August 15, 2021

Teaching Without Fear | BTS Covid-19 Activities

 


Here we all are...heading into yet another school year navigating the waters of Covid...and more recently the Delta variant. This year I'm heading back to work teaching kindergarten here in Texas - previously had been in San Diego, CA as an English kindergarten teacher. I'm so excited for this new chapter and to once again return to public school service.

This post shares a glimpse into what I had prepared last year as I began the school year at my previous school. We were among the first of the independent schools to reopen under strict protocols and offered both on-campus and virtual learning options. The majority of students returned to campus whereas I had a few that were full-time virtual...so, that meant hybrid teaching!

In all honesty, I wasn't too sure about how our school was going to be able to handle a hybrid model of teaching (i.e. offering both on-campus and virtual teaching) last year but it went surprisingly well. Being that I taught at a private school, we'd been able to make more accommodations and the school made renovations to our site that I recognize not all schools have the ability to do. In that sense we were extremely fortunate. That being said, being able to welcome students back to school during a pandemic leaves us teachers with a lot to figure out...even two school years in...namely how to go about having conversations about the virus without scaring our students.

As a kindergarten teacher these conversations are extremely important. In any normal year my class would have our routine lessons on hygiene and washing hands but because of having been under strict health guidelines and protocols (for being able to offer on-campus classes) washing hands was ever so important. 

So, how did I do it? And how do I plan to do it again this school year?

Here is a glimpse at our first couple weeks of school as we tackle the conversations about germs and how to keep ourselves safe - whether learning at home or at school.

Start with Germs

In the first few days last year I noticed very quickly that Coronavirus is on the tips of the tongues of my students. I didn't blame them because it's been everywhere - now we're talking about the Delta variant! From the news to overheard conversations...these kids have been inundated with Covid ever since March 2020.

I wanted to tackle it head on and explain to my kids that, yes, Coronavirus is a new virus that doctors and scientists are working hard to understand and create a vaccine for. However, it's not the only germ that can make us feel sick. Let's not forget the common cold and, of course, the flu. These germs, along with millions of others, can get inside our bodies and make us feel unwell. The flip side to this is informing my students that not all germs are bad or cause us to feel sick. But because there are plenty of germs, including Covid, that can...it's best we understand what germs are, how they spread, and what we can do to stop them from spreading.


A few of our favorite read alouds from this unit have been:
  • Sick Simon
  • Germs vs Soap

Covid-19 Activities

During the two weeks we worked on our germs unit I used my newly created Covid-19 Germ Activities resource. It was really cool to note how engaged my kids were and how it helped them conceptualize germs and how we can all make choices to keep ourselves safe - like washing hands and wearing a mask (among other things...).

After a whole group read aloud using one of the books highlighted above we worked together on these various activities!

Let's take a peek...

Safe and Unsafe Choices Sort

This sort was a great way to tie in a number of different skills, introduce school supplies, and practice class routines...all meanwhile demonstrating the understanding of being safe while at school in the era of Covid.

My students practiced how to retrieve their individual supply boxes and find a seat to work. They began with scissor practice and how to use glue sticks to glue the pieces. I used a document camera at the front of the class to discuss and work with my students as they worked at their seats (distance and such...). This activity is great because we also discussed what categories are and how we can sort the items into each category (i.e. safe and unsafe).


"I can be safe at school by..." Writing

After a few days of discussing what germs are and the safe/unsafe choices we can make, I had students begin a simple writing prompt where they trace the starter sentence then write their idea by using one of the four choices at the bottom of the page. It gives students at the beginning of the year the scaffolding necessary to frame their sentence - and is great for concepts of print! Not to mention, as previously the English teacher it was a great way to introduce language! After they finished writing their sentence they drew a picture to match the choice they made.



"I wear a mask because..." Shared Writing

Another piece of writing we work on together during this unit on germs is this writing prompt: "I wear a mask because..." After reading, and at this point in our two week unit, students have become very familiar with germs and the ways we can stop them from spreading.

One obvious way this year has been so different than others is our newest rule of wearing masks. Everyone on campus has to and in order to normalize masks as best we can it's important students understand why we wear them. 

