new and up-to-date with speakers that make you feel like you are in a theater!  Woohoo!  So...in the next few weeks, Promethean Planet WILL without a doubt become my favorite website while I build my resources for this "new toy".

Until now, my searching on Promethean Planet has been VERY limited.  But, I can't wait to dig in.  One of the first things I want is a timer...I like for my students to be aware of the time they have for an activity.  They are so used to hearing me count...SLOWLY from 5 to 1, I'm sure they will enjoy actually being able to SEE a timer!

Help me out!  If you have this state-of-the-art equipment, please let me know some of YOUR favorite activities for your Promethean Board.  And, give me some more sites to search for activities!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Tuesday's Tip

Do your students have MESSY desks?  Do they leave every STUFF everywhere every afternoon?  Have you ever dumped a desk out and discovered unfinished work, pencils, and leftover snacks?  Arghhhh....  There is no easy fix, that's for sure!  But, maybe the Desk Fairy can help.
Occasionally, the Desk Fairy (my oldest daughter) will come for a visit in my classroom.  He/she is unannounced and unexpected, and will make her appearance AFTER the students have all left or BEFORE they arrive in the morning.  She picks out the THREE neatest and most organized desks and leaves a special recognition on the desks.  I use a cone that says A+ and a piece of candy or small trinket.

My students have always enjoyed this.  And, it's an incentive for them to keep their work turned in, and their area clean and organized.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Monday's Moment

Today's moment was fortunately...not an embarrassing or humiliating one.  It was a YIPPPPPPEEEEE moment!  The story goes this way:

The schools in our area are catching up with the 21st Century and have made a concentrated effort to provide a Promethean Board, Smart Board, or Interactive Board of some sort for EVERY classroom teacher.  It's been a work in progress.  I'm one of the last on the list...for no particular reason.  But, TODAY...I got confirmation that MY Promethean Board would be delivered and installed by THIS FRIDAY...Wooohooooo!  Guess I'll be posting some exciting lessons in the near future!

OH HAPPY DAY for my students and me...we will be "cookin' with gas" now!


Sunday, February 21, 2010

Special Days for February 21st-27th

Wow - this week will keep you busy...as if you weren't already with your regular curriculum!  Wink...wink..
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 Sunday, February 21st is National Sticky Bun Day
A Fun Food Holiday
What better way to celebrate the "Sticky Bun", but with sticky buns!  Bring a dozen to share with your students.  Or, make some with your students!  Earlier in the year we read the story Hedgehog Makes a Cake.  So, I made the cake from scratch and my students were just in awe!   Here is an easy bread machine recipe for cinnamon rolls...and they are definitely sticky.  So, I guess it would suffice to call them "Sticky Buns"!  The bread machine just makes the dough...and it's a little noisy.  But, the sticky buns are out of this world!!!!  Yummy!

Go to "My Punch Bowl: Reasons to Celebrate" for an explanation of "Sticky Bun Day".

Sticky buns are a dessert or breakfast pastry that generally consist of rolled pieces of leavened dough — sometimes containing brown sugar or cinnamon — which are then compressed together to form a kind of flat loaf corresponding to the size of the baking pan. Before the dough is placed in the pan, the latter is lined with the "sticky" ingredients like maple syrup, honey (or both), as well as nuts and perhaps more sugar and sometimes butter. After the buns are baked, they are inverted so that the pan lining then becomes a topping. Commercially produced sticky buns, however, are usually just baked in an aluminum loaf tin, which allows the topping to suffuse the buns, making them sticky throughout. The way the buns were baked allows them to more or less be pulled off as individual servings, although it is often a futile effort.  Sticky buns appear to have a Germanic origin and were originally known as "Schnecken". Wherever 18th-century German settlers (such as the Pennsylvania Dutch) went, sticky buns have remained long after many other cultural traits have disappeared.

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Monday, February 22nd is George Washington's Birthday
Since President's Day was recently celebrated, you've probably already covered George Washington!  Unless, of course, your area has been like ours...snow, snow, snow!

Celebrate President Washington's birthday with a birthday party!  Make birthday cards!  And, give thanks for one of the most important forefathers of our nation.

