UPDATED Calendar Chants!

 

Hey Kinder Friends,

Planning for next year already? Yep, me too. I started thinking of the things I use daily and I wanted to give a few of them an update. I started with my Calendar Chants. We have used calendar chants all year and I have printed them off to make student books for independent and paired reading. As I was looking them over, I decided to include in this file blackline versions so that student chant folders would be easier to make for everyone. I wanted to be sure and post this because if you have purchased this item already be sure to re download to get the updated version that includes the blacklines!

 

 

What I like most is that this really is print and go and it is ready for an entire year of snapping, clapping, chanting good old fun! All chants are sung to familiar tunes and I swear if I can pull this off, you can too. It's a fun addition to any calendar routine that you already have in place and takes a just a little time to add into what you already do! You will be surprised that it does not take long for your class to remember these chants!

 

 

You can print and send home the current month and have your kids snapping and clapping and chanting them over and over at home! Won't the parents love that? So friends, re download if you purchased at TeacherspayTeachers and Teachers Notebook! So what are you waiting for? Re download and start chanting away!



The Happy Sound Of Kindergarten!

It's only halfway done but this week has been busy. It has been busy this and busy that for the last few days. With all the things going on sometimes it is hard to take a moment and just listen. As part of our regular routine we have had Read to Self and Buddy Reading like most Kindergarten classrooms. And we have worked hard to build stamina and we have modeled inappropriate and apporopriate behaviors and we have had moments of self reflection and when needed just a little of some fun reteaching.

Today we had a few minutes after our normal Calendar Routine so this week we have been practicing our Calendar Chants that we have learned each month this year. We recently added these to our calendar folders. After our calendar routine was over the children had time to revisit those chants and poems. When everyone was gathering their things and picking the "just right spot" I noticed the children were beginning to cluster in groups together. I noticed one group of children quickly find a corner, arrange themselves in a small circle and start clapping and chanting. It sounded like music to my ears. Actually we all noticed and looked at them. The other children saw what the first group of children were doing and quickly grouped themselves just like the first group had. I asked the group closest to me why they grouped themselves like that. One child told me they were making "chant teams" so they could help each other. And I thought BRILLIANT IDEA!

I heard a few children talking about who to "grab" for their team and the reasons why they wanted a particular person. It seems that if you remember the AUGUST chant you are considered a hot commodity in my classroom. And if you can figure out MAY, on your own, then you are considered QUEEN BEE!

What was interesting is that the children independently came up with this idea and organized themselves. They created the rules and rather quickly started working. I can honestly say that everyone was 100% on task and engaged and they did it...independently. I noticed the noise level was a little different and a little louder than Buddy Reading but it was a joyful noise for any Kindergarten teacher. As they sang, clapped and chanted different months, I realized how much time has passed. The time has gone by quickly. I kind of got a little sad that we will soon be learning our last chant together...

Can you think of all the possibilities for Chant Teams or Reading Teams? I think the kids are on to something! 

The Best Of The Best!

I am linking up with TBA for the Best of the Best or most popular blog post. I have already shared the most popular post on my science blog which was on glitter germs. I was kind of surprised to see that a post on Binder Easels was the post that came in second place. Each time I read the title of that post, I always thought it was about dice!

Binder easels are simple. You take an old binder and open it up. You glue ribbon on the front and back of the binder to hold the easel shape. You can insert sheet protectors to protect the pages. I use a couple of binder easels in my classroom. The binder easel above is on a shelf by the front door and serves as a visual to the class when they walk in and reminds them what they need to do.

My second binder easel is used in my calendar area. We use this one to keep our monthly calendar chants. This addition to my routine has been very popular this year. You can find my calendar chants packet at my store by clicking on the picture above. Since the calendar chant routine was so popular this year I decided to add monthly poems to the routine which the class really enjoyed. Next year these chants and poems are going in my calendar notebooks for independent reading and added to my book boxes. I really never thought that the class would like these as much as they did. Binder easels can be used for so many different things and I guess that is why they made the popular post list. If you try them I think you might get hooked like me. Be sure and click on the weather poem to grab your free copy.  

A Year Of Calendar Chants!

If you have previously purchased the Calendar Chants packet, I have updated the file! My class this year has had way too much fun with the chants and we have really gotten super speedy fast with our Number Corner calendar routine so we decided to add monthly poems. And as we learn new poems, I will update the file so you can chant, clap and sing right along with us. And what is even better is that these poems and chants go oh so well in our nifty little poetry folders! Just like before, download the updated file and have some fun! And if you don't have your copy... I will just hop right on over to TpT and put this little ditty on sale and just call it a Super Sunday Special. Now how about that?

A Year of Calendar Chants! UPDATE

A New Year and a new beginning! If you have previously purchased the Calendar Chants packet on TpT you will be notified of the updates to this file. I added a special something for the 100th Day of School! If you have not grabbed your copy for the New Year... it's on sale!