Chalk Talk: A Kindergarten Blog

Our Finished Pond Mural

2013-05-18T10:57:00.002-07:00

We finally finished our pond mural. We added beavers, fish, and snails.

To make the fish:

First, we cut a triangle out of the side of the plate to make the mouth. Then we used a black crayon to draw scales and an eye on the fish. You have to draw the black lines very dark so that the paint will wash over them. We used a paint wash to paint the plate. After the plate dried, we used paint to make fingerprints on the scales.

To make the snails:

First, we clipped corners and rounded a white 5 X 5 square. Then we used a black crayon to draw a spiral line on the circle. You have to draw the black line very dark so that the paint will wash over it. Then we painted a brown or orange wash over all over the circle. We clipped all four corners and rounded a long narrow rectangle to make the body. Then used scraps to make the antenna.

To make the beavers:

These came from the TLC Lessons Animals book.

Mallards for our Pond

2013-05-14T16:05:00.002-07:00

We read Make Way for Ducklings (fiction) and a Pebble Go book on ducks (nonfiction) today. Then we made mallards and wrote facts we had learned about ducks.

More Pond Stuff...

2013-05-11T10:55:00.003-07:00

Our turtle and frog work. We will be adding more animals and writing to our pond mural.

A few books about turtles and frogs...

Pond Life

2013-05-07T16:43:00.003-07:00

We started our study of ponds and pond animals today. We made a circle map to show all of the things you can find in and around a pond. These are the plants and animals we will be learning about over the next few days. The black lines for the circles do not actually show up in this picture for some reason.

We are making a pond mural. We started with the lily pads today. I will post pictures throughout the week as the mural comes together.

I found these lily pads here. They are the ones we are making. We painted the plates today and will finish the water lilly flower part tomorrow.

a few of the pond books we will be reading this week...

Zipping to the Zoo

2013-05-05T09:15:00.000-07:00

We went to the Fort Worth Zoo this week for our spring field trip, so we have been reading lots of non-fiction text and learning all about different zoo animals.

I usually have my class make a zoo mural with the animal habitats in it, but this year I did things a little different. Here are a few things from the week... followed by past zoo animal work I have done with my kids.

Inspired by Todd Parr's bold artwork, my teammate had her students make these bright zoo animals. I loved them so I had my students make animal faces. We haven't finished our writing yet. We will add that next week.

To make these animal faces, we painted the background solid color first, let it dry and then went back and outlined with black paint.

We used Deanna's writing paper from her zoo unit to write animal facts this week, then we made animals to go with our writing. The gorilla faces are enlarged versions of the gorilla lesson from the TLC Lessons zoo book. The giraffes are also enlarged and modified versions from TLC lessons. The penguins came from a site I found long ago that no longer exists. We learned about all of these animals on PebbleGo.

We compared the baboon and the hippo using a venn diagram.

Past Zoo Animal Work

based on the book If Anything Ever Goes Wrong at the Zoo

from the TLC Lessons zoo book

using Microsoft Word in the computer lab

crayon resist zoo animal drawings

based on the book Felicity Floo Visits the Zoo

Zella, Zack, and Zodiac by Bill Peet

zoo animal riddles

penguin glyph

zoo animal graph

a few favorite memories from zoo year's past...

the year my own Abby girl was in kindergarten

Giveaway Winners

2013-05-02T20:20:00.004-07:00

The winner of the Hameray Publishing big book is Jan Blakeslee. Congrats Jan and thanks to all of you who entered and to Hameray Publishing for sponsoring the giveaway.

The winner of the autographed copy of Let's Sing a Lullaby With the Brave Cowboy is Michelle Jaquillard. Congrats Michelle and a very special thanks to Jan Thomas for the autographed copy of her book.

I will email both of you lucky ladies to get your addresses. Thanks again to everyone for entering!

Ladybug Work

2013-04-22T15:29:00.001-07:00

our ladybug work this week...

New Wishy-Washy titles and a Giveaway!

2013-04-22T10:37:00.003-07:00

My students recently had the privilege of reviewing a couple of new Mrs. Wishy-Washy titles and I think they may be their favorite by far.

