tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20621513318538693442024-02-19T00:06:42.326-08:00Always Kindergartenalwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-73178189170363211622017-04-16T17:59:00.001-07:002017-04-16T17:59:29.267-07:00Earth Day Activities<div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: none; text-align: center;">
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I absolutely love Earth Day! We're pretty big on recycling, reusing, composting, and reducing waste all year round. But when April rolls around, I can't wait to really focus on ways that we can all help take care of our precious planet. The future of our planet is in the hands of our kiddos, so why not give them the tools to help take care of it!</div>
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Here are some of the ways we learn about the Earth and what we can do to make a difference.<br />
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We are lucky enough to have a school site subscription to <a href="https://jr.brainpop.com/" target="_blank">BrainPop, Jr</a>. There are so many fantastic videos with kid friendly language. During our Earth Day unit, I like to use two of the videos with my Kindergarteners.</div>
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<a href="https://jr.brainpop.com/science/conservation/reducereuserecycle/" target="_blank">Reduce, Reuse, Recycle</a></div>
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<a href="https://jr.brainpop.com/science/conservation/naturalresources/" target="_blank">Natural Resources</a></div>
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There are also some great songs on YouTube all about Earth Day. Some of our favorites are from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/HarryKindergarten" target="_blank">Harry Kindergarten</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVcQH8A634mauPrGbWs7QlQ" target="_blank">Jack Hartmann</a>.</div>
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I am obsessed with collecting great children's books (what teacher isn't!?!). My Earth Day collection has certainly grown over the years. More recently I've found some great reads to share with my kiddos. Here are a few of my favorites. You can click on the books to find them on Amazon.</div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2pkToOq" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-zUP4nJFwQdBEheR-7gAeCRyjQL_Bzeqnh1x65jdXZv5Oo_c5ZY_Yzc7EF-yZiKFr1BsbRWNWMCtMd2sADXT9shWqB0KkY5b9ynGY6e4rlIPt0cKldCqb6-fRpNSo03XGXqCsTniw4Q/s200/what+does+it+mean+to+be+green.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://amzn.to/2oAYtE1" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFUQzsD9fxuf-8P7aa5_ropxwOMcU4Qk5lH0ZcH408Tsdopx5kdIqRGbqGMEuwvEyD6n6yOHehGQQC22_UfFU9ON1f7Zf41bsRZ7U7fsT2Z9hXJOOTIW6QJsUM2Qyfp2Vpw_4PA3tEcw/s200/Earth+Book.jpg" width="194" /></a> <a href="http://amzn.to/2p4vycY" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXAf07zjH8GBf4cBiwlXG_rSx0iCvj5TyHteSklGpB5gC2ej6Pam6vM2Ka9DvpP1e6Lx6kQApdUpShYH-uIgXk_-XfDMu_xx1j9Tsr0dShYdwlv0CIq6ocMzJd0QnVFP6Cb6fAU4TyGUg/s200/Save+the+Earth.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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We learn all about recycling and sorting our items into different categories. This interactive crown is always a crowd pleaser. Students cut out the pictures and glue them on the correct label to make the crown.</div>
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We also create these fun Natural Resources Mobiles. The students learn about renewable and nonrenewable resources and ways to conserve. We also talk about alternatives to using traditional natural resources such as electric cars vs. gas.</div>
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These Language Arts Centers are all about the Earth! Our Write the Room activity is full of Earth Day words for students to find. It's such a great activity to get the kids up and moving. Earth Day Scrambled Sentences are great for emergent readers. We do many versions of write the room and scrambled sentences throughout the year so they are very familiar activities for the students. Our Earth Day sort is also a great independent activity!</div>
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We do a lot of writing about the Earth throughout our unit! I have lots of different options both with and without lines to meet the needs of my students. (And I forgot to take a picture of our final writing products, ugh!) "Our Earth Day Family Plan" is a fun option to send home for homework or to make the home-school connection and to get families thinking about how they can help protect the planet. </div>
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You can find all of these activities in my <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Earth-Day-3090495" target="_blank">Celebrate Earth Day Unit</a> on <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Always-Kindergarten" target="_blank">Teachers Pay Teachers</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Earth-Day-3090495" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kf2Rus4gxn6dinCycaIrVqkVryDOfxNh0ZFC3hbkWWoXoRu_PGPk7yZwNL_aTeHvYhmul-8mb4uUBlbyJ_3P6uDVeVBG9-1bZSdin7EIgB55pt-O4dnLmNljXOJQ5niCYUMTrnZ5T5g/s400/Earth+Day+Unit+SQUARE.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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What are some of your favorite Earth Day activities? Comment below!</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">This post contains affiliate links for Amazon. By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these links, I will receive a small commission on your purchase, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support the blog so I can keep it up and running and share ideas with you. The views and opinions expressed are purely my own.</span></div>
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alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-70239630985921738092017-03-20T00:00:00.000-07:002017-03-20T21:13:57.555-07:00Spreading Kindness With The Jelly Donut Difference<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbIQK39_C8R5VHUIG-kl8G1ZNohG5G9zXW2WpJ_OAY0CRYGehqK8BuYfX_RI4RgpQZ0ymG3GRJTLaubnXrPMd2t8yGZPnUVhgD8ADgyLfOBt8o51Um7_FdYaMCoK-XVa_BT3T0-V5mUp4/s1600/The+Jelly+Donut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbIQK39_C8R5VHUIG-kl8G1ZNohG5G9zXW2WpJ_OAY0CRYGehqK8BuYfX_RI4RgpQZ0ymG3GRJTLaubnXrPMd2t8yGZPnUVhgD8ADgyLfOBt8o51Um7_FdYaMCoK-XVa_BT3T0-V5mUp4/s320/The+Jelly+Donut.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I am always on the lookout for books that teach children about kindness and ways they can make a difference in the lives of others. Author <a href="http://mariadismondy.com/" target="_blank">Maria Dismondy's</a> books are some of my favorites to use in the classroom. Her books teach important character building lessons and are perfect for my Kindergarten students. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi55DCjbIt3DE8dQZjnnRffdBTTybnLGClq30qWOwSTHkSIEfOnMr7zL3DR5qkQOoepoNReIGDDrEyhJmWU_AlcL3IPIxs812_OmCHaOCAHcFxJlf_8AnAhP2s8Q4wFnd-wkl_d7bF5wK0/s1600/Jelly+Donut+Difference.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi55DCjbIt3DE8dQZjnnRffdBTTybnLGClq30qWOwSTHkSIEfOnMr7zL3DR5qkQOoepoNReIGDDrEyhJmWU_AlcL3IPIxs812_OmCHaOCAHcFxJlf_8AnAhP2s8Q4wFnd-wkl_d7bF5wK0/s640/Jelly+Donut+Difference.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Maria's newest book, <a href="http://amzn.to/2mGQMbd" target="_blank">The Jelly Donut Difference</a>, is a story about generosity and kindness. The story of twins, Dexter and Leah, and their neighbor Ms. Mavis is an example of how the smallest gesture can make a big difference. It is a story of traditions, family, and thinking of others. Maria provides an awesome <a href="http://mariadismondy.com/uploads/jellydonutguide.pdf" target="_blank">reader's guide</a> with resources for using this book in the classroom!</div>
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Want to know how to make a difference in someone else's life? Just ask a Kindergartener! The book sparked a discussion about the ways we can show kindness toward others. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-HRwBbOxktJa5yurcqgf0HVela6QrLXW54S7clqWpFPHVyv6AbgQRA7kN8pyxwqc0XWgHg5jubmYyw2WtT0ER3aQuZsFUUJFG_QGnNvxz_c1EopfOhMRhEkslG68XMOFtZs4uVV-Ngs/s1600/Kindness+Matters+Anchor+Chart.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-HRwBbOxktJa5yurcqgf0HVela6QrLXW54S7clqWpFPHVyv6AbgQRA7kN8pyxwqc0XWgHg5jubmYyw2WtT0ER3aQuZsFUUJFG_QGnNvxz_c1EopfOhMRhEkslG68XMOFtZs4uVV-Ngs/s400/Kindness+Matters+Anchor+Chart.png" width="273" /></a></div>
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As teachers, it's important for us to continue to have these important conversations with our students. They are our future and reminding them that they each have the power to make a difference in the world with even the smallest act, will help to ensure that the world is a better place for all of us.</div>
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Ready to add this book to your classroom library? You can find it <a href="http://amzn.to/2mGPGfQ" target="_blank">here</a> on Amazon. Or better yet, enter the giveaway below to win a copy!</div>
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alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-39780757389419859482017-02-04T14:41:00.003-08:002017-04-16T17:59:49.079-07:00Favorite Books for February<div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: none; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdvLwnd-0UWzDHG_lsm_2gggJnaCRANlwighw7eTAa2Eya_iTZpPoB3_U8UvY5FrfCAXysP9ZoDotHWJ580yBaMctDSCxE-LKdxrmv5a74ebzBFO7t_Jjt6SpKEF5K-xo2m_SLgAnHPI/s1600/Feb+Books+Slider.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdvLwnd-0UWzDHG_lsm_2gggJnaCRANlwighw7eTAa2Eya_iTZpPoB3_U8UvY5FrfCAXysP9ZoDotHWJ580yBaMctDSCxE-LKdxrmv5a74ebzBFO7t_Jjt6SpKEF5K-xo2m_SLgAnHPI/s1600/Feb+Books+Slider.png" /></a></div>
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February can be a fun and exhausting month in the classroom! So many celebrations in such a short month can keep us very busy. Today I'm sharing some of my favorite books to use with my Kindergarteners throughout the month. You can click on the images to find the books on Amazon!</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">This post contains affiliate links for Amazon. By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these links, I will receive a small commission on your purchase, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support the blog so I can keep it up and running and share ideas with you. The views and opinions expressed are purely my own.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhek_qP-jCLQcIVDEEfg6qjrzZnZ3JvgOY1UDC5DKqdygy7uZuhLLWgEzKZS8rrfqhmyjObJY0XYsfsjAmMcvFeo_whLtAe7NL8p_oA4nfLrPGwa4F_gpV0TP-lWUNposUyi9vqtYrqViQ/s1600/Feb+Books+Pin.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhek_qP-jCLQcIVDEEfg6qjrzZnZ3JvgOY1UDC5DKqdygy7uZuhLLWgEzKZS8rrfqhmyjObJY0XYsfsjAmMcvFeo_whLtAe7NL8p_oA4nfLrPGwa4F_gpV0TP-lWUNposUyi9vqtYrqViQ/s640/Feb+Books+Pin.png" width="416" /></a></div>
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First up are some of my favs for Valentine's Day! There are so many to choose from that I had a hard time narrowing it down. Here are my top 5 picks for sharing the love:</div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2kdFi0W" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOgxzk4L8Bx9nkA3o1L2HyDRpZd9eT8VcvXRl_TZU0HaMpXGlcMudIp0S0zyOPeavoyDKCsELdROZz7t66cKTwxryRJAb7VIHOW4tusxBoHEywYE_xsScXDTTUQnlpEoeORD_ZbsomFc/s320/Love+Monster.jpg" width="309" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2kdFi0W" target="_blank"><u>Love Monster</u> by Rachel Bright</a></div>
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This furry little monster finds it hard to fit into a place where he is different from everyone else. He heads out in search of someone to love him for who he is and finds acceptance when he least expects it. This story is wonderful for talking about similarities and differences as well as why it is important to be inclusive. Everyone needs love!</div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2l5hXAf" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIW8M6Ey6tXiZMZTphGP5KVIVkP8NMU0iLV4xmxXvF1F3f2EU8WwQkJ-hjq8xF0u_FSjx35n8QeNBhlgnOj-ZFhWS9KLUEs6kDcPGwDvNvXJOiZrqCSo-Wtv1wSMJL14lmAfTF4fCdKs/s320/Rained+Hearts.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2l5hXAf" target="_blank"><u>The Day it Rained Hearts</u> by Felicia Bond</a></div>
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Cornelia Augusta collects hearts that have rained down to make very special Valentines for each of her friends. I love how this book teaches the kids to think of others and what they would like. It's a great way to combine creativity along with being thoughtful!</div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2l9Ix7s" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4rGSXVgvBVj_9Kzv0AwWuMEPhJE9jT5d6agDXijo2Z-kZjtFV1HEsJ3vJBKH5B68z-DthHd2Z783k5wSh_6vtwMcUGmI6rMNjs7bBlGmFJsMeWk9bUveV4jjXFO0Shqb58vCol0PQ5VI/s400/Crankenstein+Valentine.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2l9Ix7s" target="_blank"><u>A Crankenstein Valentine</u> by Samantha Berger</a></div>
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We love Crankenstein! This sequel to the original is hilarious and points out some of the possibly annoying things about Valentine's Day and that not everyone has the same opinion about holidays. Would be great to use with an opinion writing unit!</div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2l5rhEr" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8LO7tTg0XMNssil2vKV_wt5JoBd3bVtLn7GNXHkq9UVo9MXFpYiHm5j0bIG2z1L6hdGwTGMUpy3481XvWUNiTbhpYqiPKh5DRkGiYcfI4SGiak7OOn9KMIy4uocvBKv-iSpYkoAVt25U/s320/Love+Spalt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2l5rhEr" target="_blank"><u>Love, Splat</u> by Rob Scotton</a></div>
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Who doesn't absolutely adore Splat the Cat?! He is one of my favorite characters. His crush on Kitten is so charming. This is a fun story of how one can feel very vulnerable when expressing feelings for someone you care about. But if you take the chance, you might find just what you're looking for. </div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2kAHyjT" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOHb4W_Q1eIybLz_qEqxZeAsqHclm7iveHWXHq5DoCJSv68w0dQA-gCMT5bYMGI9v0UBtJ11Vpou7V8VIGC9bZZYakjPdznQ067NWHDc048Sku32y2HPV3WTFpjlHs9AcV1ffxHQ432E/s320/One+Love.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2kAHyjT" target="_blank"><u>One Love</u> by Cedella Marley</a></div>
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This book may not be written specifically for Valentine's Day but I had to include it here. With Bob Marley's beautiful lyrics, the illustrations demonstrate how people can show love by working together to make the world a better place. The message of this book is so powerful and widens the definition of love beyond what kids might first think of when talking about Valentine's Day.</div>
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February is also Black History Month! Once again, I find it hard to narrow down a manageable list of favorites so here are just a few of the ones I love to read with my Kinders:<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2k8KXTE" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9YyvLtruj58uRcqpW8cC_FQAgHb7kt1v4-xihbREJqU5pFpwNShyphenhyphenscP-JK7jegvoKeptfULMIuG5SMLjKOMlcQa98I5V8krgkBiu9Eat-WddpM9vVBSIMu-y-_jZB77YRsvyDDv2TBM/s400/Starlight.jpg" width="332" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2k8KXTE" target="_blank"><u>A Dance Like Starlight</u> by Kristy</a> Dempsey</div>
