Meet Edgar Eraser. This is a LARGE eraser from Michaels Craft Store. You can also use a small eraser, or you as the teacher can have a large eraser, and your students can make the small ones to take home. I have Edgar living in a pencil box when he is introduces. He does have the plastic E on his front, and the sign on the back. I leave all of the other objects in the pencil box.
Meet Edgar Eraser. This is a LARGE eraser from Michaels Craft Store. You can also use a small eraser, or you as the teacher can have a large eraser, and your students can make the small ones to take home. I have Edgar living in a pencil box when he is introduces. He does have the plastic E on his front, and the sign on the back. I leave all of the other objects in the pencil box.
Coffee Can Candy, wears a crown, and a cape. Her nose is made out of the letter C. She does have googly eyes, eyelashes, and a mouth. Her cape has all items that start with "C". There is also a sign language C on the can, and a plastic C hidden.
Meet Brenda Broom. She is actually made from a broom, and a brown paper sack. Place the brown paper sack over the broom. She has black hair, and a bow on top. She has a scarf, and I have recently added beads to her neck. All of her "B" items are glued to the handle of the broom. She has blue eyes, and is very beautiful! make sure you add your sign letter picture, and the plastic "B" to her stick.
The teacher can actually wear Allie Apron around while studying the letter. I like this apron, because her face is a pocket, so I can keep "A" objects in the pocket that I DO NOT have on my apron. She has hair, 2 eyes, a nose, a mouth, and objects that begin with the letter "A". There is also the sign picture for "A" and a plastic letter A for the students to find! Students will LOVE Allie Apron!
Sometimes I have students bring old socks to use for erasers when we use dry erase markers. For this idea, you glue pom pom balls on the end of the markers, so children OR YOU can erase!
This is a "teacher apron" This really helps when you are doing activities all over the classroom. It has a pocket you can pull objects from to play games, or it can hold glue, tape, or a pointer. It also have velcro at the top, so it can be used to retell a story or to practice numbers, letters etc. This apron was purchased at Bed Bath and Beyond. It is long and perfect for having lots of work room.
Children love to retell stories, and follow along while the teacher tells a story. This felt box can be used in a reading center, or in a small group. Go to pizza hut or a pizza place and ask for whatever size of box you want. Tell them you are teacher and they will usually give them to you for free! Line the box with felt pieces, I got these from Hobby Lobby, and children will spend hours retelling or following along with stories you or their peers share!
Box Felt Boards. These felt boards can be made out of shoe boxes, pizza boxes, or any box you find. Glue felt to the box, and the entire thing becomes a felt board. Much cheaper than buying each child an individual felt board to use. Great for letters and spelling, or math games.
This is a fun idea. I have an Old Mother Hubbard puppet and I made put the poem on a piece of construction paper, with a cubbard on it. The cubbard opens and the children have to guess what is inside so you put: And so the poor dog had: whatever the picture is. (it is Captain Crunch :) )
The teacher and the children collect environmental print. The teacher puts the books together in several ways, as shown. You can have children bring their favorite thing to eat and incorporate sight words such as LIKE, or talk about what they had for lunch etc. Children can identify and read environmental print!
Go on a fall walk and find pinecones. Add fun feathers (let children decide on the colors they want) and add googly eyes and a small orange nose. The nose can also be a pom pom.
Must Be Autumn: (sung to tune of "London Bridge")
Nuts and acorns, squirrels do hunt,
Squirrels do hunt, squirrels do hunt.
Nuts and acorns, squirrels do hunt.
It must be autumn!
Must Be Autumn: (sung to tune of "London Bridge")
Nuts and acorns, squirrels do hunt,
Squirrels do hunt, squirrels do hunt.
Nuts and acorns, squirrels do hunt.
It must be autumn!
Go on a leaf hunt and take fun hole punches. Put them in your art center and let children punch away!
Stone Soup! This book is so fun. Read it several times in a week. These are props from the book, but you can ALSO bring a real pot, laddle, etc. AND make stone soup at the end of the week.
November is a great time to read Stone Soup!
Begin planning a Thanksgiving Feast! I had a Thanksgiving Feast in my classroom. I sent home letters with the students asking parents to sign up for things such as plates, napkins, cups, drinks, pumpkin pie, etc. We had so much fun, and I had a lot of parent involvement!
The following recipe works great!
Beef Chuck Roast, Cubed
2-3 strips of bacon
At least three of the folowing fresh vegetables Students can decide:
Tomatoes
Carrots
Corn
Potatoes
Green
beans
Pepers
Okra, Squash,
Onion
Cook the bacon in a large pot, put it aside and brown the onion in the bacon fat.
