Mrs. Pearce's "I Can, You Can, Toucan" Kindergarten Class

What's Happenin'?......LOTS!

2011-10-01T22:08:00.002-04:00

It's been a while since I posted pics of our classroom happenings. Too long. But the start of this school year has been exhausting. I'm finally getting into my "groove" and ready to share with you some photos of my new crop of Kinders and the fun that they have had so far at school this year.

Discovering a good book...or two

Celebrating an important birthday...number 5!

Milking a coconut

Using the Mimio to make learning really fun

Observing our classroom pet, Gus, up close

Working with magnets and creating at the easel

Listening to a favorite story read by our Assistant Principal, Ms. Kelley

Sorting pasting together

Building structures

Painting rainbow toast

Number puzzles...

...word puzzles...

......and tangrams

Making Banana raisin bread with N's Mom, Miss Melisa

Patterning the letter Mm with macaroni, M&M's, and marshmallows and the letter Nn with Nerd candies

Introducing a special friend on Teddy Bear Day

Oh the Things they Will Say....A New Name for Nicholas

2011-10-01T20:02:00.001-04:00

I love it when my Kinders take the initiative to play with sounds, syllables and words. I think it's a true indicator that my instruction in phonemic awareness has not fallen on deaf ears. Yesterday A. came to me and asked if he could call his good pal Nicholas a different name....like Nic. I told him that he might want to check with Nicholas first to see if it was ok with him.

Then I couldn't help but go with the moment by suggesting, "You could call him Nic or even Nic Nic."

To my surprise A. took it a step even further. "I could call him Nic, Nic Nic, or Nic Nic Nickety Nic Nic."

I figured A. must like Nicholas very much to spend so much time thinking of just the right new name for him.

Oh the Things They Will Say.....The Nose

2011-09-10T12:35:00.000-04:00

Yesterday while on the playground, two friends collided on the slide. With one friend in tears and the other suddenly asking to go to the bathroom I knew there had to be a story behind the drama, so I brought both of them together to find out.

"Friend A" - otherwise known as the friend in tears, simply explained that he got bumped and it hurt.

"Friend B" - otherwise known as the friend needing to go to the barthroom, had a little bit tougher time telling what happenend. His words spurted out quickly. "Going by him.....didn't mean to......bump......steps.....going down."

Finally after we took a few deep breaths and I gently prodded him with some questions, the truth came out. And it was one scenerio I haven't quite heard before.

"I was on the slide. I needed to go down. And well....his nose got in the way."

Oh The Things They Will Say.....Happy and Younger

2011-08-20T16:04:00.000-04:00

The Kindergarten classrooms at my school use Dr. Jean Feldman's "The Rules Rap" to teach our rules. I created a slide presentation and social story as visuals to go along with the song. On the last slide/page I included a picture of me smiling with the sentence, "When we follow the rules it makes Mrs. Pearce happy."

On the first day of school I introduced the rap and the rules using the social story. When we arrived at the last page N. asked me how old I was in the picture. I laughed and asked him how old did he think I was. He matter of factly replied, "In your 20's." I then asked him how old did he think I was in person. "He said, "In your 30's."

Yesterday was the second day of school, and we reviewed the rules by rapping the rap and reading the story again. The kids did great and remembered many of the rules. When we arrived at the last slide/page I asked the group, "What does this picture tell us happens when we follow the rules at school?"

Several kids in the group chimed in and answered, "It makes Mrs. Pearce happy."

Without delay N. added, "and younger."

I think we're off to a good start.

Stuff, Stuff, and More Stuff

2011-08-13T14:33:00.002-04:00

noun

1. the material of which anything is made: a hard, crystalline stuff.

2. material to be worked upon or to be used in making something: wood, steel, and other stuff for building.

3. material of some unspecified kind: a cushion filled with some soft stuff.

4. Chiefly British . woven material or fabric, especially wool.

5. property, as personal belongings or equipment; things.

I have spent the last week setting up my classroom for the new school year. Finding the perfect physical location for my developmental centers and work tables was the easy part, because I really liked the classroom setup I finished the last school year with and decided to use it again. Placing all the stuff that goes in and on the furniture...well that's another story and here's why:

In Kindergarten there is so much stuff. Big stuff and little stuff. It takes up space fast. And space is what we always want more of in a classroom.
It is important to place the stuff in just the right spots. For example, you don't want to place math manipulatives too close to homeliving because then you will have hundreds of little pieces of stuff mixed in with plastic food.
I have to make sure that all stuff is clean and working properly. Nothing is worse than me or a student getting ready to use stuff and it not work. Kinders expect stuff to work all the time.
You want to ease your kids into stuff. If you put out too much stuff at the beginning of the year then you have the potential for chaos and mess. I like to interchange my stuff throughout the year to keep things interesting for my students (and me).
Stuff has specific rules and purpose. The purpose and use of all stuff must be explained during the first weeks of school. A Kindergarten teacher can never take for granted that students know how and when to use stuff appropriately.
We got new Science curriculum from "National Geographic" this year. It is wonderful. But it is three big boxes of more stuff that I have to find a place for.
I know that during the first week of school I am going to get all the supply list stuff from each of my Kinders. I have to have very specific places to store all this stuff and gently explain to my Kinders that we will not use all of it during the first week. (They get very excited about their stuff).
I must have all stuff discreetly and compactly organized before the Fire Marshall visits during the first semester of the school year....or me and my stuff will be in hot water (no pun intended).

Seriously. I am thankful for the stuff I have. I am thankful to work in a school district that provides funding for me to buy stuff every year and maintains a beautifully equipped school to put it all in. I am thankful to the parents of my students who so generously provide stuff to my classroom so that their children can have a wonderful Kindergarten experience.

I also know that even without all the stuff, my students CAN learn and I CAN teach. If we come to school every day with a heart and a brain ready to learn, then we can do it. All the stuff just makes it even more fun.

Ready to Read! by Dr. Jean

2011-08-03T07:38:00.002-04:00

Watching this video of Dr. Jean Feldman explain the basics of reading readiness is the next best thing to sitting in one of her workshops. This is a wonderful FREE resource. I think it could be shown during the Kindergarten Parent Night that we hold within the 1st month of the new school year to reinforce those basic oral language and prereading skills to parents.

The video also affirms why I love teaching young children so much. Isn't readiness readiness exciting!

Trucks, Books, and Ice Pops

2011-07-30T19:20:00.000-04:00

This past week a group of faculty and staff members from my school gathered to load up two trucks with buckets full of new books and a cooler full of ice pops. Our mission was to spread the gift of literacy to the small town where we teach and live. It was so much fun to fellowship together and to see some of our students and parents in their neighborhoods. You can imagine the looks of surprise we encountered. Usually our students see us only at school or perhaps in the grocery store or at church. It was a wonderful way to spend a summer evening and we look forward to doing it again.

Feedback Please!.....Ideas for Classroom Circle Time Seating

2011-07-23T13:07:00.001-04:00

During the past 8 years I have tried many different types of seating set ups in my circle time area. When I taught Prek, my classroom was provided with a beautiful and colorful rug purchased from a classroom supply company. Since then the two KG classrooms I have taught in have not included rugs. So I became very creative. Here is what I have used so far....

Individual carpet squares donated from a local flooring store.
Price: Free!
+: Each child has a clear boundary of where they need to sit.

-: It takes a few minutes for students to get a carpet square from a stack, put it on the floor, and actually sit on it.

Two indoor/outdoor carpet pieces taped together with colorful duct tape. I even used spray paint to add numbers (1-24) to the rugs.

Price: $50
+: Provides the same use as expensive rugs purchased from classroom supply companies.
-: These carpets last about one school year before they are worn out.

No carpet at all
Price: Free!
+: Students have the freedom to sit where they want to in the circle time area and there is no need to worry about keeping the carpet clean.
-: Students have no boundaries of where to sit during circle time. This works great for a class of students who are more mature and have great awareness of personal space. Not so much for a class of "younger" KG students.

......So what do I do this year? What have you used in your classroom? Help!

Top Picks for New Classroom Resources

2011-07-20T22:21:00.001-04:00

For the past month, I have been receiving a steady stream of classroom supply catalogs in the mail. I love to go through the catalogs....much like I did Christmas catalogs when I was a little girl. Here are the items that are at the top on my wish list for the upcoming school year. I have included links to their online catalog descriptions in case you want to check them out. Just click on 'em.

From Lakeshore Learning

Numbers, Letters and Beginning Picture Words Rubbing Plates

Story Wands

Alphabet Pointers

Magnifier Discovery Board

Find the Number Counting Kit

Sight Word Sentence Builder Kit

From Carson-Dellosa Publishing

Good Work Holders

CenterSOLUTIONS Thinking Kids Math

CenterSOLUTIONS Thematic Words for Young Writers

From Really Good Stuff

What Comes Next? Sequencing Pocket Chart Kit

I Have, Who Has? Language Arts Book

Slide and Learn Interactive Number Lines

Geometric Shapes Outline Stampers

Unfortunately, like many of you, my supply funds are limited. So now I just need to figure out how many of these I can create myself.

100+ Reasons to Smile Today

2011-07-19T19:34:00.000-04:00

I finally topped 100 followers! Thank you to everyone who has checked out my blog during the past year. I started this adventure as a way to journal my experiences as a Kindergarten teacher. What I didn't expect was to receive two blog awards, positive feedback from teachers all over the country, and to gain countless resources and daily motivation from fellow bloggers. The possibilities for networking are endless and I look forward to more blogging fun....So stay tuned!

Word Builder Slides....Easy Peasy!

2011-07-18T22:47:00.003-04:00

I love a good idea. A good idea that is free...well that's even better. I found one over at The Snail's Trail blog.

Check out these word builder slides. All it took to make them were some paint sample cards and a permanent marker. The nice folks at my neighborhood Wal Mart gave me the paint sample cards. I needed about 35 (2 3/4 x 5 1/2) single colored cards and 15 (2 x 9) multi colored cards.

I wrote word families on the large cards and beginning phonemes and diagraphs on the multi colored cards. It took about 15 minutes to make. Easy peasy!

Thanks to http://thesnailstrail.blogspot.com/2009/05/whats-in-workbox-handmade-word-family.html

for posting this idea!

Lose 'em, Tie 'em and Celebrate 'em

2011-07-16T07:59:00.000-04:00

When I first began teaching Kindergarten, I discovered two developmental milestones that were MUCHO important to my young students. Losing a tooth and tieing a shoe. So important that I felt that they needed to be truly celebrated, almost as much as having a birthday.

I implemented two recognition "clubs" that are easy to manage and the kids absolutely love them. It was a simple thing to do. I purchased two kits from Really Good Stuff (I do love this company) that included posters, matching stickers, certificates, and "tooth" necklaces. I hung the posters in a special place in my classroom. I introduced the "clubs" during the first week of school. We also read books about what it's like when either of the two happen.

