Memories...

Each year, my students create a memory book to take home in May.  It's so much fun creating it throughout the year.  We begin this process in August, on the first day of school.  I take everyone's photo and I glue it into their "August" memory book page.  The months following, we complete a page in our books.  The pages are simple craft projects that require little prep {love that!} and typically involve construction paper/scrapbook paper and the occasional photo.  I store the pages in hanging file folders in my desk.  I assemble the books at the end of the year.  I bind them together using our book binding machine.  It seriously takes about 20 minutes {if that}.  I distribute the books at our annual Poetry Cafe and the parents and kids alike LOVE the books!   I love that at the end of the year, I don't have to rush around to make anything huge for my kids.  The project is basically complete!  I give them the memory books and a summer practice packet.

Last week, we completed our "September" page, where we made scrapbook apples!  It's hard to believe I'll be getting the October page out soon!

My memory book pack includes holiday/themed pages as well as non-holiday pages {for students not celebrating holidays} for every month.  There are also boy/girl covers.  The covers are updated each year, so you will need to re-download every Fall.  Take a peek below!  It's a BIG HIT!

xo
Megan 

Bee Mine!!

Yesterday, my students completed this adorable bee craft for Valentine's Day! Thanks to Teri, over at "A Cupcake for the Teacher!" She has the cutest little projects!  And speaking of her, she's hosting a 600 follower giveaway for a Juicy lunchbox! Head over to her blog and check it out!!  Ends tonight (February 11) at midnight!

How-to Writing

One of Lucy's units of study is non-fiction.  To begin this unit, we do a how-to writing all together as a class. Then, I ask students to write their own how-to (they are given the same topic: how to build a snowman).  Although they all have the same topic, their stories vary greatly, as their perceptions of how to make a snow man are much different. 

Once they finish their pieces, I let them paint their snowman.  They look at their writing for a reference, and have to be sure to include everything they talked about in their how-to book.  If you would like to see more of how I incorporate how-to writing into my classroom, check out my Non-fiction Writing pack from TpT!  I also have a "How-to Writing Through The Holidays" pack that has how-to ideas for each holiday! Click the product pictures below to take a peek!

Happy President's Day!

George Washington

Abe Lincoln

Happy President's Day!!

Write about what you learned about George Washington.

Yes, these are supposed to be George Washington.

Snow Sticks!

Last week, we read a classic children's book...The Big Snow.  For a Math activity afterwards, we made "snow sticks." Your children should have some background in non-standard measurement prior to completing this idea.  My class has been doing things with non-standard measurement all year, so the project went very smoothly.  Here's simple directions on how to make these.

1. Gather enough paint sticks for your class.
2. Put students' names on the back with a sharpie.
3. Students paint one side of their stick white.
4. Once sticks are dry, students use unifix cubes to measure 1-inch marks on their sticks.  *NOTE: Model this very explicitly. 
5. Once they finished all their markings (I told them to go to 10), they drew on a face.
6. I passed out sharpies for the students to trace their marks/numbers/faces.
7. Finally, add felt for a scarf, beads, poms, chenille sticks, hats, etc...for "snow clothing." *I did this part myself with a hot glue gun as the students watched "The Snowy Day."  I had them pick out their earmuff colors. 

I did not get bogged down with "perfect" measurements...as long as everyone tried, that was fine by me (let's face it, manipulating a small unifex cub on a narrow paint stick isn't the easiest for even an adult!).  For the most part, no one really needed a lot of assistance. 

The kids loved their snow sticks! Good thing we did them last week! We were finished just in time for a huge snow storm yesterday! I am hoping they went out to measure the snowfall!

Grinch heads

On Friday, we finished up our fun Grinch activities.  The kids made these cute Grinch heads, from DJ's Grinch pack.  Then we added cotton balls and glitter to jazz them up...I loove anything shiny (my poor hubby!)  We then watched the original cartoon version of the Grinch.  I love that movie! Jim Carey creeps me out in his version...

Happy Snow Day to those of you lucky enough to live in the midwest!

Poinsettia Art

Today we read (really looked at the pictures, as it's a very religious book) Tomie DePaola's Legend of the Poinsettia book and sponge painted these beautiful pictures.  Prior to painting, we did a worksheet from an old Mailbox Magazine that gave some information about the flowers. The kids loved this and got very creative!

*To prepare for this project, cut kitchen sponges into petals for the large leaves, and then cut some smaller pieces of sponge for the small leaves.  Use a q-tip to put the yellow dots in the center.

Gobble, Gobble

We've been spending so much time on the important content of Thanksgiving/history, we haven't had much time for 'turkey' projects.  Today for writing workshop, students created lists of four things they will eat on Thanksgiving.  They also created lists of four things they hope to do on Thanksgiving.  (Yeppers, you saw it right...Victoria B. will be eating some alligator meat and some 'batatoes.)  Download the writing template here and here.

For an afternoon art project (that I started at 1:35...thank god for my blessing of a student teacher), we made these cute turkeys! First, we drew and painted brown circles.  Next, we watercolor painted stripes on white paper.  The kids cut their feathers from the rainbow watercolor paper.  Last they added a head, beak, gobble and some FUN google eyes! These will make great decorations for their holiday gatherings at home!

Scarecrow Art

We read one of my favorite fall books, Waltz of the Scarecrows by Constance McGeorge.  Next, students used oil pastels to draw the hills, sun and clouds.  Then, they watercolor painted their backgrounds.  The next day, they made their little scarecrows (ADORABLE!!).  For the last part of the project, they glued their scarecrows (and added some raffia) to their watercolor paintings.  This was a great project and thanks to a fellow art teacher blogger for the idea!!

A Leaf Man's Got to Go Where the Wind Blows...

I am obsessed with Lois Ehlert's Leaf man book! We took a field trip to an Arboretum this week, so this leaf activity just fit right in! We'd read the book several times throughout the week and today for our harvest party, students were able to create their own leaf men.  *I sent a note home inside of a small baggie, earlier, asking parents to help their child collect various nature items for their baggies (leaves, twigs, acorns, buckeyes, etc...).  The students could create whatever they wished with their materials.  I had them use Elmer's glue for the leaves and smaller items.  For the heavier items, such as acorns and buckeyes, they brought them to me and I hot glued them where they chose.  I just love doing this project...they turn out adorable!

Fall Watercolor Paintings

We began this 2-day art project by reading a non-fiction book about leaves. 

Day 1) We discussed the colors that leaves can be.  Students did a watercolor wash on white construction paper.  *We talked about only using "real colors of leaves..."

Day 2) Students used leaf ellison cuts and traced them onto the backs of their watercolor paintings.  Next they cut them out, and to their surprise...BEAUTIFUL fall leaves! Finally, they glued their leaves onto black construction paper. 

These made a great hallway display and go right along with our living/non-living study!

Self-Portraits

We've been reading lots of books about being special and unique.  Today, we concluded with painting self-portraits.  I had the kids paint their heads yesterday.  I drew them ahead of time, because I knew if I didn't, I'd get tiny dots for heads! Today, we finished by adding the eyes, nose, mouth, hair, ears, etc...The kids had a blast and the paintings are just about the cutest things ever!!