Add the beef, and stir until it is browned on all sides.
Transfer all to a crock pot, add two cups of water, and let cook (decide what vegetables you are putting in)
Prepare the vegetables and add to pot
Let the soup cook for 2-3 hours
Serve with crackers.
You may need to do some of these steps before you get to school
November is a great time to read Stone Soup!
Begin planning a Thanksgiving Feast! I had a Thanksgiving Feast in my classroom. I sent home letters with the students asking parents to sign up for things such as plates, napkins, cups, drinks, pumpkin pie, etc. We had so much fun, and I had a lot of parent involvement!
The following recipe works great!
Beef Chuck Roast, Cubed
2-3 strips of bacon
At least three of the folowing fresh vegetables Students can decide:
Tomatoes
Carrots
Corn
Potatoes
Green
beans
Pepers
Okra, Squash,
Onion
Cook the bacon in a large pot, put it aside and brown the onion in the bacon fat.
Add the beef, and stir until it is browned on all sides.
Transfer all to a crock pot, add two cups of water, and let cook (decide what vegetables you are putting in)
Prepare the vegetables and add to pot
Let the soup cook for 2-3 hours
Serve with crackers.
You may need to do some of these steps before you get to school
Fun Turkey! Again! Paint samples like these are FREE at Wal-Mart, and probably all paint stores! Go get some and make a fun turkey! His body is a toilet paper roll. Paint it, add eyes and a nose, and you have a fun turkey!
Turkey Treats
Oreo Cookie for the middle
Three pretzels for each cookie
Candy Corn for nose
Almond bark to drench the pretzels and Oreo in.
After dipping cookie and pretzels lay together on a flat surface and everything should stick.
You can use whatever you want for the eyes!
Oreo Cookie for the middle
Three pretzels for each cookie
Candy Corn for nose
Almond bark to drench the pretzels and Oreo in.
After dipping cookie and pretzels lay together on a flat surface and everything should stick.
You can use whatever you want for the eyes!
Here are some fun Pretzel turkeys you can make with your children/students! Have fun!
Be thinking about having a Harvest Dinner with your class. I am going to be posting some ideas! I had a Thanksgiving Dinner each year with my class, and it was so much fun!
Be thinking about having a Harvest Dinner with your class. I am going to be posting some ideas! I had a Thanksgiving Dinner each year with my class, and it was so much fun!
This one of my VERY favorite things to do for Veteran's Day! This flag outside the classroom, or by the office at the front of the classroom is so fun! They are made from children's hands! They can even cut the hands out, it makes it even better!
Happy Veteran's Day! Thank you to everyone who has given time and their life to help!
Happy Veteran's Day! Thank you to everyone who has given time and their life to help!
Pumpkin Pie in a Baggie! So yummy, so fun, and teaching children following direction skills. Or if you are at home, make this as a family after supper tonight! :)
Pumpkin Pie in a Baggie
(25 students)
One gallon zip freezer baggie
2 2/3 cup cold milk
2 packages instant vanilla pudding mix
one can (15 ounces) solid-pack purepumpkin
One teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
gram cracker crumbs
25 small cups
one can whipped topping
25 spoons
Combine the milk and instantpudding in the bag
Remove the air from the bag and seal
Squeeze and knead with hands until the mixture is blended-about one minute
Add the pumpkin, cinnamon, and ginger
Remove the air and seal the bag
Knead again about 2 minutes
Place 1/2 tablespoon gram cracker crumbs in the bottom of the small cups
Cut the corner of the freezer bag and squeeze pie filling into cups
Top with whipped cream
ENJOY
Pumpkin Pie in a Baggie
(25 students)
One gallon zip freezer baggie
2 2/3 cup cold milk
2 packages instant vanilla pudding mix
one can (15 ounces) solid-pack purepumpkin
One teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
gram cracker crumbs
25 small cups
one can whipped topping
25 spoons
Combine the milk and instantpudding in the bag
Remove the air from the bag and seal
Squeeze and knead with hands until the mixture is blended-about one minute
Add the pumpkin, cinnamon, and ginger
Remove the air and seal the bag
Knead again about 2 minutes
Place 1/2 tablespoon gram cracker crumbs in the bottom of the small cups
Cut the corner of the freezer bag and squeeze pie filling into cups
Top with whipped cream
ENJOY
Read Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert. Go on a leaf hunt and build your own leaf man! This book is so fun, and making a leaf man is too!
