Monday, February 11, 2013

TABLES WEARING SHOES???


Is this the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?  Last week when I was in Springfield and Joliet the teachers shared some super creative ideas, and this is one from Ashley Swedell.  She puts shoes on the bottom of her table legs so children can practice tying when they finish their work.

Hello, Friends! Punctuation Dance  (Ashley Swedell)
There’s a song on my Better Bodies and Brains CD called “Hello, Friends!”  Ashley wrote it out on chart paper and the kids make the following movements for the punctuation.
Commas – clap hands
Exclamation point – hands up in the air
Question mark – hands on hips
Period – pull hands back

Hello, Friends!
Hello, Jell-o! 
Hi there, grizzly bear!
How are you, caribou?
I’m fine, porcupine!
What’s up, buttercup?
Not much, coconut!
This is how our day begins.
Nice to see ya, tortilla!
Hi, hi, pumpkin pie!
How’ve you been, dolphin?
Just great, rattle snake.
What’s shakin’, little bacon?
Not a lot, tater tot!
This is how our day begins.
Bonjour, dinosaur!
Good day, blue jay!
Howdy, brownie!
Welcome, bubble gum!
Hola, cola!
Yoo hoo, tennis shoe.
This is how our day begins.
Give me five, dragon fly.
Shake a hand, rubber band. 
Here’s a hug, doodlebug. 
Wave to me, bumblebee. 
Come on in, my friends 
With a smile and song  
This is how the day begins! 

Problem Resolution (Carrie Thouvenot)
After students resolve a problem they fist bump, hand shake, high five, hug, and walk away happy.

Where Is the Bear?  (Betty Schmitz)
This is a book that will help students with positional words.  Take pictures of them holding a stuffed bear above their head, behind their back, beside them, etc.  Write a sentence on each page with the child’s name and the position of the bear.  “The bear is on Aiden’s head.”  Let children take the book home to share with their families.


I was invited to sing at Dubois Elementary in Springfield last week.  What precious children!!!  They made me the coolest poster with alphabet letters.  At the bottom the kids laid on the floor to spell out "Thank you Dr. Jean!"  One little guy rolled up like a ball to make the period!