GOING BANANAS?

If you can't beat them - then join them! I know you've definitely got a room full of monkeys this time of year!

Caps for Sale
This was always one of my favorite books to read to my class. It was such fun to let the children be the monkeys and act out the tale. We did this in the classroom as well as outside on the playground equipment.

Monkey on a Swing
Cut a sheet of paper as shown. Roll down the top section and staple to make the monkey’s head. Decorate with markers or crayons. Glue on a tail. Staple the monkey’s hands to a straw and watch him swing.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljN2VCWmU2VkxGOWc/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-4VwN4PiOx9qgWE385RbxQg

Compare and Contrast
Get several copies of Curious George books. Compare and contrast George’s adventures. How are they alike? How are they different? Could those adventures really happen?

*Show a video of a Curious George book and then read the paper version. Let children vote on which one they like best. (You might be surprised!!!)

Five Little Monkeys
Five little monkeys jumping on the bed. (Hold up five fingers.)
One fell off and bumped her head. (Touch your head.)
Momma called the doctor and the doctor said, (Pretend to hold a phone.)
“That’s what you get for jumping on the bed!” (Point finger.)
Four…three..two…one…
No little monkeys jumping on the bed.
They are sick with broken heads!

*Change the number of monkeys in the song. Children will also get a kick out of saying, "Five little mommies jumping on the bed..."

Monkeys and Alligator 
Five little monkeys swinging from a tree, (Hold up five fingers.)
Teasing Mr. Alligator, “Can’t catch me.”
Along came Mr. Alligator quiet as can be,
And snatched a monkey right out of that tree!
Four little monkeys… (Hold up appropriate number of
Three…two…one… fingers on hand.)
“Missed me, missed me. (Stick thumbs in ears and tease.)
Now you gotta kiss me!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBGvyUG7uNY

Monkey Tail Sandwich
You will need:
Hot dog buns
Bananas
Peanut butter (or substitute)

1. Wash your hands.
2. Spread peanut butter in the bun.
3. Peel the banana and insert it in the bun.
4. Yum! Yum!

Hint! We usually made these with half a banana and hotdog bun because it was too big for the children to eat for snack.

GUACAMOLE CHRISTMAS

I don’t know why, but many teenagers are obsessed with my “Banana Dance” video. I think they are making fun of an old lady singing about fruits and vegetables, but I also think I might make them smile.  Depression and anxiety are high in many areas of our society right now, so maybe we all need a little "Guacamole Christmas"!  

                                   

                                      http://bit.ly/drjeanGuacamoleChristmas

Form the avocado ...
Peel the avocado ...
Guacamole Christmas 

Form the tree 
Trim the tree
Lights to see pretty lights to see

Form the cookies 
Bake the cookies
Eat the cookies

Form the snowball
Roll the snowball 
Build the snowman

Form the house
Decorate the house
Rock the house

Form the stocking 
Hang the stocking 
See the goodies – candy and toy goodies 

Have a happy Christmas, happy happy Christmas
Feel the love
Share the love

Merry Christmas!

My hope is that “Guacamole Christmas” will make you sing, dance, and be happie!

FIVE DAYS OF HALLOWEEN AND ALBUQUERQUE TURKEY

The Five Days of Halloween  (Tune: “Twelve Days of Christmas”)

On the first day of Halloween my monster gave to me, (Hold up 1 finger.)
A bat in an old, dead tree. (Flap arms like a bat.)

On the second day …2 creepy spiders (Wiggle fingers like spiders.)
On the third day…3 howling cats (Stroke whiskers.)
On the fourth day…4 silly scarecrows (Jiggle like a scarecrow.)
On the fifth day…5 jack-o-lanterns (Hands over head like a
jack-o-lantern.)

