Learning and Teaching With Preschoolers

Huge Giveaway!!

2012-01-29T18:16:00.000-08:00

I am team up with some verytalented preschool teacher bloggers who also have some amazing Teacher PayTeacher products for a huge giveaway. Wouldn’t you love to have all your planning done for free! Enter and it could be you.

Here is what we are giving away…

Julia from Loving andLearning in Pre-K is giving away her Valentine’s Day Activities-Math andLiteracy

Loving & Learning in pre-k Teachers Pay Teachers

Kimberly from Creative Teaching is giving away herCelebrating Valentine’s Day a Multidisciplinary Thematic Unit

Creative Teaching Teachers Pay Teachers

Erin from Creating andTeaching is giving away her brand new Dental Health Mini Unite

Creating and Teaching Teachers Pay Teachers

Tami from Learning andTeaching with Preschoolers is giving away Math and Literacy Fun with Hearts

Teachers Pay Teachers

The rulesare simple and easy and you can enter fourways--enter once or enter all four times, it's up to you!

One entry for following all of our blogs. (Mandatory) Leave your comment on (Tami’s blog) Your comment would look like this: "I now follow all blogs" or “I already follow all your blogs”
One entry for following our TpT stores. Leave your comment on (Tami’s blog) Your comment would look like this: "I follow all your TpT stores."
One entry for sharing this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, your blog, etc. and leave a comment saying that you do. Leave your comment on (Tami’s blog)
One entry Tell us what you plan to do with your kids for February. We all love to hear about new ideas! Leave your comment on (Tami’s blog)
This giveaway will end on February 3rd at 9pm Pacific time. One follower will win all 4 PRIZES. The winner will be chosen at random and announced on Saturday, February 4th, 2012!!!!

Ifyou would like to enter this fabulous giveaway head on over to Tami’s blogLearning and Teaching with Preschoolers and leave your comments

Transportation Pocket Chart Stories

2012-01-29T15:29:00.000-08:00

Getyour students reading with these fun transportation pocket charts stories.

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Teachers Notebook

Pocketchart stories are a wonderful way to get your students actively involved in thestory telling process. When using pocketchart stories it helps to bring the stories alive and capture the attention ofthe students. Students are able to participatein a hands-on way as children are able to move the text around to createdifferent versions of the same story.

Booklet Includes:

I can ride in a …

Color Airplane Pocket Chart Story

We rode in (using children’s names)

On My Road Trip

Color Dragster Race

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Teachers Notebook

Clutter-Free Classroom Project Week 4

2012-01-28T16:32:00.000-08:00

The Clutter-Clutter Free Classroom Project Week 4

This week we were suppose to concentrate on our TeacherDesk area but I choose to do my group meeting area since it is the hub of myclassroom.

Before Picture

All of my CD’s were on top of my stereo area even thoughyou can not see it in this picture and all of the under cabinets had teacherstuff in them from previous teachers that I have never gone through since beingback in the classroom. So this area wasa big one for me because I would keep all of my stuff on top of cabinets and wereevery I could place them. (This was notworking I could never find what I need in a hurry)

After Pictures

Everything is now organized and in the cabinet below orin the TV cabinet picture to follow.

The side doors were full of cassette tapes (I know whouses those now days, but that is what was in there) I had to remove black strips so that the CD casewould fit in there. Once I had all of myCD’s organized by artist I labels each section so that I can find what I amlooking for in a snap.

In the middle of my cabinet I now have my transition games,storytelling kits, dancing ribbons, mini maracas and rhythm sticks.

The closed door TV cabinet that sits next to my stereo cabinetnow houses VHS tapes, Pom Poms, transition dice, dancing scarves, dramatic propsfor retelling stories and sacks for sack races.

The Finished Area

On the Road

2012-01-27T17:49:00.000-08:00

Inthe Air and on the Road bulletin board

CreativeArt Cars

Truck Load Math Mats

Children identify the number on the truck and then loadit up with the right amount of cargo.

Truck Letter Match

Children match up all the trucks with the matchingletters.

Race around the Trackpath game

Have the children race around the track with theircar. Children roll the dice and movetheir car around the rack until the cross the finish line.

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Teachers Notebook

B is for boat

2012-01-25T18:35:00.000-08:00

Ijust love how every boat is different.

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Teachers Notebook

In the Air

2012-01-22T19:13:00.000-08:00

We are getting ready to start our unit on transportation andcommunity helpers. I was going through somepictures and came across my pictures from last year that I wanted to share withyou since I was in the planning mood.

