December Celebration

 Dream Snow by Eric Carle

It's December 24th and the old farmer settles down for a winter's nap, wondering how Christmas can come when there is no snow.  It is in his dream that he imagines a snowstorm coming and covering him and his animals in a snowy blanket.  But . . . the story doesn't end there.

 Countdown Calendar Book Basket: Here's a great countdown to Christmas activity that doesn't cost any money and doesn't involve . . .  chocolate! Wrap Christmas books (use the ones you already have, everyone likes to hear an "old friend" at Christmas time) in Christmas paper and place them in a basket or box. Unwrap and read a book each day.  When the basket starts getting empty, students will be able to see that the holiday is almost here! 

 

"Baking" Cookies: Sight Word Recognition: What's the secret to these cookies: Play dough! Write sight words on cards. Have students roll out the play dough and use alphabet cookie cutters to cut out the letters that spell frequently used sight words.



Mystery Gift: Invented Spelling: Shake, guess and write. Those are the surprisingly simple directions for this activity. Choose items like pencils or bouncy balls, legos, marbles, etc. and put several of the same item in a medium sized box. Wrap the box (or several boxes) in bright colored wrapping paper. Students choose a box (if more than one), shake it, guess what's inside and write their guess on the box. At the end of the day, use the invented spellings for a large group mini-lesson, then open the box and see if anyone guess what was inside.  Put new "gifts" in the box each day.

 

The Gingerbread Man Class Book: Read your students a few different versions of the classic Gingerbread Man story and lead them in a comparison of the stories. Work on comprehension by having students retell the the story, then add their own different text and endings for inclusion in a class book. Thanks Jennifer Vasquez and the Kindergarten students at Wasatch Elementary School in Salt, Lake City, Utah for sharing your class book with me.





Five Senses of Christmas: Science Center: The Christmas holiday season lends itself nicely to a Discovery or Science Center featuring the Five Senses.  Put out different items for children to taste and smell. For example: scented flavorings, smelly stickers, peppermint candies, fresh cranberries. Also include different textures to feel and items to examine under a magnifying glass.  Add some Christmas cards that play a song or make a sound when opened.  For that all important Literacy connection, have students draw and write about their experiences at the Five Senses Center in a Discovery Journal. 



 Service Learning Project: Christmas is a time of giving so December is a perfect time to conduct a food or clothing drive for needy families.

Stained Glass Mosaics: Art Project: Students place a sheet of overhead plastic on top of a simple Christmas picture.  Using the picture underneath as a template, they color the plastic with vibrantly colored markers. Cut the colored plastic picture and a piece of aluminum foil to be the same size as the inside of a colored paper or plastic plate. Students "scrunch" the foil so that it fits into their fists. Unfold, smooth gently and glue in the center of the paper place.  Glue the colored plastic picture over the tin foil for a stained glass look. 3D Art Murals: See how a large cardboard box can become a work of art! Cover a large box (a refrigerator box is ideal, but any large box will do) with butcher paper.  Put an outline of a house, Christmas tree, mode of transportation, etc. on each side of the box.  Each day allow students to use different materials to add to the mural. For example:  Monday, they might add paint.  Tuesday, fabric scraps. Wednesday, old greeting cards cut up and glue on . . .  You get the idea!  

 



Celebrate Winter hoidays with a Book Party.  Make a Hibernation Hut (see directions below) and a Reading Igloo.  Yes, the Reading Igloo IS made out of empty milk containers! Put battery operated votive candles in paper bags. Turn out the lights so everyone can hibernate and read some good Winter themed books.

Hibernation Hut: Turn a simple card table into a place for your young students to read and . . .  hibernate! Measure the top and height of your card table and buy enough simple material to cover your table from the top to the floor.  Felt works exceptionally well because you can cut it and glue shapes on it, but you don't need to hem it.  Don't make this project too hard, a simple dark sheet draped over a card table would work just as well.  Put pillow blankets, stuffed bears and a variety of books about Winter, hibernation and bears into the hut.  This creates a warm, comfortable, semi-dark place for students to read and rest this Winter.  

