Monday, August 5, 2013

BUSHELS OF IDEAS FROM THE CORNHUSKERS!


Take Home Book Boxes (Audrey Jordan)
You will need chalk board spray paint (available at Michael’s), chalk, and shoeboxes for this project.  Spray paint the boxes and put a piece of chalk inside.  Give these to the children at back to school night so they will have a special place to keep their books that they make at school.
*Insert a copy of sight words so they can practice writing them on their shoebox chalk board.

Game Pieces
Attach students’ photos to binder clips and they can be used for game pieces.

Tally Mark Alternative  (Jonathon Wright)
The photo shows another way to tally.  It teaches children the number of sides in a square, and it’s also the sign for divers.

Ice Age Sid Shuffle (Sasha Kelly & Kayleen Scranton)
Your students will LOVE this brain break!!!

Line Up  Trick (Peg Volzke)
Have children put their “bear in the cave” to keep their hands to themselves.  First, they put their hands behind their backs.  Make a fist with one hand – that’s the bear.  Now, put the bear in the other hand because it’s the cave.

Transition Time  (Linda Tonack)
Instead of using a clean up chime to get children’s attention, use an animated stuffed animal that plays songs and dances. 
*You might say, “You have two song cycles to clean up and report to the group area.”
*Let the helper of the day press the start button or use it as an award for good behavior.

Attendance Tally (Carol Coler)
Keep a tally chart by the calendar.  Each day when all the children are present and none are tardy, put up a tally mark.  Practice counting by 5’s daily using the attendance tally marks.

Marble Jar  (Mary Lyn Loeffler)
You will need a clear apothecary jar and several bags of marbles for this positive reinforcement activity.  When the teacher notes positive behavior, a child gets to put a marble in the jar.  When the jar is full, you get to have a party the next day.  (It takes about 6 weeks to fill the jar.)
*Children can earn marbles for individual rewards or group rewards.
*Never take marbles out of the jar until it is full and you have the party.  Then start all over again.

Harvesting Good Behavior (Tara Hamilton)
Here’s another behavior management tool where you use corn instead of marbles.  You will need a bucket of field corn, as well as a cob of corn.  Explain how farmers have to harvest the corn when it is ready.  Demonstrate how to shuck the corn and remove the kernels.  “We also can harvest our good behaviors when we are ready to be praised for doing a good job.”  Put a toy combine in the pail with the corn.  When the children do a good job, choose one student to take a scoop of corn out of the pail and put it in a clear jar.  The children can see the combine moving down in the pail as the jar fills up.  Have a party for “finishing the harvest” when the jar is full. 
*Never take corn out of the jar – only add it in.
*Tying this to farming and harvest time works well in our community as most families live on farms or small towns. 

Gem Jar  (Theodora Kyle)
Play a clean up song and after students clean up they stand at the entrance (or designated spot) and wait.  The teacher roves around and quickly looks to make sure the center is clean and hands each student two gems (fake jewels).  The students take their gems and sit down on the carpet.  The “gem collector” walks around as friends put their gems in the “gem jar.”  When the far is full, the class earns treats.

Dot-to-Dot Positive Reinforcement  (Joyce Dunklau)
To encourage a specific behavior, prepare a dot-to-dot arrangement.  When the teacher sees good behavior, draw a line from dot 1 to dot 2.  Continue until all the dots are connected and you complete the picture.  “YOU DID IT!”
*Works well with an individual or the whole class.

Compliment Board (Kalli Lemley)
To encourage kindness and appreciation for others, place a bulletin board outside the room dedicated to compliments to each other.  Vary the theme throughout the year:
“Leaf a compliment.”  (Leaves)
“Snow’s some kindness.”  (Snowflakes)
“Send a ray of sunshine.”  (Sunshines)
“Watch our friendship grow.”  (Flowers)
They can write these any time or as part of writing for the Daily 5.

Reading Board (Kalli Lemley)
Send home a sheet for children to record reading with their parents.  When they return it, they can add their name to the reading board.  Then we have a celebration at the end of the month.
“Nuts about Reading” (Nuts)
“Our Reading Shines Through”  (Sunshines)
“Watch Our Reading Grow”  (Flowers)
“Snow excited about reading”  (Snowflakes)

We’re Fact Families  (Kalli Lemley)
(Tune:  Cadence – Children repeat each line).
We’re fact families and we’re really great!
We work together and cooperate.
Use three numbers and you’ll do it right.
Switch them around and you’re out of sight.

Try it now!  (Cheerleader)
1 + 4 = 5
Switch it around now. (Cheerleader)
4 + 1 = 5

Now you take the big number and put it at the front.
Here’s what you’ve got.
5 – 4 = 1
Switch it around again. (Cheerleader)
5 – 1 = 4

We’re fact families and we’re really great.
We work together and cooperate.