Happy Birthday, President Washington!
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Wednesday, February 24th is Flag Day in Mexico
 
Here is another way to teach multiculturalism in your classroom.
Go here to find an article on the history of Mexico's flag.

If you are a  member of enchantedlearning.com, you can click this link to preview the Mexican crafts, activities, and printable they have available.  You can view some of the resources without a subscription.

Click here for another page of helpful and interesting information about Mexico and their flag.

I LoVe this activity with HEALTHY FOOD!  You can have this for snack after learning all about Mexico!  It's an edible Mexican flag.  Thanks to familyfun.com.

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Friday, February 26th is Tell a Fairy Tale Day
Many people think fairy tales are for the young...but, I believe fairy tales are for everyone!  We ALL need to hear and read stories with toils, trials, and HAPPY ENDINGS!  Check out the resources below to help you celebrate "Tell a Fairy Tale Day".

Definition of a Fairy Tale
A fairy tale is a fictional story that may feature folkloric characters such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, giants, and talking animals, and usually enchantments, often involving a far-fetched sequence of events. In modern-day parlance, the term is also used to describe something blessed with princesses, as in "fairy tale ending" (a happy ending) or "fairy tale romance", though not all fairy tales end happily. Colloquially, a "fairy tale" or "fairy story" can also mean any far-fetched story. Fairy tales mostly attract young children since they easily understand the archetypal characters in the story.
Thanks to gone-ta-pott.com for this definition.  Click on the previous link for more information about this holiday.
 
Click here for an online fairy tale unit!
 
This link from Susan Stein in another online unit with LOTS of links to other resources.   I have not tested the links, so I can't assure you they are all working.
 
Wow - I didn't know there were SO many fairy tales.  Go to wikipedia to view a list of hundreds of fairy tales!   I'll have to say, I've only read a handful of them.
 
Here at abcteach.com are fairy tale activities, coloring pages, crafts, crosswords, flashcards, story starters, etc.   You may not have access to all of the resources unless you are a member.

This is a great fairy tale unit shared online by Colleen Gallagher.  There are pictures of a bulletin board, learning center, worksheets, and lots of directions for hands-on activities.

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Saturday, February 27th is Polar Bear Day
 I had never heard of "Polar Bear Day".  Here is what I found concerning this interesting day.


#1 - From: Holiday Insights - Polar Bear Day celebrates the world's largest carnivore. A polar bear can grow up to nine feet tall(when standing) and 1400 pounds. They are a favorite at zoos around the country. Polar bears live at the North Pole region, and are native to Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia.  Need some ideas on how to celebrate today?  Tops on my list is visiting the local zoo to see  live polar bears. Teachers like to use this day to teach about polar bears and other bears, as kids are fascinated with all kinds of bears. Also, check the nature channels on cable Tv. The networks often pick up on holidays like today, and run documentaries.

#2 - Send an ecard from HiCards to celebrate the world's largest carnivore!  Introduce other to "Polar Bear Day".

#3 - Here is a page of information from about "Polar Bear Day" from Holiday Soup.

#4 - They have some really neat activities for younger students at Kids' Soup.  Unfortunately, you have to pay for a membership in order to access the printables.  I am not a member, so I haven't thoroughly reviewed this site.  If you do, please come back and share your experience!

#5 - Here is an extra fun "Polar Bear Day" activity for younger students, too.  This one has a story to go with it.  You will need a plastic bottle shaped like a bear (honey comes in these bottles), bleach, and yellow, blue, and red food coloring.

#6 - Go to DLTK's Growing Together site for various activities about polar bears.

#7 - Now wouldn't this be FUN!  Here are directions from Squidoo for making an igloo using plastic milk jugs!  Wow - sounds like a classroom winter project!

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Friday's Finale

We made it to school for an entire day today...and, the best part was the weather!  We experienced a bit of a heatwave with temperatures soaring around 50 degrees.  Needless to say, we couldn't tear ourselves away from recess...so we gave our students (and ourselves) some much needed Vitamin D exposure.  Boy, was nearly an hour in the sun uplifting.  And, warm enough to enjoy WITHOUT being bundled up like Randy on The Christmas Story.


