"Teacher's Hefty Salaries..."

I found this amazing post circling around few months ago and have no idea why I didn't share it. It is totally worth a read!

"Teachers' hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work 9 or 10 months a year! It's time we put things in perspective and pay them for what they do - babysit! We can get that for minimum wage. That's right. Let's give them $3.00 an hour and only the hours they worked; not any of that silly planning time, or any time they spend before or after school. That...would be $19.20 a day (7:45 to.....3:00 PM with 45 min. off for lunch and plan -- that equals 6 1/2 hours). Each parent should pay $19.50 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children. Now how many students do they teach in a day...maybe 30? So that's $19.50 x 30 = $585 a day. However, remember they only work 180 days a year!!! I am not going to pay them for any vacations. LET'S SEE...That's $585 x 180 = $105, 300 per year. (Hold on! My calculator needs new batteries). What about those special education teachers and the ones with the Master's degrees? Well, we could pay them minimum wage ($7.75), and just to be fair, round it off to $8.00 an hour. That would be $8 x 6 1/2 hours x 30 children x 180 days = $280, 800 per year. Wait a minute -- there's something wrong here! There sure is!

The average teacher's salary (nation wide) is $50,000. $50,000/180 days = $277.77/per day/30 students = $9.25/6.5 hours = $1.42 per hour per student -- a very inexpensive baby-sitter and they even EDUCATE your kids!) WHAT A DEAL!!!

Heaven forbid we take into account highly qualified teachers or NCLB...

Make a teacher smile; re-post this to show appreciation!"

19 Storytelling Techniques

http://www.clker.com/cliparts/2/R/E/V/j/Q/reading-story-book-to-kids-md.png

I have been meaning to write a post about storytelling techniques for quite sometime. I have finally gotten a few minutes in my super busy schedule to come up with one! Here is a list of a few techniques I have used and some I haven't (but learned about them when I was doing my undergrad). Enjoy! Oh, and please post some other ideas that you know of or use in your classroom!

Felt Stories

Tell a story using felt! It allows for great visuals especially for books that may have patterns. An example of how I did a felt story can be found here: Silly Sally - Felt Storytelling Technique

Finger Puppets

http://www.csc.gov.sg/html/newsletter/aug2006/augpictures/FINGERPUPPET.jpg

Using finger puppets are so engaging! Use them while you are reading or tell a story without the book. Works wonders each way! A fun story that I always like to do is The Three Little Pigs. 

Puppet Show

http://blog.ljcfyi.com/ljcsProjects/craftiness/puppetShow1.jpg

Oh my! What a fantastic idea to create your own puppet theatre! Use one of those 3-panel presentation boards (they cost around 8 dollars from Staples)! Got this picture from Google images and has now inspired me to create my own puppet theatre!

Stick Puppets

http://www.thevirtualvine.com/images/nurseryrhymes/heydiddlediddle/stpup.jpg

Tell a story with stick puppets. Just as much fun as any other technique! Remember, any of these techniques work with poems and songs as well!

Cut a Story

http://www.countryliving.com/cm/countryliving/images/cut-shape-0908-de-38555813.jpg

As you read the story, cut out a shape that may represent the shape. For example, "The girl was waiting for a valentine to arrive"; You can cut the shape of a valentine as you tell the story.

Draw a Story

and

Create a Class Story

Okay, I LOVE using this technique. That is a story that I drew in my classroom this year on the whiteboard. It can also be done on chart paper and then posted in the room. I chose to do it on the whiteboard. My students actually came up with this whole story on their own. Each child was given the opportunity to create the story. We started in a circle. One student gave one sentence. And the next student gave the next sentence of the story. We came up with this class story. Then they went to the desks and drew a picture of what their creation of the story was. It also became a class storybook! 

Real Props

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3c/If_you_Give_a_Mouse_a_Cookie.jpg/200px-If_you_Give_a_Mouse_a_Cookie.jpg

This is one my most favourite stories! I have used this technique many times during my teaching experience. I used the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff. I bought all the props (from the dollar store) needed from the story and put them in order of the story in the basket. As I read the story, I pulled out the item/prop and laid it in front of me. The kids love it and so do I!

Role Play

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2snatNJc81rsthpao1_400.jpg

Role play the story! You can add students as you go along. I did it with my students and they loved it! Caps for Sale is awesome to read! Grab a bunch of hats as props and you're good to go!!! Here we can build role playing and theatre skills!

