Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Twitterville Talk 2012 Christmas Edition

In the last few days much good cheer has been sent over Twitter.  Everyone has been sharing resources and greetings with one another.  Have are some of the most memorable for you to enjoy this year and tuck away for use in years to come.  Merry Christmas everyone from my home to yours.  Xena and I wish you the very best.







I never get tired of seeing how creative people are with books.


Who knew about this?  I can't wait to share this with my students.



The magic of Christmas just gets better and better.



Yes, Virginia...


Tracking the route of Jolly Old Saint Nick...



Author/illustrator Jon Klassen spreading joy...


Lovely lights around the world...



Illustrator Carson Ellis...



Truly a wonder of wonders in the world of children's literature this year...



Another way to follow Santa Claus on his journey of journeys


Adorable holiday greetings from author/illustrator Tad Hills


I've read quite a bit about this but interested to listen to this later on today.



I have to add this tweet, even though I highlighted it already, because I completely agree with what Mr. Schu says and because Mr. Schu is like Santa Claus all year long to all readers everywhere.


This man never rests when it comes to sharing resources.


This appeared on Twitter a day after Christmas but was good enough that I have added it.



Here's author/illustrator Peter Reynolds favorite Christmas story video.




This is going to be an annual read for me.  I have never read anything quite as beautiful as this.
Click on the tree to read the letter.  Thank you Martha Brockenbrough.

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Hound Dog Christmas

It's Christmas Eve.  Cinnamon, herbs and evergreen scents perfume the air.  Lights reflect off an ornament-filled tree as carols softly play.  Stockings are hung by the chimney.  Nearby cookies cover a plate next to a glass full of milk, waiting for a nighttime visitor.

There are not many evenings where anticipation runs higher.  Those special creatures who share our homes sense something out of the ordinary is in the works; knowing exactly what to expect unless this is their first December.  But then again, surprises come in all shapes and sizes as one particular basset hound discovers in Charlie and the Christmas Kitty (Harper) by Ree Drummond with illustrations by Diane deGroat.


Well, howdy!
Charlie the ranch dog here, reporting from
the country.

The ever-helpful (in his mind) Charlie is back with his energetic friend, Suzie, and his tiny, constant companion, a chipmunk.  More of a supervisor than a worker, the lovable, loyal, laid-back basset basically likes to sleep despite his title of King of the Ranch.  Overseeing the bringing in and decorating of the tree has him all tuckered out.

The dinging of a bell startles him out of his snooze.  What's this new furry being?! It's...it's...it's...a rabbit!  No, rabbits don't meow.  Ah, shucks...it's a kitty!

This new state of affairs has caught Charlie completely off-guard.  There's only one thing to do.  A nap should solve this problem; perhaps it's only a dream.

Well, it's not a dream.  Despite all his attempts to make the best of this situation he is persistently pursued by this feline who clearly wants to be his friend.  Kitty finally hits the right spot, finding what Charlie needs after a hard day's work on the ranch.  Ahhh...What?! Oh, no!


Charlie's first person narrative has a very distinctive voice as a canine member of a ranching family relating the events of a not-so-typical day.  Ree Drummond clearly understands Charlie, presenting his outlook with ample humor.  His thought processes and sleep-oriented solutions will elicit grins and giggles.


Illustrations created using Winsor & Newton watercolor paint over digital art by Diane deGroat capture the spirit of the season and life on the ranch.  The realistic, brightly colored front cover is a definite draw as is the photograph of Ree Drummond holding Charlie on the back with the added detail of the kitty batting the bowed bell attached to the barcode. Rich, red endpapers followed by Charlie clad in a Santa hat beneath the title get readers ready for some Christmas cheer.

Alternating between double page spreads, single pages and insets on a page, combining Charlie's perspective with more panoramic views, readers feel right at home.  All the added details enhance and extend the text; the cattle in the background, one looking right in the window as the tree is decorated, Christmas stockings with Charlie's and Suzie's pictures on them, the chipmunk sleeping with Charlie often under his ear.  The expressions on Charlie's face are portrayed so well even without the text we readers know his mood, his thoughts.