Literacy: December Booklist

Snow and Ice, Holidays,Surprises, Christmas and . . .  BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS!

 

Dream Snow by Eric Carle

It's December 24th and the old farmer settles down for a winter's nap, wondering how Christmas can come when there is no snow. It is in his dream that he imagines a snowstorm coming and covering him and his animals in a snowy blanket. But . . .  the story doesn't end there. 

The Snowflake: A Water Cycle Story by Neil Waldman

Beautiful take on the water cycle as it follows a single drop of water throughout each month of the year.

 

The Night Before Christmas by Jan Brett

We all know how wonderful Jan Brett is so I know you'll love this traditional book that also includes a CD.

 

Winter's Tale: An Original Pop-Up Journey by Robert Sabuda

This book about the magic of winter has fantastic paper engineering, and breathtaking artwork with visuals of foil, glitter and a twinkling surprise. I saw a Robert Sabuda exhibit at the UMFA (Utah Museum of Fine Art) and it was unbelievable!  This man is a genius and he's really young!  I think he's still in his thirties!!

 

The Gingerbread Boy by Paul Galdone

Classic Folk Tale. The Gingerbread boy outruns a little old lady, a cow - even a field full of mowers.

 

Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson

One by one different animals and birds find their way out of the cold and into bear's cave. But Bear just snores on!  

 



Literacy- Identifying Beginning Sounds



 

 

Box It Up! - Identifying Beginning Sounds

To prepare this simple activity have students bring smallobjects or pictures of items that begin with the consonants you are reviewing. (Example: Mm - marble, markers, mitten, etc.) Place all the objects in the same container. Label empty shoe boxes with different consonants. Children take turns selecting an item/picture and placing it in the correct box. 



CLICK!

 

 

I presented a new session on digital photography at SDE's Nation I Teach K conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was called Digital Photography in the Classroom: A Click-by-Click Guide.

 

 



  I led the participants through many different ways to use photography as a teaching tool in kindergarten classrooms. I shared fun ideas for using both teacher and student generated photos in all areas of the curriculum.  Take a look at a few ideas! Now go try them out!

Things in Our Classroom - School Days 

For this learning game that will help your students spell out the names of everyday school items, you will need common items usually found in every classroom. Photograph the classroom items; a table, crayons, markers, pencils, stapler, paintbrushes, etc. Use a marker to print the name of each item below the matching photo. Place the photos, magnetic boards (or cookie sheets) and a container of magnetic letters at a learning station. Children spell out the names of the school items using the picture/word cards and the magnetic letters.  Extension: Students write the words.

 



 

 

Life cycle of a Butterfly - final stage

Students made the four stages of the development of a butterfly out of materials found in nature.  This particular "butterfly" was made out of wood scraps and tree "cookies."

 

Whenever students use "real" objects or items from nature, take a photograph of the final product and leave the natural items where they belong - in nature.  You can also take a picture when students don't want to put a finished puzzle or Lego creation away.  The photograph is a reminder of the finished product and lets students know their work is valued.


  

 

 Here's a great example of leave nature where you found it.  Children collected Fall leaves and other items from nature and made an "art exhibit" on the playground.  At the end of the day, pictures were taken, enlarged and displayed in the classroom while the objects from nature . . .  stayed where they belong!

 

 

  

November Celebrations

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Lola is a fussy eater. She won't eat carrots or mashed potatoes and she especially won't eat tomatoes. Or will she?




 

Fruits and Vegetables: Use the book Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert to discuss food groups, healthy eating and family celebrations.  The simple but colorful artwork inspires cut paper art projects and monoprinting.  For that all important Literacy connection combine art and writing to make books.  



We Are Thankful: After a classroom brainstorming session on "things we are thankful for" set up the easel with paper, paints and aprons and have each student paint something they are personally thankful for. Gather the paintings and label them with what each student is thankful for, leaving off the beginning sound. For example: I am thankful for my __ amily (f).  Display all the paintings on a magnetic white board and have the students add the missing beginning letter to each word with magnetic alphabet letters. At the end of the week, turn the easel paintings into a big book with a bag of alphabet letters included.