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Inspired by the first African American prima ballerina, Janet Collins, a little girl works to make her own dreams come true. I love this story of perseverance!</div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2laz3Zv" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3WRmGnL7oeF1NeOrPexSNh3Us7X0Gz-YRwUhBwcJ49L_yWZ8UatdseTuNtekn28AGITXsPyp22arrVNSFWRfD3mEoGK1O9pyRL-35dY_FNlwfhM-Frj2qKbKUuoifYMnU18Lk8jB8ww/s320/Overcome.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2laz3Zv" target="_blank"><u>We Shall Overcome</u> by Debbie Levy</a></div>
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Such a beautiful book that traces the history of slavery, segregation, and the civil rights movement. It's a must have for me in the classroom.<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2jPZfHV" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkwFFhX6CPLJzreSyRpnZa3QVAWQuIVENLKu9OTFMv6vTlfaVT9mgRtgadsshFmn3nWPjdbGaQLyttKlD9lh1gc1yIliE80TOkn2T0n0gLSgtDmXZ3LBPdh3BbjxHJRnkT-MsMB-rJwY/s320/Jackie+Robinson.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2jPZfHV" target="_blank"><u>I am Jackie Robinson</u> by Brad Meltzer</a></div>
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If you read my blog or follow me on social media, you know that I'm a huge baseball fan. I love sharing the story of Jackie Robinson with my students and this version is one of my favorites.</div>
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My list of favorite February books would not be complete without talking about President's Day. There are also many, many fantastic titles to use with our kiddos around this topic. Here are a few that I love:</div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2l99RmO" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNoaS6E3ltzJ39ucr74-rKKU_K3vFefxqZEEjiNAUKFN3Y5-cT8MUX6FqfjrG8NQ1NcLi6IAHjSIA08L0S6t683Qq1nHCzslYKKufdcSYUZNSBjTqrEYqqxkIyBy976U7gm9v58NOTwU/s320/Presidents+Day.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2l99RmO" target="_blank"><u>President's Day</u> by Anne Rockwell</a></div>
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A great introduction to the holiday, this story mixes a fictional story with facts about the Presidents as well has the holiday itself. I like to use this book at the beginning of our Presidents Unit.</div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2kEX3qL" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgyT7iIkZO7qdXlzWJ0no684kJWZXrNXGRg6re6kqK978um5KReMQZ780KjVNLqD-HGQdXY1sQCXEgZ_CwJ_ckgnH19ZBP42kDIrHv3tQRI4PjYzbVqO1AtShVk0JeXZqG7jV0z6-sMo/s400/President+too.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2kEX3qL" target="_blank"><u>I Can Be President, Too</u> by Yanitzia Canetti</a></div>
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I cannot say enough good things about this book! The book shows different children and the qualities they have for becoming POTUS. I love the diversity of the children as well as the strengths they share. It allows all of the students to see that any one of them can be the President, too!</div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2kEJ442" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJJixXy_lwdxALHeFDddBBlGsQWoqhXb5w9y11VMAg0uFlbvygkrnCtAjv7IBQoc0coZQGCSdWG7cZD4KKP6kBzW7BYwP1ACOiDfpsg-YzLY88vI5jUwzbmpdxIAGo6jH_3PvkJNpP04/s400/Ran+President.jpg" width="325" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2kEJ442" target="_blank"><u>If I Ran for President</u> by Catherine Stier</a></div>
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This book is a great introduction to just how hard it is to be the President as well as what it takes to go through the election process. It's told from the point of view of six different characters as if they were running. It takes a very complex process and breaks it down for kids.</div>
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What titles do you love to read in February?</h3>
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I'm always on the lookout for more wonderful books to add to my classroom library. Share your favorites in the comments below!</div>
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alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-47239139180243502002017-01-05T00:00:00.000-08:002017-01-05T00:00:23.517-08:00Let's Talk ResolutionsI used to always think that I had to make a New Year's resolution each year. I'd be great about it for like 2 or 3 weeks, maybe even through the month of January. But ever so slowly, I'd give up on whatever I resolved to do. I'm a bit of a perfectionist so it never felt good to feel as if I'd failed and I couldn't follow through. <br />
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As I've gotten older, I've realized that long term resolutions don't work very well for me. I do better with short term goals that I can focus on and check off the "to do" list so to speak. This isn't to say that I never set long term goals...I do. But I try to not be so hard on myself and just take things one day at a time. <br />
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This year, I decided to try something different. I have some short term goals that ultimately will help me accomplish a long term goal. The best of both worlds, right!?! If you know me in real life, you know that I'm a pretty organized person. I like to have my ducks in a row, I'm a total planner, and chaos makes me crazy. But then I have certain spots in my life where things just sort of....pile up. <br />
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Yeah....it's like Monica's secret closet. I have areas at home and in my classroom where I put things to deal with later. Then later comes and I don't deal with them! So I've decided that each month, I'm going to tackle one space at home and one space at school that needs to be gone through. I'm going to purge and get better organized so that it doesn't take me so long to find the things I need. I'm hoping that if I handle it in small chunks, I can feel the small successes that will eventually lead to a less cluttered life! </div>
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For the month of January I've set the following goals:</h4>
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Home - organize my jewelry </div>
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School - organize my guided reading materials</div>
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Wish me luck! Ha! </div>
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Do you make New Year's resolutions? What are you hoping to accomplish this year? </div>
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Let me know in the comments or link up with my friends, <a href="http://www.techandteachability.com/" target="_blank">Jessica</a> and <a href="http://www.pelicansandpipsqueaks.com/" target="_blank">Kristi</a>!</div>
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alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-34973851818879777742017-01-01T03:00:00.000-08:002017-02-04T14:39:37.050-08:00Favorite Books for January<div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: none; text-align: center;">
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It's a brand new year! I love coming back to school after winter break feeling refreshed and ready to take on the second half of the school year. My kinders show so much growth in this half of the year. And with the beginning of a new month comes new units and new themes. I'm excited to share some of my favorite books to use in the classroom throughout the month of January with you!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOEUPO3jp2l7MltX1YxnulILq0GlFUSzXnV8lkvtwArRMCoYEw90Trq3zsX7pipZ8lY_Lr1rvQl9qltcpNcQ8rCwzGyVgSN6GrF53EumvPQ7mWEu3VdxoaTEuWkbf4ZyifBU_gnVwbcGs/s1600/Fav+Books+Jan+PIN.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOEUPO3jp2l7MltX1YxnulILq0GlFUSzXnV8lkvtwArRMCoYEw90Trq3zsX7pipZ8lY_Lr1rvQl9qltcpNcQ8rCwzGyVgSN6GrF53EumvPQ7mWEu3VdxoaTEuWkbf4ZyifBU_gnVwbcGs/s640/Fav+Books+Jan+PIN.png" width="416" /></a></div>
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Living in a part of the country where you have to drive 3-4 hours to find snow, makes it difficult to teach the seasons. I like to bring the seasons into the classroom through hands on activities and rich children's literature. Here are some of my favorite books about winter and snow! You can click on the images to find the titles on Amazon.</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">This post contains affiliate links for Amazon. By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these links, I will receive a small commission on your purchase, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support the blog so I can keep it up and running and share ideas with you. The views and opinions expressed are purely my own.</span></div>
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Fiction</h3>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2iL6Jf0" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisjDJO7PqTquPpg9TEJkFXONMvc52gFHqTClbJF3EK2NTjBweR7GFTmBNiAiw5pI5dVWqa-lqenGeXe4h39S2f-q8gG-Vf2UfxcYG7pkAcOq0e8foT4KFc0toQ2LZKCdjC7EpyKby0KIc/s320/The+Snowy+Day.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats</b></div>
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One of my absolute favorite books ever! Such a beautiful story of a boy exploring a day in the snow. This book is fantastic for retelling, sequencing a story, and talking about what you can do in the snow. If you are an Amazon Prime member, then you also have access to the animated production of this fabulous story!</div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2iLhxtC" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxDvXkpa3MPSwxR-pG-IdtZPV6h42J8fD04DI8TVaJtJG6jFuK6qT_glaoHpdSt4l_wMb5hwgVVH4ZVER8aQstQjLvj74x5xG3DaFt_bKEIXpYQF0Sz6b2UXRPboAMMpOEGVEDwYeLMc/s320/The+First+Day+of+Winter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>The First Day of Winter by Denise Fleming</b></div>
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Written to the tune of the 12 Days of Christmas, a young boy receives all of the things needed to build a snowman! The students love to read along with the predictable rhythm of the text. The illustrations are beautiful, too!</div>
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<b>The Winter Train by Susanna Isern</b></div>
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This book is absolutely beautiful! It's a wonderful story of friendship and working together. The story also shows the transition of the season from fall to winter. </div>
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NonFiction</h3>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2iwzInw" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3O7MCtIoLYfJ3cMNUf3fQNaN3EUVxTqb5co5Ea3KzduswiNM7-dlhJN-aUYPyyiIco2GfeemmF3WMDSfwaqB6JAls6fMYXx4Bsao0h8uIwcwSEf7xpMAi5HA3z8wDjpW2EPJ8gRmh5M/s320/Animals+in+Winter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft & Richard G. Van Gelder</b></div>
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The "Let's Read And Find Out Science" series is one on my favorites to use in the classroom. This is a great book to compare and contrast with <u>The Winter Train</u>. This is a fantastic book for introducing vocabulary such as migrate, hibernate, and den. It introduces students to the different ways animals cope with the winter months.</div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2hSWIfG" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVn4GbwhwAByRNfUd0srpIupIyfzkSr2gYYF7aAy60gKQxuxymIqHgfBI7VHwlEwMNQdhwgfoqlNRK4qrrJupAG42mmZTWikwXFPBGhPG-HKO7MnzS7IhIhFiAsv2-LK0YAlsxEVIsEw/s400/Over+and+Under+the+Snow.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>
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<b>Over & Under the Snow by Kate Messner</b></div>
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Such a beautiful nonfiction picture book that explores life under the snow during winter. I love teaching my students about the world under their feet. They are always surprised to learn just how much is going on in places they cannot see.</div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2ik4Erw" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUJyZ6BFbudi1fYQ5bAZ7XIXIvNqTk0V6CQlAk2ZZUGwO7lZfe-9bKUjx8SoAqW08BqgKCApgX2YxWWadKqkU6x7HQfaTtZmUE8i72itLcRWn6gjDMMB_XpzDLUTxeL8pcUFasiRF6ik/s320/The+story+of+snow.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>
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<b>The Story of Snow by Mark Cassino</b></div>
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This is a great nonfiction book all about the science of snow! Student learn how snow forms and the book includes real photos of snow crystals. I love to use this book during our Snow Science unit (you can read more about that <a href="http://www.alwayskinder.com/2015/12/snow-science-giveaway-sale.html" target="_blank">here</a>). The explanations are very clear and engaging even for little learners.</div>
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What books do you love to read in January?</div>
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alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-67818040164709368012016-12-27T13:22:00.000-08:002017-04-16T18:01:29.930-07:00New Year's Writing Activity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: none; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6SzXFpFgsw11HyyAMysxUy72zM7HDWWqBqzg6jqedov6HSZ3bI97S8Vo_3tyjkcrEMSuNVB1ATiiShtuEqwzOpPXfBoCXrtOSOsN4fYwt4uRa29yQkyGsYYfvVPCGVQGhxtrCQ_uyYBg/s1600/Slide1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6SzXFpFgsw11HyyAMysxUy72zM7HDWWqBqzg6jqedov6HSZ3bI97S8Vo_3tyjkcrEMSuNVB1ATiiShtuEqwzOpPXfBoCXrtOSOsN4fYwt4uRa29yQkyGsYYfvVPCGVQGhxtrCQ_uyYBg/s1600/Slide1.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">I can hardly believe that 2017 is almost here! This past year has had plenty of ups and downs but I'm choosing to focus on the positives of 2016. As we look at the new year ahead, many of us are beginning to set goals and make resolutions for the new year. When we return to school in January, I love to talk with my Kindergarteners about their own hopes and dreams for the year ahead.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0SfDpeT7kCLlrxh0DZRFKWMJFzWTi_ek6_pA8loPOWBFya7UJASTF8H1bt87DqEEjhNU391JO8NXT_z3_scI9aM4BqpBeMbE87tMhkZt7EOVBiHiLD0vDjrtFtiUH8H09eh1YPwbQaM/s1600/New+Year+Writing+PIN.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0SfDpeT7kCLlrxh0DZRFKWMJFzWTi_ek6_pA8loPOWBFya7UJASTF8H1bt87DqEEjhNU391JO8NXT_z3_scI9aM4BqpBeMbE87tMhkZt7EOVBiHiLD0vDjrtFtiUH8H09eh1YPwbQaM/s640/New+Year+Writing+PIN.png" width="416" /></a></div>
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Here are a couple of my favorite books for talking about the New Year. Just click below to find them on Amazon!</div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=alwayskinderg-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=044845212X&asins=044845212X&linkId=2f43f203976ba415761a800a34d483c7&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=alwayskinderg-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0807575917&asins=0807575917&linkId=0544c34fc7f8b54a8f2cad1ed5be8b49&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div>
