Clay Work: Knee Turtles

This is one of those tried and true clay projects for early childhood.  It is very simple.  You give the student a ball of clay and a paper towel.  The student puts the paper towel over their knee and then pats the clay on top of their knee to create a "shell."  So easy and cute!   I have video of children creating their turtle below.

I teach the children about attaching clay pieces with "scratch and slip."   I demonstrate how to make the "scratches" and then how to apply a bit of slip that is like glue.

STEP ONE: Knee Shells




STEP TWO:  Adding Texture




STEP THREE: Adding the head and legs

The Power of Table Puppets and Retelling a Story!

This is pure educational magic.  Pure gold!  Give it a try if you have not.  It is very simple to do.  I have made basic table puppets for the children to use but you could use dollhouse dolls and brown bear figurines.  The children just need something to "pretend" the character with.  They are not picky!

Here's the deal:  set up a small stage with all sequences of a traditional fairy tale like the Three Bears (three dollhouse chairs, three dollhouse beds, and a dollhouse table with three bowls.)  Be creative.  I think it is so healthy to show children how to use things like blocks and boxes in setting up a little puppet show. 

I always do the first two puppet shows to demonstrate how to do it and to teach the children how to be a good audience.  Then I start calling the children up to put on a "puppet show" for us.   It will bring you to tears!  They do such an amazing job!

IMPORTANT:  Remember I tell a main story in my class for two weeks.  The children hear me tell the story of the Three Bears orally, in puppet shows --- I read every version of the book I could find including extended and altered stories.

Educational Benefit:  The student demonstrates an understanding of story structure - the beginning, the middle and the end;  the sequence of events and dialogue; and sometimes, the capacity to extend and expand upon the story.

Here is a retelling from one of my students:

Questions and Answers about A Dash of Power

Dear Readers,
Next month I will launch my classroom management e-course.  Yay!   I am so inspired and grateful for the opportunity to share my approach.  In truth, it is not just my approach but the integration of many powerful and effective teachers in my life.  I know that I would not be the teacher I am today without having learned these powerful truths in teaching from these amazing individuals.

Today, I am finally at the place where there is no discipline issue that takes away my joy or desire to teach.   At one point in my teaching career, I would call in sick to "recover" from "dealing" with the children.  That just doesn't ever happen anymore.  In fact, I have faced several very extreme discipline issues in the past few years.  I think it was about 5 years ago I had one of the most extreme discipline issues of my career.   It had me up against the wall.  Nothing worked.  At one point, I began to look for another career.  In the midst of this crisis - I sought help.  In this coaching - I found my truth.  The content of this course saved me from leaving teaching.  And since this experience, no child's behavior has ever compromised my joy in teaching. 

A few weeks ago I was working on the course material when it occurred to me that this course was something every teacher ought to have.   Why?  I have had the deep blessing of mentors who addressed the deepest and most profound levels of being a teacher.  I literally paid thousands of dollars to receive the most incredible guidance.  I want to share that with you - at a price anyone can afford.   The time to share it is now!

Please email me if you have any questions I did not answer!

How is this course different from other approaches?  
Great question!  This course goes past the standard tips and tricks to the heart of the matter.  In this course we will dive into the anatomy of managing children.  There are fundamental truths to managing children.  Without these truths, it is like putting coins in a slot machine.  It is all chance.


I have a very difficult class in a poor community, can you help me?   
I spent seven years of my teaching career working with children in poverty.  My approach to classroom management was born out of these experiences.  Children in survival are much like animals - they sense fear and weakness.  I had to find my power to meet them in a calm but assertive way.   Domination never works. These children needed the real deal!

How much time will this take?  I am overwhelmed at school!
The course is designed to provide instruction at three levels.  The first level is content.  If you take the course and do nothing more than read the content - it would take only 30 minutes a week.  At this level - you would get the meat of the material.  The next level is integration.  This is the application of the content in multiple learning venues.  If you took the course at this level - you could expect to spend an hour a week.  Finally, there is the deepest level of the course.  This is putting the material into practice.   At this level - the course would be about two hours or more a week - depending on how much you practiced.

I am a bit hopeless and exhausted.  Why waste my time and money?
I totally understand.  A Dash of Power has been designed to meet your deepest needs as a teacher.  It is a deeply inspiring course.

I homeschool my children, how could this benefit me?
Honestly, this course could be applied to parenting!  The course content can be translated to parenting very easily.  But here's the thing, when you are homeschooling, you are taking on another role with your child - one of being the teacher.  This course could offer you priceless guidance in the seamless dance between parenting and teaching your children.

I think I will take it later, when will you offer it again?
I have not decided if this course will be a live course in the future.  Just like my other e-courses, the first offering is an opportunity for me to discover the best ways to deliver the course to you.  Because it is a first run - I am offering it deeply discounted.  I have not finalized my plans on when it will run again.  Please stay tuned.  I recommend just doing it now!

Important Course Information
Fall 2011 Closed

Wassily Kandinsky Study, Part 2

This is a project that Kelsey Howard created this summer at art camp.  It was amazing and the children loved it.  I had to video tape it and share it with you.  I wanted to bring a Kandinsky project --- little did I know that Kelsey had a deep understanding of his work.   She created this lesson on sound, shape and color.  You must watch the videos to see her lead the children.  It is magic!

