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.

"Doggone" Great Work!

Here is the new bulletin board outside of my classroom. The teal shape people are from my AM class and the blue are from my PM class. I will take down the shape people in two weeks and put up a really cute autumn leaf art project! I will go back to a seasonal bulletin board in December. If you click to enlarge the picture, you can see the background fabric better...

Check-Out Aisle Find!

While checking out in Target, I glanced down and saw these little voice recorders. I thought what an excellent idea to record quick instructions for independent centers. For example, for Art Center, I recorded, "Please write your name, then paint." I velcroed the recorders to each center and put a star sticker on the "play" button, so they know how to make it talk. The recorders evan have a "lock" switch, so the children can't accidentally delete your instructions. Great find!

Storage Room: After

As previously mentioned, cleaning out my big, beautiful storage room was on my summer to-do list. It may not look organized, but it certainly is an improvement. I had an avalanche of supplies from my kinder parents come in, so I tried to create as much new space as possible. Thank you to my husband and BIL for putting all of the supplies away on the first day school!

New Centers

This school year, I decided I was fed up with flipping over the centers groups cards from AM to PM (and back again). So I made two sets of cards, with name lines. I laminated the cards, so I could use a vis a vis marker that wipes off easily, as students enroll and withdraw. Now, I just slide the white centers cards, in the direction the arrow is pointing. Centers are about 20 minutes each and they change weekly.

To help children REMEMBER their groups, I send home a sheet that lists their group names, so parents can practice with their kid.