Whether you read the first book, Charlie the Ranch Dog (Harper, 2011) (reviewed here) or not, Charlie and the Christmas Kitty will be a Christmas favorite of dog and cat lovers and fans of The Pioneer Woman.  The combined talents of Ree Drummond and Diane deGroat bring the everyday happenings on a ranch, through Charlie's eyes, to life in a warm and welcoming way for all readers.  On the final page is Charlie's Favorite Christmas Cookies ( for human consumption). According to the publisher's website two more titles are in the works for the summer of 2013.
RRRROOOWW-OOOOOH!

Make sure to follow the embedded links in both Drummond's and deGroat's names to get to their websites.  There is a series of pages devoted to Charlie at The Pioneer Woman.  Here is a link to the Browse Inside feature at Harper to see more of the book.


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Monday, December 24, 2012

Strike Up The Band!

People like parades.  Whether it's on a grand scale like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City or the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, The Rose Parade, or our smaller National Cherry Festival in Traverse City or the Venetian Festival in Charlevoix, people will gather days or hours in advance, lines of chairs marking their spots.  All you have to do is watch the children's faces along the route to know how much they are loving every minute of a parade.

When a holiday coincides with a parade, it has the potential to become a tradition, a memory maker lasting a lifetime.  For decades I have enjoyed the uplifting artwork and witty writing of Sandra Boynton, first on her greeting cards, later in her books and in her music.  For the 2012 holiday season her newest release Christmas Parade (Little Simon, an imprint of Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing) continues, presenting her well-loved characters doing what they do best, making us smile or even laugh out loud.


BOOM biddy BOOM biddy
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
Biddy BOOM biddy BOOM
biddy BOOM BOOM BOOM!
What's that noise filling the room?

Pig looks around, sounds are coming in from the street outside.  He runs to the window, delighted by what he sees. Stepping to the beat of his drum dressed in a Christmas uniform is an elephant, leading a line of musicians.

In perfect synchronization a row of chickens follow, notes bursting from their bassoons.  Oh, look! now large balloons are carried by jovial porkers.  Three abreast, matching hippo drummers march...plus one small cat.

Tossing holly confetti into the air, red-nosed reindeer walk with a jolly ole' Santa rhino.  Saxophones, piccolos, trombones and one very loud tuba round out the group.  Our window-watching pig thinks all is past until he hears a knocking at his door.  It's a spectacular Merry Christmas surprise!


With a rhyming, rhythmic beat as jaunty as the parade of animals dressed in their Christmas best, Sandra Boynton's narrative describes an unexpected treat.  An array of critters not only spread holiday cheer but introduces readers to a collection of musical instruments.  Onomatopoeia abounds.


Who wouldn't want to follow a piccolo playing mouse trailing behind a determined elephant pounding away on a bass drum?  Sandra Boynton captures your attention immediately on the front cover with her signature characters.  Endpapers feature, on a dusty blue background, endless rows of snare-playing hippos marching out from the book.

Colorful shades, mostly of greens and blues, provide a bright engaging background for her members of the parade as they march through the pages.  Varied font sizes and types accentuate the musical quality of her text.  As always the expressive, intent expressions on her characters' faces provide for the underlying humor.  The detail of the pig sitting in his chair wearing white and pink bunny slippers, holding a teddy bear, is hilarious.


Christmas Parade written and illustrated by Sandra Boynton begins as seasonal cheer you hold in your hands, but I guarantee in a few moments readers and listeners alike will begin to move if not march around the room.  It's a happening holiday happiness (complete with hippos).

This is a link to Virtual Keyboard  which will pair nicely with the ending.  If you want to expand your interest in musical instruments head over to this BrainPOP video. Embedded in Sandra Boynton's name above is a link to her official website.  The video below is a CBS Sunday Morning interview which would be wonderful to use in the classroom.
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Friday, December 21, 2012

Nature Knows

Hours spent walking in the woods of northern Michigan, the past thirteen years with my canine companion, Xena, have taught me to be aware of her perceptions of our surroundings.  A sudden pause, nose uplifted, a refusal to walk in one direction or growling barks heighten my attention, my guard.  A unusual silence without insect chirping, frog croaking or birdsong is also a very clear signal.

