Countries of the World

This week in Social Studies we began discussing other countries.  After brainstorming with my awesome colleagues we came up with some fun and quick activities most of which we used our smartboard for.

Here's a list of some of the things we did for each country (this week was Japan, Mexico, and Australia)

*Checked the weather and what time of the day it was in that country.

*Looked at the McDonald's site for that country  (so simple, right? but they were fascinated)  Click here to check out the website for Japan's McDonald's. (Above is the McDonald's we ate at while we were in Cozumel, Mexico. My own kids were so fascinated by this I decided to add it into our countries of the world lessons.)  The kids were shocked that in Japan they eat eggs on their hamburgers!

*Watched a children's program in another language.  If you get on You Tube you can find things like Bob the Builder in Japanese.  Click here to check it out.

*Found how to say "hi" and "good-bye" in each language and greeted/said farewell in that language

*Translated our names into Japanese and practiced writing them.  Click here to go to the website we used to do this.  Some names don't translate so we would just pick a name that was "close enough."

*We watched another You Tube video that showed the kids the countries on each of the continents.  So the day we talked about Japan we showed the video "The Countries of the World: Asia"  Caution:  this song will stick in your head all day and the kids will sing it at odd times throughout the day!

*One of my coworkers made a very cool fact/activity sheet to go with each country

These things were super simple and the kids LOVED  it!  Funny story:  as I'm tucking my kindergarten daughter into bed one night she said "Mom!  Did you know there is a country named Turkey?  How cool is that?"  Another night I went into her room and she had the covers pulled over her head and was practicing saying "Buenos Dias."  I love that she was still thinking about Social Studies both nights 5 hours after school was over!  So cool!

Great Websites For Kinders

There are a lot of sites my class enjoys visiting but abcya.com and cookie.com are 2 of our favorites.  They are both super easy for the kids to navigate and the games are colorful, fun and educational.   Starfall.com is another great site but I don't usually use it until later in the school year.

Anyone else have a site their class likes?  We're are always hoping to find something fun and new to try out!

Question about Google Docs

I have had several e-mails from people asking that I "share" a document with them that I have listed as a freebie through google docs.  So, hopefully this doesn't sound too ignorant but.....what does that mean?  I thought I was already sharing it through google docs?  I feel bad but I have deleted 3 requests already because I really didn't know what that meant.  Now I'm getting more requests so I guess I should figure out what that means!  Can anyone explain it to me?  I would be eternally grateful!!!

Wolfelicious is having a sight word linky party!   Click on the pic to check it out!  So many great ideas already added!

Spelling Games (Time Fillers)

This time of year we are much faster at finishing jobs and sometimes we just need a "game break."  Two of my favorites are Sparkle and Heads-Up Spell Up so I thought I'd share those 2 games today (my kids LOVE them!)

Sparkle: 
Students stand in a big circle.

I point to any random student in the circle to start the game and name one of our spelling words.

The first kid I point to tells me the first letter, the next kid tells me the next letter and so on as we work our way around the circle. (Ex:  spelling word "pit":  Student 1:  p  Student 2:  i   Student 3: t)

When the word is done the next person says "Sparkle"  Now I've seen it played several different ways at this point.  Some teachers have the student who said "sparkle" sit down (I do it this way) and some have the next kid in the circle sit down. Pretty sure there's no right or wrong way!  : )

Then we start the next word and keep moving around the circle.

The last child standing is the "winner."

Kids also have to sit down if they say the wrong letter or if they weren't listening and don't know what letter to say.


Heads-Up Spell-Up:
Did you ever play Heads-Up 7-Up as a child?  We do a variation of the game but incorporate spelling into the game.

Pick 7 kids to stand at the front of the classroom.

All other kids sit at their desks with their heads down (eyes hidden good!) and one thumb up.

The 7 kids that are up (get it....7-up?) quietly walk around the room and touch 1 thumb.

The child who's thumb is touched puts their thumb down so that no on else can touch their thumb.  (no peeking!)

