IT'S BUNNY TIME!

Flip, Flop, Hop

(Tune:  “Wheels on the Bus”)

The ears on the bunny go flip, flop, flop  (Put head over head

Flip, flop, flop,                                            and wiggle.)

Flip, flop, flop.

The ears on the bunny go flip, flop, flop,

Flip, flop, flop.

The nose on the bunny goes twitch, twitch, twitch…(Wiggle nose.)

The eyes on the bunny go blink, blink, blink…       (Blink eyes.)

The tail on the bunny goes wiggle, wobble, wobble…  (Wiggle bottom.)

The feet on the bunny go hop, hop, hop…   (Hop up and down.)

Bunny Ears - Make headbands to wear as you sing the song. First cut a strip of paper to fit around each child’s head. (Sentence strips work well for this.) Next, let children trace, color, and cut rabbit ears similar to the ones shown. Staple to the headbands and hop, hop, hop!

Drawing Rabbits - Teach children how to draw a bunny from two circles. Add detail to the bunny as you sing the song. Hint! You can also make rabbits out of play dough.

POPCORN TREE

Popcorn Tree

(Tune:  “Turkey in the Straw”)

I looked out my window   (Hand over eyes.)

And what did I see?      

Popcorn popping on my cherry tree.  (Hands on hips.)

What a surprise spring left for me.

Popcorn popping in my cherry tree.

Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop.  (Wiggle hips to the beat.)

Pop!  Pop!   (Jump up twice.)

Sing faster…faster…super fast!

Popcorn Tree - Trace around the child’s hand and arm on a sheet of paper to resemble a tree trunk. Color or paint the tree. Glue popcorn or cotton balls on the branches to look like blossoms.

Hint! If you shake popcorn in a sack with a little dry tempera it will look like pink blossoms.

Flower Bookmark - Grow into a book with this idea! Each child will need to collect small flowers, petals, and leaves outside. (Remind them to only take things off the ground and never pull live flowers from a plant!) Give each child 2 pieces of self laminating paper cut in 8” x 2” strips. Children take the back off one sheet and place it sticky side up on the table. After they arrange their natural objects, they place the second sheet on top and seal. 

Hint! You can also use wide packaging tape to make these book marks.

WRITING STANDARDS

“Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.”

What better way to nurture the above goal than with this nature book!  Children will have fun making it, drawing in it, labeling pictures, writing in it, reading it, and then taking it home to share with their families.

First, you will have to go on a stick hunt.  Each child will need a stick approximately 7” long.  (If you ask them to find a stick that’s as long as their elbow to their wrist that should work.)  Next, fold three sheets of paper in half.  Punch 2” from each end as shown.  Push one end of a rubber band through the top hole and insert one end of the stick through the loop.  Insert the other end of the rubber band through the bottom hole and slide it in the stick. 

*You can use the book to follow up a nature walk, to record plant growth, as a journal for science experiments, for nature vocabulary words, for taking notes as a non-fiction book is read, or for creative writing.

READ A BAG

Save your fast food and shopping bags and turn them into a learning center.  *Younger children can take magnetic letters and match them up to letters on the bag. 

*Children can use magnetic letters to write words on the bag.

*Children can write words they find on the bag and use them in a story.

*How many words can the children make using the logo on the bag?

*Hole punch bags and put them together with a book ring to make a book.

LET IT BE! LET IT BE!

There’s something on my mind that’s been troubling me.  Sometimes we take a book and chew it up, hack it, and TEACH it to death.  Children can’t enjoy the story for all of the questions about beginning, middle, and end.  Not to mention how that book is like one we read last week….And all the direct vocabulary instruction…Oh, and punctuation…Don’t forget the main idea, yada yada!

Wouldn’t you hate to answer questions about every book you read or every movie you watched?

Don’t take me wrong.  I agree that literature is one of the most effective and powerful ways to develop reading skills.  However, I think we need to balance it with pleasure.  Squeeze in at least one story a day that you and your students can ENJOY together.  Read it, savor it, feel it, and then let it be!

THE ALPHABET IN MY HAND

This song is similar to the one I shared yesterday, but it introduces sign language.

THE ALPHABET IN MY HAND

(Tune:  “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”)

I’ve got the whole alphabet in my hand,

I’ve got the whole alphabet in my hand.

I’ve got the whole alphabet in my hand

and I can sign!

I’ve got A - /a/ /a/ in my hand  (Sign the letter A.)