Step One:  Kelsey told a story of the sound of rocks hitting the surface of the water.  The children made the sound with her.   The story told the children how the rocks made a rippling effect - sound, shape, and color.

The children drew the "rock" ripples - circles within circles.  For the rest of the lesson - watch the two videos below!!

Video 1 shows how she used music to add color.

Video 2 shows how she connected the sound, shape and color in a powerful way!

Storytelling Teepee

Last Saturday, the museum had put up a teepee for family day.  I had the wonderful task of reading to the children inside the teepee.  I had a blast!  The children loved it.  I read the sweetest book:

Matt Damon on Save Our Schools

This is from a hand held camera but worth watching.  We are in crisis as a nation in our educational system. 

Cityscape

My class was at library a week ago when I saw a student's book.  The cover was similar to an art project I have done in the past but different (click here to see!).  I knew I had to bring this to our Three Pigs unit of construction. 

 I love the purple background and multicolored windows.  

What you need:

Purple, black and assorted colored construction paper.  I prepared the paper by cutting the black paper into various sizes of rectangle for the skyscrapers.  I cut the colored paper into assorted sizes of squares and triangles. 

 STEP ONE:  Glue down the black rectangles onto the purple paper.

 Create a skyline.

 Fill the page to create the skyline.

 STEP TWO:  Add windows.  Add a few tops (just a couple - not too many!).

 STEP THREE:  With a crayon, add any desired details.

STEP FOUR:  Add touches of gold paint with a paint pen. 

 A view of our display.

A Peek into My Classroom

The story of the Three Pigs offer so many extensions.  Here are a few currently underway in my classroom:

 I set up my IKEA roadway rug (super cheap and wonderful) with matchbox cars, little wooden cars and a set of little wooden traffic signs.  I like to bring the idea of the neighborhood, community, community helpers inside this theme.  It all starts with our homes.

 The children love this center.  We have to put speed limits in our little village tho. . .Cars do like to zoom at fast speeds!

 Little notepads with a little pen.  Writing magic.  All sorts of writing unfolds. . .

 This is one of those YES finds!  I have a wooden tool bench that I found on clearance at Target for $20.  A couple of hard hats, an extra set of construction nuts and bolts and a way we go!  (I think IKEA and Target are both teacher heaven.)

 Have you noticed how some children "pile" when they play?  All the toys end up piled?  If you watch the children who do this and then check out their drawings and writing--- interestingly --- you will find they are children who cannot write letters yet (or just beginning) and have yet to put details into drawings.  In other words, a sense of order spatially has yet to emerge.

Housekeeping becomes a combination of doctor, police station, and eye doctor!  I put various tools of different community helpers in housekeeping and let the children roll with it. 

 Here is glimpse of what happened Monday.  There was a large group who took some of the materials from housekeeping out on to the carpet and formed their own "office."

 I thought it was way cool because it allowed more room for collaborative play.  They had more room to create together.  Housekeeping was too small.  Yay!  Love the expanded play!

 Ooo, colored light is so enchanting!  I saw this in a classroom years ago and loved it!  I draw the letters on copy paper and let the children use the light bright to "build" a light filled letter! 

 Excellent for building fine motor skills as well.

 A view of the humming classroom. . .

 Glorious pad of paper providing writing in play.  Gotta love it!

Building Plans

This week we are dwelling inside the story of the Three Pigs.  This week I will be posting some of my activities for this fairy tale.  First, this is such a perfect story to bring the vocabulary and work of architects.  I have a wonderful book called "Homes" that talks about architects and the planning of a building.

Here is a super idea for blocks!  I put out clipboards with paper and it is a requirement that the children draw a "blue print" of what they plan to build.  It is so much fun! 

 Student drawing his "plans" for block building.

 Students using their "plans" to build a structure.

 Here is a student's blue print.

 Here is his finished structure!

I also put a "city blocks" set out in the block center so children can build a community.

FREE A-Z Graphs

Graph B

During August and September - my kindergarten team reviews the alphabet.  I have developed several things for those days.  One is a sign in sheet with two animals that begin with that letter.  I am sharing these graphs with you today!  These are for personal use only.  I made these several years ago (before blogging days) and have no idea where I found the images.  I apologize that I cannot site my sources.  As a blogger - I realize the importance of integrity and acknowledging where you find things. 

Oh!  The graphs below are uploaded through Mediafire.  I received many emails from readers who cannot download through Scribd.  I just put one graph on Scribd so you could see it!  Enjoy!
A Graph
B Graph
C Graph
D Graph
E Graph
F Graph
G Graph
H Graph
I Graph
J Graph
K Graph
L Graph
M Graph
N Graph
O Graph
P Graph
Q Graph
R Graph
S Graph
T Graph
U Graph
V Graph
W Graph
X Graph
Y Graph
Z Graph

Whole Group Name Work

I love using the childrens' names for basic literacy skills.  I also love making books for the children to take home.  I do this a lot with class books - make a copy for the families.   Last week we made a "All About My Name Book."

Here's how I did it:

• Monday - Each child counted how many letters were in their name.
• Tuesday - Each child clapped how many syllables were in their name.
• Wednesday - Each child counted how many vowels were in their name.

I typed up the sheet we used before hand (click here for a copy).  Then each child came to the front of the group and did that day's name task.  I like sending the book home as it gives a great tool for families to practice these essential skills.  A student can go through the book and count how many letters in all their friend's names and so forth.