For the sake of preservation creatures in our natural world are instinctively aware of shifts from the norm; keen observers every one.  Thousands of years ago in a small town located in Judea our feathered flying friends knew uncommon events had transpired.  Author/illustrator Tomie dePaola has written and painted a profoundly respectful portrayal of The Nativity for younger readers, The Birds of Bethlehem  (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Group).

Every morning, 
the birds of Bethlehem
gathered in the field to
glean any corn that might
be left from the harvest.

Pairs of birds, named for primary colors, a mix of same and the absence of color, have paused in their eating to share news much like their modern human counterparts gathered at the local coffee shop.  Yesterday extraordinary events were noticed, pieces of a greater whole.  Green bird and his mate relate how they have never seen such a long line of people walking along the hilltops.

Each bird in turn with their partner has a tiny tale to tell; yellow bird, blue bird, red bird, brown bird and white bird.  Perhaps due to the gathering of people it was noticed the town's inn was full; so full a man and his wife were taken to a stable.  According to red bird and his mate, an Angel appeared to a group of shepherd's tending their sheep, bidding them to go as fast as they could to Bethlehem to see a child lying in a manger.

Two more, roosting in the same tree, that same evening heard and saw a chorus of Angels proclaiming joyful news from the Heavens.  Amazed by the sight, the final pair of birds, the white birds, followed the shepherds to the stable.  Tied together, these tiny tales, create a remarkable story; a story which cannot be ignored by the flock who seek to see its ending.


If readers were to think of birds and their place in the scheme of the animal kingdom, they might assign them the duty of messenger; greeting the sunrise with song, sounding the alarm when predators approach young or their noisy chatter in flocks racing to their roosts at night.  Tomie dePaola's use of birds to tell his story feels exactly right.  His simple narrative is like a whispered conversation, an expectant hush falling over the gathering as each recounts the wondrous things they have seen and heard for the very first time.


Tomie dePaola's artwork is uniquely his own.  The silver foiled letters on the front jacket sparkle like the stars, the Star, on the Holy Night.  Rich shades of midnight blue, stars scattered across the pages, cover the endpapers.  Illustrations rendered in opaque acrylics on handmade watercolor paper have a texture to them; sand, wind, dry dusty heat.

Although his birds are green, yellow, blue, red, brown and white, the shades he has chosen for each are more those one might associate with the Mediterranean area.  All of the illustrations are two page, left to right, edge to edge, a panoramic sense, alluding to the greatness of this story.  The details of the arched window over the checkered base, the small figures of Joseph leading Mary on the donkey in the line of people on the hilltop, the heart-shaped leaves on the trees and the Star looking like a rose window over the stable contribute to dePaola's rich rendition of The Nativity.


Tomie dePaola's The Birds of Bethlehem shines as brightly as the stars on that night so long ago, eloquent in its simplicity.

Please follow the link embedded in Tomie dePaola's name above to enjoy all the extras at his website.  This is a link to the Community of Redwoods Monastery recipient of dePaola's dedication along with one of the residents, Sister Veronique.
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Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Roaring Into Christmas

When a kitten, puppy, bright red dinosaur or new baby enter our lives, it's a welcome reminder of all those firsts we may have forgotten.  To watch them experience rolling in the spring grass, jumping in a mud puddle, the sound of thunder, wading through a pile of leaves or running into a snow drift is like stepping back in time.  Our everyday activities taken for granted are completely new adventures for them.

Wait a minute!  Bright red dinosaur?  Yes, the toothy toddler is boldly back, flashing his irresistible grin roaring after each and every victory.  He has met and matched bedtime, the potty and the library (Dinosaur vs. Bedtime, 2008), (Dinosaur vs. the Potty, 2010) and (Dinosaur vs. the Library, 2011)(reviewed here).  Whether the folks at the North Pole are ready or not, Dinosaur vs. Santa written and illustrated by Bob Shea clearly reveals our prehistoric pal is as rambunctious as ever.


ROAR!
I'M A DINOSAUR!
ROAR!
I'm getting ready for Santa!