Honestly, I didn't feel very successful as a teacher today.  One student slept the ENTIRE morning,  many just couldn't stay focused on our lessons, another had the wiggles, and yet another needed a speeding ticket for talking too much!  Arghhh...and, when my students' parents check out the newsletter they are going to think I've lost a few marbles.  We are experiencing some heavy-duty catch-up work, not only at school, but also at home...sorry to my wonderful, supportive parents.  We've got to get them ready for 3rd grade!

Does anyone know a Spring Dance routine?  The Snow Dance is no longer the hype...

Friday, February 19, 2010

Handwriting Poems - Letter A, B, C

Recap - Before all this snow that has kept us out of school for 14 days...I had planned on posting at least two poems each week.  Now, I guess I'll post three to catch up!  These poems are simply fun poems for practicing handwriting.  I always have my students illustrate to show comprehension.  There are plenty other skills that can be covered when using these poems.

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The Letter "A"
Aa  Aa  Aa
A is for alligator,
Sitting in a pail,
Licking a lollipop,
Holding its tail.

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The Letter "B"
Bb  Bb  Bb
B is for bear,
Winking an eye,
Eating a piece
Of blueberry pie.

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The Letter "C"
Cc  Cc  Cc
C is for camel,
Riding in a car,
Playing some music
On a polka dot guitar.

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Thursday, February 18, 2010

Thursday's Thought

Enough with the SNOW DAYS!!!  Yes, a few are enjoyable, but we've had at least 2 or 3 EVERY week since our Winter Break...ugh.  It's time for S...P...R...I...N...G...  That being said...here are some SPRINGTIME thoughts for those of you with the same feelings.


No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.  ~Proverb

Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love! 

 Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"  
 ~Robin Williams

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. 
~Anne Bradstreet

If you've never been thrilled to the very edges of your soul by a flower in spring bloom, maybe your soul has never been in bloom.  
~Audra Foveo  

The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another.  The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month.  
~Henry Van Dyke 

Wednesday's Website

Wow - these snow days are really getting me off track!  Finally, back to the grind tomorrow...even though it's Friday...  Hopefully, we'll have a full week of school next week.  We've used ALL of our allotted snow days plus one.  There's extra school time in our future!

Today, I've decided to share one of my favorite sites...as far as helping you get rid of "stuff" and saving some money on some items that you want.  I discovered FREECYCLE.ORG last year when I wanted an Staples "EASY BUTTON" for my classroom.  I wanted to use it during  my reading groups and math board times as an incentive for student participation.  This was one of my first "wanted" posts.  Within a couple of days...I had two generous offers!  I took them both...one for my reading table and one for my math board!  My students LoVeD them last year and they LoVe them this year.  Plus, I saved around $12 since I didn't have to purchase them. 

So, if you have some odd and end items that you would like for your classroom...this is a great place to start searching!  Plus, if you have other items you would like to have or pass along...this is a great avenue.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Tuesday's Tip

Spelling Practice Fun - Part 1


Boy, do you tire of having your students write their spelling words 2x, 3x, 5x, or even 10x each?  I can remember as a student I would cRiNgE every time my teacher made this assignment.  And, what did YOU do when your teacher assigned this... if the word was "blueberry", did you make lines ALL THE WAY down the paper for the 'b' and 'l'?  I know I did!  This taught us nothing...and repetitive writing still teaches nothing!  I've since discovered MANY ways to really practice spelling words...and have FUN at the same time!

The five suggestions below also help get parents INVOLVED with their children, which is greatly needed in today's society.

At-home practice:

1. SHAVING CREAM SPELLING - Squirt on a counter top or in the shower and spell away.  (Also helps teach responsibility in that the children have to clean it up!)

 2. EDIBLE SPELLING - Spread pudding or yogurt on the counter top...spell and eat!  (Yes, the children can clean this up, too...or the doggie!  haha)

3. SANDPAPER SPELLING - Write the alphabet on an 8x11 piece of sandpaper.  Students trace the letters with their fingers AND spell aloud.