*Choose one child to be the bat, 2 to be spiders, 3 to be cats, etc. to act out the song.

http://bit.ly/drjeanMyMonster

Albuquerque Turkey  (Tune: “My Darlin’ Clementine”)
Albuquerque is a turkey (Put hands on hips like wings.)
And he’s feathered and he’s fine.
And he wobbles and he gobbles (Strut and wiggle.)
And he’s absolutely mine.

He’s the best pet you can get, (Pretend to stroke a turkey’s head.)
Better than a dog or cat.
He’s my Albuquerque turkey,
And I’m awfully proud of that.

Albuquerque is a turkey,
And he’s happy in his bed. (Lay hands on palms as you smile.)
Cause for our Thanksgiving dinner,
We’ll have pizza pie instead! (Palm up in the air like a pizza.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQoMbLaHM8A

Thanks to Martha Shehan for making this adorable book to go with the song.
http://www.drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2007/11_Nov/1booksNov/albuTurkey.pdf


Handprint Turkey
                                

This idea is old as the hills, but it will be new to the children in your classroom. Have children place their hand on a sheet of paper extending all the fingers. Trace. Children turn the thumb into the head of the turkey and color the other fingers to look like feathers. Add legs, and there’s your turkey! You can also do this with paint. Paint brown paint on the child’s palm, red on the thumb, and a different color on each finger. Press firmly on a sheet of paper. Add legs and other details.

LITTLE LESSONS FOR ONLINE LEARNING PART 3

You are my BVFs (Best Virtual Friends)! It's true! I can't wait to share with you on Thursdays. I am thrilled to take your suggestions and come up with "Little Lessons" for online learning. Last week there were requests for activities for families, sight words, manners, rhyming words, subtraction, and Earth Day. Today I'll offer ideas for families, sight words, and manners. Tomorrow look for activities for helping children learn to rhyme. Next week will focus on Earth Day, recycling, the litter patrol, and more.

FAMILY ACTIVITIES

Talk about a GIFT! Julie Scully sent me this Scavenger Hunt book that I can SHARE with all of you! It's got so many fun activities in it that I might need to get Mr. Feldman to play with me!!!!

Here are two ways you can get your FREE copy! This is exactly what families need right now to play, learn, and have fun!!!

Click to download Scavenger Hunt

 
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/20-Ready-to-Use-Scavenger-Hunt-Games-around-the-house-5393573


SIGHT WORDS

Here's a link to "MY WORD!" on my website. You'll find games, songs, and materials to make sight words taste "yummy"!

     My Word

There is also a FREE website that would be helpful to parents.

 Visit Sightwords

And if you don't know about Heidi Songs you'll definitely want to check out her clever tunes for helping children learn to readm

 Visit Heidisongs


MANNERS
 
You'll find a free link "Magic Words" to encourage children to use good manners. I also think it helps to teach children sign language for "please" and "thank you" so you can prompt them non-verbally.

Magic Words
There are two little magic words
That will open any door with ease.
One little word is, “Thanks!
And the other little word is, “Please!”

When you’d like to ask for someone’s help,
And you’re not sure where to begin.
“Please” will start you off,
and “thanks” comes at the end.
                                                         

Try this link to see download button

(Buy Now) for the two free songs.

Click the Buy Now button and follow along. You should get a screen that lets you download the songs. In addition, you should receive an email with the links.

FINGER PLAY MATH
You know how much I love finger plays for oral language, phonological awareness, small motor skills, etc.  Many of the finger plays are also perfect for introducing subtraction to little children. 

Gummy Bears
Down at the candy shop what did I see?
Five little gummy bears smiling at me.  (Hold up 5 fingers.)
Along came (child’s name) with a penny one day.
He/she bought the green one and took it away.  (Put one finger down.)

Down at the candy shop what did I see?
Four little gummy bears smiling at me.  (Hold up 4 fingers.)
Along came (child's name) with a penny one day.
He/she bought the red one and took it away.  (Put another finger down.)

Three...two...one





*Trace around a child's hand on construction paper and cut out.  Glue the palm to another sheet of paper.  Bend down one finger at a time as you sing the song. 

