GRANDPARENTS' DAY

September 7th is officially Grandparents' Day. Really, everyone should just skip being a parent and go directly to being a grandparent. Even if you are not a biological parent, every teacher is a grandparent to some child. You think the sun rises and sets with them and they are absolutely WONDERFUL!

Today is a good day to reflect on a special memory you had with your grandparents.  It's also the perfect day to call them, thank them, and tell them that you love them!

My grandfather used to put me on a stool and let me help him make canned tomato soup when I visited.  That was the BEST soup in the whole, wide world.  My sweet grandmother would always let me have a tea party and she never said, "Only one spoonful of sugar!"  Someone once told me that when a person you care for passes away your memories and love would be like beams of light going to them.  I hope it's true!  (You know, it's also interesting that so many of my memories of life involve food.  Is that just me or is the same true for you?)
                                       

Sharon MacDonald sent me this picture and it's worth a thousand words. I know lots of songs and and games, but K.J. can make that iPad sing and dance!

I received this email yesterday from Marjorie Green:

I follow your blog and use so many of your ideas with my pre-k kids! I discovered the power of a song when I began to teach pre-k. Thanks so much for all you do to keep me inspired and motivated. I love trying new ideas.

A parent at my school shared this article and I think this teacher has an amazing idea to help her learn more about the students in her class and how they are connecting socially and emotionally with their classmates. For some, school is the only safe and steady place...
http://momastery.com/blog/2014/01/30/share-schools/
I hope you find this article as amazing as I did! A simple yet so powerful idea!

I did find the article amazing, and it was a reminder of how we really can be a grandparent emotionally to the children in our room!

GAMES FOR A SUNNY OR A RAINY DAY

Take some of the traditional games you play and turn them into a learning opportunity with these ideas.

Hot Potato 

Children sit on the floor in a circle.  The teacher passes a beanbag to one student and they continue passing the ball around the circle as the teacher plays music.  When the music stops, the child holding the beanbag has to identify the information on the flashcard.  (Allow them to "phone a friend" if they need help with the answer.)

*Adapt this game out on the playground by having children stand in a circle.  Pass a ball and blow a whistle to stop the ball.

Musical Words

Place words on the floor. Put on some music and encourage the children to dance around. When the music stops each child picks up a word and reads it quietly. The teacher points to several children to read their word aloud. Continue dancing and reading.

Red Rover 

Divide the class into two teams facing each other on opposite sides of the room. One team at a time calls for a word from the other team. For example, “Red rover, red rover, send ‘talk’ right over.” You can also ask the child holding the word to gallop, hop, jump, tiptoe, or make another movement as they cross the floor.

Kings and Queens
Line up 6 chairs. Choose 6 girls (queens) to sit in the chairs and 6 boys (kings) to stand behind the chairs. (The rest of the class is the audience.) The teacher holds up a flashcard in front of the first girl and boy. If the boy guesses first he gets to sit in the chair and the girl stands behind him. Continue several rounds with the first 12 children. Then the audience changes places and becomes the new kings and queens.

Around the World
Place chairs in a circle or have students sit on the floor in a circle. One child is chosen to be “it” and go around the world. “It” stands behind the first child. The teacher shows a flashcard. If “it” guesses correctly first they continue “around the world.” If the child sitting guesses first they become the new “it” and travel around the world.

Sentence Makers

Pass out words to children. Think of a sentence using the words. Call out one word at a time and have that child place her word on the floor. Read the sentence together. To vary the game, let one child at a time place words on the floor as they try to create a sentence.

Heads Up Seven Up 
Seven children come to the front of the room and are given a paper plate with a word or whatever on it. The rest of the class places their heads down. The seven tiptoe around and place a plate by a friend before returning to the front of the room. The seven join in and say, “Heads up! Seven up!” Children who received a plate stand up and read their word. They then guess who gave them the plate and switch places.

IN A FLASH!

Let’s face it! If children have to learn skills and are assessed on specific things, we’ve got to play the game. The amount of time different children need to master skills varies widely, so take advantage of all those extra minutes and transitions with these games.   

Catch and Tell
“Catch and Tell” is an example of a “portable” tool that could be used while waiting in the hall.  You will need a bean bag or small sponge ball to play this game. The teacher says a letter and then tosses the ball to a child. That child must name something that begins with that sound before tossing the ball back to the teacher.

