March 2, 2009, is Read Across America Day (an NEA project). For the latest information, details about events happening around the country, booklists, a resource kit, and more, visit the site attached to the posting title. Happy Reading!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Read Across America Day
March 2, 2009, is Read Across America Day (an NEA project). For the latest information, details about events happening around the country, booklists, a resource kit, and more, visit the site attached to the posting title. Happy Reading!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Celebrating 40 Years
March 20, 2009, is Very Hungry Caterpillar Day!
Click on the posting title to be directed to a site where you can request an activity kit to share Eric Carle's classic story with your students. The activity kit includes: 40th Anniversary Poster, Reproducible Activities, Temporary Tattoos, A Happy Anniversary card to send to Eric Carle, and curriculum connections for the classroom. There are also links for activities that go along with other books published by Penguin.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Elf Glyphs
My plan was to post more often with this blog! I thought for sure I'd have the time to research topics and come up with ideas, pull from my archives - but I find myself taking this from a friend's blog - thank you Rebecca! My December post is long over due and classrooms are running out of time!
You can find the patterns and rules to make your elf glyphs at www.mathwire.com. Send along an email of your finished projects if you decide to do them!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Fact and Opinion
Another "Mailbox" Idea
Turkey Fact or Fiction
They know he's usually the center of attention on Thanksgiving, but what else do your students know about Tom Turkey? Create a fact vs. fiction game with the facts below. Cut out 20 feathers from construction paper. Write one fact on each feather. Program each of the remaining eight feathers with false statements about turkeys; place them in a box. Place the box of feathers at a center and create an answer key. Have a student pick a feather, read the sentence, and place the fact feathers in one pile and the fiction feathers in another.
Turkey Facts:
Male turkeys are called toms.
Female turkeys are called hens.
Young turkeys are called poults.
The long piece of loose skin hanging beneath the turkey's lower jaw is called a wattle.
A tom's beard is a tuft of stiff feathers on his breast.
Many domestic turkeys have white or light-colored feathers.
Wild turkeys have brown or bronze-tipped feathers.
Wild turkeys usually weigh only about ten pounds.
Only wild turkeys can fly.
Wild turkeys rest in trees at night.
Turkey eggs are tan with brown specks.
Turkey eggs are twice as big as chicken eggs.
Turkey Fact or Fiction
They know he's usually the center of attention on Thanksgiving, but what else do your students know about Tom Turkey? Create a fact vs. fiction game with the facts below. Cut out 20 feathers from construction paper. Write one fact on each feather. Program each of the remaining eight feathers with false statements about turkeys; place them in a box. Place the box of feathers at a center and create an answer key. Have a student pick a feather, read the sentence, and place the fact feathers in one pile and the fiction feathers in another.
Turkey Facts:
Male turkeys are called toms.
Female turkeys are called hens.
Young turkeys are called poults.
The long piece of loose skin hanging beneath the turkey's lower jaw is called a wattle.
A tom's beard is a tuft of stiff feathers on his breast.
Many domestic turkeys have white or light-colored feathers.
Wild turkeys have brown or bronze-tipped feathers.
Wild turkeys usually weigh only about ten pounds.
Only wild turkeys can fly.
Wild turkeys rest in trees at night.
Turkey eggs are tan with brown specks.
Turkey eggs are twice as big as chicken eggs.
Monday, October 20, 2008
ELECTION IDEAS
Duck for President
Read Duck for President by Doreen Cronin with students. Suggest that the class have an election for a new boss of the barnyard. Have students recall the different types of animals in the story; then list the animals on the board to identify election candidates. Over a few days, encourage each youngster to make a poster for his favorite candidate and ask each of several students to tell the group why he thinks his chosen candidate is the best. On a designated day, have each youngster vote for his favorite candidate by secret ballet (ballot pattern). Count the votes with students and record the results on the board. (If there is a tie, determine how to resolve it with student input.) Declare the top vote-getter the boss of the barnyard.
Election Day Song
(sung to the tune of “Down by the Station”)
The day for elections
Is early in November.
It’s always on a Tuesday,
When people vote.
See the voters at the polls,
There they can cast their ballots.
Vote! Vote! Count! Count!
See who wins!
Presidential Characteristics
Aside from citizenship and age requirements, political candidates must possess certain qualities. Have students brainstorm what these must-have attributes are. Honesty? Objectivity? Global awareness? Calmness under pressure? Have the class vote to reduce the list to ten characteristics. Then have each student individually rank each item in the list in the order of its importance. Tabulate students’ opinions for each separate trait. Then divide students into groups to graph the results on posters, creating a presidential profile.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
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