I Can Ride... in a... Early Reader

School is out and I have been working on new items to help things run a little smoother.  Here is an early reader that I have created for a lesson on transportation.  You will find children riding in and on different types of transportation vehicles.   

This 14 page early reader is a great companion to your transportation unit theme or community helper unit theme of study.  This book could also be enlarged and made into a big book for group reading.  Simple enlarge to a 150% and bind at the top.  You can down load it at Teachers Pay Teachers 

Letter Recognition Race Track Game

If you are having a hard time getting all the children in your class to practice letter recognition and letter sound activities then it is time to change it up.

All children like board games and all children like to roll dice so why not combined the two together and give the children what they want and what we want all in one.

Here is what we did.  We create game board mats for each child in a group.  We choose the letters based on the unit of study.  The children roll the dice identify the dice and move to that letter square.  If children need help they check with one another and the teacher is also there for support.  All children are winners and learners with this activity. 


You can find more transportation game that will promote learning in this lesson plan bundle on Transportation and Community Helpers.

Transportation Lesson Plan Bundle

Enjoying the Children

We are not just teachers, we are…



• Moms


• Wives


• Daughters


• Sisters


• Friends


• Co-Workers


So take a break and do a little something for you.


This Sunday will be my first post of a new series of post for not only the teachers in all of us, but also for the need of taking a little time just us.


My take a break for me this week was enjoying seeing my youngest go off to the prom.

Taking the time to standing back and enjoying every moment that I have with them before I have an empty nest, is my break for the week. 

Negotiation With the Alarm Clock

Have you ever had to negotiate with your alarm clock in the morning?  I have to say that is how my morning has started.   I am already a snooze button hitter to begin with, but there are mornings that the alarm goes off and I have that mental negotiation with myself so that I can stay in bed for five more minutes.  It goes something like this…

·         I won’t curl my hair today (5 more minutes)

·         I won’t wear something this morning that needs to be ironed (5 more minutes)

·         I will drink my coffee at work (5 more minutes)

·         I will order a school lunch (5 more minutes) You know it is going to be one of those 
           days when I am willing to have a school lunch.

·         I will eat a granola bar in the car on my way to work (5 more minutes)

So now I’m running late… Not a good thing when you’re a teacher and being prepared for the day is the best way to start with the right foot forward.  Let’s just say I hope those extra minutes pay off for me today.  Wish me luck. 

This Weeks Must Share

Here are some of my top finds from the blog world that I would like to share with you.

  Casa Maria's Creative Learning Zone

At Casa Maria’s Creative Learning Zone you will learn how to make these incredible paint prints by using paper towel rolls and paper towel with paint.

Teach Preschool

Here at Teach Preschool you will find how to make caterpillars by using different types of cups for paint prints.

Let The Children Play

I have to make one of these water walls this summer and after you see how she did it you are going to want to do the same.

Irresistible Ideas for play base learning

Check out this fun and new way to paint from Irresistible Ideas for play base learning.

 

Dollar Store Find

We found these serving trays at the dollar store, and we have been using them for

·         Table Top Art (organizing collage materials for projects)

·         Sorting Trays

They have been worth every dollar.

Creating a Multicultural Classroom

We live in a world rich in diversity, with a combination of many different cultures.  Today’s teachers are responsible for creating classrooms environments that are culturally rich, and respectful of the diversity among students.  In doing so, a foundation is laid for all learners to develop an understanding and respect for themselves and others in our diverse world.   

This foundation is best created through a multicultural approach in the classroom environment.  This is created by careful consideration of all the children’s cultures and traditions, by planning to help other children experience these traditions and rituals.

·         Learn the traditions of every child in your classroom

·         What holidays do they celebrate?

·         What are their favorite foods?  Having cooking projects that represent these favorites 
           to that all of the children have an opportunity to experience those traditional foods.

·         Provide a verity of music from the different cultures represented in your classroom.

·        Have parents visit and share about their traditions.  Parents can help with their
          traditional cooking projects or even teach the children traditional dances.

·                Include multicultural books in the reading area and multicultural cook books in the
         dramatic play area.

·              Celebrate their Holidays through out the school year.

Celebrations are things that we do through out the year so that we can learn about one another traditions and celebrations.

Sikh Parade is a celebration for the Punjabi children in our classroom.  With that in mind we have staff member dress in their tradition clothing and teach the children their tradition dance.  Staff and parents bring in clothing and jewelry for the children to wear. 

Our children learned how to dance with Ms. Baljit. 

Cinco De Mayo 

The children made their own hats and maracas to have their own Cinco De Mayo parade.

Fourth of July   

Here are things that you will find in our classroom environments to show the acceptance of all the children in the classroom group.  These things are found through out the whole class. 

Written language

Clothing

Wall Hangings

House Hold Goods

Sometimes We Need To Act Young

We are not just teachers, we are…

• Moms

• Wives
• Daughters
• Sisters
• Friends
• Co-Workers

So take a break and do a little something for you.

Here is my break for the week or should I say I good laugh that we all need this week.

Things have been a little stressful around the work place lately with all the budget cuts and not know if we are staying or going.  So we needed to take the time to act young again and did it feel good to laugh with all the girls at work. 

