IF YOU'RE HAPPY

Well, sometimes you are happy, and sometimes you are not - and that's O.K.!! Helping children identify different feelings and deal with emotions in an acceptable way is part of the "hidden curriculum" that teachers deal with daily. Let's get started with a few new verses to a song everyone knows.


If You’re Happy and You Know It (Traditional tune)
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.
(Clap twice.)
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.
(Clap twice.)
If you’re happy and you know it,
Then your face will surely show it. (Smile.)
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.
(Clap twice.)

If you’re sad and you know it cry your eyes… (Rub eyes.)

If you’re mad and you know it stomp your feet… (Stomp feet.)

If you’re scared and you know it shiver and shake…
(Wrap arms and shake.)

If you’re surprised and you know it say, “Oh, my!”…
(Open eyes wide.)

*Let children suggest other emotions and movements.

*Discuss what causes different emotions and appropriate responses. What makes you happy? What can you do when you’re happy? What makes you stressed? What can you do when you’re stressed?

*Learn sign language for the different feelings and practice them as you sing the song.


Collaborative Books 

Make class books such as “Things to Be Happy About,” “Things that Bug Us,” or “Scary Things.”


Connections with Characters

As you read books to the class, encourage students to describe how characters are feeling. Have they ever felt like that?


Vocabulary

Extend vocabulary by brainstorming different ways to say “happy,” “sad,” “angry,” “surprised,” etc. Draw expressions on paper plates and put them on a bulletin board. Write different synonyms for each emotion underneath.

Dramatize 

Let children pantomime different feelings as friends try and guess what they are.

Here are patterns for the expression puppets:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljQjJ5S3F5TUl4aW8/view?usp=sharing

Role Play - Divide children into small groups and let them make their own expression puppets. Encourage them to role play different scenarios with their puppets.

KATALINA MATALINA

Katalina and I go back a long time to when I was a girl scout in the 1950’s. I loved her then and children still love her today! She has several cousins, like Hagalena Magalena and Patalina Matalina, but the message is the same. It doesn’t matter what’s on the outside because a kind heart is the most important thing about a person. 

Click to view

Children will love singing this song to the tune of “Shortnin’ Bread.” Then you can use Katalina as a catalyst for reinforcing other skills.

Chorus: Katalina Matalina Upsadina Walkadina Hoca Poca Loca was her name.

Her head was shaped like a baseball bat. (Point to head.)
And right on top was a funny, old hat. (Chorus)

She had two hairs in her head. (Point to hair.)
One was alive and the other was dead. (Chorus)

She had two eyes in her head. (Point to eyes.)
One was purple and the other was red. (Chorus)

She had two teeth in her mouth. (Point to mouth. Point up and down.)
One pointed north and the other pointed south. (Chorus)

Her neck was as long as a ten foot pole. (Point to neck.)
And right in the middle was a big, black bow. (Chorus)

Her hips were like two ships in port. (Wiggle hips.)
One headed south and the other headed north. (Chorus)

Her feet were as flat as a bathroom mat. (Point to feet.)
How did they ever get like that? (Chorus)

But she had a heart, so I’m told. (Put hands over heart.)
That was made of purest gold. (Chorus)

Click to download patterns so 

you can make your own Katalina.

Syllables - Clap out the syllables in Katalina’s name. Clap out the syllables in the children’s names in your classroom. Count how many claps in each person’s name. Compare and graph.

Shared Writing - As an interactive writing activity slowly say Katalina’s name. Encourage the children to call out letters as you write them on the board. Make up silly rhymes with children’s names,

Comprehension - Have children close their eyes as you sing the song and create a picture of Katalina in their heads. Give each child a sheet of paper to draw her interpretation of Katalina. Display on a bulletin board or make a class book.

Diversity - Talk about what it means to have a heart of gold. Cut out 4 hearts and decorate with gold glitter. Punch holes in the hearts and tie on string to make necklaces. Each day when you see a child being a kind friend, let them wear Katalaina Matalina's heart of gold.

