Mr. Winemaker and I just got back from a weeklong Oregon family vacation. We enjoyed horse back riding, pinot noir wine tasting, family dinners, Oregon rain, bizarre ice cream flavors, and loads more. Click on this link, She Said G Said, to see the latest post on our Oregon adventures! Also, I put a new post up on ‘A Teacher’s Quest For Balance.’
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Fun Part 2:
I love kicking off the year with a Chicka Chicka Boom Boom theme. This photo collage showcases a creative Chicka Boom Boom art project kids love. First, students make the palm tree trunk with their footsies. Students are shocked that they take off their shoes and socks at school! Students use bright colored paints and fingers to make the palm tree pop off the page with alphabet fun. Foam letters, sparkle paint, alphabet stickers… the possibilities are endless.
At the end of the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom week, students make palm tree hats. We head out to the blacktop and write alphabet letters with chalk. Upper grade buddies stop by to help us form our letters and remind us of tricky alphabet letters we may have forgotten.
A Fun Way To Get Kids Walking In A Tidy Line Year Long!
I spend the first few weeks of school exposing my cuties to classroom rules, routines, and expectations. We practice until our classroom runs like a well oiled machine. All teachers know that little cuties tend to have a hard time walking in a straight and quiet line. There are the wanderers, the talkers, the pokers, the drifters… you know. I start by brainstorming with students the importance of car safety. Then, I pass out laminated wheels to my students (I make these out of construction paper) and I tell students that we will practice driving our cars in a straight line around the school. While driving our cars around school in a line there is no talking. Students must look at the head in front and keep their car driving straight. Students receive a license when they can follow these line rules. This is a BIG deal! Students bring in their favorite wallet and their new driver's license goes inside. If a child breaks line rules their license is removed and must be earned back. Students take this very seriously. I beam as I walk the halls with my little ducklings following close behind in a nice neat line.
