Planning for Christmas

The second grade team I work with has been planning activities to do before Christmas.  We decided to have a week of different themed days.  We are having Candy Cane Day, Reindeer Day, Grinch Day, and Polar Express Day. 

For Candy Cane Day, we are wearing red and white stripes.  I created a few items for activities for the day. 

 

 

Reindeer Day - Rudolph,  Wild Christmas Reindeer, and Olive are on the agenda.  We will be dressing in brown on this day too.  Maybe red noses?!?  I may make a few items for this day.

 

Grinch Day - Do I need to say more.  We are making Grinch masks and dressing in green this day.  I have tons of stuff for Grinch Day.  One item is a freebie from I found on tpt.  You can check it out here.

 

Polar Express Day - When the movie came out (8 or 9 years ago), we took our entire school to the movies.  It was great!!!  When we came back, bells were left for all the kids on their desks.  This year we are going to wear our PJs and watch the movie together at school, eat cookies, and drink hot chocolate.  I believe bells will be delivered too.

 

A couple of my guided reading groups have been reading Flat Stanley.  We voted and decided to read Stanley's Christmas Adventure.  I figured I needed to create new items and update my old Flat Stanley Unit.  We are going to start Stanley's Christmas Adventure after Thanksgiving.  We have several Flat Stanley's traveling around the United States for the holidays.  I just love these books!!!

 

  

I am also excited about the writing activities I have planned for the students before Christmas.  I can't wait to see how their writing has improved over the last few weeks/months. I think I am going to let them decide which one to complete. 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Now I need to work on math plans (money) and find some activities for using commas and possessive nouns.  Any ideas???



 

This and That: Monsters, Globes, Rubber Ducks, Turkeys, and How To

Well if you noticed this post's title you realized this is pretty much a bunch of random things from the past week (or month).  I have been taking pictures in my class of some of the things we have been doing, but seem to always leave my camera at school.  I finally remembered to bring it home.  I am shocked too!  So hopefully through some of the photos you can see my room and what me and the kiddos have been up to for the past few weeks.

Monster Mash Snack from Halloween (I told you some of the pics are old!)

 

Monster Glyphs the students created. 

Globes - We painted paper plates and add the continents.

 

 

Rubber Ducky Shower

My class had a shower for another teacher that works in our room.

Don't you love the cupcakes.  I added the marshmallows for 'bubbles' and the ducks. 

Pinterest inspired!  Get Spotted Giving Thanks Bulletin Board. 

The students and staff have been writing on the spots. 

 

Symmetrical Turkey Craftivity

I have made these every year with my students. 

They love it! 

 



 

We have also been doing a lot of writing.  We are working on 'How to" papers.  Of course, it is turkey cooking time so we have been writing How to Cook a Thanksgiving Turkey.  I have laughed and laughed at the creativity of the students.  I created a few other How to Writing Units for Christmas and Winter.  Some of the students are becoming very independent writers using this format.  I can't wait to read their next stories.

 

These are some of the How to Writing Units I am planning to use.

How to Decorate a Christmas Tree

 

 

How to Build a Snowman

 

How to Wrap a Present

 

 

Well, thanks for reading to the end!  I promise my next blog post will not be so random. 

 

Have a great weekend!



Sandy Relief - Moving Forward

Please checkout this amazing event hosted by Ms. Smarty Pants. 

 

Help a Hurricane Sandy family rebuild their lives.

They are starting from scratch!!!

For a $20 donation, you will receive 33 TPT products, valued at $200!!!

 

Teachers help Teachers

 

 

I have been so blessed to have been kept safe from Sandy.   This is not the case for many dealing with this terrible storm.  As a teacher, I think of how many of the teachers are going to have to start over because they have lost so many of their resources. A group at TpT has offered to start a drive to collect donations of educational materials.  I am excited to be a part of this group. Click the link above to check out what others are donating or if you would like to donate yourself!


Wonderfully Wicked Wednesday

Survival Day!  Happy Wonderfully Wicked Wednesday! 

We all can do this!!!

Spooktacular Event

I am throwing a sale! I just linked up with The Bubbly Blonde Teacher.  I thought another treat was perfect for the weekend before Halloween.  So fill up your cart with some great treats for you and your students.

It is time for me to SHOP!!!!!!!!!  Stay tuned to hear about the wonderful purchases I make.  Let me know what you grab.

Trick or Treat???

TREAT of course!  Freebie time!!!

There once was a little witch that decided to go to school, but something terrible happened.  She lost her broom!  Well, not really but it worked for my kiddos.  Checkout the pinterest inspired craft and writing activity I created to go along with it.  I made a quick template, got some paint swatches (or whatever you call those things), glue sticks, some stickers, and of course the students and began creating.  Here is the freebie writing activity.

Hope you enjoy the treat!!!!  Let me know how your kiddos like creating their little witches.