IT'S RAINING, IT'S POURING!

Rainy Day Reads

Make a special place to read on rainy days by opening a large umbrella and putting it in a cozy corner in your classroom.  Put some books and stuffed animals under it and your children won't be able to resist!  
Note!  Limit two at a time and they'll be lining up for their turn!
                            

The Water Cycle (Tune: “My Darlin’ Clementine”)
Evaporation (Push palms up.)
Condensation (Hands together in air.)
Precipitation all around (Wiggle fingers down.)  
Accumulation (Sweep arms in circle.)  
Evaporation (Push palms up.)  
The water cycle goes
Round and round (Make circles with arms.)

Rain in a Jar Experiment

Fill a large glass jar with very hot water. Set a pie pan full of ice cubes on top of the mouth of the jar and observe what happens. Encourage students to draw observations.

Story Bracelet

Children will be able to retell the water cycle with this bead bracelet. Have them string on the following beads as they repeat the water cycle:
Evaporation - clear bead
Condensation - white bead (cloud)
Precipitation - blue bead (rain)
Accumulation - brown bead (puddle)

Sun - yellow bead

Evaporation - clear bead

                           
Make Rain
Make “rain” as a transition activity to quiet children. Hold up one palm and tap with one finger from the other hand. Next, slowly add another finger and tape with two, then three, four, and five. (At this point you can also stomp your feet to make thunder.) Reverse the process by tapping with five fingers, then four, three, two, one. Quietly place your hands in your lap. It will really sound like a rain storm is coming and then going away. 

SEE YOU LATER ALLIGATOR

After my Facebook Live this week several teachers requested this chant. 
Here's the link if you missed it:  http://bit.ly/drjean_ClassBooks

You could write the words on a poster and have the children chant with you before they go home at the end of the day. It also makes a fantastic class book. 
                                       
Good-bye Friends!
See you later, alligator!
After while, crocodile!
In an hour, sunflower!
Maybe two, kangaroo!
Gotta go, buffalo!
Adios, hippos!
Chow, chow, brown cow!
See you soon, baboon!
Adieu, cockatoo!
Better swish, jellyfish.
Chop chop, lollipop.
Gotta run, skeleton!
Bye-bye, butterfly!
Better shake, rattlesnake.
Good-bye, my good friends!

I've made this book many times through the years.  First, I enlarge the words and put one line on each page. I make two copies of each page since there are 15 lines and usually at least 25 children in a classroom. After singing the song several times I let each child choose an animal and illustrate it for our book.  Sometimes we do a little research on the internet if they are not familiar with an animal.  I encourage the children to use lots of colors and to fill in the page.  I let them dedicate their book and then add the school's name as the publisher and the copyright date.  The children all sign their names as “Illustrators,” and then I punch holes and bind with book rings. I use the extra pictures on the cover, “The End,” “Comments and Compliments,” etc.
                  
Hint! This song is on my “Totally Reading” CD, but it’s easy to sing to the tune of “Down by the Bay.”

Here’s a book you can download to go with the song:
http://drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2005/05_May/seeYouLater.pdf

Meet some of my new friends I met this week in Salisbury, MD.
                                        
We acted out “Five Little Monkeys” and Joy Venere shared how she uses colored scarves as they sing.
     Five little monkeys – cover 5 fingers with the scarf
     Teasing Mr. Alligator – cover head with scarf and wiggle fingers
     Along Came Mr. Alligator – wiggle scarf like alligator swimming
     And snap that monkey – throw the scarf up and catch it
     Repeat 4, 3, 2, l
     Missed me, missed me – tie scarf like a tie and then blow a kiss
*You could also use a strip of toilet paper or a piece of plastic tape.

I'll "see you later, alligator," because I'm on my way to the Early Childhood Conference in Whitewater, Wisconsin. And "after while crocodile" Kalina and K.J. are coming for a week. Can't wait!!!

THE BOOK SHOP

Here's a link to the Facebook Live video I did yesterday afternoon 

on books you can make with your class.

http://bit.ly/drjean_ClassBooks

Wait, don’t throw that away! Recycle it into a book for your classroom.

Gift Bag Books

Purchase seasonal gift bags or ask parents to send in used gift bags. Cut the front and back off. Cut blank paper the size of the bag and give each child a sheet to decorate. Staple between the front and back and reattach the handle. These are fun to hang in your classroom library.
                   
