Sight Word Memory Game

         St. Patrick's Day
  Matching Game 
 
       My teacher cupboards have various and sundry items that have been collected over the years.  (Side Note:  I always stop at the clearance section when I go shopping. You never know what you might find.)

        Several years ago I found St. Patrick's Day paper coasters that were so very cheap. They were from the dollar section and marked down from there. All you teachers know what I am talking about. I couldn't resist.  As what usually happens, I put the items away until I get an inspiration. You could use any theme of cardboard coasters.

     The other day the light bulb turned on.  My 5th graders with "beautiful 1st grade printing" could use these coasters into a Sight Word Memory Game for the 1st graders.  I asked my friends who teach 1st which words they would like us to work on. You can see the list of words. So my students got to work. 

 As you can see, this became a floor project.

This is a small part of the first game.

        I delivered the first set of words to the 1st grade.  After school I was surprised and pleased to see that the memory game was being played in an after school tutoring session between an 8th grader and 1st grader.   

Students helping out other students. 
That's what it's all about!

Thank you girls for for helpful attitude and beautiful work! Your team work was awesome!


Please leave a comment. 

Beti

Baby Hummingbirds

Baby Hummingbirds in Arizona!

     Today I am linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for the "Five for Friday" weekly linky party.

www.doodlebugsteaching.blogspot.com    
I spent a couple of weeks in Arizona in April. The palm tree in my daughter's front yard was the perfect place for this hummingbird to made her nest. The nest is only about two inches in diameter. She lined the nest with her softest feathers for the two little eggs. They look large in this picture, but remember that the inside of the nest is only about an inch and a half across!

   The eggs began to hatch on Saturday before Easter.  You can see the egg being cracked. This was so exciting. 

  
The baby chick was so very tiny.

      I had to be very careful because I  did not want the mother bird to get upset with me taking close up pictures with my phone. 

     Both eggs hatched and the two chicks were constantly tended by the mother bird.

     Day by day the baby birds grew quickly.

    
         It was so much fun to go out each day to check on the chicks, an unbelievable teaching moment.  My granddaughter had as much fun as I did.  Every morning she would say, " See hummingbirds!"  It was very difficult, but  I had to come home to Michigan. 
       
         I'm sure the mother bird will take very good care of her chicks without me checking on them every day.  They will soon fly off to check out all the flowering bushes in Arizona.

         Happy Spring!

Please leave a comment if you have the chance. I'd love to hear form you.

Beti 

Valentine collection jug

     Valentine's Day

        Valentine's Day is coming soon.  The kids want to bring their Valentine's to school.  If the kids made Valentine bags in school from paper bags, they didn't take up a lot of room, but the bags weren't big enough to hold all the goodies. In addition, most of the bags ripped before the end of the day. 
Candy and cards were on the floor. The tears were flowing. I'm sure everyone has experienced this trauma.
    

        A plastic gallon milk jug was my perfect solution.  The gallon size holds all the Valentines.   My kiddos can carry their Valentines home on the bus without any problems.  

      My Valentine jug is very basic.  I just used a permanent marker.  My kids like to decorate theirs with all sorts of embellishments.  Doilies, stickers, felt, ribbon, etc.  Make sure you give the kids at least a week or two notice in order to design their creation and bring it to school.
   I hope this will help in your classroom. 

                       Happy Valentine's Day! 
   Today I linked up with Doodle Bugs Teaching.  Check out all the ideas other teachers have posted. 
www.doodlebugsteaching.blogspot.com

Beti
   

Girl Scout Peg Dolls

Hello Girl Scouts!

        During the winter into early spring the Girl Scouts come out of their meetings and are ready to sell their famous Girl Scout cookies. How can any reasonable person not want to buy those delicious little cookies. The cookie sales fund troop activities for the girls. I remember selling Girl Scout cookies many years ago.

        Recently, my  two nieces sent me sent me an email asking if we would like to buy cookies. The problem is that they live in New York and we live in Michigan. I knew we would be traveling to New York, so we would get the cookies sooner or later. 

        When looking on Pinterest, I noticed Girl Scout Peg Dolls.  They were so cute with smiles on their little faces. I have recently started working on peg dolls made from clothes pins.  So, these Girl Scouts would be my next project.
My idea was that when we pick up the cookies, I can give the girls each a peg doll set resembling themselves. One brunette and one blonde peg doll. They each have a white blouse, green shirt or shorts, and a sash with badges.  Their white blouse is kind of hard to see because the skin tone is very light. I guess I should have done a little something around the collar to make it stand out. Oh well, I don't think the girls will mind.

