Five for Friday :: October 23

Happy FRIDAY!!  Yippeeeee!  I love my job so much, but Friday is still such a GREAT feeling!

I'm linking up today with Kacey for Five for Friday....it's been too long!!

1. Last week, I received my very first package from Naeir.  The box was BIG and I was so excited to see it on my doorstep!  It had been a while since I'd placed my order and I had forgotten exactly what I was getting.

Inside were labels and post-its and book tape galore!!  ALL of this was less than $25.  Such a fabulous resource for teachers!!

2. I got to be twinsies with this cutie pie earlier this week.  I love that long sweater that she wears!!  It's always so much fun when my students show up wearing something similar to me.

3. We recently finished our Five Senses unit in science.  I always love starting the year discussing what it means to be a scientist and how we can use our body to explore the world around us.  This activity from Kindergarten Smiles was a favorite activity with my students this year!  I just used a sound CD that came with my reading curriculum.  It was lots of fun!

4. My students had the best time "flipping for good behavior" and earning a special, delicious treat last week Monday.  After earning all of the letters in the word APPLESAUCE, we got to make fresh crockpot applesauce in class and enjoyed eating it at the end of the school day.  

We had gotten to the point near the beginning of October when we just needed an extra behavior management trick.  I love having lots of resources to pull out of my bag of tools!  We haven't needed anything since, but I am ready with my next word for when we need a little boost again!  I love this resource from Ashley Sharp!

5. We began Literacy Work Stations last week!  It always feels overwhelming to begin this a few weeks into the school year, but we dove in last week.  It felt like ripping off a bandaid!  Just had to be done.  And, as always....the kids did great!!  I really do love this time in our day.  The kids love it too -- working at their own pace, feeling independent, and getting to choose their own activities when they've completed their tasks.

I've blogged about my Literacy Station routine before.  Click here to read that post.

I'll be spending my weekend filling out progress reports for next week's Parent-Teacher conferences.  Hope your weekend is terrific!!

It's beginning to look like October!

Happy October!!  In Michigan, this week brought us from early September to mid-November!  The drop in temperature and bitter cold wind of the past few days has been a drastic change from mid-70's and sunshine!  It definitely feels like Fall has arrived....and just in time to turn the calendar to October!  It's beginning to look and feel like October in the classroom too!!

I make these spiders with my students every year.  I've gotten smart over the years and now always make sure to have a parent or two come in to help out.  These cute little guys require lots and lots of cutting, which is a challenge for some new-to-Kindergarten hands.  It's helpful to have another adult there to help.  My crew this year did a great job!  They turned out as darling as ever and they just make me happy! 

On Friday, we did a fun apple taste test.  Students tasted a slice of red, yellow, and green apple and then added their favorite to our apple poster....

 Later in the day, we analyzed our data and organized it into this graph so that I could tie in some of the concepts we've been practicing in math - graphing, comparing, more/less, greater/fewer.  Learning is especially fun when it's so delicious!!

 Each Friday, we do a directed drawing activity as a class.  Last week, we drew a pumpkin.  This week, my students got to paint their pumpkin drawings!  They turned out so beautiful!  I can't wait to pull out the watercolors again.  My students LOVED this calm, creative activity!

Caramel apples as a birthday treat from one of my sweet former students???  Yes, fall is here!!

Happy weekend!!