Umbrella Poem

This is a really cute poem for spring. It also goes along well with the book Disappearing Desmond

My students have made walking umbrellas in two different ways. One year each child water color painted on a large sheet of paper. I traced a large umbrella on the back of each painting after it dried. 

During a year when we had less time due to a schedule change, students traced a large umbrella on a patterned piece of paper.  Then kids cut out their umbrella and cut legs from construction paper and glued them together. They look great as a display in the hallway.

This sample is from patterned paper. I do not have a picture of the painted example.

5 Little Ducks retelling

This retelling for the finger play 5 Little Ducks Went Out to Play.

This is made for whole class use by the teacher.
The background is just drawn and colored on card stock.  The five little ducklings are taped with wide clear tape on the back of a clear transparency. Then a cover piece of card stock is put on top. The two pieces of card stock with the transparency sandwiched between them, then gets bound on the binding machine. The last step is to cut the transparency between each duckling.

The foam puppet is Mother Duck. When mother duck says, "QUACK, QUACK, QUACK!" The teacher flips over one of the duckies, until there are none left.

The puppet is very simple to make. After cutting out all three pieces and adding details, I stapled the small ponytail holders to the back of each. (This is where your fingers go to control the puppet.)
The bill can be sewn or stapled to the head piece.

Each child can make a retelling to use by coloring and cutting out 5 duckies. Each child can fold a 9x12 piece of blue construction paper the hotdog fold. Then line up the ducklings on the top flap and cut between one making 5 flaps.

Butterfly pattern block pattern
center ideas



here to go to document

Eggs

This already short week was shortened even more by a snow day. (So much for spring in Ohio). We celebrated a tradition of my family this time of year. We read Rechenka's egg by Patricia Polacco.  Discovery education has a wonderful video that tells the story. It also shows Patricia Polacco making the special Ukrainian Eggs.

http://www.patriciapolacco.com/books/rechenkas_eggs/rechenkas_eggs_index.html

After sharing the story, I showed the children examples of finished eggs that I have made as well as other family members.  We discussed that some of the eggs take as much as 12 hours to create.

   

They got to feel the light weight feel of a blown egg as they passed a simply decorated egg between themselves.

I showed them eggs that demonstrate each step in the process of making these detailed eggs.  And explained how the kitska I use is similar to the authors but electric instead of held over a candle.

   

  

Each child took turns drawing a design on a hard boiled egg. I had written their names on them for them as well. We then dipped them is Paas dyes. They turned out great.

fifth grade OAA help

Good luck on the OAA fifth grade. Each kindergarten class at our school "adopts" a fifth grade class to root for through their OAA testing time. My class adopted Mr. Armstron's class. Friday was the Math OAA. Our message was to be sure to Check your work, check your work, and check your work s'more.

Inside the jar is s'more ingredients for a snack after the test.

It was a hit with the fifth graders from what we hear.

Next week is the Science test . . . More fun to come!

Pete the Cat

Pete the Cat I Love My White Shoes

Click on the title to go to the official Pete the Cat site. You can download the song free. There are some awesome resources as well.

My kiddos LOVED the Pete the Cat book I Love My White Shoes.  I made this file folder type retelling prop. to use with them.  I did find that it works much better when I used a large piece of construction paper instead of a file folder. The paper is folded not quite in half to create the folder.  The shoes are cut out before laminating. Then it is laminated open flat. Sides are taped with wide clear tape.  Details are added to shoes at the end. White, red, blue, brown and damp looking white paper is added to the formed pocket. As the story is told, remove each sheet of paper which changes to shoe color.