GET ON MY CLOUD!

You can spend a lot of money on science equipment for your classroom, or just go outside and look up in the sky and you’ve got a lesson no matter what your teaching situation might be.

Clouds, glorious clouds! They change daily and are great way for you students to be scientists as they observe, predict, and record.

Let’s Get Started

Ask your students what they know about clouds.

Are all the clouds the same?

Why are there different kinds of clouds?

Why are most clouds white?

What makes clouds move?

HOW CAN WE FIND OUT?
This is a perfect springboard for demonstrating how to find new information by searching on the internet, going to the library, asking their parents, and so forth.

My Cloud Book
Fold 2 sheets of paper in half and staple to make a cloud book for each child. Ask them to write the name of a different cloud on each page and illustrate it. (Older children could write descriptive sentences.) On the last page ask them to name their favorite cloud and tell why they like it.

Class Graph
Each day look at the sky and graph the type of clouds in the sky.

Flip Book
Make a flip book with the four basic clouds. (Put “flip book” in my search engine to see how to make this book.)



Cotton Clouds
Challenge children to make the different types of clouds out of cotton.

Types of Clouds

Cirrus Clouds
Cirrus clouds look like wispy streaks high up in the sky. If the sky is blue with a few cirrus clouds it’s going to be a nice day.

Cumulus Clouds
Cumulus clouds look like puffy white cotton balls in the sky. When they turn dark it means it’s going to rain.

Stratus Clouds
Stratus clouds look like a dark blanket in the sky. Look for rain or snow when it is cold.
Nimbus Clouds (Also known as cumulonimbus)

Nimbus Clouds (Also known as cumulonimbus.)
Nimbus clouds are dark and have rain or snow falling from them.

*FOG
Can you walk through a cloud? Yes, you can! Fog is a cloud on the ground so when you walk in the walk you are walking through a cloud!

Homework
Look at the sky with your parents. Name the cloud formations that you see.

MAKE A CLOUD

It's about time for a science experiment. This is one of the coolest, easiest, most amazing science experiments that you can do in your classroom.

*Your families would probably love the directions so they can repeat this at home! 

You will need:

1 bar of Ivory soap

1 plate (paper or glass)

microwave

Directions:
Put the bar of soap on a plate. Place in the microwave for 90 seconds. (I actually only did it for 70 seconds.) Observe. Talk about magic! The soap will turn into a mass that looks like a fluffy cloud. Remove, cool, and then explore the texture.



                             

                                                             

Hint! Invite the children to record what the soap looks like before and after microwaving.

*What caused the change?


Cloud Watch
Give children clipboards, blue paper, and a white piece of chalk. Go out on the playground and challenge them to draw the clouds in the sky. Can they predict what the weather will be from observing the clouds?

                          

There are many informative books about clouds, as well as whimsical tales like CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS, IT LOOKED LIKE SPILT MILK, and THE LITTLE CLOUD.



I also found some free videos and resources if you want to learn more about clouds:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCumUup9vWQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhLT11hKyok

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAqeFSa60TE

http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-clouds.htm

Come back tomorrow for more science activities to do with clouds.

NATIONAL DENTAL HEALTH MONTH

February is National Children's Dental Health month. There’s a great website with lots of free activity sheets in English and Spanish to get you started. The daily calendar is my favorite.

https://www.ada.org/en/public-programs/national-childrens-dental-health-month

Here are some other websites with free lesson plans:

https://www.dentalcare.com/en-us/patient-education/childrens-dental-health/lesson-plans



https://www.dentalcare.com/en-us/patient-education/childrens-dental-health/lesson-plans

Vocabulary

What is a dentist? What is a hygienist? What is plaque? What is decay? What is a filling?

Brainstorm
Why do we need teeth? What do we use our mouths for?

Guest Speaker
Call your personal dentist and ask her if she’d like to visit your class to discuss good oral health. You might be surprised that she’d be thrilled to be invited and will bring each of your students a toothbrush and toothpaste.

Tooth Puppet
Let children make a “happy tooth puppet” and talk about nutritious foods. What foods cause decay?



T-Chart
Have children make a t-chart of foods that are good for teeth and foods that harm teeth.

Dental Health (Stephanie Velasquez)
Glue the cut out of a white tooth on a colored sheet of paper and place in a clear sheet protector. Let the children color the tooth with a dry erase marker to represent the “germs" on the tooth after they eat. Children use a toothbrush to erase the germs.




This Is the Way We Brush Our Teeth
(Tune: “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush”)

This is the way we brush our teeth,
Brush our teeth, brush our teeth.
This is the way we brush our teeth
Every morning and evening.

First the fronts and then the sides.
Don’t forget the tops and inside.
First the fronts and then the sides.
Don’t forget the tops and inside.

This is the way we brush our teeth,
Brush our teeth, brush our teeth.
This is the way we brush our teeth
Two minutes twice a day.

Now we have happy teeth,

Happy teeth, happy teeth.
Now we have happy teeth
Give a great big smile!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR. LINCOLN!

One of America's most beloved presidents was born on February 12th. Here are some ideas to help children make connections with this famous man.

Abraham Lincoln
(Tune: “Pop Goes the Weasel”)
Abraham Lincoln, past President, (Point to a picture of Lincoln.)
Loved and honored by many.
To help us remember this famous man,
We put his face on a penny.

