Special Days for January 31st-February 6th

There are so many special days this week, you'll have a hard time choosing!

This week is National School Counseling Week.

 

Honestly, I didn't even know there was a set time of the year to honor our school counselors!  I'm glad to have discovered this and will be better prepared NEXT year.

We think we have tough jobs in the classroom.  Our school counselors touch EVERY student's life in our buildings!  We should take a special moment this week to express our appreciation for all their hard work.  Our counselors not only help students in time of emotional need, but high school counselors help teens plan a career path.  Their responsibilities are endless.

There is a free kit that can be ordered from the American School Counselor Association to help with a week long celebration.  Unfortunately, the "free shipping" promotion has passed.  Maybe this could be ordered for use NEXT year.

Here are several other ways to honor your school's counselor(s):

*Make a special announcement at the beginning of the week.

*Decorate the counselor's door with a "hero" theme.

*Each grade in the building order lunch for the counselor a different day each week.

*Every class take ONE rose to the counselor during their scheduled time.

*Talk to the principal about giving the counselor VIP parking for the week.

*Students can pen thank you notes and make a special delivery.

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Monday, February 1st is National Freedom Day.

 Discussing National Freedom Day is a great way to begin a unit on Black History Month.  This special day is in honor of the abolition of slavery so many years ago by President Abraham Lincoln.  Since discussions vary greatly on the learning age of every class, I've provided some informational links below.

~ Here is some information from timeanddate.com.

~Family Education has a page containing various links for all ages concerning African-American history.

~This page from The Library of Congress that contains more information and  a picture of President Harry S. Truman signing a bill proclaiming February 1st National Freedom Day

Make the day even more memorable...CeLeBrAtE with a bang...just like Independence Day!  After all, we do live in a nation of FREEDOM!

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Thursday, February 4th is Rosa Parks's Birthday.

Now, what is the BEST way to celebrate a birthday?  None other than with a birthday P...A...R...T...Y!  Of course, there would have to be lessons regarding Ms. Parks's importance in desegregation and equality.  After all, she is known as "The Mother of the Civil Rights Movement".

Begin the day by reading a book or two about Rosa Parks.  (Go to the Black History Month page at my Amazon aStore to view a list of books and resources about Rosa Parks.)  Then, follow up with a couple hands-on activities from the list below.

- Head on over to BrainPOP Jr. for some information and activities.
- Go to Education World for a printable activity, called "Rosa Parks Changed the Rules".
- Here is a coloring page from  Teacher Vision.  You must have a membership to access more than three printables.  However, there is a free trial.  This could be one of your three free printables.
- Click here for a site suitable for upper elementary and middle school students.
- Don't forget to check out Scholastic's resources.
- Finally, celebrate with a birthday party!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ROSA!

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Friday, February 5th is National Meteorologist's Day.

According to this article by Jim Allsopp, National "Weatherperson's" Day is to commemorate one of America's first weather observers, John Jeffries.  My students each have an several opportunities throughout the school year to be our "Classroom Meteorologist".  I incorporate this daily job into my Math Meeting Board routine.  Not only is "meteorologist" an awesome word for elementary school children to learn, but they also LOVE recording the daily weather on graphs and charts.  My "Classroom Meteorologist" reads the outside thermometer, helps the class count to that temperature on the demonstration thermometer, colors a piece of the bar graph based on his/her observations of the weather conditions, and changes a pie graph to match the bar graph.

So, how would a classroom celebrate this rather unique day?  For starters, if you don't already have a "Classroom Meteorologist", maybe now would be a great day to begin!  Next, this day can be an introduction to a science unit on weather.  Or, you could simply watch The Weather Channel with your students and help them discover aspects of a meteorologist's job.  Whatever way you celebrate this day, your students are sure to be interested!

Friday's Finale

We've once again ended with an abbreviated week because of snowy weather.  The local meteorologists are calling for upwards of 10 inches now.  Ugh... I'm certainly glad "Groundhog Day" is coming SOON!  Let's hope for a cloudy day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania so Punxsutawney Phil DOESN'T see his shadow.  I'm definitely ready for some warmth and sunshine.  My students are feeling the same.  They FINALLY got a recess outside before the snow and thoroughly enjoyed it.

How was your week?  Anyone enjoying sunshine?  Share with us your Friday Finale!

The 100th Day of School

...the 100th Day of School, oh yes, oh yes, it is the BEST...the 100th Day of School!  (Try that little jingle to the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell".)

 My students and I will be celebrating the 100th day next week during the first week of February.  I've already planned some exciting activities and the students can hardly wait!  This is always a great day to learn more about the number 100 and of course, to celebrate only 80 days of school left!  Go to carsondellosa.com to download a free 4-page booklet containing 100th day activities.

