WHO IS THE FRIDAY FAIRY?

It used to be more fun to be a teacher. Now I say, “We’d go to jail now for things we used to do in the classroom.” I don’t mean that literally because we never did anything mean to children, but many of the restrictions were just not an issue in the “old days.” We could take our class out for recess (Yep! Run around and play time.) whenever we wanted and we had a lot more flexibility and creativity in terms of the curriculum.

                                

The “Friday Fairy” used to come to my room every week and nobody complained. The children LOVED the Friday Fairy because she left a little penny candy in their desk while they were at lunch. (I invited a 5th or 6th grade student to sneak in my room and distribute the goodies while we were out of the room.)

See what I mean? You’d probably get in a lot of trouble for doing that now. However, there are other things you can do to make Friday a special day. And, after the children have worked hard all week it’s nice to end on a happy note. Here are some other ideas for Fabulous Friday:

15-30 minutes free time at the end of the day.

Jamboree – Get together with your grade level and sing.

Guest Reader – Invite a parent, politician, or school helper to read.

Game Time – Children bring board games or card games from home. (NO video games)

Recess – Now, wouldn’t that be fun? 30 minutes of unstructured play outside. (One teacher said she did this and her kids asked her, “What should I do?” Sad!)

Dancing with the Stars – Play music and let the children dance.

Take off your shoes – I know this sounds stupid, but my kids thought this was the great fun.

Kinder Café – Invite a different parent each week to come in and cook.

Do Your Own Thing – Children get to read, draw, talk…

MYSTERY READER (Gina from Michigan)

Parents sign up using a google.doc so the kids do not have any idea who is coming in. We wait very quietly with the lights out and when the door is open someone is very surprised. The parents can bring a "souvenir" to help the child retell the story at home but this is not expected. 

MAKE UP YOUR MIND TO END EVERY FRIDAY WITH "DESSERT" (AKA SOMETHING FUN!)

HAPPY EVERYTHING!

EVERY DAY IS A HOLIDAY - 

OR IT SHOULD BE WHEN YOU TEACH CHILDREN!

Somebody once said that teaching kindergarten should be like giving a party every day! I totally agree because I collected songs celebrate every holiday and season over my career.

Note!! There are also "instrumentals" of many of the songs if you'd like to use them for a school program.

Fall
1. School Cheer
2. Super Star Chant
3. I Like to Come to School
4. Gray Squirrel
5. Scarecrow
6. Apple Tree
7. Grandparents Day
8. Columbus Day
9. Stirring Our Brew and 3 Little Witches
10. Halloween Medley
11. Five Days of Halloween
12. Veteran’s Day
13. Albuquerque Turkey
14. Over the River
15. Gobble! Gobble!
16. We Give Thanks

Winter
17. Jingle Bells
18. Jingle Bell Rock
19. SANTA
20. My Dreidel
21. Holiday Alphabet
22. Kwanzaa
23. Ring in the New Year
24. Seasonal Wandering
25. I’m a Little Snowman
26. Stand Up for Martin Luther King
27. 100 Days
28. Groundhog Day
29. Abraham Lincoln
30. Bringing Home a Valentine
31. Will You Be My Valentine?
32. Presidents’ Day

Spring
33. St. Patrick’s Day
34. Five Little Kites
35. Rain
36. Birdies
37. Caterpillar’s Story
38. Flip, Flop, Hop
39. The Planting Song
40. Popcorn Tree

Disc Two

Spring
1. Earth Day
2. Cinco de Mayo
3. A Box for Mommy

Summer
4. Take Me Out to The Ball Game
5. We Love Our Flag
6. He’s My Dad
7. Swimming
8. The Fourth of July
9. Going on a Picnic
10. Beep! Choo! Zoom! Honk!
11. School Days.