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STEM WITH BLOCK PLAY

Blocks provide hands-on experiences where children can develop math concepts as they play. Take a look at all these standards you can reinforce with blocks.

Sorting
Can they sort like blocks together? Can they regroup the blocks by another attribute?

Numerical Order
Write numerals 0-10 on 2 ½” x 5” pieces of paper and attach to blocks. Can they put the blocks in order?

Sets and Numerals
Write numerals, number words, and sets on blocks for children to match.




Roll and Stack
Children take one or two dice and roll. They select that number of blocks and stack them as tall as they can.

Counting
How many blocks can you stack? Can you count that high?

Math Signs
Write inequality signs, =, +, and – on pieces of paper and attach to blocks. Children can build equations and practice addition and subtraction with the numeral blocks and signs.




Liquid Measurement
Write “cup” on two square blocks. Write “pint” on a rectangular block. How many cups in a pint?

Fractions
What would happen if you cut the square block in half? What would happen if you cut the rectangular block in half? How many ways can you make the square block? Rectangular block?

Measure Up
Children lay on the floor as friends take unit blocks and measure how many blocks long they are. Use different size blocks and compare.

Graphing – Have children draw their faces on 2 ½”” squares. Tape to blocks. Use for comparing and graphing.

For example: You could have a picture of a bus, feet, and a car. Children place their block under the way they travel to school. Which one is more? Less? How can we tell for sure?


Block Book
Cut small shapes out of construction paper to represent the different unit blocks. Glue these to a file folder to make structures similar to the ones shown. Hole punch to create a book. Children look at the drawings and then try to duplicate them with blocks.

TOY CAR MATH

Talk about playful and challenging! Take a look at all these things you can do with toy cars. You can pick them up at garage sales or buy them for $1 or less at a dollar store. Use these cars for centers, games, and other activities in your classroom.

What? toy cars, sticky dots, marker

How? Put sticky dots on the cars and number them 1-10. Fasten your seatbelt and here we go!

Numerical Order
Write numerals on sticky dots and place them on the cars. Can children arrange them in order?



Place Value
Use cars for tens and ones.

Sets and Numbers
Make a parking lot with different sets of dots in each space. Children match up numbers on the cars with the correct space.




Roll and Add
Write numerals 1-12 on a long strip of paper. Children roll two dice, add up the numbers, and then move their car to the correct space.

Sorting
Ask children to sort the cars. What was their sorting rule? Can they sort them another way?

Letters
Write lower letters on sticky dots and put them on the cars. Make paper houses with uppercase letters. Can they match the cars with the houses?




Phonological Awareness
Make a parking lot with three spaces. As you say a word children park the car according to where they hear the sound (beginning, middle, end) of the word.

MIND MAPPING MATH

Graphic organizers (aka mind maps) are a visual way of putting information in the brain. Graphic organizers are frequently used in reading, but they can also be used to reinforce math skills and help children understand how things fit together. Here are three good reasons to give them a try:

    1. They encourage children to “think outside the box.”
    2. They are much more open-ended and challenging than a worksheet. 

    3. They can be done independently or with a partner or small group.

Some common graphic organizers used in the classroom include the attribute web, Venn diagram, T-chart, and tic-tac-toe frame. First, I would model using the graphic organizer with a large group, and then I would assign it for an independent or center activity.

Hint! After completing a graphic organizer invite children to explain what they did. This will enable you to “understand” their thinking process and will help make learning more meaningful. (Remember, writing and talking are two powerful ways to store things in the brain!)

Attribute Web
Have children write a numeral in the middle and then web different ways to represent
that number.

Write “shapes” in the middle and then draw all the shapes they know.


Venn Diagram
Write numbers made with a straight line on the left, numbers made from curves on the right, and numbers made from lines and curves in the middle.



Put a number in the middle. Write numbers larger on the left and smaller on the right.

T-Chart
Write odd numbers on the left and even numbers on the right.

Write “tens” on the left and “ones” on the right.


