All Of Our Noses Are Here!

Hello Everyone!
We have 8 days left in the school year.  As I work on my End Of Year DVD for my sweeties, I can't help but realize that so many pictures I've captured this year are of my kids reading...noses in books!! I strive to incorporate as much "nose time" as I can throughout our learning day.  "Nose time" does not include teacher directed activities, reader's response activities, or worksheets! It includes kids with books in hands and noses in books! :) 60-90 minutes!  Research tells us that there is no substitute for real reading if we want our kids to grow as readers, writers, thinkers, talkers, and communicators!
 I also noticed that those noses were in lots of different comfortable places.  When you think about your own reading, you read best when you are comfortable. Right??? I love to snuggle up with a book in my oversized leather chair. (Or on a beach towel with my toes in the sand!) It is amazing how you can drift away with a book when you are comfortable!! I let my kids sit anywhere when reading independently. They do get creative!!
Today I'm sharing a couple of mini posters to help motivate you and your kids to have lots of "Nose Time!"

Click HERE for your 6 page unit of mini posters!

Reading in the tub!!!  Rub-a-dub-dub!

We love to read outside!!

 Any way you like it!!

Even under your desk!

Find your cozy spot and get your nose in a book!!

Joyfully!

Nancy

Oklahoma, you are in our hearts!

Popsicle Pizzazz!

Hello Everyone!
Wow! What a week!  I am so sorry I haven't posted in a while.  We had a huge musical production on Thursday evening which included a cast of our 100+ first graders. Each one had either a dancing or speaking part along with singing 5 songs.  It was spectacular! The support we had while working on this memorable event was amazing, and having an audience of over 400 guests (standing room only) was thrilling!! I will post some pics soon!! 
Right now I would love to share a fun, cool crosscurricular unit that can take you right into summer. It's all based on popsicles.  Here are a few pics from the 60 page free unit!

Table of Contents

Craft Connection

Five, Six Pick Up Sticks!

Strategy Game

Play a game called Popsicle Scramble!

4 poems with readers response opportunities

A set of 23 thinking challenge cards with a popsicle stick theme
to get your free 62 page downloadable printable of this cool unit, click HERE

I am so looking forward to the next 3 weeks with my little sweeties.  They have learned so much and have had a little fun along the way!!  Stay tuned for more updates!! Thanks for stopping by our little window on wonder!!
Joyfully!
Nancy

Special Delivery!

Hello Everyone!
Remember back when we celebrated the amazing book "What If You Had Animal Teeth?" While doing that unit, I happened upon the author, Sandra Markle's blog.  She was having a give away of  an autographed copy of her book. Guess what?!!  We got it!  We are absolutely in love with her book and have done some activities to go with it.  You can read about that.......HERE!!!!
Sandra is an amazing author who writes nonfiction books for kids.  They are engaging and have a purpose of teaching.  She has been all over the world studying animals, science, and the beauty the world has to offer.She has some great books in the works.  I can't wait!! Please check out her books and her blog.Click here for her blog!

special delivery!

A Sweet Letter, her book, and some book marks!

Thank you, Sandra Markle!!  We love you! We love your books!!

Have an amazing Mother's Day to all the moms out there!! I plan on celebrating my mom and enjoying my kids!!!
Thanks for stopping by for a peek!
Joyfully!
Nancy

Telling Time and Counting Coins Units

Hello Everyone!
I have had many e-mails asking if I have a telling time or a money unit available.  Well, as a matter of fact, I just reworked these two for use in the next couple of weeks. Here's a sneak peek into what is included in both units.

Here's a peek into the money unit

Click here for your free 57 page telling time unit

And click here for you 45 page money unit. It's free too! :)

Hope someone can use even a bit of these!  Enjoy! And have a great night!!

Joyfully!

Nancy

Inchworm Measurement

Hello Everyone!
We are deep into our measurement unit.  One activity we did this week was make our own worms and use them to measure.  After reading "Inch and a Half," and "Inch By Inch" we just had to!! I gave the kids a little pattern and they picked out the scrapbook paper they wanted to use to create their little worm.  Their next job was to pick out some things they wanted to measure in the room. We, of course, had already talked about appropriate things to measure with something as big as our worms.  They had to estimate before actually measuring.  I asked them to notice if their estimates were getting closer and closer as they went along. And....NO GAPS or OVERLAPS! :)

We then, of course, had to measure with sour and gummy worms.  Don't worry, Mom and Dad, they didn't get to eat the one they measured with!! :)  Some kids decided to create their own learning recording sheet.

I added the worm pattern and recording sheet to my measurement unit.  

You can get it here! Inch on over and click!!

Hope you're having a great weekend!!   They always go by way too fast!! 
Thanks for stopping by for a peek!
Joyfully!
Nancy