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Elements of art: line
We know that when children are drawing they are practicing pre-writing skills, but did you know that they are also learning about elements and principles of design? I stumbled across this amazing ABCs of Art Booklet (on Pinterest of course) a while back and it has become one of my favorite things ever. The pages provide incredible inspiration for the children as they draw. My favorite page in the booklet is the page on line. It is the perfect poster for the art area, or to leave in the middle of the table while the children work. When it comes to playing with lines, I think markers are the best!…
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Experimenting with permanent markers
Yes, you read that title right, permanent markers. Think about it – all of those other art supplies you use make a colossal mess, so why not use permanent markers too? Sure, they might get on your tables, or on the children’s hands, but if you take the same precautions that you would for paint – covering the table or using a tray, making sure the children wear smocks, etc. – then you can minimize the mess. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to talk to the children about using the markers appropriately, and expressing your expectations clearly. If you want to be prepared with a few clean up tricks up…
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Friday Freebie – Art Supply Labels
Happy Friday! I have been waiting for this day since January because as of 2:30 this afternoon I am officially on vacation!!!!! I’m sure many of you are in the same boat, so therefore, today we are celebrating together! I also have a fabulous freebie for you. These art supply labels from Joanna Minor are amazing because they include real photographs of the supplies. These are perfect for organizing your art supplies, which somehow have a mind of their own – I know, I’ve been there! Download these labels and have a wonderful holiday weekend!
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Friday Freebie – Phone Number and Address Practice
Happy Friday! As we slowly get closer to Easter (and my spring break, yay!) I can’t help but be amazed that it is already that time of year – you know, spring, the time of year when we really focus in on those academic skills and making sure that our oldest preschoolers are going to be ready for kindergarten. They’ll make it, and they’ll be successful, whether we stress about it or not. This freebie makes one of those pre-kindergarten skills just a little more fun (therefore making your job just a little easier). This phone number and address freebie includes three simple printables, all of which are editable so…
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Age appropriate chores for children
I saw this list years ago and have been looking for it ever since, I finally stumbled across it again today and knew that I just had to share. When I taught toddlers and preschoolers I was constantly surprising parents by telling them what their children did during the day at school. These simple chores teach responsibility, but more importantly, they are self help skills that build fine motor skills, coordination, attention, and listening skills. This awesome list is from The Montessori Notebook, so make sure to spend some time exploring the other wonderful ideas on their blog after you print this list to share with your families! If you’re…
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Using chores to build responsibility
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Favorite pins of the week
I pin a lot of stuff. If you’ve seen my pin boards you know that they are organized by domain and season (among other things…). I use my pins to help me lesson plan, so I need them to be easy to find when I’m looking for them. I appreciate that wen I need social emotional activities I can go to the social emotional board and be filled with inspiration. At the same time, I also like to look at all of my pins at once and see what I’ve pinned recently. Here are my favorite ideas that I’ve pinned this week, I can’t wait to try these out! How…
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Great app to share with families
I am a self-proclaimed family engagement queen, I tend to collect ideas and resources for sharing with families and not have enough opportunities to share all of them! This one must be shared with all of you because it is amazing!!! Go check out Vroom – do it right now! This site is all about building parents up and reminding them that they have what it takes to help their child’s brain grow and develop. From the videos and information on the site itself, to the great materials that families can download, to the free app that gives them daily activities personalized for their child’s age, this site is an…
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How to keep from getting sick when you’re a teacher
Yuck! There is a really nasty bug going around, I can’t tell you how many adults and kids I know who have the flue right now. This is always my least favorite thing about spending the day with little ones, you just can’t avoid the germs. When things get really bad there are a few strategies I turn to; Clorox wipes. If you just can’t go around spraying everything with bleach all day, then these are the next best thing. I love how easy they are to use, and they give me so much peace of mind. Don’t forget to wipe down the door knobs, light switches, faucet handles, and…
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Friday Freebie – St. Patrick’s Day Letters and Numbers
Happy Friday! Those two words are music to my ears this week, and if you’re week has been anything like mine you’re probably ready for some down time – and a freebie! Are you ready for St. Patrick’s Day? This freebie will help get you there. These letter and number cards will turn any activity into a St. Patrick’s Day activity. Use these cards with any of the letter or number activities that you already have planned, or check out my Language Arts pinboard for more ideas!
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Easy Alphabet Match Activity
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Teaching responsibility with a class pet
A class pet is a perfect way to help teach responsibility – the children not only have to remember to do all of the tasks associated with taking care of the pet, but they also have to be cautious when handling the pet. Unfortunately, it’s not exactly easy to have a class pet these days, there are health and safety regulations, allergies, and insurance issues to worry about. Even if you can’t have a class pet, there are other ways to encourage responsibility in the classroom, here are some ideas: Have a stuffed animal pet like Julie from A First for Everything Grow plant people like the Red Headed Hostess…
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