     Each little Girl Scout will have their own little tin box for a bed. A small, fluffy green felt blanket will keep each one nice and cozy.  The little sets would not be complete without some tiny felt rectangles.  The rectangles look like small soft pillows on a miniature bed. 

         Now, if you use your imagination, like all girls do, these  colorful rectangles will be the perfect size to represent the boxes of Girl Scout cookies for this little Girl Scout to sell! 

    This could be a recycling activity for your Girl Scout to try. Altoid tins and scrap felt can always be recycled into something fun and useful.
       
    If you have a Girl Scout in your family or neighborhood, be sure to buy a box or two of cookies this year.  It really is a good cause.  Scouting gives girls the confidence needed to become strong independent women.

 

Beti

 

Colonists Protest Taxes

 Colonists Protest Taxes

        Today I linked up with Forever in 5th Grade for SHOW and TELL Tuesday.  Head on over to the link.
www.foreverinfifthgrade.blogspot.com 

          Leading up to the Boston Tea Party and the American Revolution, my students learned why the colonists protested the taxes levied by the British Parliament. We read about and discussed the Quartering Act. Stamp Act, the Townshend Acts, and the Tea Act. I needed a hands on activity to help my students understand the frustration that the colonists felt during these years.

             A colonists holding a protest sign! Yes, that's the ticket!   I drew two figures, one man and one woman, two represent the Sons and Daughters of Liberty. 

             You might ask, "Why are these people headless?"  There is a very lightly drawn outline of a head which may be difficult to see.  I wanted my students to have the chance to draw their own head, hair, and possibly a hat on the colonist.

             The students know what the type of clothing the colonists wore because they will be coming to school in colonial outfits for their Boston Tea Party SKYPE.  So the kids got right to work designing colonial clothing and tax protest signs.

       I like how this woman looks like she is taking or shouting her views on taxation.

                               I love the expressions on the faces of these protesters.

             I was very pleased with the work these awesome 5th graders accomplished and their understanding of the colonists frustration about taxation. 

         At the end of school 2nd graders were waiting in line to get on the bus. They were reading all the protest signs.  I asked if they knew what it meant. Of course they said, "No."  Their teacher and I proceeded to ask the children how they would feel if they had to pay five cents every time they wanted to play four square.  As you can imagine, these second graders said they would not like that. We continued to tell them that the colonists did not want to pay extra money for tea, stamps, or sugar. We got the point across in our mini lesson in the hallway minutes before the end of school. 

  I guess learning does  take place when you least expect it.
 
         Hopefully some other 5th grade class can use this idea as part of a Social Studies lesson on Taxation without Representation. 

        Please leave a comment, I'd love to read your note.

      Looking forward to Spring! 

 Beti

Unicorn Finger Puppets

Unicorns 

are coming!

        Making felt finger puppets is a new hobby of mine.  Youngsters enjoy little things to play with.  Finger puppets fill the bill.  So unicorns became my new project. 

       As you can see this little unicorn is only about 3 inches tall and 2 inches wide.  Her single  horn adds another 3/4 of an inch. These unicorns are made from small pieces of scrap felt.   This is the perfect size for  child two years and up.

      Finger puppets are great for fine motor activities.   They are nice and soft. Little fingers can easily manipulate the soft felt.  Two or more can easily be maneuvered on one hand.  My granddaughters manage many on both hands at one time.

   

           I thought it would be fun to stuff the horn and add tiny seed beads  to dress these unicorns up a bit.  You can never have enough bling.  These were maid for my nieces who are in elementary school.  The girls are always carrying a purse.  Maybe these little unicorns will find a cozy spot in a corner of their purse.

      Enjoy your day.  I hope a unicorn comes into a child's life today.  The  imagination of a child is so very powerful. Keep your inner child as long as you can! Life is beautiful.

      Please leave a comment if you have an extra minute in your busy day.  I'd love to hear from you.

Happy crafting in the new year!
Beti

13 Colonies Review

              REVIEW the COLONIES

    I try to do different things to review with my students before a test.
We are finishing up the chapter on the 13 Colonies. Large chart paper was perfect for the students  to write on. I taped these large pieces of paper around on the walls around the room.

            Before beginning the activity, the students were asked to write down three pieces of information about each of the Colonial groups, nine in all.  They were able to used their notes and text book to verify the correct details.

           

        Each student had an opportunity  to write information on the large sheets for each of the New England, Middle, and Southern Colonies. They had to read all the prior entries and not repeat information already written. The students could also edit incorrect information that others had written.

   At  the end of the class period the students had complied a long list of information that they knew about the colonies. They had shared their knowledge and understanding of the historical  information. Hopefully, this review solidified more information, knowledge, and understanding needed for the unit test.