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As a class, we love to share our goals with each other. I write students' ideas down on chart paper to help spark ideas for those who are having a harder time coming up with a goal.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-q3da3pgJiUJC8SKZrURRi_HWcv7S9Yx5cVLziQGIey9p3E2JZUUenSBle7OlNgLRgoMFoR3ZJWnpvC0Z8SaS0aPG5c84RTmgga-X0vDjKUY-A35rjptWZS2HUTYfhDWHFSOSVtS9PM/s1600/2017+Goals+Chart.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-q3da3pgJiUJC8SKZrURRi_HWcv7S9Yx5cVLziQGIey9p3E2JZUUenSBle7OlNgLRgoMFoR3ZJWnpvC0Z8SaS0aPG5c84RTmgga-X0vDjKUY-A35rjptWZS2HUTYfhDWHFSOSVtS9PM/s400/2017+Goals+Chart.png" width="361" /></a></div>
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We love to make class books! Once our goals are set, we write about them and put our pages together in a book. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEtUAMv82QfMlpVETrpwQ7T0GMN8NVq3nCjpx732b8htin3fnzAlD5zqidsvOqpHU81SgoVh4e1w6gps8SimMDLQY8okYwnQdx8KYmcrplRJKu7YuaWx_sn_MaNwEvui3RqDMhacDF-to/s1600/New+Year%2527s+Book+Page+Example.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEtUAMv82QfMlpVETrpwQ7T0GMN8NVq3nCjpx732b8htin3fnzAlD5zqidsvOqpHU81SgoVh4e1w6gps8SimMDLQY8okYwnQdx8KYmcrplRJKu7YuaWx_sn_MaNwEvui3RqDMhacDF-to/s400/New+Year%2527s+Book+Page+Example.png" width="387" /></a></div>
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You can grab this <span style="color: magenta;">freebie</span> from my <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Always-Kindergarten" target="_blank">Teachers Pay Teachers</a> shop by clicking on the image below!</div>
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There are 3 different sentence frames and a book cover in color or black & white.</div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/New-Years-Writing-Activity-2932140" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3eaXJeD6UlddQrssAW3Mw_2nwK9oISyQD0uSqfO5BKysBVhdKyLCVWNh3rG65zubrJ2UmHTdLQFFKgXAijCK3PDsv0V22VQAMLSJUwnruAZ4x56hbO_TVHlCbhpsp0glxEqw_3eW2zo/s400/New+Year%2527s+Writing+Pages.png" width="386" /></a></div>
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What are your goals for 2017?</div>
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Share them in the comments below!</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: left;">This post contains affiliate links for Amazon. By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these links, I will receive a small commission on your purchase.</span></div>
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alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-79723452188763136352016-11-11T03:00:00.000-08:002017-04-16T18:02:43.719-07:00Teaching Kindess<div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: none; text-align: center;">
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With everything that we are expected to teach in a single school year, it's hard to find time to focus on the social-emotional skills that our students so desperately need. I have found myself pushing these lessons to the bottom of the list over the last few years to make more room for writer's workshop, reader's workshop, math instruction, science, and more to make sure I am hitting all of the standards. What I've noticed is that the population I work with needs these lessons more than ever and I miss teaching them.</div>
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As I drove in to school this Wednesday, I thought about my lesson plans for the day. I thought about my phonics lesson and the teaching point I had ready for reader's workshop. I thought about the math games I had prepped and ready to go. Yet, none of it seemed as important as talking to my Kinders about the meaning of kindness. So, I pulled into school, threw my lesson plans for the day out the window (which anyone who knows me, knows that's unheard of!), and decided to give my students what I thought they needed the most in this moment.</div>
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We started our discussion about kindness with this amazing book!<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2eHgvfG"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj75qM_QOv0Di3kdy-MF5DtuXxGDY9c02glJ4AL6mBk_73gGn46Cw0ArqA8Dh9mvBon6Kt3fi0OVUsw48NSmYA7O7aJ1XJtbzIz6pLgam5j57XyLD5T6dgNeAg0euqNr41b4a_xqlfwzVY/s320/What+does+it+mean+to+be+kind.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
You can find it <a href="http://amzn.to/2eHgvfG">here</a>!<br />
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It sparked a wonderful discussion about the ways in which we can be kind to others, both at school and in life. I was so impressed with the compassion, thoughtfulness, and empathy that my students demonstrated. We brainstormed a list of ways we can show kindness toward others.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWURIDE5DVBWLLaPx3JiNJ7sYESQB6ICufs8Uk7It5PvPp8vhSSGvZ9a0mPZxS0JuXgeYNnpfxhvcf2KhjCX-7mbWq0lrKJb2zFQeTPu-Fl8vKel1YJN4PDkzB9j_IET6ZDtmuVzSK6o/s1600/Kindness+Matters+Anchor+Chart.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWURIDE5DVBWLLaPx3JiNJ7sYESQB6ICufs8Uk7It5PvPp8vhSSGvZ9a0mPZxS0JuXgeYNnpfxhvcf2KhjCX-7mbWq0lrKJb2zFQeTPu-Fl8vKel1YJN4PDkzB9j_IET6ZDtmuVzSK6o/s640/Kindness+Matters+Anchor+Chart.png" width="436" /></a></div>
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I created this writing page for my students to share their ideas. I just adore the way they represent their thoughts through drawing.</div>
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You can grab the writing pages for free in my TPT store, <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Kindness-Writing-Activity-2871225">here</a>!</div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Kindness-Writing-Activity-2871225"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmq4Y7-TnMknEsU9H2Q4CYmGNRBESBPmUtFvcLr-hHzBdNTgGvFHOtHPHWxP8VzTBdsOxNESNIiysr5HiA0qjFeit2SzbTHOMNQdurIJVo_MZ5eAJPPugIYv6ADp6TYAVD3-NCBT1gEt0/s400/Kind+Kid+Freebie.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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How do you encourage kindness in your classroom?</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">This post contains affiliate links for Amazon. By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these links, I will receive a small commission on your purchase.</span></div>
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alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-33064853092059020692016-10-09T23:05:00.001-07:002016-10-10T07:42:16.115-07:00Hands On Pumpkin Science<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's pumpkin time! I absolutely love this time of year. Routines and procedures have been established and my kindergarteners are ready to dive head first into our science units. Our pumpkin theme is spread out over two weeks in October but it could easily be done in just one. The prep is minimal. All you need are a few different pumpkins (many grocery stores will donate the funnier looking pumpkins to teachers!), a tub of water, something to measure with (we use linker cubes), and some carving tools.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times";">Week 1</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "times";">Investigating the Outside of the Pumpkin</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "times";">We begin the unit by observing the outside of the pumpkin and talking about what we notice. Students discuss size, shape, color, texture, temperature, similarities and differences, etc.</span><br />
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As all good scientists do, we record our observations and investigation results in our Pumpkin Journals.</div>
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We also count the ribs (lines) on the outside of the pumpkin and measure the height using linker cubes.<br />
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Then comes the real fun! Will the pumpkin sink or float? We always make a prediction before testing it out.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJe61S3k2bUHVPMUPoOJnKJbaZzrLxzhONji3t8bSFYWIxkmpyR9gKQC_a8eNQiV_rSBl-FdI7k5benLns86LAi2LoPIPLvS09tWVAnusVSiZvILfMVJ-gqI0FIB1wu0evXP3P1qup3Wg/s1600/Pumpkin+Observation+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJe61S3k2bUHVPMUPoOJnKJbaZzrLxzhONji3t8bSFYWIxkmpyR9gKQC_a8eNQiV_rSBl-FdI7k5benLns86LAi2LoPIPLvS09tWVAnusVSiZvILfMVJ-gqI0FIB1wu0evXP3P1qup3Wg/s320/Pumpkin+Observation+4.png" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTGAgyN6jfTXMDS9KPPhz9Y0Op5WXGnKuA2T-_jbQGoTHPi-Irh5p145pFptkkXyQzBjUHXtrhy9MxX9JffGl49p6tAPUJISwxf8li4PHPUfVY44NyBGtJcgn_pb-8neXcQ9CBcccRONQ/s1600/Pumpkin+Observation+5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTGAgyN6jfTXMDS9KPPhz9Y0Op5WXGnKuA2T-_jbQGoTHPi-Irh5p145pFptkkXyQzBjUHXtrhy9MxX9JffGl49p6tAPUJISwxf8li4PHPUfVY44NyBGtJcgn_pb-8neXcQ9CBcccRONQ/s320/Pumpkin+Observation+5.png" width="240" /></a></div>
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We also learn about the life cycle of a pumpkin. I love <a href="http://amzn.to/2e2DLpK" target="_blank">these</a>'s Read and Find Out" books for science topics.</div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2e2DLpK"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOi4ZX6fd6nqxvwEColXNE4cAkEjlFqll6fR0pef-PfPhGN1hTQdaSGoW-zRvs_Y7VWBRP2CuRyMpMFMo67lgQnqgjT4aLX_WfW6KffLYhyPf6ER-u6JaB3wijJNljNccO0IOEO0qlNs/s320/From+Seed+to+Pumpkin.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Week 2<br />Investigating the Inside of the Pumpkin</h3>
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Students love to get their hands on their learning. They can't wait to get inside the pumpkin to find out what's in there! Estimating the number of seeds is always a ton of fun. It's great for counting to 10 and skip counting. We use counting mats to help us keep track.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1vyksTogdh1KhDSFkN5zsNRUzVR1x37abo1dAoZQAB83uSCPanlP_jjCTQ6cdUCPh9aFz1e-O3h8KyEEU-SdQ3w6SNovVinxaRn_TtXslLS1LY9ZG0rme5CbM3U-WlS72Wa7EiwxUHwA/s1600/Pumpkin+Investigation.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1vyksTogdh1KhDSFkN5zsNRUzVR1x37abo1dAoZQAB83uSCPanlP_jjCTQ6cdUCPh9aFz1e-O3h8KyEEU-SdQ3w6SNovVinxaRn_TtXslLS1LY9ZG0rme5CbM3U-WlS72Wa7EiwxUHwA/s320/Pumpkin+Investigation.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ou-03Q7Z9jDn3CMrStfY7P1E_P124tTw61MmxfjY42gx4-HBgV32zorsMQ5eYxkO-yqnXN1lyAOaO3l2JjBtTas-IkF-FyUqYJ0V5896Onsd8wzEH60lAwFU6hSe5vUMrEQU2m9tOok/s1600/Pumpkin+Investigation+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ou-03Q7Z9jDn3CMrStfY7P1E_P124tTw61MmxfjY42gx4-HBgV32zorsMQ5eYxkO-yqnXN1lyAOaO3l2JjBtTas-IkF-FyUqYJ0V5896Onsd8wzEH60lAwFU6hSe5vUMrEQU2m9tOok/s320/Pumpkin+Investigation+2.png" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQliTDhctxegw58-ktq3LM1iSJV4edcVKzFUW1I_j98bRmGj-d69lMMd8Dv3IEWqwpnG09V7aN5kpkyoMRQOHlFkd-B2IaV-CGBZqARQ7K6PI4jCeNO2Uu59v5A5ypDNyJUVeN6CLk5VY/s1600/Pumpkin+Investigation+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQliTDhctxegw58-ktq3LM1iSJV4edcVKzFUW1I_j98bRmGj-d69lMMd8Dv3IEWqwpnG09V7aN5kpkyoMRQOHlFkd-B2IaV-CGBZqARQ7K6PI4jCeNO2Uu59v5A5ypDNyJUVeN6CLk5VY/s320/Pumpkin+Investigation+3.png" width="240" /></a></div>
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It's amazing just how many seeds can be inside a pumpkin!</div>
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Last, we work on labeling the parts of the pumpkin that we find.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTq3REISkacPahVn48p09-1wbWM2d9PsTcPOCDiap8P0JUdG0HfqPdUDeui1n7yUWAPm7DkTODGptW6ZW_BzXYjm06Kn8I7wawdwBkYynXZErS-YHfNDV7Qf5lr9Gf1cntcsRb-yC7sw/s1600/Pumpkin+Labeling.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTq3REISkacPahVn48p09-1wbWM2d9PsTcPOCDiap8P0JUdG0HfqPdUDeui1n7yUWAPm7DkTODGptW6ZW_BzXYjm06Kn8I7wawdwBkYynXZErS-YHfNDV7Qf5lr9Gf1cntcsRb-yC7sw/s320/Pumpkin+Labeling.png" width="240" /></a></div>
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After 2 weeks of pumpkin fun, we celebrate by roasting pumpkin seeds!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-VXzd97OIv1vgmTrtJcUNTk6MBJf8Gcs1MpWyNLycpB0BU4h8ybACRK2GVvdjHbc1F0FINlmbdfXtiAdzZcbJxFl_jaObpA_i96iOqSj4AU6DtWfasE-HK-s38hPbyAVRvfM2eYMH-g/s1600/Pumpkin+Seeds.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-VXzd97OIv1vgmTrtJcUNTk6MBJf8Gcs1MpWyNLycpB0BU4h8ybACRK2GVvdjHbc1F0FINlmbdfXtiAdzZcbJxFl_jaObpA_i96iOqSj4AU6DtWfasE-HK-s38hPbyAVRvfM2eYMH-g/s320/Pumpkin+Seeds.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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You can find all of the activities and journal pages in my <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Pumpkin-Science-2131817" target="_blank">Pumpkin Science</a> unit.</div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Pumpkin-Science-2131817"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_Q-6rF7Dff23TOC02834rzl7twHqc1vs6sjXcE0wwLcmPUO4qbzfSL3weRlWdRX1AwKK6Zw3eVY4CDp7Qoe8bajipKP0GISU-8q3ZpAgB90AYpv3YcyLdQI49hkCJcISfHXDv1LrRxY/s320/Pumpkin+Science+SQUARE.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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What are your favorite pumpkin activities?</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "didact gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 26px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">This post contains affiliate links for Amazon. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "didact gothic" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 26px;">By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these links, I will receive a small commission on your purchase.</span></div>
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alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-79034973457604137732016-09-12T22:32:00.000-07:002016-10-16T21:28:27.700-07:00Teacher Week 2016Happy Back to School! I hope you're having an amazing start to the year. I joined the bloggers of BlogHoppin' this past week for Teacher Week 2016. Check out my photos from the week below to learn a little more about me!<br />
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Meet Me Monday</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkOVoxlmmtBVneuZ1hd4ZVwHwtYNq8Qe_c_RjtdAj23vV53ABCNnJQqQxhStY0kSlylwHkNBK9YK_ZZOMkl2IMOPnWNBMeqN0IVnRTZ5yTGYIlh5sx7xHH87Zq3zUsUOtPMFAah7VATVI/s1600/Meet+Me.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkOVoxlmmtBVneuZ1hd4ZVwHwtYNq8Qe_c_RjtdAj23vV53ABCNnJQqQxhStY0kSlylwHkNBK9YK_ZZOMkl2IMOPnWNBMeqN0IVnRTZ5yTGYIlh5sx7xHH87Zq3zUsUOtPMFAah7VATVI/s320/Meet+Me.png" width="318" /></a></div>
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These are a few of my favorite things! My family and my girls are the most important thing. I can't imagine not having them in my life. I absolutely LOVE live music! Though being a full time working mom doesn't leave me much time for going out, we do enjoy getting to concerts when we can. Our city has many opportunities to see some amazing artists. The beach is my favorite place on earth! Um, pumpkin...'nuff said. My favorite accessory is my bracelets. I have many Alex & Ani and I'm loving my Keep Collective from Stella & Dot. What teacher doesn't love Target!?! Oh children's books...they're like shoes, you can never have enough. GIANTS baseball...can we say 3 time World Champs! Kindergarten teacher...yeah, it's who I am. And I love it.</div>
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Teaching Tuesday</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0Q4s2aLxfJPdzUWLmFdD3YUILHHABcfvH6BdTbGzkfyqRn0GpTPeJNgbKJlZbw65tJNPz9M1C7vh1q4nm6oInuW3oboXZpUYDM3c_53GYfSaTH_-w_WM5ahgwdod3D5GGGD3-xBYHAA/s1600/TEACHING+TUESDAY.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0Q4s2aLxfJPdzUWLmFdD3YUILHHABcfvH6BdTbGzkfyqRn0GpTPeJNgbKJlZbw65tJNPz9M1C7vh1q4nm6oInuW3oboXZpUYDM3c_53GYfSaTH_-w_WM5ahgwdod3D5GGGD3-xBYHAA/s320/TEACHING+TUESDAY.png" width="319" /></a></div>