This activity allows students to think about why they wear masks (much like why they wash their hands) and together we come up with a sentence. I love shared writing lessons because it allows to see language in use and begin to connect spoken words with written words. Much like a lot of the writing my kinders will do at the beginning of the year, they trace a starter sentence and complete it with the sentence we came up together as a class. It boosts writing confidence and allows students of all levels practice early writing skills.


All of these activities served as a means to start friendly conversations about the importance of being clean and mindful of each other and the germs we naturally carry with us. I look forward to using this resource yet again as we begin the 2021-22 school year!



How have you had success with your class discussing germs and Covid?


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May 17, 2021

Advocating for Play in a Post-Covid Classroom

 


2020 taught us a lot as a teachers. 

It taught us how resilient our students are (and how we are!), how to adapt within any given moment, and get back to the basics which is the social-emotional wellbeing of not only our class but with our colleagues and ourselves.

That's why I couldn't stress play enough - especially for kindergartners - and how it's ever more important as we all begin to welcome students back to campus.

We all know that as teachers we need to maximize academic time in our classrooms; that ever changing requirements and expectations are being placed on us by administrations and districts. However, in that mindset of pushing every minute for school work we forget that there is so much to be learned about purposeful play.

Purposeful Play

One of the biggest things we can do for our youngest learners at school is to provide opportunities for play. For some god-forsaken reason play has been shunned by school districts everywhere and teachers are pressured to maximize the amount of academic time from the moment students arrive to the time they leave at the end of the day. Yet we struggle to understand why students aren't excelling as they should or wonder why so many students have behavior problems.

Play needs to be understood as the means for children to explore and interact with each other - problem solve, connect emotionally with others - as well as build the necessary skills to make them academically successful.

Will our students be able to solve their own problems if we, the teachers (or adults), are always there to intervene or to offer up resolutions? Absolutely not. Children need the opportunity each day to encounter situations where they need to put into practice the things they are learning - especially so if we're speaking on a SEL level.

Connecting Play to the Common Core

One of the biggest pressures teachers face in the classroom is this push from admin to maximize academic time over play. Well, there's a way for us to interpret our Common Core (or any set of state standards) that will allow us to incorporate play as a means of skill practice. After all, the Common Core Standards are a roadmap to what students should be able to do by the end of that academic year. 

As teachers we get the opportunity to expose our students to those standards beyond the blocks of time for direct instruction. Play can easily be incorporated to practice those skills in centers or play stations in the classroom. A discovery center, dramatic play, and similar stations can be created where students have time during the day to explore, interact, and still manage to play.

Connecting Play to the Real World Workforce

When I moved to San Diego in 2018 I took a temporary teaching position for a class called EAK. It stood for Early Admitting Kindergarten and was a glorified Pre-K class full of eager 4-5 year olds who were learning how to do "school" in the semester prior to entering kindergarten in the fall. In that district they had an initiative called "World of Work" where students as early as kindergarten learned about their personality traits, what they're interested in, and how their skills and interests will lend themselves to careers. I was amazed to see my young students engaging with each other in play while making connections on a variety of levels: communication, problem solving, imagination & creativity, etc. and it all linked back to building the skillsets that they'll be expected to have as they enter into the workforce.

Balancing Playtime in Kindergarten

A lot of people hear "play" and they think it's just a time for students to check out and is something that is mindless. For sure students of all ages need this time (I mean, why do you think us adults are so stressed out all the time??) to unwind and relax, but purposeful play is more than what we think.

Play affects so many aspects of a child's development. These areas include: mindfulness of others, builds communication and speaking skills, empathy and compassion, motivation, and develops their imagination and creativity. 

"...during play, children learn and practice key social, cognitive, organizational, physical, and emotional skills, including creativity, imagination, and problem-solving.1 The benefits of play are progressive in nature, meaning that the skills kids develop during their fun and games build upon each other." - VeryWell Family

Making the Case for Play

It may take some convincing on our part with admins to allow areas such as play kitchens and dress up simply because they don't see the importance behind this type of play anymore. However, it can be so easy to provide the studies that back-up the importance of play and give them a visual on how play will be experienced in the classroom and that this time will have academic benefits.

