We
saw a lot of changes in our room this week, beginning with shorter days
due to the time change. Halloween came and went, followed by the
beginning of a new month and the introduction of new themes for November.
This is our month for Scarecrow, Scarecrow
and The Leaves Are Falling Down. And we're
still busy in The Pumpkin Patch, where the leaves are beginning to change
colors as the days grow cooler and shorter.
We
had some rain and fog at the beginning of the week, but by Friday we were
back to chilly early mornings followed by warm recesses and afternoons.
For Bakersfield and California's Central Valley, that means Fall is here
at last and the long, foggy winter is nearly here. Our seasons don't
match up very well with places like the East coast and New England, so
it may seem to some folks like we celebrate Autumn awfully late.
We have a long hot Summer and growing season, followed by a long damp Winter.
Spring and Fall never seem to stay around long enough to truly enjoy.
Out
at the Central Coast -- my home-away-from-home -- the days are mostly warm
and sunny and the weather doesn't change as drastically as it does in Bakersfield.
My family and I are in Pismo Beach this weekend, where we basked in the
sunshine and enjoyed temperatures in the high 60's -- perfect shorts and
swimsuits weather. I couldn't resist adding this picture I took of
the sunset less than four hours ago.
Having
a digital camera is SO much fun, and allows me to take all the pictures
I want without the expense and waiting period of developing. I took
over 50 sunset pictures in 15 to 20 minutes, and ended up with quite a
few I really like. I'm having a terrific weekend with my family,
and now that dinner is done and we're back in our room, everyone has settled
down enough that I can finally get this week's page put together :o)
Whether
it's hot or it's cold where you live, I'm sure you'll enjoy this week's
activities In My Room. As always, thanks for stopping by!
~
Victoria
What's New In The Pumpkin Patch
We're still reading lots
of fun pumpkin stories, chants, and poems, and singing our favorite pumpkin
songs. The October Literacy Centers and WorkJobs -- including pumpkins,
bats, spiders, and Halloween -- will stay out as long as the kids enjoy
working with them.
Mrs.
Landucci's class estimated how big around their pumpkin was, and how much
it weighed. They also floated it in a dishpan of water, and scooped
out the seeds and counted them. I had intended to do these things,
too, but time got away from us as it often does and we worked on other
projects instead.
On Friday, we made our
TLC Scarecrows (more info below) and scattered them around the room, with
quite a few finding a home in The Pumpkin Patch.
Next week, they'll be
joined by wonderful decorated turkeys, from my Family Turkey Project, which
I sent home this weekend. Here's what the blackline master looks
like, printed on cardstock:
If I recall correctly,
the pattern is from the book of November ideas from Teacher Created Materials.
There's also a blackline master for an instructions note to send home with
the pages. I changed it a bit, of course, but it basically explains
that they can decorate their turkey any way they wish, using paint, crayons,
macaroni, leaves, feathers, ribbons, etc. All turkeys get an award
and I display them in The Pumpkin Patch and in other spots around the room
(our walls are VERY full right now, since parent conferences are this coming
week).
This Week's TLC Art Project
Scarecrow
This is the one I made
along with the class, as a sample. I use my red easel (built by my
husband for our kids more than a dozen years ago) to demonstrate all of
our art projects, clipping pieces on with clothespins.
The scarecrow is a bit
unusual for a TLC project, because he's not glued onto a sheet of background
paper. We changed the colors from the ones suggested in the book,
which called for a gray construction paper shirt. We don't have gray
paper at school, so our scarecrows look different than the ones in some
of the other classrooms.
Just like last week --
when we made the TLC Trick-or-Treater -- I did most of the lesson in silence,
so that the children had to WATCH me in order to know what to do next.
I'm really beginning to like the idea of silent art, it adds another dimension
to the "listen to the teacher and follow directions" rule.
Here are some pictures
of the kids putting the finishing touches on their scarecrows:
And here are a few of
the finished scarecrows:
For more information on
TLC -- Teaching Little Children -- projects, visit
the TLC website.
Scarecrow, Scarecrow
We
began our Scarecrow, Scarecrow unit this week,
and did a number of fun activities to complement the books we read.
Scarecrow
Happy Pocket Chart
This is our "Happy" poem
for the month of November. I have a blackline master for this story,
so that each child has a copy of the story in their individual book boxes.
I also enlarged the illustrations and made a Big Book for Shared Reading.
The ziplock bag stapled to the pocketchart holds matching text for the
words.
The top pocket holds three
inexpensive Scarecrow "reading wands" that were purchased at the Dollar
Store or at a craft store.
Here is a close up of
the reading wands:
Another
Interactive Pocket Chart Poem
Scarecrow, scarecrow, How scary can you be? You scared (insert name) But you didn't scare
me!