Storybox Technique

http://www.margiepalatini.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/moosetache.jpg

Fun way to have a few props in the box. An easy carry-with-you-anywhere box with all the things you need for the story. Check out my post Moosetache to find out how I did mine!

Musical Instruments

http://www.kidstylefile.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/kidsgiftlist_musical-instruments.jpg

http://studio3music.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/mortimer.jpg

Simple! Use musical instruments while you tell your story. Mortimer is a great one to use. Check out my post to learn more about how I used Mortimer in my classroom. 

Clothesline

http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/harperchildrensImages/isbn/large/9/9780694010769.jpg

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXYtAljoZzFP268vrL8f4PizjKIyNdlVMK2q6pIRBc-G2uBvhzvHConQAzZ1qsNaoT1a8LAKGyatacghWofiaaFxkpD3yl4jkJiCaXLiOoNbpbb8lJp8EnEk50OTYfqQSJX07Bk9EIGyWL/s1600/Mrs+McNosh+007.JPG

Get a strong clothesline. Buy some clothespins. Get pictures for the story (make from felt or photocopy the pages of the book and laminate them for forever-use). As you read the book, ask a child to put the corresponding item on the clothesline. This book is fantastic for it! 

Flashlight Fun

http://mindcemetery.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/kid-with-flashlight.jpg

Reading a story is SO much fun with the lights turned off and blinds shut. Make the room dark and turn on a flashlight!!! I love this technique. So much fun to do at any time of the day. Gives children a change and lets them know that reading can be done during the night as long as you have a flash light!!

Large Books

http://www.makeandtakes.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/big-books-008.jpg

Large books are great because the kids can see the pictures and words in a much bigger size! Awesome to listen to!

Other techniques can include: Singing chants during a story/song (We're going on a bear hunt), Physically participating (stamping feet, clapping hands), Use stuffed animals to tell a story, Word Cards/Pictures (when they hear a part of the story, they hold up their card/picture), and Hear and Respond (every time they hear a certain word, they must respond with an action/chant. Ex., "little frog" say ribbit ribbit or jump 3 times). 

Meet Raja

I don't know why I haven't posted anything about my pet bird, Raja. Raja means Prince in Urdu. He is an Australian Budgie and he has been with us for a little over 5 years. 

He is super friendly. He loves to sing and tweet. And he is just really, really cute!!! Oh, and he is a bit of a show off which is why he is super friendly!

We let Raja fly around in the house at times. He likes to take about  4-5 rounds around the kitchen and the living room and then he sits back in his cage.

In the cage, I have some bells for him, a swing and a couple of mirrors. He loves anything shiny so he is crazy about the mirror.

Raja loves walking on shoulders and arms. And he loves sitting on my finger. Every time I put my thumb up to his beak, he kisses it...so cute!!

I have taken him many times into different classrooms for the students to see. They love to observe him and listen to him when he is tweeting. It is a great way to spark an interest in pets, animals and science all at the same time.

For an art activity, I bought feathers from the dollar store and put it with paint on the art table. The children loved painting with feathers. Super fun activity.

On the science table, I took some feathers and put them with magnifying glasses. The students had a great time observing the feathers and feeling the feathers. I also put out white paper and crayons if they wanted to draw some feathers. 

For the play dough table, I was lucky enough to have cutters in shapes of birds. The children loved recreating Raja with play dough (I also used green play dough so it seems more realistic). 

My students drew pictures, painted pictures, built bird houses and wrote stories about Raja. They love it when he comes for a visit. Has anyone else taken their house pets for a school visit?

Eid-ul-Fitr

Source: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV6I8ezncQfCkeLMdluBKxPMZ8apUHxh7HWj8nHk89awWZMK_2kItzetEYrukub6V0_NV4SKAHMDnhEFyCxaNiQ4zxvudxzNfBWfb9TdZUjnbvkAIb5cPfhK0y0ykgm1w06ko1nZrrlf_I/s1600/Eid+2012.jpg

A few days ago, I did a post about Ramadan. I did not, however, talk about Eid-ul-Fitr (pronounced: Eed - ul - fit - er). If you have not yet read the post about Ramadan, please do so here before you read about Eid-ul-Fitr.

Source: http://moodyncheeky.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/eid-mubarak-glitter-greetings.gif%3Fw%3D490

About two weeks ago, muslims all over the world celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr after the completion of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting.  Here is a bit more information about Eid-ul-Fitr.

What is Eid?

Eid is a celebration that muslims take part in every year. There are two different times of the year when Eid is celebrated. One is called Eid-ul-Fitr and the other is called Eid-ul-Adha (pronounced Eed - ul - Ad - ha). Please click here for a post about Eid-ul-Adha.

