Transition Tuesday

One of the hardest transitions a young child has to make is clean up time. Let's be honest, how many of us jump at the chance to clean up when we are having fun.  Below is a tip for easing children into clean up time.

Count Down

Use a large clock on the Promethean board to indicate to children when it is time to transition to clean up. Set the clock for 5 - 10 minutes. This will signal to children to complete their activities so they can begin clean up at the designated time. Children can watch the clock as it counts down. Not only are you giving children a warning for clean up but you are also teaching them the purpose of a clock, a skill they will need to know later. Using the visual reminder of the clock will reduce the number of times children ask, "Is it clean-up yet?" Once the clock counts down,  give the clean up signal so children can begin cleaning their areas. By giving them time to finish their play, clean up will become much easier for them (and YOU!). You can even enlist a "helper" to start the clock.
(If you do not have a Promethean board you can use a timer.)

Make & Take Monday

One of my favorite materials is play dough. Yes, that's right, play dough, especially home made play dough! Home made play dough can be changed to go with your theme or study. You can add colors, smells, and textures to your play dough. And it last longer. Today I want to share a play dough recipe with you. I find the cooked play dough works better for me, but you can find no cook play dough recipes too.

As September quickly approaches, early childhood classrooms begin their study on fall - leaves, apples, pumpkins, etc. As you prepare for your apple unit try this recipe for apple pie play dough. Your children will be thrilled and you will find you will never use plain play dough ever again!

Apple Pie Play Dough: Use red, yellow, and green colored play dough, add cinnamon and/or apple pie spice to it. Lay out apple cookie cutters and tools on a plastic apple placemat. Show the children how to create a play dough ball to resemble an apple. Add pipe cleaners for worms.


Recipe:
• 4 cups of flour

• 1 cup of salt

• 4 cups of water

• 4 tablespoons of oil

• ½ cup cream of tartar

• 1 container (1 ½ oz.) apple pie spice

• Red food coloring (optional)

Feature Friday

Today I am going to feature a piece of equipment. Now, this may not be new to you, especially if you are a "scrapbooker", but I thought it was so cool! It is the Xyron 500 Create-A-Sicker machine. The Xyron 5" create-a-sticker turns almost anything into a sticker by applying an even layer of adhesive to the back of all kinds of materials, including paper, photos, fabric, leather and more. Simply feed the item in, turn the handle and trim. An even layer of Acid-Free Permanent or Acid-Free Repositionable adhesive will adhere to items up to 5" wide. The Permanent  Adhesive will give the strongest hold for difficult surfaces and the Repositionable Adhesive is great for labels you want to move. The stickers can be repositioned multiple times. Stick, Peel and Restick! It is safe for windows, walls, and doors. It does not leave a sticky residue on most surfaces. The Xyron Create-a-Sticker machine can be purchased at Wal-Mart for $20 - $30.  The set includes a 5'' wide x 20' long, acid-free permanent adhesive cartridge and idea book. Refillable cartridges can be purchased for $10 - $15. What a great tool for creating cubby tags, labels for mats/cots, labels for materials, shelves, containers, etc. Check it out. I know I will!

Xyron 500 Create-A-Sticker

Thoughtful Thursday

Daniel Pink, author of "A Whole New Mind" states that future leadership in the business world is demanding folks that think with creativity. There is valid research on how play, in it's complexity, supports children's learning in language skills, social skills, empathy, imagination, taking another's perspective, being less aggressive, having more self-control and higher levels of thinking (creative/abstract). Pink's research examines a "laissez-faire, loosely structured classroom; a classroom rich in child-initiated play; a playful classroom with focused learning; and, didactic instruction with no play".  According to Pink teachers must have an understanding of all four methods. Yet, encouraging a balance of the "two central methods" (child-initiated play and play focused learning) which "leads to life long benefits."

Ask yourself, "Am I giving my children extended opportunities for meaningful, purposeful play? " If not how might I change my practices?"

As we begin a new school year, let's give our children learning opportunities that will lead to life long benefits. Let's PLAY!

Workshop Wednesday

Today's workshop is a transference activity. Provide a container with materials on the left and another container on the right. The child transfers the materials from left to right. The child can use their fingers, tweezers, tongs, strawberry hullers, etc. to transfer the materials. Moving from left to right provides indirect preparation for the left to right directionality in reading and writing. You can use any materials, such as mini erasers, pom poms, buttons, etc. You can even use materials related to your current theme (see photos below). When possible, it is good to have materials in sets of ten. This provides indirect preparation for the decimal system. This is a great activity for many skills - left to right, counting, and fine motor. And children LOVE it!

Wooden apples with tweezers.

Felt Leaves with tweezers.

Fall colored pom poms with tweezers.
This picture is reversed. The container
should be on the left.

Plastic or wooden pumpkins with strawberry huller.

Photos taken from My Montessori Journey

Transition Tuesday

Welcome to Transition Tuesday. Today's transition tip is to assist our youngsters with walking in the hallway.  I always find it interesting that we ask children to walk in a straight line in the hallway, but as adults we tend to walk in groups. Think about it - how many times have you walked in a straight line as you walk in the shopping mall! There is a reason for asking children to walk in a line in the hallway (straight line, maybe not). Children transition from the classroom to other parts of the school numerous times in one day(to and from arrival and departure locations, cafeteria for meals, related arts classes, outdoors, etc.) Herding 20+ young children from one area to another can be challenging . Therefore, we teach children procedures for walking in the hallway - on the right side, single file, quiet voices, hands together,  etc. Below is a simple rhyme to teach children before "venturing out" into the long, never ending hallways.