This game can be adapted for rhyming words, colors, math, social studies, and other skills.

Kids vs. Teacher - Draw a scorecard on the board with “Kids” on one side and “Teacher” on the other side. Show a word. If a child Teacher raises her hand and correctly reads the word, she gets a point for her team. If any child shouts out the answer, then the teacher gets a point. (If children keep talking out of turn, just continue to put point marks for the teacher!) 

I Have. Who Has? - Make a list of words that you would like to use for this game. Write “I have______. Who has______?” on a sheet of paper and run off multiple copies on cardstock. Write the first word and second word on the first card. Write the second word and third word on the next card, etc. Put a sticker on the first card so that child will know to begin the game. Shuffle up the cards and pass them out to the children. The child with the sticker begins by standing and saying, “I have __. Who as___?” The child with the second card then stands and reads the information on her card. 

                                       

Snowballs - Each child gets a sheet of paper and writes a word wall word, spelling word, math fact, review question ,etc. on it Children wad up their sheet of paper to make it a “snowball.” Divide the class into two teams and have them stand about 10 feet from each other. When the teacher says, “Let it snow!” children begin throwing their snowballs at the opposite side. Children open their snowball and identify the information on it before
throwing it back at the other side. The game continues until the teacher says, “Freeze!” Count up the number of snowballs on each side. Who has more? Who has less? In this game, the team with the smaller amount is actually the winner! Everyone gets a snowball and the game continues.
*At the beginning of the school year write children's names on the snowballs so they can get to know their friends.  
*K.J.'s 4th grade teacher played a game where the students wrote four special things about themselves on a sheet of paper.  They wadded them into snowballs and threw them to the front of the room.  Each student chose a snowball and then they had to hunt and find who it belonged to.
              

Secret Word - Arrange flash cards in a pocket chart or on the floor. Tell the children to close their eyes as you hide a sticker behind one word. “Who knows the secret word where the sticker is hidden?” One at a time children say a word and then come look behind it. The first child to find the sticker gets to be “teacher” and hides the sticker again.

Stomp - Place the words on the floor in the middle of the room. Divide the class into two teams. Choose one child from each team to come up and play. Call out a word. The first child to stomp on it wins a point for their team.

Pick Up - This game is similar to stomp. The teacher calls out a word and the first child to pick it up wins a point for their team.

RABBIT TRAPS

My favorite professor Wood Smethurst at Emory University always said, “If you want to catch a rabbit, you have to have a rabbit trap.” If we want children to master skills we have to have games and songs and “traps” to capture their attention and interest.

One time when I did a workshop a teacher remarked, “We’re not allowed to do flashcards.” I imagine a supervisor came in the room and saw the teacher “drilling” students with the cards. All things in moderation is my rule. I think there is a time, place, and creative way to use flash cards. RAN (rapid automatic naming) is a pre-reading skill. Basically, how quickly can a child see something and retrieve the word for it. Flashcards can nurture RAN and offer repetition for students who need a little more time learning a skill.

Over the next several days I will be sharing some quick flash card games you can use when you have a few extra minutes. I suggest making a different set each month for skills children need to automatize. You could make flash cards for words, letters, numerals, math facts, vocabulary, children’s names, and so forth.

Many people make flashcards from sentence strips or index cards. You can also make flashcards on paper plates. The advantage of using plates is that the circle shape tends to pull the eyes to the information in the center rather than the corners.

Note! If children don’t know a word, let them “phone a friend” or “ask the audience.” Instead of saying, “You’re wrong,” try “You’re close. Would you like to phone a friend?”

Stepping Stones - Place words on the floor from one side of the room to the
other. Children read the words as they step on the “stones” and try to get to the other side.

Boom - Write “BOOM!” with a bright marker or glitter on several of the
flashcards. As you “flash” through the cards, children identify the
information. When “BOOM!” appears, children jump up and shout out “Boom!”
*Change the surprise word! For example:“Gobble, Gobble” for Thanksgiving
or “Roarrrrrr” for a dinosaur unit.
                   
Twister - Place the words close together on the floor. One child comes up as the teacher (or another child) calls out a body part and a word. For example, “Put your left hand on the word ‘has.’ Put your right foot on the word ‘do.’” The game continues until the child can no longer twist to the word.

Word Worm - Make a worm’s head from construction paper. Pass out words
to each child. Place the worm’s head on the floor and ask the children to see how long they can make him grow. One child at a time places her word next to the worm’s head. Each child reads the proceeding words, plus their word. 

