LET'S EXPERIMENT!

I KNOW A SCIENTIST - AND YOU CAN BE ONE, TOO!

Download all the activity cards for most recent blog posts here:

Click to go to download page on Dr. Jean's website

You'll be amazed by these experiments you can do with simple materials around your home.

Pepper Scatter

Shiny Pennies

Happy Face Balloon

Magnetic Mouse

What’s Up?

Funnel Phone

Growing, Growing

Feely Socks

A pdf file with all of these cards is available with the link above.

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LET'S READ AND TALK!

The best things in life are free -

like these stories, books, and language activities.

Here's a link to download all of the the activity cards: click here.

Use these prompts to encourage talking, reading, and writing with your child.

Lunch Sack Book

Baggie Book

Gift Bag Book

Box Top Book

Letters of Love

Good Book

I Can Read!

Writer’s Briefcase

Story Tapes

Bedtime Ritual

Use link above to download all of these cards.

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LET'S PLAY A GAME!

People don't stop playing because they grow old -

They grow old because they stop playing!

Stay YOUNG as you play one of these games with your children!



Here's a link to download all of the the activity cards:

file:///Users/jeanfeld/Downloads/ActivityCARDS-DrJeanJuly2015-4.pdf


Check out these games for indoor and outdoor fun.

Play Ball

Juggling and Balance Beam

Follow the Leader and Mirror

Jump the Creek

Camping

Step School

Going on a Trip

Penny-Penny

Tower Topple

Charades

LET'S MAKE SOMETHING!

We are so busy trying to give children things we didn’t have ~

that we are failing to give them what we did have!!!

Isn’t that a profound quote? We are in such a hurry to push children and academics that we often fail to remember that they are just little children. Over the next few days I'll have posts with activities that you can use in your classroom or share with your families.

You will find games, songs, crafts, recipes, and activities to build lasting memories in young children. UNPLUG the electronics and PLUG into good old-fashioned FUN! And, the amazing thing is you will actually be nurturing children’s brains with these multi-sensory activities. You will be engaging the WHOLE child as you develop oral language, social skills, large and small motor skills, and emotional well-being.

Here's a link to download all the activity cards:

file:///Users/jeanfeld/Downloads/ActivityCARDS-DrJeanJuly2015-4.pdf

Special thanks to Carolyn Kisloski (Holding Hands and Sticking Together – ckisloski.blogspot.com) for her magic touch with the graphics and design!



The link goes to the first set of cards called LET'S MAKE SOMETHING!
You'll find some simple craft projects and homemade toys that children can enjoy making and playing.

1. Wonder Watchers

2. Hummers

3. Paper Plate Party

4. Magic Wand

5. Cardboard Rollers

6. Magazine Puppets

7. Box Top Puzzles

8. Sewing Cards

9. Sweet Baby

10. Sock Puppets

11. Flannel Board

12. Art Easel

13. Play Dough

14. Play on with Dough

15. Goop

16. Flubber

17. Giant Bubbles

18. Mud Pies

19. Shaving Cream Painting

20. Silly Putty

SEE YOU LATER, ALLIGATOR

Here's a good-bye chant that will end your day on a positive note. Write the words on a poster and have the children chorally read before they go home.

Good-bye Friends!
See you later, alligator!
After while, crocodile!
In an hour, sunflower!
Maybe two, kangaroo!
Gotta go, buffalo!
Adios, hippos!
Chow, chow, brown cow!
See you soon, baboon!
Adieu, cockatoo!
Better swish, jellyfish.
Chop chop, lollipop.
Gotta run, skeleton!
Bye-bye, butterfly!
Better shake, rattlesnake.
Good-bye, my good friends!

Hint! Sing the song to the tune of "Down by the Bay." 

http://drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2005/05_May/seeYouLater.pdf

This chant also makes a great class book that I've made many times through the years. First, I enlarge the words and put one line on each page. I make two copies of each page since there are 15 lines and usually at least 25 children in a classroom. After singing the song several times I let each child choose an animal and illustrate it for our book. Sometimes we do a little research on the internet if they are not familiar with an animal. I encourage the children to use lots of colors and to fill in the page. I let them dedicate their book and then add the school's name as the publisher and the copyright date. The children all sign their names as “Illustrators,” and then I punch holes and bind with book rings. I use the extra pictures on the cover, “The End,” “Comments and Compliments,” etc.




