A MOTHER'S WORK IS NEVER DONE - POEM

This makes a great addition to a Mother's Day Program that you have in your classroom.  Divide the poem and assign each student two lines to learn and to bring in items to show what it means.  "Wipe the nosed, wash the faces" could have kleenix and wipes.  As the students recite their lines they would who their items they brought.  Try to make it cute.  If you have more than 14 student - who doesn't - then one could state the title, one could be a program announcer, some could serve the moms your prepared treats...Be creative.

www.techingheart.net/mompage.htm

This year I decided to make a classroom cookbook for my helpful and supportive moms. I began by asking each child to tell me something their mom makes that is one of their favorites. Some kids are great observers and will give me great detail of how their mom prepares their favorite meals. But most of the time, I had to practically drag the answers out of them by asking them questions like, "Where does she get ____? What does she do first? What does she do next? Describe how it tastes?"

Some additional sites for ideas:
http://www.allfreeprintables.com/mother/index.shtml

http://www.perpetualpreschool.com/mother_songs.html

http://www.thevirtualvine.com/MothersDay.html

SUMMER GAME PLAN

APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY FLOWERS BULLETIN BOARD

INTERACTIVE BULLETIN BOARD.  This board allows students to review one syllable word families.  It also gets students out of their seats and moving in a purposeful way in the classroom.The bulletin board needs a blue background.  Make 4 inch circles and label with your word families you have studied: ing, ot, ug, ed, ow, ad, in, an, iik, ar, at, ow, ad, .  To make sure you have enough raindrops to fill each petal, write on the back of the circles all of the words that can be made:  ad - b, c, d, f, g, h, l, m, p, s.  This can also be extended to more than one letter gl, br.  Make enough raindrops and attach velcro to each raindrop tip and to the petal.  Make flower stems and leaves, staple the empty petals onto each stem, staple your raindrops all over the sky and you are ready.  Title APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY FLOWERS.  Then let your students "work" the bulletin board.  This could be a CENTER if you do them, or free time.

BUNNY BOUNCE PROGRAM

This program turned out to be delightful and easy to put together. Students make bunny masks to wear during the program. Each child gets a part to say during the program. All students learn the Rockin' Rabbit Song. Add a few other songs with movements from the students and you have your Spring Program.The hutch for the bunnies to hide in is so easy to make. It can be used year after year. Take 3 Science Tri Fold Boards, spray paint sky blue, trim the bottom with construction paper grass, add 3-D daffodils (see posting: DAFFODIL BULLETIN BOARD), and use bulletin board letters to write THE BUNNY BOUNCE on the front of the hutch. The three boards do not need to be attached. The tri fold holds them in place.

MARCH MEMORY GAME

Work this game using any words that need a review or with math facts matched to answers or other math facts.

MAGIC BAGS

SHAMROCK HUNT

HAND KITE

This is a fabulous way to bring a spot of color into your classroom towards the end of those dreary winter days. Have fun outside with students doing all sorts of movement with their kites or brighten an elderly persons room.

VALENTINE PARADE

If your school does a Valentine Parade for the little ones, cut out large paper hearts, label with candy heart sayings and place on students' shoulders.  Cute!

VALENTINE RELAY GAME

DIRECTIONS: Cut out a heart for each player.  If there is an odd number of players - cut out one more heart.  Write VALENTINE RELAY on one side of each heart.  Write an action on the other side.  Think of body actions that you would want your students to practice for their grade level (skip, like a hippo, gallop, walk backwards, like a monkey, like a monster, jump, run, hop).  If you are limited in actions you want practiced, you may write the same action on a couple of hearts.  LAMINATE these hearts for sturdiness and to be able to use every year.  Line up the 2 teams.  Place a stack of hearts in front of each team.  Each stack will have the same activities, but in a different order.  Students run to the hearts, pick up the top one and do the actions it says on the back of the heart across the room to the line you have established and back.  This is great as a party game for Valentines.  You could do the same concept for each holiday season.  Halloween could be pumpkins, Thanksgiving could be turkeys...

SCOUTING ACTIVITY - BRAVE LITTLE INDIAN