THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Many schools start the day with the Pledge of Allegiance. To help children use their right hand you can put a sticker on it or make a bracelet from a pipe cleaner. An outline of the right hand near your classroom flag is another visual prompt.

Here’s a song to get the children ready to say the pledge.

We Love Our Flag (Tune: “The Farmer in the Dell”)
We love our flag.
We love our flag.
We love America
And we love our flag.

Red, white, and blue,
red, white, and blue,
The colors of our country's flag
are red, white, and blue.


Here’s the link to download the book:
http://www.drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2007/06_Jun/1booksJun/WeLoveOurFlag.pdf

Sign Language
The words in the Pledge of Allegiance will be more meaningful if you teach children how to do it in sign language.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH_FELUCRxg


My Flag (Tune: “When the Saints Go Marching In”)
My flag is red. My flag is white. (March in place.)
And in the corner it is blue.
My flag stands for my country.
I love red, white, and blue!

Fifty white stars on a field of blue…

We are all Americans. (March alternating fists in the air.)
And so we always say I CAN!
We try and do our best
Because we are Americans!

                                                
                                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2PgpbfIt7g

Class Pledge
This pledge might be more appropriate for younger children.

     I pledge to myself on this day
     To try to be kind in every way.
     To every person big or small
     I will help them if they fall.
     I will love myself and others, too.
     That’s the best that I can do!

STAR SPANGLED BANNER DAY

Do you know what today is? That’s right! The Star-Spangled Banner officially became our national anthem on March 3, 193l. It was written during the War of 1812 by Francis Scott Key.  Seeing the American flag flying over Fort McHenry in the Baltimore Harbor inspired him to write the song. 

Although most people are familiar with the song, I wonder how many adults could actually write the words to the national anthem?  Could we pass a vocabulary test on the meaning of the lyrics?  

I think this is the perfect learning opportunity for students of all ages.

Put a copy of the first verse on the board and read over it. Invite children to tell you what they think the lyrics mean. Explain that when things are difficult to understand it helps to read one line at a time. Take each line and discuss the meaning. (This is really going to be a challenge for young children, but it’s good to stretch their brains - and maybe your brain as well!) 

Vocabulary – Ask children to come up and highlight words they are not familiar with. (dawn, twilight, hailed, perilous, ramparts, gallantly…)  How can we find out what those words mean?  

Invite children to close their eyes as they listen to the song. You could also show this video where the words are connected to photographs. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPKp29Luryc

Want to learn more? Check out this website: 

http://amhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/

FYI Did you know that the famous write F. Scott Fitzgerald was a distant cousin of Francis Scott Key and was named after him?

GIVE A CHEER FOR GAME DAY!

It’s another big football Saturday and you’ll never guess where I am! Give up? 

I’m in South Bend, Indiana, to watch the Georgia Tech vs. Notre Dame football game. My husband is a crazy Yellow Jacket fan and going to a Notre Dame game has always been on his bucket list. Now, we’ll be able to check that one off! 

                          
I’m not sure I’ll take these pompoms to the game today, but your students are bound to enjoy making…and I’ll even give you a few ideas for tying them into standards.

Materials: lunch bags (2 for each child), scissors, markers, tape

Directions: Draw lines 1” apart halfway down from the top of the bag to the bottom flap as shown. Have the children use scissors to cut down on these strips. Turn the flap over and then roll it up tightly to make a handle. Secure the handle with tape. (For a good small motor activity let the children wrap rubber bands around the handle.) Wrinkle and fluff up the strips to make pompoms.

Note! Let children color their bags favorite team colors before cutting them.

*Use the pompoms to clap out syllables.

*Have children repeat a pattern with pompoms. (clap, shake, clap, shake…)

*Play “Simon Says” to demonstrate positional words. For example: Simon Says put the pompoms behind you. Simon says put the pompoms on your shoulders. Simon says put the pompoms under your chin…

*Use the pompoms to spell words. Clap up high for letters that start at the top dotted line. Clap in the middle for letters that start at the middle dotted line. Clap down low for letters with a tail.

