It's A Wrap!



Merry Christmas Kinder Friends,

It is always kind of sad to wrap up the holidays in Kindergarten. Suddenly the walls and the hallways look a lot less festive. As I was putting things away before the break I was gathering things to send home with the kids and I realized that I didn't have anything to put their projects in to send home. Actually all of the projects looked kind of cute scattered on my desk. When I looked down at all of them I started thinking of the fun we had.

 

One of my favorite Christmas memories this year was inviting another class over for a class project. I was excited that they said they would come and read a few books with us and work on a little project. It was especially meaningful to have everyone sitting in the room with my class because I realized that we were all together for the first time in a long time. I started this year with a very large class and we ended up creating a new class. So, this was the first time we had all been together. During our time together I could see how much they had grown and changed since the beginning. I have to say 28 kids in August is much different than 28 kids in December! What a difference those days have made! We talked and laughed and all remembered how it all began.



As we wrapped up the festivities and fun I remembered an old favorite to get everything organized and put away. The envelopes you see above are large sheets of construction paper folded and stapled to make a pocket. Just about any project or craft can fit inside and it looks super cute with everything sticking out. It didn't take long to pull these together. And what I love the best is that it is made with stuff I always have on hand. These are super easy to pull off and can be jazzed up with just about anything and glitter. Best of all the idea can be modified for any occasion. And what Kinder kid doesn't look cute carrying one of these home for Christmas?

You even have a little space in those envelopes to send home some Christmas themed printables to keep them busy over the holidays!

 

Sharing Cookies Freebie!



Hey Kinder Friends,

Christmas cookies are my all time favorite. There is no other cookie in the world that could evoke the feelings of childhood holidays like a frosted and decorated Christmas cookie. My favorites have always been the ones with plenty of frosting and decorations especially if they have been sitting around a while and become sweet and soft.

It is always fun to have discussions and learn about how each of us celebrates this wonderful time of year. We learn about the similarities and the differences and about traditions and celebrations. And I always share how my great grandmother made the best cookies and how my mother always tells me she lived in a red sided, white gingerbread trimmed little house where she baked cookies for family and friends. And during times of celebration, the dining room table would be lined with Christmas cookies for family and friends. Sharing cookies and baked goods was her way of giving to family and friends.

When I discovered the book, Sharing Cookies, I had to get a copy because I knew a lot of discussion would be centered around this book. I also use this book during writer's workshop during a writing demonstration because it goes well with capturing those moments and capturing some of the vocabulary of the season of celebration. I made a simple reader for my class and now I would like to share it with you. In the spirit of the holiday season just click on the picture above to take you to the freebie!

Happy Holidays In Kindergarten!



Counting Down!

Hey Kinder Friends,

Well. it is that time of year again and the great countdown begins. No matter if you are counting down to winter break or Christmas, we are all counting the days. Now is the perfect time to practice a little counting and make some chains and work on counting down each day. What I love about these chains is that they are simple to prepare, fun for kids to make and provide lots of counting practice along the way to the big day. If you haven't started one already yo0u can just adjust the chain links according to how many days you are counting down to. Depending on your paper, you can provide a little pattern practice too!

When we make countdown paper chains we always have a book to go with it. This time of year it goes well with on of my favorite books, Snowbear's Christmas countdown. I like this book because it not only counts down but it references a calendar throughout the book.

Don't worry you still have time to pull this off and send home that sticky bag of glued together paper chains! Let them count their way to sweet dreams each night as they countdown the days. What five year old wouldn't love that homework?

Happy holidays friends!



A Tree Of 24!



Hey Kinder Friends,

I think we all hit the ground running since we got back from our fall break. We have had a lot to accomplish and squeeze into a week full of learning and maybe a little fun. This week as we have been talking about counting and comparing greater numbers I remembered this simple Christmas tree project from the past. With just a few snips of some scissors, these trees were ready to go. All I needed were some stickers and we were all set. What is great about this little project is that anyone can be successful and it gave me a chance to talk to the children about what strategy they would use to complete their decorated tree to twenty. I was able to listen and ask some clarifying questions as the children worked to complete the project independently.



It was interesting to notice the different approaches the children took to completing the project. Some children counted the stickers out before they even put them on the tree. Some children placed them on the tree in an organized arrangement and some children counted, recounted and even counted on. It was interesting to hear the different methods not only being discussed between the children but I gained a lot of information from their justifications of their strategy choice. Because this activity was worked on as the children had finished up some other work, I was able to observe and listen to the children as they came to the table a few at a time. We were able to listen to a child work through his discovery of having too many decorations on the tree, how he figured that out and what his solution to the problem was.

After all, what is really wrong with a tree of 24? 



Nothing really... It is the fact that he figured out it was 24 because he applied a strategy to double-check his count to figure that he had more than twenty. And he must have proposed about four different solutions before asking...
"What is really wrong with a tree of 24?"
Nothing...just nothing!
And who can argue with that?

It's Simple!

Hey Kinder Friends,

This time of year easy is the name of the game! You know you are so busy that anything that is easy just seems to be appealing in order to get it all accomplished! As I was putting up my own Christmas tree I came across a few hand print ornaments made by my son. You know those ornaments that you can't wait to find in the box. It is those simple ornaments that evoke a real sense of Christmas and family and a little tug in your heart. This angel hand print ornament is one of those simple ornaments that I have always enjoyed to make in class because we always have these materials on hand and it takes no time at all. And what mother wouldn't cherish a hand print angel to put on the tree year after year?

All you need to make your own...

Kindergarten hands

White paint

Construction paper

Glitter

Sharpie

They look great laminated and which will help them last a lot longer when they are stored in the ornament box to be discovered year after year!

I have to admit they looked pretty cute on our classroom tree last year!



Sharing Cookies Freebie!