Instrumentals
12. Super Star Chant
13. I Like to Come to School
14. Grandparent’s Day
15. Columbus Day
16. Veteran’s Day
17. Over the River
18. We Give Thanks
19. Jingle Bells
20. SANTA
21. My Dreidel
22. Holiday Alphabet
23. Kwanzaa
24. Ring in the New Year
25. Stand Up for Martin Luther King
26. 100 Days
27. Groundhog Day
28. Abraham Lincoln
29. Bringing Home a Valentine
30. Will You Be My Valentine
31. President’s Day
32. St. Patrick’s Day!
33. Earth Day
34. Cinco de Mayo
35. A Box for Mommy
36. Take Me Out to The Ballgame
37. We Love Our Flag
38. He’s My Dad
39. The Fourth of July
40. School Days

A PICNIC BOOK!

Sometimes children like big books and sometimes they like little books. This book is so much easier to make when you tell the story about going on a picnic.

Make a picnic book by telling this story:

Let’s go on a picnic. First we need a picnic basket.
(Fold the paper in half.)

Next, we need hotdogs.
(Fold the paper in fourths.)

We also need hamburgers.
(Fold the paper into eighths.)

We’ll need a picnic bench to sit at.
(Open so it’s folded in half. Bring one bottom flap to the fold. Turn
over and bring the other bottom flap to the fold.)

A picnic is more fun if we share it with a friend. (Tear down middle crease
until you reach the fold.)

Now all we need is a book to write a story about our adventures on our picnic.
(Hands on top of bench, bend down, and fold around to make a book.)

Use for: letter books, word families
reading the room, writing the room
fact families
shape or color books
unit or theme
spelling words (picture/sentence)
friends’ names and phone numbers
opposites, story elements
original stories

Hint! Let children decorate an individual cereal box to store their picnic books.




Picnic Book with a Window

Cut a “window” out of one section of a picnic book and children can draw a secret picture inside.

SOS FOR SEL!

Here's a book I wrote in 1997. "Wonderful Me!" "Friends, Friends, Friends!" "Feelings and Emotions," "Same and Different," "Changes"...same song, different verse.

Those topics have always been important to the WHOLE child. However, after the CRAZY COVID YEAR, we know that we have got to do overdoses of SEL! I'm excited to share some of my partner activities with you over the next few days. When children work with a friend they can develop social skills, cooperation, problem solving, independence, oral language, and creativity. Peer teaching can also be a powerful teaching strategy.

To avoid common behavior problems that can occur when children pick their own partner, here are some strategies to involve all your students and encourage them to make new friends.

Buddy Sticks
Put like stickers on the bottoms of two craft sticks. You will need as many sticks as there are children in your classroom. Place sticks in a plastic cup with stickers facing down. Children choose a stick and then find the person whose stick matches theirs. That is their partner.

Note! You can also use matching letters, shapes, numbers, etc. on the sticks.

*When there is an odd number of students, let the last child chose whichever group she would like to be a part of.


Old Maid

Use Old Maid cards to create partners. Include the “Old Maid” if there is an odd number of students. The “Old Maid” gets free choice.

                         


Puzzle Pairs 

Take valentines, seasonal cards, or playing cards and cut them in half in puzzle shapes. Children put puzzles together to find their partner.

Go Togethers

Glue pictures of things that go together like socks and shoes or dogs and bones on index cards. (You can find these on the internet.) Children match pictures to find their partner.


Elbow Buddies 

Children extend elbows and the first person their elbow touches is their partner.


Partner Poem 

Children face their partner, look them in the eyes and chant:

Hand to hand (shake hands)
And feet to feet (touch shoes)
I’m glad that you
Are partners with me!

Study Buddy of the Week

Use on of these ideas every Monday to pair up children. Explain that is their "study buddy" for the week. They can help each other and work with each other all week.


P.S.  I CAN DO SOMETHING SPECIAL DAY! 

I found this idea when I was doing research for this blog.  This would be something you could do in lieu of a Halloween party - or you could make any Friday Fabulous with this activity.  Each child is invited to sing, dance, tell a joke, make something, share a hobby, etc. Emphasize that there are many ways to be wonderful!!