Coming in from the snowy cold our fearless friend first tackles his letter to Santa.  It's a win for Dinosaur.  Next up is decorating, followed by presents for Mom and Dad; both wins.  

Oh, oh...this might be a problem.  Can he resist the cookies and milk left out for Santa?  Or even more challenging, trying to sleep on Christmas Eve?  

Restless he hears the sound each and every child longs to hear, the jingle of bells.  Don't go downstairs, Dinosaur.  Santa might see you.  Did Santa see you?  Sleep and Christmas morning tell the tale.


With a pattern readers have come to appreciate Bob Shea's spare narrative proposes a task amid a a series of roars, followed by a flurry of activity with a tremendous single roar and then those two triumphant words, 

DINOSAUR WINS!

The most enjoyed (and tempting) moments in preparation for Christmas at home, letter writing, decorating the tree, hand-crafting gifts for parents, setting out the cookies and milk and the anticipation of Santa's arrival are written with great care for the intended audience by Bob Shea. Word choice captures the exact state of affairs; for cookies and milk it is Dinosaur versus...being extra good!  The series of segments when Dinosaur is avoiding sleep are hilarious as is the trip down and back up the stairs when he hears Santa.


Readers are treated to a seasonal front and back jacket and cover, the one a green background with Dinosaur decked out for the holidays, a foiled candy cane stripe down the left side, the other red as Dinosaur kneels in front of the tree on Christmas morning.  Endpapers, opening and closing, are in a three-hued yellow green argyle pattern with a grinning, dancing, Santa hat-wearing Dinosaur in the center of some of the diamonds.

Combining traditional drawing with digital, Shea's bold painted lines are filled with bright colors.  The addition of actual items, crayons, Christmas ornaments, a tube of glitter, Christmas cookies, printed papers, are part of his unique, inviting style.  Tiny details set his work apart; the pinpoint white breeze lines when Dinosaur leaves the door open, the different Christmas sweaters he wears, when he puts his letter in the mailbox to Santa he remembers to wear his boots, the glass holding the milk is a Christmas glass or the small pink heart near his Dad when he opens his gift from Dinosaur.  

Every DINOSAUR WINS! is different in color, pattern and font but reflects the event.  As each set of circumstances is captured in text, the illustrations elevate the moods, happiness, caution, indecision, fear and joy.  You can't help but grin when he is or feel empathy, especially those last four facial expressions before he drifts off to sleep.


Bob Shea has penned and pictured an outstanding addition to his Dinosaur series, Dinosaur vs. Santa.  Make sure you share this book with one or many, using your best roaring dinosaur voice.  Everyone wins.

By following the link to my previous review you can gain further insight into Bob Shea's process in creating his illustrations.  The link embedded in his name will take you to his website as well as his Facebook page.  Tucked in the back of this book is a very special piece of paper for readers to write their letter to Santa.  




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Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Turning the Pages in Anticipation Quiet

One of the many benefits of having a dog as a member of your family, is you are outside when no one else is.  Late at night or early in the morning amazing things can be seen and heard.  Without any noise, within the silence, you gain a unique sense of seeing and hearing, noticing what you might otherwise have missed.

With the demands of modern day living it's hard to gain this perspective especially when the December holiday season begins in earnest.  The talented collaboration of author Deborah Underwood and illustrator Renata Liwska who brought to readers The Quiet Book (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, April, 2010) and The Loud Book (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, April 2011)(reviewed here) have created another title in the series, The Christmas Quiet Book (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children).  When you stop and really listen, you are truly surrounded by quiet.


Christmas is a quiet time:
Mysterious bundles quiet

With a sense of hope running high, who can blame the younger guys and gals from sneaking a peek despite running the risk of being discovered.  No matter the age who has not listened intently, fingers crossed, for those magical words, school is cancelled due to snow.  Have you ever noticed how a child layered in snow clothes makes little or no sound except for the swish, swish of nylon on nylon?

Listen, can you hear? There is quiet playing in the snow, sipping hot drinks, watching holiday performances, decorating, baking, skating, children's Christmas plays, breathing the crisp air, nighttime walks, activities in front of a cozy fire, writing, wishing and yes, even in joy.  Some days more than others, sometimes happy, sometimes sad, the stillness is there.


