BEAN COUNTER

Did you ever hear of "Bean Counter Day"?  Well, April 16th really is "Bean Counter Day," so why not make a bean counter today?

WHY?
Inches are an abstract concept for children, but bean counters will provide a concrete way to do measurement.


WHAT?
You will need a package of large, dry lima beans and wide clear packaging tape. Place a 12 strip of packaging tape on a table with the sticky side up. Put ten lima beans end to end horizontally on the tape. Fold the bottom up and the top down and seal. Trim off the edges. 

                           

                                                             


HOW?

Measurement
Demonstrate how to take the bean counter and place it on the end of the item to be measured? How many beans long is it?

Counting by Tens
To measure larger objects, lay bean counters end to end and count by tens.

Estimation
Challenge the children to use estimation skills as they try to find something 5 beans long? Can you find something 9 beans long? Can you find something shorter than 3 beans? Can you find two objects that are equal beans long.


Cheez-It Measuring
Did you know that Cheez-Its are one inch squares? What a great way to measure! 

                             

HIGH FIVE DAY

April 19th is National High Five Day, but you can start any day with a high five and a smile! Wouldn't your kids be surprised if you drew a smile on your hand like this one?

High Five Cheer
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. “Hi 5!” Get it?


Pat on the Back
Trace around each child’s hand on construction paper and let them cut it out. Write a positive comment about each child on the hand and tape it to their back at the end of the day. Parents will be proud when they see their child’s “pat on the back.”

            

Pickle Tickle Partner Game
Up high. (Give a high five up in the air.)
Down low. (High five down by knees.)
Cut the pickle. (One child touches fingertips horizontally as the other child pretends to slice in between.)
Give a tickle. (Gently tickle each other.)


High Five
Write sight words on hands and tape to your classroom door. Students must "high five" a hand and read a word before exiting the classroom.

                                      

*Adapt for letters, numbers, colors, vocabulary, or other skills children need to master.

THE LITTER PATROL

One of the best ways to be on the "green team" is to keep the earth beautiful by picking up trash. There's nothing more frustrating to me than to see trash along the road, but maybe we can improve things in the future by getting our students to join the LITTER PATROL!

Litter Patrol
Well, here we go, (Clap and snap fingers to the beat.)
We’re on the litter patrol.
We’re going to work all day
To put the trash away.
The planet earth, you see
Is our habitat.
We’re going to clean it up,
Well, how about that!

Litter Bags
Ask your students to bring in an empty cereal box or cardboard food box.
1. Cut the tops off the boxes.
2. Punch a hole in each short side.
3. Tie on a piece of string. Use these to collect trash or have the children place these in their cars.

                                

Trash Snack
How about a “trash snack”? You will need ice cream cones, Gold Fish crackers, Cheerios, pretzel sticks, and peanuts. Take 4 lunch sacks and put a different item in each sack. Write “old tires” on the sack with Cheerios, write "dead fish" on the sack with the crackers, “sticks” on the sack with pretzel sticks, and “stones” on the sack with peanuts. Take a large bowl and make up a story about collecting trash. As you name the different items, invite different children to dump the contents in the bowl. Stir with a large spoon and then serve the “trash” in trashcans (ice cream cones). The cool thing about this snack is that there is NO trash when the children have finished eating!

               

Hint! Substitute raisins for peanuts if you have students with food allergies. You can also use sunflower seeds or other snack foods.

JOIN THE GREEN TEAM

Who wouldn't want to be a super hero on the green team? How about some membership cards?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljUFdXTkFpR2ZOUE0/view?usp=sharing

The Green Team (Tune: “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”)
We are on the Green Team. (March in place as you swing your arms.)
Hoorah! Hoorah! (Fist in air as if cheering.)
We can recycle every day. (March in place as you roll your arms around.)
Hoorah! Hoorah! (Fist in air as if cheering.)
Aluminum, glass, tin, (March in place.)
Put paper and cans in recycle bins. (March in place.)
Join the Green Team, (March in place.)
Defend the earth and keep it clean. (Put both fists in the air like a hero.)

We are on the Green Team. Hoorah! Hoorah!
We can reduce what we use. Hoorah! Hoorah!
Turn off water and the lights.
Walk, take a bus, or ride your bike.
Join the Green Team.
Defend the earth and keep it clean.

We are on the Green Team. Hoorah! Hoorah!
We can reuse many things. Hoorah! Hoorah!
Share old toys and old clothes, too.
Give away what you don't use.
Join the Green Team,
Defend the earth and keep it clean.