The clubs manage themselves. Lots of independent practice takes place. Wiggling loose teeth and looping strings. The kids ALWAYS remind me when they are ready to be members (and their friends do too). We write their names on the posters. Stickers, certificates and tooth necklaces are presented to them. And most importantly, we take a few precious moments to marvel at the space that a missing tooth left or watch in awe as shoes are carefully tied.

Yep....these are milestones definitely worth celebrating again and again all through the school year.

Picture This.....Silly Spectacles

2011-07-12T20:25:00.000-04:00

GOOD: 4th of July - the Real Fireworks

2011-07-02T21:58:00.000-04:00

Kindergarten Readiness...Not Just an Age Thing

2011-06-29T23:24:00.002-04:00

It happens every August. A new crop of parents enter my classroom with their Kinders in tow. They are curious, excited, eager, and sometimes a little apprehensive about the learning adventure that is about to begin for their child. When I talk with them about their child's readiness they often share with me common sentiments. If their child has a summer birthday, they worry that their child is not yet ready for Kindergarten. If their child has a fall birthday, they worry that their child will not be challenged enough in Kindergarten because they just missed the cutoff to attend the year prior (Florida's cutoff for Kindergarten is September 1.) Regardless of the concern, I always reply with the same honest answer, "Let's get started and see where the year takes us."

As an early childhood educator I know that Kindergarten readiness is much more than a chronological age listed on a form. It is a composite of the development of the whole child in which all domains (cognitive, social, adaptive, and physical) are taken into consideration. For example, where one child may be reading before Kindergarten begins, he/she may lack important social skills that are equally as important for success in a formal school environment.

In the past five years I have seen a new approach taken by parents. Some are making a conscious decision to delay Kindergarten for an additional year to allow their child to be the oldest child in class, instead of the youngest. I am intrigued by this, particularly because I have seen an increase in this school of thought, and wonder if it tied into the national climate of high-stakes testing in public schools.

I found a recent article, "Who's Ready for Kindergarten?" in The New York Times. It is actually a collection of various opinions written by educators and researchers. All with valuable viewpoints and meaningful "a-ha" statements.

Take a look, see what you think, and let me know. I would love to read your comments about this subject.

Picture This.....Bouncy House Fun

2011-06-26T12:32:00.000-04:00

Tap Dancing, Kindred Spirits, and Other Good Advice for Teachers

2011-06-23T22:24:00.000-04:00

I have been in the classroom every day this week....as a student. I am working toward earning a K-12 Reading Endorsement and the class I am currently taking is all about assessment. Norm referenced...criterion referenced....standardized.....formal....informal....portfolio based...curriculum based.....diagnostic, etc.... You name it and our instructor, Terry, is covering it successfully.

Before the class began I anticipated gaining new knowledge as well as making lots of connections that link new information with my past experiences in the classroom. This has happened...and then some.

My fellow classmates represent a wide range of educators. Elementary, middle and high school. Primary, intermediate and secondary. General education and ESE. Some have been educators for over 20 years and others are just beginning or returning to their careers. I love the diverse backgrounds and perspectives that a heterogenous mix like this brings to learning!

This morning Terry asked us to write down one tidbit of advice for a beginning teacher. After gathering them, she shared them with us. As soon as I heard two or three, I immediately knew that I wanted to include them in my blog and asked Terry if I could. She generously agreed and even added one of her own.

Organization

"Be organized.

(Dancing skills are also good to have)."

"If you stay organized, you will stay more ahead of things.

Organization keeps you sane."

Classroom Management

"Develop routines early and stick with them.

Practice them with students and make sure they understand them.

Start slowly if you need to, but make sure students understand the routines

....and follow them."

"Make sure you establish your rules Day 1 and be consistent."

"Give classroom jobs to students who exhibit

challenging behaviors or have low achievement levels.

It will make them feel important and reduce problems."

"Be consistent. Students crave structure.

Don't be wishy-washy. Make a decision...and stick to it."

Communication

"Don't be afraid to call parents/send notes, etc... Most parents appreciate it."

"Talk to your administrator when you have concerns

about a student (academically and/or socially, etc...)"

Instruction

"Teach the class as a whole, but meet the needs of individual students."

Colleagues

"Seek out kindred spirits who will support, listen, share, and collaborate.

These relationships are essential for your emotional growth as a teacher."

Students

"Remember that you became a teacher because you love the kids.

You are not their friend, but you love them."

"Before one can even begin to teach,

your students must believe that you care about them as individuals.

You must like them and treat them respectfully.

(Or at least make them think that you like them)."

General Survival as a Teacher

"You can't fly by the seat of your pants.

But you can tap dance if you know all they steps."

Great Books for Father's Day

2011-06-19T16:32:00.001-04:00

The school year in our district always ends around Memorial Day. Because of this, I never get to recognize Father's Day in my classsroom. But if I did...here are a few books from my own library that I would enjoy reading with my Kinders. Each book celebrates the importance of the role of fathers in the lives of little ones.

I Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss

Daddy and Me by Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe

Celebrating Father's Day by Donna Marriott

Just Me and My Dad by Mercer Mayer

Pete's A Pizza by William Steig

Picture This....Spider

2011-06-19T15:14:00.000-04:00

"It's not the camera....but who's in front of the camera" - Anonymous

"Uhmm...Excuse Mrs. Pearce? Is there a spider on my head?

Picture This....Hearts of Joy

2011-06-15T18:49:00.002-04:00

"A photograph can be an instant of life captured for eternity

that will never cease looking back at you" -- Bridget Bardot

R with Miss Brown, my intern, who has a natural gift for touching the hearts of young children.

Picture This...Fun In Home Living

2011-06-14T17:27:00.001-04:00

A good snapshot stops a moment from running away. ~Eudora Welty

Picture This...Furry Friends

2011-06-13T11:13:00.002-04:00

A good snapshot stops a moment from running away. ~Eudora Welty

Picture This

2011-06-12T21:22:00.001-04:00

A good snapshot stops a moment from running away. ~Eudora Welty

I have had a little extra time on my hands since summer vacation began three weeks ago. It's been great to sleep in, read a little, cook a little, plant some pretty flowers, and even take a short trip with my family. I have also had the time go through the huge number of photos that I took in my classroom this past year. What great memories were made! I think it might be really neat to highlight one each day throughout the summer. This way I can keep my Kinders on my mind and in my heart. Boy...do I miss them.

Look at the little guy staring up at me. I can only imagine what he was thinking at that moment!

Cute Toucan Stuff

2011-06-12T18:40:00.000-04:00

As you can tell from my blog title, I like toucans alot. In my classroom you will find them on posters, in books, even as puppets. I am always on the lookout for more toucan stuff that I think my students will like. Here's some that I found on a recent search.

On Crayola's website I found this cute craft for making "you can toucan mascots" using Crayola Model Magic.
"You Can Toucan Math" is a colorful book full of problem solving fun.
"Toucan You Can" is a collection of catchy children's songs by vocal artist, Donna Lisa.
I found an adorable little musical video about Toco the toucan on the children's website, Boowa and Kwala. If you haven't checked out this website...do it!
One of my favorite poets, Shel Silverstein, wrote the poem below about this curious little bird. I think I might incorporate it into a creative writing activity for my Kinders next school year.

The Toucan

Tell me who can

Catch a toucan?

Lou can.

Just how few can

Ride the toucan?

Two can.

What kind of goo can

Stick you to the toucan?

Glue can.

Who can write some

More about the toucan?

You can!

Water Day

2011-05-30T19:54:00.001-04:00

The weather here in North Florida gets hot pretty quickly. A Water Day is a great way to cool off with fun activities and sweet treats to eat. It's also a great celebration to end a fantastic school year.

This giant sprinkler ball was really neat

Kiddie pools galore. I think we had seven!

"Painting" the windows and walls with water

Snow cones and watermelon....Yum!

Chipping away at ice molds to find the treasures inside

Enjoying Games with water balls

Good clean fun with shaving cream

Mural Painting with tempra paint ice pops

High fives for an awesome school year!

Addition and Subtraction Stories

2011-05-28T19:17:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago my Kinders were busy working on learning the principles of addition and subtraction. Our new Harcourt GoMath! curriculum emphasizes the use of pictures stories, which I absolutely love. I partnered up my students and put them to work creating and solving their own. I was really pleased with what they produced and how cooperatively they worked together.

My Golly Goo Goo....A Top Five Award!

2011-05-27T00:25:00.001-04:00

CaliforniaTeachingCredential.org

Thank you to Donna over at http://kinderglynn.blogspot.com/ for commenting on one of my recent posts. She congratulated me on receiving an award from http://www.californiateachingcredential.org/kindergarten-teachers as being one of the top five out of the "50 Best Blogs Written by Kindergarten Teachers." Donna's blog also received this award and I can see why. Her blog is terrific!

I have to admit that this recognition could not have come at a better time. The end of the school year is always a time of high energy and bittersweetness for me. I am excited about summer, but hate saying goodbye to my Kinders.

Getting this award gave a much needed "boost" when I was thinking that all I wanted to do for the next week or two is sit down and "roost!"

Summer Birthdays

2011-05-26T21:19:00.000-04:00

Four years ago the parent of one of my Kinders had a great idea. Her son's summer birthday would be held after the school year was over but he wanted so much to get to celebrate it at school. His Mom asked if she could bring in pizza to for him and his classmates who also had summer birthdays. I added a cake to the menu and it was a party. And from this great idea was born a new tradition in my classroom.

On Tuesday we honored my Kinders who have summer birthdays. We sang the Happy Birthday song three times over and then enjoyed yummy treats.

I think this classroom tradition is so special to me because I was one of those kids who longed to celebrate my birthday at school. How lucky I am to get to celebrate it now every year with my students.

"The Important Book"

2011-05-24T21:40:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite authors of books for children is Margaret Wise Brown. She is known for her classics, The Runaway Bunny, The Big Red Barn, The Golden Egg Book, and Goodnight Moon.

Every year I read Goodnight Moon to my Kinders on the last day of school. Afterwards we take turns to tell someone or something in the classroom goodbye. It is a gentle, soothing way to make the transition into summer break and the new learning adventures that are ahead of us. This activity has become a tradition in my classroom and I look forward to it every year, even though it does bring about a tear or two.

Another book that I love is The Important Book. I have found that it is a terrific source to use when teaching details in writing. Recently I used it as a focus book for a week during my Language Arts instruction. We read the book each day to build familiarity with it. Next, we brainstormed together to think of details about common objects in the classrooom including a door, a window, and a block. When I felt the kids were ready, a gave them each a word wall card with a picture of an object on it. They used a preprinted graphic organizer to brainstorm four details about their object. They shared their organizers with the class and chose the detail they felt was the most important. The next day they created a page to be included in our own Important Book that featured their object. This was one of the best writing activities I have ever facilitated in my classroom and I can't wait to teach it again next year.