I’ve got B - /b/ /b/ in my hand…Z

I’ve got all the letters in my hand and I’m ready to sign.

Make a book to go along with the song by taking a digital picture of your

students signing the letters.  Put them together in alphabetical order to

make a class book.  

THE ALPHABET IN MY MOUTH

THE ALPHABET IN MY MOUTH

(Tune:  “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”)

I’ve got the whole alphabet in my mouth,

I’ve got the whole alphabet in my mouth.

I’ve got the whole alphabet in my mouth

and I can read!

I’ve got A - /a/ /a/ in my mouth

I’ve got B - /b/ /b/ in my mouth

I’ve got C - /c/ /c/ in my mouth

And I can read!

I’ve got D….

I’ve got all the sounds in my mouth and I’m ready to read!

The children will LOVE making this book to go with the song.  First, take a close up digital photo of each child with their mouth wide open.  Enlarge the picture and glue it to a sheet of paper.  Next, cut letters out of construction paper and glue to the tongue on their picture.  Write words for each page to go with the picture, such as “I’ve got D /d//d/ in my mouth.”

Hint!  If you don’t have 26 students, then use the principal, secretary, custodian, etc. to complete the letters in the alphabet. 

CA RAINBOWS

“In life it’s not about waiting for the clouds to pass over –

it’s about dancing in the rain.”

Sure, there are economic troubles in California, but the teachers there proved that they are going to keep on dancing, and singing, and making this a better world for children!

Last week I was invited to present at the Rainbows Conference in Ontario, CA.  WOW!  It was like going to a rock concert with Greg and Steve.  I’ve been following that dynamic duo for 30 years, and they are just as enthusiastic, entertaining, and fun loving as ever!!! 

I met so many wonderful teachers including Miguele Montagnetti.  He wanted a picture of us with “an attitude.”  He also taught me a new dance version to go with “Bubble Gum.”  First, you draw an imaginary line on the floor:

Bubble (Jump forwards over the imaginary line.)

Gum (Jump backwards over the line.)

Chewy chewy chewy (Boogey down.)

Chewy bubble gum.  (Boogey up.)

Bubble (Jump over the imaginary line.)

Gum (Jump back over the line.)

Chewy chewy chewy (Boogey down.)

Chewy bubble gum.  (Boogey up.)

I love it!  (Throw arms up in the air.)

I love it!  (Throw arms up in the air.)…

Angler Snipes shared a song to the tune of “Twinkle Little Star” to sing when you’re potty training:

Tinkle, tinkle in the potty.

Let’s go in the potty now.

No pull ups or diapers any more.

When you go potty, pull your undies to the floor.

Tinkle, tinkle in the potty.

I’m not a baby any more!

On Monday I shared with some more fantastic teachers on Oxnard.

Jennifer Klein gave us a great idea for helping children speak in a complete sentence.  She wrote a capital “I” on an index card and taped it to a cylinder block to make an “I Phone.”  The children pass this around and say sentences beginning with “I…”  Only the person with the “I” phone can talk.

Veronica Binkley told me about a game she plays called “Clean the Table.”  You can adapt this game for any skill you want to repeat.  Take paper plates and write letters, numerals, words, etc. on them. Spread these out on a table.  One child at a time tries to “clean the table” by picking up plates and identifying the information.  Give them 30 seconds and record their score.  Keep practicing and watch their scores improve.

And, here’s one more idea from Kathy Wadley.  It’s called “I Spy.”  Kathy has the children close their eyes as she hides flash cards around the room.  (Letters, math facts, words, etc.)  The children hunt for the flash cards and bring them to her one at a time.  They must identify the information on their cards before they continue on their hunt.  Talk about easy and fun!!!!

On the road again to Troy, New York, today!  Who knows what treasures I’ll find there!  That’s what keeps my job so exciting.  I keep learning new things from YOU!   Thanks!

SPRING SCAVENGER HUNT

Make up a scavenger hunt similar to the one below.  Divide children into small groups and let them hunt for the objects on the playground.  Give them paper and pencils to record their findings. 

Hint!  For younger children do this as a large group activity.

         Spring Scavenger Hunt

         Can you find a sign of spring?        

         Can you find something older than you?

         Can you find something younger than you?

         Can you find something rough?

         Can you find something that feels soft?

         Can you find something living?

         Can you find something dead?        