*Do addition and subtraction facts with pompoms. Shake left hand and say a number. Shake right hand and say a number. Put hands in the air and shake as you say the answer.

*Play “Follow the Leader” as one child leads and the others must follow the movements.

WAY TO GO DADDY-O!

I think you know how much I promote poetry in the classroom. Barbara Baker, a kindergarten teacher from Alafia Elementary (babskteach@yahoo.com) shared this idea at Summer Camp and I went nuts! If I were in charge of the world every classroom would do this in the upcoming school year. 

                  

My kindergarten class pairs with a fourth grade class for the entire school year. We call ourselves the “Alligator Buddy Club” since our school mascot is an alligator. All year we meet and do activities together. During April when it’s Poetry Month, the fourth grade buddies transform their classroom into a Poetry Café. They dress in black and wear black berets as they sit on bar stools with a microphone. They serve tea and coffee to the audience of parents who come to the children perform. Each fourth grader sits next to the kindergarten buddy and one at a time, the children read their favorite poem from their poetry collection they have worked on all year. Drums are pounded after each poem as the children snap their fingers and recite, “Way to go…daddy-o!” The pride each child feels will be remembered for a lifetime. The love of poetry is celebrated and becomes a part of their memories. This activity builds confidence, develops oral language, auditory memory, comprehension, rhythm, rhyme, repetition, eye contact, social interaction…Oh, and Common Core State Standards!!!

IT'S A WRAP!

After months and months of working on new ideas, editing, recording, and singing my new CD is finally finished!!!  “Move It!  Learn It!’ has 28 songs and 28 instrumentals to make you want to dance, sing, smile, and learn!  Take a look at these titles:

1. Move It and Get Fit!
2. Feeling Fine
3. Shake a Hand
4. My Flag 
5. Be a Buddy
6. Twisting the Week 
7. Month March 
8. Gooo Letters! 
9. Letters in My Hand 
10. Letters You Should Know A-M
11. Letters You Should Know N-Z
12. Color Box 
13. Opposite Cheer 
14. Preposition March
15. We Like Books 
16. This Is How You Learn to Read
17. Alphabet Remix
18. Karate Chop Skip Count
19. Pump Up to 100
20. Let’s Move! 
21. Bubblegum Dance
22. Giddy Up
23. Steppin’ Up
24. Dancing in My Chair
25. Hawaiian Cross Crawl
26. Stretch and Breath
27. Bolero Balance
28. Todaloo

As a special introductory offer you can download the complete set in December for $14.95.  (The two hard disks are $30, and that includes shipping.)  What a great gift this would make to yourself or from a parent!  There are two free downloads on my website, so either way you’ll get a little gift from me!  Happy singing!

TIS YOU!

This week I received a letter from a kindergarten teacher asking me to write down what I believed was my best performance.  Her principal challenged them to collect motivational strategies that would energize them this coming year.  Here was my response:

As I thought about your message, one moment did not appear, but a tapestry of children’s smiles flashed before my eyes.  Life and teaching are not a snapshot, but a video of all our experiences, challenges, accomplishments, failures, joys, and adventures.  Every day you pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and start all over again! 

I recently received an email and on the bottom it said,  “In life it’s not about waiting for the storm to pass over – it’s about dancing in the rain.”  Isn’t that what educators do every day?  You have to shut your door and figure out how to make learning more exciting and fun.  You’ve got to give children the academic roots to be successful and the hope and dreams to believe in themselves and the future.

It’s the little things in life that count.  Do every act of kindness and do a little bit more than the job demands. 

A friend who taught with me over 40 years ago visited recently and said, “I remember how you would take the most pitiful little child and write on their hand:  YOU ARE AMAZING AND WONDERFUL!  Or YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!”

She said, “Why did you do that?”  My response was, for once in their lives I wanted them to feel that way.  I wanted them to know that someone believed in them.

