Making snack time easy!

One of my favorite teaching tools is this cupcake holder. I found silicone baking cups as a reusable snack container and purchased one for each student. I load the cups with snacks and fasten the lid onto the container. The lid seals so the snack won't get stale, and keep out any undesirables. Before snack time I bring this container out and each student picks up his/her snack. It has shaved at least 10 minutes off snack preparation time.

Spring Flowers

Try this fun and easy spring craft project and see how it will brighten up your room! First take a piece of green construction paper and fold it in half horizontally. Next cut slits down 3/4th of the paper, about an inch wide.

Cut out flowers and paste them to the tops (fold side up) of each section. These tracers are made out of cardboard from recycled cereal boxes. They are very sturdy and have lasted for 4 years.

Curve the ends of the paper together making a cylinder and staple the ends together. Add a ribbon for embellishment.

We made ours on May Day and put them inside clean yogurt containers. The students were instructed to surprise their parents by putting the containers in the fridge or somewhere else their parents would find them. When opened, the opener find a bouquet of flowers!

Flower shop With 2010 Updates

Here are the 2010 updates.

Try this fun and easy spring time dramatic play center. Create a classroom flower shop. The main ingredients are a variety of silk flowers that are usually very easy to find at thrift stores and garage sales.I like to offer the students different sizes of containers to hold their floral designs. I found some pretty iron window box type containers that add a nice touch to the area. Because kids love to dress up, I included some plastic fiber hats (so there is no lice worry) an some baskets an hand bags. I included a phone for taking orders and a camera.

I also added a cash register and old computer key board and mouse for taking order. I also put in some fancy colored pens and paper to encourage writing.

This area really adds a festive air to our classroom!

flip flop word families

Turn inexpensive flip flops into a fun word family game!
I started with a pair of flip flops and wrote flip on one and flop on the other with fabric paint. Then I traced "toes" on tag board pieces. I only defined the big toe so that it will easily slip through the thong part of the flip flop. I wrote a consonant on each side of the toes. The students add a consonant toe to one of the flip flops. The student then writes the newly created word down. ( I like to use white boards for this kind of activity to conserve paper.) The student can then flip the consonant and create a new word on the other flip flop.

Tip: I laminated the toe cards for durability. I also used flip flops that would appeal to both girls and boys.

Beautiful Beads

I was browsing in my local thrift store this past weekend when I found a bag of assorted beads from broken necklaces among the craft materials. It was less than $2.00 so I bought it. I separated them into 4 bins, 1 per table and added some yarn segments. Today, I had 5 minutes of "extra" time. We finished a lesson early, and everyone was already at their table and I had a momentary loss of what to do. I spied the beads, ready to go, sitting on my desk. Viola!

The students used: fine motor skills, (especially important for the developing writing muscles) patterning and counting skills, and social skills! (sharing and negotiating).

I plan to keep these ready to go until the end of the year. Then I'll let each child make a necklace to take home.

Tip: I dip the ends of the yarn in melted wax. This helps keep the yarn from tangling and makes threading the beads easier because the yarn doesn't unravel. I usually dip a big supply during the summer for all yarn needs that come up.

You can also use pipe cleaners (chenille rods) to make bracelets.

Top 10 things to do with plastic containers

This innocent looking container holds a wealth of possibilities! Here are my top 11 favorite Kindergarten classroom uses for this free resource.

1.Transport container for fragile projects. (Keeps them nice and protected inside a backpack)

2.Holder of small manipulatives. (Especially if you want to give each child a specific number of manipulatives quickly, they make clean up a snap too!)

3. Container for games. (I like to use them for games that are sent home.)

4. Planters, plant containers. (We decorate them and add a plant for a nice mother's day gift.)

5.Building blocks. (Put the lids on and put a bunch in the block center.)

6.Matching game. (Have students match lids to containers. Only the specific brand's lid will fit it's matching container.)

7.Scissor caddy. (Cut some squares in the lid and add the scissors.)

8.Crayon and pencil box.

9.Letter Eater. (See reading ideas.)

10.No mess glitter station. (Put the item to be "glittered" inside, shake the glitter over it, and all excess glitter is caught in the container.)
11. Snow play!  Bring a selection of colored containers (avoid white or clear containers because they are easily lost in the snow and left behind) outside for recess fun of building snow castles, making snow dishes and carting snow from here to there.

Only have the lids? No problem. Here are some "lids only" ideas.

1. Snack plates.

2. Paint palettes. (The lip around the lid prevents paint spilling. This works well for glue too.)

3.Circle tracers. (Collect a variety of sizes and you have a nice snowman center)

4. Write a sight word in the center of the lid, add a magnet and create a word wall on your chalk board.

5. Number line. The same process as a word wall but with number instead.

Tips:

Wash the containers before using.

Make sure they are completely dry and put the lid on the container.

I like to collect a class supply in a bag. Then when I need them I bring them into school and passing them out is really easy.

Listening Center

Listening centers are wonderful for beginning readers and ELL students. However, keeping everything organized can be difficult. Try this tip. I use long planters intended for window boxes as a listening center.

Students put the tape player on one end of the planter and prop the books up on the other. When it is time to use the center, students get a pillow or a blanket to put on the floor and then they get started.

I don't like to mess around with headphones. I teach the students to keep the volume low. Now I have need and usable listening centers.

Quick Note: During Independent work time only one student is allowed in each center, but at free play time I allow 3 students in each center.