With the exception of the first page Deborah Underwood uses a minimal amount of words preceding quiet, a single phrase for each page, some linking together.  She truly has a gift for capturing the exact moment of quiet which may come before or after a less than silent event.  It's as if she's gathered all her childhood memories, chosen the most memorable for their hush factor and shared them with her readers.

Forgotten line quiet
Helpful whisper quiet


Drawn in pencil then colored digitally, the illustrations of Renata Liwska are charming.  The front and back jacket when opened show a line of those adorable characters from the two previous books joined together as they unwind a string of colored Christmas lights against a backdrop of dusty blue sky peppered with snowflakes.  The front and back covers done in the same blue have a single figure on each.  The front cover shows a softly-colored, brown bunny wrapping a gift; the back has another similar bunny with a hair bow opening the same present which happens to be a copy of The Loud Book.

It's in the attention given to detail that Liwska draws in her readers.  On the title page a rabbit is hanging an ornament on the second "o" in Book, the owl skating across the ice has special shaped mittens for her wing tips with the string running across her back hooking them together.  There is also a feeling of nostalgia in her drawings; when picturing the radio with two bunnies listening for the snow day news, it is the old box kind with a red line going across the station numbers, a large red dial on the front.

As in the previous two books Liwska has selected a muted color palette replete with earth tones with spots of color for accents, using red on nearly every page for added warmth.  Her creatures of forest and field have never been more endearing.  To great effect she again shifts (as she did in The Loud Book) perspective as all the animals gather around the decorated Christmas tree.  We see them as if we are looking down upon the scene.

One of my favorite pictures is of the two rabbits in front of the fireplace, stockings hung, lighted candles on the mantle.  Both have fallen asleep reading, the one in a chair, the other lying on the floor.  The characters from the open book on the floor are walking off the pages.  Perfectly precious.


The Christmas Quiet Book written by Deborah Underwood with illustrations by Renata Liwska is a gentle gem.  As a read aloud or one on one this is cozy and quiet from cover to cover.  As with the other titles, it is sure to generate a conversation about other kinds of quiet.


Links to the author and illustrator websites are embedded in their names.  Here is a link to a wonderful page created by the publisher full of information about both the author and illustrator, additional artwork, plenty of extras and ....


Christmas Quiet Kit


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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Magic Santa Keys

I hate to say it, so I am going to say it FAST...kinda like ripping off a Band-Aid....I know that SOME of you are still in school....OUCH! Sorry! I pray for you daily. OK, OK...hourly!   Maybe this will make it a little better. If you are looking for a fast and easy peasy idea for a last minute classroom gift, I've got it all figured out for you.

Raise your hand if you totally fell in love with the little magic Santa keys popping up all over pinterest. Looks so easy...right?!? Um....well...that is if you don't have to search for those darn skeleton keys. I mean, I thought to myself...how easy could it be to pick up some skeleton keys and attach Cara Carroll's adorable poem?!? WRONG! Those pesky little keys were absolutely NO WHERE to be found! Well, we are all teachers....so....how does that saying go??? Oh yes...MODIFY AND ADJUST!  Since I couldn't find those crazy antique looking keys, I just had to come up with something a little different...however...not profound. I am most certain that this idea is probably somewhere on that little lover that I call Pinterest, but this is one time that I actually did not call in the troops and send out a search party to locate it! ;)

Here are those adorable skeleton keys!
SUPER CUTE! RIGHT?
{You can pick up Cara's version of this poem HERE! It's perfect!}

Although the skeleton keys would have been nice, this little version will do in a pinch! ;) AND...the kiddos absolutely fell in L.O.V.E.
{I promise...the glitter was sparkly and beautiful in person!}

The alternative version:

1. A collection of old keys...big/little, dirty/clean...you get the picture.
(Send out a faculty email...EVERYONE has keys that they need to get off their key ring!)
2. Tacky Spray or any spray adhesive
3. Gold Glitter
4. Hairspray

How It's Done:
1. Give those keys a good spray of adhesive.
2. Dip in Glitter and allow time to dry.
3. Spray a little hairspray for a top coat so the glitter won't "shed".
4. Attach Poem.