Book Buddies

2011-05-15T18:39:00.000-04:00

For the past two years my class has been blessed to share the love of reading with buddies from Ms. Teuton and Mrs. DenBleyker's 3rd grade class. Every Friday they come to visit and share classic fairy tales with my Kinders. It is a wonderful time to watch relationships blossom and reading skills bloom.

A Personal Day...It's All About the Fairytale

2011-04-29T09:06:00.001-04:00

Today I took a personal leave day to to be with my 17 year old daughter. There are not too many times since I have been teaching that I have taken a day...just because. The reason?....The Royal Wedding.

In 1981 I woke up before dawn to watch Charles and Di's wedding with my Daddy. It was one of the neatest experiences we ever had together. My Daddy has since passed, and I wanted to make this a tradition with my daughter. So this morning we got up before dawn and watched....and oohed and aahed and even shed a few tears of happiness and bittersweet memories of Princess Diana. It was the stuff fairytales are made of. It was wonderful.

I captured the experience in a play-by-play of sorts. And here it is.

3:30 am. Love the live trees lining the aisle of Westminster Abbey. Very "New York" looking I think.
3:30a.m. Hats galore as guests arrive. Note the difference between a hat and a "fascinator."
3:48a.m. They are not called chartered buses in London. They are "motor coaches" my dear.
4:00a.m. British commentator: "What a great day to be British." Anderson Cooper of CNN: "What a great day to be a Commoner."
4:05a.m. Chelsy Davy, longtime girlfriend of Prince Harry arrives.....in the door for "incidental guests." OUCH!
4:07a.m. About those "fascinators".....how do they stay perfectly balanced on one side of the head? Do you get a big time headache after an hour or two of wearing something on only one side of your head?
4:10 a.m. Anderson Cooper of CNN: "Do you have to keep referring to non Brits as Commoners." British commentator: "Yes."
4:13a.m. British commentator in the crowds ask a woman from Boston, USA what she was looking most forward to. She replies, "the Kiss, the Kiss!" Gotta love American honesty!
4:20a.m. David and Victoria Beckham arrive. They look beautiful. He is scrumptious and she is pregnant and radiant!
4:21a.m. Becca is awake and ready to watch with me.
4:22a.m. British commentator on Brits..."They love to party." Well now!
4:29a.m. Princess Diana's brother arrives. Remembering his speech at her funeral. Bittersweet.
4:35a.m. Mr. Bean arrives. Did I just hear the commentator say that he is a relative? Well now....Imagine having Mr. Bean as your cousin.
4:47a.m. Elton John and David Furnish arrive. I love the fact that even though the guests seated are well to do Brits, they still drop their jaws and ooh and ahh when he walks by.
4:50am. Just saw a woman arrive with a fascinator SO large with a large pokey stick thing. I think she just might hurt the persons seated on either side of her. Hope she sits still.
4:55a.m. Another shot of Elton John. It would be so tough to sit beside him at the wedding and keep myself quiet. The whole time I would be refraining myself from singing, "B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets" in his ear.
5:02a.m. I am currently fixed on ABC's coverage rather than CBS and NBC. There's something about Babawa Walters and Diane Sawyer together. Lovin' it.
5:04a.m. Prime Minister of England arrives with his wife. She is NOT wearing a hat or fascinator but a small comb. Very unique and pretty. Love that she is being different.
5:12a.m. Just spotted a woman in drag in Hyde Park. Love it!
5:13a.m. First glimpse of Wills and Harry leaving Clarence House in a Bentley. They look SO handsome in their uniforms. Prince William looks like the Prince in Cinderella. Just sayin!
5:19a.m. ABC commentator on the Princes Harry and Wills. "They truly are best friends."
5:20a.m. I love that William broke with tradition and had a "best man" instead of "a supporter." And that he is wallking down the aisle in Westminster with his brother.
5:25a.m. Prince Albert of Monaco and his fiance arrive. Wonder if she'll be taking notes during the ceremony for her future wedding this summer?
5:30a.m. Commentator just announced that many personal staff are invited as guests. Very cool considering that Wills and Kate were given an allotment of 150 personal guests each to invite. There are 1900 guests invited in all.
5:32a.m. Mother of the Bride arrives with Kate's brother. Her mother looks simple and elegant in a soft grey/blue.
5:37a.m. Close family of the Queen arrives. The Duchess of Kent looks beautiful. Her hat is so wide brimmed, though, that you cannot see her face. La de dah!
5:39a.m. Becca nods off.
5:42a.m. First glimpse of the Queen.....in bright sunny yellow. Very pretty.
5:44a.m. Prince Charles and Camilla arrive at Westminster. She looks...well...as good as she can. She is no Diana.
5:47a.m. Another glimpse of the Queen in her car. There is a blue blanket covering her legs. I love that she gets chilly while riding in a car....just like me!
5:49a.m. And the royal trumpets play as the Queen is announced in Westminster.
5:50a.m. Barbawa WaWa just mentions that the Queen owns some 5,000 hats. Thank you Babawa.
5:52a.m. First glimpse of Kate getting in the car. Lace bodice, flowing not poofy train. Her hair is down.
5:53a.m. Kate waves to the crowd from her car. Not a "screwing in a light bulb" wave, but a "hi, how are ya!" wave. I hope that never changes.
5:55a.m. Commentator just mentions that Kate wanted to wear her hair as she normally does so that Wills would recognize her. Is that sweet or what?
5:56a.m. Pippa arrives with the bridesmaids. She is gorgeous. The silhouette of her dress is amazing!
6:02a.m. Kate arrives at Westminster. Beautiful.
6:02a.m. Kate's father appears to say to her, "Are you alright?" I am tearing up right now.
6:04a.m. Wills and Harry walk into the ceremonial area. Harry hands off his program to a foreign person (shiek or sultan)? I wonder...was this planned or a quick discard? Insert chuckle.
6:08a.m. Shot of Harry looking back at Kate coming down the aisle. He looks at his brother and seems to say, "Wait til you see Katherine."
6:09a.m. Wills and Kate are side by side. William says to Kate, "You look beautiful."
6:10 a.m. A hymn is sung. Shot of Elton John singing...while reading the words. Love it!
6:13a.m. Ceremony begins. Missing Princess Di right now. How different would it be?
6:16a.m. Wills...."I will."
6:16a.m. Kate...."I will."
6:18a.m. Beautifully said vows. No blunders at all.
6:21a.m. Arch Bishop takes off his hat before praying. He forgot to shave and get a haircut.
6:23a.m. Random shot of Orlando, Florida. Little girls and their Moms at Disney's wedding pavilion watching the ceremony. Too cute!
6:27a.m. Kate's brother speaks. I think very reminscent of Princess Di's brother's speech at her funeral. I wonder if that was the intent. Very moving.
6:36a.m. Shot of the Queen. Is she sleeping or reading her program?
6:37a.m. Shot of Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. Train wrecks of fashion...once again.
6:39a.m. A prayer is read that William and Kate composed together. Very simple. Speaks of humility and servitude.
6:45a.m. As each part of the ceremony is completed, you can now hear the crowds cheering outside Westminster Abbey.
6:49a.m. Random thought. I can't wait to see a side by side photo comparision of Kate with Princess Grace in their wedding gowns. I am thinking the look is very similar.
6:52a.m. And the trumpets sound! "God Save the Queen."
6:59a.m. Commentators explain that from now on Kate is curtesed to by everyone EXCEPT the Queen and Camilla, who are the only two women of higher royal status than her.
7:03a.m. Random thought. The little choir boys deserve MAJOR Happy Meals (or whatever they call them in England) for singing for such a long time. They ROCK!
7:05a.m. Down the aisle they come. They curtsey and bow to the Queen. Kate is so poised. I wonder how many Tylenol it took to get her that way?
7:08a.m. Harry and Kate's sister Pippa follow down the aisle smiling and chatting. Penny for those thoughts! They look like they could have some fun together!
7:09a.m. The bells of Westminster ring as they emerge from Westminster Abbey.
7:10a.m. Wills puts on his gloves before he helps her into the carriage. How princely!
7:19a.m. Harry riding in a carriage with the little attendants is absolutely adorable. He is such a rascal!
7:20a.m. Wills is smiling more broadly with every foot traveled by the carriage. It's that same dimpled smile he had as a little boy.
7:23a.m. Babawa Wawa: "Nobody does it like the British." I do wish America had just a little of a fairy tale like this. Maybe one day we will have another Camelot. . Until then we have our friends across the ocean to fulfill our fairytale dreams!

Oh The Things They Will Say...H-and

2011-04-28T20:41:00.000-04:00

Today I was administering the phonemic awareness portion of FAIR (Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading) to one of my Kinders. The objective of this particular assessment was to segment compound words, and onset and rimes. For example, "Say cookbook without cook." and "Say pup without /p/."

The assessment was going really well until my little friend became tired and bit bored with our learning game (as I like to call diagnostic assessments when I give them). She began to wiggle and asked me when the game would be finished. I held her off for a few more moments with a gentle smile and an encouraging nod, and then continued with more questions.

But then I knew our time had definitely come to an end when I asked her the question, "Say hand without the /h/. What do you have left?"

She paused reflectively, looked around, and then with a great big smile replied, "I know. Fingers!"

KinderGarden Kids

2011-04-24T21:28:00.001-04:00

Through a grant from Lowe's, our school built potager gardens for each grade level to plant throughout the school year. This past week, we planted herbs and spring annuals while learning about plants.

Checking out the potager gardens planted by

other grade levels at our school

Getting the soil ready to plant a Marigold.

It was a hot afternoon in the Florida sun.

Getting a cool drink from the sprinkler system was refreshing

Kindergarten kids growing in the garden.

Kindergarten kids growing in the sun.

The most important thing about a Kindergarten kid...

Each one grows to be a special one.

No one's like the other it's plain to see.
Each one's as different as you and me.
Their arms are open and their hearts are too.
Their always ready for a hug from you.

A Walk to Remember

2011-04-17T12:27:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I took a very special walk in honor of one of my Kinders, Sydney. I joined her wonderful family and my coworkers for a morning dedicated to finding a cure for Type 1 Diabetes, sponsored by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). I was so humbled and moved by the children, young adults, families, and health care providers who rallied together as a community for this event, which raised $42,000!

I knew right away that Sydney was pretty special when I met her last August. She was diagnosed with Type 1 at 19 months of age, and since then has also been diagnosed with Celiacs Disease. She is so strong and so brave. Her Mom, Amy, explained to me that kids with Type 1 (plus celiacs) have to grow up pretty fast in order to manage their conditions, which never take a recess, not even when they sleep.