Napkin Book

Cut paper the size of seasonal or holiday napkins and staple inside.
                                  

Cereal Box Book

Ask children to bring in the empty box from their favorite cereal.  Cut the front off the boxes and add this sentence:  "Child's name eats cereal name."  Put the box fronts together and make a book that all your students can read.
*Older students could write their own descriptions of why they like that cereal.
                                                          
Dog Biscuit Book 

Use a box of dog biscuits to make a book about the children’s pets.
     
Animal Cookie Book

Cut the front and back off a box of animal cookies. Let children draw pictures of their favorite zoo animal and staple them between the covers. Reattach the string.
                                 
Cracker Jacks Prize 

A box of Cracker Jacks can turn into a book of “wishful thinking” because each child can contribute a picture of what they would like to find for a prize In a box of Cracker Jacks.

Funny Money Book 

Copy the front and back of a $20 bill.  Cut paper the size of the bill and staple it in the copy to make a book.  Children write/draw what they would buy with $20.
                               
Note!  My copy machine is much smarter than I thought!  I tried to copy a real twenty dollar bill and it wouldn't do it.  I guess it didn't want me to go to jail for counterfeit!  I found this one when I searched "play money" on the internet.

HI HO LIBRARIO

Hi ho librario

Live at Five I will go.

Books you'll want to make.

I can hardly wait!!!!

Children can learn the parts of a book as you sing this song to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell.”

     The author writes the book.
     The author writes the book.

     Hi ho librario
     The author writes the book.

     The illustrator draws the pictures…
     The publisher makes the book…
     The copyright tells the date…

It's good to have children collaborate and make class books, but you also want to give them ample opportunities to make individual books. Here are two simple books you can place in your writing center for independent writing.

Little Books
Place four to six pieces of paper on top of each other. Staple the four corners. Cut into fourths, and you’ll have four little books.
              
                                                
Fold and Staple
Fold two sheets of paper in half and staple. How easy is that!!!!  (Sometimes I'll place a white sheet on a colored sheet and then fold and staple.)

                                       

Story Stick Starters
Everybody gets writer’s block every now and then. These story sticks might be the cure to prompt your students and motivate them to write.

                          
Cut 3” circles out of each color of construction paper. Let the children cut out pictures of people, places, and events from the magazines and newspapers. You will need 5-10 of each. Glue the pictures of people to the orange circles, the pictures of places to the green circles, and the pictures of events to the yellow circles. Tape the circles to jumbo craft sticks and place them in a cup or can.
Invite the children to choose a stick of each color to help them write a story. The orange will be the WHO/the main character. The green stick will be WHERE/the place. The yellow stick will be the WHAT/the plot.

*Use photos of classmates, the teacher, famous people, animals, etc. for the WHO sticks.
*To encourage informative writing, tie in the story sticks to units of study or current events. For example, you could use pictures of Presidents, habitats, or environmental issues.
*Let two children work together to write a story.
*Place the sticks in the writing center for independent work.

Hint!  For younger children use the story sticks to encourage oral language.  Make sticks with interesting characters or objects and let them choose one or two and create a story using them.

CLASS BOOKS

SEE YOU TOMORROW NIGHT FOR FACEBOOK LIVE AT FIVE 

WHEN I'LL DEMONSTRATE SOME OF THESE BOOKS.

You’ll find some of the most popular books in your classroom will be those that students collaborate to make.  What a perfect way to motivate your students to write and read as you reinforce standards.  

Consider these components when making collaborative books with your class:

Dedication – Encourage children to “dedicate” books. Copyright Date – The date you make your book.

Publisher – Your school, city, and state.

Authors and Illustrators – Have children sign a group page as authors and illustrators of the book.

ISBN – Include an ISBN number and bar code on the back.

The End – Everybody can read this page!

Comments and Compliments – Let children have turns taking the book home for one night. Their parents can then write their “comments or compliments” about the book on that page. (You could also pass the book around to different classes in your school and they could write remarks on this page.)

*Older students could do a “Table of Contents,” “Index,” or “Glossary.”
*Place class books in your school library, public library, a hospital, etc.
*Have a “drawing” at the end of the year so each child gets to keep one of the books.

Concept Books
Reinforce concepts you are working on, such as letters, shapes, science themes, friendship, etc. to make class books.
    