My kids loved using the books during read to someone. Every day I took the books up instead of letting them keep them in their book boxes and every day they were at my table begging to have them back. Wishy-Washy Clothes was their favorite. They laughed over and over at the animals wearing Mrs. Wishy-Washy's clothes and slippers off the clothesline. They also thought is was very funny that Mrs. Wishy-Washy gave her animals a bath in the car wash in Mrs. Wishy-Washy and the Big Wash.

Hameray Publishing has offered to give away a big book to one lucky follower. To enter the giveaway:

1) Like Hameray Publishing on Facebook.

2) Follow Hameray Publishing's Pinterest Boards

3) Enter the Joy Cowley Classroom Giveaway

3) Leave a comment for each requirement that you fulfill. Don't forget to leave your name and email address in your comments.

The big book giveaway ends at midnight on April 28th. Good Luck!

Here is more information about the Joy Cowley Classroom Giveaway:

Hameray Publishing is currently hosting a Joy Cowley Classroom Giveaway that calls for teachers, parents, friends, relatives and anyone else who wants to nominate a classroom to possibly win 90 new titles from beloved author and Mrs. Wishy-Washy creator Joy Cowley: The Joy Cowley Collection and the Joy Cowley Early Birds! These two new collections of leveled readers, for Kindergarten to 2^nd Grade classrooms, are developed for shared, guided, and independent reading. Finger puppets and 3 audio CDs will also be included, comprising a value greater than $400! (This contest valid in the US and Canada only.)

You can also purchase titles from Hameray Publishing between now and June 30, 2013 with a 20% discount using the discount code ZJCC13.

You can find other fun Hameray Activities and ideas for using Mrs. Wishy-Washy in your classroom using these links.

Hameray Publishing Pinterest Board

Hameray Publishing Web Site

Hameray Publishing on Facebook

A+ Images Giveaway Winner

2013-04-19T00:40:00.000-07:00

Sorry that I am a few days late announcing the A+ Images giveaway. Finishing up the school year and dissertation writing is getting the best of me.

The winner is Mrs. Brown. Congratulations. Thanks to all of you who entered.

Let's Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy Giveaway

2013-04-16T04:05:00.000-07:00

We read Jan Thomas' book Let's Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy and my kids thought it was hilarious! They loved that cowboy was afraid of everything.

We used the book as a springboard for a lesson on alliteration. We also examined the characters to decide on things we thought each character might say. My kids LOVE making speech bubbles for characters.

I am SUPER EXCITED because Jan Thomas has graciously sent me an autographed copy of Let's Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy to give away to one of you lucky followers.

All you have to do to enter is:

1) Follow Chalk Talk

2) Leave a comment about this book or one of Jan's other books. Share a class favorite or a way to use this book or one of her others in your classroom.

You can leave a comment for each requirement. Don't forget to leave your name and email address.

The giveaway ends on Sunday, April 28th at midnight. Good Luck!!

Little Red Cowboy Hat

2013-04-16T03:54:00.001-07:00

We are working on character analysis. We are focusing on using the text to learn about what the character is like on the inside. We read Little Red Cowboy Hat and brainstormed a list of character traits for her.

You can find a copy of the hat pattern for free here.

My dissertation is on all of the ways we gender young children in the classroom so we have started looking at ways the story might change if the character was the opposite sex, talking about characters that are not well established as either a boy or a girl, and working to undo all of the stereotypes that we have learned that tell us the "right" way to be a boy or girl.

Miss Nelson is Missing You Tube Performance

2013-04-09T18:41:00.001-07:00

I just recently introduced my students to the Miss Nelson books so I was super excited to find this video.

Check out the SUPER TALENTED kindergartners from Ms. Avina's class at Olympic Primary Center in Los Angeles as they act out the book Miss Nelson is Missing.

Making Metamorphic Rock

2013-04-05T01:59:00.000-07:00

Last week we simulated how igneous rocks are made using an air pop popcorn popper. This week we used a bowl full of chocolates to learn how metamorphic rock is made.

I got the lesson started with this book about rocks.

We learned that metamorphic rocks are made from existing rocks. They are rocks that go through metamorphosis or change in form to create a new rock. Through heat and pressure, existing rock is metamorphosized into new rock.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar, or any book about the life cycle of a butterfly, works well for illustrating the process of metamorphosis for young children.