BACK TO SCHOOL CLASS BOOKS

These are some simple books that you can make to create interest in reading and nurture your classroom community.

I Like to Come to School
(Tune: "The Farmer in the Dell")
I like to come to school.
I like to come to school.
I like to learn and play each day
I like to come to school.

I like to make new friends…
I like to read and write…
I like to do math…
I like to sing and draw…/

*Ask children other things they like about school and insert their suggestions in the song.
*Write children’s suggestions on sentence strips and use in a pocket chart.

*Make a class book where each child draws a picture about what they like best at school. They can dictate or write a sentence to go with their drawings. Read the book several times to the class and then allow children to “check it out” and take it home.

Hello Book



Glue each child's photo on a sheet of paper and write “Hello, (child’s name).” at the top. Punch holes in the pages and put them together with book rings. (If you bind the book on the bottom it will be easy to turn the pages as you hold it in your lap.)

                                                        

Use the book in the following ways:
* Circle or Group Time: Start your day by reading the book together and saying hello to each other.

* Questions: Use the book when you want to ask the class questions. Randomly turn to a page and call on that child to answer the question. This will allow “thinking time” and discourage children from shouting out the answer.

* Transitions: Use this book to dismiss children for learning centers, to line up, and other transitions. Flip through the book and hold up different pictures. As the children see their photo, they may be dismissed, line up, and so on.

* Sing and read this book to the tune of “Good Night, Ladies.”
Hello, (child’s name).
Hello, (child’s name).
Hello, (child’s name).
We're glad you're in our room.


Who Do You See?
We all know wonderful Bill Martin’s “Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?” Your children will love saying and “reading” this version with you. Put each child’s photo on a page with this chant at the top:

        
                       
(Child’s name), (child’s name), who do you see?
On the bottom of the page write:
I see (second child’s) name looking at me.
On the last add the teacher’s photo with this rhyme:
Children, children, who do you see?
I see (teacher’s name) looking at me.
(Teacher’s name), (teacher’s name), who do you see?
I see happy children ready to learn with me!

                                                      

*Make two copies of this book so one child can take it home each day to share with their families.

*Introduce children to school helpers with a similar book with the principal, secretary, custodian, nurse, PE teacher, music teacher, and other specialists.

*Carolyn Kisloski takes a picture of the children's shoes to make this book..."Whose shoes do you see?"


The Name of My School
Do you get tired of children saying, “Teacher, teacher!” the first few days of school. This song will enable them to learn the name of their teacher, school, principal, as well as their community, city, state, and country. Take photographs of yourself, the principal, the school, your community, and so forth. Glue pictures to construction paper and write a verse similar to those below on each page. Sing the words to the tune of “The Wheels on the Bus.”

The name of my school is (school’s name),
school’s name), (school’s name).
The name of my school is (school’s name).
That’s the name of my school.
The name of my teacher is (teacher’s name), (teacher’s name),
(teacher’s name)…

The name of my principal is…

The name of my librarian is…

The name of my P.E. teacher is…

WHO IS MY TEACHER?

Teaching is a relationship between teachers, children, and families. Over the next few days I'll share activities that will nurture those positive feelings! You'll find some great ideas to help your children get to know you and for you to get to know them.

Brochure
Make a brochure about yourself, your school, and fun activities you have planned for the year and mail it to the children before school begins (or just give it to them the first day). To make a brochure, fold a sheet of paper into thirds. On the front section write “Welcome to your name’s Classroom!” On the left section place a picture of yourself and write some personal information about your family, pets, experience, etc. On the inside write “We’ll have a great year together…learning to read, experimenting in science, learning math, working on the computer, cooking, taking field trips, singing, etc.

                     

Paper Doll Teacher
Here’s something fun to make for your door to welcome the students. Lay on a large sheet of butcher paper and ask a friend to trace around your body. (You’ve probably done this to your children before.) Color yourself and cut yourself out. (Go ahead and take off a few inches if you want to!) Tape this on the door, and then make the following labels and attach them to the different body parts. “A head full of great ideas,” “A mouth to sing you songs and read you stories,” “Arms for hugging,” “Hands to help your learn new things,” “Pockets to hold surprises,” “Play shoes for outdoor fun,” and “A heart full of love for you!” 

