Polar Express...Kindergarten Style

It was polar express day in kindergarten.  Pajamas, hot cocoa, cookies, bells, and lots of excited five and six year olds.  We hung paper from the ceiling with windows cut out and arranged the chairs in rows to look like the train car.

 

 

 

Sight Word Crayons - Color Me Brilliant!

If you need a new way to inspire your students to learn their sight words, take an empty crayon box, copy your words onto crayons and let them color the ones they know and practice the ones that are uncolored until the whole box is brilliantly colored.

 

 

 

Let's Practice Our Numbers...

 

 

I just finished my updated number placemats and I can't wait to watch the children gobble them up!  I made play dough, and have several recipes below.  Choose the one you like, or buy your play dough, and let your children roll and learn.

 

Recipe 1

3 cups flour

1.5 cups salt

6 tsp. cream of tarter

3 tbsp. oil

3 cups water

 

Pour all ingredients into a large pot. Stir constantly over medium heat until a dough ball forms by pulling away from the sides. Knead dough until the texture matches play dough (1-2 minutes). Store in plastic container. Should last for at least 3 months.

 

Recipe 2

1 cup baking soda

1/2 cup corn starch

3/4 cup water

 

Mix the baking soda and corn starch in a pot. Use hands to make sure all the lumps are broken up. Add water. Put the pan on the stove over medium heat and stir constantly. As soon as the mixture gathers together, remove from the heat. When it cools, knead it into a smooth dough. Don't over cook this dough or it will crumble.

 

 Recipe 3

 1 cup  flour

1/2 cup  salt

1 envelope   (0.13 oz. to 0.23 oz.) KOOL-AID Unsweetened Drink Mix, any flavor

2 tsp.  cream of tartar

1 cup  water

1 Tbsp.  oil

 To make: MIX first 4 ingredients in medium saucepan until blended. Stir in water and oil. COOK on medium heat 5 min. or until mixture forms ball, stirring frequently.  TRANSFER to plate; cool slightly.

 

 

 

Recipe 4

 

2 cups plain flour (all purpose)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup salt
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
Up to 1.5 cups boiling water
food coloring (optional)
few drops glycerine (optional- adds more shine!)

Mix the flour, salt, cream of tartar and oil in a large mixing bowl
Add the boiling water
Stir continuously until it becomes a sticky, combined dough
Add the food colouring and glycerine (both optional)
Allow it to cool down then take it out of the bowl and knead it vigorously for a couple of minutes until all of the stickiness has gone.  This is the most important part of the process, so keep at it until it’s the perfect consistency!

 

 

 

 

More Turkeys in Disguise!

Look at how adorable and creative these are!  My class is amazing!

We have Duck Dynasty

We have a ninja

A BlackHawk

A Colt

 

A Chicago Bear

A snowman

A rabbit

A princess

 

Thanksgiving Syllable Matching...Smartboard Style

My class likes this simple activity to practice their syllable knowledge.  I created the worksheet, then put the same thing on the smartboard so we could practice before I send them out to do it on their own.  Here is the worksheet to match the smart file above.  Visit my tpt store if you are interested in trying it with your students.

Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving

 

 

 

My students love love love this book.  I read it to them, give them a family turkey project packet, and send them home to disguise a turkey of their own.  I introduce them to text bubbles and have them write a sentence as the turkey.  Then we do a writing assignment around the wanted poster. 

 

 

Here are a couple of our turkeys in disguise from last year. 

 

 

 

 They have to use a few adjectives and a little math to describe their missing turkey.  I put it all on the smartboard and show them what I want them to do.

 

  Then I hang the finished projects in the hall for all to see.  The wanted posters are put into a class 3-ring binder book that is rotated to each family and then the pages are put into individual scrapbooks for each student.  It is a fun way to get the creative juices flowing and another inspiration for purposeful writing. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello Turkey Time!

Check out my door. 

Brown paper, 2 paper plates, hot glue, ready to gobble gobble gobble...

Happy Halloween to my so sweet class!

Halloween Syllables!

I am working on syllables in my classroom and created this fun activity for my class.  My tpt site has the worksheet and the matching smartboard file so they can practice before they do it independently. 

My Halloween Door

Check out my door.  I covered it with green paper, added a little black to the top, cut out 3 ovals, drew a face and added some black and purple duct tape.   Tada!  My class loves it and so do I. 

Happy Halloween!

You are going to love this simple idea.  I went to the Target dollar bin and found these cute items.  I put velcro on my frame and attached Happy Halloween.  I had the children choose which mask to put on, then had them put on the skeleton gloves and hold the frame.  Now their parents get to try to find the mystery spooktacular child in disguise!  We had so much fun.

Look at the results...