We started by pouring a variety of chocolates (milk duds, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, buttterscotch chips, and reeses pieces) into a large bowl. We imagined that the candies were different kinds of rocks.

We used a microwave to simulate heat and we placed a large heavy bowl down hard on the mixture to simulate pressure. I microwaved the mixture about 3 minutes at a time. After each 3 minute interval we pulled the bowl off the top, looked at how the mixture had changed, and stirred it. I continued to microwave the mixture until it was melted and smooth.

This picture was taken after the first 3 minutes. The time it takes to completely melt the mixture will vary based on how much chocolate you put in the bowl and the power level on your microwave.

After the mixture was all melted, we covered it and placed it in the refrigerator to cool. We talked about how metamorphic rock was formed by be heated up, pressurized, and then cooled.

Once cooled, I used a small knife to break the mixture up so that it looked like chunks of rock. Helpful Tip: After you melt the mixture, you may want to move it to a baking dish so that it is not too thick. The thicker the mixture is the harder it is to break up after it cools. You want it thick enough to look like rock chunks when you break it up though. I had to microwave the cooled mixture for just over a minute so that it broke up easier. For more rock fun, click here.

A+ Images Giveaway

2013-04-02T16:23:00.004-07:00

A+ Images is celebrating the launch of their newly designed website. The site has new designs, new styles of shirts, and more colors to choose from. In honor of the launch, A+ Images is having a giveaway. One lucky winner will receive their choice of either a shirt (valued up to $25) or a $25 gift certificate.

A few of their new designs...

From now until the rest of the month, A+ Images is offering $10 off any order of $100 or more. Use coupon code CCSAVE10 when placing your order. The coupon code expires on April 30th.

You can check out other new discount levels here.

To enter the giveaway:
1) Check out the new web design here.
2) Follow Chalk Talk
3) Leave a comment about the A+ Image site and/or their shirts.

Don't forget to leave your name and email address. Good luck everyone! The giveaway ends Tuesday, April 16th at midnight.

Spring is Here!

2013-03-28T15:55:00.000-07:00

We have been reviewing what we have learned this year about the seasons focusing primarily on spring this time. We wrote about some of the signs of spring and made birds that just hatched in their nest.

To make the nests, my students cut up brown paper lunch sacks (I have a ton sitting on my shelves and not much to do with them) and glued them onto their colored paper plates. To make the birds, my students clipped the topp corners of rectangles and rounded the edges. Then they added wiggle eyes and beaks.

Hot Air Balloons

2013-03-28T15:51:00.000-07:00

We made these hot air balloons earlier in the month but I haven't had a chance to post the pictures. When I made these balloons before I used pictures of the kids for the faces, but I actually like the hand-drawn faces better. These balloons would work for teaching the word "up", teaching the letter "u" or with the Dr. Seuss books Great Day for Up! and Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Rockin' and Rollin' With Rocks!

2013-03-26T15:24:00.002-07:00

With all of the challenges in my class this year we are a off schedule. We are finally getting to rocks. Here are a few things we started with...

Our rock pocket chart poem. We learned rocks are everywhere! We made a circle map to show all of the different places we find rocks. We used highlighter tape to highlight word wall words we recognized and could read from our poem. You can find the clipart pictures for the poem here.

We used a venn diagram to compare real rocks to pop rocks. .

After reading lots of books about rocks, we wrote a cinquain poem about rocks. We also did some rock fact writing.

We read Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. We graphed what we would do if we found a magic pebble- make wishes with it or put it up in a safe place. Then we wrote about what we would wish for.

We learned about how igneous rock is made. We used an air pop popcorn popper to demonstrate how magma moves up through the earth's crust, runs out as lava, and cools and hardens into igneous rock.

Next week we are going to make sedimentary and metamorphic rock. My kids are super excited!

You can find the graph signs, the rock writing paper, the pop rock venn signs, and the Sylvester and the Magic Pebble writing paper, along with a lot of other rock resources here.

Prezi Pack Winner and a Frog and Toad Freebie

2013-03-25T02:56:00.002-07:00

The winner of Carolyn's Prezi Presentation Bundle is Lori. Thanks to all of you who entered and to Carolyn who sponsored the giveaway with her fun and interactive Prezi presentations. Carolyn has just added a new Frog and Toad presentation to her TPT store for FREE. You can check it out here.