         Can you find something smaller than your fingernail?

          Can you find something bigger than you?

         Can you find something green?

         Can you find something yellow?

         Can you find something that smells good?

         Can you find some trash?  Pick it up and throw it away!

CATERPILLAR ADVENTURES

Caterpillar’s Story

A caterpillar crawled to the top of a tree.  (Hold up right arm and wiggle left index finger up like a caterpillar.)

I think I’ll take a nap said he.  (Wiggle left index finger.)

Under a leaf he began to creep,  (Wiggle left index finger under right palm.) 

He spun a chrysalis and went to sleep.  (Make fist with right hand around left index finger.)

Spring came along, shook him and said,

“Wake up, wake up, you sleepy head.”  (Shake right fist.)

Out of the leaf he spread his wings to fly,  (Hook right and left thumbs together.  Spread out fingers like wings.)

“Look at me!  Look at me!  I’m a butterfly!”  (Fly fingers around.)

Make a butterfly by tearing up little pieces of colored tissue paper and putting them in a zip lunch bag.  Gather up in the middle and twist on a pipe cleaner to make the body and antennae.  Attach a string for flying.

Cut butterfly shapes out of newsprint.  Fold in half.  Children drop paint with a spoon or eye dropper on one half.  Fold and rub.  Open to view a beautiful butterfly.

Make a butterfly snack from celery, cream cheese, and pretzel twists.  Children spread cream cheese in the celery and then insert pretzels for the wings.  You can make a caterpillar snack by inserting berries and grapes on a toothpick.

Tell the lifecycle of the butterfly with a stick, a bean, and pasta.  First, take children on a nature walk and ask them to find a stick that is as long as their arm from their wrist to their elbow.  Glue the bean to the left of the stick for the egg.  Next comes a spiral pasta for the caterpillar.  Then a shell pasta for the chrysalis.  Finally, a bow shaped pasta for the butterfly.

Make a flip book for the children to illustrate the life cycle of the butterfly.

THE BUTTERFLY

The Butterfly

(Tune:  “Up on the Housetop”)

First comes the butterfly who lays an egg.  (Clasp thumbs and wiggle fingers.)

Out comes a caterpillar with many legs.      (Wiggle index finger.)

Oh, see the caterpillar spin and spin,             (Roll hands.)

A little chrysalis to sleep in.     (Insert right index finger in left fist.)

Oh, oh, oh, look and see.       (Hands over eyes.)

Oh, oh, oh, look and see.

Out of the chrysalis, my, oh, my,

Out comes a beautiful butterfly.  (Clasp thumbs and make butterfly.)

Activities: Let children dramatize this song.  Curl up like an egg, wiggle like a caterpillar, twirl around to be a chrysalis and flap arms and fly like a butterfly.

Make a butterfly puppet from an old sock.  Glue pom poms to the toe of the sock for the eyes and mouth. 

Turn the sock inside out and glue a butterfly made out of felt. 

Begin the song with your hand in the sock.  When the caterpillar spins a chrysalis pull the top of the sock down over the toe.  Turn the sock inside out to reveal the butterfly at the end.

ONE TO ONE BOOK

This is a simple idea that can be used in many ways to reinforce one to one correspondence, sets, and addition. 

Materials:    heavy paper, black construction paper cut in ¾” squares, glue,

book rings, manipulatives (bears, beans, buttons, pennies, etc.)

Directions:   Glue a specific number of squares on each page as shown. 

Write the numeral at the top and the word at the bottom.

Children take manipulatives and match them up one-to-one

with the squares on each page.

Hint!           Adapt this book for older students by having them discover

                  how many different ways they can make the set.  For example:

                  Six could be 3+3, 2 +4, 5 + 1, etc.

Vary this activity by using seasonal objects, such as pumpkinseeds,  holiday erasers, and other small toys.

FRIENDS OF NUMBERS

If you’ve ever been to my workshops, then you have seen me demonstrate the highway letters that you can download free from makinglearningfun.com.  Did you know that you could also download numerals?  You could put these in clear sheet protectors and let children roll play dough and put it on the numeral.  They could also drive cars over the numerals or use dry erase markers to trace (and then erase) the numerals. 

If you punch holes at the top and tie on string you can let the children wear the number vests to demonstrate counting rhymes, numerical order, inequalities, number sentences, tens and ones, etc.

