What Does the Groundhog Say?

Who's tired of winter?  I'm in OK, so I'm not yet.  It's been cold, but I still would like some more snow.  I was watching a friend's YouTube video of a school singing "What Does the Fox Say?" and I can't get it out of my head!

So in the spirit of Groundhog's Day and all things early childhood, I whipped up this just for you.  And while browsing the internet trying to find out "What the groundhog says," I found this great website so your students can actually HEAR for themselves and watch some video clips too.

GROUNDHOGS AT HOGHAVEN

Have a great week!

Thanks for stopping by!  What does the fox say?  See I told you I can't get it out of my head :)

Weather, speech bubble, and frame clip art by:  Creative Clips

Groundhog clip art by Educlips

                                                                Font by KG Fonts

DIY Foam 10 Frames

Do you have any 100 foam peg boards taking up space in your classroom?  I had 2!  Young children learn so much from working with 5 and 10 frames.  The added bonus here:  fine motor skill practice too! Here are some of the ways you can make 10 frames with these boards and ideas to use as the "pegs" if you do not have any.

Use the gradual release method to teach your students how to use these 10 frames.

Model using the 10 frames with your class during whole group instruction:  You do.

Pass out the 10 frames and their manipulatives to your students.  I put mine in a pencil zipper bag to make them easier to manage and pass out.  Students work in pairs as you call out numbers or number combinations.  Monitor your students and adjust instruction as needed:  We do.

Place the 10 frames and their manipulatives in a tub for children to use independently during math centers:  They do.

Thanks for stopping by!

A Teacher's Dream

I have the privilege of seeing teachers from all over the United States as I present at conferences for educators.  And although we face some different challenges state by state, as a whole, the teachers that I see at my sessions deal with many of the same issues.  And despite the challenges, policies, evaluations, and everyday crisis that occur in their classrooms, these extraordinary educators make a valiant effort to continue their learning.  Why?  Because teachers care.  Teachers reflect.  Teachers never give up.  We may get tired.  We may feel overburdened.  Our classroom sizes may be large.  The paperwork may be never-ending. Our teaching budgets may be non-existent. Our students may come to us facing challenges that make learning to read seem trivial.  But teachers do. not. give. up. on their students.  They want them to succeed.  They want them to love to learn.  They want them to know that someone cares about them.  So today as I was reflecting on Martin Luther King Day and his famous "I Have a Dream" speech,  my mind drifted to the ever present spirit of our educators.  Many teachers will be teaching about this speech, Martin Luther King, the sacrifices he made for our country, and inspire their students to have their own dreams.  So tonight, I will have a dream for teachers.  For I know teachers have dreams too.

FLIP the 5 and 10 Frames January Contest

I'm back in creative mode finishing up some projects that I started in August.

January's Winter Pack

is

Finally 

Here!!!!

And it is on sale until Sunday night :)

These flip frames work great for whole group, small group, as a center, and even for homework.  Send the black and white version home to help your students use a ten frame for practice without losing all of the pieces.  I use these with all of the poems that work with 5 or 10 too.  For example:

I'm giving away this set to 5 people on my blog and 5 on my Face Book page.  I'm letting my husband pick the winning picture this time as Tessa has taken off for an evening with friends.  So . . . guess which object/animal he chose. No hints this time because there are only 8 to choose from.  I will give the packet to the first 5 who guess it correctly.  Remember you can click on my Face Book page to the top right and make a guess there too.  

Click HERE to see it on Teachers Pay Teachers.

I'm excited . . . February's packet is ALMOST finished! And it has the cutest groundhog in it! As I finish up, what themes will you be doing in February?  I have Groundhog's Day, Valentines Day, and Transportation.  What would you like to see in the next Flip Frame set?

In Memory of My Mom

This is an extremely hard post for me to write.  I haven't blogged in a few weeks.  There was no time. And then there were no words. And now I have decided that I need some type of closure on these pages to continue. After all, I've transitioned to unknown territory.  I created this blog to help inspire, encourage, and give ideas to teachers who are in the trenches everyday with our youngest students.  And if you have read my blog for any amount of time, you know that my own 3 children inspired me so much in my teaching philosophy.  But I don't think I ever shared who is "the wind beneath my wings."  My mother was my role model for wanting to work with children.  She loved working with children more than anything.  She was calm, patient, loving, creative, and inspiring.  And for that, I am so grateful that God chose her to be my Mom.      

My mother passed away on Saturday, December 21, 2013 from cancer.  She dedicated her whole life to taking care of others from caring for children with special needs, to creating a children's church program for over 30 years, to running a home daycare, to working in missions in Mexico, to being a "grandma" to over 1000 children as a foster grandparent at an early childhood school for PreK students. In fact, at the age of 79, she volunteered in 5 PreK classrooms each week for 6 hours a day, working with students and just being "Grandma Ruth" to those children who needed a little extra care, time, and assistance - even as she began radiation for tumors in her brain.  Even though I struggled with her desire to continue working with children as she fought her battle, I had to respect and admire her decision to continue making the difference in the lives of countless little children.

So as sad as I am that she is now gone, I am happy with the legacy she left behind. I will continue that legacy.  She would tell me to keep on making a difference.  Keep on caring for others.  Keep on being a cheerleader and advocate for those who take care of our children.  For in fact, she was the biggest cheerleader in my life for becoming a teacher.  I was the first in my family to graduate from college.  She cheered me on.  I had a child born with special needs.  She cheered me on. I myself was diagnosed with cancer 20 years ago.  She cheered me on.  I finally graduated with my degree as an early childhood teacher.  She cheered me on.  I became a National Board Certified Teacher.  She cheered me on.  I graduated with my master's degree in special education.  She cheered me on.  I decided to record my own songs for children.  She cheered me on.  I decided to start presenting at national conferences.  She cheered me on (even though she disliked me flying "all over the place").  Her last words to me were "I love you so, so much.  You are so beautiful.  Will you be good?"  Yes, Mom.  I will be good.  I will miss you. But I will continue on knowing you are still cheering me on in heaven.

Mom, I love you dearly.  I thank God that he chose you to be my mother.  I thank God for the many, many children who were able to call you "Grandma Ruth." And I thank God that he gave me the same passion.  After all, I had the greatest role model.

Happy New Year to my many  "blogging friends" and to those who also make a difference in the lives of children.

Random Acts of Kindness

I've been away from my blog for a few weeks.  My mother is battling terminal cancer.  Needless to say, its been a very hard 3 weeks.  But I wanted to post a picture and a video in memory of the lives lost one year ago today at Sandy Hook Elementary.  It is the community's wish that we perform random acts of kindness today and every day in their memory. So when you are out today with the busy holiday season, remember the children and help someone in their memory.  The video below is beautiful and a wonderful tribute to young life lost.  Evil did not win.

Building Math Concepts with the Elves

Twas the night before Thanksgiving, and I am giving away a Christmas FREEBIE.  I know I should wait until after Thanksgiving, but I can't.  Happy Thanksgiving and here's a little pre-holiday cheer.  Click HERE to get your FREEBIE.

There are 4 different options included with this activity packet.  Use the option that best fits your students' needs.  You can use Lego's or snap cubes.  I prefer to use Lego's because they stack easily and stand securely.   This activity packet works on number recognition, cardinality, building sets, addition, comparing sets, and ordering length.  You can choose the color version or I provided a black & white option too.

Get your "little elves" stacking presents and building math concepts after Thanksgiving break.

Thanks for stopping by!