Here are a few examples of how you can give your admins a visual of how your play stations will change throughout the year and depending on the unit of study!

Dramatic Play:
Play kitchens can easily be transformed into anything the curriculum covers!

source


For example, it can become a post office during a lesson on writing letters or learning about community helpers. In math it can become a bank where students practice counting money, exchanging it for other values, and...again...learning about various careers in finance. It can also become a storefront or grocery where students engage in goods/services, using money to purchase items, and put into practice their communication skills.

source

Items for these play centers can be donated by student families or purchased! You'd be surprised how many odds and ends you can find for free to fill these centers!

Constructive Play:
Block areas are an obvious place where anything STEM can take place. Traditional building materials can be used such as blocks, Magnatiles, and Lincoln Logs or other materials such as toothpicks, paper rolls, and play-doh mats can be used.

source


Using open-ended materials can be a game changer for any constructive play center because students explore by using their imagination to build and create! Also, you can use blocks and repurpose them for learning academic concepts like sight words as seen below! Here's more play-based sight word center ideas!

source


Maker Space Play:

I have always incorporated a "Creation Station" as a part of my daily ELA centers but a maker space can also be a fun station where students can create by using open-ended materials similar to the constructive play station. This is fun and a highly engaging state of play because students can explore the curriculum in a more creative medium.

Games with Rules:
This is huuuuuge for students in kindergarten! There are rules for everything in life and sometimes it can be difficult for young kids to completely understand. That's why it's so important for young learners to have opportunities to play games with rules and who even have winners and losers. Learning to lose is a challenging skill because it often leads to tears and hurt feelings. However, it's a necessary skill to learn and practice just like taking turns.

Games for this station can be as simple as the millions of TpT centers we all own and have prepped or it can be board games like Chutes & Ladders.

Types of Play

Just as it's important to provide play for kindergartners, understanding the types of play you can observe in children this age is also equally important. This will provide you with what types of activities and games to include in your stations that are appropriate for your classroom!

source

This is a great visual for the types of play you will see throughout the year and how each child goes through each one at different times. Our classrooms should be flexible and always be ready to change depending on the needs of the class and what is being studied/explored. 

Establishing the "rules" for Playtime

Just like at the beginning of the year or introducing any center, it's very important to establish the ground rules together as a class and be something that's reinforced and discussed all year long. Creating rules as a class invites students in on the conversation about safe and fun behaviors that should be expected and enforced not just by the teacher, but the kids themselves. Slowly play becomes a self-running machine and this time is now more equipped to be purposeful and not chaotic or appear as another recess time. 

This is another point to share with your admin in support of having purposeful play as a part of your daily schedule. Community and citizenship skills are intertwined as it relates to developing SEL skills and understanding that we must all work and play in the same space where we can do our best thinking and learning.

Advocating Play in a Post-Covid Classroom

One of the biggest points in support of play that should resonate with any administrator is getting kids readjusted to learning in the classroom again. A year like 2020, and even into the 2021 school year, took its toll on students of all ages and in the younger grades its so important that a child's social-emotional wellbeing is seen as a top priority. Admins need to support their teachers and one way to do that is to allow them the opportunity to establish purposeful play as a part of their daily routines.

There's so much research to support purposeful play in kindergarten and should be considered when a teacher is interested in creating a space/time for it. As teachers we need to prepare ourselves for skeptics and have on-hand a means to present your ideas for play and how it will be used as academic time as well as a means for students to explore and interact with each other in a variety of ways.


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May 4, 2021

Teacher Appreciation SALE 2021

 


It's that time of year again where we can all do a little more to support our favorite teachers. Whether it be loving on your child's teacher in the coming week or helping out your teacher spouse, there's no greater way to show them you care than simply recognizing their hard work.

When Covid first hit this time last year, I remember my team and I had to scramble to somehow pull together weekly lesson plans that students could do from home...in a matter of mere days. It was one of the most stressful teaching experiences I've ever had, but much like any hard circumstance, I grew stronger from it. I continue to be so grateful to my amazing kindergarten team during that time and I couldn't be happier to see them back on campus and beginning to resume some sense of normalcy.

