Around the World!

For the first week of our school's "Summer Camp", we all agreed that it should be teacher's choice. Of course, I went with my all time favorite theme.....

Around the World!

Check out "Around the World" from last year!
This post is going to be formatted a little bit differently, as I'm going to organize the pictures and projects by each country that we visited. I found these "passport stamps" that I put in my class's journals for each day that we traveled. For this year, I made a a "passport for each child, that had a few facts about each country, a flag to color and a space to draw a picture. At the end of each "visit" the children sat down for a few minutes to complete their passport page.

We sang the song each morning"I'm an airplane" and pretended that we were the airplanes flying to our destination.

"I'm an airplane, I'm an airplane
Flying up into the sky.
Flying higher, Flying higher
As I watch the clouds go by.
I'm an airplane, I'm an airplane
See me flying all around.
Flying lower, flying lower,
Till I land down on the ground."

I found it here.

When the song was over we "landed" in the country of the day, checked the local time and weather, and went to the "convention center" in front of our class whiteboard. I made a plane ticket for each flight that we took, a copy of the flag of the country that we compared to our own American flag and some facts that we talked about. Then we opened the discussion and the kids would tell me what they wanted to know about the country (and then I would look it up for them!)

Monday: (AM) Australia

Upon arrival, we checked the local time and weather. We compared the flags, learned facts about the country and the children asked me questions that they wanted to know.

Our Australian outing was mostly an expedition. We trekked down our nature trail looking for Kangaroos, Kookaburras, and Quokkas.

In the Science center I added a page about flora and fauna specific to the country, and in the blocks center I added a page about a notable structure.

Then the children wrote in their passport!

(PM) China

Upon arrival, we checked the local time and weather. We read the story The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack. We compared the flags, learned facts about the country and the children asked me questions that they wanted to know. The children also gave me words that they wanted to learn in Chinese.

I found three phrases, "I Love you", "Friend", "Let's Eat". The children chose the phrase that they wanted to paint, and used watercolor to paint it.

In the Science center I added a page about flora and fauna specific to the country, and in the blocks center I added a page about a notable structure.

Then the children wrote in their passport!

Tuesday: (AM) Italy

We checked the local time and weather. When we got to Italy, we read the story Strega Nona by Tomie DePaola. We compared the flags, learned facts about the country and the children asked me questions that they wanted to know. The children also gave me words that they wanted to learn in Italian.

The children colored and cut out pizza toppings to make a paper plate pizza! They had a lot of fun picking the toppings that they wanted, and it was great to see them working so hard on their coloring and cutting skills.

In the Science center I added a page about flora and fauna specific to the country, and in the blocks center I added a page about a notable structure.

Then the children wrote in their passport!

(PM) Antarctica

Upon arrival, we checked the local time and weather. We compared the flags, learned facts about the country and the children asked me questions that they wanted to know. This was an interesting country to learn about, because no one lives there full time, and that different countries have research centers there.

They ventured outside to use some of the ice to paint with. Brr!

In the Science center I added a page about flora and fauna specific to the country, and in the blocks center I added a page about a notable structure.

Then the children wrote in their passport!

Wednesday: (AM) United Kingdom

Upon arrival, we checked the local time and weather. We compared the flags, learned facts about the country and the children asked me questions that they wanted to know.

I could not think of a better activity than to have a tea service! With bread and different spreads, the children each made sandwiches that we cut into nice finger-sized shapes. Then we tasted then while enjoying some Chamomile tea!

In the Science center I added a page about flora and fauna specific to the country, and in the blocks center I added a page about a notable structure.

Then the children wrote in their passport!

 (PM) South Africa

Upon arrival, we checked the local time and weather. We compared the flags, learned facts about the country and the children asked me questions that they wanted to know. The children also told me words that they wanted to be able to say in Afrikaans.

We looked at pictures online of authentic masks, and the children each painted their own.

In the Science center I added a page about flora and fauna specific to the country, and in the blocks center I added a page about a notable structure.

Then the children wrote in their passport!

Thursday: (AM) France

When we got to Italy, we read the story Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans. We checked the local time and weather. We compared the flags, learned facts about the country and the children asked me questions that they wanted to know. The children also told me words that they wanted to be able to say in French.

The company Jelly Jar does our school's pictures in the fall, and in the summer, they come for a themed photoshoot. Where better to be models than the fashion capital of the world... France! Each child had a turn to pose in costume with props for a Vintage themed shoot.

In the Science center I added a page about flora and fauna specific to the country, and in the blocks center I added a page about a notable structure.

Then the children wrote in their passport!

(PM) Spain

When we got to Spain, we read the story Ferdinand by Munro Leaf. Upon arrival, we checked the local time and weather. We compared the flags, learned facts about the country and the children asked me questions that they wanted to know. The children also told me words that they wanted to be able to say in Spanish.

