Using Pinterest Pictues in the Classroom - Keys

1. Do you know what these are?

2. How many do you see?

3. How are they all alike?

4. How are they different?

5. Why do they have to be different?

6. What do you think these would help lock and unlock?

7. The long blue key on the right is called a skeleton key. Why do you think it's called that?

8. Why would someone collect these?

5 Teaching Practices You Might Want To Re-Think About Using

I've done most of these.
You can find the whole blog post here.

Weekly Graphing Idea - Letter B

BALLOONS
(Note: don't blow them up - yet!)

* Put a bunch into a container or paper sack so the children can't see them. Have them draw one. Graph the results (how many got red, how many got green, etc.)

BUTTONS

* Graph which children have shirts with buttons, and those who don't
* How many buttons are you wearing? Graph by numbers.

BROWN, BLACK, BLUE

* What color is your hair? Who has brown, black, blonde, red?
* Who is/how many are wearing BROWN today? Black? Blue?
* Name/list things that are BROWN (Black, Blue). Graph list and tally.

Review, Review, Review

I firmly believe that the more children are exposed to math facts, the better they'll retain them.

"When It's Autumn" Song

"When It's Autumn" Song
(Tune: "My Darling Clementine)

There are brown leaves, there are orange leaves
There are yellow, green, and red
When it's Autumn, when it's Autumn,
They keep falling on my head!

Weekly Graphing Idea - Letter A

Graphing Ideas for the Letter A

Apples: 
* Which apple do you cook with? (A: 10)
* Which apple would you like to taste?
* Which apple doesn't look like an apple? (Why?)

Airplanes:

* Who has flown in an airplane? (Graph by students' names and tally.)

Arms:

* How long is your arm? (Measure from shoulder to wrist. Graph by length.)
* Do animals have arms? (Graph responses Yes/No) (Note: Apes have arms. All else have legs.)

Indoor Recess - Bad Weather Activity #1

Before you know it, the weather will change, and you won't be able to take the kiddos outside for recess. And the class really needs to blow off some of that energy!

Here is a easy game to play that will help alleviate both problems!

I've done this with one line and in a circle, but I've discovered it's a lot more fun if you have the children stand in 2 or more lines (with an even number of children in all lines).

Relay races!

You need a large rubber ball, or a beach ball. Something they can grasp with both hands.

Begin by having the child in front pass the ball overhead to the next child. The child at the end then passes it back, again overhead.

Next, the ball passes on their RIGHT from one to the other. Note: they must still face forward, and can only turn their waists to pass the ball. When the last child gets the ball, s/he then passes it along their LEFT side, back to the front.

Want to make it a bit more difficult? See if they can toss the ball to the next person!

"Leaves Are Falling" Song

Leaves Are Falling
(Tune: Jingle Bells)

Leaves are falling, leaves are falling,
Falling on my nose!
Leaves are falling, leaves are falling,
Falling on my toes!
On my head! On my ears! 
Even my el-bows!
Leaves are falling, leaves are falling
When the brisk wind blows - Whoosh!

Weekly Graphing Idea - Pets

Rather than ask "What's your favorite pet?", I gave each child one of these coloring sheets (which you can get here) and told them to color their pet and write its name. Then we graphed the results.

(Hint: the hamster can also stand in for a guinea pig)

One year, I actually had a child who told me he had a pet chameleon. Needless to say, he free-handed that picture.

At What Time Should Your Child Go To Bed?

Those babies need lots of rest to make it through the school day.

Boredom-Busting Activities to Do With the Kids

Happy Labor Day!

Kids in a funk because the summer's over? Thanks to Redbook, here are some end-of-summer activities you can do with your munchkins, both at home and at school, to enjoy those last few days of the season!

Weekly Graphing Idea - Favorite Color

You might want to either use a picture (like above), or limit which colors they can choose from. Or not.

I've taken this picture, reproduced it on a sheet of mural paper, and the children wrote their names on their favorite color.

Alternative Fundraiser

This is an actual letter that was sent home.
What do you think?