I Am Thankful: The brainstorming session can be extended into a writing/drawing activity. Have students trace their hands. On post it notes they draw/write about  things they are thankful for. Students can also draw pictures and write sentences on the same topic.  Cut the sentences apart, shuffle them and have students arrange the words to make the sentence.  Paste to the paper with the drawings.



Corn Graphs: Taste testing items made from corn promotes discussion about items made from corn and the importance of corn to the Pilgrims.  Graphs can also be used with the large group for counting and word problem lessons. This same type of taste test/graphing can be done with items made from apples such as apple chips, applesauce, apple juice, and raw apples.
Indian Corn Counting: Students glue the correct number of popcorn kernels in labeled shapes on construction paper corn patterns.



Veggie Prints: Have each child bring one vegetable from home and you'll have "plenty" for this art project.  Cut vegetables in half, set out colored construction paper, bowls of colorful paint and let students print with a variety of vegetables.  Set aside to dry. Have students cut a cornucopia (use a pattern) out of brown construction paper or have students draw a bowl or basket.  Students cut out their veggie prints and paste them "into" the cornucopia or bowl. FYI: Green peppers look like shamrocks!

Set the Table: You'll need to gather quite a few materials, but once you do this activity is good to go! You'll need paper plates, plastic knives, forks and spoons (or a cardboard template of these) for each child. Also, supply paper napkins, construction paper, food magazines, a circle template for a glass and a diagram of the proper way to set the table.  The last thing to do is cut lots and lots of different colored 1" squares. Have students use a 12" x 18" sheet of construction paper for their placemat.  Using the colored squares they create a pattern and glue it all the way around the outside edge of the placemat. Using the diagram, students glue the plate, napkin and silverware onto the placemat. Then students cut out a healthy Thanksgiving meal from food magazines and paste the foods in place on their plates.  All set for Thanksgiving!

Design Rollers: While viewing Native American art and discussing Native American culture, help students notice all the patterns used in their pottery, baskets and bead work.  Cardboard rolls ROCK and can be used to print on brown kraft paper or brown paper bags. Colored paper may also be used.  There are many ways to recreate patterns or make your own patterns for printing. Dip the roller ends in paint for a quick and easy way to add circles to your artwork. Manipulate the end of the tube into a heart or oval shape. Cover the cardboard roll with bubble wrap; add paint and you've got . . .  polka dots! Randomly glue string or plastic wrap around the roll.  Paint with one or more colors and print. Cut felt pads (Dr. Scholl's foot pads work great too!) into different shapes, glue on the cadboard roller and "roll" to create interesting patterns and designs. Cut the printed paper into bowl or basket shapes.  

Alphabet Feast: Assign each student a letter of the alphabet and have them bring to school a food item to share beginning with that letter. Children make a headband with the letter that corresponds to the food item they brought for the feast. Use student made placemats and ENJOY! (Special thanks to Mary Brooks Thompson and Judy Jardine from Beacon Heights Elementary School in Salt Lake City, Utah.) 

 

 

Family Tree: Great activity to do on the day the students retrun to school from Thanksgiving break. Students trace and cut out their handprints on green paper for each person who attended Thanksgiving dinner. Students turn their handprints into Evergreen trees.  Perfect activity to bridge the gap between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

 

 

 

Literacy: Sequencing Letters of the Alphabet: All In a Row

From Kindergartners At Work: -  Introducing the Super 6 - by Trish Saccomano and Kathy Bringhurst 

Literacy Activity: Sequencing Letters of the Alphabet: Drinking isn't the only use for Red Solo cups!Take those leftover cups from your Labor Day BBQ and using permanent black marker, label the sides with all the lower case letters of the alphabet.  Your students can arrange the cups in alphabetical order.  The cups can even be used to spell out simple words.

 

 

Don't have any leftover plastic cups? Use permanent marker for labeling or apply alphabet stickers to wooden shapes. 

 

Introducing Small Stations

 Small Stations are independent learning stations designed for one or two students.  They require limited teacher direction and take up very little space. 

 

Perfect for early finishers and ideal for differentiating instruction.  These Small Stations can be ordered through the website  www.kteducation.com for only $5.50.