Lovely Leaves
(Sung to the tune of "When the Saints Go Marching In")
Oh, when the leaves turn red and brown,
Oh, when the leaves turn red and brown,
Then I know the season is autumn
When the leaves turn red and Brown!
Oh, When the leaves come floating down,
Oh, when the leaves come floating down,
Then I know the season is autumn
When the leaves come floating down!
Lovely Leaves
(Sung to the tune of "When the Saints Go Marching In")
Oh, when the leaves turn red and brown,
Oh, when the leaves turn red and brown,
Then I know the season is autumn
When the leaves turn red and Brown!
Oh, When the leaves come floating down,
Oh, when the leaves come floating down,
Then I know the season is autumn
When the leaves come floating down!
A typical day for pilgrim children would include many chores, such as fetching water and firewood, and caring for animals and younger children. A chore done by many children was churning butter. Butter was made by skiming the cream from milk and stirring it in a butter churn until the butter fat separted in clumps from the rest of the cream.
Let your students make butter in a cup, and then eat it!
Pasteurized heavy whipping cream at room temp. (one pint for 18-20 students)
Condiment cups with lids (clear containers work the best)
Container for pouring off buttermilk
Fill condiment container about 1/2 full of whipping cream and fasten lid securely.
Tell studens to shake horizontally to prevent leakage
Warn students to keep lid ON container until the butter is ready
Keep the container moving at all times
Have students pour the liquid off the butter into a container.
Provide crackers or pretzels for students to enjoy their butter.
Rhyme for students to chant:
Butter, butter, shake, shake, shake,
Mary's waiting at the gate
Mary's waiting for
her cake
Butter, Butter, Shake, Shake, Shake
Let your students make butter in a cup, and then eat it!
Pasteurized heavy whipping cream at room temp. (one pint for 18-20 students)
Condiment cups with lids (clear containers work the best)
Container for pouring off buttermilk
Fill condiment container about 1/2 full of whipping cream and fasten lid securely.
Tell studens to shake horizontally to prevent leakage
Warn students to keep lid ON container until the butter is ready
Keep the container moving at all times
Have students pour the liquid off the butter into a container.
Provide crackers or pretzels for students to enjoy their butter.
Rhyme for students to chant:
Butter, butter, shake, shake, shake,
Mary's waiting at the gate
Mary's waiting for
her cake
Butter, Butter, Shake, Shake, Shake
Small Paper Plate
Clothes pins
Paint
Googly eyes
Paint the paper plate (when dry cut into two triangles)
Paint the clothespins
When dry clip clotes pins to the paper plate, add eyes!
Clothes pins
Paint
Googly eyes
Paint the paper plate (when dry cut into two triangles)
Paint the clothespins
When dry clip clotes pins to the paper plate, add eyes!
Here a Leaf, There a Leaf
Sung to "Old MacDonald had a Farm"
Oh, in autumn gentle winds
Blow the leaves around.
They fall softly from the trees,
Floating to the gound.
With a Red leaf here and a Yellow leaf there,
Here a leaf, there a leaf, everywhere a fall leaf.
Lots of leaves are all around
On the autumn ground!
Sung to "Old MacDonald had a Farm"
Oh, in autumn gentle winds
Blow the leaves around.
They fall softly from the trees,
Floating to the gound.
With a Red leaf here and a Yellow leaf there,
Here a leaf, there a leaf, everywhere a fall leaf.
Lots of leaves are all around
On the autumn ground!
This is one of my VERY favorite books that I read when I taught Pre-School, it is funny, and the students love it! It would go great with the turkey handprint!
Of course when I think of November I think of things I am thankful for, and the people in my life that have made it better! I also think of THANKSGIVING! What a yummy day :) In my blog post today, I have posted some other fun days to celebrate in your classroom this month!
My idea for today is to make a handprint turkey. These are so fun to make and laminate for the children to hang in their home!
Directions:
Paint the child's palm and thumb brown. Then each finger is painted a different color of your choice.
My idea for today is to make a handprint turkey. These are so fun to make and laminate for the children to hang in their home!
Directions:
Paint the child's palm and thumb brown. Then each finger is painted a different color of your choice.
October 31, 2013
Read J is for Jack-O-Lantern, and by the way, my Classroom mascot is a Jack-O-Lantern! Look for Classroom Mascots under the pull down at the top under more. Then carve a Jack with your students! This is such a fun experience for all! Make sure to take pictures! Count the seeds! Bake the Seeds! Eat the seeds!