Several years ago I visited a fourth grade class and sang some songs, told a story, and made a book with them.  I wasn’t there over 30 minutes, but when I was leaving a little boy placed a note in my hands that said:

         Tis the gift to care about kids everywhere.

         Tis loving them no matter where.

         Tis right to teach.  Tis right to share.

         Tis caring to feel for others

         Tis you who sits and listens to others.

         Tis you who understands.

         Tis you, tis you, tis you who CARES.

What a profound thought!  In spite of technology and Common Core State Standards, every child just wants to be noticed and loved!  TIS YOU who does that every day! 

ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

Several months ago I reported on a book called BRAIN RULES.  John Medina wrote a second book called BRAIN RULES FOR BABIES.  The title is a little misleading because the book is full of words of wisdom for all children.

One chapter that was particularly interesting was on “The Secret of Happiness.”  Research continues to confirm that satisfying relationships with other people is the key to happiness.  These are other behaviors that can contribute to your happiness:

*doing altruistic acts (Teachers do this ALL day long!)

*making lists of things for which you are grateful (You could do this as a writing activity each morning with your class.)

*work on expressing an “attitude of gratitude”

*practice using a “forgiveness reflex” when you are slighted  (Turn the other cheek and don’t hold a grudge.)

I love quotes and this is one of my favorites:

         We can’t adjust the wind, but we can adjust our sails!

I realize that some of you are in challenging schools - some of you have difficult colleagues - some of you have demanding parents - some of you have curriculums that are boring – it’s life!  Don’t let them take away your joy!  Choose to be happier this year and to make it a happier experience for your students! 

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?

If you are a college football fan like we are, this is an exciting time of year.  Football gives us a distraction from the economy, storms, wars, and woes of the world.  It gives us something to cheer for and look forward to each weekend.   Football can also be a “kick off” for teaching some skills in your classroom.

College Goals – It’s never too early to plant seeds of attending college in your students.  Give them a dream and a goal!  One school I visited displayed pennants of the schools where the teachers graduated from in the front hall.  Have the children brainstorm all the colleges and universities in your area.  Talk about why it is important to go to college.  Encourage your students to think about where they would like to go to college.  Give them paper shaped like pennants to decorate with their college dream.

Math – Let children do surveys of favorite college teams.

Graph favorite teams.

Predict who will win the game.  Who was right?  Who was wrong?

Predict what the score will be.  Who was closest?

Let children choose a favorite player and write their number on a jersey.  How many math facts can they think of to equal that number?

Social Studies – Use a map of the United States and locate where games will be played.

Internet Search – Look up team mascots and colors.  Listen to college fight songs.  Do exercises to fight songs.

Team Mascots – Make puppets of team mascots.  Write poems or stories about mascots.

Art – Cut pictures of players out of the newspaper or sports magazines.  Challenge children to write creative stories about favorite players.  They could also write letters to favorite players.

Guest Readers – Invite a local high school football team and cheerleading squad to visit your school to read books.  There’s nothing more motivating to a young child than to see someone in a uniform model how “cool” it is to read!

P.S.  Vanessa from pre-kpages wrote:  "Most districts in my area have "college spirit days" every Wednesday and teachers are encouraged to wear their college t-shirts, sweatshirts, and other gear.  One less day we have to worry about what to wear!" 

SUPER STAR CHANT

Super Star Chant
(Insert the name of your school in this cadence.  Children repeat each line.)

(School), (School) is the best!     (Slap thighs or clap hands to the beat.)
(School)  is better than all the rest!
We can read and we can write

And our letters are out of sight.

We can count and we can add
And that makes our teacher glad!

We make new friends and follow rules.

Getting along is really cool.

We can learn and we can play
And we prove it everyday!

(School), (School) is the best!
(School)  is better than all the rest!
We are super, yes we are.

Look out world, here comes a star.

*Let children make up their own verses about their grade level.  For example, “First grade, first grade is so neat.  We all have the learning beat.”

School Cheer

(This is an adaptation of “Father Abraham.”)

(Name of school) School has many friends.        