What is Eid-ul-Fitr?

Source: http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/eid.jpg

Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated as the month of Ramadan ends. The term is in Arabic, in which the word Eid means "festivity" and Fitr means "breaking the fast"; hence, the definition being the festivity of breaking the fast. On this holiday, muslims are forbidden to fast and they celebrate it with many different traditions all over the world. The ending of Ramadan is marked by a brand new moon. Once the new moon is witnessed, Eid-ul-Fitr is declared. 

What is done on Eid-ul-Fitr?

Eid-ul-Fitr is done for one, two, or three days depending on the cultural rituals/traditions around the world. The day begins with greetings between everyone by saying "Eid Mubarak" meaning Happy Eid. It is encouraged to shower and be clean; if possible, to wear clean, new clothes (or the best that you have). An Eid prayer is held in a large area with many people to give thanks to God. After the prayer, people greet each other with hugs and wish them 'Eid Mubarak'. 

Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Celebrating_Eid_in_Tajikistan_10-13-2007.jpg

A big feast is held for Eid. Different foods are made in all different parts of the world and cultures. 

A common tradition for women and girls is to apply Henna or Mehndi (pronounced Meh-n-dee) on hands and/or feet. Henna is a plant from which leaves are used to dye skin, hair, nails, and as well as leather and wool (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henna). It is widely used as body art. Henna leaves are taken to create a paste which is used to create designs and beautiful art on the body. The above henna is actually done by me on my hand!!

Source: http://img3.photographersdirect.com/img/26650/wm/pd2276795.jpg

Children receive cards, gifts and/or money. In some countries, there are many Eid community gatherings held that include food, shopping, games, henna, music and other entertainment. 

Each country celebrates Eid in their own traditional way. This page on Wikipedia gives a little information about various countries in the world in which Eid is celebrated. Check out the link here.

Books about Eid-ul-Fitr

Source: http://i43.tower.com/images/mm113458980/eid-for-everyone-hina-islam-paperback-cover-art.jpg

An Eid for Everyone - by Hina Islam

Source: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ItgCSgmTL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

The Lost Ring: An Eid Story - by Fawzia Gilani-Williams

The following link is a DOC file that has many titles for children's literature about Eid-ul-Fitr. You are more than welcome to download it as I found it on the web myself. It is a bibliography of the titles: www.olc.org/diversity/eid_bibliography.doc

Here is a link to my post with Free Coloring Pages for Ramadan and Eid.

The Sounds of Language - Why English is Difficult to Learn

Remember a couple months ago I wrote about why the English Language is tough to learn? A friend of mine sent me a fun poem that explains EXACTLY why! If you are teaching grades higher than Kindergarten, this poem is great to be posted in the classroom. Enjoy!

The picture is a tad small, so I will type it up here as well. You are more than welcome to copy/paste and print it out if you wish.

We'll begin with BOX; the plural is BOXES,
But the plural of ox is OXEN, not OXES.
One fowl is a GOOSE, and two are called GEESE,
Yet the plural of MOOSE is never called MEESE.

You may find a lone MOUSE or a house full of MICE,
But the plural of HOUSE is HOUSES, not HICE.
The plural of MAN is always MEN,
But the plural of PAN is never PEN.

If I speak of a FOOT and you show me two FEET,
And if I give you a BOOK, would a pair be a BEEK?
If one is a TOOTH and a whole set are TEETH,
Why shouldn't two BOOTHS be called BEETH?

If the singular's THIS and the plural is THESE,
Should the plural of KISS be ever called KEESE?

We speak of a BROTHER and also of BRETHREN,
But though we say MOTHER, we never say METHREN.
Then the masculine pronouns are HE, HIS, and HIM,
But imagine the feminine...SHE, SHIS, and SHIM!

Sounds of Language - Rhymes

The two best things about rhymes are that they are fun and they are predictable. Children need prediction to improve their reading skills,  writing skills and communication skills. You can use poems, songs, puzzles, word families, and rhyming games to learn rhyming. Don't forget to read them books that are full of rhyming.

Poem - Fire! Fire!

"Fire! Fire!" said Mrs. McGuire.

"Where? Where?" said Mrs. Bear.

"Downtown!" said Mrs. Brown.

"What floor?" said Mrs. Moore.

"Near the top!" said Mrs. Kopp.

"What a pity!" said Mrs. City.

"Here I come!" said Mrs. Plum.

