Hop into Easter!

This week flew by!  We only had 4 days of school, but the excitement leading up to Easter was overwhelming.  My students were thrilled and each day told me how they couldn't wait until Easter!  So, I of course had to encourage the excitement by having several fun Easter activities for the week.

For writing this week, we compared and contrasted a bunny and a chick.  We made a bunny and a chick to help us visualize the two animals.  Then, we wrote adjectives about both animals.  We made a list to compare both of them.  Some of the adjectives were the same because these two animals have some similarities.  To finish our writing, we made a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the two animals.  The students used this diagram to write a sentence about a chick, a sentence about a bunny, and a sentence about both of them.  We practice the term compare and contrast by stating that it is when we tell how two things are the same and different (we put our hands together when we say the same, and we pull them apart when we say they're different).  This is a great way to help them remember this term because this is a difficult concept.  I like to use whole brain teaching when going over the term compare and contrast - it helps them remember.

During math we completed various activities!  We practiced graphing by graphing jellybeans.  I accidentally got the bag that only had red and pink jellybeans, so it wasn't as effective as I wanted it to be - but it worked!  We also practice our color words on the graphing paper by coloring each jellybean the matching color word.  The students also made tally marks of each jelly bean.

We also reviewed subtraction.  This is such a difficult concept for my kids.  They always want to add!  So, the more we practice - the better they will be.  We made a nest of eggs and subtracted the number of eggs that hatched to find out how many had NOT hatched.  Most students did a great job of making the eggs and subtracting the hatched eggs.  However, some were confused - so I had to emphasize that subtraction means "making it smaller."  This helped them understand that they must make the total number of eggs smaller.  Check out this fun activity.

After practicing subtraction, we practiced addition!  We worked on adding two numbers together using the fancy dice from Lakeshore.  You should check out these dice from there - I use them all the time.  We also reviewed reading color words because several of my students are struggling with those.  Check out the fun game we played and see how we wrote our addition problems.

We also practiced addition by adding the numbers on eggs together.  They had to pull them out of the basket and addthe numbers   together. Then, they opened the egg to check and see if their answer was right by counting the jellybean a inside. Thanks to Kindergarten Smorgasbord for the fun worksheet to go with it! 

In the afternoon, we painted eggs and chicks.  Then the students wrote about their egg-citing egg.  I was so impressed with their painting!  The kids did a great job of putting colors together.  I emphasized that they write using adjectives.  

We also dyed eggs using shaving cream.  This was so neat!  All you had to do was put shaving cream in a pan, add food coloring, put hard boiled eggs in the shaving cream and swirl them around. and then set the eggs on a paper plate to dry over night.  They turned out pretty cool and the kids loved getting messy!  

We also made deviled eggs and wrote how to make them.  Check out the freebie you can use when making deviled eggs!

We also had an Egg Hunt!  The students were so excited.  I made eggs with money in them so the students could practice adding money together.  Check out the money addition freebie below!

While my class was in their special class, the Easter Bunny came to visit and left this note for them.  Thanks to Maja Austin from Kooky Kinders!  She gave me this neat little note that I left on my door. The kids were SO excited - the bunny even left me a treat bag!

HAPPY EASTER!  Thanks for visiting and leave a comment below of what you did for Easter this week!

Morning Routine

Daily schedules and routines are so important.  In my classroom - we complete many activities when they enter the room.  I start all of these, except the skill boxes on the first day of school!  It is so important to get students in the routine right away.  By the third day of school, students already have the routine memorized and complete their tasks without having to be shown what to do!  Unfortunately, daily reminders are announced - but I am used to it in kindergarten! :]

First, the students enter the room and sign in at the binder.  They have to write their first and last name.  At the beginning of the year, they trace their name to practice writing it correctly.  It also helps
them not write capital letters in the middle of their name.

Next, the students go to the pocket chart - find their assigned number - and pick the card to read to the me.  Each student is given a number at the beginning of the year (alphabetical order), and it helps me not have to change names on things each year.  It also helps them practice number recognition!   At the beginning of the year, students read the letter and letter sound.  As the year goes on, they get cvc words, numbers, number words, color words, etc.  They are currently reading words with blends and digraphs.  It is a great way to know what students can blend sounds together.

Then, the students put their homework folders in the basket, so that I can check their homework.  I also stuff their folders because if I let them do it, the lose several papers.  

Then, students sit down and work on their red skill boxes.  Each student has their own skill box that focuses on the skills they need to work on.  Check out my skill box blog to learn more about how I differentiate!  

Last, while students are working on their skill boxes, they go one at a time with a fourth grade student and read a leveled book.  Each student has a leveled reader (their level is based on their ability), and they take it home each night and read it to someone.  Their parents then have to initial that their child read the book to them in their reading log.   When the student gets to school in the morning, they read the book to the fourth grader and get a new book.  This way, the students are practicing fluency by reading the book multiple times.  The students refer to the reading level pocket chart to know what level they are on.

Below are the items in their reading bags/homework bags!

Once our morning routine is complete - I take attendance and lunch count.  Then, we move on to Poetry for Breakfast.  What are your morning routines??