We are on the Green Team. Hoorah! Hoorah!
We can keep our planet clean. Hoorah! Hoorah!
Pick up all the trash you see.
Protect wildlife and plant new trees.
Join the Green Team.
Defend the earth and keep it clean.

*Ask children what it means to be on the "green team." How can they keep the earth green and healthy?

Naturalist Kit
Make a naturalist kit by recycling a cardboard box. Make binoculars by cutting a cardboard paper towel roll in half. Tape the halves together and hole punch at the top. Tie on a piece of string so children can easily take the binoculars on and off their heads. Add a magnifying glass, field guide, paper, pencil, etc. Talk about what naturalists do. Can you be a naturalist?

                

Nature’s Colors
1. Give children assorted pony beads and a piece of string or yarn 20-24” long.
2. Explain that they can select a bead to represent the different things in nature that they appreciate. For example, a blue bead might remind them of the ocean, or a red bead might remind them of a cardinal. (Hint! Limit one bead per color. To make it easier to string wrap a small piece of tape around the end of the yarn.)
3. Tie the ends of the string together to make a necklace.
*Older students could write sentences about each color.
4. Ask children to describe their necklaces and explain what each color represents.

                                               

Eat Green!
Will you eat green, oh my children dear, (Pretend to strum a guitar.)
Will you eat green my children?
Oh, we’ll eat green (Make sign language for green by a
Spinach, broccoli, and beans making “G” and circling it around.)
Chorus
Veggie-weggie, fruity-tooty (Make fists with hands and thump together.)
Fresh foody, colors of the rainbow. (Wiggle fingers in a arch.)
Let’s all eat green.

Will you eat orange, oh my children dear,
Will you eat orange my children?
Oh, we’ll eat orange things (Sign language for “O” and circle.)
Carrots, peaches, tangerines
Chorus
Will you eat yellow, my children dear, (Make a “Y” and circle.)
Will you eat yellow my children?
Oh, we’ll eat yellow corn,
Squash, pineapples, and more
Chorus
Will you eat red, oh my children dear, (Make an “R” and circle.)
Will you eat red my children?
Oh, red we’ll eat
Apples, strawberries, and beets
Chorus
Will you eat blue and purple, my children dear, (Make a “P” and circle.)
Will you eat blue and purple?
Oh, we’ll eat purple, blue
Grapes, plums, and berries too.
Chorus
Oh what will you eat, my children dear, (Pretend to strum a guitar.)
Oh what will you eat, my children?
Oh, we’ll eat fresh foods
Good for us and for earth, too,Chorus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9S1iWcU7V0Y&t=70s

https://bit.ly/drjeanEatGreen

*Brainstorm different parts of plants that you can eat.
Leaves – lettuce, spinach, cabbage
Stems – celery, asparagus, rhubarb
Roots – sweet potatoes, carrots, onions
Flowers – cauliflower, broccoli
Seeds – sunflower, pumpkin, walnuts

EARTH DAY IS COMING

Earth Day is officially April 22nd, but we need to MAKE EVERY DAY EARTH DAY.

Here's a great website for your families to get involved:

https://www.aol.com/lifestyle/21-earth-day-activities-kids-190000598.html

Earth Day
Earth Day, Earth Day! Let’s all come together. (Clap hands.)
Earth Day, Earth Day! To make this world much better.
‘Cause we love our planet Earth, beautiful and blue. (Make a circle with arms.)
We want to take care of it with everything we do.

We can recycle – tell your friends and neighbors! (Pretend to pick up paper.)
Glass, aluminum, plastic and paper.
‘Cause we love our planet Earth, beautiful and blue. (Make a circle with arms.)
We want to take care of it with everything we do.

We can plant a tree or two, to create green spaces;(Pretend to dig.)
Walk or ride our bikes to go different places. (Pretend to ride a bike.)
‘Cause we love our planet Earth, beautiful and blue. (Make a circle with arms.)
We want to take care of it with everything we do.



Here's a video my webmaster created to go with this song.

http://bit.ly/drjean_EarthDay

Recycled Products
Ask children to look around their house and make a list of recycled materials. Have them practice identifying the “recycle logo” so they can help conserve materials.

Brainstorm
Have children brainstorm all the ways they can reduce, reuse, and recycle
materials.