Vote for the eyes, nose and mouth!
Read for your students:
This is a pumpkin/jack-o-lantern paper cutting activity. I suggest you do the activity and read the story to the students first and then let them practice!
Once upon a time a very small witch was walking in the woods. The cold wind was blowing the dry leaves all around her. The little witch was frantically searching for a house for the winter. She could not find one. Suddenly a piece of Orange paper, blown by the wind landed at her feet. She picked it up. The little witch looked closely at the paper and then she said, "I shall make myself a little house from this piece of orange paper." She folded the paper in half. Then she took her scissors (she always carried a pair in her pocket) and cut off the two corners to make a roof. (Cut the construction paper as the story indicates). "This will do just fine," she said as she looked at her new house. "But I will need a door." With her scissors she cut a door. Since witches always wear pointed hats, she cut a special door. (Cut a rectangle shape with one end pointed up more towards the bottom of the folded edge.) The little witch walked through the door into the little orange house. It was very dark inside. She quickly hurried back out. "I will need to make windows to let in the light," said the little witch. She cut a front and back window. (Cut a square shape in the top middle of the paper opposite end of the paper than the door. Cut through both sides of the paper.) Oh, it was a very fine looking house. Her very own little house with a roof, a door, and windows was all finished. But just as the little witch started to go inside for the winter, she saw a tiny ghost floating down the wind swept path. As the tiny ghost came to a stop near the little house, the little witch saw that she was crying. "Why are you crying?" asked the little witch. The tiny ghost stopped crying and answered, "It is cold and windy. It is getting dark. And I have no place to spend the winter." "You may spend the winter with me in my new house," said the kind little witch. "Oh, thank you, " the happy tiny ghost said as she peeked in through the window. "This is a very nice house." "First," said the witch, "I will need to make you a little door of your very own." She took her scissors again and began to cut. She cut a very tiny door. (Cut a triangle on the folded edge of the paper between the big door and the window. Make the longer part of the triangle point up) The two happy new friends went inside. The tiny ghost went in the very little door, and the little witch went through her own special door. All winter long they lived happily together inside the little orange house. If you want to see inside their little orange house, just open your piece of paper and Surprise! The kids really love to see that the house is really a jack o lantern! They'll want to hear this story again and again.
Vote for the eyes, nose and mouth!
Read for your students:
This is a pumpkin/jack-o-lantern paper cutting activity. I suggest you do the activity and read the story to the students first and then let them practice!
Once upon a time a very small witch was walking in the woods. The cold wind was blowing the dry leaves all around her. The little witch was frantically searching for a house for the winter. She could not find one. Suddenly a piece of Orange paper, blown by the wind landed at her feet. She picked it up. The little witch looked closely at the paper and then she said, "I shall make myself a little house from this piece of orange paper." She folded the paper in half. Then she took her scissors (she always carried a pair in her pocket) and cut off the two corners to make a roof. (Cut the construction paper as the story indicates). "This will do just fine," she said as she looked at her new house. "But I will need a door." With her scissors she cut a door. Since witches always wear pointed hats, she cut a special door. (Cut a rectangle shape with one end pointed up more towards the bottom of the folded edge.) The little witch walked through the door into the little orange house. It was very dark inside. She quickly hurried back out. "I will need to make windows to let in the light," said the little witch. She cut a front and back window. (Cut a square shape in the top middle of the paper opposite end of the paper than the door. Cut through both sides of the paper.) Oh, it was a very fine looking house. Her very own little house with a roof, a door, and windows was all finished. But just as the little witch started to go inside for the winter, she saw a tiny ghost floating down the wind swept path. As the tiny ghost came to a stop near the little house, the little witch saw that she was crying. "Why are you crying?" asked the little witch. The tiny ghost stopped crying and answered, "It is cold and windy. It is getting dark. And I have no place to spend the winter." "You may spend the winter with me in my new house," said the kind little witch. "Oh, thank you, " the happy tiny ghost said as she peeked in through the window. "This is a very nice house." "First," said the witch, "I will need to make you a little door of your very own." She took her scissors again and began to cut. She cut a very tiny door. (Cut a triangle on the folded edge of the paper between the big door and the window. Make the longer part of the triangle point up) The two happy new friends went inside. The tiny ghost went in the very little door, and the little witch went through her own special door. All winter long they lived happily together inside the little orange house. If you want to see inside their little orange house, just open your piece of paper and Surprise! The kids really love to see that the house is really a jack o lantern! They'll want to hear this story again and again.