When I met her I didn't know anything about either disease, much less taking care of a student who has both. I have to admit....I was a little scared. Thankfully, Sydney and her Mom have been very patient with me throughout this school year. They taught me not only how to check Syd's glucose level, but how to work her Bolus wizard, how to calculate carbs, read the tellltale signs for lows and highs and what to do to correct them. I also learned how to make gluten free brownies and cake, where to buy gluten free pasta for classroom projects, and how to make sure that Sydney's environment stays as uncontaminated as possible.

But being Sydney's teacher has taught me so much more. Diabetes and Celiacs do not define Sydney. Everyday she triumphs over her obstacles with strength and humor. Instead of Sydney focusing on her own needs, she often seeks out others who need a little boost to help them to feel better about themselves. She helped me to create a classroom atmosphere this year that embraced compassion, empathy, and care above all else.

I will always be thankful to Sydney for blessing me and my classroom this year.

So the least I could do on a Saturday morning in April was to take a little walk for Sydney and pledge to do what I can to advocate for her and other students who come my way with Type 1.

It was truly a walk to remember.

Sydney showing off her prize basket for having the largest team in the walk.

Members of our Kinder Cub teaching team with Sydney

Sydney and her wonderful Mom, Amy

"When you do nothing you feel overwhelmed and powerless.

But when you get involved, you feel the sense of hope and accomplishment

that comes from knowing you are working to make things better"

*For more information about Type 1 Diabetes and what you can do to help, check out this link to the website for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF): http://www.jdrf.org/

Dunkin'....And I'm Not Talking About Basketball or Donuts

2011-04-07T22:10:00.001-04:00

Last Saturday our school held its annual Spring Festival. It's was a wonderful afternoon filled with fun games, yummy food, and entertainment. It's also our PTA's main fund raiser. This year we raised around $28,000. I think this is a phenomenal amount, given the economy right now plus the fact that my community is still pretty rural.

Each classroom operates a game or food booth, and mine was the bouncy house. It was great to talk with parents of past, present and (hopefully) future students while their kids bounced....and bounced...and bounced.

Next door to the bouncy house was the dunking booth. I signed up for a 30 minute shift in the dunk chair, along with our school's Principal and several other fellow faculty and staff members. Given the 83 degree weather on that day, it was actually refreshing to cool off again....and again....and again.

Our Principal, Mrs. Walker, was very confident that she wouldn't be dunked.

She brought along a good book to pass the time during her 30 minute shift.

Mr. Van, our Guidance Counselor, and Mrs. Kelley, one of our Para Extraordinaire.

All geared up and ready for their turns in the booth.

Some of our Kinders lining up and waiting to dunk a teacher (or two).

My intern, Ms. Brown, gives R. a high-five after a successful dunk.

Here I am, pleading with I. to go easy on me.

The begging and pleading didn't work. I went down!

...And down again. This time J. dunked me.

A little water-logged after about 20 dunks,

but I was still smiling nonetheless.

Note to self when contemplating another turn in the dunking booth at next year's festival:

Never underestimate the aim of a Kindergartener who wants to get their teacher REALLY wet.

**Thank you to Amy Andrews for capturing all the fun in photos!

Oh the Things They Will Say....Heart Glue

2011-04-01T20:51:00.002-04:00

I was walking down the the main hallway at school with three of my Kinders in tow when we passed one of my former students. I stopped to briefly say hello to him, ask how his learning day was going, and give him a quick hug.

As we resumed our walk, R. asked me about the boy who passed us. I explained that he used to be one of my students when he was in Kindergarten, and I like to check on him because I still care about him.

J. asked, "You mean you still love him like you love us?" I answered, "Absolutely. Once you are in Mrs. Pearce's class you are always in my heart."

S. asked, "Will we be in your heart after we go to 1st grade?"

I didn't hesitate to answer, "Of course you will."

R. posed the next question, "How do all those kids stay in your heart?"

I knew I better think fast on my feet and make this a good answer. So I explained that the kids stay in my heart because I remember all the wonderful times we had together. They stick like memories do in our heads.

J. caught on to this idea of sticking and ran with it. "Oh! All the kids stick in your heart like they have glue on them. Heart glue! I'll bet you need lots and lots of heart glue, Mrs. Pearce!"

If he only knew.....

A Great Find at Goodwill

2011-03-29T21:12:00.000-04:00

Anyone who knows me well knows how much I love shopping at Goodwill. I love the thrill of a great find and really good bargains when I least expect it. I also feel like I'm burdening the environment a little less by reusing items and clothing as well as supporting my community. Last week my husband and I visited four Goodwill stores while on spring break in the Panama City, Florida area. It was inexpensive, relaxing fun together.

This afternoon I dropped by my local Goodwill to see what I could find. Almost immediately something cute caught my eye in the furniture section. It was this little guy.

I couldn't resist taking him with me and can't wait to find a new home for him in my classroom. I think my Kinders will love him. I'm trying to decide.....Dramatic Play Area or the Reading Center? Hmmmm..... maybe I'll just ask the kids.

Learning from K-9 Friends

2011-03-27T15:06:00.006-04:00

Recently during our recent unit of study on community helpers, we were visited by the K-9 unit of the local correctional institution. Officer Mike Stallings happens to be the husband of Mrs. Stallings, one of my KG colleagues. He and two other officers were kind enough to share their expertise in this field.

They brought along two bloodhounds and a beagle named PeeWee. They told us all about these talented animals and the important job they do. During the presentation I kept thinking of parallels to how our Kinders best learn. It was fascinating, and I thought I would share a few comparisons with you.

K-9 dogs are trained to use multiple senses to do their work. At times their sense of sight and hearing will be overrun by their sense of smell. Young children experience learning through all of their senses, too. At times a learning activity will require the use of one sense more than another. It's important that as teachers we remember to incorporate a variety of activities when exploring a new concept that utilize not just the senses of sight or hearing, but that of touch, taste and smell as well.
Teaching K-9 dogs to track is very specific and intentional. The officers who train them have set goals in mind and the strategies they use target those goals. We need to remember that our classroom instruction needs to also be very intentional. We always need to keep the essential learning question in mind as we design lessons, activities, deliver instruction, and assess progress.
The officers practice the basic routines of tracking with their dogs everyday. We know that repetition is the key to mastering concepts with young children. We also know that they learn best with rich, engaging learning routines in place. They have a sense of success when these routines are accomplished and then reaccomplished again and again.
When PeeWee the beagle successfully picks up a scent when tracking, he lets his officer know by barking and yelping. The officer, in turn, knows that they are headed in the right direction. This reminded me that successful learning is not intended to be always be quiet. Sometimes we view chatting and talking out during instruction as disrespectful and off-task behaviors. We need to be intentional to listen specifically to what our students are saying and provide appropriate feedback. Often they are showing that they are totally engaged in our instruction and want to relate new knowledge to prior concepts. It's those linkages that are so powerful in learning.
When the target is reached, the K9 dogs are rewarded with both intrinsic praise (verbal praise, pats and petting) and extrinsic rewards (bones for chewing). The officers offer the extrinsic rewards only occasionally, so that the dogs don't expect them, and they never lose the sense of excitement and surprise when they receive them. As teachers we need to remember that stickers, skittles and trips to the treasure box are effective and exciting for our students. But it is the feeling inside of pleasure for a job well done that is the ultimate reward as learners and builds self esteem. We never need to underestimate the power of focused praise, a pat on the back....and great big hugs.

Living with animals can be a wonderful experience,

especially if we choose to learn the valuable lessons

animals teach through their natural enthusiasm,

grace, resourcefulness, affection and forgiveness.

— Richard H. Pitcairn

Spring Break

2011-03-21T10:14:00.000-04:00

We are on Spring Break here in North Florida. I thought it only appropriate to post at least once from my home away from home for the week....Panama City Beach. Today the forecast here is sunny with a high temperature of 81 degrees and slight ocean breeze. Here are some cool factoids about this beautiful area in case you ever want to visit.

It averages 320 days of sunshine every year.
The beaches are made of pure white sand that look like sugar. The sand is actually composed of quartz crystals washed down from the Appalachian mountains centuries ago.
The area boasts one of the highest numbers of bottlenose dolphins in the world.
TripAdvisor.com named the area's largest state park, St. Andrews, the #2 beach in America.
It's location is convenient for great day trips to other great beaches on the gulf coast like Destin, Ft. Walton, Pensacola, Cape San Blas and St. George Island.

I'm lucky to live only an hour or so away from PCB (as locals like me refer to it). But when my family visits, we feel like we are on a tropical vacation every single time.

I have only thing left to say about Panama City Beach and it pretty much summarizes the way I an feeling right now.....Ahhhhhhh.

Oh the Things They Will Say....All Grown Up

2011-03-18T23:00:00.002-04:00

During recess on a sunny afternoon this week a couple of my more observant Kinders noticed a blemish on my chin. They were curious enough to ask what it was and I simply told them. Then Mrs. Stallings, my colleague from the classroom next door, further mentioned that when they become teenagers they might experience a blemish or two themselves.

The teezer bedeezer in me couldn't let a good moment slip by and I teased, "See, you guys didn't know that Mrs. Pearce is still a teenager, did you?"

I. immediately protested by saying, "You are NOT a teenager. You are a grown up!"

"I'm a grown up? When did THAT happen?" was my response.
To this she matter-of-factly replied, "When you turned 100."

Oh The Things They Will Say.....Lepreckins

2011-03-15T19:44:00.001-04:00

This afternoon my Kinders created leprechaun hats to wear to lunch on St. Patrick's Day. As each student finished assembling a hat I wrote their new "leprechaun" name on it and then announced the name to the class. I attached an O' to the beginning of each student's last name and laughter erupted every time a new leprechaun name was said. I even gave myself a leprechaun name....Mrs. O'Pearce.

But R. wasn't so sure that she wanted to be called "R. O'Monroe" and she let me know that pretty directly. I asked her if she would like to be called "R. Leprechaun Monroe" instead and she agreed that she liked this option better. One of the kids decided to try out R's leprechuan name, but called her "R. Lepreckin Monroe" instead. Laughter ensued again around the room and B. spoke up to correct her. "It's not called a lepreckin. It's called a leprechaun. A lepreckin is what you call a little leprechaun kid."

Well I can't wait to accompany my 17 "lepreckins" to lunch on St. Patrick's Day later this week. And I hope the lunchroom ladies will serve green jello for dessert, too.

Alphablocks

2011-03-12T18:01:00.003-05:00

Recently one of my coteachers discovered Alphablocks and immediately fell in love with it. She shared it with the rest of our KG teaching team..and we did too! It's kind of like Starfall.com. The animation is absolutely terrific. My students watch a clip or two each week as we focus on particular phonics skills, and then beg to watch them over and over. I just love new discoveries that catch on quickly....don't you?