Earth Day Necklace
1. Give children a small ball of blue polymer clay.
2. Give them a small piece of green clay and tell them to break it into 4 or 5 little pieces.
3. Attach the green pieces to the blue ball and roll in your hands.
4. Make a hole in the center with the nail.
5. Bake in a 275 oven for 12-15 minutes.
6. String the earth ball on yarn or string to make a necklace.

                         

Visit these websites to get other ideas for Earth Week:
earthday.org

childrenoftheearth.org
keepearthbeautiful.org
kidsforsavingearth.org
kidsgowild.com

PET DAY

National Pet Day was founded to celebrate the joy pets bring to our lives and to raise awareness about the many pets needing a home.

If you are an animal lover like I am you are going to be THRILLED to learn about TAILS THAT TEACH! You can get a free teacher kit with books, a stuffed animal, and learning activities. I'm so excited to share this special program with you!!!

                
 

Non-profit organization Tails That Teach educates young children about kindness, compassion, and empathy by bridging the connection between people and animals through its captivating books, Love Me Gently and Gray Whiskers written by founder, Lisa Wiehebrink. These books parallel the needs of pets and people and offer age-appropriate lessons for proper care and safety. They are ideal for grades K-2 and provided at no cost to elementary schools to supplement character education and promote literacy.

The organization’s goal is empower the next generation to make good choices and to respectfully care for pets and people. Teaching kids to properly care for pets helps them grow up to be compassionate adults and responsible pet owners. By fostering the human-animal bond, children learn caring connections toward all living beings simply by observing how their actions directly impact others. Studies prove that children who are taught to be kind to animals often limits bullying and other abuse. Children are inspired as they observe how small acts of kindness toward peers and pets can make the world a better place for all. 

Children have a special relationship with pets. Younger children are just beginning to learn about themselves and their world and they are fascinated by the response they receive from animals. Caring for a pet gives children a sense of empowerment when they are caring for another living being. This sense of empowerment turns into compassion and children are able to manifest that compassion toward other human beings. Children who live with pets in their home seem to make that transition more easily than those children who have no interaction with animals.            

Children also develop social skills from talking to and playing with pets. They learn what unconditional love feels like and they have a companion that they can talk to and tell secrets to. They are able to learn basic effective social interaction skills and what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Pets respond to emotional cues and can teach children to respond appropriately and show compassion for those who need it.

In addition to free book donations, Tails That Teach also provides the Adventures with Cooper Kit to teachers. This kit is provided to teachers for a unique expansion activity to teach kindness and inspire students to act with compassion and empathy toward pets and peers. Included in the reusable canvas tote bag is a set of our books, a stuffed plush dog, and journal. Students take turns bringing the kit home so they may read, write, and even draw about their adventures while learning responsibility and kind care. Classroom teachers across the country have reported improved critical thinking, decreases in bullying behaviors and overall increases in morale at schools where these and other programs are being used. Early education and literacy are key!

For more information about Tails That Teach, please visit www.tailsthatteach.org.

RECYCLE ME, PLEASE!

You know all those cardboard food boxes you throw away? Well, here's a great opportunity to give them a second life, teach your children to recycle, and make some cool materials for your classroom. Send a note asking families to save their cardboard food boxes for a week and then let the fun begin!

http://www.drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2015/04_Apr_css/index.html

Cardboard Castle 

Let children use masking tape to create a castle or other play sculpture.

                                     

What's for Breakfast? 

Each child chooses the front of their favorite cereal box. They can write original sentences or fill in the blank "(Child's name) likes (cereal)."

Puzzles 

Cut box fronts into puzzle shapes. Store in zip bags. For younger children use two like boxes. Cut one up and let them place the pieces on the second box.

                                         

Fronts and Backs 

Cut front and back panels off of boxes. Mix them up and then ask the children to match up the ones that go together.

                                                               

*Play a memory game where you place the fronts and backs face down on the floor. Children try to match up pairs.

Stencils and Templates 

Cut geometric shapes out of box fronts. Children can trace these with colored pencils, crayons, or markers.

*Cut seasonal shapes or objects that relate to a unit of study for the children to trace.

                       

Sewing Cards 

Punch holes around the sides of boxes. Children can sew these with yarn, string, or old shoelaces.

                                                   

Weaving – Cut notches around the sides of boxes and let children weave through these with yarn.

Fractions 

Give each child the front panel off a box. Can you cut it in half? Fourths? Eights?

                                                                             
Math – Have children sort the boxes by product, size, etc. Graph favorite cereals, cookies, crackers, etc.