When all 7 kids have touched a thumb I tell the kids to raise their heads and stand by their spots.  The kids that didn't have their thumbs touched stay seated.

Then, one at a time, I ask the kids standing to spell a word.  If they can spell it correctly they get to try and guess who touched their thumb.

If they guess the right student then they take the place of the person who touched their thumb (they become one of the 7-up an the other kid sits down.)  If they guess wrong then they sit back down.

After all 7 kids, who had their thumb touched, get a chance to guess then we have the 7-up kids tell us whose thumb they touched and the game starts again.



Clear as mud?  : )

FREEEEBIE!!

I am so glad it is nice outside!  I am tired of hibernating in my house and so ready to go out among living breathing adults!!

I have some of my April activities (math and reading) ready to go so now I can sit back and relax for a little bit.  haha!  Is there any such thing as sitting back and relaxing for a Kindergarten teacher?   Ummm....no.  Anyways, it does include DJ Inkers clipart but, if I understand correctly, they are still ok with us giving out freebies.  If I'm wrong then the copyright lightning bolt will strike me down....zzzt.

The packet is new and I have not used the activities yet so if you see any errors please let me know!


Enjoy the beautiful weather....it is 63 here...absolutely beautiful for South Dakota in March!!!

Dr. Seuss clipart

Scrappin Doodles sent out an e-mail today letting everyone who purchased their Dr. Seuss clipart know that they have been asked to stop selling it.  Apparently the owners of the Dr. Seuss logo felt it was a copyright violation....or however all the legal stuff works.   Bummer.  

So, I am taking all my Dr. Seuss freebies and my unit on TPT off my blog.  Double bummer.

104 Followers Freebie

It was a super busy weekend.  Furniture shopping, church, basketball game, sleep, sleep and more sleep.  So I finally got back to my laptop tonight and found I have 104 followers!  What a nice surprise!

I threw a quick freebie together to celebrate!  Click my monster friend above to get your free Monster Read the Room.

 Thank you for following my little old blog full of ramblings of a crazy teacher (ooohh....that would have been a good name for my blog!)

Award!

My class was off yesterday.  Every one of my "special kinders" decided yesterday was a good day to be "really special."  My coworkers were absolutely great helping me out the whole day.  Letting me vent and trying to lift my spirits back up.  They even took some of my sweet little kiddos into their rooms to play at the end of the day so my "special lovelies" could have a giant time out while the others got to play.  Needless to say, by the end of the day I had a giant headache and it is still here this morning but I would not have survived the day without them.

Then I drag myself down for a cup of coffee and to check my blog and I find 2 wonderful co-bloggers have left me an award!  : )  What a nice surprise!  So it's Saturday, I love my coworkers and my co-bloggers and the headache is slowly starting to recede.

Whew...thank you for letting me get that out of my system.

Thank you SO MUCH to April at Wolfelicious and Lisa at Criss Cross Applesauce for passing this beautiful award on to me.  I am truly honored especially since both of these ladies have truly amazing blogs!

So, the rules of the "One Lovely Blog Award":

1.  Thank the person who gave it to you and link back to them.

2.  Pass the award on to 15 other bloggers.

3.  Follow the person who sent it to you.

Very hard to choose 15 because there are so many I love but here are 15 VERY deserving blogs (in no particular order):

          

        

Mrs. Plant's Press

 (Sorry, couldn't get her button to transfer)

For the Love Of Kindergarten

                    

              

                     

Enjoy your weekend!

Vowel Cheer

Ms. Patterson from Pocket Full of Kinders asked for a download of this vowel cheer poster so I have added it to google docs.  Click the poster above for your free copy and check out her blog if you have time...super fun!

I feel really out of sorts this week and have not been able to organize my thoughts enough to even think of a creative worthwhile post.  After being gone for a week I feel really behind!!  Trying to get report card testing done and then I'll have to enter all the information and we have 2 days of kindergarten screening next week which means 2 days worth of sub notes and my house is a MESS!  Sigh....TG(tomorrow)IF