Great Resource

I hope everyone had or is having a great Spring Break.
I just wanted to share with you a great resource that I found today.
It is Fable Vision Learning.
If you are like me, you love Peter H. Reynolds Books.

  

This website has so many awesome ideas plus some great printable posters. Including the one seen here.

If you haven't check this website out.  You NEED to!

Thank You and a FREEBIE!

We feel so lucky to have received an award.  Not once but TWICE!

Thank you to Barbara at Grade ONEderful! and Mrs. Krull at Of Primary Importance. 
We love the blogging world and the inspiration that seems to come from all of YOU!

So here is a short list of a few blogs you might be interested in checking out!  They are all ART and have provided tons of inspiration!
1. What's Happening in the Art Room??
2. We Heart Art
3. The Elementary Art Room
4. Art is Basic


I have been doing Math Workstations in my room since December. My kids love them!
Although many of my stations are from other blogs, every once in awhile, I find the time to make my own.  The one I am going to share with you today is called 'Monster Math Take Away'.  This game was designed to help students use mental mathematics strategies such as counting back.
Although the game instructions suggest counters (which, I did supply to each student) they ended up not needing them.  Once my students become familiar with counting back from 12, I will move up to 18.  Hope you like,  If you decide to download - we love to hear feedback!

Monster Math Take Away

APPsolutely Exciting!

I am addicted to my iPad!  That is how I read amazing posts in blogland and try to keep up in the blogging world. 
Last night, I came across some really great APPs.

Miss Spider's  Tea Party  and Miss Spider's Bedtime Story
both FREE (for a limited time)!!!














My Story App - Very cool APP-  Only FREE for the weekend!  Check it out!

And of course!  The Lorax is 80% off right now.  Only $0.99.  Plus all other Dr. Seuss books are reduced. 

Have a great weekend everyone! 

Building Things

We have finally started our Building Things unit.  I love this unit and the opportunity for students to construct objects, challenge themselves and to be actively involved!

We always start this unit discussing the different materials for building and the ways to join or fasten building materials. 

A few great websites to try are:

BBC- Has many great resources to help introduce at the beginning of the unit for sorting, grouping and the characteristics of materials. 

Grouping Materials

Characteristics of Materials


Crickweb
All I can say is that my students love these activities!

Material Labels and Sorting

Naming Materials

After we have spent time discussing the  materials used for building.  It is actually time to get down to work and BUILD!  Spending time discussing the different materials, makes it easier for the students to compare and contrast two objects that have been constructed (SLE 3).

So here ares some examples!

I call the classroom a workshop during science.  

Task One:  Build an animal with moveable parts. 

Task Two: Build a Monster or Robot with Folded Arms and Legs.
The students are taught two different ways to fold paper.

Creativity

In The Book of Awesome #916 – The sound of scissors cutting construction paper, is the sound of creativity bubbling, it’s the sound of ideas bubbling.

The novel new idea, the originality, the thought of ‘what if…’, the expression - ‘such a great idea’.  We have all been there and experienced creativity. We do however often hold back, not because we don’t have those ‘creative bones or juices’ in our body like we say, but often more because we are afraid.

What are we afraid of?
Mistakes, Failure, Ridicule, Disappointment

Can you imagine the world we could create if these were not our thoughts or emotions? If we were free to be creative. Creativity is courage. The courage to step outside the box, to step outside the norm.

As many of you all know, I love Disney. And when I think of creativity, I can not help but think about Imagineers - their job and their creativity. The difference between the Imagineers and the rest of the world is that they assume they can do what they dream. As Walt Disney once said, “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.”

Let’s always encourage our children to do the impossible and have fun. Never tell them they can’t or won’t. Remember the sky is the limit.

100th Day

I love 100th Day!
It was so exhausting but so much fun! And thanks to all the blog hoppin' I had more than enough ideas this year to keep us busy!

So here are some pics from our day!

100 balloons greeted my students when they came to school!

Our 100 collections

All the goodies placed on their desk before they arrived

Search and Find 100 items

Students made Derdnuh to take home and share with their families

Note that went home to families explaining Derdnuh

Banner greeted students as they arrived

Poster that was hung up with our 100 days of reflection taken from our Learning Lunchbox!



What a super duper day!
Some other highlights from our day included
1) Writing 1 to 100
2) 100 Bead necklace
3) Hiding 100 stickers around the room to be placed on a 100 chart
4) 100 Hidden Picture activities
5) Writing 100 words found in the room


Thanks again to all my blogging friends for inspiration and your freebies!!!

Be My Valentine Linky Party

Happy Valentine's Day

What a super day!  100th day party (I will post more about that later) and Valentine's Day! 
But I also received my Be My Valentine Exchange gift today and I feel so lucky!
First, I just want to say thank you to Caitlin and Sarah for organizing a superb valentine exchange.  You girls are amazing!






Second, Thank you so much to Sue at SOS Supply for the wonderful gifts.  It was so exciting going to the mailbox and getting such a beautiful package!  If you haven't checked out Sue's blog you MUST!  She has 30 followers!  Let's increase that friends!

File Folders, Notebook, Socks, Cookie, Card all wrapped up in a beautiful bag!

Third, I was lucky enough to get Barbara from Grade ONEderful as my Valentine.  When I got her name, I was so excited.  Although I have never met Barbara she was the first Canadian Blog I found and she has been so supportive to me and my blog.  Thanks Barbara - I hope you enjoyed your gifts.  If you are wondering what I sent her - check out her blog post here!

Lastly, Both Alissa and I would like to congratulate Staci for winning the Stella & Dot Hematite Studs through the Teacher Blogger Exchange.  We hope you like them!

I also participated in the Class Valentine Exchange!  I had to send my valentines to Guam - so I hope they made it there in time! 
This was my first ever Teacher Blogger Exchange!  I will definitely be doing this again!

Thanks again!