Wednesday Whimsy

Thinking 

Disney World

Bob and I just returned from a great Disney World Trip. Last time there was 10 years ago, and  we have never been there without children!  We had a fantastic time.  We didn't have a schedule except the reservations to eat at 
special Disney restaurants.
The first day we arrived we went to 
Downtown Disney.  It was a great night and so much to see and do.  We ate at our first reservation restaurant, Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant.  It was great.  Live music, Irish dancing, and delicious food.   We had the wonderful fish and chips and the dessert 
was to die for, 
Ger's Bread and  Butter Pudding.  
The dessert was probably the best "treat" we ate on the whole trip!

Watching

Downton Abbey
I love this show. I am hooked and cannot wait to watch it.  If you have not seen it, watch the earlier seasons first, and you too will be hooked! 

Favorite

I am going to share some healthy recipes

Apple Peanut Butter Smoothie

Blend a single service container of nonfat (0%) vanilla Greek yogurt (made with real sugar, not artificial sugar.  A small chopped apple(any kind) with skin on, 1/4 cup of unsweetened whey protein powder, and 1/4 cup of water.  Blend
Add 1 T. natural peanut butter and a handful of ice and blend .
Yummy

Activity

Swimming
I think I want to buy some water shoes. I have a water aerobics class and I feel like my feet need shoes!  Does anyone have thoughts or  water shoes you like?

School Thoughts

Sight Words!
I remember when I was little (1st grade) having trouble with some sight words. My teacher would give us little manila square pieces of paper with sight words written to take home and practice. The next day you would bring the words back to school and recite them back to my teacher. 
Sight words are important part of reading and it is what it is sight words! 
 I have a few activities that work wonderful for me and the kiddos loved them.

I have 7 packet activities 

January Whimsy Wednesday

Thinking 

Healthy Eating

My biggest problem is having the food prepared and ready to serve. So my goal and resolution is to be prepared the night .

Watching

I watched Slumdog Millionaire and forgot how good the  movie was.

Favorite

I am going to share some healthy recipes

Apple Smoothie

2 red delicious apples, cored (with peel)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 frozen banana, peeled and sliced

1/4 cup whole pecans *

8 oz. Almond milk

Start by adding the liquid to your blender), followed by the soft fruit. Add the remaining ingredients. Blend on high for 30 seconds or until the smoothie is creamy.

* You can make this recipe two different ways. If you prefer the flavor of apple pie filling, leave out the pecans from the recipe above. If you like the whole apple pie, crust and all, then add the pecans.

Activity

The best thing I've done was joining an organized exercise group.  I know myself, someone needs to be in front of me to exercise.  This has been a great life change. Great instructors and a great facility.

School Thoughts

My kiddos loved this unit.  

It introduces "time" in math.   

Minute to Win It activities are a hit with the kiddos.

There are many activities to start off the year.

Teaching Tip Tuesday- Cold and Flu Season

Teaching Tip Tuesday- Cold and Flu Season
Cold and flu season is here so how can you help the spread of germs in the classroom.  I keep a spray bottle of alcohol of in the classroom.  Every day I spray the marker bin, pencils, scissors, and tables.  It dries fast and disinfects at the same time.   Help keep those germs away!

Happy New Year 2017

Are you looking for a great way to start you new year?  I have some ideas that might give your new school year a great start!
The New Year is always a new start in the classroom.  I start the year with new anticipation, objectives and skills we want to achieve. I talk about "Resolutions" for our new year.  They are the personal school goals each child wants to improve or achieve.   I review the conference goals from the fall and make sure we are on track and moving forward. One of the "New Year's Resolutions" is to write an academic resolution and another is a fun resolution!  I love the ideas kindergartners think up!  One of the ways I do this is each day of the month of January a kiddo sets a personal goal and an academic goal.

The rest of  New Year Activities concentrate on clocks and telling time. What can be better than incorporating Minute to Win It games to add to the excitement of telling time.  The kiddos love it!

Happy New Year!

Calendars

Teaching Tip Tuesday: Calendars, Calendars, Calendars!

It seems like every business has a calendar to give away for the new year.
I love it!  I get enough for each kiddo in my classroom!

The calendar is used to teach math concepts,it can help teach, extend, and reinforce a multitude of skills in other areas of the curriculum: time concepts and sequencing, language arts,social studies, and science, 

What I like best...I don't have to copy it and it has cool pictures and sometimes I make copies of the kiddos to add to the the picture landscape!

Some of the endless activities are...

Mark the first days of each season 

The day’s weather. Draw a sun, dark cloud, cloud and raindrops, snow, etc. on
the day’s date.

Moon phases

Record the day’s temperature early in the morning and afternoon

Birthdays of classmates

Dates of special events and observances on the calendar. 
  I often use stickers to help 

Start out your new year with a new calendar for each kiddo!

Free Play

Here I am again talking about Free Play in the classroom, but I believe it is so important. Free play develops social skills, cooperation, sharing, listening and getting along with others.  It develops imagination, creativity, and learning skills.  I feel strongly it needs to be a part of every day in pre-school through 2nd grade.  How it is run in 1st and 2nd grade will look different, but kids  need the brain breaks and I'm sure you will see more productive kiddos in the classroom.

One of the most fun free play times in my kindergarten is Santa's Workshop- Free Play. It includes art projects, games, ideas for sensory table,and gifts for others.  The kiddos are the elves helping Santa. It's a perfect time to read the book The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett.  In fact this is the perfect month to read all Jan Brett's Books as Author of the month.  




If you want a fun free play for December, look at Santa's Workshop- Free Play.

Teaching Tip Tuesday-Table Captains

Teaching Tip Tuesday

Table Captains

I didn't always do this when I first started teaching , but when I started it,  it was wonderful. I have "Table Captains". They are the kiddos who are in charge of getting markers, crayons, paper, etc for their table (community property). If there are table games, the captains get to start first. Having table captains really made less chaos in the classroom for me and the table partners. The table captains had the job for a month.(Each month I change tables and seats with the kiddos)  The kids loved being the captain. (Believe me they never let me forget to change captains.)

Everyone has a chance to be a table captain. Once everyone in the class has had the opportunity, we would roll dice for the highest or lowest number and that would be the captain of the month. I started to keep track in my record book at this point,  to make sure everything and everyone  was even.

If you haven't already, try out table captains for your tables or student groupings, you will love it!