With that being said, teachers were hit hard during the pandemic and so much more was placed on their laps. For a brief moment the hard work and dedication of educators were put in the spotlight where, for once, we were collectively recognized for what we've been able to do and maintain while students were required to learn from home. But, somehow with the passing of time, that spotlight began to dim but we nonetheless continued to love on our students and families during a year that would look like no other.

Teachers Pay Teachers SALE

My shop will be participating in TpTs annual Teacher Appreciation Sale where my entire shop will be up to 20% off! It's a great time of year to stock up on the items that will help finish out your year on a high note - or even begin to prepare for next year. I love these sales because I'm able to get organized while saving a dime.

Let's see what's new and what's on sale this week!

Eureka Math - Kindergarten

Many of you have LOVED my interactive notebooks for second grade and I couldn't be happier to see them working in your classrooms! That's why I've set out to create an interactive notebook for the modules for kindergarten! I'm close to finishing Module 3, which will be uploaded soon(!), and you can already snag Modules 1 and 2. 

To also make things easier, I've uploaded a GROWING BUNDLE for these Modules. Save an instant 10% off with this bundle and as modules are released they'll be automatically added to the .zip! Simply go to "my purchases" on your TpT dashboard and re-download the file. It's that easy!





It's Springtime!

A Study of Snails - Life Cycles

One of my fondest memories (right before Covid sent us home) our team was launching our spring unit and instead of studying butterfly life cycles we studied snails! It was my very first time studying these little critters, but they fit perfectly into our garden and plants unit. I adapted much of what they learned into this simple student workbook that can easily be worked into any curriculum on life cycles.

Why not try something new this spring? You can read all about this unit here.






As I mentioned before, our unit on snails was right in the middle of our spring theme where our kinders learned all about weather then seeds and plants. During our seeds and plants unit we did a little study comparing similar stories with Jack and the Beanstalk. All of these units were a great way to keep kids engaged and learning meanwhile blending their knowledge from one subject to the next!


This bundle includes the 3 units we tackled, which are:

End of the Year Prep


It's never too early in my book to begin preparing for the end of the year. Hopefully many of you are heading back to the classroom and will be able to host your end of the year celebrations in person. In any case, student awards are a fun way to recognize students and their hard work - especially during this crazy year.

This resource has been updated to include a way to edit right in the PDF! Simply type your class names into the highlighted box and they're instantly plugged in! Also, choose from 50+ awards for your kids!



Social Studies

Ancient Civilizations Workbooks | China & Egypt

 
These two resources were first created when I taught second grade. We did a whole unit on ancient civilizations that took us from China to Egypt and even South America when learning about the Aztecs. I personally love teaching history and these packets were fun to bring together. You can read all about how I used them in my classroom here and here. The packets helped students begin to build upon their note taking skills and keeps their work all in one place. 



Covid-19 Resources

Many teachers and their students headed back to the classrooms this year - my previous school reopened in September but as a hybrid model. There was so many new routines and procedures that our kinders needed to learn and practice all year long, so I created this bundled resource to help. You can see more here or grab it for yourself during the sale!




There's so much more to see and explore at my TpT shop and I sincerely hope you find all the resources you can to make this an engaging end to what has been a crazy year! Happy shopping!
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March 25, 2021

A Study of Snails | Kindergarten Science Unit

 


Last year was the very first year I learned about snails alongside my students. I was excited for this unit - a part of our study of the garden/plants - because I had always taught about butterflies. Although fun, it's been done so many times and to have the opportunity to learn about snails was something new...even for me!

When I taught as a kindergarten English teacher for a French-American school, my French colleagues taught the science and French language aspect of this unit whereas I was responsible for teaching my ELA objectives, but through the theme of snails. You can read all about my lesson ideas and what I did in ELA for snails here.



