New Year 2014

Hello Everyone!
I have had several requests to update my New Year unit for 2014.  While doing that, I decided to add a couple of things to go along with where we are in our curriculum.  I have added another poem/chant to help kids work on responding to rhythm, rhyme, and alliteration using voice and body, as well as written expression. 
I have also added a component practicing the hard and soft sounds of c and g. Oh! and there is a quick 2-d geometric figure activity. 
The unit ended up to be about 55 pages.  Here are a few pics.

For your free printable 2014 unit, celebrate and click here!

Or HERE for the 2015 version!! :)

Have a great week!!! 5 more days for us and then winter break!!

Joyfully!

Nancy

Sunny Sunny Day! (Objects in the sky)

Hello Everyone!

This week we spent a lot of time learning about the sun. Our science curriculum stresses learning about and observing the objects in the sky.  We learned some amazing facts about the sun through reading books and getting on PebbleGo.  We had some fun with some poetry and created a craft connection to go along with our poetry.  (I forgot how much fun finger painting can be!)  

Our Circle Thinking Map

Remember this song??

Brainstorming words for our poetry

Fingerpainting a sun

Writing our own poem around the sun

For your free printables and pics of the charts and craft connection, click here

Tomorrow we plan on measuring shadows. But I think it's going to be a rainy, rainy day. 
Next week?? The Mysterious Moon!  Stay tuned!!
Joyfully!
Nancy

Give Me Five!

Hello Everyone!
I love having time to rethink procedures and management details. So grateful for summer break!! :)
Today I worked on our "Give Me Five" attention grabber.  We use the age old symbol throughout our school, but I don't think kids always realize that they should be reading more into it than just raising their hands.  I put together a little chant to go with the whole idea.  Kids can still raise their hands holding up five fingers, but then as they are chanting, put fingers down and put hand on their hearts at the end.  I can't wait to try it!!

For your free printable, Give me 5 and click here! :)

Have a joyful day!!!

:)

Nancy

I wish, I wish, I wish

Hello Everyone!
Thanks for stopping by!  I wanted to share a little poetry activity we did today.  I wasn't really sure if it was going to be successful or not, but the kids proved me wrong.  These kids are amazing little writers and poets!  I decided to try writing chants today and to go along with the whole dandelion thing, I had the kids write about what they wished for.  I saw a similar idea on pinterest with a neat craft connection, so I can't take credit for the original idea.  I did have to change things up a bit, but I think it worked!!
First we brainstormed things that we wished for and created a chart to refer to later.  Then the kids wrote a rough draft with "I wish" at the beginning of each section of the chant.  We did some peer editting, and wrote a final piece. The fun part came next.  I traced each kiddo's profile on black paper. You should have heard the giggles!! :) They cut them out and glued them to a blue background. Then we created the dandelion in the seed stage with just sticks and yarn.  I think they turned out great!!  PHEW!

Me too!!! :)

For this printable click here.

Thanks for taking a peek!! Stop by again soon!
May all your wishes come true!
Joyfully!
Nancy