The Easter Bunny's Assistant

2013-03-20T19:31:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year again... time to read one of my favorite books!! The Easter Bunny's Assistant by Jan Thomas.

I read the book and stopped right before the Easter Bunny pushed Skunk out. I asked students if they thought the Easter Bunny should keep Skunk as his assistant and why or why not.

We also thought about what we Skunk would say to the Easter Bunny to get him to keep his as his assistant.

Joyful Learning in KC. Love it!!

2013-03-18T02:18:00.003-07:00

I know I have posted several times before about Melissa and her blog Joyful Learning in KC... but I have to post again for all of you who have forgotten, been too busy to check out her blog lately, or are new and have never seen it before. Melissa makes great posts all the time about teaching math and writing and using thinking maps and the best part is she gives free downloads for everything she does :) Can't get enough of her!!

Earth Day Prezi Freebie and Prezi Bundle Giveaway

2013-03-17T16:53:00.000-07:00

I have recently been introduced to the cloud-based presentation software Prezi. Its zoomable canvas makes it fun and interactive for little ones.

Carolyn Kisloski is a kindergarten teacher from Apalachin, New York who has been teaching kinder for five years. She creates Prezis to use with her Smartboard. She has created a great Prezi resource for Earth Day. You can access her Earth Day Prezi from her TPT store for free right now. Click here to check it out. I think you will LOVE it!! I can't wait to use it with my kiddos. Her kindergarten websites Prezi is also available as a free download.

Carolyn has offered to give away all of Prezi presentations to one lucky winner. The bundle includes Primary Math (full of math ideas organized by concept with the common core standards listed), Shake Breaks: Get up and Move (great for transition times, rainy days, and extra minutes), Authors (highlights 9 children's book authors), Letters and Sounds (great for introducing letters and sounds and teaching beginning and ending sounds, works for small group, whole group, and RTI), and Beginning Reading (contains reading strategy posters that can be used during reader's workshop time).

Do at least one of the following to enter to win. Leave a comment for every requirement you fulfull for extra chances to win.
1) Follow Carolyn's TPT store
2) Blog, pin or tweet about the giveaway
3) Follow Chalk Talk
4) Comment on how you use Prezi with your students or how you could use one of Carolyn's presentations in your classroom

Don't forget to leave your name and email address in at least one of the comments you make. The giveaway ends Sunday March 24th at midnight. Good Luck!!

Barnyard Answer Buzzers Winner

2013-03-12T06:07:00.003-07:00

Congratulations Sara from Polka Dot Kinders!! You are the lucky winner of the set of Barnyard Anzswer Buzzers from Learning Resources. Thanks to all of you who entered and to Learning Resources who sponsored the giveaway.

Naughty Leprechaun Winner!!

2013-03-07T10:11:00.001-08:00

Congratulations Ashley Kiebler you are the winner of the Naughty Leprechaun book!! Enjoy!!

Living and Nonliving Things

2013-03-05T16:46:00.003-08:00

This week we are learning about living and nonliving things. We started our study off with a schema chart and a pre-assessment sorting activity. I wrote on post-its as my students shared their background knowledge on living things and a few questions they had.

Then as a whole group we sorted pictures into living and nonliving categories so that I could learn a little more about what they already knew. They were unsure about people. Some thought they were living and some thought they were not. There were also some misconceptions about things that were living but had died and living things that were no longer on the vine, plant, or tree.

Then we read a book about living and nonliving and added some post-its with our new learning to our schema chart. You can find pictures for the sort here.

Barnyard Answer Buzzers Giveaway

2013-03-04T16:55:00.002-08:00

I have another fun product from Learning Resources to give away this week and I think my kiddos have made it their favorite out of all of them. Its the Barnyard Answer Buzzers. We have used these to review word wall words, practice math facts, and answer questions about stories we have read.

You can enter to win the fun barnyard buzzers by:

1) Liking Learning Resources on Facebook

2) Following them on Twitter

3) Following their board on Pinterest

4) Following Chalk Talk

You can leave a separate comment for each requirement or one saying the requirements you fulfilled. Do not forget to leave your name and email address as part of your comment. The giveaway ends Sunday night March 10th at midnight.