Tag: learning

Uncategorized

L is for Leprechaun: A Magical Week in Kindergarten!

NicoleLeave a comment

This past week, our classroom was filled with leprechaun magic, rainbow adventures, and playful learning as we celebrated L is for Leprechaun Week! The excitement was palpable as students engaged in hands-on, play-based activities that incorporated literacy, math, science, and creative storytelling. Here’s a peek into the golden moments that made this week so special!

Storytelling & Literacy Fun

Each morning, we kicked off our day with a themed read-aloud. From How to Catch a Leprechaun by Adam Wallace to Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato by Tomie dePaola, our books sparked lively discussions and imaginative storytelling.

  • Letter L Writing: Students practiced forming the letter L using rainbow-colored chalk on black paper, making their letters pop just like a vibrant rainbow after a spring rain.
  • If I Found a Pot of Gold… This creative storytelling activity had students imagining what they would do if they stumbled upon a leprechaun’s treasure. Their ideas ranged from buying unlimited candy to sharing gold with their family—pure kindergarten magic!
  • A Letter to a Leprechaun: Students wrote letters asking leprechauns their most pressing questions. “Do you ever get tired of running away?” and “How do you make rainbows?” were some of our favorites!

Leprechaun Math Adventures

Math took on a lucky twist this week as we explored numbers, patterns, and measurement through our St. Patrick’s Day-inspired centers.

  • Counting Gold Coins – Students used gold coins for counting, addition, and even some sneaky subtraction where the “leprechaun” stole some away!
  • Graphing Lucky Charms – A tasty math activity where we sorted and graphed the different shapes found in Lucky Charms cereal. Who knew math could be so delicious?
  • Measuring Leprechaun Footprints – Using rulers, students estimated and measured tiny (and some not-so-tiny) footprints left behind by mischievous leprechauns.
  • Patterning with Rainbows – Beads and pom-poms helped students create colorful patterns, reinforcing early math skills in a hands-on way.

Leprechaun Traps & Engineering Fun

One of the biggest highlights of the week was our Leprechaun Trap STEM challenge! Using craft sticks, pipe cleaners, gold coins, and glue, students designed their own traps in hopes of catching a sneaky leprechaun. Their creativity was through the roof—some even designed elaborate pulley systems and hidden doors! While no leprechauns were caught, a few mysterious footprints were discovered the next morning… 👀🍀

Sensory & Small World Play

Our exploration stations brought even more magic into the classroom!

  • Sensory Bin: A mix of colored rice, shamrocks, and hidden gold coins provided a fun way for students to dig and discover.
  • Rainbow Science Experiment: Using Skittles and water, we watched as the colors swirled together, creating a mesmerizing rainbow effect.
  • Dramatic Play: Students created their own Shamrock Shake Cafe

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Shamrock-Shake-Shop-Preschool-St-Patricks-Day-Dramatic-Play-Center-7793278

  • Small World Play: Our tiny Leprechaun Village let students build and imagine what life might be like in a leprechaun’s world.

Leprechaun Celebration Day!

Friday was the grand finale—a Leprechaun Celebration Day! Students were greeted at the door by the mischevious leprechauns who left a big mess for them to clean up that morning. We then checked our leprechaun traps to see if we caught anything overnight. No leprechauns were caught but they did leave some chocolate coins for us. We wrapped up the week with our Leprechaun Bridge Challenge, where students worked together to construct bridges strong enough to hold a pot of gold!

As the day ended, we were left with glitter-covered tables, laughter-filled memories, and a classroom full of budding writers, mathematicians, and engineers. We took this opportunity to say goodbye to the leprechauns in the hopes that they would leave more messes for us to clean up

This week was a perfect example of how play-based, hands-on learning keeps students engaged and excited about exploring new concepts. L is for Leprechaun, but it’s also for Learning, Laughter, and Lots of Fun! 🍀🌈✨

Stay tuned for our next adventure—there’s always more magic to come in kindergarten!

Uncategorized

Math Mania: Exploring Math with Bump Games Across All Themes!

NicoleLeave a comment

As a kindergarten teacher, I know the struggle of finding the perfect supplemental resource for each theme I introduce in my classroom. That’s why I created the Math Bump game, a versatile and engaging resource that has become a staple in my classroom.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Leprechaun-St-Patricks-Day-Math-Bump-10877996

Bump games are not only a fun way for students to practice math skills together but also serve as fantastic provocation or engagement materials during spare moments. I love setting up my tables in the morning with different themes and leaving them out throughout the day. My students constantly engage with them, spending a few minutes here and there, which adds up to valuable learning time.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Owl-Math-Bump-11158800

One of the things I love most about the Math Bump game is its adaptability. I’ve designed each game to be easily adjustable for all levels and abilities. Students can practice subitizing with various ways of representing numbers, including dice pictures, tally marks, numerals, number words, finger pictures, and ten frames. Each game board includes variations for using 1, 2, or 3 dice, allowing for differentiation and ensuring that every student is challenged at their level.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Valentines-Math-Bump-Game-10869878

