We had a few mini lessons on Wants vs Needs which I really enjoyed teaching. I had them fill out this little graphic organizer about their "Needs" and loved seeing what they came up with. It's an important lesson for all ages to think about.
Another class book we made about Fish. I read them lots of informational books that I got from the library and they especially loved the ones about sharks. Ahhh! We filled out some graphic organizers throughout the unit so I could assess what they were learning.
Each week I have a new "Totally Awesome Student" and I put this on their desk for Monday morning. They bring in a decorated poster with facts about them and we share that on Monday too. All week long they are my little helper, from passing out papers, to turning off the lights, to bringing the lunch basket down, or taking something to the office. They are my left-hand man. Easy for me to have one person doing all the jobs and they love it too. It's great to give one kid a lot of attention for a week too.
My daily schedule and my math "I can" statement which I've loved posting each day cause the kids do so much better when they know what the objective of the lesson is. Plus, it keeps me on track.
A great place value game I got off Teachers Pay Teachers that I used in a math center.
A simple art center. I love my laundry line look cause it's so easy to change out art.
On the left is the rough draft copy of our poem making and to the right is what I then typed up from their rough draft.
I always get a kick out of these completed poems. I use a simple poem format and give the kids the "object", in this case we did "winter." I got them warmed up by creating a web about winter on the white board first and that really helped their little brains start thinking. The Q-tip snowflake was a pinterest find and I was blown away with how different they all turned out.
Our art teacher came in and did this snowflake project with us and the kids did a great job! They used tape to create the snowflake and water colored over it. The art teacher sprinkled a little salt over each piece which causes some chemical reaction and then we let it dry over night before pulling the tape off.
It was a great month and now I'm off-track and relaxing in the Pacific Northwest which is warmer and sunnier and easier air than Utah right now, so I'm happy.
