Bear Snores On project

If you have not read Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson, stop reading this and go check it out. No, forget that -- go buy it! It is a classic. Bear is hibernating and sleeps through a forest party in his den. 

It's one of my all-time favorite teaching books. It has rhyming text, repetitive text, surprise endings, great sequence... and best of all, Karma Wilson has a whole series featuring Bear and his friends.

Our school is having a special community day at a local store. The store is "revealing" window displays for each classroom. Each teacher chose a Winter-themed book to decorate a tri-fold board to display in the window. 

My class chose Bear Snores On... and we are SO proud of how it turned out!

I made the characters in the den, and each kid made a snowflake for the sky. The whole class worked on the trees and snow for the den [shaving cream + Elmer's glue]. 

Kindergarten Thanksgiving -- Part 2

MORE Thanksgiving goodness...

We make these bracelets to tell the story of The First Thanksgiving. Each color represents a part of the story (white for the Mayflower's sails, blue for the ocean, green for the new land, black for the hard winter, brown for the turkey, red for the cranberries, yellow for the corn, and orange for the pumpkins).

The kids LOVE it, and I love how it helps them remember the story. You can find the poem to go along HERE on Dr. Jean's website. 

After our feast, we wrote a list of the foods we ate, drew our plates, and labeled them. They turned out awesome -- and their parents loved seeing what they tried!

 

Lastly, we compared foods the Pilgrims and Indians ate at their feast and the foods we ate at our feast. The kids loved hearing about the foods they ate at the first Thanksgiving (picture on the left). But, we had a lot in common (middle picture)!

11 more months until next year. :)

Kindergarten Thanksgiving

I absolutely love Thanksgiving in kindergarten. I'm kind of obsessed with it -- and it has turned into a huge two-week unit every year. It is quite a production, and it's one of my favorite times of the year.

Here's a re-cap of some of my favorite parts:

We started the week by discussing what it means to be thankful. After reading books, the kids each decorated a leaf with something they're thankful for. We all loved our Thankful Tree!

Later in the week... the kids could use the tree for ideas when we were writing...

 ... like when we did these adorable thankful turkeys.

 

With my Team Time (older students), we made these Thanksgiving plates with a "recipe for caring." We drew our favorite Thanksgiving foods and labeled them with acts of caring.

And then, of course, it was time to learn about and celebrate The First Thanksgiving. (This is my favorite day of the year!!!)

There is something so sweet about a long table of 30 kindergartners. It's nostalgic and heart-warming. Their little manners and wide eyes simply melt my heart.

Each kid made a cute patterned placemat...

...and of course, dressed up as Pilgrims and Indians!

We filled up each kid's plate with all the traditional foods... turkey, potatoes, rolls, corn, green beans, stuffing, pumpkin pie... we had it all!

Thanksgiving in kindergarten never fails. The kids try new foods, use their best manners, and absolutely love the feast. And, I get to gawk at how stinkin' cute they are. :)

Monday Mailbox

Monday mailbox... a few days late!

 More beauties from my little artists - they just crack me up! [Translation provided for those of you who do not read "kinder writing" fluently.]

That, of course, is me on the left. :) My talk bubble says "I love K-State Purple." Above her head: "I love you Mrs. A." Too cute.

On the back... "Mrs. A, K-State Purple is my favorite color." ATAGIRL!

Even though she has a Nebraska shirt on... this picture just made me laugh! I love the details.

Now, this picture perplexed me for a few minutes. As you can tell, this little girl is an amazing artist. I just couldn't figure out the "boobs" on the men! Then, I realized... we've been learning about the Pilgrims, the Indians, and the First Thanksgiving. Now, although still hilarious, it makes more sense! Note the blond pilgrim with her tongue out... of course, she's sick because she doesn't have any food! So cute.

How to cook a turkey

For your reading pleasure... a step-by-step "recipe" from my kindergarten class.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is how you cook a turkey… 

By: Mrs. Anderson’s Kindergarten Class 2012 

1. Get a turkey (shoot one with a bow and arrow, buy it at the store, or get one from a farm) 

 2. Get the turkey ready (pull the feathers off, take the legs off, take the arms off, take the beak off, cut it in half) 

3. Make it taste good (salt, broth, green stuff, brown sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, and pepper) 

4. Put it on a tray 

5. Put it in the oven (12 degrees for 2-91 minutes… until the oven goes BEEP!) 

6. Take it out of the oven 

7. Cut the turkey (using a sharp knife or a sword, cut in on it’s back down the middle, cut 2-14 pieces for everybody or 45 pieces if it’s really big) 

8. Squeeze the turkey (and spray it with chicken juice) 

9. Set the table (with silverware, plates, napkins, chicken nuggets, corn, the turkey, mashed potatoes, and drinks) 

10. Eat it (with a fork or your hands!) 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The First Thanksgiving (pt. 3 of many)

A few memorable quotes from this morning...

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Mrs. A (while reading a pilgrim book): "Boys and girls, what do you think he is hunting for?"

Student 1: "Turkey?"

Student 2: "Deer?"

Student 3: "Dinosaurs?"  (after all... if was as long time ago!)

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Student 1: "Did you know Friday is Black Friday?"

Student 2: "Yeah, everybody wears black."

Student 3: "And they have an extra Thanksgiving!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Another inspirational read

Another inspirational read for you. Yet another reason why I do what I do... and why I'm reaching for the goals I'm reaching for.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Professionals can make a difference in the lives of parents of children with special needs.

You have the opportunity to…

…not be intimidated when we blow off steam. The great challenge for you is to give us the opportunity to fall apart once in a while.

…decrease our profound sense of loneliness. You will often be the ONE person who will say, “Tell me more.”

…help us know our child. Help us know how to say the words, how to tell others. You can take us into our children’s lives.

…help us recognize and celebrate our victories. They are often too small for the “normal” population to appreciate. You know that awful sounding “grunt” make by our child is truly a miracle. Often it is only you who knows that a new movement is significant and indicates a renewed sense of hope.

…remind us how far we have come. You can highlight these changes and celebrate the growth.

…allow us those moments when our souls fall into deep despair.

…give us space to be in that dark place. It is one of the greatest “interventions” you can give us.

…help us feel hope. We must feel hope if we are to get to our next appointment, or to face the next birthday party, or to use the words “special needs.”

Take the opportunity.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Adapted from: Fialka, J. (1996). You can make a difference in our lives. DEC Communicator. 8.]