Here’s a variation of "See You Later, Alligator." Donna Henry’s first grade class at Portsmouth Catholic School came up with a lot of rhymes in “Todaloo.” Why not challenge your class to come up with their own original verses?

Todaloo
Bye bye dragon fly
Toodaloo tennis shoe
Wave to me bumble bee
Give a hug ladybug
Time to bale blue whale
Catch the bus octopus
Gotta scat alley cat
Take care teddy bear
Hit the road old toad
Time to swish gold fish
Hit the course race horse
Catch a cab hermit crab
You’re a love turtledove
We had fun bubblegum
We had a laugh giraffe
Good luck rubber duck
Take a boat billy goat
Vamoose Mr. Moose
Never fear reindeer
Time to go black crow
Come again, red hen
Learned a lot tater tot
See you later, alligator
After while crocodile.

WE SAY THANK YOU TO YOU!

Everybody likes to be appreciated. Here are some simple ideas you can use to thank parent volunteers and school helpers at the end of the year.

Sing and Sign Thanks
Teach children this song to the tune of “Happy Birthday.” Use a sign language dictionary to learn appropriate signs.
We
Say
Thank you
To
You
(Repeat twice)
We say thank you
For helping.
We say thank you to you!


Elvis Thank You
Get out your microphone. (Hold a fist by your mouth.)
Wiggle your hips.
(Pretend to twirl your microphone around.)
Thank you! Thank you very much!

Pictures and Letters
Integrate writing by having the children make thank you cards with various art media.



"Thumb" Body Thanks You!

Gift Certificates
Here are some certificates that Carolyn Kisloski created.

You can download 6 free ones in the preview or order the whole set.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Gift-Tags-Gift-Cards-and-Gift-Ideas-2542953


Want more ideas?
Kudos Bar – “Kudos to you!”
Snickers – “Nuts about you!”
100 Grand – “A million thanks for all you did!”
M & M’s – “You’re marvelous and magnificent.”
Mint – “You ‘mint’ the world to us.”
Hershey’s Kisses – and Hugs, too!
Lifesavers – “You were a lifesaver this year!”
Apple – You’re the “apple” of our eyes.
Ice Cream Cone Coupon – You’re the best scoop! Thanks!

WE'RE GREAT!

Here's great song for a positive memory at the end of your school year. It's a natural way to introduce vocabulary words and positive character traits.

We’re Great!
We’re great, but no one knows it.
No one knows it so far.
Some day they’ll realize how wonderful we are!
They’ll look at us, and point at us,
and then they’ll shout, “Hurray!”
Let’s cheer how we’re wonderful beginning with A.

A- We’re awesome.
B- We’re brave.
C- We’re creative.
D- We’re dynamic
E- We’re enthusiastic
F- We’re fantastic.
G- We’re gifted
H- We’re honest
I- We’re imaginative
J- We’re joyful.
K- We’re kind.
L- We’re lovable
M- We’re magnificent.
N- We’re nice.
O- We’re outgoing
P- We’re polite.
Q- We’re quick.
R- We’re responsible
S- We’re special.
T- We’re terrific.
U- We’re unique.
V- We’re valuable.
W- We’re wonderful.
X- We’re excellent.
Y- We’re youthful
Z- We’re zany!

http://bit.ly/drjean_Great

Hint! One teacher said each child decorated a poster with a letter and word. The children came out on stage with their letter at the appropriate time as they sang the song.

Class Book
On the front of the notebook or pocket folder write “We’re Great!” Write a
different letter of the alphabet on each page. Tell the children that you want them to help you make a special dictionary with WONDERFUL words that describe special people just like them! Use the words from the above chant to start your dictionary. Add words that children suggest.