                                                      

(How to Be a Friend Like Rainbow Fish)

Song Books
I also love to take songs and use them to make books with children.  You can ask the children to close their eyes as they listen to the song and then make pictures in their brain.  Invite them to draw their picture and then cut out words to the song and match them up with the pictures.  Don't worry!  It always turns out beautifully!
                    
You can also type words to songs ahead of time and let each child choose the sentence they would like to illustrate.

Here are some other interesting topics for making books with your students:

THE BEST THING ABOUT ME

HEROES

OUR WISH BOOK

CELEBRATIONS

WHEN I GROW UP

JOKE BOOK

HOW TO BE A FRIEND

WHAT I DIDN’T DO OVER THE SUMMER

WHAT I DIDN’T GET FOR CHRISTMAS

A MAGIC CARPET RIDE

DREAMS

THINGS THAT BUG US/SCARE US

KNOCK! KNOCK!

MY NIGHTMARE LOOKS LIKE

I AM…

I LIKE…

I CAN….

I SEE….

MY WORST/BEST DAY EVER

IF I WERE THE TEACHER I WOULD…

IF SHOES COULD TALK

THE DAY ANIMALS TALKED

WHAT TO DO WHEN A BABY CRIES

IF I WON THE LOTTERY

HAPPINESS IS…

LOVE IS…

I’M WORKING ON…

IF I WERE IN CHARGE OF THE WORLD

I WISH I WERE…

IT’S NOT FAIR

WHAT DOES THE PRINCIPAL DO ALL DAY?

WE WOULD LIKE TO TELL THE PRESIDENT…

WHO KNOWS THE WRITING PROCESS?

How about some tips for encouraging all those budding authors in your classroom?  Join me for FACEBOOK LIVE AT FIVE on Tuesday (4/4) to watch me demonstrate these activities and show you some of my favorite books I've made with children.

Who Knows the Writing Process?
(Children repeat each line to this chant as you open your arms wide and clap as you step from side to side.)
     Chorus:
     Who knows the writing process?
     I know the writing process.

     First step. (Hold up one finger.)
     Brainstorm. (Hands on the side of your head and shake down.)
     Chorus

     Second step…(Hold up 2 fingers.)
     Write it down…(Pretend to write with index finger on palm.)
     Chorus

     Third step…(Hold up 3 fingers.)
     Edit your work…(Shake finger.)

     Chorus

     Fourth step…(Hold up 4 fingers.)
     Publish your work…(Brush hands together.)
     Chorus
     Oh, yeah! (Hands on hips with an attitude.)

Handy Edit
Teach children how to edit their work with this “handy” idea.
(Make a fist with your right hand to begin.)
1. If you started your sentence with a capital letter you can stick up your thumb.
2. If you read the sentence and it makes sense you can stick up your index finger.
3. If you remembered to put punctuation at the end you can stick up your pinky finger.
4. Then you can say, “I love my sentence.” (Turn your fist over and you will be making sign language for “love.”)
                         
Chew and Write
Give children a piece of sugarless gum. Once they write their name they can open the gum and start chewing. They are allowed to chew the gum as long as they keep on writing!

Colorful Details

Encourage students to add color and detail to their illustrations by asking them to use as many colors in their books as they are in age.
                              

"HAND" WRITING

Believe it or not, 20 years ago we did NOT teach children to write in kindergarten. It was thought to be developmentally inappropriate and lined paper was strictly forbidden. Now, we are even expecting four year olds to write. Their hands haven’t changed, but our expectations have. The trick here is to keep it CHALLENGING, yet PLAYFUL. We want to provide young children with an opportunity learn, but we need to be respectful of their individual differences and abilities.
                                           My webmaster Alex May has taken songs my daughter Holly wrote about ten years ago and turned them into Youtube videos where your students can watch how letters are formed and then join along and form them in the air. Alex broke the song down into videos with four letters at a time so your students don’t get overwhelmed. We know that learning goes from large to small and simple to complex. If children practice making invisible letters in the air using big movements, it will be easier for them to transfer those strokes to paper.

Check out my website today (drjean.org) to learn tips on how to use these videos in your classroom, as well as other suggestions to get those little hands ready to write.

                                  

                        

I love this idea that Denise Brackenridget Brownlee shared.  After doing invisible writing  in the air she lets her students use an unsharpened pencil in a sand tray.