I Think Many of Us Can Relate

Have a Scavenger Hunt!

This activity worked great when I needed something for a substitute teacher to do, or on those days I wasn't feeling quite up to snuff. 

I took a classroom reader they had already finished and made a list of 10-12 words that could only be found on one specific page. For example, I might have chosen the word "wow" from this page. 

Assigning the children in groups, give each child a book, but the group gets one list of words. They have X number of minutes to find all the words and put the page number next to the word.

When time is up, the table with the most correct answers wins!

(Note: the list would look something like this:)

wow        ____________
gong        ____________
pocket     ____________

Using Pinterest Pictures in the Classroom - Giraffes

1. What is the first thing you notice about this picture?

2. What is the second thing?

3. Name something else about this photo that is different.

4. Would you say this picture is a real photograph of giraffes? Why or why not?

5. Do you think the person who took this picture put the sunglasses on the giraffes?

6. Would real giraffes wear sunglasses? Why or why not?

7. Why would someone want to put sunglasses on a giraffe?

8. What do you think the giraffes are thinking while their picture is being taken?

Amen!

I normally don't like to preach, but as a retired music teacher, I wholeheartedly support this!

Reading Chart - Week 36

Here are the final two pages from my reading chart.

Things to Do When You're Stuck in a Professional Development Workshop - Patterning

A few years ago, I started taking some materials with me whenever I had to attend a professional development workshop. I simply cannot sit there and listen. Of course, I take notes, but I also want to come away from the meeting with something more substantial. Especially if the workshop is not one of those Make-It-And-Take-It kinds.

Using pre-cut sentence strips and a box of markers, I've made these neat little pattern guides. I can use them to teach patterns with colored bears, pom-poms, or whatever. Or I can make a quick game with them using a die. The possibilities are endless!

School Fundraising Ideas: 13 Unusual Ways to Raise Money for Your School

Some really nifty and creative ideas! Click here for the list!

Reading Chart - Week 35

Wine Glass Lamps

Got this from a very good teacher friend of mine.
Wine glass lamps the kids made for Mother's Day,
but would make great Christmas gifts, too!

Wallpaper cone

$1 wine glass

battery operated LED votive

The Subtle Side of Graphing

Reading Chart - Week 34

STUMP (and a Freebie!)

Here's a game where you pit groups of students against each other.

Click on the picture above to get a full size sheet you can print out.

Print onto durable cardstock and cut out on dotted lines. Place the squares into baggies so that Team 1 gets the "A" group of letters, Team 2 gets the "I" group of letters, and so forth.

Have the children pick one person on the team to be the scribe.

When you say "Go!", each team dumps their letters on the table and starts moving them around to build words. The scribe writes down every word they make.

When time is up, the team with the most words wins!

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Thanks to a fellow Kindergarten teacher for this art project.