By Margaret Wise Brown,
author of Goodnight
Moon and The
Important Book. A little scarecrow wants
to go out into the cornfield with his his father says he's not fierce enough.
Beautiful, sunlit illustrations.
Yes, we enjoy this story
in October for Halloween, but it's really the story of a scarecrow.
You can see my interactive pocketchart for this story by clicking
here.
This unusual scarecrow,
made of bits and pieces of this and that, actually likes birds! Rylant's
gentle scarecrow spends his day appreciating the earth and conversing with
birds, rabbits, and bugs. My students love this new-and-different
take on the scarecrow theme!
Brothers Robert and Daniel
San Souci teamed up to create this beautifully illustrated folktale of
a scarecrow brought to life who falls in love and -- like Pinocchio and
The Velveteen Rabbit -- becomes "real" through the power of love. Under $5. Highly recommended.
A young scarecrow devises
a profitable plan to keep the local crows from having their harvest
party in his pumpkin patch. Colorful, detailed illustrations bring the
story to life. Under $4.
Scarecrow,
Scarecrow (tune:
Twinkle, Twinkle)
Scarecrow, scarecrow turn
around. Scarecrow, scarecrow
touch the ground. Stand up tall and blink
your eyes. Raise your hands up to
the sky. Clap your hands, then
tap your knees. Turn around and tap your
feet.
Scarecrow, scarecrow touch
your toes. Scarecrow, scarecrow
tap your nose. Swing your arms so very
slow, Now real fast to scare
the crows! Tough your head, jump
up and down. Now sit down without
a sound.
I have this song/poem
on a half sheet of tagboard, in my Songs & Poems Literacy Center, and
it's one of the KinderKids' favorites. We use it during transition
times, or when we need to stand up and stretch, and of course the kids
sing it on their own all month long.
When I teach first grade,
I also give it to them on a sheet to go in their individual poetry notebooks.
A marvelous compendium
of lore and how-to's designed to enchant all ages. Superstition and
myth as well as good-hearted efforts to chase away crop- eaters surround this
ragtag hero of the fields; most ancient civilizations, we learn, created
some sort of creature-god for protecting their harvests. Features more
than 20 figures incorporating every recycled material imaginable, such
as paper plates and bags, pottery, old metal parts, and the ubiquitous
tin can.
New For November
November
Good Morning Song
The Good Morning song
is stapled to my main teaching wall, instead of being in a Pocket Chart.
The Child of the Day -- my daily helper and line leader -- points to the
words while we sing the song, as part of our opening routine. The
tune's not a familiar one, so I can't tell you how it sounds.
A
sample from our November Quilt
Our
November calendar. This month's pattern is AAABBB.
November
Homework Calendar
For information on Victoria's
blackline homework calendar masters -- for kindergarten and first grade
-- write to Victoria at kndrcorner@aol.com
Birthday
Chart
The KinderKids were very
surprised to learn that no one in our class has a birthday this month.
To them, that means no parties and no treats :o)
Clifford the Small Red
Puppy leaps into autumn when he experiences the changing of the seasons
for the first time, and he joyfully sniffs the falling leaves and enjoys
the wonderful colors. Under $3 Also available in a hardcover
edition.
This is one of my students'
very favorite Clifford books each and every year! Clifford goes to
visit his mother on Thanksgiving, and on the way he gets caught up in the
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade ... the kids love the balloons! Under
$3 Also available in a hardcover
edition.
In this warm holiday story,
a young Puerto Rican boy saves the life of his pet turkey with help from
his close-knit New York City family and neighborhood. Beginning Spanish
vocabulary is woven into the text. From popular Wright Group author
Joy
Cowley, creator of Mrs.
Wishy Washy, Huggles, and many other must-have stories for emergent
readers. Under $6. Also available in hardcover
and in Spanish as Gracias,
El Pavo de Thanksgiving (paperback
and hardcover
editions).
Eve
Bunting is one of my favorite children's authors, and she has a book
for every occasion. This one is a charming story about a turkey invited
to a Thanksgiving feast who's worried he'll end up ON the table instead
of AT the table. Under $6. Also available in hardcover
and on audio
cassette.
I first heard about this
story when my oldest son was in kindergarten, 9 years ago, and he came
home with a charming turkey platter placemat he'd illustrated that contained
the simple blessing/grace in this fun story filled with everything that
could possibly go wrong with Thanksgiving dinner. We still enjoy
reading the book every year, despite my children's advanced ages, and my
kinderkids at school like it equally well. Under $6. Also available
in durable
hardcover for your personal library. Be sure to check out the
other titles by Eileen
Spinelli, she's a prolific author ... another favorite of mine is Coming
Through the Blizzard: A Christmas Story.
November Quilt
This
month's quilt features a handprint turkey patch and a maple leaf pattern
made on a nine-patch square. The finished blocks are 9" x 9".