During our creative art workstation for in the air the childrencame up with these amazing air transportation creations.

Helicopter

Hot Air Balloon

Airplanes

In the writing center children found cloud cut outs with transportationwords that they could write on their own and this is what they did. I turned the writing clouds into the boarderfor our transportation bulletin board. (Willbe posted at a later date)

Say It, Count It, Writeairplane passengers

Let each child pick out which airplane mat they would like touse. Have the children roll a number dice. Have them identify the number on thedice. (say it) Once they have identified the number have them count out thepassengers. (count it) After the children have counted out the right amount ofpassengers have them write the number on the math mat with a dry eraser marker.(write it)

Free Download Say It, Count It, Write It Passenger Airplane Passengers

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Teachers Notebook

This 125 page lesson is filled with ideasthat are sure to spark the interest of all children in your classroom. Thislesson covers all learning domains for preschool children. Including: StoryExtension, Math Games, Science Activities, Creative Art Project, Language andLiteracy Activities and Movement Ideas.

This plan includes:

Word Wall Cards
Game boards
Bingo Game
Math Mats
2 Flannel BoardStories
14 page EarlyReader I can ride in a ….
And that’s not all

Go to Teachers Pay Teachers or Teachers Notebook topurchase Transportation and Community Helper Theme Lesson Plan for $5.75.

Math and Literacy Fun with Hearts

2012-01-17T17:02:00.000-08:00

I have posted a new Valentine Unit to Teachers Pay Teachers and Teachers Notebook.

With this 87 page Math and Literacy Valentineworkstations your students will be counting and recognizing the numbers 1-20,making patterns, graphing, recognizing letters and beginning sounds before youknow it with these fun heart math and literacy centers. This heart packet is packed full of ideas forworkstations and small group activities.

This Packet Includes

Say It, Count It, Write It Math Mats

Heart Candy Sorting and Graphing

Heart Pattern Cards

Candy Heart Pattern Cards

HowMany Hearts

Monster Love Number Trail

DiceGame Worksheets

Sameand Different Cards

HeartNumber Bingo

MonsterLove Letter Trail

HeartLetter Puzzle Match

HeartLetter Bingo

Letterand Letter Sound Cards

WorksheetsPrintable

Go to Teachers Pay Teachers or Teachers Notebook topurchase Math and Literacy Fun with Hearts for $5.75.

Week #2 Clutter-Free Classroom Project

2012-01-14T14:44:00.000-08:00

The challenge this week was to come up with our plan ofhow we will become clutter free. Thisplan also has to have rules to help you get clutter free so her are my rulesfor my self to get and stay clutter free.

Clutter-Free Classroom Project

1 1.) Iwill use up all of the consumables that I have before getting more.

2 2.) Iwill limit donated items for creative art projects.

3 3.) Ifit is broken, get rid of it.

4 4.) If Ihave not used it in a year get rid of it or donate to another teacher.

5 5.) Ifit is in the wrong place return it now, instead of later.

I have an over amount of consumables since classroomswere closed down after the budget cutes and they had to put it some where so itis in my classroom storage. Here is thebefore pictures.

It is hard to get to one color when there are othercolors stacked on top. Some times I walkin there and just change my plan instead of getting what I came in for.

After Pictures

I went to the surplus warehouse (shed) and found somediscarded shelving and placed the shelving in the storage room. I stacked two shelves on top of one anotherand attached the shelving to the wall with L brackets. The best thing about this organizationalproject is that it was FREE!

I also found some paper sorting racks in the surplus shed. I cleared off a shelf in the storage next tothe surplus of construction paper and placed the paper sorting racks on theshelf and placed all the opened papers in it. This way I will use what I have up before getting out more.

So Simple So Sweet Etsy Story

2012-01-14T13:15:00.000-08:00

So Simple So Sweet

Story telling can be enriched with the use of props. Heidi from So Simple So Sweet has beencreating some amazing story telling characters that can be used as fingerpuppets or on a magnetic learning board. Here characters are a sure way to capture the attention of childrenduring story time lending to the joy of reading and literature.

Here are just a few of her So Simple So Sweet Puppets

The Three Little Pigs

The Three Little Pigs

Little Red Riding Hood

Little Red Riding Hood

Let It Snow

2012-01-12T19:28:00.000-08:00

Our classroom is being to look like a winter wonder landwith all of the snowmen projects going on.