Hold a penny in your hand (Hold up a penny.)
And his face you’ll see.
He always tried to tell the truth.
He’s Honest Abe to me.

You can download this book on my website.

*Talk about what it means to be honest. Why did they call him Honest Abe?


Put Your Face on a Penny
Give children a sheet of paper cut in a circle. Draw what you would you look like if your face were on a coin?



Log Cabin Snack
This is an "engineering" activity that's good enough to eat! Give children pretzel twist sticks and a spoonful of peanut butter or cream cheese. Children try to build a log cabin by stacking the pretzels with the peanut butter.

Penny Inspection
Let children look at pennies with a magnifying glass.

Rubbings
Make rubbings of pennies.

Penny, Penny
Three children leave the classroom. The other children cup their hands as if holding a penny. The teacher hides the penny in one child’s hand. When the three children return to the room, they walk around the room and open their friends’ hands. The first one to find the penny gets to choose 3 new friends to leave the room and she gets to hide the penny.

Time Line
Give children a sentence strip. At the left write the year they were born. Write each additional year up until the present. Children take the time line home and try to find a penny with each year’s date.

Hint! Explain that’s it’s O.K. if they don’t find all of them.

Did you know? If you look closely at pennies minted from 1959 to 2008 you can see Lincoln's statue in the Memorial.

In 2009 they introduced four new designs celebrating the bicentennial of Lincoln's birth year.

Birth in Kentucky Formative Years in Indiana




Professional Life in Illinois Presidency in DC


In 2010 the shield design was coined.

YOU'RE INVITED TO A SUPER BOWL PARTY

FEBRUARY 11, 2024

Get ready for the game next weekend with these learning activities.




Survey Says
Let children do surveys (classroom, at home, etc.) to find out which team others think will win the Super Bowl.

Vocabulary
“Offensive,” “Defensive,” “Penalty,” “Referee,” “Substitution,” “Huddle” …How many football terms can you think of that might be meaningful to learn?

Jersey Math
Let children choose their favorite player’s number and write it on a paper jersey. How many facts can they think of that equal that number.

Starting Line Up
At the beginning of the day let children make two lines facing each other. Introduce one child at a time and let them run through the two lines as their friends give them high five and cheer.

Good Job
At the end of the day make a huddle and say, “Good job, team!”

Math
How many players on each team? How many players in all?
How long is a football field?
How many points for a touchdown? Field goal? Safety?
How long is a quarter? How long is the entire game?
How many yards in a first down?

Estimation
Let children estimate what they think the total score will be. After the game determine who guessed more – less - the closest?

Art
Put out the scrap box and let children make pennants, hats, pompoms, and other paraphernalia.

Football Practice Game
Cut footballs out on the fold similar to the one shown. Write math facts on the front and the answer inside.
*These can be used for phonics, numerical order, question and answers, etc.

NFL
What does "NFL" stand for? Download a copy of the team logos (Mr. Google will help you) and make a visual matching game or memory game.

SWEETHEART GIFTS

CHECK OUT THESE "SWEET" GIFTS!

Here's a little gift and card that will be treasured for years to come.

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 Card
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.




Mouse Bookmark



Here's a bookmark children can make for themselves or they can give it to a friend.Cut a heart about the size of a child’s hand from red construction paper. Fold in half. Open. Tape a 6” piece of string in the middle. Glue closed. Draw a nose, whiskers, and ears on the heart as shown to make it look like a mouse. Use for a bookmark.

VALENTINNY AND SWEETHEART JOKES

These jokes never go out of style!  

Some are older than me, but they will be new to your children.

What do you call a very small valentine?
A valentiny!

What do you call two birds in love?
Tweethearts!


Knock Knock
Who's there?
Olive
Olive who?
Olive you!

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Atlas
Atlas who?
Atlas, it's Valentine’s Day!



Knock Knock
Who's there?
Sherwood
Sherwood who?
Sherwood like to be your Valentine!

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Pooch
Pooch who?
Pooch your arms around me!

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Emma
Emma who?
Emma hoping you have a happy Valentine’s Day!

What did one pickle say to the other?
"You mean a great dill to me."

What did the elephant say to his girlfriend?
"I love you a ton!"




What do farmers give their wives on Valentine's Day?
Hogs and kisses!

What did the pencil say to the paper?
"I dot my i's on you!"

What is a vampire's sweetheart called?
His ghoul-friend.

What did the boy cat say to the girl cat on Valentine's Day?
You're purrr-fect for me!

What did the boy octopus say to the girl octopus?
Can I hold your hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand?

What did the boy owl say to the girl owl on Valentine's Day?
Owl be yours!

What did the girl squirrel say to the boy squirrel on Valentine’s Day?
I’m nuts about you!

What did the drum say to the other drum on Valentine’s Day?
My heart beats for you!

What did the boy bee say to the girl bee on Valentine’s Day?
You are bee-utiful!



What did the whale say to his girlfriend on Valentine’s Day?
Whale you be mine!

What did the boy bear say to the girl bear on Valentine’s Day?
I love you beary much

What did the rabbit say to his girlfriend on Valentine’s Day?
Somebunny loves you!

AND THAT SOMEBUNNY IS ME!!!
P.S. If anyone accuses you of "joking around" with "instructional time" you can remind them that you are teaching homonyms, double meanings of words, and phonological awareness!!!