A good way to help children remember different facts that equal a certain number would be to call them “friends of number.”  For example, friends of five would be 5 + 0, 4 + 1,

3 + 2, etc.  Children could wear the number vests and then hunt around the room for the number that would make them a friend of a number the teacher called out.

*Hint!  Ask a parent volunteer to copy the highway letters, numbers, and shapes and you’ll save yourself an ink cartridge.

TOP O' THE MORNING!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  I hope you're wearing green so you don't get pinched today!  Make sure you have green stickers, shamrocks, or something green for your students to wear today.  

When K.J. was in preschool the children took off their shoes at naptime and put them in the hall.  When they woke up there was a Rice Krispie treat in their shoes for snack.  It's amazing how a memory like that can stick in a child's mind because three years later K.J. is still talking about it.

While the children are at lunch today ask a friend to sneak in your classroom and overturn chairs, mess up bookshelves, sprinkle a little gold glitter on the floor, etc.  When you return to the classroom act as surprised as the children.  What happened?  Who is responsible?  Let them write stories or draw pictures to explain the mystery.

Here's a book from an earlier blog this month in case you're new blog friend and missed it.

St Patrick’s Day! 

(Tune:  “Sweet Molly Malone” – Happy Everything CD)

On the 17^th of March                  (Point heels on opposite feet as if

About when spring starts                  doing a jig.)

The lassies and leprechauns

Come out to play.

We’ll find four-leafed clovers         (Hold up 4 fingers.)

And wear green all over,                  (Move hands over clothing.)

And that’s how we’ll celebrate         (Put hand in the air as if cheering.)

St. Patrick’s Day!

The legends of old

Say there’re pots of gold                  (Extend arms in a circle.)

A’ sparkling and shining                  (Open and close fingers to make sparkles.)

At each rainbow’s end.

The leprechauns know                  (Point to brain.)

Right where to go,

So if you see a leprechaun         (Hand over eyes as if searching for

Make him your friend!                  a leprechaun.)

On the 17^th of March                          

About when spring starts

The lassies and leprechauns

Come out to play.

We’ll find four-leafed clovers

And wear green all over,

And that’s how we’ll celebrate

St. Patrick’s Day!

 *Download this book at drjean.org/March, 2007.

BABY BIRD STORY

Begin this story with a sheet of paper, scissors, and marker in your lap.  Follow the directions as you tell the story. 

It was springtime and mother and father bird decided to

build a nest.  Who can tell me some of the things they

might have used to make their nest?

(Fold the paper in half and cut a semi circle.)

Mother bird sat on the nest and laid a beautiful egg.

(Open the nest to reveal the egg shape.)

Now, mother bird could not leave the egg.  She had

to sit on it and keep it warm and safe.  Even when it

rained and the wind blew hard, mother bird had to sit there

and protect her egg.  Fortunately, two little bugs who

lived in the tree made friends with mother bird and

kept her company.  This is one little bug.  His name was _____.

(Use a child’s name in the class.)

(Draw a little dot for the bug.)

This is the other little bug.  Her name was _____,

(Use another child’s name in the class.)

(Draw another little dot on the opposite side.)

One day as mother bird was sitting on the egg, she heard

a little cracking sound.  She looked down and saw a little

crack in her egg.

(Cut a little slit on the fold slanted toward the eyes.)

Then she heard a great, big cracking sound. 

(Cut around the eye and slit as shown stopping before

you get to the end of the egg.)

And guess what mother bird saw coming out of the big

crack in her egg?  She saw her baby bird!

(Open the egg and bend up the beak as shown.)

Hint!  You can also cut this story out of a paper plate.

BIRDIES!

Birdies

(Happy Everything CD)

Way up in the sky                       (Put hands in arm pits and flap arms

The big birdies fly.                      like a bird.)

Way down in the nest                  (Make a nest by cupping hands.)

The little birds rest.

With a wing on the left,              (Wiggle left arm like a wing.)

And a wing on the right,              (Wiggle right arm like a wing.)

The little birds sleep                  (Put head down on palms as if sleeping.)

All through the night.

SHHHHHH!                               (Put finger over lips.)

DON’T WAKE UP THE BIRDIES!

Then up comes the sun.              (Put arms over your head.)

The dew falls away.                    (Bring down palms.)

Good morning!  Good morning!      (Put open palms around your head.)

The little birds say.

Sing and Act -  Let children dramatize this song.  Choose one child to be the mother or father bird.  Let the other children be the baby birds.