Paint Snow People at the Easel

Crating Snowmen Books atWriting Workstation

Building Snowmen with letters

Making Snowmen inthe creative art area

Berry Basket Snowflake Prints

Snowmen out of Salt Clay

Snowman Shape Color Bingo

Sandmen in the Sensory Table

Five Little Snowmen props

Week #1 Clutter-Free Classroom Project

2012-01-09T20:10:00.000-08:00

Okay here we go. Here are my pictures of my classroom before starting the Clutter-FreeClassroom Project. I can not believethat I am going to be showing you all the bad parts of my class, but her we go.

Here are two pictures of my classroom as a hole. This is showing more of the children’s areas, but it gives you anideas of what I am looking at.

The answer is yes if you are asking yourself thatclassroom is huge. Some times I feellike I am teaching on in a football field size classroom.

Ok now for the bad parts.

Teacher Office Area

These pictures are of my teacher area. This area sits up on the stage area of myclassroom which makes it kind of challenging to organize the area, but I amwhiling to give it a try.

Circle Area

Right now this area does not look to bad, but that isjust because over the winter break we had to empty our classroom so that thecarpets and tile could be cleaned for the year. With that being said, I have not had time to get out all of the itemsthat you would normally see here. Iguess that is a good thing since I should probable purge some items.

Another Teacher Prep Station

Storage Area

Okay so I have two of these areas in my classroom and Idid not highlight on all of it. Let me shedsome light on these areas, there are things in this “Caves” as we call themdating back to the sixties. To say theleast it is a little over whelming when you go in them and not to mentionFREEZING (that is why we call them the caves). The center I work for open in 1964 and the classroom that I am in is theoriginal classroom for the child development program for our schooldistrict. Let’s just say there are awhole lot of things that I could get rid of.

Let the Challenge Begin!!

The Winner

2012-01-09T18:48:00.001-08:00

Thewinner of the New Year Giveaway goes to Constance.

Thankyou every one for their entries as well as their follows. I will be doing a giveaway monthly so I hopeto have you all enter again.

It is the Year to be Organized

2012-01-07T15:27:00.001-08:00

This is the year that I am going to be organized in theclassroom and what better way to do it than to join the Clutter-Free ClassroomProject.

I am a week behind the rest but I am going to be postingmy before pictures on Monday and let the organizing begin. If you want to get organized it is not tolate to join just go to The Clutter Free Classroom and take the challenge.

See you on Monday to show you my before pictures.

Sock Puppets Tutorial

2012-01-03T16:50:00.000-08:00

Sockpuppets are easy to make and are a great way to add to your bag of teachertricks.

SockPuppets - Sockpuppets are easy to make and cheap. You can add all kinds of features to makean endless assortment of puppets to capture a child’s interest. Start by saving miss match socks that everyhousehold has.

You willneed: sock,hot glue gun, hot glue, felt, cardboard from cereal box, yarn, package bows,feathers, pom poms, wiggle eyes, buttons, pipe cleaners, craft foam shapes,scrap lace, sequins cotton balls, batting and fabric paint.

Step1

Save a single clean sock. The sock needs to belarge enough to fit loosely over a hand.

Step 2

Cut cardboard from cereal box into an ovalshape to form the mouth piece. Fold theoval in half.

Step 3

Insert the folded mouthpiece into the sock sothat the curved ends are facing the toe end of the sock. If it is too big, cutthe piece smaller to fit so thatit doesn't stretch the sock too much.

Step4

Place hand in sock with thumb and fingersworking like a mouth. Push sock inwardagainst the cardboard cut out, forming the mouth. Glue in place.

Step5

Cut mouth piece out offelt and glue to sock.

Step 6

Stuff the head area withsome cotton balls to raise up the face area.

Step7

Hot glue items onto yoursock to form your caricature.

Happy New Year’s Giveaway!

2012-01-01T13:05:00.000-08:00

HappyNew Year’s to everyone. To celebrate theNew Year I am going to be giving away 3 of my products that can be found onTeachers Pay Teachers or Teachers Notebook. This contest runs until midnight on Saturday, January 7^th. The rules are simple and easy:

One entry for following my blogs. Your comment would look like this: "I now follow your blog" or “I already follow your blog”
One entry for following my TpT store or Teachers Notebook store. Your comment would look like this: "I follow your TpT store." Or “I follow your TNB store”

Onefollower will win all 3 PRIZES. The winner will be chosen at random andannounced on Monday, January 9th, 2012!!!!

Here are the 3 products you could win

*Best of luck to you. Remember, you get oneentry for following my blogs and one entry for following all one of stores. Please, comment below to enter. I also suggest leaving in your comment,an email address where I can contact you, if you are the winner.