There you have it. A magical gift for all kiddos {especially for those without a chimney}!  

Hopefully this will save you a little time and/or frustration if you too are jumping on the magic key bandwagon!

ALSO...

Don't forget to enter in my giveaway. You can check it OUT by clicking on the picture below!


Ho! Ho! Ho! :)
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Saturday, December 17, 2011

Holiday Highlights

Hi Friends! Grab yourself a cup of coffee for this post! Warning: it's lengthy!

True Story...I have NOT: 1) Taken OFF my pajamas 2) Stepped foot OFF of my couch 3) Talked ALL day long! Seriously! I so did not feel exhausted until yesterday, I swear! Now, my body has been screaming at me all day to NOT MOVE! Thank goodness that I have two weeks to enjoy total bliss! :)

After this past week, I may need a few more of these worthless days. Since I figured that I would not be heading out for a night on the town, {I mean...who wants to put on makeup?!?} I might as well catch you all up on what we have gotten ourselves into this week. Then, I will begin feeling worthless again as I watch my 5th Christmas movie for the day {don't judge!}. ;)

On Thursday, we had our big time Polar Express Day. Our "to-do" list was crazy long this day as we were furiously trying to finish up all of our last minute craftivities, activities, and gifts! Call me crazy, but y'all I can't STAND to leave things unfinished before the holidays...much less...unfinished period. Does anybody feel me? So, on Thursday...it was GO BIG...or GO HOME day! In all seriousness, this is the hardest working class I have EVER had. They are so stinkin' sweet {most of the time! :)} and even volunteer their recess time to finish work {ALL on their own}. So, I am trying to soak up all of their sweetness to carry me through those years that aren't so sweet leave a lot to be desired!

Maybe their hard work had something to do with this little friend that we had visiting from the north pole?!? Maybe! Just Maybe! I like to think it is just their love for learning! Ha!   


On Thursday, we began by listening to a reading of The Polar Express and watching a few music videos on YouTube since I couldn't actually show the movie. While they watched the music videos, I passed out the hot chocolate! Here are a few pictures from my little cuties aboard the Polar Express!



Since we have been working through our graphing unit, after our little ride on the Polar Express, we graphed the way that we like our hot chocolate best. {Little idea courtesy of Pinterest}

 We were also able to finish up our caribou research by writing our conclusion and creating our caribou craftivity to display our work. {Idea also courtesy of Pinterest. I am echoing Amy Lemons when I say...I owe this Pinterest...BIG TIME!}

So proud of their writing! I already have a big list of things that we need to work on come January, but they have worked so hard and are becoming very confident writers! {Can I get a Hallelujah?} 




We recently finished up our nonfiction unit and have been working on using context clues to identify character traits. During the CAH-RAZY cyber Monday sale at TPT, I bought a wonderful unit by Lesson Plan SOS called Crazy for Christmas.  We made these adorable little Santa's and used our clues from the stories that we have been reading to identify character traits. We worked on several other activities this week from the same unit and let me just say...the kids loved them to pieces!
I am pretty sure that some of these little darlings look more like winter characters straight out of a snow globe. Ha!


What would the week before Christmas break be like if we didn't make parent gifts? This year, I decided to make ornaments for our parents since Pinterest was swirling with ideas. I let the students take complete responsibility for adding all of the details and they did a pretty amazing job! I am sure their parents will LOVE their gift.


After all of our hard work, it was finally time to PAR-TAY! Let me just ask you...does it look like we had fun or what???
Two Words: SUGAR HIGH!

My philosophy = Sugar 'em up and send 'em home! I so hate that I do not have more pictures of our wonderful hot cocoa bar, but y'all seriously...this was one WILD party and I got caught up in all of its craziness! So, here are a few pictures from our party table, games, and fun! {Side note: I had some wonderfully amazing parents who made this all possible! They are FABULOUS!}

I am about 99% certain that we had over 50 cupcakes and only had about 5 left! My kids turned into little piglets!