                                               

VIDEOS TO COMFORT CHILDREN
I'd like to think that all children have families who talk to them about what's going on in the world right now.  I'd like to think that parents are trying hard to make their children feel secure and have some family fun.  However, you and I know that isn't always the reality for our little ones.  Here's a video that Deborah Penney made to comfort her children.  I know something this sweet is like a "hug" for her students!

 

Visit with Deb and Rosie

HOME TEACHING GRID
You can order Carolyn Kisloski's "home teaching grid" for next week here:

Home Teaching Grid

SUNNY NEWS SUNDAY!

Today's blog will be a bit different because I've had so many requests for information about helping children cope and understand what's going on in the world right now.

First, I'd like to share a new video that Alex May (my webmaster extraordinaire) made for a song called "Color Train." A teacher wanted a video of the song to help her students learn to spell the color words and so Alex kindly created this:

     

Color Train

I've been amazed by some of your beautiful expressions and the outpouring of love to your children.  I wish I'd thought of this one!

 
This a video that Osseo Fairchild Elementary School in Wisconsin created for their students. It brought tears to my eyes. Don't you know that some of their kids will watch it hundreds of times? Every time they are sad or lonely they have a "place" to go visit their friends and teachers.

Osseo Fairchild Elementary School 

I was also touched by this letter that Dawn Willis (Coles Ferry Elementary, Lebanon, TN) sent to her children.

  

Here's a video that Katie Mac from the Story Shack made to help children understand what's going on and why they can't go to school.

               
https://youtu.be/NHpzWpxAURc


COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic: Considerations for Early Childhood Professionals
This edwebinar sounded very interesting. Even though it was presented a week ago you should be able to view the recording. 

Pandemic Webinar

Tuesday, March 24, 2020 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EDT

Presented by Andrew Roszak, J.D., M.P.A., EMT-Paramedic, Executive Director, Institute for Childhood Preparedness

WATCH THE EDWEBINAR RECORDING
 



And finally, here's my "Coronavirus Avengers" video I made for kids several weeks ago that some of you might have already seen. Not very professional, but created out of love!

Corona Virus Avengers

PINDER KINDER SHARES

If you didn't see my video yet, here's the link.
https://bit.ly/drjeanPrimeTimeCT

I've met such amazing teachers recently in cyber world. Heidi Pinder truly is a "YouTube Star" now with her channel. I asked Heidi to tell her story and to give some advice with using Zoom to stay connected with your students.

On March 15, back when “shelter in place” was just one of the many drills practiced by schools across the nation and toilet paper was still easy to come by, a parent tagged me on Facebook. Her child and his best friend danced with shaving cream beards leaving sticky white footprints across a soapy patio. The caption read “I think we are all losing it…” I didn’t, ‘like’, or share, or even comment on the post that evening, but the image of my adorable students haunted my sleep. I knew this mom, a former Kindergarten teacher and parent extraordinaire, was only half-joking, but I also realized that children across the nation would wake up the next day to no school. Spring Break was over, yet schools would still be closed and kids would be untethered.

If this mom and I were feeling overwhelmed by the shocking news, the lack of structure, and the confusion being shared about COVID19, then I knew that young children everywhere would also be sensing the unsettling atmosphere. When September 11, 2001 occurred in our nation, I was mom to a sassy red headed four year old and a clingy contemplative two year old and I was eight months pregnant. Although there was extreme uncertainty and fear on that day and the months to follow, my children still wanted to go to the park in our DC suburb. They still needed lunch and baths and stories and bedtime. It was challenging to be a mom in 2001, but I survived by taking care of myself, following our routine, and bringing comfort and joy to my family as best I could.

Combining my memories of being a mom of young children during a national crisis with my thirty years of knowledge as an educator, and my experience as an online ESL teacher, I logged back into Facebook and commented on the picture of my bored but excited students, “Oh, I miss these guys!!!! Big hugs from Mrs. Pinder. Be on the lookout for something from me in a bit.”