4. BACKSCRATCH SPELLING - Who doesn't like a nice backscratching?  Why not work on creating mental images, gross motor skills, handwriting, and spelling ALL at the same time?  My parents and students DO NOT like this one at first.  But, the more they practice...the easier it gets!  You must draw the letter S...L...O...W...L...Y and LARGE.  It's also a great way to practice correctly forming the letters.  This is usually one of my students' favorites after a couple weeks of practice!

5. ALPHABITS or PASTA WORDS - Suggest that parents purchase a box of "Alphabits" cereal and/or a bag of alphabet pasta.  Students can sort the letters once a week, spell their words, then enjoy a cereal treat or glue the pasta to a piece of paper.  Parents could help sort into vowels and consonants!
TO BE CONTINUED...

Do you have a special "AT-HOME" activity that your students enjoy?  Please share!

Technical Difficulty!

Well...I've had to kind of REORGANIZE my blog.  I've been experiencing lots of technical difficulty.  So rather than finding a tech-savvy individual to pay and fix, I've decided to restart it myself...sorry!  It'll be unsightly and boring for a few days!

Funny...I managed to find it all already...but, I'm still attempting some changes to try and fix the technical difficulties I am experiencing.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Monday's Moment

It's impossible to post of Monday Moment in the life of a teacher when we are ONCE AGAIN at home for snow!  Yes, our school board had actually voted to make today, Presidents' Day, a regular school day in hopes of depositing an extra snow day into our bank.  But, Mother Nature had a different idea...we got our usual Presidents' Day off...and now have ONE snow day in our bank, which we will be using tomorrow!  Ughhhh!!

To make this Arctic winter even worse...the weather man is again predicting snow until Thursday.  The longer term weather prediction even includes snow in March, thanks to El Nino!  Guess we're having our Spring Break right now.  Argh!

Back to the Monday Moment...this week, in the life of a mother!  You would have to be a neighbor of mine to get the full picture (no pun intended).  As my two year old wanted to go outside and play in the snow, I decided to attempt to build a snowman in hopes of my four children helping.  Little man wasn't interested, my two little girls were at the neighbors, and my big girl wouldn't come out because I was wearing her boots!  So, I spent 20-30 minutes getting a really good snowman bottom going...with my behind shining to all my neighbors.  Then, of course, my little man decides it's time to go inside.  Ugh...  I'll have to remember that  mental picture tomorrow as we finish our little snow friend.


Special Days for February 14-20th

WOW - too many good choices this week...and, they are all very close together!

Now that Valentine's Day is behind us...we celebrated this "day of love" on Friday with a valentine box contest and sharing valentines with our special classmates.  Because of so many snow days...I just couldn't have a big shindig.  The children certainly enjoyed their afternoon together anyway!  There are MANY exciting days to choose from...again!

Valentine's Day, of course!
 One of the special things I ALWAYS do in my classroom is have a Valentine's Box Contest.  I have THREE winners:  The Most Creative Box, The Most Unusual Box, and The Most Unattractive Box.  The last prize is always the most fun since many of the children "try" to win this one!  I've never really had an "unattractive" box.  They're usually all really cute!  I have other people from our school building to judge.  This eliminates favoritism within the classroom.

My gift to my students is a free homework pass!  I simply create and print these using a program that creates labels, and viola!  (I use PrintMaster.)  Simple, inexpensive, and extremely desirable among students.  When the homework pass is used, it can ONLY be used on a written assignment and must be attached to the assignment for a grade of 100!

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Chinese New Year is Sunday, February 14th
The Year of the Tiger
Now, I've never actually taught Chinese New Year so this will be a new idea for me.  I recall having a mini-lesson several years ago, but that's it!  However, the more I read and discover, the more I believe this would be a FUN day to promote multiculturalism.  I've posted some links below to help you get started!   Keep in mind, Chinese New Year is a 15-day holiday!  Please...leave a post on your favorite Chinese New Year activities.

*Here is a Chinese lantern art activity with step-by-step pictures.


*WOW - lots of information and activities here including crafts, printables, coloring pages, stories, games and jigsaws.

