November Center

Each month, a center is dedicated to that month. The center changes each week. For example, the pumpkin counting activity in October Center became a Halloween (model) writing activity. Starting next week (it's November already!), the children will be writing in November Center. I put my example inside a plastic stand, otherwise it gets ripped!

Homemade Worksheets

Writing and sequencing the letters of the alphabet and numbers 1-10 have become a priority as the first trimester comes to an end. Therefore, I am sticking the alphabet and numbers on everything! We've done pumpkins, squirrels, (soon) turkeys, stars, ghosts, and the list goes on!

Halloween Festivities

The first thing I did Thursday morning was take away the books and journals off the tables. Icing and reading material don't mix!

Then, we made these bat magnets. The paper was pre-cut by a wonderful mommy helper and the magnets were glued to the clothespins last week by my practicum student.

I put all materials into a bowl the night before, so it would be super easy to pass out to each table. The children enjoyed making these and most were correctly assembled! :)

We also made these Halloween puzzles, simply because they could do it independently and I could prepare the icing for the cookies.

(My example.)

We frosted pumpkin-shaped cookies and the students had a blast putting as much candy as the could on top. The parents donated all of the cookies, frosting, and candy.

We finished the day off with spider hats (here is the link) and Cheetos on the playground. After the Cheetos were eaten, I told them their orange fingers were from pumpkin dust... Boy, what a day!

What did YOU do in your classroom?

Star Student of the Week

Each Friday, the Principal comes around to every classroom to help announce the Student of the Week. She hands out a gift certificate to a restaurant, a pencil, and hands them the trophy. They don't get to keep it. It just circulates around the room.

I give the stellar student a packet to write about his/her favorites and invites them to share family pictures with the class. I have dedicated a bulletin board with reusable clips to quickly display the pictures. Occasionally, they are allowed to sit in the special chair.

Pajama Day!

Today's letter was the letter Pp. We do about two letters a week. In celebration, we had a Pajama Day! The kids loved coming to school in their jammies and pointing out all of the words that begin with the /p/ sound. We also had a "/p/ Test". I asked each student what sound the letter Pp makes and when they gave me the correct sound, I pinned a polkadot "P" to their shirt. Even I earned my "P"!

Fall Leaves

The shape people have been returned to their owners and these fall leaves are their replacements. In Art Center, I had the children fingerpaint dots. After they dried, I had them glue a black sheet of paper with a leave cut-out over the top. The paint is shown through the cut-out part. One of my MANY, fabulous mommy helpers cut ALL 52 leaves out.

October Center

During the last three weeks of October, I introduce "October Center." I found the idea in an issue of The Mailbox. Students count out pumpkin seeds and put them in the correct cupcake spot.