Here are several other activities I've successfully used in my classroom:

*100th day snack - Each student brings ONE snack item such as mini marshmallows, Goldfish crackers, M&Ms, Cookie Crisp cereal, Fruit Loops, raisins, etc. to share with classmates.  The students then take turns picking groups of snack items...25 pieces of 4 different items, 20 pieces of 5 different items, or 10 pieces of 10 different items.

*100th day project - Each child collects 100 of ONE particular object such as 100 beads, 100 noodles, 100 toothpicks, 100 buttons, etc.  They glue them on a piece of posterboard in the same groups mentioned above.  They can even choose a "theme" to draw for their posterboard such as 100 stars grouped in colors in space above the Earth, or 100 noodles in groups of 25 in 4 bowls of "soup", or even 100 gumballs grouped in colors inside a gumball machine.

*Write a "googol"plex...the number 1 with a googol of zeroes after it...this one is NOT easy with 2nd grade, but a blast.  They didn't realize numbers just keep going and going!

*100th day writing - "If I had 100 ____, I would ____!"  Have the students complete this on a sentence strip to share, then hang up.

*100th day necklace - Using yarn, students string 100 Fruit Loops, Cheerios, beads, pasta, etc., or a combination of the items in specified groups.

*100th day exercise - Students work out the wiggles with 100 jumping jacks, 100 skips, 100 ups and downs, 100 claps, 100 snaps, etc.  If the weather permits, take this wiggle time OUTSIDE!  Or, do a combination throughout the day to equal 100.

*100th day books: (Click here for my 100th day Amazon aStore)
- One Hundred Hungry Ants
- G is for Googol
- Miss Bindergarten Celebrates the 100th Day
- 100th Day Worries
- Ready, Freddy! The One Hundredth Day of School
- Fancy Nancy: The 100th Day of School
- Jake's 100th Day of School
- 100 School Days

*100th day Grammar - Depending on which part of speech you are studying...you can have students locate 100 nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc. and make an individual list or a class poster.  This activity will take the entire week of the 100th day.  Take a few moments after reading a particular text or book and have students search for the nouns, verbs, or adjectives.

*100th day Measurement - Most schools have tile floors.  They are usually 1'x1' tiles.  Students can count 100 tiles down a long hallway and discover the length of 100 feet!


There's a GOOGOL of other sites with 100th day activities, including printables.  How do you celebrate the 100th day with your students?  Please share in the comments below!!

More Snow Day Fun - Snow Cream...Yum!

 SNOW CREAM

So we are out for snow...well, guess it's time for some more snow day fun.  My girls have already asked to make more "Tortilla Snowflakes" from the last snow day.  Since we are supposed to get upwards of 4 inches of snow, I've got a hankerin' for some good old fashioned Snow Cream!  I've located several online recipes.  So, if you are in a snow-covered area, check them out and give it a whirl.  If you don't have snow near you...just pack a small bag, hop in the car, and drive until you find some!  Don't forget to bring along your Snow Cream ingredients.  Please come back and share your Snow Cream yummies or a recipe of your own!

*Click here for Allrecipes.com Snow Ice Cream II recipe.

*Click here for Cooks.com Snow Ice Cream recipe.

*Click here for another Cooks.com Snow Ice Cream recipe.

*Click here for a Cooks.com Snow Ice Cream recipe that includes raw eggs for a little protein.

*This Snow Cream from foodnetwork.com  really sounds tasty with sweetened condensed milk!

Thursday's Thought

Thought for today...NEVER get an inexperienced substitute for your classroom no matter how desperate...

I'm not sure I even need to elaborate, but my recent experience with a substitute was no less than disastrous.  It's amazing how seven and eight year old children just know how to show their worst side when a fresh substitute takes over for a day.  As a result of the "junglized" behavior, I placed my unruly monkeys under classroom arrest today in hopes of making an impression upon the importance of "BEEing Responsible", one of our school rules.  I later overheard one of my rather wild monkeys say, "Yeah, classroom arrest is no fun, either!"

Please post any thoughts you have for today in the comment section below.

Wednesday's Website

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where teachers buy & sell original and used teaching materials

and make teaching an even more rewarding experience."

 

If you haven't checked out this site, you've got to click here and go now!  Sign up is free and you can begin to buy materials you find useful and/or sell your own original created works.  There is even a martketplace full of used items that others are trying to sell.  Maybe you create many of your own worksheets, projects, and/or templates.  You can now offer those for sale to others.  Go now and learn more.  This could be a steady part-time income for all you creators out there!