 I made gourmet marshmallows to dip into our hot cocoa. Ummm...about 5 minutes into the party, they were eating them like straight up lollipops. I swear, if we had about 10 more minutes of school on Friday, they would have been hanging from the chandeliers! OH.MY.WORD! It was too much! :)

Our Minute to Win It Games were a total HIT! Our two favorite?

Have Yourself a Hairy Little Christmas: One player became Santa and one player was the elf recreating Santa's famous white beard. The team with the most cotton balls glued {or should I say Vaselined} to their partners face won! To some, I guess Santa is a SUPER hairy kind of guy! They had cotton balls EVERYWHERE!

{note: also check out the Vaseline in one child's hair. Can we say crazy competitive?}

Light As a Feather: The object of this game was to stand a holiday pencil on your desk and manage to place a feather on top without knocking the pencil over. This was a game of TOTAL and INTENSE concentration.
LOVE their faces!

The funniest part of this game? One child SWORE his pencil was broken because it would not stay standing. What he neglected to see was his hands shaking faster than the human eye could see! HA! Bless!

AND....FINALLY {I know, I know, I have bored you WAY, WAY too long}...the photo booth was a total success! It was a great way to end our party. The kids adored it, but the parents were the true crazies in there! This little activity comes highly recommended for all holiday parties! ;)

Well, that's all I have for tonight blogging buddies! So, from my crazy classroom to yours....HAPPY HOLIDAYS, FRIENDS! :)

Disclaimer: If anything is misspelled or does not make sense...I am TOTALLY OK with it! ;)
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Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Oh Gingerbread Boy!

Did anyone else have a "Wacko Wednesday"?  I feel like my feet haven't hit the ground once today. I swear I have been on automatic pilot since around 5ish {A.M.} this morning. I always wonder what it would be like to have one of those get to work at 8:30 kind of jobs. Ha! 

We have been working, working, working this week. I always say it is better to keep the crazy little kiddos busy during holiday weeks so they don't have time to drive me crazy! It's a win/win for everybody right? Here are a few activities that have kept our little minds out of trouble! ;) 

Since it has been a gingerbread kinda week, we have been reading all of the many versions of the Gingerbread Man.

Our favorite so far....
The Gingerbread Pirate


We LOVE this story! After reading, the students created their very own gingerbread pirates. I gave them a gingerbread pattern and scrap paper and they went to town. I must say, they came up with some pretty darling little pirates. They then wrote similes to describe their sweet new friend!


Look at these little guys! :)

Along with working on similes, we have been graphing up a storm. 

How do you eat a gingerbread man? For this grativity, I gave each student a gingerbread man and we all took one bite. Then, we recorded the results together on a tally chart. We have been working on number scales and bar graphs, so after the results were in, we graphed the results. The students decided the number scale {we counted by twos}.

To integrate a little writing in with this activity, the students used sequencing words {first, next, then, finally} to describe the way that they like to eat their gingerbread man. I don't have any pictures for this, but some of these writings were way too funny. This was a perfect topic for a little quick write.

Our next graphing activity was not centered around gingerbread men, but the kids loved it just the same. I used the cutest little website to introduce my crew to those sleigh guiding reindeer {Click on the picture to check it out!} We all voted on our favorite reindeer and recorded our data on a tally chart. After the results were complete, we turned our data into a pictograph. While creating pictographs, we were really zoning in on the key. On our graph 1 reindeer = 2 votes. The students loved cutting the reindeer in half when we had to represent an odd number of votes.




Then, to add a little more crazy into our week, today was holidays around the world. My second grade team all took a custom or tradition from around the world and created a fun little lesson. The kiddos thought they were BIG stuff changing classes like the big kids. It was so much fun and the kids really enjoyed learning about other cultures. In my classroom, we talked about the different holidays known as the festival of lights {Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Las Posadas, Ramadan} After reading a magazine article from our weekly reader, we all created a menorah place mat.
{Idea courtesy of Pinterest...duh! Ha!}
I know that so many of you have asked about the Minute to Win It games that I will be using for our party and I pinky promise to be back tomorrow to share those with you. Tomorrow is Polar Express Day {a.k.a. roll out of bed and stay in my pajamas and go to work day!} This teacher is super duper excited. Probably even more excited than those crazy children of mine! :)
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Monday, December 12, 2011

You've Got a Minute to Win It....Good Luck!