Hey Kinder Friends,

Well since I made my introduction on the Freebielicious blog I had to have something to share as a little welcome to my world gift. You know your mom always taught you to be a good host. So, in the spirit of that and the holidays, I am sharing cookies with you the virtual way. Christmas cookies have always been a favorite of mine and they evoke a lot of fond memories from childhood. I can still remember Christmas cookie decorating parties that my mom threw for me and my friends, I remember my great grandmother making amazing cookies and being a parent and passing on that tradition. Christmas cookies just remind me of my whole life. And no Christmas would be complete without them.

Each year I make the annual trip to my favorite bakery just for Christmas cookies to decorate. And when I walk in the door I suddenly feel like I am five all over again. Even if just for a minute, I relive some of my favorite memories as I scan the case for the cookies I will take home with me.

It's hard to contain yourself in a place like this! So much to see and take in. A bakery nestled inside a church and dressed and ready for the holidays. I swear there is nothing better!

This annual visit always gives me a great story to share at Writer's Workshop and it gives me a wonderful opportunity to read the book Christmas Cookies and talk about traditions and family celebrations! And to support the reading/writing connection I had to make this book and share it with my friends!

If you need a copy just click on the image and grab yours! From my classroom to yours...

Many Christmas Blessings Kinder Friends!



Sharing Cookies!

This scrumptious follow-up to the bestselling Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons captures the spirit of the holiday season. From making the same kind of cookies at the same time each year (tradition) to decorating them with lots of sprinkles (celebrate), youngsters will gobble up vocabulary words and holiday lessons in this charming dictionary of sorts.

 

Happy Holidays Kinder Friends,

Today was my annual trip to pick up gingerbread men for the class party on Friday. As I was driving to the bakery I was thinking of all the things that have to be taken care of this time of year. And I was remembering all of the past gingerbread decorating parties and it reminded me just how fast time passes... I have thought about time a lot as I try to savor the time I have with my class this year. Since I make this cookie trip just once each year I couldn't remember exactly where it was located and it didn't help that they had changed locations. But when I found it I knew I was home...

 

 

 

The bakery is now nestled inside a church. And when I walked in and saw the light shining through the stained glass I knew I was in the right place and just where I should be. During this time of year in Kindergarten we spend a lot of time talking about traditions and celebrations. We share stories from our lives and talk about how we share similar experiences and also we learn about different experiences from each other. I use the book Christmas Cookies shown above for part of that discussion. And I tie in an old favorite of mine that is no longer in print...

 

 

  This loving celebration of Christmas is as fresh as the season's first snowfall, and as warm as a steaming mug of eggnog. A young girl growing up in the country enjoys a simple but enchanting Christmas with her family. Boxes of treasured homemade ornaments are brought out; an evergreen wreath brightens the front door; and relatives gather for a delicious meal. Captured here are the memorable holiday moments we cherish and remember-always.

  

 

When I walked in to the bakery and saw these cookies I was weak in my knees. They remind me of my whole life... my childhood, being a mother and Christmas in Kindergarten. As I looked at the decorated cookies it reminded me of my own childhood Christmas decorating parties my mother threw for me. I remembered my childhood friends, laughing, dancing and the Christmas tree my mother decorated with cookie cutters trimmed in gingham ribbons.

 

 

 And it reminded me of my great grandmother. When she would visit we would come home to fresh baked cookies. And the part I loved the most was the piled high frosting. For just a moment I think I could taste them again. In my family we all still talk about those cookies. Sometimes it is the small moments in life that last forever in our hearts and minds. And these are the stories I have shared in Kindergarten...

 

 

After my trip down memory lane I had to take some pictures and get my gingerbread cookies ready to go home. I can't wait to share my cookies in Kindergarten!

 

 

And I don't think anyone was surprised when I had to bring these cookies home to share. I bet they knew what stories I would tell at the table tonight... Yep, they know me all too well. And they listen just like it was the first time.

 

 

So in the spirit of my trip down memory lane and my traditions and celebrations I share these cookies with you! Click on the image above to grab yours! Merry Christmas Kinder Friends!

 

 



Easy Parent Ornaments!

 

Happy Holidays Kinder Friends,

As I was thinking about quick and easy ornaments for the kids to give their parents I ran across some ornaments similar to these. I bookmarked the page so I could return to it but apparently something happened to my bookmark... These ornaments were inspired by the ones I saw on the internet. I loved the idea of these because they are made from simple materials that most of us have on hand. Basically, if you have paper, paint, glitter and kids you can whip these up in no time at all.

 

 

When they were finished we just had to hang them on our tree because they were so cute!

 

I think each ornament has been moved a few times because everyone seems to want theirs on the top!

 

Ten Littte Presents and One Freebie For YOU!

 

Hello Kinder Friends,

It has been a busy time for us in Kindergarten. So much going and and so much to do! Sometimes it is hard to concentrate with all of the holiday buzz going on. So we decided to have a little holiday fun of our own! If you have been following us for the past several weeks you already know we are crazy for charts this year. We love thinking about the next one, making them and especially reading them. These charts have been a big hit during Read to Self and Read to Someone. And this particular chart was inspired by one of my Kinder friends as we were singing in the classroom. So, in the excitement of the holidays and my excited little readers, I created this for my friends and I wanted to share it with you! Just click on the image to get your own copy for free.

 

 

If you are looking for some Science fun with a Christmas theme you have to check us out in the Science Lab!

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                      

 

It's Craft Time!

 

 

Is this the cutest angel you have ever seen? All you need to make this treasured Christmas craft is:

Construction paper

Multicultural Paint

Glitter

Paper Plate folded in half

Coffee Filer folded in fourths

Ribbon

Sharpie Marker

And the best kids in the world... that remind you of an angel.

Merry Christmas to all!