"Water! Water!" said Mrs. Potter.

"Get out of my way!" said Mrs. Lei.

"Let me see!" said Mrs. Chi"

"Break down the door!" said Mrs. Orr.

"Oh, help us and save us! said Mrs. Davis,

As she fell down the stairs with a sack of potatoes. 

Song - Down by the Bay

Down by the bay, where the watermelons grow.

Back to my home, I dare not go.

For if I do, my mother will say,

"Did you ever see a pig dancing the jig?"

Down by the bay.

Other rhyming phrases:

...whale with a polka-dot tail.

...bat wearing a hat.

...rat chasing a cat.

...dog playing leapfrog.

...bear combing his hair.

...bee with a sunburned knee.

...moose kissing a goose.

...goat sailing a boat.

Use puzzles and word cards that allow the children to put the pieces together according to their rhyming partner. The best kind are the ones with the picture and the word written on them.

Word families are the way to go for younger children. I like to cut out a big tree from construction paper and put it on the wall. One week I would call it our "AT" word family tree. Then on different branches I would stick pictures with their words. Here is what it would look like.

Rhyming Games

There are tons of fill-in-the-blank rhyming games you can play.

I like oranges, I like to feel them,

But I can't eat them until I _________ (peel them).

Peaches are juicy, peaches are round,

When you shake the tree, they fall to the ______ (ground).

A banana is yellow and shaped like the moon

When it's in pudding you eat it with a _____ (spoon).

Pears are golden, juice, sweet, yummy.

And round at the bottom like Santa's ______ (tummy).

Matching games are fun to do too!

Stories

Read books that are full of rhyming.

A-Hunting We Will Go - by John Langstaff

Anna Banana: 101 Jump Rope Rhymes - by C. Chapman

Brown Bear, Brown Bear - by Bill Martin, Jr.

The Cat in the Hat - by Dr. Seuss

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom - by Bill Martin, Jr.

Chicken Soup with Rice - by Maurice Sendak
Henny Penny - by Paul Galdone
A House is a House for Me - by Mary Ann Hoberman
In the Tall, Tall Grass - by Denise Fleming
Jamberry - by Bruce Degen
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish - by Dr. Seuss
Quick as a Cricket - by Audrey Wood
Silly Sally - by Audrey Wood
Spiders Spin Webs - by Yvonne Winer

Acknowledgements and Appreciation

You know the drill. The drill we all do when someone finishes their work. The student shows it up to you. You look over everything they have done. They get it right. You BEAM! Your smile is as big as the moon. And you say: GOOD JOB!

Whomp, whomp, whomp :(

You may think you did a fantastic job of acknowledging their hard work. However, this is the same phrase you use for every child. Now at such a young age, most work is done through their play activities and art work. Even at this age, each child puts in different levels of effort in their work. It is important for us to observe this and acknowledge the children who are putting in tons of effort and appreciate it. Here are other phrases to use instead of "good job" all the time:

• You are so smart!
• Good remembering!
• I knew you could do it!
• You've got it!
• Super!
• That's right!
• I am very proud of you!
• You put in a lot of effort, didn't you!?
• I can see you worked so hard on this!
• You are really working hard today!
• Way to go!
• I am happy to see you working!
• This is your best work!
• That is quite an improvement!
• Fantastic!
• Amazing!
• Congratulations!
• You are learning fast!
• Couldn't have done it better myself!
• You really make my job fun!
• You didn't miss a thing!
• WOW!
• Terrific!
• Excellent!
• Perfect!
• Wonderful!
• Outstanding!
• This shows you have been completing all your homework!
• Looks like you have been practicing!
• This is a masterpiece! (This one I use quite often for art work. I call it their masterpieces and the children love to hear this!)
• Keep it up!
• This kind of work makes me really happy!

Everyone needs to be appreciated for their hard work. Even the teachers. An Educator's Life has done a fantastic piece on the importance of appreciation and has mentioned his own experiences giving thanks to the teachers that made a huge difference in his life. I would like to thank this teacher for all his work given to his students as well as to fellow teachers through his blog. You are already making a difference! I am going to take the appreciation challenge as well and acknowledge all the wonderful teachers who have made me who I am today. Here goes my speech :)

My dearest parents, the most wonderful and valued teachers that I have known to this day. They have taught me everything about life. I have had all the experiences, good and bad, but each worthwhile and deserve no regret. People who have met my parents have said to me that they see so much of them in me and this is the best feeling ever. They are my world; they are my heroes; they are my teachers. No kind of thanks will ever be enough!