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When I started teaching, science was the subject that scared me the most. I had zero idea how I would make scientists out of 20 something 5-year-olds. Now, it's my absolute favorite thing to teach! Hands on science is engaging, real, hits so many common core standards and is just plain fun! You can check out my science units <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Always-Kindergarten/Search:science" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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Where I Work Wednesday</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimg3XxefQ1g6P5LyyjK-gFSpN93Z5uWWozYHqxnwv8Z0-m8S5kkOxkuVQMO1gm5D1Wd9h3oUGlVs8wQc9_pJ2aH5mqvv_Tjsm0c2JmX5OmudwibKKii6pKnRM4P0OLOvH1a9RlSaO64g8/s1600/Where+I+Work+Wed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimg3XxefQ1g6P5LyyjK-gFSpN93Z5uWWozYHqxnwv8Z0-m8S5kkOxkuVQMO1gm5D1Wd9h3oUGlVs8wQc9_pJ2aH5mqvv_Tjsm0c2JmX5OmudwibKKii6pKnRM4P0OLOvH1a9RlSaO64g8/s320/Where+I+Work+Wed.png" width="319" /></a></div>
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Have I every mentioned that I get to teach in the most beautiful city!?! San Francisco is my home and I'm so blessed to teach in an amazing public school. My classroom is HUGE! I have two walls of windows and an amazing view (see that sunrise above!?). There's no way I'm giving up this amazing learning space...I plan on retiring here!</div>
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Threads Thursday</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikUGgevZ9SceuqCVK_wYzbHYreNXjmGtg7XM-VpAbRUhJhk1mzy5n-BYlhvoS9TnlL6tUmwwJgS3-QRqE5dA4lePVIPrQfngh1sHg2QIkBl8P5tSCk-gQ59zxCXr4FMMVEakynkYBFc5g/s1600/Threads+Thursday.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikUGgevZ9SceuqCVK_wYzbHYreNXjmGtg7XM-VpAbRUhJhk1mzy5n-BYlhvoS9TnlL6tUmwwJgS3-QRqE5dA4lePVIPrQfngh1sHg2QIkBl8P5tSCk-gQ59zxCXr4FMMVEakynkYBFc5g/s320/Threads+Thursday.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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I really do enjoy dressing up. Most days I'm dressed professionally. I typically wear capri pants, a blouse, cardigan,and ballet flats. But let's get real. Kindergarten teachers need to be comfortable. We are up and down, back and forth, covered in Kindergartener, all day long. Some days, it's a cute t-shirt, jeans, and my chucks. You will never find me without a wrist full of bracelets though! I just love them.</div>
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Friends Friday</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwo_XWVIUz-W3ucLY3UuoKhiRwmPjP77hMGMBAg0bxW7nYG_0SgPBVGw2uA6GlZI9Dbot9HRZ-LAHw0qa2aTBati0etwv-n7w0S5PjYiQr4SW-6XnZ21Z5ZqHREQl8P5CcyfDfRY-aXs/s1600/Friends+Friday.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwo_XWVIUz-W3ucLY3UuoKhiRwmPjP77hMGMBAg0bxW7nYG_0SgPBVGw2uA6GlZI9Dbot9HRZ-LAHw0qa2aTBati0etwv-n7w0S5PjYiQr4SW-6XnZ21Z5ZqHREQl8P5CcyfDfRY-aXs/s320/Friends+Friday.png" width="319" /></a></div>
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My Team: I have the most amazing team to work with every day. These girls are my rocks and they make coming to work so much fun. They are dedicated, supportive, and loving friends. I can't imagine the day to day without them.</div>
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The Punchbowl Girls: My Tribe! The ladies of <a href="http://theprimarypunchbowl.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Primary Punchbowl</a> have been so great on my journey as a blogger and TpT author. We are all on this road together and they are my village.</div>
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Bloggy Loves: These girls! I can't say enough good things about them. Molly <a href="http://luckytobeinfirst.com/" target="_blank">(Lucky to Be in First) </a>is my Fairy Godblogger. She has encouraged me since the beginning of this road and is my biggest cheerleader. I'm so blessed to have her in my life and to call her my friend. Greta <a href="http://learningwithmrsleeby.com/" target="_blank">(Learning with Mrs. Leeby)</a> and Vera <a href="http://thetututeacher.com/" target="_blank">(The Tutu Teacher)</a> were virtual friends until this summer when we finally met in real life in Orlando. I hate that we live so far away because these girls are my jam. Just the best!</div>
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I hope you had fun learning a little more about me! Do we have anything in common? Let me know in the comments below.</div>
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Then hop on over to <a href="http://imbloghoppin.blogspot.com/2016/09/teacher-week-16-rewind.html" target="_blank">Blog Hoppin'</a> to check out the others who have linked up!</div>
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alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-87659272914352565992016-09-07T00:00:00.000-07:002016-09-13T12:49:08.847-07:00Fall Math & Literacy CentersHooray! September is here. I absolutely LOVE fall (and not just because I'm a fall baby). There are so many fun themes this time of year...apples, seasons, pumpkins, just to name a few. I love to incorporate our themes into all parts of our day. My Fall Math & Literacy Centers do just that!<br />
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fall-Math-and-Literacy-Centers-2692581" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQ7f34ZzPLTvj8t-ulrUYyUJzFsqB9qOJtdNifIhHqH9HGC_BJgiiffRBU5QmxHrksO9zsdUc_B8lLt0nQs8AfMZkCwizB6xxGnusSFAqd3PFnGaHWeujBxkSRGbDAVFrxAgoCMl7ZXU/s320/Fall+Centers+Cover.png" width="319" /></a></div>
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Here are a few of the activities that are included:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxfTVhK1M7iaRc9iE9K2u4mmGgyEYzFO3pMAXQbkBoDqmGYQd59r5TeZVLvXo5kwDcM4AnlqcXosr0IsSDMOUHbr04PPDv7hP2m2ULai4RNiu4Z3OMo_DjpVyapazoszc6CtKYyC5KOo/s1600/Fall+Rhyming.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxfTVhK1M7iaRc9iE9K2u4mmGgyEYzFO3pMAXQbkBoDqmGYQd59r5TeZVLvXo5kwDcM4AnlqcXosr0IsSDMOUHbr04PPDv7hP2m2ULai4RNiu4Z3OMo_DjpVyapazoszc6CtKYyC5KOo/s320/Fall+Rhyming.png" width="286" /></a></div>
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Apple Pickin' Rhymes</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4VTPjndexBdNA21vvDk92h3SrTJlXYBYE7JvI4bOzNEirSW6h6fcxoUWIsFaUJfzSDmPUQnJIwlyjf712FLYMIqRBqVlciA3kUVWJhacZuLAIx8RixVl6t4vl07K8pDn1NHDzNMgwRI/s1600/Fall+Letter+Match.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4VTPjndexBdNA21vvDk92h3SrTJlXYBYE7JvI4bOzNEirSW6h6fcxoUWIsFaUJfzSDmPUQnJIwlyjf712FLYMIqRBqVlciA3kUVWJhacZuLAIx8RixVl6t4vl07K8pDn1NHDzNMgwRI/s400/Fall+Letter+Match.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Fall Letter Match Up</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1VDhCj6g9nBbyHnicEton8FrTWbYujOqvKDwif5uSDw5XTVp8zz0HF9fcSZpjj7Mf1SWXEGifZ436j_fRipoul-FeEp5ggVe7YP4makrW8kcY5RYFHMv0PY37fmVFYWFoB9BdxYUPbfM/s1600/Fall+Spin+Shapes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1VDhCj6g9nBbyHnicEton8FrTWbYujOqvKDwif5uSDw5XTVp8zz0HF9fcSZpjj7Mf1SWXEGifZ436j_fRipoul-FeEp5ggVe7YP4makrW8kcY5RYFHMv0PY37fmVFYWFoB9BdxYUPbfM/s400/Fall+Spin+Shapes.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Gobblin' Up Shapes</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2EuGdgCyeZBYfkRKZVqjietlmzEzMITHTGcO-_m4NCZcP5YvzjJy7kvTol01000O5K5sDyfXC-wauadDMnP7vN_HpyaNi6zySSDh0DreK27I9yzLa5kIdRJ_YMHaiVdjyt7tiQOQ_hg/s1600/Fall+Apple+Seed+Math.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2EuGdgCyeZBYfkRKZVqjietlmzEzMITHTGcO-_m4NCZcP5YvzjJy7kvTol01000O5K5sDyfXC-wauadDMnP7vN_HpyaNi6zySSDh0DreK27I9yzLa5kIdRJ_YMHaiVdjyt7tiQOQ_hg/s320/Fall+Apple+Seed+Math.png" width="318" /></a></div>
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Apple Seed Count & Match</div>
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There are 10 activities in all, 5 for math and 5 for language arts. Other skills covered in this resource are color words, ordering uppercase and lowercase letters, sentence building with sight words, non-standard measurement, numbers 0-20, and matching number to quantity to 10. You can see the complete unit by clicking <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fall-Math-and-Literacy-Centers-2692581" target="_blank">here</a>!</div>
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How would you like to <strike>win a copy</strike>, just in time for fall!?!</div>
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GIVEAWAY CLOSED</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJiBbr4p-CQhoXmZt09kIVLTqfEkZhy0EjdAzO5YSlbY3W6sLvDgiO0KDearllTa4IveJbkTpC_DuNCY4YuCbPhhGfRpSOk3UxOGvmnqOYiltph76OYOvSIXsbKHf0Y89WBMwKYiv_bA/s1600/Header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJiBbr4p-CQhoXmZt09kIVLTqfEkZhy0EjdAzO5YSlbY3W6sLvDgiO0KDearllTa4IveJbkTpC_DuNCY4YuCbPhhGfRpSOk3UxOGvmnqOYiltph76OYOvSIXsbKHf0Y89WBMwKYiv_bA/s400/Header.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I've linked up with my friends <a href="http://www.adabofgluewilldo.com/blog/" target="_blank">Jennifer</a> and <a href="http://www.sarajcreations.com/" target="_blank">Sara</a> for Winner Wednesday!</div>
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All you have to do is <strike>enter the rafflecopter below</strike>! Then head over to <a href="http://www.adabofgluewilldo.com/winner-wednesday-apples-bundle/" target="_blank">A Dab of Glue will Do</a> or <a href="http://www.sarajcreations.com/2016/09/winner-wednesday-skip-counting.html#more" target="_blank">Sara J Creations</a> to see some of the other fabulous products you can enter to win this month.</div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fall-Math-and-Literacy-Centers-2692581" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsuYA3czsiK_TqGfpyjjnFVGr978P9yLA48e6cyGO9Am0zXuN_JKMIfwfR5MzUZJc90Tt0Tfm6PvSwJHtXeZi_2jOsCcQu-MwOjGKzy2MfoLYchJB_UxbdJpqfR4yF2wAny15E55w-0Oo/s320/September+Winner+Wednesday.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="e3f685846" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e3f685846/" id="rcwidget_ccnwdi9r" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-53337332136878358652016-08-30T03:00:00.000-07:002016-09-13T17:32:37.465-07:00How Important Is Creativity?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5sv3_dD2nIgrCqAa5b0CIMK7YBvhyphenhyphenbZfQRpFE7zHnUABwEprxzi8M9DUUPIXmS2YqbO_EAKpVNvgXh7AKy3F1gxCU5f_wHY0HIKqmv6GVJbqrJHM4HK8N9RUk2EQutPsztELtwhVFhqQ/s1600/Creativity+Header.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5sv3_dD2nIgrCqAa5b0CIMK7YBvhyphenhyphenbZfQRpFE7zHnUABwEprxzi8M9DUUPIXmS2YqbO_EAKpVNvgXh7AKy3F1gxCU5f_wHY0HIKqmv6GVJbqrJHM4HK8N9RUk2EQutPsztELtwhVFhqQ/s640/Creativity+Header.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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We are all born with the ability to be creative. However, somewhere along the way, many of us seem to gravitate toward a more prescribed way of life. As adults, we have jobs, responsibilities, families to take care of. There is little time left to be creative. Yet, as teachers, it is our responsibility to create opportunities for our students and for some, our own children, to foster their creativity. Children need to be encouraged to explore, ask questions, make mistakes, and find their own answers. When children are given the opportunity to be creative, they are building problem solving skills, using critical thinking, and increasing their self-esteem. </div>
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To be creative, all children need is the freedom and space to explore. In the classroom, it can be as simple as laying out recycled boxes and masking tape and giving students the freedom to create using their imaginations. When children are allowed to figure things out on their own, they are able to then solve more complex problems down the road. If you simply show a child how to do something or do it for them, all they have learned is that you can do it better than they can. Allowing a child to express themselves in their own way gives him or her the freedom to build their own understanding of the world. It's about the process and the play, not the product.<br />
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When you think of creativity, most automatically go to art, music, dance and the like. The skills learned through the opportunity to be creative carry over into all aspects of a child's life, including the core subjects in school. Scientists discover cures for diseases through exploration, engineers create new technology, business owners come up with creative ways to increase revenue, teachers find ways to read all of their students. If not given the opportunity to explore and create freely as children, these adults would not have developed the skills to achieve these goals. Unfortunately, so many of these programs are the first to go due to budget cuts and core curriculum demands. <br />
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So what can we as teachers do to foster creativity in the classroom?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfWjubyDtJiON2nyVz5s4G3rMLs9f9uPGgKTGy75h7XU7lc8nOPGdv4j4Ahurk7X8dhctG63jWhiNwFnqJKsYJNHiXJsUMrxzXuutBztJ8qzM_TSisaIHMBr0bGKrrvTwEFuQBnIoDgg/s1600/Free+Exploration.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfWjubyDtJiON2nyVz5s4G3rMLs9f9uPGgKTGy75h7XU7lc8nOPGdv4j4Ahurk7X8dhctG63jWhiNwFnqJKsYJNHiXJsUMrxzXuutBztJ8qzM_TSisaIHMBr0bGKrrvTwEFuQBnIoDgg/s640/Free+Exploration.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFiQsduf0Xepb-4tRGTllXbP6lc3W_40VtQKwWJ3Fbgr2mGC_UZCQfb0cwpwXW11JFnuQG97HAEY3-TNI06olwkzNKH0KzAeC2ME19uJ0mbVweaa_DH7z_hGgmpMwTWM-zuzPjAMghGD8/s1600/animal+exploration.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="441" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFiQsduf0Xepb-4tRGTllXbP6lc3W_40VtQKwWJ3Fbgr2mGC_UZCQfb0cwpwXW11JFnuQG97HAEY3-TNI06olwkzNKH0KzAeC2ME19uJ0mbVweaa_DH7z_hGgmpMwTWM-zuzPjAMghGD8/s640/animal+exploration.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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At the beginning of the year, I make it a point to allow students to explore manipulatives before asking them to do specific tasks with them. Here, the students are exploring with plastic animals. They naturally began to sort them by animal.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zRI75fZ_yAHxIIPvEHv8jXD3MvYrrs86jaSiHzvct2_yMhXs4Vym9sKRadNN2EFgI43YmoxIgzEpkUJjgk_SDMek4pzqg3oL8AKMAz0NHNcMz1ahCVcGU_Po7XllM6wy9YSTp-gLLhw/s1600/color+exploration.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zRI75fZ_yAHxIIPvEHv8jXD3MvYrrs86jaSiHzvct2_yMhXs4Vym9sKRadNN2EFgI43YmoxIgzEpkUJjgk_SDMek4pzqg3oL8AKMAz0NHNcMz1ahCVcGU_Po7XllM6wy9YSTp-gLLhw/s400/color+exploration.png" width="356" /></a></div>
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During our color unit, students explore what happens when you mix primary colors in different ways.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJH6X59PhzlmEiDXsjMRdia5U1TyNOcMM2vXCXNMICycVlqHBHMFgc63qNNnVpEuAYQ9KKGgIfo0-6CgC7lreONwtXW1oIB3SPmm3DqTL0E-VBvGaue-EIxMKMiuL_7s6hexhNUWht1U/s1600/recycled+art.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJH6X59PhzlmEiDXsjMRdia5U1TyNOcMM2vXCXNMICycVlqHBHMFgc63qNNnVpEuAYQ9KKGgIfo0-6CgC7lreONwtXW1oIB3SPmm3DqTL0E-VBvGaue-EIxMKMiuL_7s6hexhNUWht1U/s400/recycled+art.png" width="338" /></a></div>