*Pass out alphabet letters and challenge the children to put the letters in alphabetical order on the bug.
*Pass out circles with numerals and let children come up one at a time and put their numeral in order.

IT'S A SONG!

Brain expert Pat Wolfe emphasizes that “the most convenient way to learn anything is through music and movement.” I’ll certainly echo that! With a song and a dance children will want to do it again and again.

As you know, I’ve got dozens of songs and activities where children can sing and learn. Here are two free videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxrUgwVbqoM (Phonercise)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGKXZVxAffM (Macarena Count to 100)

Do You See?
You can insert colors, shapes, letters, words into this song to the tune of “Muffin Man.” 

Oh, do you see the (shape, color, letter, etc.), the ______, the _____?
Do you see the ______ somewhere in the room?
(Children point to the object as they respond.)
Yes, I see the ____, the _____, the ______.
Yes, I see the ____ in the room.
Hint! To make this more tactile let them walk around the room and touch actual objects as you sing about them. 
Make eye pointers for them to use as they respond to the words in the song.

This butterfly net (minus the net and plus ribbon) is great for framing words, letters, or shapes.

Singing Words 
Sing the word wall from a to z with the tune from “Gilligan’s Island.” 

Two Letter Words - Sing two letter words to “If You’re Happy and You Know It.” 

Three Letter Words - Sing three letter words to “Where Is Thumbkin?”
You can also sing three letter words to “Three Blind Mice.”
Four Letter Words - Learn to spell four 4 letter words with “Happy Birthday.”
Sing four letter words to “My Darlin’ Clementine” or “YMCA.”
Five Letter Words - Five letter words can be sung to “BINGO.”
Sing five letter words to “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”
Six Letter Words - The tune of “Ten Little Indians” can be used to spell six letter words.
The theme song from “The Mickey Mouse Club” can also be used for six letter words.
Seven or Eight Letter Words - Fit the letters in longer words to “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” and “Coming Round the Mountain.”

Shine On
Turn the lights off and use a flashlight with this song.
(Tune: “This Little Light of Mine”)
This little light of mine. I’m going to read and shine.
This little light of mine. I’m going to read and shine.
This little light of mine. I’m going to read and shine.
Shine on word, word, word. (Let children take turns shining the flashlight on the words as you sing them.)

Hokey Pokey Words
Children will need individual copies of letters, words, shapes, etc. for this activity. As you call out information children hold up the correct card.
You put letter, shape, numeral, word in. You take _____ out.
You put _____ in and shake it all about.
You hold it up high in the air
and then you put it down.

YO HO HO!

Aarr! Yep! There’s actually a “Talk Like a Pirate” day and it is officially September 19. I wrote this blog last year, but it's one of my favorites and I bet you'll find a few things to add to your lesson plans matey!

Why? According to the founders of Talk Like a Pirate Day, “Silliness is the holiday’s best selling point. And it’s fun!” There are many troubles and a great deal of seriousness in the adult world, but the classroom needs a little fun as well. Although a week from Thursday is the official day, I wanted to share a few ideas with you early so you could include them in your lesson plans. (You’ll even notice that I integrated some Common Core Standards!)

Pirate Read – Reread poems and big books by talking out of the side of your mouth like a pirate.

Pirate Song – Tune: “Yankee Doodle”
                        I’m a pirate. That I be!
                        I sail my ship upon the sea.
                        I stay up late – til half past three.
                        And have a peg below my knee.
                        Yo ho ho ho
                        Let’s sail away
                        Aarrr! Matey! Is what I say.
                        A treasure I will hide today
                        And walk the plank another day.
Note! I adapted this song from one posted on talklikeapirateday.com

Creative Writing – What would you do if you were a pirate? Where would sail on a pirate ship? What would you like to find in a treasure chest?

Pirate Cheer – Put one hand over your eye to make a patch. Talk out of the side of your mouth as you say, “Aarr! Way to go, matey!”

Parrot Cheer – Put your hands in your armpits to make wings and then flap them as you squawk, “You did a good job! You did a good job!”

Pirate Maps – Cut the bottom off lunch bags and then cut down one side and you’ll have a big rectangle. Children can draw a treasure map with markers or crayons. Squash up the paper and roll it around in your hands to give it a vintage look.