There are many friends at (name of school).

I am one of them,              (Point to self.)

And so are you.                  (Point to a friend.)

So let’s all give a cheer.

Right arm.                         (Begin moving right arm up and down.)

Continue adding left arm…right foot…left foot…nod your head.

End by singing, “Turn around and sit down.”

*Both of these songs are on the “Happy Everything” CD.  The books can be downloaded from my August, 2007, website.

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!

This idea has got to be on your “must do” list for the upcoming school year.  There is absolutely no sugar involved, but it will be a “sweet” memory just the same for your students. First, let the birthday child choose “candles” (friends who stand around them with their arms above their head like a candle flame).  The rest of the class holds hands and stands in a circle around them to represent the “birthday cake.”  Recite the poem below and then sing the traditional birthday song as you walk around the birthday child.  After singing, the birthday child blows out the candles one at a time and the

candles “melt” to the ground.

Today is (child’s name) birthday

Let’s bake him/her a cake!         (Make arms in a circle.)

Stir and mix and mix and stir           (Pretend to mix.)

Then into the oven to bake!         (Throw in oven.)

Here’s our cake so nice and round.  (Arms in a circle.)

Let’s frost it (child’s favorite color) and white.  (Frost.)

We’ll put (age of child) candles on it,  (Hold up fingers.)

To make (child’s name)’s birthday bright!

*Give the birthday child a special wish.  They can choose a song, a book, a game, or they can sit by their best friend all day.

*Make a birthday book.  Each child gets a sheet of white paper and is encouraged to draw a “gift” for their friend.  Meanwhile, the birthday child gets a large sheet of paper to decorate with stickers and markers.  Classmates “present” their pictures to the birthday child.  Staple their pictures in the construction paper to make a book of birthday wishes!

Note!  Here's a YouTube video where I demonstrate this idea.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O53tvyWSWKA

P.S.  I got the hat at Oriental Trading.

WELCOME KIT

Here is a “Welcome Kit” that will win the hearts of children and parents!  Place the following items in a gift sack or zip bag along with the note. 

(You may need to adapt some of these objects to the age of your students.)

                  cotton ball                     Hershey’s kiss         sticker

                  rubber band                   penny                      tissue

                  gold star                        band aid                  Life Saver

                  gold thread                    eraser                                   

“Welcome to your new classroom.  Each item in this bag

 has a special  meaning for you!”

*The cotton ball is to remind you that this room is full of kind words and warm feelings.

*The chocolate kiss is to remind you that I care about you.

*The sticker is to remind you that we will all need to stick together and

help each other.

*The rubber band is to remind you to hug someone.

*The penny is to remind you that you are valuable and special.

*The tissue is to remind you to help dry someone’s tears.

*The star is to remind you to shine and always try your best.

*The bandage is to remind you to heal hurt feelings in your friends and yourself.

*The gold thread is to remind you that friendship ties our hearts together.

*The eraser is to remind you that everyone makes mistakes, and that is okay.

*The Life Saver is to remind you that you can always come to me if you need someone to help you.

                                    With love,  (Teacher’s Signature)

TLC for Parents

Put the note below in an envelope with a cotton ball and tea bag and send it home to the parents the first day of school.

Dear Parents,

Thank you for entrusting your child to me.  I promise to do my best every

day to be your child’s companion in learning.

Sit down, relax, and have a cup of tea.  Hold the cotton ball in your hand to

 remind you of the gentle spirit of your child.  I know we will have a

wonderful year as we learn and grow together!

                                   Sincerely, (Teacher’s Name)

I LIKE TO COME TO SCHOOL

I Like to Come to School

(Tune:  “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…  (Find a friend and hold their hand.)

I like to read and write…         (Pretend to read a book.)

I like to do math…                  (Pretend to count on fingers.)

I like to sing and draw…         (Pretend to draw.)

*Let children make up additional verses for the above song about what they like best at school. 

*Make a language experience chart with each child's name and why they like to come to school.