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For Earth Day, we collected recyclables and the students worked in pairs to create their own art.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0wBeWCoRr_skdQ95TLdqW1T5Uh8H7TC0AFVdC0UmLsfNHVS8k4ggfl7A_e2EjcE93c1cgIq7t7t13HJVI2575YaesnagGeNQww-LiL3S-uCeioaXRMsCzuUjl4bhWt2uUxW6R9popRxQ/s1600/Mistakes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0wBeWCoRr_skdQ95TLdqW1T5Uh8H7TC0AFVdC0UmLsfNHVS8k4ggfl7A_e2EjcE93c1cgIq7t7t13HJVI2575YaesnagGeNQww-LiL3S-uCeioaXRMsCzuUjl4bhWt2uUxW6R9popRxQ/s640/Mistakes.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">One of my favorite books to read at the beginning of the school year is <u>Beautiful Oops</u> by Barney Saltzberg. The story is about turning a mistake into an opportunity to make something beautiful.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPY3ZlyTSmBdyhtkQLusPrk6a-PzgJQoYGm4uMJlBW2OmOEof6B_C7pTmjIPHzzEXcWBYzPoDAWFDuQ0ZkG2wbvPljp_bDOoAWvdZMuwu76v-1np2TSPjtRfg-Oc1uoShwUXvV9RMfwA/s1600/Beautiful+Oops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPY3ZlyTSmBdyhtkQLusPrk6a-PzgJQoYGm4uMJlBW2OmOEof6B_C7pTmjIPHzzEXcWBYzPoDAWFDuQ0ZkG2wbvPljp_bDOoAWvdZMuwu76v-1np2TSPjtRfg-Oc1uoShwUXvV9RMfwA/s320/Beautiful+Oops.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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You can find it <a href="http://amzn.to/29o5m3Y" target="_blank">here</a> on amazon</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPsgXzibnxTVxVIw8I-PbKhL_qORHzObZz45GadcGNBVbajSX5HcgxIKT9m3Zv15hcutawSAiHL6dlrsFkhD8Vfs0ZtxdwivSJq7vxmL9tnxB3zACyp-zVj4mCuQdsdbW7pK1qrXxnks/s1600/All+Ideas.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPsgXzibnxTVxVIw8I-PbKhL_qORHzObZz45GadcGNBVbajSX5HcgxIKT9m3Zv15hcutawSAiHL6dlrsFkhD8Vfs0ZtxdwivSJq7vxmL9tnxB3zACyp-zVj4mCuQdsdbW7pK1qrXxnks/s640/All+Ideas.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAwIyAqitAS3U5cJOBMGU9aHcyMp1NMUUU8aANCtmuaq1isorJirJ0PwsluN_Z-pFW4vh4l23zxakFG9WpfjAgnvB6i1tvurcQJed6SJzScN_xxAtFXvNlyVz9CJMzf-rzASytYNkrl8/s1600/Appreciation+Circle.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAwIyAqitAS3U5cJOBMGU9aHcyMp1NMUUU8aANCtmuaq1isorJirJ0PwsluN_Z-pFW4vh4l23zxakFG9WpfjAgnvB6i1tvurcQJed6SJzScN_xxAtFXvNlyVz9CJMzf-rzASytYNkrl8/s640/Appreciation+Circle.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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One of the most important things I can teach my students is to appreciate each other. At the end of many of our activities, we do an Appreciation Circle. I ask my students if they have an appreciation about someone else or the group that they would like to share. We celebrate each other in this way to validate the work we have done. When we build a learning environment where children feel safe, they are more comfortable to take risks. Our appreciations help to express the value we place on what students think and what they do and help to strengthen our classroom community.</div>
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How do you foster creativity in the classroom?</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "didact gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 26px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">This post contains affiliate links for Amazon. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "didact gothic" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 26px;">By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these links, I will receive a small commission on your purchase.</span></div>
alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-71403107604494262182016-07-19T03:00:00.000-07:002016-07-19T03:00:00.185-07:00Tell All Tuesday 2.0: Summer Snapshot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mSmzrSjmzoCT4DqzZvkXpB8agdHQk1H0vBy6RMfz-KqTO8ZCP5hf9GnSzn8Ic6tZ3tdDMrs1KzqXz2VvcW-wvP9ByTTpYmcYcBZFziOYjnrpgAtH71qTIKhj2_Ycs55lgwnZzXc0Puk/s1600/13701116_10100726860842155_7755578544836741985_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mSmzrSjmzoCT4DqzZvkXpB8agdHQk1H0vBy6RMfz-KqTO8ZCP5hf9GnSzn8Ic6tZ3tdDMrs1KzqXz2VvcW-wvP9ByTTpYmcYcBZFziOYjnrpgAtH71qTIKhj2_Ycs55lgwnZzXc0Puk/s640/13701116_10100726860842155_7755578544836741985_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Today, I'm linking up with my good friends Jayme and Diana from <a href="http://teachtalkinspire.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Teach. Talk. Inspire.</a> & <a href="http://mydayinkinder.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">My Day in K</a> for Tell All Tuesday 2.0!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMjZKg7A_QnCi-7jusGIZVngj4iTLezn1cYv9fzJhOcBE0Q7yWw8Z74CBlrPIFBxZ7V0gkn1Szn2vpLE-rlpqT73mS2t4ZagwOUXr082fQ10tcUjtjhcTwK_pp1pOCJoAHJiRsUTSRW2s/s1600/13716080_10100726861580675_577500300066539085_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMjZKg7A_QnCi-7jusGIZVngj4iTLezn1cYv9fzJhOcBE0Q7yWw8Z74CBlrPIFBxZ7V0gkn1Szn2vpLE-rlpqT73mS2t4ZagwOUXr082fQ10tcUjtjhcTwK_pp1pOCJoAHJiRsUTSRW2s/s640/13716080_10100726861580675_577500300066539085_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This week, the topic is: Summer Snapshot</div>
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If you read my blog, follow me on <a href="http://instagram.com/alwayskindergarten/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, or know me at all, you know I absolutely LOVE Giants baseball! So it's no surprise that our family spends much of the summer at the ballpark, cheering on our boys in the orange and black!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJinbZoFuxxOwf-8xeU1J6uIScd8nFdPrxrrNMwzvlOMS7B5J78ddJikcgoFjy1fsKSW65M9gBPq3g9vfGLDfpFDabLqSw9tzU5RxX7i2ObIvZTOdxFMEwEEydDzxS_ywyyRw3nRW39s/s1600/BaseballFamily1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJinbZoFuxxOwf-8xeU1J6uIScd8nFdPrxrrNMwzvlOMS7B5J78ddJikcgoFjy1fsKSW65M9gBPq3g9vfGLDfpFDabLqSw9tzU5RxX7i2ObIvZTOdxFMEwEEydDzxS_ywyyRw3nRW39s/s400/BaseballFamily1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuRPCcBI46t2bCmts1CTN_AihkpJbxPeRsF6WEXtgc5Zws7G8r3XrWwkoCoPDk_rtA3wFXyd28dE8whvt7h0N3PjBZwsgCyi8UjNv_c2MEzesP_hCerGyWsuhgAHH8mPZAqVvAfyfJGRg/s1600/BaseballFamily2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuRPCcBI46t2bCmts1CTN_AihkpJbxPeRsF6WEXtgc5Zws7G8r3XrWwkoCoPDk_rtA3wFXyd28dE8whvt7h0N3PjBZwsgCyi8UjNv_c2MEzesP_hCerGyWsuhgAHH8mPZAqVvAfyfJGRg/s400/BaseballFamily2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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AT&T Park is such a beautiful ballpark and we are blessed to have wonderful friends who give us the opportunity to go to games often. We each have our favorite players and love to cheer them on. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">How do like to spend the summer? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Let me know in the comments below!</span></div>
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Or link up and share! Here's how to join the fun:</div>
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1. Grab the picture and banner above and use it to link back to this post on your blog.</div>
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2. Write a post about the topic of the week.</div>
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This week is: Summer Snapshot</div>
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3. Add your link below.</div>
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4. Advertise your post using any social media of your choice.</div>
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<!-- end InLinkz script -->alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-20392343806281006692016-07-06T00:00:00.000-07:002016-07-07T13:29:05.241-07:00Winner Wednesday: Back to School Kindergarten Printables<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's time for Winner Wednesday and I'm linking up with my friends Sara and Jennifer over at <a href="http://www.sarajcreations.com/2016/07/winner-wednesday-year-long-bingo-bundle.html" target="_blank">Sara J Creations</a> & <a href="http://www.adabofgluewilldo.com/winner-wednesday-phoneme-segmentation/" target="_blank">A Dab of Glue Will Do</a>. You have the chance to win some great products just by hopping through all of the participating blogs!</div>
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This month you have the chance to win one of my newest products:<br />
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Kindergarten-Printables-Beginning-of-the-Year-2614962" target="_blank">Kindergarten Printables: Beginning of the Year Edition</a></div>
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This unit includes 40 pages of activities! These ink friendly, black and white printables are great for the beginning of the year for your Kindergarten students. They can be used for morning work, independent practice, to assess students' skills at the beginning of the year, or for intervention or review. All pages are print and go for easy prep. </div>
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What's included:<br />
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Activities for the first day and first week</div>
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Cutting practice pages</div>
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Glue practice pages</div>
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Language Arts</div>
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and MORE!</div>
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Would you like to win a copy to use in your classroom? <strike>Enter the rafflecopter below!</strike></div>
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A winner has been selected!</div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Kindergarten-Printables-Beginning-of-the-Year-2614962" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgydbCGz1abKBZ1dGngOGi06k4yQV8IESqVkMRqZkr_YP6fAyAkY3teGFOWZsXruUHjKBiW_S8wCPDsOh8PFT3TndlvhmbjAXBrIesksL4UJRx7HODy_Q8LOeBBARxeh_iFk2qu_GWMZq0/s320/Winner+Wed+July+2016.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-45297121743676768292016-06-01T08:38:00.001-07:002016-06-02T08:24:36.906-07:00Winner Wednesday - Baseball Literacy Activities<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: left;">Today I'm linking up with my friends </span><a href="http://www.adabofgluewilldo.com/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Jennifer</a><span style="text-align: left;"> and </span><a href="http://www.sarajcreations.com/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Sara</a><span style="text-align: left;"> for Winner Wednesday! You have a chance to win some great products just by hopping through all of the participating blogs. What a deal!</span></div>
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Up for grabs today is my Baseball Literacy Activities unit! I love to end the school year with a baseball theme. It keeps both my students and me engaged in learning at what can be a crazy time of year. This unit includes 4 different center activities and 2 additional printables, all around a baseball theme.</div>
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Here are a few of the activities included:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUzdCEJxYYtgw-v_w0BlB4zvLQap3bKEr-GPuP659BtTJ4BdpIGh6QgHChZpKB5CJ3Xskje2MhlNNdZKfH8U5WaWIvWg28W969wpziHGrbYWpRsNgL28QvYvM3wjr3RFa6JzNDZyGOiTs/s1600/IMG_3518.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUzdCEJxYYtgw-v_w0BlB4zvLQap3bKEr-GPuP659BtTJ4BdpIGh6QgHChZpKB5CJ3Xskje2MhlNNdZKfH8U5WaWIvWg28W969wpziHGrbYWpRsNgL28QvYvM3wjr3RFa6JzNDZyGOiTs/s400/IMG_3518.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Would you like to win a copy? <strike>Just enter the rafflecopter below! A winner will be announced tomorrow (Thursday). </strike> </div>
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CONGRATULATIONS, Jasmine N.! Check your email!</div>
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Be sure to head over to <a href="http://www.adabofgluewilldo.com/winner-wednesday-summer-review/" target="_blank">A Dab of Glue Will Do</a> or <a href="http://www.sarajcreations.com/2016/05/winner-wednesday-memory-book.html" target="_blank">Sara J Creations</a> to enter the other fantastic giveaways!</div>
alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-13719447981227114782016-05-24T03:00:00.000-07:002016-12-29T13:04:09.307-08:00Teaching Determination with The Little Linebacker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDk88vezU5e2XRV_BDsmpS1-x8W_pc6peWrcun1_L6arKyFl2rMiZ_A8vyTk4GFnRNiDHcjQg9oozeKpXHM9qQgZGNRWxrQpQsXK0ZLJTPrRzXoY-xp5C8Q3FFuZ3mLdQu4Z1eJU2isrY/s1600/The+Little+Linebacker.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDk88vezU5e2XRV_BDsmpS1-x8W_pc6peWrcun1_L6arKyFl2rMiZ_A8vyTk4GFnRNiDHcjQg9oozeKpXHM9qQgZGNRWxrQpQsXK0ZLJTPrRzXoY-xp5C8Q3FFuZ3mLdQu4Z1eJU2isrY/s640/The+Little+Linebacker.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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I absolutely L-O-V-E children's books. Book fairs, libraries, and book stores make me swoon. I am always on the look out for amazing books that I can use in my Kindergarten classroom to help teach difficult concepts. Early in the year, I use children's literature to teach my students life skills and conflict resolution. Maria Dismondy's books are some of my favorites to use. She recently co-authored a book with NFL star, Stephen Tulloch, all about the importance of determination.</div>
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Students will always face challenges in school. It is important for me as a teacher to encourage my students and to help them believe that they can achieve anything they put their mind to. Stephen's story in The Little Linebacker is a shining example of not giving up on yourself or your dreams.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzBs5SrLRR5WQPAdA4WvD9GTVYRPR-WoBpqxCY-Php9bzY6AeWqi_fhRQqI--qX4zNBTCv66SpGGdrmPT-p4w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
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Here is a little more on the amazing people behind this great story:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdIR7dvHrUE8RgAActf9bSLCOxW4p8JfU3FAMlduQhrdwG6JAUf2Co7_AAn-50CrZ_hhk6ap65rGT8BD9nUs_LZQz9lRqHOsph2EwuIaOEiCiAVgta5I3tZKKLv32uxFO0S0DYhqboYU/s1600/Tulloch.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdIR7dvHrUE8RgAActf9bSLCOxW4p8JfU3FAMlduQhrdwG6JAUf2Co7_AAn-50CrZ_hhk6ap65rGT8BD9nUs_LZQz9lRqHOsph2EwuIaOEiCiAVgta5I3tZKKLv32uxFO0S0DYhqboYU/s200/Tulloch.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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Stephen Tulloch is an 11 year NFL Veteran who played for the Detroit Lions and the Tennessee Titans. He launched to Stephen Tulloch Foundation in 2009 and has helped thousands of people through his community outreach and generous giving. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitwv1HmUPShvTr4hoeYkZnGYn2igXLU5i1HSyerwJe1NLX2sxEu7Ae93mTv1AgOautvmqyJEpX5L-cNG0Og0JuN5Hpt1SPmo2ZuatHXdeEB6QSCpYKSTxBLkj3T8dWLqSdfT3qBpZnNqA/s1600/Dismondy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitwv1HmUPShvTr4hoeYkZnGYn2igXLU5i1HSyerwJe1NLX2sxEu7Ae93mTv1AgOautvmqyJEpX5L-cNG0Og0JuN5Hpt1SPmo2ZuatHXdeEB6QSCpYKSTxBLkj3T8dWLqSdfT3qBpZnNqA/s200/Dismondy.png" width="191" /></a></div>
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Maria Dismondy is an award-winning author, specializing in books about challenges children face. Maria's latest book. <i>The Little Linebacker,</i> drives home the important message that hard work and dedication can pay off. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbLNoCEh3Ov8IVvQMiYX0_ruuVx66Z1Dp7AIPsrTB8DnVwFpbLLqV8TPUTmW_aIjfK07nZ0Ra2xpCb69l27wXsceKpYwXX1rxkOktwUnhQ1pNj5PWSAK5ekkQmnv6WmRSBWDywbEvHnI/s1600/Heather.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbLNoCEh3Ov8IVvQMiYX0_ruuVx66Z1Dp7AIPsrTB8DnVwFpbLLqV8TPUTmW_aIjfK07nZ0Ra2xpCb69l27wXsceKpYwXX1rxkOktwUnhQ1pNj5PWSAK5ekkQmnv6WmRSBWDywbEvHnI/s200/Heather.png" width="191" /></a></div>
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Heather Heyworth lives and works in a sleepy Suffolk market town in the UK. Her introduction into the world of children's books started with illustrating, designing and co-publishing her own licensed character activity books. From an early age she has had a passion for illustration and can't imagine doing anything else.</div>
