FUN FRIDAY!!!

Hopefully this post will help you plan for next year.

Let me hop onto my little soapbox.  Kindergarteners need to have fun.  They need to socialize.  They need to interact.  They need to play.  They need to sing, dance, wiggle.  Please don't say you can't fit housekeeping into your schedule.  You can't afford to take these types of learning OUT of your day.  I am passionate about defending age-appropriateness for our babies.  Please do not misunderstand me:  they should be reading and writing and 'rithmaticking daily.

Before I explain FUN FRIDAY, I need to explain my daily centers.  The block is about 45 minutes.  They have a task.  Table 1 will include phonics/sight words; Table 2 includes writing; Table 3 is Starfall or RAZ Kids; Table 4 is theme-based art.  (These are very rough explanations.)  When a child finishes his task, he may play.

Table 1's cubbies include magnetic letters, letter stamps, fun markers/paper, literacy puzzles.
Table 2's cubbies include fine motor skills:  beading, lacing, play dough, small puzzles, linking cubes.
Table 3 goes to housekeeping.
Table 4's cubbies feature gross motor skills:  big blocks, floor puzzles, plastic animals.


I rotate where the children sit every day.  The RED table starts out at Table 1 on Monday, moving on to sequential tables each following day.

FUN FRIDAY holds those old-fashioned Kindergarten activities.

Listening Center:  They do actually listen throughout the week; it's here if they'd like to listen again.

Paint!!!  One of my favorite options.

Board games

Free reading

Blocks:  This is where Table 4 goes each day.  They definitely like to repeat!

SmartBoard math games

Instruments:  Boy, does this get a little loud!!

Housekeeping:  Table 3 goes here, but it's another necessary repeat.

The sand table is only open on Fridays.  Disclaimer:  this is magic sand and costs a lot.  It looks like a feeble amount.

Chalk

Fun Friday is a highlight to my week.  It's noisy but oh so fun!!

Color Words: Learning to Read & Write 'Em

This is an oldie but goodie for me.  I did give it an update, though.  This is a center I use each week, for the first several weeks of school.

Each student has a recording sheet and are looking at a set of color cards.

I display the cards (mixed up) on a pocket chart.  I also allow the students to grab the cards to compare words if they need to.

My students need to write the color word (6 times) on the lines.  Then they match the initial consonants to figure out which picture to draw.

The MOST important part is reading with them when the finish.  I use my finger to practice one-to-one correspondence.  This center takes a lot of guidance at first, but pretty soon they're independent.  You could also cut the little squares and make a book.

You can get the Blue Freebie HERE.
You can get the whole set in my TPT store HERE.

Hoppy Easter!!

Here are some Easter ideas to tuck away for next year... As you may have noticed, I do center rotations instead of holiday parties.  I love ALL holidays, and we're only allowed to have 2 official parties a year.  This is the Kindergarten teacher in me... these "learning" centers are a favorite memory for my former 5th graders.

They sit in their regular table groups and rotate tables.  They stay at each center for 15-20 mins.  This can be done without a parent volunteer, but it's so nice if you can have one!

Math:

 

With a partner, they had a spinner board and spun 6 times each.  They tallied, graphed, and line plotted.  This is from Lory Evans's packet.

Easter Hunt/Math:

I thought about this one long and hard.  I didn't want to just have them graph jelly beans.  I thought about having them make arrays.  But really, they are way past repeated addition.  So I thought about a conversation I'd had early this week:

Parker- "Ms. Collins, even though we're in 2nd grade, can we still have an egg hunt?"

Me- "No, baby, just the Kindergarteners get to do that here at our school."

Then I thought they could hunt for one egg- the one with their name- in cursive- somewhere in our room.  It'd be filled with jellybeans, and then they could graph the info!  They loved it, but the only glitch is that Leslie never found hers.  I counted out 23 eggs twice!  But I'm really started to doubt myself.

Art:
Torn-paper Easter egg- the trick is to draw large designs.  My 5th graders wouldn't believe me and would spend FORever on intricate designs.  I have them put glue on one section at a time and then tear away!  The smaller the pieces, the prettier (because one can fill all the blank spots).

Snack:
Always.  Today they made a Duck Cupcake.  But genius here bought the Spring Food Coloring (lime green, aqua, purple, hot pink).  So we had all colored ducks!  I told them just to use their imaginations.  So, they iced cupcakes.  Next goes on coconut for the feathers.  (Turns out most 2nd graders DON'T like coconut, so I didn't bother dyeing the coconut.)  Then candy corn for beaks & any round candy for eyes.  So sweet.

Happy Easter!  And it's Spring Break for us next week!!

1st TPT Packet!!!

Ladies, I respect the amount of time and effort you put into your packets!!  I had a lot of fun making it, though.  As I'm a bit of a perfectionist, I made sure each line, font, and graphic was JUST right! =)

I made 10 centers (5 math and 5 literacy).

Math:
Coin word problems
2-digit subtraction with regrouping
Estimate and measure pictures
Match analog/digital times
Polygon sort:  irregular/regular

ELA:
Choose the correct reflexive pronoun.
Adjective/adverb sort
Irregular singular/plural match
Synonym match
Antonym match

I have practically memorized our Common Core standards, so they'll be aligned!  Irregular polygons, synonyms, and antonyms are not specific 2nd grade standards, but I'm sure they are skills that apply!

Also, I included color and black/white versions for your printing needs.  Plus I have student directions, recording sheets, blank graphic pages, and an answer key.  I'm hoping to make it as easy and versatile for you as possible!

If you're interested, you can purchase it HERE!  Thanks. =)

TPT, Here I Come!!

I'm very excited to say that I finally have completed my first packet!!  It is 10 Valentine centers:  5 math and 5 literacy.  I'll most likely post it Tuesday or Wednesday (after my buddies have critiqued it).  For a sneak peek, here's a freebie:  2 of the centers (word problems and synonyms).

Of course I made the packet as PRACTICAL as I could!  I want as little work for you as possible.  I hope there's something for everyone! =)