We Like School

Ask each child to draw a picture of what they like best.  (For younger children, photograph them in their favorite area of the classroom.)  Put their pictures together to make a book called “We Like School.”  Read it each morning to create positive feelings about school.

PUDDIN AND TANE - NAME GAMES

What’s your name?

                                       Puddin and tane.

Ask me again

And I’ll tell you the same.

Names are important to children, so here are some name chants that will help 

your students get to know each other as you create your classroom community.

Shakey Shakey  (Clap or snap to the beat as you chant.)

            Child’s name, child’s name, sick in bed.

Called the doctor and the doctor said.

Come on, child’s name, you’re not sick.

All you need is an exercise trick.

So stand up and shakey, shakey shakey. 

(Child stands and makes silly motions.)

Get down and shakey, shakey, shakey,

Turn around and shakey, shakey, shakey,        

Sit down and shakey, shakey, shakey.         (Child sits down.)

…Continue around the room chanting to each child.     
   

Where, Oh, Where?  Here’s a song to the tune of  “Way Down Yonder in the Paw Paw Patch.”

         Where, oh, where is our friend, child’s name.

         Where, oh, where is our friend, child’s name.     

         Where, oh, where is our friend, child’s name.

         There he/she is wearing color child has on today.

         …Continue singing each child’s name and the color they are wearing.

How Are You Feeling Today?  This song is similar to “If You’re Happy and You Know It.”  First, teach children sign language for different feelings, such as happy, sad, sleepy, angry, and scared.  (Visit aslpro.com to see a video clip of these signs.) 

         How are you feeling today? 

         How are you feeling today?

         Show us the sign,

         And it will be just fine.

         How are you feeling today?

Children make the sign and have the opportunity to discuss their feelings.

Hickety Pickety Bumblebee – This chant is great for phonological awareness.  Slap your thighs and clap hands to get a beat going.

         Hickety pickety bumblebee,

         Who can say their name for me?

         First child’s name.

         Clap it.  (Clap out the syllables in the child’s name.)

         Whisper it.  (Whisper the syllables.)

         No sound.  (Mouth the syllables.)

         Hickety pickety bumblebee,

         Who can say their name for me?

         Second child’s name…etc.

Willabee Wallabee - Here’s a good chant for rhyming.  Substitute the first sound in each child’s name with a /w/.

          Willabee wallabee Wohn.

          An elephant sat on John.

          Willabee wallabee Wue.

          An elephant sat on Sue.

                          

Hello, How Are You?  Wave to friends as you sing this name song to the tune of “Skip to My Lou”:

          Hello, child’s name, how are you?         (Wave.)

          Hello, child’s name, how are you?

          Hello, child’s name, how are you?

          We’re so glad to see you!

          Turn to your neighbor and shake their hand…  (Shake hands.)

          Turn to your neighbor and give high five…(Give high five.)

SCHOOL FRIENDS

School Friends – Let each child fill out a page similar to the one shown with their name, age, favorite color, favorite book, pet, and other personal information.  Add a photo and put their pictures together to make a class book.  (Make sure the teacher adds a page, too!)  Let one child take home the book each day to introduce school friends to their families.

Autograph Book – Make blank books by stapling several sheets of colored paper together.  Let children go around and get their friends autographs.

Graphs – Get to know each other and develop math skills by creating class graphs.  You might make a graph of how children get to school, the number of brothers and sisters they have, pets, favorite pizza topping, and so forth.

Echo Song    Echo Song - The teacher sings the first line and the children answer singing the second line.  “Where Is Thumbkin?” is the tune.
                            Who has two eyes?                  (Teacher asks)

                            I have two eyes.                      (Children respond)

                            Who has one nose?                  (Teacher asks)

                            I have one nose.                      (Children respond)        

                            Who has two ears?                  (Teacher asks.)                 

                            I have two ears.                      (Children respond)

                            Now we know.                          (Clap and sing together)

                            Now we know.

Continue singing other questions about eye color, pets, siblings, likes, hobbies, etc.

