That's What I'm Talking About...

http://www.educationalrap.com/

Please, I beg you.  Go see this website with the coolest rap songs that can be used for language arts.  My son did a dance number in school to the one entitled, Character, Setting and Plot all about the elements of fiction.  He knows it word for word and thinks it is very cool!  I agree.  I want every CD on this website!  If you played it in a classroom to supplement a lesson on verbs, grammar, poetry or whatever the topic is, the kids would "dig it."

Master Teacher Passes Away

I was very sad to see that a teacher that amazed me and was praised by the KIPP co-founders passed away last week.  She was known as a "rock star teacher."  I've shown video clips of her in many of my college courses.  She used rhythm, chant and rap to help teach math concepts.  I never got around to buying her CD, but I think I might.   Here is a link to an article about her.

http://www.good.is/post/harriet-ball-master-educator-and-kipp-inspiration-has-died/

Here's a link to a video of her teaching:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/04/harriett-ball-texas-teach_n_748446.html

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2001/01/17/18ball.h20.html

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Books

My son has gotten "into" the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books by Jeff Kinney.  I told him earlier this year about them and just knew he'd love the combination of comic/chapter book format of it.

I wanted to be able to talk about them with him, so he's been checking out of the classroom library and his borrowing from friends the books one at a time and passing it to me, and then I pass it to my husband.   Then we all laugh at the same inside jokes like the Cheese Touch, get annoyed at Rodrick the mean big brother, and worry about Manny the little brother.  I'm not sure if we'll see the movie or not, but we sure love the books!  They were originally submitted daily by Jeff Kinney on funbrain.com and then became published into books due to their popularity.

Here is the first one that my husband read in a day.

The one I finished in the bathtub last night.  

The third book none of us have read yet.

This is the one Carter got for Christmas.  

Book number four  and the one I'm going to read once Carter is done with it.

Here is the next one that will be released on November 9th, 2011.

On the authors official website there's a fun spot to "wimp yourself"  found at http://www.wimpyourself.com/?w=b24cf2541b71336319736d4a8.

Valentines Day Classroom Activities

I'm in charge of the valentine's day party for my sons third grade room and unfortunately have to work that day and can't make it in person.  But I'm sending along six centers prepared for the other mom volunteers to help out with.  Here are direction cards for each center in case you want a few ideas.  

Activity #1

Decorating Valentine’s Cookies

Activity #2

Couples Match-Up

When your leader says “Go,” you will match as many pairs or “couples” as you can.  If the whole table can match them within 2 minutes, you get to choose a valentine candy.   Once, they are matched, mix them up and play again to beat your time.

Activity #3

Candy Rings

How to make it:

1. Wrap half a pipe cleaner around the child's finger, and then slide it off. 
2. Take the end of the pipe cleaner and wrap it around the circle to secure the ring. 
3. Place a wrapped candy on the table and add some white craft glue.
4. Place the ring in top of the glue and let dry.  (It might need to dry for a while at their desk.) 
5. Each child can make as many as they’d like.

                                      Activity #4

Codes and Crosswords

Solve the cryptogram using the ABC Code.  Then complete the crossword puzzle to earn a prize from the Valentine’s bucket.

Activity #5

Valentine’s Wreath

How to make it:

1. Cut out all the hearts.  Using markers, crayons, or paint pens, write conversation   

candy phrases on the hearts such as "LOVE", "HUBBA HUBBA", "SWEET", "LOVE", "BE MINE", "KISS" and "PAL". 

1. Arrange your hearts on top of the cardboard wreath shape without gluing them down. Once you have them where you want them, use the glue stick to attach each one.

3.  You can hang the wreath as is or attach a piece of ribbon.

Activity #6

Valentine’s 

Riddles and Word Search

Using coins, scratch off to see the answers to the riddles, then complete the crossword puzzle to earn a valentine’s candy.

The Book Store with No Books

 I was very excited to see in a local magazine a new store opening of what looked like a book store.  We ventured out one saturday to check it out.  Ever hear of it?  It's got a cool name.  Blickenstaff's.  Well, there was one or two small shelves of board books but mostly educational toys and a variety of rare candies and things to play with.  It was a pretty cool store and the kids luckily had brought their allowances and chose one toy each.  The train on the ceiling was a favorite.