Tic-Tac-Toe
Write a number in the middle and facts that equal that number in the other sections.

Write “10” in the middle and other teen numbers around it.


*Can you think of other ways to turn mind maps into math maps?

MAGNETIC NUMBERS

What classroom doesn't have magnetic numbers? 

They are a plentiful, multi-sensory tool to develop number concepts!

You can hide them, sort them, touch them, and take a look...

Numerical Order
Put numbers in order 0, 1, 2, 3…


Tens and Ones
How many tens? How many ones?
Can you make 56?




Fact Families
Give children two addends and the sum and have them make and write the
facts.

More? Less? Equal?
Place numbers in a bag. Children pull out two numbers. Which is more?
Which is less? Or, are they equal?


Pick a Number
Children choose a number from a bag and then make a set to equal that amount.

*Let children choose a number and then lead the class in doing that number of jumping jacks, toe touches, or other exercises.


What’s the Answer? 

Write addition and subtraction facts on a file folder. Children answer with a
magnetic number.




Daily Number
Put magnetic numbers in a bag. Each day select two from the bag and put
them together on the board. What’s the number? Count forwards. Count
backwards. How many tens? How many ones?


Number Sticks
Glue shapes and numerals to jumbo craft sticks. Children can match these up to shapes and numerals in the classroom. They can also use these as you count, tell number stories, or sing songs.

WHICH WITCH?

My students loved to say this rhyme and giggle when the witch tore her britches! (I don't why that was so silly to them, but it was.)

3 Little Witches
(Tune: “Ten Little Indians”)
One little, two little, three little witches. (Hold up 3 fingers.)
Flying over haystacks, flying over ditches. (Fly fingers in the air.)
Slid down the moon and tore their britches! (Touch pants and then cover eyes.)
Hi, ho, Halloween’s here! (Clap hands.)

Choose three children to be witches and act out the song. Make brooms by rolling up several sheets of newspaper. Tape. Cut down 8” from one end and fluff.

Stirring Our Brew
Stirring and stirring and stirring our brew… (Pretend to stir.)
Wooooooo! Woooooo! (Cup hands by mouth.)
Stirring and stirring and stirring our brew… (Stir.)
Wooooooo! Wooooo! (Cup hands by mouth.)
Tip-toe. Tip-toe. BOO! (Pretend to tip-toe.)


Witch’s Stew
How about a little witch’s stew for snack. You will need lunch sacks, 1 large bowl (or plastic witch's pot), Cheerios, pretzel sticks, fish crackers, raisins, M & M’s, peanuts, chocolate chips, and ice cream cones.

1.Write “frog eyes” on one sack and fill with Cheerios.
2 Write “salted bones” on the second sack and fill with pretzel sticks.
3.Write “dead fish” on the third sack and fill with fish crackers.
4.Write “worm pieces” on the fourth sack and fill with raisins.
5.Write “lizard gizzards” on the fifth sack and fill with M&M’s.
6.Write "bat toes" and fill with chocolate chips.

Place the large bowl on the floor and make up a story about collecting all the items for your witch’s stew. One at a time let children come up and dump the contents in the bowl. Stir with a spoon as you sing the above song. Serve in ice cream cones.
Hint! You can substitute miniature marshmallows, gluten free snacks, or other foods for any of the ingredients.




Ghost Busters
Cut ghost shapes out of white paper. Write letters, numerals, words, or whatever skill you want to reinforce on the ghosts. Staple ghosts to a bulletin board and let the children identify the information as they swat the ghosts with a fly swatter.
*You can make a similar game from a file folder. Glue a hand to a craft stick and use to swat the ghosts.

Scary Things
Halloween is a good time to talk about things that are real and things that are pretend. It’s also helpful to talk about things that scare us. I always talk about things that scare me, and that usually encourages the children to open up and talk about things that scare them. Everybody’s afraid of something, and that’s O.K. Make a class book called “Scary Things” where each child draws their fears and dictates or writes a story about them.