It was at this moment that Pinder Kinder was born! Pinder Kinder is my YouTube channel. It consists of 15-20 minute lessons. Each lesson centers around a theme and relates to books that Scholastic is currently offering for free on their remote learning website. My goal is to connect with kids and ease their trauma as I bring them comfort and joy. If they learn something along the way, fabulous! I sing, do finger plays, ask questions, listen, lead writing and drawing activities, count, tell jokes, and more. I never thought I would be adding YouTuber to my resume at age 51, but here we are!

Are we still “losing it”? Maybe, but we are having fun in the process and who knows what we’ll find while we’re looking.

Here is a link to Pinder Kinder, a YouTube channel created while the world was ‘losing it’:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClKgMj9tEIicPH3LG10V5kw

Happy learning,
Mrs. Pinder


EXPERIENCE WITH ZOOM


 
In addition to creating YouTube videos, I am also using Zoom to stay connected with my students. Zoom is a video conferencing platform that offers free and paid plans. Although I am not an expert, I highly recommend Zoom to stay in touch with staff members, friends, and even Kindergartners!

My class includes 2 teachers (myself being one of them), 2 paras, and 19 students of all abilities. Our first Zoom meeting was so fun! Of course, we had a few challenges, but here is what my co-teacher and I learned:

● If you are new to Zoom, do a practice Zoom meeting with your team or friends to try out the features. If you are not the ‘host’ of the practice meeting, have the ‘host’ of the meeting explain all of their features, especially ‘mute’.

● Set up your meeting time and date, email the link to the parents. Include your district supervisor in the email. Check all district guidelines and follow to the best of your ability. If in doubt, get pre-approval. Guidelines are changing daily and sometimes hourly.

● Decide if you want to allow your students to ‘enter the meeting’ prior to ‘you’ (the host). We (my co-teacher and I) did allow our students to enter ahead of us and the kids had a great time. Some logged on as much as 20 minutes early and they loved chatting and acting silly together. They were thrilled to see each other! The more students there are, however, the harder it becomes to hear. My co-teacher created the meeting, so I was able to enter as a participant a little early with my camera turned off and observe the kids. It was a hoot!

● Decide if you want to mute your students’ (‘participants’) mics. We tried to mute everyone, but ran into a snafu so we started our meeting as a free-for-all and never were able to mute everyone’s mics. No worries, however, my brilliant co-teacher (Mrs. Covington) got the class’ attention, instructed them on how to mute their mics, and proceeded with our plan. Remember, we are teachers. We are flexible! I believe the current term is ‘fluidity”, but no matter, teachers have been doing this since the beginning of time. Use one of your regular ‘attention getters’ and move on just as you normally would.

● Make a plan for your meeting and share it with any other teachers/paras that will be participating in your Zoom. The purpose of our Zoom was to connect. Our district has explicitly asked us not to instruct through Zoom.

● Our plan (also, what really happened :):

○ Gather with mics muted: wave and smile (our mics were not muted, so the kids chatted/waved/showed off their siblings and toys)

○ Welcome: Mrs. Covington, my co-teacher, greeted class and taught everyone ‘Good Morning’ in sign language. We all said ‘Good Morning’. Mrs. Covington instructed students how to mute mics. She addressed each student by name as needed to troubleshoot. Some parents assisted. She gave a brief overview of our Zoom class meeting.

○ Song: I led our “Friends Song” with mics muted. (I suggest you choose a very familiar song that has hand motions. This part was adorable!)

○ Share time: Mrs. Covington called students one at a time to share something happy that had happened to them since we were last together. She shared first and then called on others to share. If things had gone as planned, she would have un-muted student mics as she called on them, but instead she instructed them how to unmute their mics as she called on them and reminded them how to mute them again when she was done. She reminded them of ways we can respond when people share: sign language for same, heart hands, thumbs up, silent cheer. They didn’t have to share if they didn’t want to and some siblings shared. One student chose to keep his camera off, but still listened. Some parents assisted. It was a beautiful time.

