Jenny's Class and Edutunes

Happy Mother's Day!

2015-04-26T22:43:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day is coming soon. This can be a really happy time for many children--or a difficult time, if children do not have a mom at home. I've created a 50-page Mother's Day packet to meet all those children's needs. It includes blank writing prompts, as well as prompts for "mom," "mommy," "grandma," and "mum." It also contains the main "flowers-in-a-vase" craftivity, along with tons of other options...Purses, bears, candy, and more! This packet has been a best-seller on Teachers Pay Teachers for two years in a row. Please click on the image to learn more!

Please click HERE to try the NEW Mother's Day song. Use the lyric sheet as a starting point for creating student-generated versions...For grandma, for dad, for siblings, and more!

Magic E Freebie to Celebrate 1,000,000 Hits on YouTube!!!

2015-02-06T20:40:00.001-08:00

I can't believe this! I officially have over 1,000,000 hits on my YouTube channel!!! The strange thing is, almost every video was a song sample!

YouTube is a great venue, I've decided. I can make a difference in children's lives, and they get the benefits of my hard work for FREE! At the same time, I can "monetize" the videos and make a little money for myself.

To celebrate, I'll be giving away TONS of freebies! Here's the first: My "Magic E" video!

Dental Health Song Freebie!

2015-01-31T21:14:00.003-08:00

February is Dental Health Month! I've decided to post the words to my "I Brush My Teeth" song for FREE! Feel free to make up your own tune, or listen to a preview/purchase the single here. Please remember this is copyrighted material...Users have permission and sincere wishes to share with their children...But not to distribute the words or sell them. Thanks, and enjoy:)

I Brush My Teeth

What do I do to help my smile stay shiny and bright?

I brush my teeth every morning, everyday, and every night.

When I brush, I always get my teeth and my gums,

But the greatest part of brush brush brushing is when I brush my tongue.

I brush, brush, brush, brush, brush, brush, brush, brush, brush, brush, brush my teeth.

After I eat, I brush, brush, brush, brush, brush, brush, brush my teeth.

Three times a day, I brush, brush, brush, brush, brush, brush, brush my teeth.

I get a check-up from the dentist two times every year.

The dentist helps me learn to give my teeth proper care.

He teaches me how to brush and how to floss my teeth.

So, now I brush and floss, floss, floss, floss, floss, floss, floss my teeth.

I brush, brush, brush, brush, brush, brush, brush, brush, brush, brush, brush my teeth.

After I eat, I brush, brush, brush, brush, brush, brush, brush my teeth.

Three times a day, I brush, brush, brush, brush, brush, brush, brush my teeth.

What Do You Tell Your Brain?

2015-01-24T20:39:00.000-08:00

Yes, you! What sorts of things do you tell your brain when nobody else can hear? Did you learn about positive self-talk as a child?

I learned about positive self-talk as an adult...As I continually work toward self-improvement, I always think about how I can pass on positivity to kids at the earliest age possible. This is an excerpt from my song, "What Do You Tell Your Brain:"

Your eyes believe it if you see it.

Your mouth believes it if you eat it.

Your nose believes it if you smell it.

Your brain believes it if you tell it.

What do you tell your brain? What do you tell your brain?

Your brain believes whatever you say, so choose what you say to your brain today!

I created 2 versions. One's for grades pre-K through first, available as a single here.

The other is for grades 2 and up. It's available on my "Make a Difference" CD-book set, available in a digital version here.

One of my students just told me that her mom always plays the song and asks what she tells her brain. A song can be a great starting point for conversations with children. Please let me know if this song makes a difference in your children's lives!

"A Beautiful Oops" - A Favorite Book for Helping Kids to LOVE Making Mistakes!

2015-01-21T23:42:00.000-08:00

Something sad happened in my classroom today. It's happened before, so luckily ... I knew what to do about it.

I was creating artwork with the children. We were doing a line study. We talked about horizontal lines, vertical lines, curved lines, and lines that curve into each other to act like playful roller coasters. We talked about different basic media--Crayons, colored pencils, markers, and paints. We shared ways our abstract art looked like something different to everyone who saw it.

Everything seemed to be going well...Until a child started crying. She didn't like her artwork. She started hitting herself and calling herself names. I said to her (Let's call her Ann), "Nobody hits my friend Ann...Nobody...And nobody is allowed to call my friend Ann mean names...Nobody!"

This seemed to change her mindset a little. But she was still sad.

Then, I pulled out one of my favorite books. It's great for grades K-6 ... It's called "A Beautiful Oops," by Barney Saltzberg. On each page, the author features a mistake. On the following page, he turns it into something beautiful. Ripped paper becomes an alligator. A hot cocoa stain transforms into a frog. I love the words..."A smudge or a smear" ... (Turn the page to see amazing art) ... "Can make magic appear."

The whole class appreciated their artwork a little more. Each child was more motivated to take risks. Thanks, so much, Ann, for your "Beautiful Oops." Because you shared your feelings with us, I thought to read this book ... And the whole class made better, more inspired artwork!

Happy 100th Day of School!

2015-01-18T22:18:00.000-08:00

The 100th Day of School is approaching. Children love an excuse to celebrate, and teachers can use this opportunity to teach about one of the most important numbers in our base 10 system!

K-1 children can benefit from learning to count to 100, with an emphasis on "tens." The also should learn to add one more, one less, ten more, and ten less using the hundreds chart. Children learn these skills and more through songs, activities, and fun characters like the "Pizza-Eating Alligator" in my K-1 "100th Day of School Games and Activities: 66 Pages + 9 mp3 Songs."

Second grade students can use the number 100 to help them understand the concept of 1,000. You'll find songs and activities about the concepts described above, along with charts to 1,000, here: "100th Day of School Games and Activities for 2nd Grade: 63 Pages + 9 mp3 Songs."

For 3rd grade, children use the 100's chart for skip-counting. Download tons of dice games and skip-counting tunes at: "100th Day of School 3rd Grade Songs and Activities: 75 Pages + 9 mp3 Songs." Click on the "Preview" for a free skip-counting song!

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