The children crafted musical shakers with beans and a paper plate, and used it while they danced!

In the Science center I added a page about flora and fauna specific to the country, and in the blocks center I added a page about a notable structure.

Then the children wrote in their passports!

Friday: (AM) Canada

Upon arrival, we checked the local time and weather. We compared the flags, learned facts about the country and the children asked me questions that they wanted to know.

We were just in time for the "Toronto Film Festival" and the screening of Rio! How lucky!! 

In the Science center I added a page about flora and fauna specific to the country, and in the blocks center I added a page about a notable structure.

After the movie, the children wrote in their passports. 

(PM) Brazil

Upon arrival, we checked the local time and weather. We compared the flags, learned facts about the country and the children asked me questions that they wanted to know.

We were so inspired after the film festival in the morning, that we wanted to visit Rio ourselves. It was a bit warmer down there than in Canada, so we cooled off with some snow-cones, and then hit the playground for some soccer! 

In the Science center I added a page about flora and fauna specific to the country, and in the blocks center I added a page about a notable structure.

For the last time, the children made an entry in their passports. But then they got to take them home, so they were super excited!

Morning Meeting Games
Before we site down to our morning group time in the summer, I love to play some of these quick games. The children really respond to them, and they are a lot of fun!

We played "Number Ball" with a beanbag. We toss the beanbag around the circle and the kids have to say the next number. We stand in a circle and toss the beanbag across to friends and try to beat our record!

"Pop!" is a really fun game, and definitely a favorite. We stand in a circle and each child says one number as we go around. But each round there is a pop number. Instead of saying that number, you POP! the person that would be next, out. We work very hard on having good sportsmanship, and the kids have fun even if they're out because they know they get to play again in the next round!

"Pass the Vader" is a fun game. It's just like Hot Potato, except we do it with a small stuffed Darth Vader that children gave me this past Valentine's Day. Love it!

We played "Find the Clothespin". I found this game on KindergartenSmorgasboard, and I thought it just sounded so fun! While the children are not peeking, I hide a clothespin one myself, on a child or somewhere close around us. When they look for it, they can't yell out where it is, they put their finger on their nose! They have so much fun searching.

We played "Crocodile Snap". I found the idea for this game last year and adapted it to be my own. I turned a box into a crocodile with bulletin and construction paper, then filled it with little cards that have a letter, number or shape on them. The children have to reach into the crocodile's mouth (while he's sleeping of course), pull out a card and name what's there. Also hidden in the belly of the crocodile though are SNAP cards (the crocodile wakes up and SNAPS his mouth shut!). Once we pull three SNAP cards, the game is over!

I have some older children that have joined my class for the summer. While my kids are having their rest in the middle of the day, these children have extra play time out of the room and they also work on some practice sheets that I got from the Summer Bridge Books for K-1, 1-2 and 2-3. They are great worksheets to keep the older kids practicing their skills over the summer! I love the Pk-K book and I use it through out the year for their letter worksheets.

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If you Give a Butterfly a Diploma...

Another school year, flown by. And now it's time to graduate!

 My apologies, but it seems I have no pictures to share! I will search my other camera, and put them up if I can fin any! Last year we a had a Lorax themed graduation that was pretty cool too!

I really wanted my class to be involved in the planning and decisions for this year. If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Numeroff was one of my favorite stories when I was young, and I thought "What a great template for the class to write their own graduation play in this style!" And so, a theme was born.

First we decided what songs to sing. I asked the children to vote on their favorite songs that they learned this year. Out of a few that were requested almost daily, they decided on "Twinkle Twinkle Hanukkah Lights" and "I'm a Little Penguin". For a prop to hold while singing, the children each made a dreidel and penguin.


We worked on, "We Are Here to Graduate", to the tune of London Bridge. This is what we sing as we walk into graduation.

"We are here to graduate, graduate, graduate.
We are here to graduate, on this special day."

Then we learned "I'm a Little Graduate", to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot".

"I'm a little graduate, Aren't you proud of me?

I know my numbers and ABC's.

I made lots of friends and had fun too,

Now, I'm off to the big kid school!"

Then we needed to talk about a performance to do. Since we were going with a If You Give a .... theme, what better thing to do than write our own!? Each day for a week, we "wrote" a story, each child giving what would happen next in a chain of events. I'll admit, some of them were pretty out there, but in the end, we focused in on a story centered around things in our own school.

To go with their part of the story, I drew simple illustrations of their part for them to color. At our ceremony, when it was their turn to speak, they held up their illustration too! Their parents LOVED it!! 

I turned the pages into a class book, so after graduation, I went back and wrote their spoken part on the page that they colored. It is something that I will treasure forever because I know how hard they all worked on their parts and I know that future classes of any age will love to see it.

I made little goodie bags with their names on them filled with some pieces of sidewalk chalk that I handed to each child when they got called for their diploma.  They were so happy!