IMPORTANT PERSON

Important Person – Hold one child at a time in your lap as you sing this song to the tune of “Lassie and Laddie.”

                 

                  Child’s name is important, important, important.

                  Child’s name is important to you and to me.

                  At work and at play

                  He/she does his/her best each day.

                  Child’s name is important to you and to me.

We Like You – Invite children to brainstorm words that describe good friends.  Write words on index cards and place them in a bag.  Each child chooses a word.  Sing the word to the tune of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

We like you because you’re wonderful.

We like you because you’re wonderful.

We like you because you’re wonderful.

We really like you!

Hint!  You could pin or tape words to children so they could strive for that adjective.

AMAZING AND INCREDIBLE!

Glue a small mirror to the inside of a box.  Explain to your class that something amazing and incredible is in the box.  It’s so unique and special there’s only one like it in the whole world!  Pass the box around and look at their expressions when they see their reflection in the mirror.

 Super Star Chant
(Insert the name of your school to this cadence.  Children repeat each line.)

(School), (School) is the best!           (Slap thighs or clap hands to the beat.)
(School)  is better than all the rest!
We can read and we can write

And our letters are out of sight.

We can count and we can add
And that makes our teacher glad!

We make new friends and follow rules.

Getting along is really cool.

We can learn and we can play
And we prove it everyday!

(School), (School) is the best!
(School)  is better than all the rest!
We are super, yes we are.

Look out world, here comes a star.

We Can’t All Be Stars, But We Can All Twinkle!  Make a bulletin board with that saying.  Ask children what it means to them.  What is special about them?  Give each child a star and have them draw their picture (or use a photo) in the center.   On the five points of the star write positive words about them.  Add their stars to the bulletin board.

HOT IDEAS FROM "HOT"LANTA!

Oh, my goodness!  Did we have a GREAT conference in Atlanta!  Loved, loved, loved all of the teachers!  And, you’ll love these ideas they shared!

Shake Down  (Diep Nguyen)

(This is an awesome brain break!)

Shake your right hand five times as you count out loud.

Shake your left hand five times as you count.

Shake your right foot five times and count.

Shake your left foot five times and count.

Shake your right hand four times…left hand four times…right foot four times…left foot four times.

Shake your right hand three times…

Shake your right hand two times…

Shake your right hand one time…

Oh, yeah!!!!

Put the Baby to Bed  (Nitefa Jones-Pecou, The Children’s School, Atlanta)

Now it’s time to go to sleep.         (Hold up index finger.)

Put the baby in the bed.                  (Open palm and lay finger down.)

Cover the baby in the bed.         (Wrap fist around finger.)

Kiss the baby goodnight.                  (Kiss finger wrapped up.)

“Waaaa.!”  (Make the sound of a baby crying while waving around finger.)

“Uh oh!  Baby’s out of bed!”

*Ask the children what you can do to get the baby to sleep.

*Add the children’s suggestions to the song.  For example, “Feed the baby.” 

Now it’s time to go to sleep.

Feed the baby.

Put the baby in the bed.

Cover the baby in the bed.

Kiss the baby goodnight.

*Keep Adding the children’s suggestions to the song and try to remember them all and create hand gestures for them.

When you are ready to stop, whisper the last verse.

The Twelve “Joys” of Teaching (Christy, Sharon, & Terri Lynn from Martha R. Smith, Jesup, GA)

Here’s a great song to sing at your first faculty meeting when you go back to school.

On the first day back to school my principal gave to me one book study.

2 ELP’s

3 Cases of head lice

4 Picture days

5 Focus walk-throughs

6 Angry parents

7 ADD kids

8 furlough days

9 RTI’s

10 Weeks of busy duty

11 Fire drills

12 Staff meetings

THE  (Kathleen Adair)

(Tune:  “Shortnin’ Bread)

You can say the.

You can say the.

But you always spell it

T – H – E.

Lookin’ Good Cheer  (Kipp DC:  Discover Academy)

Top – ch  (Make imaginary line across.)

Side – ch (Make imaginary line down.)