My Teaching Philosophy....the Wordle Way

2011-03-06T10:47:00.002-05:00

I recently checked out a recent post by Ash over at Teaching Happily Ever After. Wordle was used to generate her teaching philosophy. I was immediately curious and decided to take a stab at it. It's a great linguistic activity. Here's what my teach philosophy looks like. Do you see any words that you can relate to in your own philosophy?

Click on this link to go to Wordle and check out the large version of my philosophy which is much easier to read.

The Dot

2011-03-05T10:47:00.000-05:00

I recently discovered a children's book, so profound, that I knew I needed to share it with people who love teaching and learning as much as I do. It's called The Dot, and it perfectly captures the essence of teaching and learning better than any college textbook or guide to the latest, innovative educational movement that I have seen.

I have read The Dot over and over from different perspectives. From the perspective of a student, and then as a teacher. It was important to me to do this because I consider myself both a teacher and a student simultaneously. That's what makes teaching so magical.

I shared it with my students and I was delighted that they were familiar with it. They remembered that Ms. Brooks, our school's art teacher, read it with them at the beginning of the school year. (The actual setting of the book is an art classroom).
Since then I have shared it with my KG teaching team, my student intern, our school's reading coach, my husband (who is an elementary school principal), and now you....my blogging community. And I'm not finished sharing yet. It's THAT special.

If you are interested, check out the links on the book's title. It will take you directly to the author, Peter H. Reynold's website.

"Just make a mark and see where it takes you."

Classroom Activities Inspired by Dr. Seuss

2011-02-21T12:54:00.002-05:00

I love Dr. Seuss. I love his endless imagination. His use of rhyme. His illustrations. Some of my favorite classroom ideas have been inspired by his books. In recognition on of his upcoming birthday on March 2, I would like to share some of them with you.

Create a unit on the five senses or the human body using The Ear Book, The Eye Book, The Foot Book, The Tooth Book, and Horton Hears a Hoo.
Read There's a Wocket in my Pocket and encourage students to write and illustrate their own silly rhyming pairs like 'there's a smed on my bed' or 'there's a wanket on my blanket.'
Explore the association between colors and emotions by reading My Many Colored Days (which is perhaps my favorite Seuss book of all). After reading, ask students to 'act out' the colors. I am always surprised at the emotions evoked by the color green.
Make some oobleck (a.k.a. goop) after reading Bartholomew and the Oobleck. This is an awesome activity to use when discussing matter, solids, and liquids.
Cook (and chow down on) Green Eggs and Ham after reading the book. Particularly fun to do on St. Patrick's Day.
Read If I Ran the Zoo and then put students to work in small groups to create their own collections of imaginary animals.
Use Ten Apples on Top to practice writing and sequencing numbers. Ask students to draw a portrait of themselves with ten apples on top of their head and the numbers one to ten written inside each apple.
Read Oh the Places You'll Go during the last week of the school year. Ask students to write and draw about their plans for the future (or at least summer break).

Check out these amazing websites devoted to Dr. Seuss:

I'm Stylin? WOW!

2011-02-19T15:46:00.000-05:00

My blog is stylin' and I didn't even know it!

Many happy thanks to Shannon at http://kinder-pond.blogspot.com/ for recognizing me with the Stylish Blogger Award!

Here are the rules for receiving this award:

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award
2. Share 7 things about yourself
3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers
4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award

7 things about me:

1. Teaching is actually my 2nd career and I started at age 35. I spent 14 years working at Florida State University.
2. I love to shop for teaching supplies on EBay.
3. Two things on my teacher "bucket list"......Attend the National Kindergarten Teachers Conference and record my own album of classroom tunes.
4. My family are avid Florida State Seminole fans. Go 'Noles!
5. My favorite teacher quote: "It's the process where true learning can be seen...not the product."
6. The very best science lesson I ever taught used only a pipe cleaner (chenille stem).
7. I still get butterflies in my stomach every year on the 1st day of school.

15 amazing bloggers who are getting this award next:

http://lookatmyhappyrainbow.blogspot.com/
http://misterkindergarten.blogspot.com/
http://kidney-garden.blogspot.com/
http://mrsguntoriusclass.blogspot.com/
http://iteachkinderkids.blogspot.com/
http://teachinghappilyeverafter.blogspot.com/
http://krazyforkindergarten.blogspot.com/
http://hicks-thealphabetgarden.blogspot.com/
http://putyourwholeselfin.blogspot.com/
http://www.heidisongs.com/Heidis_Teaching_Blog/Blog.html
http://poulingail.edublogs.org/
http://chocolateforteachers.blogspot.com/
http://blog.havefunteaching.com/
http://kdgroom102.blogspot.com/
http://mrskilburnkiddos.wordpress.com/

2011-02-15T20:28:00.000-05:00

Happy "The Day After Valentine's Day"
sweet dreams....

Heavy Lifting

2011-02-13T14:03:00.000-05:00

This past week was very different for me as a teacher. First and foremost, I was not in the classroom very much. Secondly, when I was in the classroom I sat back and watched as my student intern took the helm and taught everything. Third, I spent the greater part of my week at a conference on Lesson Studies where I spent alot time thinking about teaching and learning. I thought about it so much that my brain actually hurt.

Talk about reflection. My entire week was spent reflecting on what effective teaching looks like. What meaningful learning looks like. What motivates both to successfully happen. And that its all about the heavy lifiting.

Definitions of heavy lifting I found on Google range from "difficult work" to "actively working toward making or doing something." I think heavy lifting in teaching is a combination of both.

We know as educators that teaching in America right now is difficult work. We deal with time constraints, funding contraints, constraints from constant new governmental mandates and initiatives, and constraints felt from the lack of parental support. But despite these we teach. We persevere. And we do it for the kids.

As a relatively new teacher (this is my 8th year) I didn't know what it was like to teach without these challenges. This is the only teaching reality that I know. I signed up for it knowing that it was going to be like this. And I never regret doing so. I want to make a difference in my students' lives. I want to make the most of the challenges..

This brings me to the second definition of heavy lifting. Active work that is intentional, meaningful and perpetual. As educators we learn to teach and teach to learn. This is our science. Our schools are our laboratories. We should feel empowered to know that we are foremost scientists in the study of teaching and learning.

But do we do the heavy lifting ALL of the time? I don't think so. I heavy lift for my colleagues every time I offer a strategy, help them take care of a challenging student, assist them in preparing cumbersome paperwork, sit in on a parent conference, or lend a listening ear. And I let them heavy lift for me. I couldn't work any other way.

When do our students do the heavy lifting? This is the magical part. Knowing how best our students learn, being aware of their needs, and teaching them with the best strategies we can find. Teaching them to problem solve, and to know that the process of solving a problem is even more important than the actual solution. Encouraging them to take risks and scaffold their learning so that they feel empowered (just like we do) to guide their own learning whenever possible. And to help others to learn too.

Heavy lifting is pretty heavy stuff. And worth every single daily workout.

Is it Elvis? The Beatles? Nooo It's.....Jack Hartmann!

2011-02-03T20:43:00.002-05:00

This morning we were getting our wiggles out on the learning rug before beginning reading activities. As we routinely do, we started out with a few selections from one of my favorite performers of children's music, Jack Hartmann (who - by the way- is a fellow Floridian). The kids loved singing and dancing to "Freeze It" and "Hip Hop to the Alphabet" and "Is It a Word Or Not" from his Hip Hop Alpha Bop cd and immediately wanted to hear more.

As I searched for yet another cool selection to play, a conversation began on the rug that centered around Mr. Hartmann's music. Various song titles were recalled, including "Hip Hop Tooty Ta" and "The Silly Pirate Song." Then one of my friends announced, "I like ALL those songs."

What was said next can only be compared to the degree of adoration displayed by devoted fans of Elvis, The Beatles, or The Eagles.

T, as matter of factly as could be, replied to the friend by saying, "Well yeah! It IS Jack Hartmann."

I think an official Jack Hartmann fan club is in the making. And I'm gonna sign up, too.

Oh The Things They Will Say.....Picture It

2011-02-02T07:27:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, during Reading on the rug, I was talking with my Kinders about the magic of our mind and how fun it is to picture something in our brain and even spell its word. This is a pretty abstract concept so we needed to practice. First we used the object of a cat. I set the scene...."Picture in your brain a cat. What does the cat look like? What color is he? "Is he big or little? What does he sound like? How does he move? Now see the letters in the word cat as you say the sounds."

Almost immediately I began to hear a few ooohs and aaahs in the group and some friends even started to describe the cat they imagined out loud. But one friend was having a little trouble. He just couldn't see a cat in his mind. He said he had no picture frame. And he was starting to get frustrated. Friends began to help him. "Come on...you can do it....see the cat....c-a-t....see the letters?

I. just knew she had a solution to our friend's dilemma and she announced, "It's easy. Just roll your eyes backwards in your head and you can see it!"

That's when my lesson on Imagery turned into something I had not expected. And we spent the next five minutes trying to roll our eyes backwards in our head.

Now that was a sight. I'll bet you can picture it.

Favorite Classroom Books About Diversity

2011-01-29T16:46:00.001-05:00

Next week our Social Studies unit of study will be on Diversity. This is one of my favorite units to teach because it includes some really great children's books like these.....

The Colors of Us

One of my very favorites.

A walk around a neighboorhood teaches a little girl

that we are all beautiful shades of brown.

The Crayon Box That Talked

This book teaches that celebrating the uniqueness of others

can make beautiful things happen.

It's Ok to Be Different

I love the friendly, colorful illustrations in this book.

The Little White Owl

This heartwarming story celebrates the special talents

in each and every little being that sometimes, at first glance, are overlooked

We Are All Alike...We Are All Different

This book was illustrated by a Kindergarten classroom

We're Different, We're the Same

You can't beat an oldie but a goodie from our friends at Sesame Street.

The Happy Earth Song

2011-01-27T19:17:00.001-05:00

Today after a great lesson about recycling and taking care of our planet, A. became so inspired that he composed a song about it. I can't think of a better public service announcement than a cute Kindergartener singing about loving the Earth!

Nice day when the trees are open...

Cause it makes my heart PROUD!

Sweet Jeano

2011-01-23T09:08:00.002-05:00

Goodbyes are tough. This week one of our dear classroom friends, Jeono, moved to another school in our district. No advanced notice. No visit from the parent. No phone call. No note in the backpack. Just a call from the registrar first thing on Thursday morning with the sad news. I hate it when that happens.

After sharing a tear or two before the morning bell with my classroom intern, Ms. Brown, I knew that we needed to gently tell the class and embrace the moment in order to have closure. The kids needed it. Ms. Brown and I needed it.

We gathered our little guys on the rug and told them. And then we talked. We talked about the best parts of Jeano that Mrs. Pearce could share with his new teacher. Here's what some of my friends had to say...

