Hermit Crab Painting

Today we had two visitors in our classroom Bonnie and Joe who are hermit crabs.

After reading the story Hermit Crabs New Home they decided to show us how to beautify our classroom with some original art special made by them.

First they took a bath in liquid water colors, and then they crawled out of the color onto sheets of paper.

Leaving a color trail behind them

We now have hermit art hanging in our classroom to remind us of our new friends.

Thank you Cindy, for stopping by our classroom and sharing the talent of your two hermit crabs.  Please stop by any time we loved having you!

Making Crawfish in Preschool

We made crawfish out of egg cartons

Children painted the egg carton with glue paint and them embellished them with glitter and any other items they wanted to use for their crawfish

Sandbox Water Fun

Learning at Play

Today we learned about lakes and rivers in the sandbox

We learned that the lakes need to have dams to hold the water in which turned them into reservoirs

We learned that rivers need to have levees so that the rivers will not flood the flat lands

So we walked away today with learning about

·         Rivers

·         Lakes

·         Reservoirs

·         Dams

·         Levees

All while we were playing!    

Play Academy

Classroom Management Dramatic Play Area

When it comes to the dramatic play and the idea of clean up, sometimes these two things just don’t go hand and hand.  I have tried giving: warnings that clean up is in five minutes, I have given the children in the dramatic play area extra time to clean up, but for what ever reason they have a hard time wanting to clean this area up.  I have even gone as far as having them sign a contract, (“I will clean up the playhouse.”)  And then have them sign it. This one does help but still not like I would like it to.  Oh and lets not forget making it a game.  Who can clean up the most or fastest.  Oh that would be the teacher, because they just want to watch.

                                  

Here is what I hear:

• I didn’t play in the playhouse; I just played with the money. (money is on the floor)

• It wasn’t me it was…

• I was only in there for a minute

• Will you help me?

One day one of the girls that we work with said what about if we give them a key, that way we know who has been in the playhouse and who needs to go back and clean before moving on to another area.  What a genius is all I have to say?  She came in with six key necklaces.  That way only six children can be in the playhouse at one time and they know that if they do not have a key on they can not go in the area.  The children remind one another.  

 

Also since we have started this their play seems to have more of collaborative play with one another. 

BIG Thanks to Rosa!

We Used Sticks for Art

Today we made art with all of our found sticks.

Children painted sheets of foam with shades of blue and green and then they stuck sticks into the foam.

Next the children added colored floral rocks, cut out fish, yarn, pipe cleaners, wooden beads, and netting. 

We now have these beautiful art pieces setting around our classroom.

There is nothing quit like art made by children.

My New Classroom

This is a picture looking down on my new classroom from the stage.  I know it is huge right.

I don’t know what I am going to do with all the space, but give me time and I’m sure I figure it out.

The ceiling is real high as well so I was able to fit one of those EZ Up shades in the center of the classroom to help bring things down to more of a child’s level. Under the structure we have placed the quiet area or book area.

Looking up from under the area

If you have any ideas of what you would want in a classroom of this size let me know, just remember we have no money.

As I finish areas I will post pictures so that you can see my progress.

Just for the Fun of It

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….

With all of the hard work and sweat that we have been giving to our jobs lately, we decided to take a break and show the children that we too can have fun.  They loved it and thought it was funny to see the teachers laughing and having a good time at play.

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

Updates

No I have not fallen off the face of the earth, but I have been neck deep in cleaning up things after all of the budget cuts.  Now that I am sitting back and wanting to update all of you to what I have been doing in the classroom or classrooms I wish that I would have taken the time to take pictures along the way.  But here are a few…

Cleaning out storage sheds to make way for all of the things that we need to store when closing down classrooms and hopping and wishing that we will be able to open up new classroom in the near future.  So with that being said we did not want to give away or sale anything at this time because we still want to dream that things can turn around with the state of our state government and its budget.    

I wish I would of taken pictures of the after.  It is amazing at what girls can fit into one shed.  Let just say that the Lego playing that we have done with children over the years has paid off.