Bottom – ch (Make imaginary line on bottom.)

Brush your hair.  (Pretend to brush your hair.)

Put on your chap stick/lip stick.

Looking good!

Looking good!

Awwwh, YES!

*Marshmallow cheer – Hands up!  Pretend to take a big bite.

Batman Cheer – Hands up!  Stick out arms and go (da da da da da da da da) Batman!

Push Five Handshake  (Wynter McBride, Athens, GA)

Hold your hand up flat and push against the student’s hand.

Chair Bands (Wynter McBride, Athens, GA)

Get Pilates bands and cut them in half.  (Target has the best price.)  Tie around the front legs of the students’ chairs.  They can bounce their feet on these or push against them to release extra wiggles.

Dropbox  (Wynter McBride, Athens, GA)

Use Dropbox (free app) to send photos from your smart phone to print.

Special Helpers (Karen Butler, Brewton, AL)

Have “special helpers” (stuffed animals) who look for good behavior or participation.  Children get to keep the stuffed animals at their desk for the rest of the day.

20 Questions  (Jocelyn Boldizsar)

Play “20 Questions Game” to develop:

*critical thinking skills

*questioning skills

*listening, processing, and recalling skills

*introduce descriptive words

3 Goals  (Melissa Lane)

Each parent creates 3 goals for their child at the beginning of the school year.  The parents write them down and tell the teacher how they will help their child reach their goals.  Review the goals at the mid-year conference and end-of-year conference.  This lets the teacher know what is important to the parents and transfers some of the ownership for reaching the goals to the parent.

PVC Center

For those of you with lots of parent volunteers, you can have a Parent Volunteer Center.

Ketchup Folder

Students keep work they need to finish and “catch up” on.

The Little Engine That Could…  (Jackie Daniel, Magill El., Loganville, GA)

At the beginning of the year read the story of “The Little Engine That Could.”  Talk about things that we can do like the engine.  Repeat, “I think I can, I think I can…”  Learn the sight word “can” and have students set goals that they want to accomplish.  For example, “I can write my name.  I can write my numbers.”  Each student comes up with a goal and draws a picture of it.  The students dictate their sentences and make a class book of “I Can.”  In January, have children look at their goals from the beginning of the school year.  If they accomplished that goal they make a new one.  If they did not accomplish it then talk about the progress they made.  Make a new book of goals in January.  At the end of the year check the book again and make goals for first grade.

Pass the Stomp  (Sarah Poole)

Six or more children join hands in a ring.  Child one lifts right leg and neighbor on their left lifts her left leg at the same time, stomping together.  Continue passing the stomp around the circle.

The “Magic” Way  (Theresa Watkins, The Children’s School)

Do a finger play activity or song with words.  Ex:  “Ram Sam Sam” or “Twinkle Little Star.”   Do the same activity without words and call it “the Magic way.”

Mrs. Buck Says  (Donna Marie Buck)

Play the game of “Simon Says” using the teacher’s name.  During the game there is no talking.  If you don’t follow directions or if you make a sound you are out.  If you are out of the game and make noise you won’t get to play the next game either.

www.mrsperkins.com

Great website for free Dolch words, phrases, games, activities, etc.

www.teachwithme.com

Lots of free downloads.

Get Your Heads Down  (Wynter McBride, Athens, GA)

Spray students’ papers with body spray.  They’ll get their heads down and start working!!!

Math Manipulatives  (Kathleen Adair)

Make your own rekenrek tools with foam board, pipe cleaners, and red and white pony beads. 

You can also make a simple one with a pipe cleaner bracelet with 5 red and 5 white beads.

Draw a black line down the center of a snack size zip bag.  Insert manipulatives (glass lobs slide easily) inside.  Children can move the objects around to discover different ways to make number bonds.

Pocket Book  (Linda Milam)

Take a strip of construction paper (4 ½” x 9”) and fold it as shown.  Punch holes at the top and insert a pipe cleaner handle.  Cut the edge with decorative scissors.