○ Read aloud: I read The Feelings Book by Todd Parr, a familiar book. Students acted out the feelings. Students kept their mics muted.

○ Good-bye: We sang “Skidamarin” (this is our usual end of the day song), waved, and blew kisses. Mrs. Covington ended the meeting.

I loved Zooming with my class even though it was heartbreaking to see how much they miss school. I teared up a few times, but we can’t wait to Zoom again next week.

Happy Zooming,
Mrs. Pinder 

TODAY IS SUNDAY

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JsfKTNAL50

And here's the Spanish version that my webmaster Alex May created.

   http://bit.ly/drjean_hoydomingo

                                               
Song Visuals    
You can also write the days of the week on seven paper plates as shown. Glue pictures to the plates or let children draw the foods.  Pass these out to seven children and let them stand in front of the room and hold up their plate at the appropriate time in the song.

                        


https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljalMxc0ZobWJOY1E/view?usp=sharing

Calendar Time
Every morning you can sing, "Today is day of the week.  Day of the week (special like music, PE, art).  All you lucky children, well, that's O.K."

My Favorite Foods
Fold two sheets of paper in half and staple to make a book. The children can write a different day on each page and then draw their favorite foods. (The teacher who shared this idea years ago said one little boy who was a picky eater drew macaroni and cheese on every page!)

I HAD A BIRD AND MOTHER GOONY BIRD

When Kalina visited this summer she made illustrations for a song called "I Had a Bird."  It's an old song that is still "catchy" today. My webmaster turned her animals into a YouTube video that I hope your children will enjoy. 

I Had a Bird

I Had a Bird
(Make signs for the animals as you sing.)
 
I had a bird, and the bird pleased me.
I fed my bird by yonder tree.
Bird went, “Tweedle dee dee.” (Open and close index finger and thumb by mouth.)

Cat - "meow, meow" (Pretend to stroke whiskers.)
Dog – “woof-woof” (Pretend to call your dog by patting your leg.)
Pig – “oink, oink” (Put palm of hand under chin and wave fingers.)
Duck – “quack, quack” (Open and close index and middle fingers and thumb by mouth.)
Cow – “moo-moo” (Extend thumb and little finger to look like horns and place on head.)


And here are some picture cards for the song.

Printables - Free Download





Alex also created a video and picture cards for "Mother Goony Bird." This is just a silly song that the children love to sing and act out. 
Hint!  It's even more fun when they see their teacher making the motions!  

Mother Gooney Bird 

Mother Goony Bird

Mother Goony Bird had 7 chicks. (Hold up 7 fingers.)
And 7 chicks had Mother Goony Bird.
And they couldn’t swim – NO! (Extend left hand and shake head.)
And they couldn’t fly – NO! (Extend right hand and shake head.)
All they did was go like this – right arm. (Flap right arm.)

Add left arm…right foot…left foot… (Add other movements.)
Nod your head…turn around, sit down!

Activities: Choose children to be the chicks and Mother Goony bird and act out the song.




Gooney Bird Cards Small - Free

Gooney Bird Cards Large - Free

A LITTLE LOVE GIFT

Pointer

Children will be thrilled with a little heart pointer.  Let them choose a sticker and attach it to the end of a craft stick.  They can use it to read, identify letters, shapes, and so forth.

                    

A Little Gift

This is a simple Valentine gift that parents will treasure. Let children wrap a small box or a piece of Styrofoam with wrapping paper and a ribbon. (It would be extra special if the children designed their own wrapping paper.) Add this note:
                                          

Here is a little gift
That you can never see.
The reason it’s so special,
It’s just for you from me.
Whenever you are lonely,
Or even feeling blue,
You only have to hold this box
And know I think of you.
Please never unwrap it,
And leave the ribbon tied.
Just hold the box close to your heart,
It’s filled with love inside.