Transitions In Preschool

2011-12-28T10:27:00.000-08:00

Transitions are those periods of time when the children aremoving from one activity to the next.

How well your day flows in your preschool classroom candepend on how well you handle your transitions. Some of the moststressful parts of a preschool teachers day can begin with transitioningchildren from one activity to the next without it all ending up in a totalstressful chaos moment!

Creating short, smooth transitions through out your day willprovide you with more time to be spent in meaningful activities.

· Whenit is time to change to the next activity, start with a warning before it’stime to end that activity. If children know a transition is comingand has a chance to finish what they are doing, most children are likely to beagreeable to that change.

· Preschoolchildren are responsive to routines. Each transition throughout theday should follow with the same pattern everyday. Each transitionshould start the same way and have a few short activities, then end the sameway every time.

· Havedifferent signals that can be used for differenttransitions. Children will know what is next and what is expected ofthem when they hear or do the same transition for each part of their day.

Transitions types:

Clean-up

Comingto circle

Leavingcircle

Washinghands/meals

Goingoutside

Cominginside

Going from here to there

Goingto relaxing and resting

Wakingup from rest

Use careful planning and considerations when planningtransitions. Appropriate

transitions help children move through theday with ease.

When children have settled into the familiarity of theroutine, children will be more

cooperative through each transition of the day.

Transitionto Clean Up Time

Before clean up time make sure that you give children a fiveminute warning before it is time to clean up. I have a chimethat is hanging in my room and the children know that when they hear the chimethey have five more minutes to finish what they are working on. Whenthe five minutes is up I start to sing a clean up song. Childrenthat are still working on a project and would like to return to that projectlater; know that I have a table that they can place those unfinished projectson. This gives children ownership and they are more willing to cleanup lets say the lego’s if they know they can finish their lego carlater. Also if children are working in the block area and they arehesitant in cleaning up because they have worked so hard on their town, I willtake a digital picture of the structure so they can still admire their handywork.

Clean up Songs

Do you know what time it is? Author Unknown

Do you know what time it is

What time it is

Do you know what time it is it’stime to clean-up.

Tami put away the blocks

Put away the block

Tami put away the blocks becauseit’s time to clean-up

Cody put away the puzzle

Put away the puzzle

Cody put away the puzzle becauseit’s time to clean-up

Acknowledge a child that is cleaning something up and singtheir name and what they

are cleaning up. Children that areacknowledged are more willing to help and clean

up. Children want todo the right thing.

Twinkle Twinkle clean up time
(:twinkle, twinkle little star)Use a star wand and sing thesong. Move around the classroom waving thewand. Help children clean up.

Twinkle, twinkle little star
stop and clean up where you are
Time to put the toys away
We'll bring them out another day
Twinkle, twinkle little star
stop and clean up where you are.

Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho it’s clean uptime Author Unknown

Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho

It’s clean-up time you know.

Put the toys away for another day.

Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho

Keep repeating until the children are done.

Let’s board the clean-up train

Blow a train whistle so the children know that it is time toboard the clean up train. Start in an area that is hard to clean uplike the block area or the dramatic play area. Blow the whistle andstart to sing.

Choo, Choo its time to board the clean up train

Chugga, Chugga, Choo, Choo

Have children form a line behind you and you go around andclean up the classroom together. This is a great one to start the year offwith. This way you can show the children where things go.

Clean-Up Inspector

When children are just about through cleaning up. Put the inspectorbinoculars around your neck and carry the clean-up basket with you. Goaround the room and inspect different centers in the room. Give positivefeed back while going through the different areas. "Inspector likethe way all the blocks have been put on the shelves." "Inspector see that we need to put some play food in thebaskets." Along the way when you find small items that did not getput away place them in your clean-up basket. Bring your inspectorsclean-up basket with you to group meeting and see if anyone wants to help theinspector find the proper home for the items in the basket.

Transitionto Lining Up

BuzzBuzz Bumble Bee

Buzz, buzz bumblebees,

Flying all around.Stop stand still,

do not move around.

Shh, don’t make a sound.

Buzz, buzz bumblebees

Catch them if you can.

Hurry up, in the jar

Before they sting your hand.

Buzz, buzz bumblebees

Hold your jar real tight.

We will carry them outside

Then let them all take flight

Have children pretend to catch abuzzing bumble bee.

Drive, Drive, Drive

Drive, drive, drive your car,

All around the town