Assessing Knowledge of the Seasons of the Apple Tree using Murals





Hello Friends,
One of the projects that I love to do is the creation of Apple Tree murals. I use these as an assessment of their knowledge of seasons.

Part of our kindergarten science/social studies curriculum is the study of the seasons. I link this to our Apple unit. I love to begin this unit with "The Apple Pie Tree" by Zoe Hall. This is such a fun book and covers most everything that I want to teach in our Apple unit.



 I also love "An Apple a Day" by Melvin Berger. I purchased this as a big book many years ago. I am not sure if it is still in print, but I love it because it covers the social studies part of our unit which is what happens to an apple after it is harvested. It describes being loaded in a truck and taken to a market or storage facility and then sold as apple products.


We do all the little books inside my "Apples, Let's Make a Book" Science packet, but I am not going to share pictures from those books as I am sure I have already shared them! I really like doing the books inside this resource, though, because it covers all aspect of Apples from growing to marketing...

I like to use our Apple Tree Seasons murals as an assessment for Seasons. It does take some set up time, but it is worth it! I set up the tables while they are at Music so that when they come into the classroom, all they have to do it put on their paint shirts and start working! I already have the paint poured and placed in the proper season's table. I sketch the trunk of the tree so that they have a baseline in which to paint their tree. If I did not do this, we would have some really TINY trees or trees that were so large, the branches would come off the paper! I like for them to use SMALL sponges to paint because sponges seem to work better for larger projects. Plus I think sponges allow my kiddos to be more precise in their painting. This is the ONLY thing I prepare for them; the rest is up to them. I put them into groups and tell them that they have to make a plan as to how they are going to paint their tree i.e. who is going to do what part and make sure that EVERYBODY gets to participate.

Here is what the tables look like before they start:



Here they are painting their murals:








Here are their words describing the Apple Tree seasons:




And here is the finished product!





We also sort and graph apples and taste test them, of course!




And finally, we talk about the parts of the apple and make this cute apple project... This is not a new idea, but I love to do it because when finished, it shows me that they understand that an apple has many parts and those parts serve a function in the life cycle of the apple.



So that's it for now, my friends! Time to get started on Saturday morning chores!


Until next time!


Blessings,




Cute Daily 5 Posters with the Cat!

Hello Friends!

I just could not resist replacing my old Daily 5 posters with these CUTE Cat posters and I thought I would share them with you!  I made half page posters and smaller sized cards that can be used for a rotation/choice chart. I did not add words to the smaller cards; no need - the pictures speak for themselves! 



Click HERE to download the Google doc. Enjoy!

Blessings,


Organizing Crayons and Markers AND No More Clogging Glue Bottles!

Hello Friends,

I am linking up with another Bright Ideas linky! Yay!

I posted this idea awhile ago, but it continues to be one of my favorite organizational tricks.....





First I removed the inner trays from a cupcake carrier. (I purchased my cupcake carrier at Hobby Lobby, but I have seen them at Walmart and Target.) I attached a piece of heavy duty Velcro to the bottom of each section and then attached cute cupcake wrappers to the Velcro. I attached clear tacky dots to the bottom of a plastic cup and affixed it to the inside of the cupcake wrapper. I then sorted crayons into the plastic cups and VOILA!.... no more "I can't find a red!" "I don't know where the yellow is!" I absolutely love this crayon tray! This year the cupcake wrappers match the tables, so that also makes it super easy to return the crayon holder to its proper table. The neat thing about this is that the cupcake carrier can be used from year to year. The only changes are the cupcake wrappers and plastic cups.

I store Unifix cubes in the carrier itself which makes a cute and HANDY way for my kiddos to take their cubes to the tables.



I also organized our classroom markers in a similar way.... I used a regular sized cupcake tray and added cupcake wrappers and plastic cups. Through trial and error, I found that you MUST use HEAVY DUTY Velcro as the fixative to the bottom of the pan. Nothing else will work. Hot glue does not work. Gorilla glue does not work. Duck tape works for awhile.......

I love how easily my students can find their markers and this helps WONDERFULLY with keeping lids on markers and not rolling around on the floor!
One more Bright Idea that I wrote about a few months ago STILL is working wonderfully..... Using condiment bottles for glue. Each condiment bottle holds about 2 bottles of a regular sized glue botte. It works so well; honestly! No clogging glue; kids can work independently. LOVE!


For more Bright Ideas, please browse through the links below and find a topic that interests you!



Until next time!