He was always kind to everybody.
He shared his castle with me in the sandbox.
He was always good.
He was a friend to Andrew. (Said by Andrew in 3rd person).
He will always have us in his heart.

Then we sang "The More We Get Together" and we moved on with our learning day with a little more smiles than tears. Later, we made a card to send to him at his new school with everyone's picture and autograph.

His new teacher called me to talk. It was wonderful. I was able to share every single wonderful word that my little ones had to say about Jeano. And that was plenty.

“Saying goodbye doesn't mean anything.

It's the time we spent together that matters, not how we left it.”

Trey Parker

100th Day Fun

2011-01-22T11:25:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we celebrated the 100th day of school. From the first day of school this year I have promised my Kinders that on the 100th day we would have a pizza party and do some other really fun activities. And we certainly did! Highlights of our day together....

Bonding over a 100's chart early in the morning.

J. gets ready to pop a piece of bubble gum in his mouth.

We all chewed bubble gum 100 times and then practiced blowing bubbles.

Our literacy selection for this week was "The Little Red Hen." On Monday Mrs. Larremore at Chalk Talk: A Kindergarten Blog featured a 100's day activity based on the book "The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza" in which a huge, 100 topping pizza is created. I could not believe the timing of the coincidence and altered my lesson plans to incorporate her activity. I love it when this happens. Thank you, Mrs. Larremore, for your inspiring idea!

D. displays the book. If you have never read it check it out!!

Here is our 100th day pizza from beginning.....

to middle....

to end!

We carried on the pizza theme by making our own english muffin pizzas. Yum!

Shhh....We're Hibernating Here!

2011-01-18T21:22:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share with you another fun winter tradition in my classroom. In order to give my Kinders a good idea about the length of time that an animal might hibernate in the wild, we let a bear have a long winter's nap in our classroom. Got your curiosity up?

Here is our bear....ferocious looking isn't he?

Mr. Bear got lots of hugs and kisses

before he went into his "cave" for hibernation.

In you go.....night night Mr. Bear!

We will keep Mr. Bear nice and cozy in our classroom

until we let him out again in the spring.

Until then....sweet dreams~

Brrr....Blubber!

2011-01-16T11:36:00.001-05:00

One of my all time favorite--super easy--Winter science experiments is "Blubber." It is a tradition in my classroom every year when we talk about Winter animal coverings....particularly those animals in an arctic habitat like the whale, walrus and seal....who need that thick layer of oily skin to protect them from frozen temperatures.

All it takes is a can of Crisco (or another brand of vegetable shortening),

an eye dropper and a cup of water.

Each child applies some of the shortening to their forearm.

Once the Crisco is applied, place a few drops of water on top.

The water beads up nicely on top of the Crisco shortening.

This represents the insolubility of oil and water.

I love this shot of my Kinders observing their arms up close.

They remind me of little seal pups all in a row!

One of my Kinders wondered during the discussion if our own Florida manatee has blubber. They actually don't. But I was amazed at her critical thinking on the subject as it relates to our beloved sea cow (who looks a little like a walrus if you think about it).

A great expansion activity on "Blubber" is this experiment I found on the Gulf of Maine Aquarium's site. "Blubber Gloves" is super easy and way cooool, too!

Oh The Things They Will Say....What's in a Name?

2011-01-11T20:01:00.000-05:00

Today during Reading instruction we were busily categorizing words with the sound of /l/ in them. One category contained words that begin with /l/; one for words with /l/ as a final sound; and a category for words that have /l/ somewhere in the middle.

The activity was going along really well, especially when we discovered that many of our names contain the sound of /l/. Lillian, Tyler, Danielle, Collier, Riley, Miller, Lance, and Lexi just to name a few. And then B, (who hasn't an /l/ anywhere in his name) raised his hand to contribute to the group, And boy did he ever when he excitedly exclaimed, "Mrs. Pearce I know someone ....Will Ferrell!"

Now how can you top that?

Ice Ice Baby!

2011-01-08T13:34:00.002-05:00

Living in North Florida, we almost never see sleet or snow. And usually the only ice we see comes in the crushed or cube forms to keep stuff cold in the blazing hot Florida sun. So you can imagine how much fun it is for my Kinders to observe large chunks of ice. But we have to make our own. And that's just what we did this week in a cooperative Science activity with Mrs. Stallings' KG class next door.

First we started with a large cake mold of frozen water

Then a middle size bowl of frozen water was placed on top of it

Finally a smaller bowl of frozen water was placed on the very top

Then we dropped food coloring on the ice so that

we could easily see the ice melting

Using more than one color added some learning magic

As the ice melted, the colors mixed to create new colors.

This added a cool learning element to the lesson that we had not anticipated.

Don't you just love it when that happens?

We're Baaack.....and Busy as Bees!

2011-01-05T23:40:00.000-05:00

Well, the second half of the school year is underway and there is one word for our week so far....busy! I think these photos do a great job capturing lots of active learning fun....

Creating sets of play dough shapes

Examining a nest up close

Castle construction underway!

Exploring kaleidocopes and magnets

Working together to build a big floor puzzle

Creativity abounds in the Writing Center

Sorting pictures by beginning sounds is lots of phonics fun!

Five Reasons to Love Going Back to Kindergarten After Winter Break

2011-01-02T13:26:00.000-05:00

I usually post my recap at the end of an exhausting and exhilarating week spent teaching Kindergarten. But since I haven't been in the classroom in over two weeks, I decided to capture some of the wonderful reasons why I look forward going back to my Kinders after the long winter break.

1. Greeting my little ones at the door with hugs, hugs and more hugs.
2. Watching them proudly show off new haircuts, tennis shoes, and lost teeth.
3. Seeing how much they have grown! I am always amazed at the growth spurt that happens during the winter break.
4. Marveling at how quickly my students settle back into our learning routine with just a little (gentle) nudging and lots of loving reinforcement.

For my last reason I consulted my husband, who is the Principal of a neighboring elementary school in our community. He summed it up perfectly....

5. I look forward to seeing my students (all 579 of them) because I miss "their happy."

Teacher...I Am The New Year

2011-01-01T00:00:00.009-05:00

I found this poem by an unknown author and I love its message for the new year. As I read it a second time, I substituted the words "life" and "living" with the words "teacher" and "teaching." The poem immediately became even more meaningful to me and I wanted to share it with you. Blessings to you on this first day of 2011. Thank you for following my blog these last 5 months!

LIFE I AM THE NEW YEAR

Life I am the new year.

I am an unspoiled page in your book of time.

I am your next chance at the art of living.

I am your opportunity to practice

what you have learned about life

during the last twelve months.

All that you sought

and didn't find is hidden in me,

waiting for you to search it out

with more determination.

All the good that you tried for

and didn't achieve

is mine to grant

when you have fewer conflicting desires.

All that you dreamed but didn't dare to do,

all that you hoped but did not will,

all the faith that you claimed but did not have --

these slumber lightly,

waiting to be awakened

by the touch of a strong purpose.

I am your opportunity

to renew your allegiance to Him who said,

"Behold, I make all things new."

I am the new year.

(thanks to http://hubpages.com/hub/free-new-years-clip-art

for the use of the cute clip art image found at the beginning of this post)

2010-12-25T09:19:00.000-05:00

"Welcome, Christmas, bring your cheer. Cheer to all Whos far and near.

Christmas Day is in our grasp so long as we have hands to clasp.

Christmas Day will always be just as long as we have we.

Welcome Christmas while we stand, heart to heart and hand in hand."

from "How The Grinch Stole Christmas!" by Dr. Seuss, 1957

Wishing you a magical Christmas!

Believe....

2010-12-22T21:37:00.002-05:00

I love to cozy up with a good book (or two) during the Winter Break. I just finished reading a novel called "Lakeshore Christmas" by Susan Wiggs. Interdispersed within the book are well-known quotes, prose and small passages about the holiday season. One such piece, "The Christmas Credo" by Daniel Roselle, immediately touched my heart and I wanted to share it with you.

At Christmas time I believe the things that children do.

I believe with English children that holly placed in windows

will protect our homes from evil.

I believe with Swiss children that the touch of edelweiss

will charm a person with love.

I believe with Italian children that la Befana is not an ugly doll but a good fairy who

will gladden the hearts of all.

I believe with Greek children that coins concealed in freshly baked loaves of bread

will bring good luck to anyone who finds them.

I believe with German children that the sight of a Christmas tree

will lessen hostility among adults.

I believe with French children that lentils soaked and planted in a bowl

will rekindle life in people who have lost hope.

I believe with Dutch children that the horse Sleipner

will fly through the sky and fill the earth with joy.

I believe with Swedish children that Jultomte

will come and deliver gifts to the poor as well as to the rich.

I believe with Finnish children that parties held on St. Stephen's Day

will erase sorrow.

I believe with Danish children that the music of a band playing from a church tower

will strengthen humankind.

I believe with Bulgarian children that sparks from a Christmas log

will create warmth in human souls.

I believe with American and Canadian children that the sending of Christmas cards

will build friendships.

I believe with ALL children that there will be peace on earth.

Five Reasons to Love This Week

2010-12-17T21:44:00.000-05:00

Boy...this week went by very fast. Parent conferences, end of term assessments, and our Winter Holidays party made it a jam-packed time. I have finally slowed down to reflect, and here are my top five reasons to love teaching KG this week.

1. Sitting across from a parent in a conference and watching his face beam as I tell him just how much his little boy has blossomed during the past three months.
2. Being visited all week long by former students. They showered me with homemade cards, cookies, a used teddy bear, and an entire bag of mini Snickers (my favorite candy bar).
3. Singing and dancing over and over again to "Milton the Dancing Christmas Mouse" by Jack Hartmann. If you have never heard this song, check out this link. It is adorable. My students love it and ask for it again and again.
4. Reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and taking delight in hearing my students recite the story along with me.
5. Giving (and getting) great big goodbye hugs from my Kinders to last two whole weeks. Our Winter Holiday break began this afternoon at 1:15 pm.

A Holiday Trip Around the World

2010-12-13T20:17:00.000-05:00

What moves faster than a spinning dreidel and is more powerful than eight reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh?.......the holiday "trip" around the world that our Kinders took last week. Every teacher on our KG team adopted one holiday custom, developed a fun learning activity about it, then rotated among each classroom to present the lesson. We learned about Hannukah, Kwaanza, La Posada, St. Lucia, and the tradition of the Christmas tree. Whew!

St. Lucia wreath from Sweden

Kwaanza woven placemat

Paper plate poinsettia from Mexico

Chanukah menorah

and the traditional Christmas tree

Winter Holiday Storybooks for Cozy Reading

2010-12-12T04:26:00.016-05:00

I don't think anything can get more cozy than to gather on the learning rug to read a story on a cold December day before the Winter Break begins. Even here in North Florida where the weather can be 78 degrees one day and 50 degrees the next (which is pretty chilly by Florida standards)!