Marshmallow Toes 

Walking through the hallways,
Everyone quietly goes...
Being respectful all the way…
Walking on our Marshmallow Toes…

Make & Take Monday

It's Make & Take Monday and our activity today is called "Hang Ups".  Hang ribbon from a paper clip with a clothespin at the end. Glue a shape from fun foam to the end of the clothespin. Tuck the paper clip in a ceiling tile and then attach the children’s work to the clothespin. You could have the children pick their favorite fun shape or make their own fun shape from cutting a design from foam sheets. You could even coordinate the shapes to your classroom theme. Children love to see their work displayed. It validates their efforts and builds up their self esteem. (Caution: Check with your administrator before hanging anything from the ceiling. If you are not allowed to hang from the ceiling attach clothespin to an 18 x12 laminated sheet of construction paper and hang on back of shelves, on the bulletin board, or on storage cabinets.)

Feature Friday

Each Friday I will feature a book, website, material, recipe, software, etc. Today's feature is one of my favorite children's books, Matthew and Tilly by Rebecca C. Jones. This book will help your children understand how important it is to get along with each other. It is the perfect book to kick off a unit on FRIENDSHIP or just  to begin a discussion on friends. And what better time than at the beginning of a new school year!

Synopsis:
Matthew and Tilly live in the same neighborhood in the heart of a big city, and they do everything together: ride bikes, play street games, sell lemonade. But even the best of friends quarrel now and then--in this case, a broken purple crayon is the problem, and Matthew and Tilly go their separate ways. It is not long, though, before the two realize that everything is more fun when they have each other. Apologies come quickly and easily, and the two are "together again." 

You will find this book will be a class favorite and there can never be too many favorite books about the importance of friendship and forgiveness. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Thoughtful Thursday

Each Thursday I will post a quote or thought to help us reflect on our practices and beliefs. Today's quote comes from The Dreamkeepers by Gloria Ladson-Billings (1994).

...a boy named Larry, had had a particularly troubling history. Although he was short and slightly built, he was the oldest child in the class. He had been left back several times and was thirteen in a class made up of eleven-year-olds. He had been traumatized by the drive-by shooting of a favorite aunt. Other teachers in the school referred to him as "an accident waiting to happen." No one wanted him in their classrooms. Ann Lewis (Larry's teacher) referred to him as a "piece of crystal."
                              He's strong and beautiful but fragile. I have to build a safe
                              and secure place for him and let him know that we - the class
                              and I - will be here for him. The school has been placing
                              him in the kitchen junk drawer. I want him to be up there in
                              the china cabinet where everyone can see him. (p.111)

As we begin the year, let's make a concerted effort to place each and every child in the china cabinet not in the kitchen junk drawer.

Workshop Wednesday

Each Wednesday I will share an activity you can use in large group, small group, and/or centers. Since a new school year is just beginning I wanted to share an activity you could use to help the children learn the names of their new friends. I hope you enjoy it!

Toss the Ball


[Large Group or Small Group]

This is a simple getting-to-know-you game that you can play several times. Children toss a ball to each other (use a soft ball). As they catch it, they tell their name and a favorite thing (ice cream, color, TV show, etc.) This is a great way for the children to get to know each other.  It is simple and FUN!


You can change it up after playing several times. For example, they catch the ball, say their name and something that begins with the same sound as their name or when they catch the ball and say their name before tossing the ball to someone else they must call that person's name.

Transition Tuesday

Transitions are the most challenging part of the day for any kindergarten or pre-k classroom. The key to making your transitions run smoothly is to model, model, model. Never take for granted that your students know what to do and how to do it; you need to show them exactly what you mean and what it looks like. Each Tuesday I will be sharing a transition tip you can use in the classroom. Songs, fingerplays, games, movement activities, etc. are examples of the many transition tips you need to have in your repertoire. I suggest you create a file or ring to hold your transition ideas. As children get use to the structure of transitions you could even have a transition helper who chooses the "transition" of the day (only provide 3 - 4 choices so that it is not overwhelming). You would use that particular transition each time you change activities for that day.

Transition 1:


It is important to start each day with each child feeling loved and wanted.  A song is a great beginning! Below is a song you can use to transition children from arrival procedures to morning meeting time. As you begin singing the song, invite the children to finish their arrival activities and proceed to the meeting area.

(Sung to Mary Had A Little Lamb )

We welcome you to school today, school today, school today,

We welcome you to school today, Please come in and play.

We're glad to have you here today, here today, here today.

We're glad to have you here today,

Yes, it's a special day

(by Stephany Springer)

Make & Take Monday

Each Monday I will post a simple activity or material you can make for your classroom. Most projects will use everyday items that are easily found at home, school, or out in the community. I hope you enjoy Make & Take Monday.

Block People

Take a full length photograph of each of your students. Print on cardstock or heavy weight paper. You want the photo to be about the isze of a 4 x 6 photo. Once printed cut the photo out (you can cut straight lines or curved lines around the photo - you want the photo intact, so do not cut exactly on the photo).
Secure photo using clear packing tape to:
1) PVC pipes (cut into 6" pieces),
2) paper towel rolls (cut into 6" pieces), or
3) wooden cyclinder blocks.
You can also take the laminated photo and place in it a binder clip so the clip stands on its base.

Viola! Instant block people. You will be amazed how the children will enjoy playing with their new "block" friends.

Photo taken from Dr. Jean at http://www.drjean.org/