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My students really enjoyed Stephen's story and it sparked a discussion about challenges we have faced. We then brainstormed dreams that we have and talked about what we could do to achieve our goals. I created this writing activity for my students to write about their plans!</div>
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<a href="http://bit.ly/LittleLinebacker" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4h4-QcSfYbzI9JEjeJUI49bR8_4mwSSLVdZmBD9OUDRyQ31tKhX7KPqIFSnEAR9znOTbI3M5ojmvw5JjbpNTFdhPWoGWHbl_WKF2zRFQYY87ECpbI_v3-VNh7EndvAAl9aCR4J-rOYrk/s400/Determination+FREEBIE.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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You can grab this for FREE by clicking <a href="http://bit.ly/LittleLinebacker" target="_blank">here</a>!</div>
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You can find more information and ideas for using this fantastic story in your classroom through the virtual book tour!</div>
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<a href="http://mariadismondy.com/events/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg53sySN4M-HDJRPKK-iei-UdqhyphenhyphenYSVoxI6GFRr-cvPfv5tZ7L1QccepIE3wFm5LkOyecWNycwyeEUiOPOtQMkTuDkdQKHgb4y2jNaLCiJTw3ltGqv0CiTy2PBzB4BAfTBPLxP2m9hWOk8/s320/Book+Blog+Tour+Image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-73413611503944132842016-04-22T18:01:00.000-07:002017-04-24T09:56:02.701-07:00Glue Butterflies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: none; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKHohzcyk7jdGQvV0c-7x2ja4Dd5UtJzfrNGopD9kMQPfFyWPZCwn3O9cgNSvQ8vr7zOThABioWOajfZez5h2rHYNUEm-1hefepfmSoNtU5BOMgLkyQkr1kF1PpzBhgs9bYkXtfLiDDlw/s1600/Slide1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKHohzcyk7jdGQvV0c-7x2ja4Dd5UtJzfrNGopD9kMQPfFyWPZCwn3O9cgNSvQ8vr7zOThABioWOajfZez5h2rHYNUEm-1hefepfmSoNtU5BOMgLkyQkr1kF1PpzBhgs9bYkXtfLiDDlw/s1600/Slide1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUMTpQ72PUmtaz59xe3bPuGlwRTI-nk5GfagwyCCeJiyrG15lg8JorU-_jg1TQHdqPNQDkEpwrzFojXUi8PDYTRi-XS5jBZnqDAi6mqb8o1h5cmq7jm9PuN33AEJm3Qt8RF5xSjNN-Y6k/s1600/Glue+Butterflies+Header.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUMTpQ72PUmtaz59xe3bPuGlwRTI-nk5GfagwyCCeJiyrG15lg8JorU-_jg1TQHdqPNQDkEpwrzFojXUi8PDYTRi-XS5jBZnqDAi6mqb8o1h5cmq7jm9PuN33AEJm3Qt8RF5xSjNN-Y6k/s640/Glue+Butterflies+Header.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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One of the things I love most about teaching this time of year is how much my students have grown both in maturity as well as academically. We are able to do so many more exciting activities and one of my favorite units is our two week study of insects and butterflies. <br />
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This simple art project takes a little time to prep but the results are beautiful!<br />
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What you will need:<br />
- Black construction paper (I use 9x12in pieces).<br />
- White school glue<br />
- Oil pastels<br />
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Step 1:<br />
Using the white glue, create a butterfly outline on the black construction paper. Allow them to dry overnight.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibwNQss5dPZUphzlOtfL5hC4y0GED4aTyMhAB671KQffk_q1SVaB8aweSb0JEM52ROv9voseqAA7O1ephPdi7j6IHxUn15b9q7uPS5YhXb_GOSVQNhjOZrRTwZmNT8zJFrySqFQSVoNyM/s1600/glue+butterflies+step+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibwNQss5dPZUphzlOtfL5hC4y0GED4aTyMhAB671KQffk_q1SVaB8aweSb0JEM52ROv9voseqAA7O1ephPdi7j6IHxUn15b9q7uPS5YhXb_GOSVQNhjOZrRTwZmNT8zJFrySqFQSVoNyM/s400/glue+butterflies+step+1.png" width="298" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufazGecQrFRPAFzq5XyoQTf5ZKVVdoWb4ja4fDG2V1jlDbMrNpZiOuODS4Qmd5MQjV6JhCqWA3ZIT_-SKhHW92zA_rQ03D5UQ-fG_buIR5tAdhWIdLeeZ1858cVzKqyYc6S0IEoLj8LE/s1600/Glue+Butterflies+outline.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufazGecQrFRPAFzq5XyoQTf5ZKVVdoWb4ja4fDG2V1jlDbMrNpZiOuODS4Qmd5MQjV6JhCqWA3ZIT_-SKhHW92zA_rQ03D5UQ-fG_buIR5tAdhWIdLeeZ1858cVzKqyYc6S0IEoLj8LE/s400/Glue+Butterflies+outline.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Step 2: Students use oil pastels to color in the butterfly wings. We talk about symmetry and how butterfly wings are the same on each side.</div>
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Step 3: Cut them out and display!</div>
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I love how different they all are and how much color they bring to the classroom! Do you study butterflies in your classroom?</div>
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alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-78231700147725522492016-03-31T03:00:00.000-07:002017-04-16T18:03:13.367-07:00Calm Down Kits for the Elementary Classroom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxjxfLIZTUW9Rk7xAp_c9frmJw_EBBM7H6W6lGy1M3EhdRciN8Gm02WkEblv0Tvv0jFnTJ4DvostJ-I8ChOsndyTH1Js5bi_o5fKr_mgP1565EvElEFv_-k8_Q1U08Hboz021-_NQaLQ/s1600/Calm+Down+Kits+Header.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxjxfLIZTUW9Rk7xAp_c9frmJw_EBBM7H6W6lGy1M3EhdRciN8Gm02WkEblv0Tvv0jFnTJ4DvostJ-I8ChOsndyTH1Js5bi_o5fKr_mgP1565EvElEFv_-k8_Q1U08Hboz021-_NQaLQ/s640/Calm+Down+Kits+Header.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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One of the things I love most about teaching is that every year is different. A new set of students, a new set of personalities, a new set of strengths and challenges. While some years are less challenging than others, I'm always looking for ways to best support the group of students that I'm working with.</div>
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This year, I have some BIG personalities. And with big personalities comes big emotions. A few of my students have challenges self-regulating and focusing throughout the day. So this year, I put together a calm down tool kit to support students and help them to be successful throughout the day.</div>
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What is a Calm-Down Tool Kit?</div>
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A calm down tool kit can be introduced to a child to use who may be stressed or need a break. This provides children with a space and an appropriate activity to regain control and focus in order to return to classroom activities.</div>
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What's in MY Tool Kit?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxb0nBJ9FM2efdYTgWuPH-Zp9BRN8TW4GKDvkU2v2Fi8K2HK9aCb9kaXrexcMioFOScp-ywMNqV3g8deEgCYw9SXyKUbe7braIlXx4870eVmr_fnsZ_v-iJXcStYwavPL2p0SJ5DfDfMw/s1600/My+Calm+Down+Tool+Kit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxb0nBJ9FM2efdYTgWuPH-Zp9BRN8TW4GKDvkU2v2Fi8K2HK9aCb9kaXrexcMioFOScp-ywMNqV3g8deEgCYw9SXyKUbe7braIlXx4870eVmr_fnsZ_v-iJXcStYwavPL2p0SJ5DfDfMw/s400/My+Calm+Down+Tool+Kit.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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1. <a href="http://www.autism-products.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=1404579&gclid=Cj0KEQjw8u23BRCg6YnzmJmPqYgBEiQALf_XzdCqqUmu51_hIEoQG4aMHcWUuwSKs15lbgPXyZl_DgIaAnwJ8P8HAQ" target="_blank">Noise canceling headphones</a></div>
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2. Play-doh</div>
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3. 24 piece puzzle</div>
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4. Stress balls</div>
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5. Plastic slinky</div>
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6. <a href="http://amzn.to/29n73wY" target="_blank">Fidget Necklace</a></div>
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7. Magnetic drawing board</div>
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8. Plastic pin art board</div>
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9. Calming Jar (This one has blue glitter inside. I have a tutorial on how to make a similar one <a href="http://alwayskindergarten.blogspot.com/2015/07/monday-made-it-abc-jar-freebie.html" target="_blank">here</a>.)</div>
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10. <a href="http://amzn.to/29n7wzg" target="_blank">The Way I Feel</a></div>
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11. <a href="http://amzn.to/28ZkTnG" target="_blank">Feelings to Share from A to Z</a></div>
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12. <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Calming-Kit-Resources-2473919" target="_blank">Calming Strategies cards</a></div>
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Many of these items are available at the Dollar Store or the Dollar Spot at Target.</div>
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I think it's important to support students as they work through their feelings and to foster positive social emotional skills. I have a space set aside in my classroom for students to do just that. We call it our "Peace Table." This is where I keep the Keep Calm Kit as well as some additional materials.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLfYYnlGrtJESEfbzY4nECXq5y6ramuvXJSkvFz9OVN6LLWGKp9V5Xvh76fy58I6Z-26hSVLwVYDVLPKVPrqtJQiNM__Gq8D5pMC7Ji4E2V7Hj9dDa3Ov2AEGIiZ_ky2gxpAiImIZhTf8/s1600/Calming+Mini+Book.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLfYYnlGrtJESEfbzY4nECXq5y6ramuvXJSkvFz9OVN6LLWGKp9V5Xvh76fy58I6Z-26hSVLwVYDVLPKVPrqtJQiNM__Gq8D5pMC7Ji4E2V7Hj9dDa3Ov2AEGIiZ_ky2gxpAiImIZhTf8/s400/Calming+Mini+Book.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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I like to introduce our Calming Strategies using this mini book.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCIv5FCXIGR2-SV6_2qSyjlsLlTvmZUQMRUJ9xzAAyaLFof1F6gVDYy7afif-BOuv3kesWJ5YEaJOixmbHpMbO8IwtbafkuUhliR1s1o7LEI6jdUBGy9RxHc3Dep2BpOLc1URNI5v1p_g/s1600/Calming+Planning+Cards.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCIv5FCXIGR2-SV6_2qSyjlsLlTvmZUQMRUJ9xzAAyaLFof1F6gVDYy7afif-BOuv3kesWJ5YEaJOixmbHpMbO8IwtbafkuUhliR1s1o7LEI6jdUBGy9RxHc3Dep2BpOLc1URNI5v1p_g/s320/Calming+Planning+Cards.png" width="271" /></a></div>
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These calming strategy planning cards assist students with expressing how they feel as well as how they will calm down and refocus.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFyXUwMTlK0i6NCIdeon6Y4i2w0pglw3P2SW3WtNIxEoQGy0KSLAUYCebdccTJX3vn8g-NuZBEfF5DIWg_v8mu0lwQI38B36cW7VmIIzDIsynvmrUfgsUkgz3inzB6KkW-ck2Ukwx_CqU/s1600/Calm+Writing+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFyXUwMTlK0i6NCIdeon6Y4i2w0pglw3P2SW3WtNIxEoQGy0KSLAUYCebdccTJX3vn8g-NuZBEfF5DIWg_v8mu0lwQI38B36cW7VmIIzDIsynvmrUfgsUkgz3inzB6KkW-ck2Ukwx_CqU/s320/Calm+Writing+1.png" width="257" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgASlCQykGQok8U12Nut46Gv1u5bxw6YlawkDM9NhwHq1UC_iWn1HM0G7rG0kRHKLYOzRbFQx7VwwXqm7fsqB0-nzHCMrcadosA4dLHF9vThJm0_s2aJSkS7NfjDSW192NDs0-cdq1wshw/s1600/Calm+Writing+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgASlCQykGQok8U12Nut46Gv1u5bxw6YlawkDM9NhwHq1UC_iWn1HM0G7rG0kRHKLYOzRbFQx7VwwXqm7fsqB0-nzHCMrcadosA4dLHF9vThJm0_s2aJSkS7NfjDSW192NDs0-cdq1wshw/s320/Calm+Writing+2.png" width="302" /></a></div>
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We also create a class book with feelings and strategies to help with self-regulation. I have two different options depending on the skills of my class.</div>
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These resources can be found in my Teachers Pay Teachers shop <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Calming-Kit-Resources-2473919" target="_blank">here</a></div>
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or by clicking on the picture below.</div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Calming-Kit-Resources-2473919" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9kfUACp9vA7VmheHbVuHlkRdWS1I7id0dQjOybIFymxOMbaNoarYPfRMzHmGzaavrM-Ly58x55rMr2QPokd0Emo8T1jdMNuL1aK5NZWxB51A8oE-gAQXpd8-9HsdCUZrYZvkPxMVqReU/s320/Calming+Kit+SQUARE.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Do you have a Calm Down Tool Kit in your classroom?</div>
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What else would you include?</div>
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Leave a comment below!</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "didact gothic" , sans-serif; line-height: 26px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">This post contains affiliate links for Amazon. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "didact gothic" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 26px;">By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these links, I will receive a small commission on your purchase.</span></div>
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alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-22454644274752418462016-01-01T20:42:00.002-08:002016-01-01T20:42:54.096-08:00Currently: January 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Happy New Year! The hubs and I actually made it 'till midnight for the first time in a few years. That didn't stop our girls from waking us up bright and early this morning! Ah the joys of parenthood. Yet, I wouldn't have my year start any other way. I'm excited to link up with <a href="http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/2016/01/currently-january-2016.html" target="_blank">Farley</a> again this month for the January 2016 edition of Currently!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkrCRv4MUY4ufRD7zI7pWhil3k4oNxAD9fWUfEYV7jT6c7xbqfktZ2IbeFiyeWgQ_RkVXT5biJ-3SwIU7JyDZg0AugVEBVwLEs1GMfX6L-S4AgjKawiqhcWmeMpGfdJA97JTTxW_HiQIc/s1600/Slide1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkrCRv4MUY4ufRD7zI7pWhil3k4oNxAD9fWUfEYV7jT6c7xbqfktZ2IbeFiyeWgQ_RkVXT5biJ-3SwIU7JyDZg0AugVEBVwLEs1GMfX6L-S4AgjKawiqhcWmeMpGfdJA97JTTxW_HiQIc/s640/Slide1.png" width="480" /></a></div>
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Listening: Adele. On repeat. 'Nuff said.</div>
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Loving: I have thoroughly enjoyed all of the family time I have had with the mister, my girls and my extended family over the last two weeks. I love seeing the girls play with their cousins as I did as a kid. They just all love each other so much!</div>
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Thinking: Today, we celebrated the life of a very dear friend who passed far to early to cancer. It was an amazing outpouring of love and support from friends and family. Life is short. Love hard.</div>
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Wanting: One of my goals for Winter break was to get together with a couple of my girlfriends that I don't get to see often. We finally have a lunch date planned for Sunday! I'm super excited to see them!</div>
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Needing: So, I'm presenting at my first conference later this month (EEKK...so nervous!) and I really need to get my presentation finished! Wish me luck!</div>
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One Little Word: BE...be present, be honest, be brave, be real, just be you.</div>
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Thanks for stopping in to see what I'm up to Currently! </div>
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What are your resolutions for the coming year? Leave them in the comments below!</div>
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Then head over to <a href="http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/2016/01/currently-january-2016.html" target="_blank">Oh Boy Fourth Grade</a> and see what other teachers are currently up to!</div>