Who Is My Teacher?
Make a book about yourself to read to the children the first day of school. Include a photograph of yourself as a child, family photos, pictures of pets, favorite foods, hobbies, why you enjoy teaching, etc. Let one child take the book home each evening to share with their families. (What a simple way to build a partnership with your parents!)

Hint! You might even ask each parent to make a similar book about his child to place in your classroom library.

What’s Your Bag?
Give each child a lunch sack at registration or the first day of school and ask them to put the wrapper from their favorite candy, something their favorite color, a picture of their family, the title of their favorite book, etc. in the bag. After sharing these objects with classmates, they can use them to decorate journals, make banners about themselves, etc. 

Getting to Know You

Give parents a form similar to the one below and ask them to fill it out for their child and return it the first day of school.  Put the pages together and make a book called "Getting to Know You" that you can read to the class.  Let one child take home the book each evening to share with their  parents.

Winnie the Pooh

I'm one of the biggest Pooh fans ever.  This cartoon had multiple meanings for me.  First of all, I know most of you would NOT like to go to page one and do it again.  However, I hope you have the strength and JOY at the end of this new school year to feel like Pooh and Piglet.  I pray that this will be your best year ever!!!!

              

WHAT'S THE BUZZZZZZ?

The big buzz word for early childhood educators in 2021 needs to be SEL - SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING! (Actually, it is critical for all of us!) As I was pondering blogs for the New Year I realized this might be the most meaningful topic. It's time to bring back PLAY and GOOD FEELINGS and FUN!

Social emotional learning is nothing new. Look at this book I wrote in 1997. "Wonderful Me!" "Friends, Friends, Friends!" "Feelings and Emotions," "Same and Different," "Changes"...same song, different verse.

Those topics have always been important to the WHOLE child. We know that a positive self-concept, self-regulation, and knowing how to get along with others is critical for students today and in the future.

According to CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning), social-emotional learning can be defined as: “the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.”

My goal over the next few days will be to give you "ready to use activities" each day that can promote SEL in your classroom in the 2021.

You'll find the blogs organized around the following categories:
· Activities to help children develop self-confidence
· Songs and cheers to create a classroom family
· Techniques to encourage self-regulation
· Partner projects to develop social relations
· Games and ideas for small group learning

Note! I can't solve all of the problems in the world, but what I can do is try and give you some positive suggestions, tips, and ideas. I realize that under current circumstances you may not be able to do some of these activities, such as handshakes or play dough, but please feel free to adapt them or save them for a happier time!


I LIKE YOU!  YOU LIKE ME!

I don't care where I go or what age group I work with, all I have to do is sing this song and I've got them in the palm of my hand. Basically, we all just want to be recognized and feel like someone likes us!

These tunes are a good example of "positive self-talk." When children sing about being special and having friends, they are more likely to believe it and act accordingly.

I Like You! (Tune: "Skip to My Lou")
I like you,there’s no doubt about it. (Point to self and then a child.)
I like you,there’s no doubt about it.
I like you,there’s no doubt about it.
You are my good friend.

You like me, there's no doubt about it. (Point to a child and then self.)
You like me, there's no doubt about it.
You like me, there's no doubt about it.
We are all good friends.

*Insert children's names in the song. For example: 

I like Joey, there's no doubt about it.
I like April, there's no doubt about it.
I like Leo there's no doubt about it.
We are all good friends.

Hint! Glue googly eyes to craft sticks and give one to each child to use as you sing.

Special Me (Tune: "Twinkle Little Star")
Special, special, special me (Point to self.)
I'm as special as can be. (Open and close fingers.)
There is no one quite like me. (Shake head.)
I'm as good as I can be.
Special, special, special me, (Point to self.)
I'm as I can be. (Hug self.)