Valentine for Parents - Let each child take off one shoe and trace around her foot on white paper. Cut it out. Give each child 5 small pieces of red tissue paper to wad up and glue at the end of each toe for toenails. Write “I love you from my head down to my toes” on the foot.
                                                                      

*You can also make thumbprint cards or handprint cards for parents.
                  

Check out my video to watch me demonstrate activities for February:
 https://youtu.be/U-xYM_vp-N0

WANT TO GO ON A SANTA HUNT?

I had a great time making this video last year.  I hope they make your children smile!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXheMF7XAzs

Sara Lensing adapted these words for the "Santa Hunt" from “The Cool Bear Hunt.” 

Santa Hunt 
Get out your backpacks.
Open ‘em up.
Let’s put in some cookies for Santa and his reindeer.
And, let’s put in a thermos of milk in case he gets thirsty.
Oh. and don’t forget your Christmas lights in case it gets dark.
Zip ‘em up and repeat after me.
(Children repeat each line.)
We’re gonna find Santa (March and slap thighs.)
Before Christmas day.
He has a big, round belly (Extend arms.)
And a long, white beard. (Pull down from chin.)
Look over there! (Point.)
It’s a Candy Cane Forest!
Can’t go over it. (Arms over head.)
Can’t go under. (Arms down low.)
Can’t go around it. (Circle arms.)
I guess we’ll go through it. (Open palms and shrug shoulders.)
Slurp, slurp, slurp! (Pretend to suck on candy cane.)
                                                           
We’re gonna find Santa
Before Christmas day.
He has a big, round belly
And a long, white beard.
Look over there!
It’s a hot chocolate river.
Can’t go over it.
Can’t go under.
Can’t go around it.
I guess we’ll swim across it. (Stroke arms as if swimming.)     
                                 
We’re gonna find Santa
Before Christmas day.
He has a big, round belly
And a long, white beard.
Look over there!
It’s a gingerbread house!
Can’t go over it.
Can’t go under.
Can’t go around it.
I guess we’ll go through it.
Yum, yum, yum! (Pretend to eat gingerbread.)
                                                        
We’re gonna find Santa
Before Christmas day.
He has a big, round belly
And a long, white beard.
Look over there!
It’s Santa’s workshop.
Can’t go over it.
Can’t go under.
Can’t go around it.
I guess we’ll go through it.
Shhh! (Finger over lips.)
Get out your Christmas lights. (Pretend to get out lights.)
Turn them on – click.
Let’s set out the cookies and milk.
I see a big, round belly.
And a long, white beard!
It’s Santa!
He-he-he! We can’t let him see us!
Tip toe! (Tiptoe.)
Quick! Go through the gingerbread house! Yum, yum, yum,!
Swim across the hot chocolate river!
Go through the Candy Cane Forest! Slurp, slurp, slurp!
Go home.
Open the door.
Shut the door.
Phew!
We found Santa.
                                     
Merry Christmas to all!


Note!  Each year I buy some inexpensive canvas and let me grandchildren paint a holiday picture.  We date these and they are my favorite decorations.  Some day when they get married I will pass the "gallery" on to them.

LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION!

I'm getting ready to go LIVE at FIVE on Facebook this afternoon (10/25). I've got some great ideas for what to do instead of worksheets! I'll share open-ended strategies that you can use for different age levels and skills that are challenging and engaging. I've also got blogs coming up with these activities.

I've had the best October doing workshops and meeting teachers from different states! 

Don't you love Dave's Halloween costume?  Yep!  He's going to do the "Banana Dance" until he goes bananas!!!

And you know I'd rather sing and dance with little children than anything!

               

My webmaster (Alex May) has been busy making new YouTube videos to go with some of my seasonal songs. There's one with some Halloween jokes, a scarecrow, and a monster that sings "The Five Days of Halloween."

http://bit.ly/drjeanJokes

http://bit.ly/drjean-Scarecrow

http://bit.ly/drjeanMyMonster