I don't remember many of my teachers in my early days but I remember the first teacher I had in Canada. I was in Grade 6. She only wanted to be called Janet. Not Mrs. Janet. Not Miss Janet. Not Ms. (Last Name) which we never knew because she wanted to be called just Janet. I remember her very clearly. I came from an environment where we would not dare call any adult by their first name. To me this notion in a brand new country was very, very eye-popping! I couldn't believe my ears when she said she wanted to be called Janet. But this made me feel closer to her; that I could talk to her about anything. She was my first teacher in Canada and I cannot forget her. Thank You Janet for making me feel so comfortable in my first year, for giving me all the compliments you could think of about how beautiful I looked when I wore my cultural clothes to school and when I performed all my work to the best of my abilities. You are, and forever will be, cherished. Thank you!

Mr. P; my grade 12 Business teacher. Every time I think of what you had done for me that one day, I want to cry because there is no way I can thank you for what you did. I had already graduated from high school but I stayed another semester because I wanted to upgrade my overall average and get into the university that gave the best program. My grades were on the fence; I could make it or I could not. I worked really hard that semester. The day there was the major unit test for Business, I also had a final project due for a Family Studies course. I worked all night for the project and studied nothing at all for Business. I went into Mr. P's office the day of the test and asked him if he could move the test as I had not studied one bit. He said he was sorry he couldn't move it as marks had to be put in soon. I said I understood and walked out a bit disappointed, though totally understanding my teacher's perspective. I walked into Business class and sat through the test staring at questions most of the time, leaving them blank. Mr. P. always walked around. He walked behind me and looked at my test. I was ashamed and I did not have the guts to look up. He took my pen from my hand and wrote down clue words to three different questions. I froze. I couldn't believe what was happening. He went and sat down at his desk, called my name and asked me a question about a certain definition. This was actually an answer to another test question in the form of a question! It clicked in in a couple of seconds and I began writing down. Other students seemed confused and didn't get what was happening. No one said anything. It was as if it never happened. I ended up with an 86% on the test because of Mr. P. This gave me a final grade of 82 in Business. It is the reason I got into university. It is the reason I have a diploma, 2 degrees and will be getting my 3rd in the next few years. Thank you Mr. P. for this. Thank you for being the one to change my whole life around. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to become who I am today. Thank you for allowing me to be the first in my family to complete post secondary education. It means so much to my family and I than you can ever imagine. Thank you, thank you and thank you!

Last but not least, I would like to thank Ms. Slatz. She was my mentor teacher during my teaching degree and pushed me all the way through with accomplishments and achievements I could never do on my own. She is the reason I have a job today. I could not thank her enough for helping me step in my career. Thank you Ms. Slatz; you were and still are the perfect mentor teacher for me!

Thank you to all the teachers out there who put in their blood, sweat and not to mention their own MONEY into making differences in people's lives everywhere. You are remembered and cherished. Please continue what you do with the same passion because it has and still makes the world a better place. Thank you!

Free Comic Book Day!

Today was Free Comic Book Day where you get a chance to visit your local comic book store and receive free comic books! I ended up going with my brother to Image Collections in Streetsville, Ontario. We got to choose three comics each. Comic books will always remain in our lives and they are great tools to surely get boys (and girls) reading and motivated. I took some pictures and here they are!

The back of the Green Lantern also had Superman!

Check out the websites for more information:

Free Comic Book Day

Image Collections Comic Book Store

Sounds of Language - Tongue Twisters

I remember having competitions with my friends as a young child with tongue twisters. They were so much fun and really got all of us to become experts at tongue twisters. Tongue twisters are part of alliteration which occurs when a group of words with the beginning sound is used. Here are some tongue twisters that I remember as well as found in the book 'Creating Readers' by Pam Schiller. You can always google 'tongue twisters' and will find many pages full of fun tongue twisters to use.

The Baker

If a baker bakes for another baker,

Does the baker who bakes,

Bake the same way as the baker she is baking for?

Activity Connection: Can you write the same rhyme for a teacher, a doctor, an actor?

Peter Piper

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers

How many pecks of pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?

Activity Connection: Try some pickled peppers for snack. Make up a similar tongue twister for another name like Silly Sally.

She Sells Seashells (my most favourite one!)

She sells seashells by the seashore,

By the seashore she sells seashells.

Activity Connection: Put out some seashells with magnifying glasses for the children to explore!

How Much Wood

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck

If a woodchuck could chuck wood?