But now that I'm back to being a SAHM I thought it would be fun to create something that other teachers could use or even parents who may be distance learning still or homeschooling. Although what my French colleagues came up with was so fun to observe, there would be no way I could get everything translated. So, I chose to create a workbook that covers the basics of this unit and the scientific skills that go with it!

Here's what's inside!

An introduction to snails!


Snails, turns out, are such fascinating animals - and the kids absolutely ate this unit up!

The first part of this workbook is a little introduction about snails. It's a quick guide for kinders to highlight their notes (I've bolded important words already) and use that information to fill out the next part: the flipbook style organizer of Snails CAN, HAVE, ARE. I've found that simple cutting and pasting activities keep my students engaged and makes the workbook a little more interactive!

Life Cycles & Anatomy


A big part of this unit is learning all about a snail's life cycle and labeling the important parts (i.e. the anatomy). Students will practice sequencing the order of the life cycle and demonstrate their understanding that living things go through a process called a life cycle. In addition, they will practice labeling using a word bank the parts of a snail.

Recommended Watching

This is a great time to introduce videos and other mediums of which to introduce these concepts. Non-fiction books are great (and a great way to blend ELA with science!!) to use as well as good 'ole YouTube. Here are a couple of videos I've found that are great for this!



The Snail Song



Making Observations & Fine Motor Practice


Another great skill to continue practicing - and a unit on snails is perfect for - is fine motor. My French colleagues spent a lot of time developing art projects and fine motor centers based around the spiral. It's a pre-writing skill that lends itself to proper letter formation later on. So, I included a spiral tracing page for a little added practice.

Observations are our next science skill that students practice during this unit. A lot of what students learn is the process of making observations and learning how to use them to make predictions or track progress. In this case, they'll be making daily observations of their classroom snails. So, get your tank, fill it with soil and other garden goodies, and snag a few garden snails from outside and you have something your students will be obsessed with checking out every day.

Choose your observation note style


For my kinders I love providing multiple ways for them to demonstrate their understanding. So, I created two versions of notes. One is a full-page observation sheet whereas I also have the option for a half-page style which is about the size of a printable emergent reader.

A home observation & new class pet


My son investigating the snails in our neighborhood during quarantine last year.

Having a snail habitat in the classroom is a great (and almost free) way for students to observe their snails as well as put to task what they've learned. Snails need specific things in order to be happy and survive, so get your kids involved in creating their new classroom tank habitat.

Last, but not least, is a simple classroom snail tank observation. This is a great way for students to make note of what snails need in order to survive. Like all animals they need: water, shelter, and food (to name a few). This would be a great page for students to use as a way to demonstrate how to create a habitat and review what snails need in order to survive.

Note: snails do reproduce quickly so be on the lookout for eggs buried in the soil!

To make your own snail habitat is easy! You'll just need a few items:
  • large aquarium tank with a ventilated covering
  • dirt from outside
  • collection of sticks, plants, and rocks (places for snails to hide are great!)
  • a spray bottle of water to keep things moist inside
Feeding snails:
  • snails love fruits and veggies (avoid citrus) and leafy green leaves
  • they also love calcium (to keep their shells strong) so items like cuttlefish bones and egg shells are great to include in the tank
That's it! I hope you have fun with this unit and that this workbook proves to be a fun way to engage your students!



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March 24, 2021

Summer Break Activity Packet + 1st Grade Prep!

 


Summer break will be here before we know it - ending yet another unforgettable year.

Today I am excited to finally share the final break activity packet as a part of my year-round bundle! Each break from school I always try to send something home with my students as a means to keep kids thinking and engaged with the concepts we've learned in class. Parents also really appreciate this packet because it allows them to see what their child is learning and have something to take on family vacations.

The "summer slump" can definitely impact a child and often us teachers see a little bit of a decline once school starts up again. I definitely think kids should be kids and enjoy their time away from school, but as the new year begins to come around I couldn't encourage parents to kickstart the year with some academic practice and review.



This Summer Break packet includes a variety of kindergarten ELA skill review as well as some first grade prep. My goal is to have my students review the main ELA skills we've spent a lot of time on throughout the year. These skills include:

  • alphabet recognition (reading/writing)
  • name writing practice (using 1 uppercase and the rest lowercase)
  • phonetic spelling
  • syllables
  • rhyming words
  • beginning sounds
  • story sequencing/retelling
  • creative writing
  • sight word spelling (look, say, cover, write, check)
  • writing planning sheet and first draft paper
  • sentence structure review
  • SEL activities
There's so much packed into this one resource and will easily become the simplest packet you could prep for your kids!



Pick up the bundle!

I love a good bundle - they're worth the investment because you're pretty much set all year long and allows you to prep ahead of time. That's why I created this Year-Round Break Activities Bundle where you receive all break activity packets all in one convenient download.

This bundle includes:
  • Fall Break
  • Winter Break
  • Spring Break
  • and Summer Break + 1st Grade Prep


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March 19, 2021

Exploring Ancient Egypt

 



When I taught second grade we had an entire Social Studies theme on ancient civilizations. We explored maps and developed map reading skills, geography (continents and oceans), climates, and the other obvious stuff like culture, religion, language, and contributions or inventions. Learning about ancient cultures are always a hit with my students and today I'm excited to share the newest workbook for students!

Ancient Egypt

As a kid I was obsessed with ancient Egypt - I even wanted to become an Egyptologist at one point. I found the entire civilization to be fascinating and couldn't learn enough about it. This workbook is inspired by that feeling and includes all the major topics. Let's take a peek!

To begin, I love incorporating Annie and Moby (i.e. BrainPop Jr) into my lessons to help break up the ways I teach or introduce different concepts. For this unit I mix things up with videos, lecture, hands on activities, and more - this ensures I keep my kids engaged and learning the whole unit!

See if your school has a subscription to BrainPop Jr because mine did when I taught 2nd grade and we used it for almost everything. They're age-appropriate videos that are great for introducing topics across subjects and for this unit I like to begin with the Ancient Egypt video.



I found this one that a teacher created for using during distance learning. It's a better quality than most, but having a subscription will definitely be best! You can also try grabbing a login and password via a simple Google search or see if you have any teacher colleagues who'd be willing to share their logins!

Map Skills

I always begin my ancient civilization units with an introduction of their geography and a review of map reading skills. Maps are a topic we learn more towards the beginning of the year, so when we learn about Egypt later in the year it's a familiar skill.

This workbook has three different pages for Egypt's geography: located on the continent of Africa, identify within Africa where the country is located, and label the seas/rivers and cities of note. Students use tools like word banks and keys to complete that section of notes.

Climate & Land


For this section, students learn about the climate and land of Egypt. For a civilization to survive and thrive like the ancient Egyptians did, it's important for students to understand that the Nile played a very important role. Students will learn that Egypt is mostly desert and the Nile provided fertile soil and water for crops. It also allowed for transportation and eventually trade.

In this workbook students practice their reading comprehension skills to pull details from the text to fill in the blanks of their notes. Teachers can reinforce skills using highlighters or circling the important details. The other page students complete the sentence and draw pictures to illustrate their understanding of Egypt's climate and usefulness of the Nile. 

Inventions/Contributions

It's fascinating to learn that people who existed before the major inventions of our time contributed so much to our understanding of the world. The ancient Egyptians invented a number of things we use today and is considered a marvel in the area of science, math, and agriculture.

Students will learn that some of these many great contributions include: the great pyramids, a written language called hieroglyphics, the first documented development of a 365 day calendar (like we use today!), a water clock to track time, and papyrus - the world's first form of paper.

Recommended Watching:

I found this National Geographic video that is helpful in bringing many of these concepts to life during this unit of study.



Language & Culture


Hieroglyphics are always a fun topic during the study of ancient Egypt simply because it's a foreign language and there's a bit of mystery to them. Students always have fun creating their own name plates and using hieroglyphics to write messages, so I included a little cartouche activity within this packet!

Additional Learning Opportunities

This unit covers the basics, because let's be honest...districts only require that much. However, as a lover of all things Social Studies (and having an all around need to dive a little deeper as a teacher) this unit on Ancient Egypt lends itself to so much more! 

Here are a few additional topics you can cover:


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