What is a HAPPIE?
Several years ago when I was doing a workshop a teacher walked in with a cup of coffee from specialty coffee shop. I said, “Don’t you just love that coffee.” She replied, “Yes, it’s my happie.” When I asked what she meant she explained, “You know every day is not totally happy. You have to do a little something special for yourself each day - something to make you happy. That’s what a ‘happie’ is.”
The more Carolyn Kisloski and I talked about this the clearer it became to us that we needed to put some “happies” back in the classroom day as well. Teachers are overburdened with standards, assessments, and expectations from administrators and parents. That’s why Carolyn and I wanted to create something to make teaching and learning more FUN! And, yes, we back up our playful and meaningful activities with research and the curriculum trends.
We have put together “the best of” our 60+ years of teaching experience for each month with tried and true ideas. There are over 100 pages of hands-on learning activities with cheers, handshakes, attention grabbers, transitions, management tips, brain breaks, finger plays, math, literacy, science, and seasonal lesson plans. There are also 15+ song downloads with books and visuals each month.
The good news is that you will be able to download a FREE year full of HAPPIES over the next week. The links will only be available for a month, so make sure you take advantage of this opportunity. (You might even let your bestie teacher friends know about this!)
We promise/hope your new school year will be more FUN for you and your children with our HAPPIES!
01-Back to School
Good Morning Sign-In Graph………………………………….8
Rise and Shine……………………………………..…………...9
QR Code Demonstration Video…………………..………..10
Handshakes: Thumb Kiss, Hand Hug……………….....…. 11
Cheers: Firecracker, Pat on the Back, Cowboy….…….12
Attention Grabber: Tootsie Roll…...………………….…….13
Transition/ Rules Rap…………………………………… 14
Management Our Class Rules Book Covers…………15, 16
I Can Classroom Rules…………………………………....….17
Learning through Play...………………………………....…..18
Building Blocks………………………………………...….……19
Everything in its Place..………………………………….……20
Making Groups………………………………………….……..21
Brain Breaks Cool Bear Hunt…………………………………22
Tooty Ta...…………………….…………………………….......23
If You’re Happy and You Know It………………………….24
Finger Plays Little Girl and Little Boy………………………25
Five Little Hotdogs……...……………………………………..26
Calendar Days of the Week……………………………………27
Math Over in the Meadow……………………………………28-34
The First Twelve Days of School…………………………….35-40
The Numbers of Me………………………………...………...41-44
Punch it Out……………………...…………………………….45
Math Mats……………………………………………...………46, 47
Cereal Math……………………………………………………48
Game My Messy House……………………………………….49
Literacy Letter Anchor Charts……………………………….50
Letter Food Ideas…………………………...…………………51
Letter Puppets………………………………………………….52
Alphardy………………………………………………………...53, 54
Nursery Rhyme Rap…………………………………………...55
Nursery Rhymes…………...…………………………………...56-69
Who Will Help Me Bake the Bread.....................................70
Body Writing…………………………………………………….71
Talk and Listen Sticks…………………………………………..72, 73
Predictable Morning Message……………………………...74
Name Activities………………………………………………...75-78
Katalina Matalina……………...………………………………79-82
Science Colors Prezi………………….……………...………….83
Color Box…………….…………………………………………..84
Color Train……………………………………………………….85
Our Colorful Class……………………………………………...86-99
My Colorful World………………………………...……………100
Mixing Colors……………………………………………………101
Color Balls…………………………...…………………………..102
Mouse Paint Color Mixing……………………………...…….103
Sort the Rainbow…………....…………………………………104
Seasonal Fall Prezi……………………………………………105
Super Star Chant……………………………………...……….106-108
Gray Squirrel………………………………………...……....….109
Apple Tree………………...…………………………………….110, 111
End of the Day It’s Time to Say Good-Bye…………………112