Stories

A My Name is Alice - by J. Bayer

More Bugs in Boxes - by D. Carter

Six Sick Sheep - by Joanna Cole

The Z Was Zapped - by Chris Van Allsburg

I also found this amazing website that I assume belongs to a teacher. She has taken a picture of a recipe for creating tongue twisters. You can check out her link here: 

How to Write a Tongue Twister

Sounds of Language - Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia occurs when a word imitates or sounds like the thing it names. For example when rain splashes or water drips. These can be found in songs, poems, stories, and everyday speech. Here are some examples found from the book 'Creating Readers' by Pam Schiller.

Song - Six White Ducks

Six white ducks that I once knew,

Fat ducks, skinny ducks, they were too.

But the one little duck with the feather on his back,

He ruled all the others with a quack, quack, quack!

Quack, quack, quack!

Quack, quack, quack!

He ruled all the others with a quack, quack, quack!

Down to the river they would go,

Wibblw-wobble, wibble-wobble all in a row.

But the one little duck with the feather on his back,

He ruled all the others with a quack, quack, quack!

Quack, quack, quack!

Quack, quack, quack!

He ruled all the others with a quack, quack, quack!

Song - Old MacDonald Had a Farm

Old MacDonald Had a Farm, E-I-E-I-O.

And on his farm he has a cow. E-I-E-I-O.

With a moo, moo here

And a moo, moo there.

Here moo, there moo,

Everywhere a moo, moo.

Old MacDonald Had a Farm, E-I-E-I-O.

Additional verses:

Pig - oink, oink

Cat - meow, meow

Dog - bow-wow

Horse - neigh, neigh

Duck - quack, quack

Sheep - baa, baa

Poem - The Rain

Splish, splash

Splish, splash

Drip, drop

Drip, drop

Will the rain ever stop?

Poem - The Wind

Swoosh, swirl, swoosh, swirl

Watch the leaves tumble and twirl.

Poem - A Thunderstorm

Boom, bang, boom, bang

Rumpety, lumpety, bumpl

Zoom, zam, zoom, zam

Clippity, clappity, clumpl

Rustles and bustles

And swishes and zings!

What wonderful sounds

A thunderstorm brings!

Stories

Barnyard Banter - by Denise Fleming

Bertie and the Bear - by Pamela Allen

Listen to the Rain - by Bill Martin, Jr.

One Duck Stuck - by Phyllis Root

Ordinary Albert - by Pamela Allen

The Snowy Day - by Ezra Jack Keats

Where the Wild Things Are - by Maurice Sendak

Transitions: Finger Plays/Action Rhymes

It is important that children focus their attention and settle down before they are expected to listen. Songs, finger plays and action rhymes just do the right job! Here are a few of them to help you with your students' transitions.


Song - This is the Way (Tune: Mulberry Bush)


This is the way we get ready to listen,
Ready to listen, ready to listen.
This is the way we get ready to listen,
To listen to our story.


Song - Come and Listen (Tune: Are You Sleeping)


Come and listen,
Come and listen,
To my song, to my song.
Happy children singing,
Happy children singing,
Sing along, sing along.


Finger play/Action Rhyme - I Wiggle My Fingers


(Do actions with what you are singing)


I wiggle my fingers,
I wiggle my toes.
I wiggle my shoulders,
I wiggle my nose.
Now no more wiggles are left in me.
So I can sit still as I can be.


Finger play/Action Rhyme - Everybody Do This 


(Tap different parts of body as you sing)


Everybody do this, (tap your head)
Do this, do this.
Everybody do this,
Just like me.

Everybody do this, (tap your nose)

Do this, do this.

Everybody do this,

Just like me.

Everybody do this, (tap your shoulders)

Do this, do this.

Everybody do this,

Just like me.

Everybody shh, shh, (whisper)
Shh, shh.
Everybody shh, shh,
Just like me.


Finger play/Action Rhyme - Open Them, Shut Them


(Use your hands to do the actions)


Open them, (open hands)
Shut them, (close hands in a fist)
Open them,
Shut them.


Give them a little clap. (clap hands)


Open them,
Shut them,
Open them,
Shut them.


And fold them in your lap. (fold hands in lap)

The following is a list of books that help with transitions and focus on listening.


Daydreamers by Eloise Greenfield
Fancy that! by Pamela Allen
Hattie and the Fox by Mem Fox
The Mystery Beast of Ostergeest by Steven Kellogg
The Other Way to Listen by Byrd Baylor
The Snail's Spell by Joanne Ryder
Listen to the Rain by Bill Martin, Jr.