*Encourage each child to say something that makes them special.

Friends, Friends - 1, 2, 3
Friends, friends, 1, 2, 3,  (Hold up fingers one at a time.)
All my friends are here with me.  (Palms up.)
You're my friend,  (Point to various friends.)
You're my friend,
You're my friend,
You're my friend.
Friends, friends, 1, 2, 3,
All my friends are here with me.

*Demonstrate sign language for "friends" before singing the song. What does it mean to be a friend? How do friends treat each other?

DAILY AFFIRMATIONS

HELLO! Meet my guest blogger Michelle Lewis. You're going to be inspired by her story and daily affirmations.

Hi, my name is Michelle Lewis and I teach 4K (four year old kindergarten) at Rexford-Longfellow Elementary in Clintonville, WI.I have been teaching with Clintonville Public Schools for 6 years and am truly “living my childhood dream” teaching kindergarten. I simply do not think there is much greater in life than looking into the eyes of a child and watching them grow, discover and learn about the world around them. My students teach me way more about "life" than I could ever teach them :)

Due to Covid 19, we started the school year in a hybrid model as a way to have less kids in the classroom at one time and help with social distancing. The 4K program at my school is a four days a week program and there are two sessions, morning and afternoon.  The morning and afternoon students are each divided into two cohorts, A and B. Students in cohort A learn in the classroom Mondays and Tuesdays and at home Thursdays and Fridays and Cohort B does the opposite. Wednesdays are a planning and deep cleaning day at our school. We also have students and families who have chosen to do 100% virtual learning.

As a way to wrap my mind around all of this and help actively engage ALL of my young students in their learning both in the classroom and at home, I created this google slide show to use to help “walk” us through our day!  Little did I know when I first created the slide show how useful it would be and how well it would work. Before I made this slide show, I wasn’t even sure how to add hyperlinks and by the time I finished making it, I learned a lot. ;)  I am humbled and yet AMAZED at how far my slide show traveled when I shared the file. I went to school one morning and my email was filled with hundreds of requests for me to share the file. I have had requests to share it from over 40 different states and 30 countries! WOW! I still cannot believe it!  My slideshow being shared around the world is awesome but what I think is even more awesome is that the positive affirmations I recite with my kids each and every day might now be said by teachers and children all around the world. Kids need to hear positive messages about themselves and truly believe those positive affirmations. Kids need to know they are loved and that their lives matter and that they can make a difference in this world.  I felt compelled to share my google slide show for FREE because I personally know how hard teachers are working right now to best meet the needs of their students. If my slide show can help teachers and students, why not share??  In sharing my slides, all I asked was that if a teacher used my slide show that they would reach out and help another teacher or do a random act of kindness to help make another person smile! That’s all I wanted :)  We as teachers need to stick together and help one another. Collaboration is the key for surviving this time as we walk through uncharted territory.

The slideshow I made titled: A Walk through Our Day in 4K basically takes the kids through the entire day via slides. On these slides I have songs to begin our day, the Pledge of Allegiance, our classroom mission statement, the positive affirmations we say each day, our entire calendar time, our entire literacy time and a wealth of different activities and songs as well as math and literacy tools that are all hyperlinked. I also have some dance party songs linked because thanks to Greg Smedley Warren’s idea, from Kindergarten Smorgasboard, we end our day with a VIRTUAL dance party!

Due to the high numbers of Covid 19 in Wisconsin, we are now doing 100% virtual learning. Using Google Meet, I share my screen and my 4K kiddos can see exactly what we are doing. I would love for them to be in my classroom where we could learn and grow together but on the computer, although it looks different, learning is still happening, the classroom community is still being built, friendships still formed and the love I have for my kids and teaching still shines bright even in the midst of a global pandemic!! My heart is full when I look at their smiling faces on my computer screen! We are still singing, dancing and learning and growing together as a school family! We will get through this and we will be stronger because of it!

For more information you can contact Michelle: mlewis@clintonville.k12.wi.us

HAPPY OCTOBER CELEBRATIONS!