Here are my classroom favorites that I read (and reread) at this time every year.

A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe

The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie De Paola

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Kwaanza by Rex Perry

I Have a Little Dreidel by Maxie Baum

Twas The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore

(I love the illustrations in this one by Cheryl Harness)

The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett

And a new favorite counting book that I just discovered last week:

Christmas For 10 by Cathryn Falwell

Five Reasons to Love This Week

2010-12-11T12:28:00.001-05:00

Here are my top five reasons to love teaching Kindergarten this week:

1. One of my students was out for a week because his Grandpa passed away. When he came back he was showered with so many hugs I thought he was going to be smothered.
2. I discovered a new book, "You Are Special" by Max Lucado. One of my parent volunteers brought it in to share with the class. It is one of the most touching stories I have ever read to my students. I am ordering a copy for my classroom library right after I finish this post.
3. A parent lovingly baked about 50 dough ornaments for the kids to paint. She even made some out of rice flour for my student who has Celiacs and should not come in contact with wheat products.
4. When I sat down to help a student assemble a paper plate menorah, he immediately began to sing the "Chanukah Song" by Adam Sandler. Too cute was he.
5. I intoduced the concept of the special "Santa Cam" installed into our classroom ceiling where Santa and his elves can take a peek at any time to see how we are learning and behaving. It is actually part of the surround sound system in the room but the kids stare at it in awed wonder anyway. I love the magic of Christmas!

2010-12-07T21:28:00.000-05:00

I just received the best news! Alexis Brett from http://www.onlinedegrees.org/ just recognized my blog in an article she wrote on the "Top 100 Classroom Blogs." I am humbled and so excited. This is a huge affirmation that I am indeed onto something pretty magical here.

Here is a link to the article. I am looking forward to checking out the other blogs featured in the article. What a great resource. Thanks Alexis!

Oh The Things They Will Say.....Double Dipping

2010-12-05T04:04:00.001-05:00

This past week Science was all about germs. We learned that germs can be bacteria or viruses. We learned (and practiced) how to thoroughly wash our hands while singing the ABC song twice through and not missing the crevices between our fingers. We learned how to cough and sneeze appropriately. We learned that during meal times we do not share the same fork, spoon, straw, napkin, or glass. And the big one that caught many by surprise....no double dipping your carrot sticks, apple slices, potato chips, or fondue.

I was happy to witness my Kinders carrying out the strategies I taught them all through the week. I saw them cough into their sleeves. Ask for tissues politely and discreetly. Wash their hands with expert agililty. And then R. really applied his newfound knowledge. While making a Christmas Bear puppet he summoned my attention and anxiously announced, "Mrs. Pearce! B. is double dipping...in the glue!" You see my Kinders share little plastic pots of glue on their table and use their pointer fingers to dip and stick. In this case I guess B. was taking a dip, stick, dip.

This proved to be a sticky teaching moment for me. I pondered....Is double dipping in the glue pot a germ spreader, too?

Five Reasons

2010-12-04T10:56:00.001-05:00

I am going to try a new blog ritual today. At the end of every week, I will list 5 reasons why I love teaching Kinders. I think it will be a good way for me to intentionally recognize the wonder of the grade level that I get to experience every day. Here goes.....!

1. Simply changing the classroom calendar from November to December ignites excitement like no other.
2. Deep belly-giggles every time I annouce the title of the song. "Alphardy" by Dr. Jean.
3. Watching a student be greeted so warmly by her friends after being out with a nasty case of strep throat. They ran to the door when they saw her enter and one friend even gently helped to take off her coat.
4. Seeing five year old eyes light up when I passed around a bowl full of Cinnamon potpurri and asked "Do you smell Christmas?"
5. Warm December hugs. What more can I say.

Oh The Things They Will Say....Brain Gas

2010-12-02T07:25:00.000-05:00

We were having a terrific time story-mapping "Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?" yesterday. My Kinders were brainstorming where and when the story took place. It was one of those magical lessons where you know there is some mighty good Bloom's Taxonomy stuff going on. Some of my students thought the story took place in the daytime because the kids in the book were at school with the teacher. Some thought it took place in a zoo where animals live. Maybe they were on a field trip. Some thought it was in the daytime because Mr. Carle painted the pictures on a white background. Except for the white dog on a black background 'cause that was at night.

After about eight minutes of this lively discussion, B. had reached his brainstorming limit. He raised his hand to speak and said, "I have had enough. My brain is out of brain gas!"

I asked B. what we needed to do to fill his brain back up. He didn't have a response. And I think that was a first.

2010-11-25T09:36:00.000-05:00

Turkey lurkey doo and

Turkey lurkey dap

I eat that turkey

Then I take a nap.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Warm Fuzzies

2010-11-22T07:24:00.002-05:00

My Kinders have responded very well to a classroom incentive I like to refer to as "Warm Fuzzies." It involves a glass jar and LOTS of craft poms. Each time wonderful group behavior is displayed, a craft pom (warm fuzzy) is put into the jar. I drew a line on the jar about half-way up. If the warm fuzzies reach this line....the class gets an ice cream party. Later, when the warm fuzzies reach the top of the jar....a pizza party is the ultimate reward!

I use this incentive tool to target group behaviors that I want the kids to work on together. Walking quietly in hallway. Transitioning quietly and independently between classroom activities. Using great table manners in the lunchroom.

One of the most recent warm fuzzies my kinders received was for behaving so responsibly in the library that they were allowed to check out a library book. (A privilege that is normally not given to Kinders at our school until January). I made a REALLY big deal about this warm fuzzy. I picked a yellow fuzzy and described its golden color as though it were an Olympic medal. I let the classroom leader of day stand on a pedestal stool to put it into the glass jar. We ooohed and aweed. And then the remarks started about how good getting this warm fuzzy felt.

B: "I feel like a 1st grader!"
A: "I feel like a 2nd grader!"
E: "I feel like a high schooler!"
C: "I feel like a college student!"
I: "I feel like ice cream!"

My class is now one warm fuzzy away from an ice cream party and are licking their lips in anticipation.

Hats Off to Learning Fun

2010-11-20T17:24:00.002-05:00

About a month ago we recognized National Red Ribbon Week at our school. Each day students were encouraged to dress up in different themes to celebrate making healthy life choices. One of the days was Hat Day and my Kinders were too cute. I forgot to post the pictures sooner, so here they are later!

And the silliest of them all....Mrs. Pearce!

I is for Ice Cream

2010-11-13T19:05:00.001-05:00

This past week we celebrated the letter I and both of its cool sounds. The KG teaching team surprised our Kinders with a culminating activity to end our week. We invited Carlos the Scientist to come visit us and make ice cream using liquid nitrogen. (insert ooohs and awes). We are very fortunate to have the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Florida State University nearby to our school. They have an excellent educational outreach program that is FREE! It is a wonderful way to bring field trip opportunities to our students; particularly in these economically precarious times (I tried to say that as delicately as possible).

Now on to some fun photo highlights of our yummy learning experience....

To begin, Carlos showed the kids how to use
safety gear before beginning an experiment.

The experiment began with typical ingredients for homemade ice cream.
Milk, half and half, vanilla extract and eggs.

Next, Carlos adds the liquid nitrogen to speed up the freezing process

There is some science magic going on here!

The finished product....no churn needed and

ready to serve within 5 minutes!

Thumbs up for the best ice cream EVER!

What a delicious way to learn about Science and the letter I. I don't think our Kinders will ever forget Scientist Carlos.

Oh The Things They Will Say.....Supersize

2010-11-06T12:27:00.001-04:00

B. is a cute little blond haired boy in my class with an raspy voice unique for a 5 year old. He is always excited to come to school each day and cannot wait for one learning activity to end before anxiously anticipating the next. He taught the whole class to sing "My Country Tis of Thee" at Calendar Time and loves to share his experiences with everyone. B. had a very good learning week. He (almost) managed to stay in the green zone on our behavioral chart every day.

On Friday morning I encouraged my Kinders by telling them that I just knew we were going to have a great day to end our learning week. At this moment B. couldn't resist sharing his latest excitement. He stood up from his chair, ran over to me and said, "Mrs. Pearce! My Poppy said if I stay on green today he is going to supersize my surprise!"

Now that's one surprise I can't wait to hear about on Monday.

It's Pumpkin Time!

2010-10-30T18:36:00.015-04:00

We have had loads of pumpkin fun during the past two weeks.
Here are some highlights.

Our pumpkin patch was packed with paper bag pumpkins

We enjoyed a Five Little Pumpkins rhyme extension activity

Check out this cute little jack o'lantern created
for our family homework activity

We used a glyph like this....

to create pumpkin faces like this

Before creating our classroom jack o'lantern,
we practiced drawing different combinations of shapes

Then it was time to carve our pumpkin....

Happy Halloween!

Sh is for Shingles (Insert Scratch Here)

2010-10-23T18:34:00.002-04:00

I'm back after a little absence from my blog. And boy do I have a story for you.

Around three Wednesdays ago I discovered what I thought were four mysterious insect bites on my upper right arm. They were in a perfectly straight line and had formed into some nasty looking welts. It looked like a bug or spider had crawled into my sleeve and stung me again and again. On Thursday they were still there and itched like crazy. On Friday I started feeling like I was coming down with the flu and was still itching. By Saturday morning I had two more bites, all in the same area of my right arm, but the welts were getting more painful. Kind of like someone was sticking needles into my arm when I least expected it. I told my husband about it and we immediately began a Google search for "spider bites." We searched until we found a picture that looked just like my arm. That is when my husband turned to me and said, "Honey it looks like a case of Shingles to me." Nah.....couldn't be I thought. That's a condition that you usually get after you are old enough to collect Social Security. I didn't want to take off work on Monday to go to the doctor, so I made an appointment to our HMO's Urgent Care Facility. And I felt silly doing so.

Six hours later, after a full examination, two steroid shots, a prescription for the world's largest blue pill and a doctor's order to stay home from school for one whole week....the diagnosis of Shingles was confirmed. When I told the Urgent Care physician that I was a Kindergarten Teacher he laughed and said, "Now THAT might be the stress that brought on your Shingles." For one moment I felt validated. And then sighed deeply and went back to my scratching. And thus began the longest and most uncomfortable week I have had since a bout with Kidney Stones about ten years ago.

I am much better now and no longer contagious. I went back to school this week and got LOTS of hugs and a great big card from my Kinders. My doctor wants to boost my immune system a little bit and that sounds good to me. The End. (Insert single scratch here).

2010-10-10T18:58:00.000-04:00

You do!

My blog just experienced it's 1000th visit.

This is great affirmation that I am on to something pretty magical.

Thanks to Shabby Blogs for their cute blog button.

And thanks to you for visiting me!