It was such an amazing afternoon and I was so, so, SO proud of my kids and all the hard work that they did. This was the order that we followed for our graduation ceremony.

"We Are Here to Graduate"

School Owner and Director Speeches

My speech. =]

"Twinkle Twinkle Hanukkah Lights"

"I'm a Little Penguin"
"Telling: If You Give a Butterfly a Diploma"

Graduate: Diplomas!

"I'm a Little Graduate"

End!

Next week: Summer Camp!!

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My Father!

The theme for the third week of June was "My Father". We spent a lot of our last week of the "school year" playing games and reviewing things that we've talked about.
Graduation is here! We had a really fun week gearing up for Friday's ceremony. Check out the "If You Give a Butterfly a Diploma" post to see it all in one place!

This week we read: King Bidgood's in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood
                                        I Love My Daddy by Sebastian Braun
                                        I Love My Dad by Anna Walker
                                        I Love My Daddy by David Bedford
                                        The Night Before Father's Day by Natasha Wing
                                 
Our question of the week was "What was your favorite thing about school?"

We did a few fun review activities for different things that we talked about. The children practiced recognizing similar shapes with this quick worksheet.

We also played bingo with shapes and colors. So fun! And this really helped us work on playing with each other and following the rules of a game.

They also practiced the numbers 1-20.

And they worked on using print clues to find the color words!

For our theme "My Father",  we celebrated Dad! The children drew pictures of their Dad.

The children wrote in their journals about why they loved their Dad's.

The children also worked really hard to make this really cool gift for their Dads. the children each took turns to drizzle colored chocolate on bite sized pretzels... Yum!! Then, the children decorates a tie to put it all together. They were so excited to give them to their dads for Father's Day! We of course had to try some to make sure it was good! =]

While bringing the school year to a close, we did some fun activities. Each child made a page for a class-book about their favorite thing about school.

We watched the movie Up, one of my favorites! and the children painted balloons... for my favorite display ever!

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Types of Art! (X, Y, & Z)

The theme for the second week of June was "Types of Art". Since we finished our Letter of the Week study, we are now reviewing our letters! This week we reviewed letters X, Y, & Z! Many of our projects over the next few weeks are in preparation for our Graduation! Check out the"If You Give a Butterfly a Diploma" post to see it all in one place! This week we some props for the songs we sang and had a blast in a graduation themed "photo booth"!

This week we read: If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Numeroff
                                        Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
                                        The Sneetches and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss
                                        A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead
                                        Put Me in the Zoo by Robert Lopshire
                                 
Our question of the week was "What kind of art do you like to do?"

For a number review the children practiced the numbers 1-15 and their recognition of the numbers.

For our theme "Types of Art",  we explored different art forms! The children started by making collaged dreidels! Very seasonally appropriate, I know... it makes sense in the scheme of our Graduation. You'll see!

Next the children painted penguins! Again, you just have to trust me on this one.

We had an absolute blast in a graduation themed photo booth! I got the props from Walmart for under $2, and we used our awesome paintings from last week as the back drop.

The children colored illustrations for their graduation story.

And they rounded out the week with come good old fashioned finger-painting!

While reviewing the letters X, Y, and Z, we are really focusing on practicing writing, having good control over letter formation, and having a solid knowledge of the letter sounds.

The children wrote in their journals about their favorite letter in the alphabet!

My children that are moving on to kindergarten next year, are working on sight words and this worksheet from Confessions of a Homeschooler are amazing! They challenge the children to think of the word in a new way and get creative. This week they worked on the word "you".

I created envelope games for each letter of the alphabet that we played the first way through the alphabet. My children that are staying with me another year played these again to work on their letter sounds.

We reviewed writing and finding the letters that we are talking about, X, Y, and Z. The pages for my younger group came from Letters for Little Learners, and I found these more advanced worksheets for my older children from education.com.

The book Alphabet and Counting that we used used  to turn our letters into fun animals, also has cute little tongue twisters for each letter. I printed them large and illustrated them, then I laminated them with contact paper. Using wet erase markers, we take turns finding the letters hidden!

On their own, they searched for the letters as well!

The letter of the week books have pages that you can make a book into. I picked from both to get my "favorites". Each week, we'll work on these pages, and each child will end up with an alphabet book at the end of the year. I like to do these pages, because not only do they get more practice writing the letter, but they also have to finish the sentence on the page, which is really cool. It gets them thinking!

There is a 15-20 minute span of time while the children are waking up from our rest time and afternoon snack. During this time, we talk about what they will be doing in the afternoon with their afternoon teacher, and what we did in the morning. We also spend some time learning about animals through videos. This week we watched about a zebra!

I made an "I have, who has" game filled with X, Y, and Z things. I love this game because once it starts, the children completely direct it. I love seeing them help each other and play with each other.

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