Lunch Sack Nest – Open a paper lunch sack and roll out and down until you reach the bottom and it looks like a nest.  Children can roll play dough eggs for the nest, or they can make a paper bird for the nest.

*Make the shape of a tree on a bulletin board.  Staple the nests in the tree and then let children make birds out of construction paper to go in the nests.

Tomeiko Wright from Lancaster, SC, turned her nest into a flower!!!

Paper Plate Birds and Nests - Let children make birds or nests out of paper plates similar to the ones in the picture.

Bird Nest Snack - Give each child a Rice Crispie treat to mold into a nest.  Put a few jelly beans in the nest and place a marshmallow “peep” on top.  (Yeah, I know this is total junk and you probably can’t do it at school, but I’m going to do it with my grandchildren at Easter.)

Flip Book – Make a flip book of “What’s in the Egg?”  Fold a sheet of paper in half lengthwise, then fourths and eighths.  Open and cut the crease to the middle fold.  Fold in half to make 4 little flaps.  Children draw 4 eggs on the front of each flap.  Open the flaps and challenge children to draw 4 different things that might come from an egg.  When they hold this book up to the light, they will see their little critters inside the egg.

LITTLE PIGGIES

I have been waiting two years to paint Kalina’s toes and I finally got to do it last week when she visited.  She loved her toes so much that we couldn’t get her to put on her shoes!

All children love their little piggies, so here is an extension of the traditional rhyme where you can reinforce ordinals at the same time.

         The first little pig went to the market.

         The second little pig stayed home.

         The third little pig had roast beef.

         The fourth little pig had none.

         The fifth little pig cried, “Wee wee wee” all the way home.

         The sixth little pig ate some pizza.

         The seventh little pig ate a pear.

         The eighth little pig had spaghetti.

         The ninth little pig’s plate was bare.

         The tenth little pig cried, “Wee wee wee, I will share!”

Glue pig faces to jumbo craft sticks.  Write the ordinals at the bottom and use as you say the rhyme.

Ten Little Piggies Counting Book

Give each child an 8” x 8” square of paper.  Let them take off their shoes and socks and trace around their feet.  Next, let them decorate their footprints with markers or crayons.  Tape their pictures together to make an accordion book.  Write the numerals 10, 20, 30, 40….on the pages.

YOU KNOCK MY SOCKS OFF!

You’ll need a stick, a string, and an old pair of socks to make this prop.  Poke a hole in the top of each sock and tie a 3’ piece of string to the sock.  Tie the strings to the end of a stick.  When your children do a good job swing the stick and say, “You knock my socks off!”

SINGING THE WORD WALL

Here are some tunes that you can use to sing high frequency words.  It might be fun to make a list of all the two letter words and sing them on Monday.  On Tuesday make a list of the three letter words and sing them…etc.

Two Letter Words

Sing two letter words to “If You’re Happy and You Know It.”

         If you want to spell he, say “h” “e.”

         If you want to spell he, say “h” “e.”

         It’s easy as can be when you sing and spell with me.

         If you want to spell he, say “h” “e.”

Three Letter Words

Sing three letter words to “Where Is Thumbkin?”

         What spells the?  What spells the?

         T – h – e  (T – h – e)

         T-h-e spells the.  (T–h–e spells the.)

*You can also sing three letter words to “Three Blind Mice.”

Four Letter Words

Learn to spell four 4 letter words with “Happy Birthday.”

         T – h – a – t  spells that.  T – h – a – t  spells that.

         T – h – a – t  spells that.  T – h – a – t  spells that.

*Sing four letter words to “My Darlin’ Clementine” or “YMCA.”

Five Letter Words

Five letter words can be sung to “BINGO.”

         There is a word that you should know and green is the word-o.

         G – r – e – e – n.    G – r – e – e – n.    G – r – e – e – n.

         And green is the word-o.

*Sing five letter words to “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”

Six Letter Words

The tune of “Ten Little Indians” can be used to spell six letter words.

         S-c-h-o-o-l,

         S-c-h-o-o-l,

         S-c-h-o-o-l,

         That spells school.

*The theme song from “The Mickey Mouse Club” can also be used for six letter words.

Seven or Eight Letter Words

Fit the letters in longer words to “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” and “Coming Round the Mountain.”

Singing the Word Wall

Read and sing the word wall from a to z with the tune of “Gilligan’s Island.”