*WOW - once again MANY more Chinese New Year activities here at Kaboose.com.  The cardboard tube red firecrackers especially look fun!

*www.apples4theteacher.com always archives a wealth of information, activities, and lessons.  Here is the Chinese New Year page.

Maybe these will get you started for Chinese New Year.  Please...share your Chinese New Year activities in the comment section below.

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Monday, February 15th is Presidents' Day
There are so many ways to teach about Presidents' Day.

Here are some ideas you can focus on:

*our current president, Barack Obama
*the first presidents that helped establish our nation
*a favorite president
*some fun facts about past presidents
*student chosen presidents
*the president's responsibilites
*Washington DC and The White House

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Tuesday, February 16th is Mardi Gras
Fat Tuesday?  Ok...this is a brand new one for me.  Anyone have any suggestions for teaching Mardi Gras??  Because of 11 snow days so far since Christmas break, I won't get to indulge in this special day.  However, I plan to find some time next year during our busy days to teach this bit of culture.


*Here is a complete unit plan for 3-4 grade using Illinois state standards.

*Here is a lesson plan for a Miniature Mardi Gras float parade.

*Go to DLTK's site for a more kid-friendly Mardi Gras.



Sunday, February 14, 2010

Friday's Finale

Ok...so it's Sunday afternoon and I've been soooooooo busy, I just realized I hadn't finalized last week!  Funny, the week was fairly uneventful since we had yet another snow break...2 more days at home.  I've become nonetheless than a couch potato and internet deal-finding junkie in a major attempt to make my teacher salary stretch even farther! My children are enjoying the many snow days at home together...my girls play non-stop every imaginable game possible.  My little man has turned the kitchen cabinets into "his garage".  And, my teenager sleeps most of the day away and keeps up with her pals through text messaging and facebook...

And, so finally we welcomed school again...on Friday morning.  The day of our school-wide behavior award... a sock hop... and then, of course, valentine's parties.  We did manage to get SOME lessons under our belts for the day.  And, I'll have to admit, the valentine's festivities were enjoyable.

I can only hope that next week begins on-time, Monday morning, and ends as scheduled, on Friday afternoon, with five full days of instruction despite the weatherman's prediction...2-3 more inches of snow Sunday night!  Hmmmph....will the sunshine and spring ever return????  We'll keep you posted.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Thursday's Thought

This thought comes after many days of wintry weather, below normal temps, and no school...

anxiously awaiting
SUNSHINE...
and warmth
and shadows
and green
and blooms
anticipating days with
no white, fluff
no accessories to insulate
no shivers
no pale, colorless nature


Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Wednesday's Website

According to the mascot Alphabot, this particular website is for the "Younger Humanoids"!  I love this site.  I'm BIG on developing vocabulary and am always looking for FUN and engaging ways to practice.  Vocabulary is of utmost importance for children to develop comprehension.  In order to make definitions more grade appropriate for my students, I've used this site to simplify the definitions of many vocabulary words.  This site also offers lots of activities, see below...

~Build Your Own Dictionary
~Daily Buzzword
~Games of ALL sorts
~and, an Educators area

Students can even search for RHYMING words and SYNONYMS in a THESAURUS!  Click on the title above to check it out!


Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Tuesday's Tip

7-up Sentences
Teaching elementary students to be writers is a challenging task.  I have my students writing "something" everyday...in their journal, classbook pages, spelling word stories, vocabulary word sentences, and the like.  Many times, especially when we first begin writing, the students' sentences are very simple and uninteresting...
"I have a cat." 
"I like pizza."
or
"I can play."

To give my seven and eight year olds an incentive to write longer, more interesting sentences...I display an empty 7-up soda bottle!  Then, I explain that the 7-up bottle is our little reminder to ALWAYS write a sentence with 7 or more words...which makes 7-up sentences.