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alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-84164754162006762932015-12-31T00:00:00.000-08:002016-01-06T22:37:17.516-08:00Snow Science: Giveaway & A Sale!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbiCDoymnDOf6-W0xKfWYJung7wGvY5bH6AAh98oagEINc1jmgkTfOY2et9-zWbStp1qgko5uJWv6DLF2cxkMhBD-8b6XwBuuxMsGIsZ8bY-QpA43jjc9KH1zgZ2AXv7RajcVpVllS-Y/s1600/Snow+Science+Header.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbiCDoymnDOf6-W0xKfWYJung7wGvY5bH6AAh98oagEINc1jmgkTfOY2et9-zWbStp1qgko5uJWv6DLF2cxkMhBD-8b6XwBuuxMsGIsZ8bY-QpA43jjc9KH1zgZ2AXv7RajcVpVllS-Y/s640/Snow+Science+Header.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Teaching about the seasons in Northern California is a bit of a challenge! Our leaves don't really change into vibrant colors in the fall, we don't get cold enough for snow, and we loving call summer weather "June Gloom." Ha! Luckily, the snow is just a few short hours away and most of my students have experienced it at least once or twice. But for those who haven't, and even for those who have, I love to bring the elements into the classroom. The best way to do this is through hands on science investigations! </div>
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So why not bring a little snow into the classroom this winter?!</div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Winter-Science-2277467" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6oqiWm4PJif42V8RikOjE49ATIAy9QD43VnZA6X9SlUrTpE3SxOUfdB_ykZvH4KxUU7HxGRx2tMHv7zMHU0tEixEhP3f-JJCdISRvWU7kYcZKYYAAo1kS15csGm_rZCt3Dlnm1CGgiJQ/s400/Slide01.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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This unit includes 5 hands on science activities and differentiated journal pages for each one! All you need is to add a few household items and you're good to go!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkL41Gu2WAlBHFgzoGErpVqTgBo6QCgPU2GdqGugoe358aBW2Y2ZCL3CtV9okZB_wIrFohesKrstd4Wp7e-qkd4voACIg1K56Rf11IZEwx5G6TYXe5O9RXJ5aiPqHhZhsLIfAfzAOJkX4/s1600/Snow+Science+Preview.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkL41Gu2WAlBHFgzoGErpVqTgBo6QCgPU2GdqGugoe358aBW2Y2ZCL3CtV9okZB_wIrFohesKrstd4Wp7e-qkd4voACIg1K56Rf11IZEwx5G6TYXe5O9RXJ5aiPqHhZhsLIfAfzAOJkX4/s400/Snow+Science+Preview.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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There are half-sheet and full-sheet page options.</div>
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Here are the activities that are included:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSrph93jOc7RqquTMIypS9D8TPIjrmqFlR-Tf9Ols_6hY_wwac8vVFBCGNC16xY6YExhW4xgWH6hAGRdqDgsKbJeNBbvn3Pc06SQVau1rqeZz4GgZYQtif08yt6_DH6SUwCjScOIlcakw/s1600/Making+Snow.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSrph93jOc7RqquTMIypS9D8TPIjrmqFlR-Tf9Ols_6hY_wwac8vVFBCGNC16xY6YExhW4xgWH6hAGRdqDgsKbJeNBbvn3Pc06SQVau1rqeZz4GgZYQtif08yt6_DH6SUwCjScOIlcakw/s320/Making+Snow.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN92X5PoSRLrv6rVjoexi-9DJ7wSkVvGrrq5Ut6aqCWL_A9gbAiZNkHxBILoec3pd3LS63EwByFdImbcjh3We91q56fCsaDErl1ikXc-LUaoDqBj5EPoSPgC795gNy1IIc5voKXfKKvV4/s1600/Snow+Investigation+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN92X5PoSRLrv6rVjoexi-9DJ7wSkVvGrrq5Ut6aqCWL_A9gbAiZNkHxBILoec3pd3LS63EwByFdImbcjh3We91q56fCsaDErl1ikXc-LUaoDqBj5EPoSPgC795gNy1IIc5voKXfKKvV4/s320/Snow+Investigation+1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTWc7ehjCgPyckuShjc2gTfmfGszoC2Jfr35wY3Euw9qYk0zAcCjHqP3WLl2YDVwRMaw1OeCFG5zddWW3pApOUppXV-I00chgfRKyKKzfNvrRjUTuv-vB2lzMp7CgJ4Y1AuuaxDsCFUpA/s1600/Snow+Investigation+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTWc7ehjCgPyckuShjc2gTfmfGszoC2Jfr35wY3Euw9qYk0zAcCjHqP3WLl2YDVwRMaw1OeCFG5zddWW3pApOUppXV-I00chgfRKyKKzfNvrRjUTuv-vB2lzMp7CgJ4Y1AuuaxDsCFUpA/s320/Snow+Investigation+2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4kSpYTv0Obod-2_9WTNrbOVglWWLE9jGkNqo9G9QipiZXeA5rtiRh3yuedgNtIIoOHA2V0vIZh0j-y40a-TMVDsKz08U9wZUfVq_2IWG_X08woHLdxsT52jhOBncY96ELhKo01BaGqA/s1600/Slide1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4kSpYTv0Obod-2_9WTNrbOVglWWLE9jGkNqo9G9QipiZXeA5rtiRh3yuedgNtIIoOHA2V0vIZh0j-y40a-TMVDsKz08U9wZUfVq_2IWG_X08woHLdxsT52jhOBncY96ELhKo01BaGqA/s320/Slide1.png" width="247" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjM_oc4olYzxjAJCW589JSST_ufbRbm1LaypApTY8o-Ry4ubRy44xZ0tf5TUmeu_wXSQRMY367_VKdpV4eT5aHlHQZxq41WcY8WJgA2Fhz1BquT0jSfNqAObaWabDODud-Xnq8JkcZgdc/s1600/Slide3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjM_oc4olYzxjAJCW589JSST_ufbRbm1LaypApTY8o-Ry4ubRy44xZ0tf5TUmeu_wXSQRMY367_VKdpV4eT5aHlHQZxq41WcY8WJgA2Fhz1BquT0jSfNqAObaWabDODud-Xnq8JkcZgdc/s320/Slide3.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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How'd you like to win a copy!?! <strike>Enter the rafflecopter below!</strike></div>
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Congratulations Deborah! Check your email!</div>
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="e3f685843" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e3f685843/" id="rcwidget_3aoml81k" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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Don't want to wait for the giveaway? <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Winter-Science-2277467" target="_blank">Snow Science</a> is 20% off December 31st - January 2nd!</div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Winter-Science-2277467" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdgELMg-r9BZy2DxzItpaACSjPT5Hb5NwI-9UdWfqfgMzzUAu3wlUQkKfQEc6ucZUqyIS3SKu5RxAck-hUgIGg0Bj9LT72NlXa9eJlquRWCqufz7oRrZWjP4tjw7EOgx05iuIRzxq22vA/s320/Sale+Button+for+Snow+Science.png" width="318" /></a></div>
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alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-59346935819535360822015-12-30T02:00:00.000-08:002015-12-30T08:05:52.136-08:00New Year's Resolutions 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkugamWxa5pkm1_4RHIlXuiimo4B7ijFvdvAXwiD_r3nzoOecloPUvQKXx9mpBXn7-aIIOTF9iNhpWASH_j4Kf0iycy7zY5IZ9NJuRQ3rvWDNvjkmPLbr44jfTLFQhLBlod_NdwjgmtJE/s1600/New+Year%2527s+Resolutions+Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkugamWxa5pkm1_4RHIlXuiimo4B7ijFvdvAXwiD_r3nzoOecloPUvQKXx9mpBXn7-aIIOTF9iNhpWASH_j4Kf0iycy7zY5IZ9NJuRQ3rvWDNvjkmPLbr44jfTLFQhLBlod_NdwjgmtJE/s640/New+Year%2527s+Resolutions+Banner.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'm so excited to link up with some of my favorite bloggy buddies, <a href="http://teachtalkinspire.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Teach Talk Inspire</a> & <a href="http://mydayinkinder.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">My Day in K</a>, to share my New Year's Resolutions for 2016! 2015 has been quite a year. I started this little blog of mine, opened a TPT shop, and I found my tribe at <a href="http://theprimarypunchbowl.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Primary Punchbowl</a>! I know it can only get better from here.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRkupBeeajhPPmUGFpMBhlTVlV_6Hld9xkdon_jo6O-MO30P3wn21Gf-WuxQRgMlzBr1NWbWESrNJhnD-y1wOjbz2cugGsYT1jqqMd7T6dojPJTm_QKT35fF1P1Zc3ZNe69eXZB1dFjWU/s1600/NY+Resolutions.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRkupBeeajhPPmUGFpMBhlTVlV_6Hld9xkdon_jo6O-MO30P3wn21Gf-WuxQRgMlzBr1NWbWESrNJhnD-y1wOjbz2cugGsYT1jqqMd7T6dojPJTm_QKT35fF1P1Zc3ZNe69eXZB1dFjWU/s400/NY+Resolutions.png" width="393" /></a></div>
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School - Get reorganized!</div>
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I usually use part of my summer to get into my classroom, clean things out, reorganize, and get ready for the next year. I like to do it just after school lets out while things are fresh on my mind. But due to over a year of construction, our campus was off limits for the last two summers! I am hoping that 2016 will give me more time to get reorganized so I can find things and work smarter, not harder!</div>
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Personal - Get moving!</div>
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I have two very active girls and now that they are both in elementary school, it's time to focus more on getting myself moving, too! I'm hoping to find time in my week to get my heart pumping and get some exercise. Though I'd love to get in better shape, my main focus is to increase my energy level. I always feel better when I'm more active!</div>
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Blog - Get a schedule!</div>
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I feel like I started this blog with a BANG and did pretty well keeping it going through the summer. However, since this school year started, I've had a really hard time finding time to write and post! This is going to change in 2016! I have some fun things to share and I'm going to get myself on a schedule to be more regular with my blogging and creating. Thanks for sticking with me this far!</div>
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Want to join in on the fun!?! Grab the image below and link up with the rest of us to share your resolutions for 2016! (Don't forget to link back to this post!) Then hop around to see what the others have planned for the year ahead.</div>
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Happy New Year!</h2>
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<!-- end InLinkz script -->alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-35737347948626469472015-12-26T23:12:00.000-08:002015-12-26T23:12:17.649-08:00Avery & Austin: December Box 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am absolutely in love with the <a href="http://averyandaustin.com/" target="_blank">Avery & Austin</a> subscription box! At the beginning of each month, it arrives at our door with 2 complete craft kits and snacks for two kids, plus a host gift for me! December's box did not disappoint and kept my girls busy all month with THREE different winter themed crafts.</div>
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Craft #1: Snow Globe Ornaments</h2>
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This craft was so much fun and so pretty! The girls filled their globe ornaments with snow, sequins, and jewels. All materials were included in the box! The ornaments were plastic and the activity was great for building fine motor strength. And what girl doesn't love sequins and jewels!?!</div>
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Craft #2: Paper Snowflakes</h2>
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A winter classic! These fun templates were easy to cut out for even my littlest crafter.</div>
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Craft #3: Snowman Pin</h2>
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Another adorable and easy craft. My girls loved painting and putting together these snowman pins. Everything needed to create the pins was in the box, including the paint and foam brushes! It doesn't get easier than this.</div>
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This month's snacks were also delicious and gobbled up by even my pickiest eater!</div>
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Mom Gift: Wine Glass Writer</h2>
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I absolutely LOVE this month's mom gift! These pens can be used to label wine glasses at a party and much more! They work on all glass and glazed ceramics and wash off with a soapy sponge. </div>
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Want in on the action??? Sign up for the <a href="http://averyandaustin.com/" target="_blank">Avery & Austin</a> newsletter and receive 50% off your first box! But hurry...offer ends December 31st!</div>
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alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-83234280145497052212015-12-01T23:00:00.000-08:002015-12-01T23:00:04.410-08:00December CurrentlyWow....that's really all I can say to the fact that it's December. The holidays are here and I'm looking forward to time with family and friends! The beginning of the month also means that it's time for <a href="http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/2015/12/currently-december-2015.html" target="_blank">Farley's Currently</a>...<br />
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Listening: It's all quiet in my house. The hubs and the kids are sleeping. And while I should probably be in bed, I really enjoy this time of night and having the peace and quiet all to myself. It feels good to reflect on the day and prepare myself for tomorrow.<br />
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Loving: How can you not love this time of year?! Although you can get caught up in the hustle and shopping, and all, it's really all about time with the people you love. That's what I try to focus on. And I love Christmas lights....like, love them!<br />
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Thinking: I'm having a really hard time figuring out what to get my girls for Christmas. They don't really need much. Any ideas? They're 5 & 8 and I'm taking suggestions!<br />
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Wanting: A peppermint mocha sounds so yummy right now!<br />
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Needing: Many of you know that one of my sisters moved to the east coast this past summer. And just this month, my other sister also moved away. I'm missing them something fierce. The time difference makes it tough to get ahold of them in the evenings. I'm sitting here wishing I could pick up the phone but I don't think they'd appreciate a call at 2am (their time)! <br />
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My tree: REAL! Always real. I just don't think it would be the same without the smell of a real Christmas tree.<br />
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Thanks for checking out what I'm up to! Now head on over to <a href="http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/2015/12/currently-december-2015.html" target="_blank">Farley's blog</a> and check out what others are up to Currently!<br />
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alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-41229606441832702652015-11-28T06:00:00.000-08:002016-06-28T21:32:53.337-07:00Weekend Warriors: Holiday Gift Ideas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1DGrtxXeC1nTYCyGxXgedgNplcnoYJ3x2_zHvqwW_szHC9XgOq_zA3UWAeWtkW4OwlKOHcvvwo7EmVjBgRWKtPXBR1iqaGXudIohaDB-4lCfhTVRiJ_gmxVpalg0kxA-Ykkwq8lW_7w/s1600/11063507_10204632004992892_5616377587138237687_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1DGrtxXeC1nTYCyGxXgedgNplcnoYJ3x2_zHvqwW_szHC9XgOq_zA3UWAeWtkW4OwlKOHcvvwo7EmVjBgRWKtPXBR1iqaGXudIohaDB-4lCfhTVRiJ_gmxVpalg0kxA-Ykkwq8lW_7w/s640/11063507_10204632004992892_5616377587138237687_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Can you believe it's almost December!?! It's amazing how quickly each year seems to fly by. Just when you think you won't make it to October, it's suddenly time for the holidays and you're worried about fitting it all in before the end of the year. </div>
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I work with a very diverse population of students and so many different holidays are celebrated this time of year. I like to invite families to come in and teach the class about their own holidays and family traditions to honor the different cultures represented in my classroom. The common theme throughout has always been the symbol of lights and how they are used in each celebration.</div>
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For the past few years, I have focused our holiday gifts on the celebration of the Winter Solstice. We start by reading the book</div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/296xucb" target="_blank">The Shortest Day</a> </div>