When
we make the turkey handprint, we press the child's hand twice (without
repainting) ... once on the yellow background for the quilt, and once on
a plain white background for the November Homework Calendar art.
The
turkey's beak, wattle, eye, and legs are added with permanent markers when
the handprints are dry.
The maple leaf patch is
built on a 7 1/2" x 7 1/2" yellow square, which is glued or stapled to
a 9" x 9" orange background square. The maple leaf is a 9 patch pattern,
with each of the 9 patches being 2 1/2" on a side. I use 5 yellow
patches for building the maple leaf, because that helps small hands align
the pieces properly.
On the easel, you see
one small yellow patch glued to the upper left hand corner of the background
square, and 4 small yellow patches with triangles (cut freehand from the
painted brown paper squares) glued in place.
I forgot to take a picture
of the brown square that's used for the maple leaf itself. It's made
from brown construction paper cut into a7
1/2" x 7 1/2" square, one per student. They use dishwashing sponges
(see below) to dab on paint in several Autumn colors, so that it's nice
and mottled.
When the brown squares
dry, I cut them into nine smaller squares, each measuring 2 1/2" x 2 1/2".
I clip them together with the 5 small yellow patches, add a Post It note
with the student's name, then give them to the correct student when we
make our patch. They cut two of the squares into triangles, use three
of the squares whole, and cut a "stem" from another square, which means
they have three squares "left over" when we finish. The picture on
the easel (above) shows all five yellow squares -- one glued on and four
with the brown triangles, ready to assemble with the other brown squares
into the maple leaf shape.
Quilt making takes concentration.
The children use "finger glue" on plastic lids, using the "dab and wipe"
technique we use for our TLC art projects.
Our finished quilt.
I love these projects for many reasons, including the fact that each child's
work is individual and unique,and reflects their current abilities with
scissors and glue, with following directions, and with spatial relationships.
As shown above, there's a wide variation in abilities in my classroom,
and we honor each child for doing their best work, rather than pointing
out any "errors" in completing their patches.
Having a variety of projects
like this on the walls is very useful in helping parents to compare their
child to other children, without the teacher having to point out the differences
or explain where their child is developmentally in these skill areas.
All of my students are proud of their work and excited to see it displayed
around the classroom or in the school office.
The Snake Man
First
of all, I need to apologize because I left the information about "the snake
man" at school on Friday, so I don't have it with me here at the beach.
That means the snake man has to remain nameless until I get a chance to
add the info in the next few days.
What
I can tell you is that he's a wonderful young man with a great love for
snakes, as well as a phenomenal amount of knowledge. He lives in
Bakersfield and is a popular visitor at local schools. His assemblies
are informative as well as entertaining, and the kids -- including the
grown-up kids -- get very excited and goose-bumpy around the snakes.
Yes, that's me
holding the front end of a gorgeous boa constrictor.
We
got to see many snakes that are native to Bakersfield and/or to California,
and we learned that the Rattlesnake is the only venomous snake in the state.
We saw a hooded cobra rise up and strike several times, which is a wonderful
sight. We learned what to do if we find a snake while hiking ...
stop, back away, and go around, but DO NOT disturb or try to hurt the snake.
Snakes are important because they help to control the rodent population,
and they are peaceful animals who only attack people when they feel threatened.
Several
of the women teachers pointed out that only the women teachers volunteer
to hold the large boa constrictor, but no one was willing to draw any conclusions.
We had a lot of fun with the big boa -- she weighs over 100 pounds, and
is very active and difficult to hold on to. That's me on the left,
sticking my tongue out and flirting with the snake ... I think it took
six or seven of us to hold her, and she's at least seven feet long and
feels cool and smooth.
Snake
Man Slide Show
Lots
of fun pics here, give them a minute or two to load.
What Other Teachers Are Doing
Mrs.
Swaim's Kindergarten Class
Bulletin board with painted
paper plate turkeys.
Mrs.
DeShane's Kindergarten Class
Bulletin board with TLC
Scarecrows and paper plate turkeys.
Mrs.
Landucci's Kindergarten Class
Some
of these are October ideas, but I wanted to share them with you so you
can store them away for next year :o)
TLC
Trick-or-Treaters
Mrs.
Landucci wanted to de-emphasize the ghostly aspect of this project, so
she let her students make their trick-or-treater in the color of their
choice.
Painted
Skeletons
I
showed you one or two of these last week, and wanted to share how they
look up on the bulletin board.
Mrs. Landucci has a very
unique Word Wall, made of half sheets of 12" x 18" laminated construction
paper. There's one sheet for each letter of the alphabet, and they're
displayed above her Math Their Way calendar wall in her reading corner.
Words are written in dry erase marker. If you don't have a lot of
room for a Word Wall in your classroom, you might be able to use this idea.
For more fun Fall, Farm,
and Harvest activities, visit these units:
