It's Raining Hearts!

The Day it Rained Hearts!

We read this adorable story and discussed the character and story elements.  Then they got into a circle.  I had labeled a lot of hearts with CVC words that rhymed.  We have been struggling with rhyming lately!  There were enough hearts for everyone.  

After they practiced reading the words we did a movement activity with soft music.  When the music played they milled around the room silently.  When the music stopped they found the person they were closest to and read the words.  If the words rhymed, they put a thumbs up and then the class listened to them read the words.  Of course, I got observed during all of this!  On Valentine's Day!

The next day we made an anchor chart of the words and taped them together in the word families.

I would definitely do this activity again!

 

100 Days Of School

We surprised the class and dressed as 100 year olds!

The problem is I am getting closer and closer to that number!

So proud of her Fruit Loop Necklace!

Building with 100 Cups!  A couple groups got together and built with multiple 100s!!

Build with 100 snap blocks!

Dot 100 sprinkles on a cupcake!

Build with 100 Legos!

It is always such a busy day but the kids absolutely love it!

Tomorrow...Valentine's Day!  Oh Boy!

 

February Sensory Bins

February Sensory Bins

Flower Lego Kits were bought from the Dollar Tree!  Not all the kids could put these together but it was great for those that are great at visual skills.

I sorted out the red and purple magna blocks.  Kids were asked to build a House Full of Love!  The teddy bear was from the Dollar Tree also. I also include battery operated tea lights. They need reminders to shut them off.

In the playdough center they kids were asked to build a Love Bug.  I included cut up pipe cleaners, cookie cutters, rolling pins, googly eyes, pom poms and buttons.  They loved this center!

These centers help with cooperation!  There are times the littles struggle with that and it is a teaching moment for them to learn to work together.

January Sensory Bins in Action!

January Sensory Bins in Action!

Their creativity is endless and always surprised me!

 

Winter Sensory Motor Bins

I absolutely believe that kids should be playing every day!  One of the ways I love to incorporate play into my day is my morning sensory bins.  The students love the bins and groan when they have to do something else.l

I started building these bins with things I already had in the room.  They didn't care if the items were brand new, used, garbage or something I dug out of the closet.  They are very creative with whatever I ended up giving them.

Some of my beginning of the year bins were:

• Pipe Cleaners and colored noodles
• Mini cups (shot size), with craft sticks and index cards (Challenged them to build the biggest tower and see how many blocks could they stack on the top - Don't let them fall in the lava!)
• Legos
• Colored mini blocks

During Christmas, I changed all the blocks, cups, pipe cleaners etc. to red and green.  I also added fake candy canes, elves, pine trees, mini gifts etc.  They were loving the changes and I was inspired to make their winter boxes the best ever.

So I started thrift shopping!  I wish I could do this as a full time job!

I have 5 bins and the students have free choice and can move between the bins.  They are required to clean up before moving on unless the rest of the group wants it to be left.  Sometimes they are working on things together.

All blue blocks of all different shapes including see through blocks.  Added ice cubes that I thrifted.  The polar animals were from Temu.

Dollar Tree had the silver shot cups at New Years.

Dollar General also carries this size.

Found some great magna blocks from Temu.  They were a little pricey but well worth it and the kids loved the little animals that came with the set.  They also have magnets.