This day let us all know no matter if we stay or go we are all a tight knit of friends and co-worker and some things just won’t change and that is our Friendships!

Take the time to have a good laugh this week and do something that makes you feel young again. 

The Dyslexic Blogger

I have been asked so…

I’m just going to let everyone know now that I’m a dyslexic blogger.  My writing is not perfect, but I don’t let that stop me.

You will find me adding extra e’s to the ends of words, don’t ask me why.  I remember my mom asking me that while I was growing up and would always tell her because it makes it look better.  I guess that is my same reason (today).  If it doesn’t look right just add an e.  I know you are asking yourself right now just hit spell check.  Yes spell check is great, but when you have Dyslexia and words are spelled similarly I can’t distinguish the right one, and lets all face it the English language is not perfect.  So you will find me…

·         Using saw for was – I see it that way and if I’m in a hurry I won’t remember to revise it.  Spell check won’t work for those because it is spelled right.

·         Tough- should me spelled Tuff but it is not so I will spell things just how they sound to me.

·         If there are to many similar letters in a word I can not distinguish between the two.  Example (i and l), (s and z), (b and d), and (m and w).

·         I can not remember for the life of me all the rules for spelling i before e except after c or is it e before i except after c anyway it all sounds the same to me.

·         It takes me 3 days to write what it takes you a day.  So I might not have the post most of you do.

My writing is not perfect, but I’m not going to let that stop me.  I read a lot of your blogs and it inspires me to try and do the same.  I write to try and improve my skill and not lose what I have learned over the years.  So bear with me I’m dyslexic and a big part of why I’m a Preschool Teacher.  I feel that if I would have been given the chance by my early year teachers that I could learn, I could have been so much more.  Instead I heard “Don’t bother with her she can’t learn.”

Recycle and Reuse

Finding creative ways to reuse trash items, that will improve the preschool classroom and the yearly budget.  It is getting harder and harder to make the yearly budget stretch, with materials prices rising and my yearly budget shrinking it is hard to find ways to provide enough material for the children in the classroom.   

Cut a milk jug down form the mouth about half way and then cut across, leaving the hand on for the children to be able to hold.  Next tie a paint brush to the handle, this will help with keeping the brushes with the bucket. 

We purchased the brushes at the dollar store so the cost was a $1.00 for four brushes.

The Winner Is…

The winner of What’s in the Garden?  Lesson plan is Holly of Popsicles and Pigtails .  Hope you enjoy using it next year in your classroom. 

What’s In The Garden? Lesson Plan Giveaway

One of my favorite units to do with my preschool children this time of the year is gardening.   We are able to follow the unit through clear through the summer.  The children enjoy planting and picking what’s in the garden, but most of all they enjoy making things to eat from their very own garden.  Stir fry vegetables and salsa.

This lesson is made up of 83 pages of small group, movement activities and song ideas just to name a few.  Memory games, bingo games and math games are provided in the plan all you have to do is make copies for the children and teacher to use.

The great thing about these lesson plans from Kids World Exploration is that they are not just for preschool teachers, they are filled with ideas that...

Home Schooling Families can use with ideas as well.  The projects and games can be scaffold for the older children.  There are also activities that will benefit the older children as well.

Working Moms can us these lesson plans for ideas that will help them keep their children involved in the learning process while moms are cooking dinner and straitening up around the house.  Fun engaging activities to help those moms keep their little ones entertained and learning at the same time.

Grandparent can use these plans that are have their grandchildren come for a visit and don’t know what to do to help keep those little hands busy. 

If you are a preschool teacher, home school parent, working mom or grandparent and you would like to win the What's In The Garden? lesson plan.  You can enter three ways--enter once or enter three times, it's up to you!

1) Leave a comment with your e-mail address on this post.  I simply ask that you either follow on Google Friend Connect, on Twitter , "like" on Facebook OR subscribe via e-mail (see top right sidebar).

2).  Join a discussion on  blogfrog community and then leave a comment.

3)  Share about this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, or your blog!  Then, leave a comment.

This giveaway will close on Wednesday May 11, 2011 at 4:00PM.  Good luck!

Math Rich Preschool Classroom Environment Part 2

When teaching young children about math it is important to bring those math skills alive for them.  It is easy to do if you use a variety of learning tools that will capture their attention to help teach the new skills.

Provide plenty of materials through out the classroom that are meaningful to children, so that they will want to turn their early spontaneous mathematical play into an awareness of mathematical concepts and skills. 

Pocket Charts that can be played with and moved around.

Math Books in areas that will help them experiment with and explore math.

This is a pizza book that is found in the play dough area.  It reads I can make a ½ of a pizza.  I can make a ¼ of a pizza and so on.

Math Book in the Block Area

This book helps them to find and build with different shapes and sizes.

Math with the Group

Providing different types of math during group discussions

Providing different types of measuring tools

 

Measuring tools can be found in the block area, dramatic play, science area, math center, sensory table and writing area.

Math Games

Providing different types of math games; these games can be used during small group and at play.  Math games give children the opportunity to count and compute.