Blessings,


Find your Pirate Treasure!


Ahoy, me Hearties!

Today is 'International Talk Like a Pirate Day'! To celebrate, I have joined with some friends to give you the chance to find lots of pirate booty!

Each blog will have some different treasure for you to find!

I want to share with you a free sample from my MAPS and GLOBES For Little Kids resource. Yer all know how much pirates love maps, right mateys? 
You can find it by clicking on the image below, and download it from Google Drive:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1ubUzeAYMcza3dXcjlNVEk2UmM/edit?usp=sharing

If you like this sample, click on the image below to find the entire packet....


http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Maps-and-Globes-for-Little-Kids-75922

You can also click on the image below to find my whole TpT store on sale! Blimey, that is good news!
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Kinderkay


And here is the direct link to my Pirate Fun Drawing and Writing Pack!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Pirate-Fun-Pack-I-can-Draw-I-Can-Write-144215

Don't forget to pillage some other bloggers buccaneer's posts for more great teaching treasures!

Thanks for stopping by! 



Revised Fire Safety Literacy, Posters, and Firefighter Craftivity

Hello Friends,

This is going to be a quick post...... It is 8:00 p.m. and I am super exhausted! I just purchased "Whole Brain Teaching" and have been reading this in every free minute and THEN trying it out in my classroom, so my energy reserve is drained! It is ONLY Monday..... sigh..........

I thought I would share that I revised my Fire Safety pack.  It has a cute firefighter craftivity and colorful posters for teaching fire safety. If you purchased it, make sure that you re-download! Here are a few examples of the posters in the pack.





 Here is the bulletin board that I created from the firefighter craftivity....




Click the preview image below to find the packet....



We have just begun our Apple unit. Last week we learned about the seasons of an apple tree and the kids created a simple book about them. Today, the kids painted their apple seasons mural. You know... I do this mural painting every year and it is so cool that every year, the murals turn out so differently. When they are dry and mounted, I will post them here! :)


I wrote a post today on Blog Hoppin on color mixing. I love to begin the year with colors and this is such a fun way to do it. Here is a picture of some of the monster faces that my kiddos painted.... Hop on over to Blog Hoppin to read more! There's a freebie over there!



Until next time!

Blessings,

A Walk in their Shoes: TWENTY BEGINNING OF SCHOOL THOUGHTS OF A KINDERGARTENER

Hello Friends,

It is Sunday morning and as I sit here on my patio drinking my Chai, I am reflecting upon the last 12 days of school.  I ALWAYS  forget that August/September kinders are TOTALLY different from May kinders. Every morning, I have to tell myself that these are little guys just out of preschool and coming off summers with their families. Who wouldn't be upset to go from playing at the lake and the playground to sitting in a classroom doing things that make no sense to them? I have been thinking about what it must be like to be a child in my classroom and thought I would put myself in their shoes for awhile.......



  But, I don't want to use a crayon to color that picture! I want to use a marker.



Criss cross applesauce? But I want to lay on my back and stretch my legs in front of me.

I have to SHARE the crayons? Really? But I helped my Mom buy them this summer. I thought they were mine. 

Writer's Workshop?

 Daily 5?

Teacher, can you wipe me? What? I'm a big kid? I have to do it myself? But, my Mom always helps me..




Wow..... I never knew scissors could cut hair, too..... Let me try them on my friend's hair.... What? Scissors are only to be used on paper? 

I am supposed to use my WORDS to settle my problems? But, she HIT me, Teacher, and I hit her back........ Ohhh....... I didn't know hands are to be used for helping; not hitting.........

 OOPS....... I ACCIDENTALLY knocked over the cup of water I was using for my watercolor painting.......




Line up order? But I want to stand next to my friend.........

But those look like TOYS in the Math boxes.............



Teacher, I have something REALLY important to say and I am RAISING MY HAND! Why are you not calling my name? Well..... I am going to say it anyway........... What? You won't always call on me even if I am raising my hand?

But..... I want to build a snowman with the playdough; not make letters....... oh...... playdough is a tool not a toy for this activity.......

What do you mean I have to ASK to use the bathroom? I have to go NOW!




So.... as we all begin this new journey towards another school year, let's all remember that these are CHILDREN that we are teaching who quickly become OUR KIDS...... Teaching is such an adventure and I can think of no better adventure to be on for these next ten months.....


  And by the way, thank you to Educasongs, Graphics From the Pond, and KC Fonts for the adorable graphics for these posters!

Blessings,