Everybody knows about that big holiday at the end of October, but there are some other special days that you can celebrate this month.  I'll share some suggestions for these holidays in the upcoming weeks.  

Note!  Of course, you'll be able to adapt them to any day, any learning situation, or any age level.

October 2 World Smile Day

October 3 World Card Making Day

October 5 Do something Nice

October 12 Columbus Day

October 16 Dictionary Day

October 21  Count your Buttons Day

October 27  Tell a Story Day

GET READY FOR SMILE DAY TOMORROW!  Here are some simple ideas to put a smile on your children's faces.

Put on a Happy Face

Yes, your smile can set the tone for the whole day, so put on a happy face.  Sometimes you have to be part actor or actress and "fake it til you feel it."  

Smile Break
When children are inattentive, help center them with a smile break. Tell them to look at the clock or use the timer on your phone as they smile for 30 seconds. 

*You can also ask them to hug themselves, freeze, or do other motions for a specified amount of time.

Recall with a Smile
Have children close their eyes. If they can see something new they learned they can open their eyes and smile at you.

High Five Smile
Teach children how to give themselves a “high five” for a job well done. Hold up both palms facing each other in front of your chest. Pretend to wave with one hand as you hold up five fingers on the other hand and smile. (“Hi 5!” Get it?) 

Smiley Cheer

Take your index finger and pretend to poke two eyes in the air as you make a clicking sound.  Make a curved smile with your pointer under the pretend eyes as you whistle and then give a big smile.

😊😊😊

Give Yourself a Smile

Ask children to draw a picture of their face without a mouth.  Take a pencil and draw a frown on the face.  How does that look?  Erase that frown!  Now, take a red crayon and draw a big smile on the face.  Which one looks better?  Which one would you want for a friend?

   

Smile Hug  
Smile, close your eyes, and hug your shoulders.

Ha! Ha! He! He! (Tune: “Pretty Little Dutch Girl”)
I smile because I’m happy, (Smile.)
As happy as can be.
I smile because I like myself. (Point to self.)
I smile because I’m me!

I laugh because I’m happy,
As happy as can be. (Ha! Ha!)
I laugh because I like myself.
I laugh because I’m me! (Ha! Ha!)

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. (Hold stomach and fake laugh.)
He he he he he he.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
He he he he he he.

GETTING TO KNOW MY NEW FRIENDS

This book is perfect for helping children recognize their names and create friendships online or in class. You will need a photograph of each child, construction paper, book rings, and markers. Glue each child’s photo on a page. Write “Hello, (child’s name).” at the top of the page. Punch holes in the pages and put them together with book rings. (If you bind the book on the bottom it will be easy to turn the pages as you hold it in your lap.)

Note!  Ask parents to send in a picture of their child or you can just take one from the screen.

*You can also sing and read this book to the tune of “Good Night, Ladies.”
Hello, (child’s name).
Hello, (child’s name).
Hello, (child’s name).
We're glad you're in our room.


Who Do You See?
We all know wonderful Bill Martin’s “Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?” Your children will love saying and “reading” this version with you. Put each child’s photo on a page with this chant at the top:

(Child’s name), (child’s name), who do you see?
On the bottom of the page write:
I see (second child’s) name looking at me.
On the last add the teacher’s photo with this rhyme:
Children, children, who do you see?
I see (teacher’s name) looking at me.
(Teacher’s name), (teacher’s name), who do you see?
I see happy children ready to learn with me!

The Name of My School
Help children get to know the name of their teacher, school, principal, and other school helpers with this book.  Glue pictures to construction paper and write a verse similar to those below on each page. Sing the words to the tune of “The Wheels on the Bus.”

The name of my school is (school’s name),
school’s name), (school’s name).
The name of my school is (school’s name).
That’s the name of my school.

The name of my teacher is (teacher’s name), (teacher’s name),
(teacher’s name)…

The name of my principal is…
The name of my librarian is…
The name of my P.E. teacher is…