Color Week!

Please know that I'm not teaching colors.  We are working on reading and writing these words. =)  Please see my previous post about my color word centers.  Below, I have all of the books linked to Amazon.

At our school we wear different colors per day for 2 weeks.  It's so fun to see everyone supporting us.

I started off the week by reading Mouse Paint.

I just love this story about mixing primary colors!  Afterwards, I put 2 plates of red, yellow, blue paints at each table and passed out white copy paper.  I had them hold up 2 pointer fingers.  I told them to dip into red and into blue.  I had them mix on their paper.  Each student also had a wet wipe to "clean."  I repeated with the other primary colors.  At the end, I had them hold up 3 fingers and grab all 3.  They had no idea what to expect. =)

The next day we watched Eric Litwin's live telling of Pete the Cat, I Love my White Shoes.  So fun!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUubMSfIs-U

I made a quick template to use as a class book.  

I did NOT come up with this idea.  I found it HERE.  Click HERE for my template.

On Wednesday we read Go Away, Big Green Monster!

Then we completed a listening activity.  I gave them a white sheet of paper and told them to draw a shape.  Then they picked up an orange or yellow crayon to draw eyes.  Next was a blue or green crayon for the nose.  Pink/red for the mouth- with white teeth.  Squiggly ears.  Purple/pink hair.  Finally they colored the monster's face any color.  These turned out so cute!!

We also read Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

I found a cute puppet template HERE.

Additionally, we graphed our favorite colors.  HERE are my crayons.

On the last day, we made Cara Carroll's Color Pal.  I had them choose their favorite color.  Interesting how the graph doesn't match their pals. =)

We did this after reading The Day the Crayons Quit.  I just LOVE this book.  So clever!!!

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.

Mommy & Me Tea

Y'all.  I had one of the best days of the year.  Thank you to Michelle who shared her Mommy & Me Tea party idea.  I bought her kit on TPT.  We had the BEST time!!

All week, we prepped.  My students wrote a biography of their mom (reasons why they love her).  With each reason, I then made them give me a specific.  On the writing template, there's a place for them to draw a portrait. =)

We also made the Mommy purse-shaped books.  These are always my favorite:  This is what makes my mom angry.... This is what my mom does to relax....  They finished the sentence and drew a picture to go with it.

We also made the fingerprint paper teacup.  They cut it out and glued to construction paper.

My prep work included:  printed Michelle's signs.  Bought Mason jars & flowers.  Bought cookies, muffin mix, lemonade, tea, paper products.

As for the party day itself, my students LOVED decorating (even the boys!):
My students clipped the sign to the string.  I just hung it from the ceiling.

They decorated the butcher paper tablecloth with flowers.

They measured the flowers, cut, and arranged in Mason jars.

Normally we sit in groups.  For the party we moved all the desks and spaced out the chairs.  I alternated:  inside, outside, inside, outside.  That way, the moms would have more space.  I told my students they would kneel or stand beside Mom.

A closer look at desks waiting for Mom:

The sign says, "Welcome Mommies!  Please wait to be seated."  When a mom came, her child would escort her to his desk.

A shot of the food table and sign:

I had warned my students this was NOT a snack time for them.  It was about honoring Mom.  They took Mom's order and served them.  Once moms were eating, they got to have a treat too.

I played classical music and took a photograph of each child with Mom.  They also had the opportunity to make a tissue paper flower together.

Overall it was such a WONDERFUL time!!!  I hate that I haven't done it before, and I will definitely make it a priority every year!! =)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

This is another fun holiday.  Many of us have Irish roots, and I get to see GREEN all day.
I have a collection of St. Pat's books, but my two favorites are Irish folktales:

Of course I love to do accents for the speakers.  I'm glad kids don't know how terrible I am at them! =)

We did a Lucky Charms graph.  I just scoop and serve.

For Writing, we did The Teacher Wife's Worth more than gold... craftivity.  Mine are cut a bid oddly- I'm going to hole-punch and place in their memory binders.

And we stopped by our media center for a special story from Ms. Gibbs.  She read Leprechauns Never Lie.

And if you follow me on Instagram, you got to see a clip of one of my Irish students dancing a jig. =)

Valentine's Day!!!

I do so love holidays!  All week we read and wrote about friendship and being kind to others.  Some of my favorite books are

 

After reading Love, Splat, we had to make First Grade Parade's Splat.  These always turn out so cute!!!

About two weeks before Valentine's Day, I sent home a letter that my students would need to do a book report.  I had to approve the book (to make sure it was on their correct levels).  In addition to the written piece, they needed to decorate a Valentine box to represent their book.  This idea and printables were all found in One Extra Degree's TPT store.  On Friday morning we sat in a circle and listened to everyone explain his box.

 A Geronimo Stilton book

 My Weird School

I can't remember the book, but I thought this one was very creative.  The slit is in the dog's back, and he can lift the whole top off. =)

I always need to incorporate a treat of some sort.  This was a lovebug cookie.

While students rotated over to the snack table, the rest of them were making a card for someone special.

And to finish off our holiday, we always end the day with

 

As part of my Valentines, I made them bookmarks.  They sure can't seem to have enough of those!

Here's a link of bookmarks for you!  I just deleted my name.  Print, sign your name, and laminate!
Val Bookmark Freebie

I hope you had a Happy Valentine's Day, friends! xoxo