Choice Time favorites

My students this year have definite preferences during Choice Time.  We have 20-30 minutes of Choice Time each afternoon, and I've been surprised this year at how many of my students do the exact same thing every single day!  

Here are my students' current favorite activities:

1. PUZZLE TABLE
I have a handful of students every year who LOVE the puzzle table, and this year is no exception.  But this year, they all happen to be busy boys.  Some of my busiest bodies calm and focused at the puzzle table during Choice Time each day??  Yes, please!  I just love watching them use their minds to work together and solve puzzle after puzzle after puzzle.

I posted this pic on Facebook.  Click the image to head over to my page to weigh in!

2. STEP-BY-STEP DRAWING BOOK
This book is taken out and used every single day.  The pages are falling out and I really need to make a second copy!  I ordered the original book from Scholastic years ago, and just photocopied and bound it for my students to use.  They LOVE it.

Crayola Twistables are the best, yes???  Love love love them in my classroom.

 3. WORD WALL
My students are nuts about our word wall this year!  All of our word cards are magnetic and they love to take them off the wall, copy the words down, then put them back.  They know the rule of one card at a time.  Several students do this every day!!

They especially LOVE the name cards this year.  I had each child write their name on a card, then I traced the names with different color Sharpies.  My students love taking them down and making lists of their classmates.

You can read more about my word wall HERE.

I'd love to hear about Choice Time in your classroom!  If you have it, what activities do your students love?

Five for Friday {January 31}

Wow!  When was my last Five for Friday???  

Way too long ago, that's for sure.

This week I taught one day.  We had school yesterday, but snow days every other day.  So, I have nothing to talk about, but I actually have time to post something on Friday!  Ha!

Who am I kidding?  I ALWAYS have things to talk about!!  

Let's get started!

1.  I enjoyed a fun few days at the hospital following my son's surgery last week Thursday.  The weather was so crazy that not many people could come visit, and we were not able to get out and about at all.  So....we were SUPER excited on Sunday when the doctor said that Trey was ready to go home!!

He's doing great and was back at school yesterday!

2. I took this picture in my classroom today.  Do you notice what's missing?  Yes!  My students! :(

The ONLY day that I taught this week was yesterday.  We have had SO MUCH snow and I teach in a rural community, so many of the back roads are not open enough for busses to get down.  I was able to get to my school today, and spent a few good hours there getting lots of work done.  As much as I love having alone time in my classroom, I am really missing my kindies!  Crossing my fingers for five full days of school next week!

3. Puzzles!  

Last year I realized how much my students love to have a puzzle table going in the classroom.  It is awesome for choice time or indoor recess.  Besides the obvious benefits of puzzle-making, I love that it is such a wonderfully calm activity. :)  I like to use 100-pc. puzzles.  They seem to be the perfect level of difficulty for my Kindergarteners.  I recently had a parent donate several puzzles after finding them for 25 cents each at the thrift store.  My boys are loving this Batman puzzle right now!

4. My reading corner has needed a new display for a while now, and today I finally had time to change it out.  

 A couple weeks ago, I did a "Sharing Circle" with my class and asked each of them to share their favorite book.  I took several of their answers and used them to create this display.  

 

 

 Next week, I'll have these kiddos complete writing prompts about WHY they love these books and add them to the display.

5. Are you watching "Under the Gunn"?  I love Project Runway, and this show is similar and fun.  Tim Gunn just makes me happy. :)

Check out my last post for a fun giveaway!  CLICK HERE!

Happy weekend!