Oh The Things They Will Say....Wrong Feet

2010-10-09T14:23:00.003-04:00

We were returning to our classroom from P.E. yesterday down the long hallway that stretches from one wing of our school to another. The distance of which is like traveling from Maine to Key West while herding 18 wild goats. On a good day the line moves steadily and efficiently. On a more "lively" day I might stop five times to remind friends that we don't touch the wall, bulletin boards, students from another class who are passing by, the friend in front of them, or the friend behind them. I think you might know what I mean.

When my classs finally got back to the room, J. reported to me that the friend behind him had stepped on his shoe. I noticed that not only was his shoe untied but it was turned completely backwards as well. I gently brought this to his attention by saying that perhaps if his shoelace was tied a friend would not have stepped on it.

J. glanced down at his shoe and studied it for a moment as though he had just discovered a dinosaur fossil or seen his shoes for the very first time and proclaimed, "Look! It's on the wrong foot too!"

I just love "aha" moments.

P is for Pajamas!

2010-10-03T11:40:00.001-04:00

How do you celebrate the letter Pp in style? With a Pajama Day, of course!

Why is I. so sad?
Because Mrs. Pearce teased that in honor of Pajama Day
we were going to take a nap....all day long!
Mrs. Pearce is quite the "teezer bedeezer" sometimes.

Here we are...the whole crew in our pajamas

on a beautiful fall day in North Florida

Oh the Things They Will Say....Piggies and Tofu

2010-10-02T10:57:00.001-04:00

I noticed that many of my Kinders have little or no experience with classic rhymes and finger plays so I decided to incorporate them into my recent phonemic awareness instruction. This week I featured Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush and This Little Piggy and they loved it. We went round that mulberry bush every day in whole group until Mrs. Pearce was a little dizzy and we found that our fingers (and even Mrs. Pearce's toes) make wonderful piggies.

To scaffold the activity we had alot of fun substituting words in the rhymes. For instance, instead of going to market our piggies went to Target or Wal Mart. And instead of roast beef our piggies ate pizza, tacos and.....tofu.

Yep, you read correctly. According to I. her Grandma always says tofu when they sing the rhyme together. When I asked her why tofu she matter-of-factly told me..."Cause my Grandma's a vegetarian!"

Oh The Things They Will Say.....Gorgeous

2010-09-28T20:23:00.002-04:00

Today during storytime a student from the classroom next door came by to return a book that his teacher had borrowed. I had never met this little guy so I introduced myself. As he left I commented to the class that he was a very handsome young man. One of my students chimed in and said that he was pretty. Giggles erupted and I gently explained that we usually refer to girls as pretty and to boys as handsome.

Never missing an opportunity to make a good point, C. announced most emphatically, "Girls are not pretty. They are GORGEOUS!"

I have decided to rename C. He will be referred to as P.C. from now on. P.C. for Prince Charming.

Patterns Galore

2010-09-25T11:45:00.005-04:00

I think one of the most important concepts we work on in Kindergarten is Patterning. It is so essential for young children in both early math and reading. Each year at this time we spend about three weeks on solid instruction and practice in Patterning. I think it sets a successful pace for the rest of the school year. My little ones begin to see and hear patterns EVERYWHERE! Even after our unit of study is complete, I continue to teach about patterns by infusing them into our daily learning environment. It's like a never ending pattern hunt!

I am always searching for good storybooks on patterning. Here are a few favorites from my classroom library that focus on patterns in sound, movement and the environment.

These next books are favorites for patterns in reading.

Joy Cowley wrote three of these books. She is a fantastic children's author who frequently uses patterns to build fluency. Her books are among my students' most requested read alouds!

Some of the fun Patterning activities we do include:

A Pattern Walk through the school campus. It is amazing what patterns kids find in carpet, ceiling tiles, concrete block walls, windows. You name it....they find it!
A Pattern Gallery in our classroom. I dump about 500 manipulatives of different shapes, colors and sizes on the learning carpet. Each child chooses 6-8 and builds a pattern at their table. When everyone is finished, I play relaxing piano music and the kids visit the tables as though they are an art gallery. Each child's pattern becomes a work of art! When it is clean up time it becomes a great sorting activity as all 500 manipulatives go back into their correct boxes.
Partner Patterns in which kids take turns with a partner to create, then copy and extend each other's pattern.

Have you heard of Carol Hurst? She has a wonderful website with a section devoted to Patterns in Children's Literature. Check it out!

Oh The Things They Will Say....Baby Parts

2010-09-21T19:12:00.000-04:00

T. is very excited because her Mommy is having a baby. Yesterday T. went to the doctor with her Mommy to view the ultrasound that would reveal whether she is having a baby brother or sister. Today she proudly brought in three fuzzy ultrasound pictures to share with the class.

I introduced her special share time by saying, "Class, T. has something very special to show us today. She has photos called ultrasound that are kind of like xrays. They are pictures of the inside of her Mommy's tummy. T, what is in each of these pictures?"

Just before T. could respond up popped B. who announced to everyone, "I know, I know! Them are baby parts!"

By the way.....T's Mommy is having a girl.

T is for.......a Terrific Time with our Teddies!

2010-09-19T14:54:00.000-04:00

Celebrating the letter T is a terrific tradition in KG at our school. We read "The Terrible Tiger" by Joy Cowley. We make tiger puppets. We recite the classic rhyme "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear." And we always end the week by bringing our teddy bears to school . I like to refer to it as a "furry show and tell" that lasts all day long. And if the kids don't have a teddy bear? No worries....a stuffed racoon, bunny, dog, or even a turtle will do just fine!

We read with our teddy bears inside our new learning box

We included them in our block play

We enjoyed a teddy bear tea party...

where our furry friends were our special guests

and the simple joy of bonding with a new friend
over a favorite toy are realized

Who's Having Fun Learning?.......EveryBODY!

2010-09-18T11:49:00.005-04:00

Our classroom was full of energy as we learned about the human body this week. One of our favorite activities was to work in cooperative groups to create body tracings.

In one group E. was a tracer and K. was a model.

Another fun job was to label the body parts from head to toe.

Adding internal organs was a important task in the groups

We learned that sometimes its a good idea to check out a bigger model

or an available reference

or even to place a part on our own body to make sure
we were on the right track

After the organs were placed, more details were added to the bodies.
Check out the veins in this circulatory system!

Oh The Things They Will Say.....We Are One

2010-09-09T22:58:00.000-04:00

Today we were preparing to make the transition to the cafeteria for lunch. As I directed my students to line up at the door E. spontaneously announced, "I know my lunch number! I know my lunch number! I know my lunch number!" E. has done this every single day at this time for the last 3 weeks. I felt it was time to gently explain that although I was very proud of him for learning his lunch number, it was not necessary for him to loudly announce it to the class before lunch every day.

Upon hearing this a very emphathetic K. consoled E. by saying "It's ok, we are one," and added the sign language gesture for the word "together."

As if on perfect cue, up popped C. who pointed his finger in the air like a proud politician and proclaimed, "And God Bless America!"

I do believe my recent lessons on classroom unity did not fall on deaf ears after all.

Oh The Things They Will Say.....Laminate It!

2010-09-08T07:17:00.000-04:00

Today I was performing (and I use that term literally) reading diagnostics on my young students. One part involved reading aloud a short passage and then asking questions to assess oral comprehension. It was E.'s turn and he sat eagerly in the chair and listened intently as I told him the story of a little boy who draws very well . So well that his teacher shows his drawings to his class at school. The story goes on to reveal that he makes a special card and breakfast for his Mom and presents it to her on Mother's Day.

One of the comprehension questions asked what the little boy's teacher did with his drawings at school. The correct response being that she showed his drawings to the class at school.

E.'s response?...........she laminated them. Gotta love this kid!

S is for Silly....Silly Learning Fun

2010-09-06T14:07:00.001-04:00

What a silly week! Did you know that it is impossible to be silly and sad at the same time? We practiced and practiced being silly all week and here are some highlights.

S. practiced cutting skills and created a really silly snake.

J. thought it was pretty silly when he stood in a chair to count the cubes on his tower.

We read "Silly Sally" by Audrey Wood and then practiced walking backwards upside down.

We explored our sense of touch by feeling silly substances.

We explored our sense of taste by sampling sweet, salty and sour substances...

and discovered that the taste of sour limes creates the silliest faces!

Oh The Things They Will Say.....Today I Met Water

2010-09-03T20:58:00.001-04:00

Today one of my students came to me after we returned to the classroom from PE and said, "Mrs. Pearce, I just met water." I was immediately fascinated and promptly replied, "You did! What did you say to water when you met it?" She thought for a brief moment and exclaimed, "Well...I said water I love you!"

I think PE in the hot Florida sun made her a little delirious. I decided she needed more hydration and sent her back to the water fountain so that I could laugh hysterically without her watching!

M is for Moments....Moments of Learning Magic

2010-08-28T09:10:00.001-04:00

We had a marvelous week in school. We celebrated all things Mm and we learned about making new friends and becoming a classroom family.

We read "The Crayon Box That Talked" by Shane DeRolf

After reading the story we created cooperative art murals like this...

and this.

Our Assistant Principal, Mrs. Kelley, stopped by to read "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" by Laura Numeroff

and then she served chocolate chip cookies and milk
(gluten-free and lovingly baked by S.'s Mom)

It was fun to observe the kids enjoying their cookies.

J. liked to break his cookie into many scrumptious pieces.

While K. liked to dunk hers.

Nutritious meals were prepared by I.

T. constructed a castle perfect for a princess.

And A. shared a moment of complete Kindergarten joy.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom....Fun In Our Classrom

2010-08-20T22:57:00.005-04:00

Today ended our first full week of the new school year. Our Kindergarten team at Crawfordville Elementary officially refers to it as "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" week. We spent lots of time celebrating this classic children's book and here are some photo highlights.

We created all kinds of Chicka trees.

Some with our names and others that sorted upper and lower letters.

Tasting coconut milk sure is yummy!

Looking for just the right letter stickers to add to a tree is important work.

Sharing a finished work of art with a friend.

Our edible Chicka Chicka tree. Colorful, healthy and gluten-free.

A hug and a smile to end our first week of the school year.

Calendar Routine....Mighty Magical Stuff!

2010-08-18T20:53:00.000-04:00

Today was our fourth full day of school. Our classroom routines and rituals are beginning to come together nicely. I was reminded today how much I love Calendar time. I think it is one of the most meaningful classroom routines in our Kindergarten day. It encompasses Math, Reading, Writing, Science, and Social Studies. It evolves throughout the year as my students' skill levels build, but also offers repetitive learning which is so good for my younger learners. It is amazing to watch my little ones master Calendar so well that they can actually lead it with just my minimal guidance. To watch a group of 5 and 6 year olds facilitate their own learning is some mighty magical learning stuff!

My Classroom Calendar Wall on the 1st Day of School