"I have an old cat that sleeps on my pillow." (10 words)
"My family eats pizza every Friday night." (7 words)
or
"I can play games with my dad." (7 words)

This has worked tremendously well for my students.  Give it a try and come back to let me know if it worked for you.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Monday's Moment

Okay...it's your turn!  I happened to have a VERY SMOOTH Monday.  I even got to run a couple of errands with no rush since school was delayed two hours.  So, it's your turn to share your Monday Moment in the comments section below.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Special Days for February 7-13th

Tuesday, February 8th is Toothache Day.
What a great day to discuss dental health!  
Since elementary students are loosing teeth very often,
celebrate this day as a means of promoting healthy habits
to PREVENT those toothaches!
Here are some tips:

1. Click here to view some "tooth" books at my Amazon aStore.

2.  Visit A to Z Teacher Stuff for a poem, a chant, a game, and other engaging activities.

3. Teaching Heart has a unit dedicated to dental health.
I especially like the first activity titled "Acid Attack".

4. Invite a dental hygienist to come and teach a lesson on brushing and flossing!

5.  Have students keep a graph to record a week of teeth brushing!

6. Just found this offer - free Burt's Bees trial size fluoride toothpaste.
I'm sure there are many more resources and activities out there.  And, well you probably already have a tried and true activity!  I would love for you to share!!


Wednesday, February 9th is Umbrella Day.
I never knew there was an Umbrella day!  This would be a great day to begin a unit on weather and the water cycle, especially since Springtime is just around the corner.  Or, just keep it simple for now and invite each student to bring an umbrella to school for an umbrella parade.  Maybe the meteorologist will forecast some rain that day!  Students can also design their own umbrella and enter an "Umbrella Design Contest".  If you engage in this "Special Day" with your class, please come back and share !




Friday, February 12th is Abraham Lincoln's Birthday.
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday Mr. Lincoln,
Happy Birthday to you!

It's another birthday party!!!  President's Day is coming on Monday, February 15th and some school systems may be closed for the day.  However, celebrating Mr. Lincoln's birthday would be a great way to end the week, yet begin learning about his great contribution to equality!  Here is a list of resources.

*Go to Danielle's Place of Arts and Crafts for writing activities and bulletin board displays.

*Click here for an activity packed unit using the book, Just Like Abraham Lincoln.

*Go to my Amazon aStore for a list of 13 books about Abraham Lincoln.

*Here is a craft activity for older students.

*The Enchanted Learning site has an abundance of resources.
Some are free, but some require you to obtain a membership before printing.

*Presidential Food Fun - Abe Lincoln's log cabin from pretzels!

Friday, February 5, 2010

Friday's Finale

Today went surprisingly well, laryngitis and all!  The group effort worked out nicely.  We started on next week's scheduled reading story, worked on an Alpha-Blocks activity involving adjectives, shared trade books, and became familiar with comparison math stories.  I was able to teach at a VERY LOW volume after our lunch break.  I was very impressed with my "little people".

So a finale already...and this week just began yesterday!  The improvisation was a success.  Believe it or not, more snow is in our forecast this weekend...ugh.

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Thursday, February 4, 2010

Thursday's Thought

Today's thought originates from an impending case of laryngitis...ugh!  Yeah - so how am I going to teach tomorrow?  We are 8 snow days behind...I need to teach my heart out!  And, just where was this laryngitis when we were at home in our pjs?  Hmmmmm...

Think...Pooh...think...









This isn't the first time this has happened.  The many other times I've simply taught right through it for weeks.  But, I don't think that's going to be possible this time since I'm nearly mute at this point.  Here's my plan...I will enlist an outgoing student as leader for the day.  That student will take over my parts in our regular routine.  We will introduce our new reading story using our CD.  Students will spend time with partners, in groups, and independently working hands-on activities to reinforce and ultimately apply our newest learning.  Maybe...just maybe I can take my group to my teacher neighbor and have a Math, Science, or Social Studies lesson.  We may even venture to the computer lab for some online learning games.

Whatever the outcome the day will be successful.  According to Paul Simon, "Improvisation is too good to leave to chance."  I can't allow tomorrow to be a chance for my kids to learn...I'll have to improvise to make the learning meaningful.


Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Wednesday's Website

Frugal Living Websites and Blogs
I've labeled this week as MONEY SAVING WEEK, so Wednesday's Website(s) are links to sites and blogs chocked full of ways to save money.  I'm having too much fun learning to save, save, save, that I have to share.  And, we all know a teacher's salary is NOT terrible, but IS rather skimpy.  Because of my recent independent educational experience of reading about couponing until my eyes bugged out of my head...I managed to get a $369 grocery bill down to $192 ($18 of which was tax) - that was a savings of $177!!!!  Go ahead...start your new adventure by visiting the sites below.  This is just to get you started.  There are MANY more.  If you happen upon a good one while adventuring to the bank with your saved cash...please, let me know!  Maybe money really CAN grow on trees...



Tuesday's Tip


I'm a day late with Tuesday's Tip...sorry.  Late evening grocery shopping and a mad baby.  By the time that eventful scenario was over...exhaustion hit.

We haven't been at school since Thursday of last week.  And, it's not looking too promising for a full day tomorrow.  Tuesday's Tip this week is for the teachers out there who want to, need to, or just plain enjoy SAVING MONEY!

One of my "new leaves" I turned over for 2010 involves finding ways to save money.  Since we have four children that keep us busy, my career teaching is a full time job, and my husband has a full time job...neither of us have time or the want to for another part time job to bring in a little more cash.  So, recently I've done hours of research learning about "couponing".  In the past, my weekly grocery run was to get what I "HAD" to have for fast breakfasts, on-the-go lunches, and family dinners.  Coupons and sales were out of the question...I didn't have time for that!  After reviewing our expenses for 2009, I was shocked...something had to be done to lower our grocery and household supply bills.

I'm going to be honest...getting groceries takes MUCH longer now.  In fact, I prefer going shopping late in the evening when other shoppers are already at their humble abodes.  Last night, my husband had the honors of helping.  After 2 hours of calculating costs, locating coupons, filling our buggy to the brim, and getting more reusable bags from the car...we checked out.  Much to my surprise, the food and toiletries rang up to ONLY $192.  Now, that sounds like A LOT!  Well, considering I had loaded up TWO carts with EIGHT reusable bags...the grocery trip was a great success!  And, I got an even bigger surprise when I examined my receipt...we had actually saved $177!

My husband had a really hard time understanding that we could purchase something even if we DIDN'T NEED it at the moment.  For example, we bought 12 packages of cheese...well, we don't need 12 packages of cheese at the moment.  However, I only paid $1 each for them because of a store special and coupons.  So, in reality I only paid $12 instead of $40.  Now, that's savings!

There are numerous sites you can visit to learn about couponing.  One of my favorites is the one I have listed in the sidebar, Money Saving Mom.  She posts ideas and links to other sites.  Give it a try!  In our tough economy and our low salaries, EVERY teacher can benefit!



Monday, February 1, 2010

This Blog Needs Some...

FOLLOWERS!

I would like to expand this blog!  I'm thoroughly enjoying keeping up with it.  It is a lot of work, but I'm learning so much and am accessing so many new ideas that's it's almost addicting!

Here's a challenge...I would like to obtain AT LEAST 10 followers and 10 subscribers this month.  For the first 10 followers and 10 subscribers, I would like to offer a small giveaway as a token of my appreciation.  I will personally make a classroom set of bookmarks for you and your students.  Your name will be chosen by one of my very own little apes!

Please leave a comment to this post AFTER you become a follower or a subscriber.  Be sure to tell me the grade you teach so the bookmarks can be made grade appropriate!  (But, don't leave your email for the world to see!)  Then, stay tuned!  I'll leave a post for the winner to contact me. 

Monday's Moment

Well...we are NOT in school because we ARE snowed in!  So, unfortunately...no Monday Moment.  Check out some of the scenes around my neck of the woods...

 
First, we had snow, then ice, then snow again...
which resulted in this.
Terrible for snowman building, but perfect for igloos.
That's our mission tomorrow!


 
Our first time sledding...
my little girls had NEVER seen this much snow!
Yeah - that's the road we are walking on...
it looks like a big white blanket.

This is the scene EVERYWHERE in town!
I was LUCKY to make it to town to use some expiring coupons.