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by Wendy Pfeffer.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vO0JAppXLJpOaTd3ZQ-yiwDxMEouleD4X5v9Cym2MlpjjQKuDRpjg5uEdkI9QOLBlv_9cdnmYN89uE8L3M_D74rnY183c0rs7sKo2UcWREdGasPHVKkW5S3pEaOmvJBFjTYzjwzukXM/s1600/The+Shortest+Day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vO0JAppXLJpOaTd3ZQ-yiwDxMEouleD4X5v9Cym2MlpjjQKuDRpjg5uEdkI9QOLBlv_9cdnmYN89uE8L3M_D74rnY183c0rs7sKo2UcWREdGasPHVKkW5S3pEaOmvJBFjTYzjwzukXM/s320/The+Shortest+Day.jpg" width="288" /></a></div>
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The book lends itself well to many science and social studies standards, too!</div>
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Then we create a symbol of light to give our families as a gift!</div>
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The Winter Solstice candle...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr2ARU6s3AllNlCbpfmDfh_Wc1UuuhyrWyq85s5AQTQMqBOrmQPk9qoboGCxvn9TnXdAtubl5Uo3FKuuoDGZCpLvpQE00IuX1BSRnJsotHZ3p9qNkL5z-ncuAvuGMkFAkQNia0dEmeU0U/s1600/Solstice+6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr2ARU6s3AllNlCbpfmDfh_Wc1UuuhyrWyq85s5AQTQMqBOrmQPk9qoboGCxvn9TnXdAtubl5Uo3FKuuoDGZCpLvpQE00IuX1BSRnJsotHZ3p9qNkL5z-ncuAvuGMkFAkQNia0dEmeU0U/s400/Solstice+6.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here is what you will need:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkU3zXJesrcW6kqVLC1L3UtVX1LDWxNlJBGyO5GwIl4LezYVeUum6udR39qsWabpKeSjKFGWpsQbC1oOw2XgdNJkQp1Os-TE8J84pnKbOYcSvb45qcJjVxM_LrWev7HsgW79YKoC1SNk/s1600/Solstice+Materials.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkU3zXJesrcW6kqVLC1L3UtVX1LDWxNlJBGyO5GwIl4LezYVeUum6udR39qsWabpKeSjKFGWpsQbC1oOw2XgdNJkQp1Os-TE8J84pnKbOYcSvb45qcJjVxM_LrWev7HsgW79YKoC1SNk/s400/Solstice+Materials.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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1) Tree Rounds: I get them from a Christmas Tree farm! These are the pieces that are cut off of the bottom of the trunk. They are usually more than happy for me to take them off their hands.</div>
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2) White school glue and a paint brush</div>
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3) Tea light candles</div>
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4) Star shaped pasta</div>
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5) Glitter</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJaS4ysnLh7YgDOAXy0sc8Uz8T0uGKCWFqs3_2zpGL-rMWQn8TWxZ3p16YNEcidq_dr5WIHYF0voiAFg20NXDktwp8F1rXdxmVMnjTPigzSbYl7zVZJmhaHey0nl1LG9jQ0y3Hn1H8D0/s1600/Solstice+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJaS4ysnLh7YgDOAXy0sc8Uz8T0uGKCWFqs3_2zpGL-rMWQn8TWxZ3p16YNEcidq_dr5WIHYF0voiAFg20NXDktwp8F1rXdxmVMnjTPigzSbYl7zVZJmhaHey0nl1LG9jQ0y3Hn1H8D0/s400/Solstice+1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Paint the tree round with white glue.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVc3EzC0l5lKuqpvDkOOZSk3Vzci0L7ocqalD0qi785YlMq5P0oF18VE7TsKuTzayc4TbXj29iQ7a3gGHEHpbt8TBOXTTI_t_W4zK8w_Ngy1WzT9AokjIvnvC8hgB3VAfRExvSj7YcSM/s1600/Solstice+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVc3EzC0l5lKuqpvDkOOZSk3Vzci0L7ocqalD0qi785YlMq5P0oF18VE7TsKuTzayc4TbXj29iQ7a3gGHEHpbt8TBOXTTI_t_W4zK8w_Ngy1WzT9AokjIvnvC8hgB3VAfRExvSj7YcSM/s400/Solstice+2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Add glue to the bottom of the tea light candle.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qK8tMSiFa0isshje5zGNfIy44tu1bLVGIWo58wsSosTFrekxI19ikVgaItDwRrpnI9h-shFnUh2xRZGjLozoHJzKkaR5eIbaAlQqKO-fquokntk9xkS5fV7HmQQnStP-_rsyFpLU7Ys/s1600/Solstice+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qK8tMSiFa0isshje5zGNfIy44tu1bLVGIWo58wsSosTFrekxI19ikVgaItDwRrpnI9h-shFnUh2xRZGjLozoHJzKkaR5eIbaAlQqKO-fquokntk9xkS5fV7HmQQnStP-_rsyFpLU7Ys/s400/Solstice+3.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Place the tea light in the center of the tree round.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXUa9RJG5nje3P9J8Lh4xIH9IUAr4qNM6cpGjwwfBOhcvIrs27Mhrnbq-LOCDDqoWf9AWLCbNIiQlOW_4S7pmImMpwks0hBJbfKzCC2CzDRnObw4pGwa3JlGZJt0CSU-gzo_uBmCRnSis/s1600/Solstice+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXUa9RJG5nje3P9J8Lh4xIH9IUAr4qNM6cpGjwwfBOhcvIrs27Mhrnbq-LOCDDqoWf9AWLCbNIiQlOW_4S7pmImMpwks0hBJbfKzCC2CzDRnObw4pGwa3JlGZJt0CSU-gzo_uBmCRnSis/s400/Solstice+4.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sprinkle star shaped pasta around the tea light.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVDuK_4f_I6ym__-fJtrNmRHY_AkxQyOimB67Q2K7p9sqw-CaaLBs6aiNgnzrMY5J2_WPJR-qsTos_7DsrkMnPlP47uI8cvbXrnMi2KZ0j1Nkif5IN9z59DhleWg973dMceZNnN5CdEk/s1600/Solstice+5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVDuK_4f_I6ym__-fJtrNmRHY_AkxQyOimB67Q2K7p9sqw-CaaLBs6aiNgnzrMY5J2_WPJR-qsTos_7DsrkMnPlP47uI8cvbXrnMi2KZ0j1Nkif5IN9z59DhleWg973dMceZNnN5CdEk/s400/Solstice+5.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Add glitter!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZCX1Dd7uKvh-giFtGZJ1_z4La_fcw4VZ5axEqeaXgDn8lkfA95ogWWNdLIpi9u2Hc4w6lbFb7-nEU9sXHEbguZECYrkQuqsxnolznojv8tgIAhZb8leApM25haRhct74jGZibvWkotE/s1600/Solstice+7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZCX1Dd7uKvh-giFtGZJ1_z4La_fcw4VZ5axEqeaXgDn8lkfA95ogWWNdLIpi9u2Hc4w6lbFb7-nEU9sXHEbguZECYrkQuqsxnolznojv8tgIAhZb8leApM25haRhct74jGZibvWkotE/s400/Solstice+7.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Once the glue is dry, we add a a gift tag.</div>
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You can grab these tags for free <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Holiday-Gift-Tags-2229093" target="_blank">here</a>!</div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Holiday-Gift-Tags-2229093" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYT_fRUOkHflsQVxCymlkoAibA9Ah3jQmwSC-nJASiEsVTpvmxcl8o_01eYvNoVbIBwB2R18Sg9xjmsANwSqKqIvhKPsGoiofZ71Aqi7NplTW0TownmkKkZgX0XoFMOQSfYxYi0Dpy534/s320/Winter+Solstice+Tags+Cover.png" width="247" /></a></div>
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What holiday gifts do you give each year? Comment below or link up with the Weekend Warriors (don't forget to link back to this post!).</div>
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Then, hop on over and check out what the other Weekend Warriors have to share about Holiday Gifts below! </div>
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Happy Holidays!</h2>
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<!-- end InLinkz script -->alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-66896368287275202322015-11-22T14:31:00.000-08:002015-11-22T14:31:28.545-08:00Avery & Austin: the #perfectplaydate<br />
Being a mom and teaching full time is a lot of work. Add blogging, creating, and managing multiple social media platforms and you wonder when you will find time to sleep! Yet, the thought of giving up any of it would be letting go of something I really love or enjoy so what's a girl to do? Then I found it. A way to get some work done and give my kids some quality fun time together! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ccFK9dN2XAq_QGwK2yOgKf4b2328uo1RHFulfd-zjFmYLk7UmlW0OiRpF6_KuUDfp7gT6G4OhdexqkZjaPuyDf4SFfD5lfOdddGCS6CijCFCtrzsCU0i1iMz76W9W2KnT28KyDqEV4c/s1600/Perfect+Playdate.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ccFK9dN2XAq_QGwK2yOgKf4b2328uo1RHFulfd-zjFmYLk7UmlW0OiRpF6_KuUDfp7gT6G4OhdexqkZjaPuyDf4SFfD5lfOdddGCS6CijCFCtrzsCU0i1iMz76W9W2KnT28KyDqEV4c/s400/Perfect+Playdate.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://averyandaustin.com/" target="_blank">Avery & Austin</a> is a monthly subscription box and it has totally rocked my world! Each month, the box arrives at our door with two complete craft kits and snacks for two kids, plus a host gift for me! (Wait, I get a present, too?! Yes, please!)</div>
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This month, I was struggling to find time to get my report cards done in time for conferences. I tried working on them once the girls went to bed but by that time I was just too tired. So one afternoon, I pulled out our Avery & Austin box and viola! I had over an hour of nearly uninterrupted time to work and the girls got to do what they love (create!). The best part, I didn't have to come up with the craft or gather the supplies. It's all there!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRyEsoPdlEPZNIwr0Xgd9J344X86ZfPgn8ennQ0K0rV-irRjkC-rD20IakMoDYak20z_eBHsrcPHrAwLiZz-GQ5FxVwoG1TfrYo_Kfswpf9_TArFUXnFdAaLeJVeKRBTwbrgCneuAkDg/s1600/November+box.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRyEsoPdlEPZNIwr0Xgd9J344X86ZfPgn8ennQ0K0rV-irRjkC-rD20IakMoDYak20z_eBHsrcPHrAwLiZz-GQ5FxVwoG1TfrYo_Kfswpf9_TArFUXnFdAaLeJVeKRBTwbrgCneuAkDg/s400/November+box.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://averyandaustin.com/shop/product/113427648" target="_blank">The November Box</a></div>
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This month's box included THREE different crafts! My girls love to paint and I don't let them do it at home nearly enough. So the camera craft from <a href="http://www.woodshopwizards.com/" target="_blank">Woodshop Wizards</a> was perfect!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmwcYBlrM2r7RPkXTgd2fNe9aQ6J8Ncp_WtMLVKgi5f3HTR9XdVELG5mpPgiOxmdAdG6V-isxvvj6mxRUGojvU7-1_DkHkxokRjYtybBm7U0awS1ryl8sWhJ2Doc-13oXpOF2ZGsILt8/s1600/Sanding.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmwcYBlrM2r7RPkXTgd2fNe9aQ6J8Ncp_WtMLVKgi5f3HTR9XdVELG5mpPgiOxmdAdG6V-isxvvj6mxRUGojvU7-1_DkHkxokRjYtybBm7U0awS1ryl8sWhJ2Doc-13oXpOF2ZGsILt8/s200/Sanding.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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Look at that concentration!</div>
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The other two crafts were perfect for Thanksgiving. A frame and photo prop for our Thanksgiving decor!</div>
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I can't wait for next month's box! It will be great to have something for the girls to do during Winter Break!</div>
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Want to get in on the action?! Sign up for a subscription by December 1st to receive the Winter Wonderland box! You can get 50% off your first box by visiting the Avery & Austin website <a href="http://averyandaustin.com/" target="_blank">here</a>!</div>
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alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2062151331853869344.post-53029853468587270202015-11-11T03:00:00.000-08:002016-06-28T21:39:12.208-07:00Celebrating Diwali<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7H3tHpUgvuRq7HN0j0S_vQIIkeSSYvbMAILB-JpWoEx4JcDsBMcjGmbRJEUrl2BhCRshy8rqrKgpquT6miVcZEWlbUzwDYWyr3uLn6KXMkoCWEsh7400WhdNbFyjQbzFi0t9nTOqUeSA/s1600/Diwali+Graphic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="441" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7H3tHpUgvuRq7HN0j0S_vQIIkeSSYvbMAILB-JpWoEx4JcDsBMcjGmbRJEUrl2BhCRshy8rqrKgpquT6miVcZEWlbUzwDYWyr3uLn6KXMkoCWEsh7400WhdNbFyjQbzFi0t9nTOqUeSA/s640/Diwali+Graphic.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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We love celebrating holidays and sharing traditions in our classroom! This week, we are learning about the Hindu celebration of Diwali. This festival of lights is celebrated in October or November and marks the beginning of the new year.<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/291Q4n2" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrLO5Q-co5QguFm5xFxM17oIwQ_Ge1Jl8me8pfOMx5Gpm8nPGrOmfRK_z3Dnva8H4NDwAER8opey6eq1f45Cks9YvAJNDc-Kn4iNedN2LGbukVZ7YUXb-mAUyOihdrZ9j1WlfymDYI5w/s400/Lots+of+Lights.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is my favorite book to use to introduce Diwali to my students. It's very kid friendly and compares Diwali to Hanukkah and Christmas. You can find it on amazon, <a href="http://amzn.to/291Q4n2" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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Next, we make our own diyas! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivYyog0qFB-s1B4FITjDnmHex_y8nDtKwLEzPnoOvIvPFi3ua-JdTmf1q4g6c5Hz6gDxegyoZV8EXGJiXsnUbHpjTckWGOv4DY30Ohp1S3J0YYuTeshuUxyYB7ctJcMDeIJ6DinssxOuA/s1600/Model+Magic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivYyog0qFB-s1B4FITjDnmHex_y8nDtKwLEzPnoOvIvPFi3ua-JdTmf1q4g6c5Hz6gDxegyoZV8EXGJiXsnUbHpjTckWGOv4DY30Ohp1S3J0YYuTeshuUxyYB7ctJcMDeIJ6DinssxOuA/s320/Model+Magic.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Students use <a href="http://amzn.to/29n910d" target="_blank">model magic</a> to create the shape of the diya.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSQh2hArB13Ywg_DxpqZU4Hz8mvA40XteDh2_pvTtUoUlTxicNr4XjMjB3nndSzHfssYUZY1dHOzPOQ7UP6bmuoJFq7D19EE6iA2Rw0OktQD2YlAYgnc-yScPiKrtL4rZkGzXsTFyvVng/s1600/Diya+gems.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSQh2hArB13Ywg_DxpqZU4Hz8mvA40XteDh2_pvTtUoUlTxicNr4XjMjB3nndSzHfssYUZY1dHOzPOQ7UP6bmuoJFq7D19EE6iA2Rw0OktQD2YlAYgnc-yScPiKrtL4rZkGzXsTFyvVng/s320/Diya+gems.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next, they add <a href="http://amzn.to/291Qslo" target="_blank">these</a> gems to decorate.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9p-9DlsY_Tk1BXKulkiS80OMu68gmX_NAbcA200CU75TfYbfIkKPWjnOjenJuWZQ-T-f1KTy4QSxWAtOyf6pqRzLlPV72F8wyxcWemj0VQI9j5Kjo00FyZQA7Yw_VzD0sIGzzWJf1mA8/s1600/Diya.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9p-9DlsY_Tk1BXKulkiS80OMu68gmX_NAbcA200CU75TfYbfIkKPWjnOjenJuWZQ-T-f1KTy4QSxWAtOyf6pqRzLlPV72F8wyxcWemj0VQI9j5Kjo00FyZQA7Yw_VzD0sIGzzWJf1mA8/s320/Diya.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Finally, we add a tea light (LED, of course!) and we're done!</div>
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This year, we found these super fun <a href="http://amzn.to/296y89R" target="_blank">color changing lights</a>.</div>
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Later this week, we will write about what we have learned.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmp9kF-XXXFHepGjlRSC6afxnBMrsx6Ngj85-r82Ii7zsQcIp6p3rsoF52p3elKqvdBzBB9RQPKIqM_-C6grimFmohRn2dk_jjX3S3LUwRqqivheoRzv8pbRhl7FY59Yo8pzT2-oDXBvo/s1600/Diwali+Writing.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmp9kF-XXXFHepGjlRSC6afxnBMrsx6Ngj85-r82Ii7zsQcIp6p3rsoF52p3elKqvdBzBB9RQPKIqM_-C6grimFmohRn2dk_jjX3S3LUwRqqivheoRzv8pbRhl7FY59Yo8pzT2-oDXBvo/s320/Diwali+Writing.png" width="246" /></a></div>
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You can grab this freebie writing page <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6c8dtF-j_EpRGtDUWJVd1RiUDQ/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">here</a>!</div>
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What holidays do you share with your students?</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDj9v7TNaH2I9LSJKrcEvlmpjhz-yRsFIMVHEnDp8koApGg4ev4e9BMHqEJge4-2QQfDt7-nLH_on9XABWlGMege-etbVW2VgXGhlhmdhxKSUa1AZ3cHZLZsDuqo556OdeA5smC-mRY9Y/s1600/Happy+Diwali.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDj9v7TNaH2I9LSJKrcEvlmpjhz-yRsFIMVHEnDp8koApGg4ev4e9BMHqEJge4-2QQfDt7-nLH_on9XABWlGMege-etbVW2VgXGhlhmdhxKSUa1AZ3cHZLZsDuqo556OdeA5smC-mRY9Y/s320/Happy+Diwali.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Happy Diwali!</h2>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Didact Gothic", sans-serif; line-height: 26px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">This post contains affiliate links for Amazon. By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these links, I will receive a small commission on your purchase. </span></span></div>
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<br />alwayskindergartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09812302835259736654noreply@blogger.com1