                              
*Older children could write stories about their treasure hunt on the back of the map. Younger children could dictate a story.
*Add a compass map and introduce North, South, East, and West.
*Have children make maps of the playground.

Mustache – Cut mustaches out of construction paper and tape them under your nose. (This would just be optional, but what little kid wouldn’t want a mustache?)

Eye Patch – Cut an oblong shape out of construction paper, fold it in half, and glue it over a 30 piece of string.  

         

Hook – Cut hooks out of cardboard and let children cover them with aluminum foil. Insert the end of the hook in a cup you can insert over your hand.

Hunting for Coins – Write letters of the alphabet on poker chips with a permanent marker. (You can buy poker chips at most dollar stores.) Hide these on the playground or in the classroom. When children find the coins they can name the letter or think of a word that starts with that sound.
(You could also write numerals, math facts, or words on the poker chips.)

Vocabulary – Introduce pirate vocabulary that you can actually use in the classroom on September 19th.
                        Ahoy = hello
                        Avast = stop and pay attention
                        Matey = friend
                        Disembark = leave
                        Embark = enter, get started
                        Foul = something turned bad
                        Grog = drink
                        Weigh anchor = prepare to leave
                        Aye = yes
                        Nay = no

Parts of a Ship – Relate these to places in the classroom with labels.
                        Starboard = right
                        Port = left
                        Stern = back
                        Bow = front

Pirate Flags – Let children design their own pirate flags. These can be done with crayons on paper, or, better yet, cut an old sheet into rectangles children can draw on with markers.

Sharing the Booty - Cut pirate chests out of construction paper and write numerals on them. Let children use the poker chips to make appropriate sets or do addition and subtraction problems.

                                  
Walk the Plank – Children can practice balancing by walking forwards and backwards on the plank. (To make a plank put a piece of masking tape on the floor or draw a plank outside on the sidewalk with chalk.)

Pirate Snack – How about some fish crackers in an ice cream cone? After they eat the crackers they can eat the cone.
*You could also serve oyster crackers, Pirate Booty, or grog (juice).

Board Game – Let children create their own board game with a treasure at the end. There are many free game images like this one on the internet.

                                                                       
                             Do I love my job or what? Arrgghh, matey! 

ARE YOU LABORING TODAY?

Although you should be celebrating the last day of summer today, I know many of you will be “laboring” over lesson plans and schoolwork. Check out my website (drjean.org) for a free download of “Grandparents’ Day.” Grandparents’ Day is officially September 7th.  (The person who chose this day was not a teacher because that's way too early in the school year to plan an event!)  I know many schools do plan a special day for grandparents at other times in the school year.  The good news is song Holly wrote can be used whenever and forever.  I guarantee it will give some proud grandmother or grandfather goose bumps! 

Grandparents’ Day - 1st Sunday after Labor Day
(Tune: “Simple Gifts”)
Grandma and Grandpa we just want to say
How much we love you on this special day.
With smiles and kisses and bear hugs, too
We want to say thanks for all that you do!
You make us feel like superstars!
You help us to see how wonderful we are.
The love and the time that you have shared
Will stay with us always and everywhere!
We play games together, we go for walks
We go out fishing or just sit and talk
We read books together and have so much fun!
Every moment with you is a special one.
You make us feel like superstars!
You help us to see how wonderful we are.
The love and the time that you have shared
Will stay with us always and everywhere!

I have some fantastic free downloads for monthly activity calendars, reading calendars, and family fun ideas that I hope you will take advantage of this year. The monthly activity calendars are a great alternative to homework for preK and K.  (One teacher suggested asking parents to do at least 10 and return it by the end of the month.)  Whether the parents choose to participate or not, you have to TRY! And if one parent sings a song, reads a book, or plays a game with their child because of you – that’s a good thing!!!
   
                           
P.S.  Someone emailed me recently asking if I thought you should reward children who returned the calendars.  This was my response:
No, I would never reward children who returned them.  It's not their fault either way.  When you do family activities, you have to provide parents with the opportunity and then "let it go."  At conference time you might say, "How are you enjoying the reading calendars?  Most of the children are so excited when they return them at the end of the month."  That's what I call a gentle hint!!!

September Song Store Sale
You'll find the first sale I've ever had on my song store this month.  "Totally Reading" and "Totally Math" will make standards TOTALLY more fun in your classroom this year!

http://www.drjean.org/html/songs/songStore3ColumnSeptSale.php