Continent Day

I am so ready for the weekend!  My kiddos were wild this week and forgot the rules after 143 days of school.  Anyways, I am exhausted tonight writing this blog post.  Today we had our annual Continent Day.  It is always so much fun, but exhausting.  We have to teach about all 7 continents at my school.  We decided a few years ago to have a Continent Day in which each kindergarten classroom would turn into a continent and the students would "fly" around the world to each continent.  At each continent it is up to the teacher what they want to do.  Each class spends 15 minutes in each room.  Some classrooms read a story about the continent.  Some classroom have a snack.  Some review what the students know about the continent.  Some dance. 

My classroom turns into Africa.  I had a lovely parent draw me some animals that I hang up throughout the room.  I usually ask the classroom parents to see if any of them have any African items to send in.  This year Continent Day came up so fast that I didn't ask parents.  Some years some parents have had clothing, flags, masks, and drums.  While the students come to Africa, they first review everything they know about it.  Then I show the students the continent and some of the countries in Africa.  I always point out Madagascar to them because they are familiar with it because of the movie.  Then I talk about the pyramids and Victoria Falls.  Then we watch a little bit of African dancing.  I tell the students to watch how big they dance.  Then after we watch the African dancers I have them stand up and we dance.  I show them moves and then we usually make a circle and continue dancing.  The students and I love it!  The dancing is so much fun!  So since today was Continent day, I danced for 7 classes.  From 8:45 to 10:30.  I am sure I will be sore tomorrow.  

Each Kindergarten teacher dresses up to represent their continent.  

  Ahhhh, we look so good!!

Here is a video of my class dancing.  Some years I have had the students make mask and wear the mask while dancing.

Asia.

Europe

Antarctica

South America

Australia

Africa

As you can see it was a very eventful day!  So much fun and a wonderful learning experience.  Do you do anything like this at your school?

Lunchbox Linky and Phonics Worksheets

I am linking up with 4th Grade Frolics, Looky in my Lunchbox linky.

My lunch is at 11:00.  I get from 11:00 to 11:30 to have lunch, however that counts dropping the students off at the cafeteria and making sure everything is ok before heading back to my classroom to eat.  So really 20 minutes it comes down to.   Here was my breakfast/lunch for today.

Everyday I use my cute butterfly lunch box.  It is a great size.  I can put just about anything in it.  I always have a yogurt with granola.  Sometimes I eat it for breakfast and some days I have it during lunch.  Today I packed a Smart Ones for my lunch with the yogurt.  I thought it was strange that the film was only stuck to a little area of the meal, but I still popped it into the microwave and warmed it.  Then once it was finished I pulled the film completely off and was ready to start chowing down, but then I smelled something horrible.  It smelled like pee!  Yep, seriously, pee. Ewwwww.  I just couldn't get past the smell so I threw it away.  I ended up eating the yogurt and then I went to the cafeteria to get mac and cheese.  Most days I pack but when I am feeling lazy I eat the cafeteria food.  Their food is actually pretty tasty.  

If you haven't linked up to the lunchbox linky, go ahead and click the picture.  It will take you straight to her site.   It is so much fun finding out what everyone does for lunch.  

Don't forget about the Sight Word Linky I am hosting. So many great ideas have been posted.

 Today my class used the oy and oi sentence paper that I posted on Teachers Notebook.  I felt really good about having them work on it.  The worksheet really made them use their brain and I loved their pictures they made.  If you are interested in them, click the picture and get them for free.  Don't forget to favorite my store.

Smartboard and Sight Words

Do you have a Smartboard in your classroom?  

I sure hope you do or at least something like it.  I have a Smartboard and I LOVE it!  I couldn't imagine not having a Smartboard in my classroom.  I use it every single day.  I was checking out the Smarttech website for new slides and I came across a Justin Bieber game.  

What?? A Justin Bieber game??!!  So, I had to download it.  The students have a blast playing it.  They use a Snoopy to toss to the board  to touch one of the Bieber's.  Then once it hits one, the screen changes to another screen.  The game is made to ask questions and then have the answers revealed, but I decided to add sight words to it.  I added a group of words that the students have to read.  The students love playing this game, even the boys do!  I think the boys enjoy throwing Snoopy as hard as they can to hit Justin.  Here is a picture of the front page of the game.  (Sorry the lighting is bad.  I really need a new projector because it is getting ready to die on me)

 I love using games on the Smartboard to encourage my class to learn their sight words.  Here is a freebie I made for my class.  Use a Koosh Ball and toss it to a pawprint.  Once the pawprint has been touched a new screen with a sight word will come up.  Hit the pawprint on the sight word page to return to the main page.  

Click on the page below to be taken to my Teachers Notebook page for this freebie.  You do have to have the Smart Notebook for it to work. 

 Please leave me a comment on what you use your Smartboard for?  I would love to know.

 

Aw and Au worksheet and The Hunger Games

Next week my class is learning the aw and au sounds.  I have made two worksheets to help them understand these sounds better. Check them out at my Teachers Notebook shop.  Click the picture if you are interested in them.  And, they are free!

Last night I went to watch The Hunger Games at an IMAX theater.  The movie was really good!  I would be interested to know if someone watched the movie who didn't read the books would understand what was going on?  I had read a review saying they stayed true to the book.  Well, they did, but they did leave out a lot too.  I guess if they would have included everything from the book the movie would have been too long. 

All week I have been enjoying all the cards and other Hunger Games items on Pinterest.  I tried and tried to add them to my blog, but it would never publish so now I am giving up. 

Did you read the books or watch the movie?  Let me know what you think.