Life is all around!

So this week I am the proud mother of a son who graduating with his masters plus in micro biology and then moving off to Louisisana to complete his PHD.  So the "life cycle" continues even in my own family.
This makes what my class is doing this week even more exciting.  this year I did a little "pre planning" so all life experiences would be in place before our study began.  Guess what?  It worked!  (Don't ya just love it when your plans work?!)
So...our plants are growing, our butterflies are close to emerging, and the kiddos have found tadpole eggs to complete our life cycle study.

This unit is so much fun.  It contains informational text, vocabulary cards, observations, and life cycle charts.

This unit is one of my favorites and again filled with informational text, vocabulary cards, observations, and life cycle charts.

The art project is a favorite and perfect to decorate the hall into our room.

Don't miss this wonderful unit and if you can find a few tadpoles like we did it makes it even more exciting.  It is filled with a mixture of fact and fiction with some of our favorite characters.

Below is a wonderful assessment piece to see what information the kiddos retained.

Not bad for a "life cycle" unit!

Cinco de Mayo...a celebration!

So excited to share this freebie with you so you too can enjoy a little celebration.  The complete packet focuses on comparing Cinco de Mayo to American celebrations.  It also shares facts about the meaning of Cinco de Mayo.

The freebie for you includes:  Making Words, Word Search, Compare and Contrast.

Click here...

Anyone have a cute craft in mind for this day?  Please comment and let me know!  

Michele

Butterflies...Now waiting for wings!

Butterflies are beautiful and the process of watching their life cycle is so amazing for students.

Insect Lore has caterpillars to order and your class will LOVE watching the transformation.

Find it here.

I love the 12 colorful vocabulary cards for posting and the word work activities that accompany them.

There is a 10 paged mini book filled with information about the life cycle of the butterfly.

That is followed by a cut and paste time line and a definition page on metamorphosis.

Following the informational text are a wide variety of graphic organizers for students to record information.

There is also a fact sheet on butterflies and activities to follow that.

The packet includes a class book cover for the butterfly life cycle and a persuasive writing page on if a butterfly would make a good pet.

My favorite is the delightful Reader's Theater.

There are adorable pictures for putting on a headband to identify characters.

And look at the cute crafts for decorating the room.  Your kiddos will love them.

There is a wonderful literature suggestion section filled with activities to follow each story.

Find it here.

The Grouchy Ladybug!...what makes you grouchy?

Going to school an hour longer each day for the past three weeks is beginning to make me a little grouchy!  It really is a long day and the kiddos are beginning to feel the added time at school.  We are all exhausted by the time we leave.  BUT  being a "team" player we are working hard to make this a success.  Only two days left of the extended day.  Little projects like the one below are a big help!!  Love Eric Carle and all we have learned during this unit.  Michele

Introducing Me!

Next year’s teacher will love these cute crafts to introduce them to their new students.
If you do it as a grade level team the next grade level will have an automatic bulletin board ready to begin the year. 

If you don’t feel “crafty” try just the book.

Perfect for the beginning or end of the year!

What fun! Michele

The Foolish Tortoise...Eric Carle

This tortoise might have been foolish!  What do you think?  We made predictions and then used our recall skills to write a definition for foolish.  We also used informational text and a wonderful video to compare and contrast a turtle and a tortoise.  The kiddos ended with a delightful water color craft.
Click here for video...
These video clips are perfect for making real world connections as many of the kiddos will never see a turtle or a tortoise.

Eric Carle...Seahorse

This story is delightful and watching a seahorse swim on uTube really got them excited.  Please follow this link to watch a National Geographic item.
Click here:
Or try this one from uTube.
Click here...
Their tiny fins flutter and their long tail wraps around the underwater sealife.  Amazing!
Perfect since most of our kiddos will never see an actual seahorse.

Their future looks bright!

My kiddos sure made a "splash" this year and I bet your class did too.  We are ending our year with this delightful craft and writing project.  As always enjoy and there is a freebie for you!!

Your freebie is a great "treat" for staff or you kiddos.

Whooooo will miss you.  Owl will that's whoooooo!

Click here

Is your summer bucket list ready?

I know mine is...
1.  Spend more time at the lake.

We just started to put the dock in yesterday.  More to go but a start!

2. Ride my bike

3. Play tennis outside...Finally!

4. Read, read, read

5. Spend more time with family

What's on your list?  I'd love to hear!!

With that in mind I thought I'd come up with something for my kiddos.  My favorite is the checkoff sheet with the poem so they can keep track of whether or not they follow through.  So here it is...

And of course the freebie for you!!

Click here...

The end is near...Are you ready?

If you are anything like me you like to have plans ready a few weeks in advance.  that being the case I have been busy preparing all sorts of goodies that will make that end of the year fun, a learning experience, and easy!  Each day for the next week I will post items and a freebie for you so be sure to check back.
This first packet focuses on the sweet theme of watermelon.  It is designed to meet the needs of balanced literacy, math, and science.  Most of the activities are perfect for math and literacy centers while others focus on whole group learning with indepent recall activities to follow.  And yes!  There is a craft that will be perfect for posting as well as colorful vocabulary cards.

As you know I never forget about you and I think you will love this freebie.

Click here...