0 WACKY WORKOUT + IN THE SPOTLIGHT

I promised my team that I would make up some rain forest centers and art project samples for them to use next week, so I don't have too much time to devote to a post today.  However, there are two super cool things that I want to quickly highlight!!  

For all you alls looking to help keep your kiddos engaged and under control these last few weeks, check out Ron Brown's newest collection of songs.  It's called Wacky Workout.  I purchased a copy of this Intelli-Tunes gem to use with the kiddos in the afternoon or during those transition times when I see the "wiggles" start to take over.  Attention spans are so touch and go this time of year and I see this as a huge lifesaver!!!

Listen to two of my favorites!  Push play to start and pause to stop :)

Wacky Workout is available for download on the Intelli-Tunes' Web site.  And this week Ron is offering it up for a very special price . . . it's only $5!  Whoop de whoop!  Chalk one up for teachers everywhere.  CLICK HERE to hear additional samples and/or to snag your copy today.

On another educational note, have I told you how much I heart Pocket Full of Kinders?  Well, Ms. Patterson answered tons of questions and helped me when I just stepped out of that blogging gate a few months ago.  Now, she has featured me on her blog. Boy, am I feeling the love :).  Learn more about me and check out one amazing and oh-so seasoned blogger in one easy click.  Her posts always crack me up and her ideas are priceless.  Thanks again Ms. P!

Enjoy your Sunday my friends.  I am back to working on centers and such (it seems that I got a little distracted).  If you are still looking for something to put together for Daddy Day, don't forget about my Father's Day packet containing these two silly gift crafts (available on TPT).

See you tomorrow my friends.  

Detail: WACKY WORKOUT + IN THE SPOTLIGHT

0 SNOWBALL FIGHT

I am going to make this a quick one this morning.  Mr. Man is still sleeping and I am dying to work on my Summer Vacation pack.  I started working on it late yesterday afternoon and was just getting on a roll when I heard a little voice whining that he was all alone on a Friday night.  How could I ignore that?

Anyway, I was going through my photos a few days ago (it's time to make that Open House end of the year video) and stumbled across this goodie.  This brings me to the question . . . why not have a snowball fight in May?

My class took "I Have/Who Has" to the next level this year.  It's played just the same as a regular whip-around, but the kids get to crumple up their sheet to use as a snowball before the reading begins.  

On my "go" the kids and I got into a paper snowball fight.  The only rule was that we could not do "head shots." 

I let 'em play, giggle, hurl, and yell for about 3-5 minutes and then we got down to business reading our snowballs.  The best part was that we had to play three times!  Little did they know that I had them right where I wanted them :)  

No, throwing paper doesn't really have anything to do with the core standards. BUT, it does create extra activity buy-in and it makes a memory that they will NEVER forget.  So . . . if you don't mind a moment of chaos and endless giggles, this whip-around version is for you!  I am definitely bringing this one back before summer vacation hits - either with vocabulary or money.  

If you want to snag a copy of my ready made "snowball fight" template. Just click on the link below.

CLICK ME FOR A COPY!
Thank you to the wonderful Free Scrapbook Fonts & KPM Doodles for their design use!

Alright folks . . . back to work I go (so much for a quick post).  Check in again tomorrow.  I am hoping to have a summer vacation FREEBIE up.  And . . . in honor of all you wonderful teachers, I have a little sale up my sleeve!

Detail: SNOWBALL FIGHT

0 GET THOSE WIGGLES OUT + MOVE TO LEARN!

I spent lots of time poppin' around to different blogs today (I am still bored out of my mind and on surgery leave, hence this extra time that you all are struggling to find right now).  I have seen lots of posts about how "active" kids are being right now.  With this said, I have hosted a couple of fun relay-type games that have really helped me in the past and I wanted to share.  It's all about getting their WIGGLES out right now!

I like to team up with another teacher at times.  The kids love seeing their friends (and I love seeing mine).  We sometimes play games together, but often we just stretch and then split off into our perspective games.  

Look . . . it's my "bestie" leading stretches!  I am too busy with the camera :)  

For some reason, I am all about working math and reading concepts into our outdoor games.  I figure that if I am going to drag our bums outside I might as well get as much out of it as possible. Most of the time I get the kids all jacked up over relay races - they are my favorite. Here are some details . . . 

Earlier this year we had a bunch of mini footballs donated from a local bank.  I slapped addition facts on them (masking tape and a Sharpie did the trick) and threw them out at the end of our "playing field."  I then divided the kids into teams and lined them up along the grass line (see photo).  On my whistle, each team would send one member out to run my obstacle course and collect a football.  On the way back to their lines, each student needed to solve the problem and shout the answer out (i.e. 9+5=14) before the next player could run out.  The first team to have all of their members successfully collect and solve an addition problem was the winner.  They begged to play over . . . and over . . . and OVER.  It was a definite win-win for all of us!

The teams are READY for action! 

The kiddos have to zig-zag in and out of the cone course!  The footballs are at the very end!

Can't say enough wonderful things about this cutie!
I love how she is "donking" the big number and counting up!  Go girl GO!

I have used oodles of different items (tennis balls, foam pieces, plastic balls) during these relay races and have worked in many core standards.  My kids have solved subtraction problems, read words with particular spelling patterns, and have sorted words according to parts of speech during relays.  The sky is the limit with these.  

For my kinder friends, you can run similar games sans the relay.  Last year when I taught K, I found bags of plastic balls at Target (swoon) for $2.98!  At the beginning of the year I labeled them with upper and lower case b's and a few other letters (yes, it was "B" week).  These were scattered in our playing field and the kids were lined up individually along the start line.  I would yell out "uppercase" or "lowercase" and it was their job to find the correct ball.  Here are some photos of them in action!

Here is my thought on this post . . . it's very mathematical.  May + Kids = Crazy Days, but Outdoor Games + (Kids - Wiggles) = Happy Teacher!  I don't even know if that makes sense, but it sure looks cool :).  

In honor of kids getting their wiggles out in classrooms everywhere, I joined up with a very special Linky Party.  Get Those Kids Up & Moving was started by Rachel over at Minds In Bloom.  There are so many wonderful ideas posted from so many talented teachers.  Click the button to check it out!

Be sure to take a moment to give my snowball fight post a little "look-see" as well - it's a rockin' way to get those wiggles out and hit 'em with loads of learning at the same time :).

Detail: GET THOSE WIGGLES OUT + MOVE TO LEARN!