Square Cat ABC

Wow, our class is SO LUCKY!  We were contacted by the author of Square Cat, Elizabeth Schoonmaker to see if we wanted a copy of her new book Square Cat ABC.  Our package arrived today and the kids were so excited to figure out what was inside.  

First we passed it around and made predictions about who we thought it was from and what we thought was inside. Some predictions were: 

a book

stuffed animals

a science kit

candy

When we opened it, the kids were so excited to see two autographed copies of Square Cat ABC directly from the author herself! We also got some badges to show that we are official members of the Square Cat fan club.  We read the book and loved seeing Eula's new adventure about trying new vegetables.  Thank you!

Groundhog's Day

Our whole day was filled with groundhog themed activities! Our centers in the morning included drawing out what our burrow would be, learning all about groundhogs through books, watching a fun video about groundhogs, making our burrows with Legos and making groundhog shadow puppets. Our math in the afternoon was all about surveying and analyzing whether our class thought Phil would see his shadow or not, then watching the video from Phil's reveal.  Finally, we made a groundhog craft that showed the difference between spring and summer. 

 

 

Children's Museum

We had so much fun at the Children's Museum!

 

Acceptance Bulletin Board

Here is our bulletin board that our school contributed to for January's character development theme of acceptance.  We worked on celebrating what makes each of us unique by writing a special quality about us on a handprint.  

Polar Bear Race to the Top

We played a fun math game in the afternoon of our polar bear day! Students got a game board and placed a bear in each column.  They rolled a dice and whatever number they landed on, that bear got to move up one spot.  Which ever color bear got to the top first, won!  They were very excited to see what color was going to win.

Fun Flashlights

To make our relax time a little more special, I let each student take a colored finger flashlight to use while listening to the story.  I personally find that doodling helps me listen better, so I let the students doodle with a clipboard while listening to our story.  We are currently listening to the Magic Treehouse audiobooks and we work in a lot of great opinion formation, comprehension and retelling skills. We chat about the book before and after, sometimes I also pause it and get predictions on what we think will happen next!  I find the 15 minutes of listening to be relaxing also! 

February Character Development

We are working on cooperation and conflict resolution this month! Here are the books that we will be reading and discussing in our elementary classrooms. 

The Eagle and the Wren 

by Jane Goodall

When the birds of the world squabble about who can fly the highest, the owl devises a contest to settle the question. As one by one various contestants drop out, only the eagle remains, soaring high above the earth. However, the wren, stowed away in the eagle’s feathers, suddenly appears and uses him as a launching pad to fly even higher. When they arrive back on the ground, the owl drives home the story’s moral of togetherness and teamwork. Goodall continues the theme in an afterword, explaining how “we all need an eagle” and sharing insights on those who have played that role in her own life.
​

Farmer Duck

by Martin Waddell

Farmer Duck isn't your average duck. This duck cooks and cleans, tends the fields, and cares for the other animals on the farm—all because the owner of the farm is too lazy to do these things himself. But when Farmer Duck finally collapses from exhaustion, the farmyard animals come to the rescue with a simple but heroic plan.

My Big Dog

 by Janet Steven

 Merl the Cat's pampered life is turned upside down when a little golden retriever puppy moves into the house. Merl tells the story of how he tries his best to oust the newest member of his household. Thwarted at every turn by the ever-growing puppy, he finally comes to terms with the presence of his big dog.

Enemy Pie

by Derek Munson​

It was the perfect summer. That is, until Jeremy Ross moved into the house down the street and became neighborhood enemy number one. Luckily Dad had a surefire way to get rid of enemies: Enemy Pie. But part of the secret recipe is spending an entire day playing with the enemy! In this funny yet endearing story, one little boy learns an effective recipes for turning your best enemy into your best friend. ​

Swimmy

by Leo Lionni

Deep in the sea there lives a happy school of little fish. Their watery world is full of wonders, but there is also danger, and the little fish are afraid to come out of hiding . . . until Swimmy comes along. Swimmy shows his friends how—with ingenuity and team work—they can overcome any danger.

Red & Yellow's Noisy Night

by Josh Selig 

Red and Yellow live together in the branches of an olive tree--but these two friends are as different as can be, and sometimes have trouble co-existing peacefully. Red wants to play loudly on his strummy, while Yellow longs for sleep. 

 

 

Talk and Work It Out 

 by Cheri J. Meiners M.Ed. 

What’s the best way to solve problems between people? By talking them over and working them out. It’s never too soon for children to learn the process of peaceful conflict resolution. This book distills it into clear, simple language and supporting illustrations. Children learn to calm themselves, state the problem, listen, think of solutions, try one, evaluate results, and even agree to disagree when a solution isn’t possible.