I promised some party planning ideas, so here they are and I'll make it short! I know many of us do not even have time to breathe....let alone read some crazy little blog! :)

On Friday, we will be celebrating the holidays Minute To Win It Style. My kids are SO crazy about Minute To Win It {You know...the crazy game show where you have one minute to complete the task?!?}. So, I have several little Minute To Win It games...holiday edition!


Along with the games, we are also having our own little version of a North Pole Photo Booth. I saw this idea on pinterest {Where else...right?} and just couldn't resist. My kids are in L.O.V.E. with a camera and I think they will have lots of fun taking holiday pictures with their school buds. These little cuties were easy to create with simple construction paper.


I have decided to take it super easy with the food. Usually, the excitement messes the appetite ALL up! So, rather than throwing piles of food away, {it happens...year after year} we are keeping it sweet and simple.

Our Menu:
North Pole Cupcakes and Hot Chocolate Cupcakes {for the chocolate lovers}


And...I am super excited about this...

A Hot Chocolate Bar

Well...that's it! Short and simple right? All I can say is thank the good Lord above for some good ol' Pinterest!

How are you planning to celebrate?

Wishing you a wonderful...FINAL...week of school! 
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Sunday, December 11, 2011

Twas Two Weeks Before Break....

As excited as I am about Christmas break, I honestly can NOT believe we only have one week left. My kiddos were so awesome last week that I think they have me all confused! Usually I am begging, kicking, and SCREAMING for a break, but I think I may just make it through this final week without any of those???? Maybe??? Just maybe???? I'll get back to you on that one! ;)

Last week was a crazy busy week as we were trying to squeeze in all things Christmas and a few...well...not so Christmas activities as well!

Last week, we wrote a descriptive piece to describe a very unusual sound that we heard on Christmas Eve night. Of course...that sound would be...Good ol' St. Nick stuck in our chimney. The kiddos had to use all of their senses to describe what they may see, hear, and feel while trying to figure out such a peculiar sound. We finished this little writing up with a craft by the all too awesome Cara Carroll.


We also completed a second descriptive writing: Elf on Strike. The kids wrote about why they are so unhappy with the conditions of the North Pole and what they would like to see happen if Santa wants them to return to work. These were hysterical! The students really got into this writing and had some unique requests for the jolliest of all elves...Santa! 




{I am so beyond proud of this little man in my classroom. At the beginning of the year, he would barely write a sentence for me...now he has some of the BEST descriptive writing in the class! I love when my kiddos remind me why I became a teacher!}

 Then on Friday, I finally pulled him out! Yes...Scouty {my kids named him last year} is back and they were BEYOND excited to see him. I have been waiting for that perfect moment for him to make his appearance {a.k.a. after one of those crazy days...you know what I am talking about} BUT we haven't had one, so he had to come out before it was too late!

We also had secret messages from Santa. One of my sweet teacher friends sent a link to the coolest site EVER that allows you to personalize messages from Santa. I know there are a lot of these types of sites out there, but seriously...this is hands down the BEST yet! I created a message for each child and then the laptops were ready when they walked in the door. They totally believed that I received an email from Santa at 2 A.M. asking that I deliver the messages to all of the boys and girls in my room. I totally wish that I could show you their entire face in these pictures because they are priceless. I tried to take a candid shot of each student to give to their parents. So stinkin' sweet...I swear!
Laptops.....check! Messages ready....check!

Priceless faces and reactions....check...check....check!

I seriously do not know how I caught some of these faces, but they are full of awesomeness!

"Mrs. King, Mrs. King...he knows my name and what I want and how old I am and and and and...oh my goodness!" Precious!


Check out that crazy amazing site here: Portable North Pole

Well, that is last week at a glance, friends! Next week, we are moving on to gingerbread activities and Polar Express Day! So stinkin' excited! I will be back tomorrow with my party ideas for Friday. Really....our Christmas party is Friday?!? Where HAS the year gone?

Happy Sunday Sweet Friends!!!!
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