Another aspect I’m proud of is the variety of dice options the game supports. I’ve collected specialty dice over the years, including 6-sided, 8-sided, 10-sided, 12-sided (use the 2 dice game boards), 20-sided, and 30-sided dice. The Math Bump game accommodates all these dice types, making it a versatile resource that can be used in various math lessons.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Zero-the-Hero-Math-Bump-Game-10960412

To get you started on your Math Bump game journey, I’m offering the Jellyfish Math Bump game completely free! Simply subscribe to my blog to access this exciting resource and stay updated on new themes and variations.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Pets-Math-Bump-Game-11621807

One of the joys of teaching is exploring different themes with students, and I wanted the Math Bump game to reflect that diversity. Whether we’re diving into the depths of the ocean with a jellyfish theme or exploring the wonders of outer space with a solar system theme, the Math Bump game brings these themes to life in a fun and educational way.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Camping-Math-Bump-Game-11581747

Each theme in the Math Bump game is carefully crafted to not only be visually appealing but also to enhance the learning experience. The game also includes themes like Earth Day, Reduce Reuse Recycle, and colors, which provide opportunities to discuss important topics and concepts in a fun and interactive way.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Crab-Math-Bump-11621694

With over 30 themes to choose from and more on the way, the Math Bump game offers endless possibilities for classroom learning. Whether you’re looking to reinforce math concepts or simply add a fun activity to your lesson plan, the Math Bump game has you covered. Subscribe to my blog to access the Jelly Fish Math Bump completely FREE and transform your math lessons today!

Uncategorized

Community Heroes: Learning About Community Helpers in Kindergarten!

NicoleLeave a comment

In our bustling kindergarten classroom, every week is an adventure, but this week was particularly special as we dove into the fascinating world of community helpers. It was a week filled with exploration, discovery, and plenty of hands-on activities that brought our learning to life.

Monday: Setting the Stage for Exploration We kicked off the week by immersing ourselves in books about community helpers, sparking our curiosity about the different roles people play in our community. Our classroom was transformed into a hub of exploration, with various stations set up to engage our young minds. One of the highlights was our sensory table, filled with baby farm animals like pigs and chicks, setting the stage for the special guests we were expecting later in the week.

Monday brought our usual weekly directed drawing. This week, we have been learning about the digraph ch, so we drew some baby chicks.

We had our usual letter bump game set up with some wooden letter to match with, but this week, we switched it out for a community helpers theme.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Community-Helpers-Alphabet-Bump-11539311

Tuesday: A Surprise Discovery Tuesday brought an unexpected surprise when a bird’s nest fell from a tree on school grounds. We brought the nest into our classroom, and it became a focal point at our science center, sparking discussions about the wonders of nature and the importance of caring for our environment.

Wednesday: A Visit from Science World Mid-week, we were thrilled to welcome a special guest from Science World, who shared with us the wonders of science through engaging experiments. From the excitement of bubbling potions to the awe of watching colors mix and change, our classroom was abuzz with the joy of discovery.

Thursday: Baby Chicks and Crafting Fun Thursday brought another exciting visit, this time from a friend’s mom who brought along some adorable baby chicks. It was a hands-on experience that not only delighted us but also taught us about the care and responsibility involved in looking after animals.

We also honed our fine motor skills with a fun community helpers craft project, where we explored different professions and what they entail. Students were encouraged to pick from the different community helpers projects and there was so much conversation centered around the different professions and what students wanted to be when they grew up.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Black-and-White-Community-Helper-Cut-and-Paste-Craft-Templates-7890415

Friday: Fostering Friendships and Fitness As the week drew to a close, we continued our regular Friday routines, including Fitness Friday with our big buddies and Forest Friday with the other kindergarten classroom. These activities not only kept us active and healthy but also allowed us to build friendships and connections across classrooms.

Throughout the week, we also focused on developing our writing skills, with one friend inspiring us with a special show-and-tell item called “Rainbow Friends.” This led to some beautiful personal writing pieces that showcased our creativity and growing literacy skills.

As we bid farewell to our week of exploring community helpers, we’re filled with gratitude for the experiences shared and the lessons learned. Each activity was not just a lesson but a doorway to a deeper understanding of the world around us and the people who make our community a better place. Here’s to many more weeks of discovery and learning ahead!

Morning Routine · Uncategorized

How I Transformed My Morning in Kindergarten: A Routine Makeover Story

NicoleLeave a comment

With many years of experience teaching across various grades and classrooms, I’ve experimented with countless morning routines. From jumping right into the day to starting with a calendar routine, morning paperwork, and morning tubs, I’ve tried it all. One routine that particularly stood out to me was using morning tubs with rotating numbers through the tables. While I loved this approach for a long time, in recent years, it has evolved into something even more magical.

A few years ago, during my ECE postgraduate diploma specializing in Kindergarten, I came across an article on the magic of learning and how it should be sparked from joy. This concept deeply resonated with me, inspiring me to bring more of that magic into my classroom. I was also drawn to the Reggio Emilia approach, which emphasizes the environment as the third teacher and the importance of intentional and purposeful learning environments.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Pizza-Parlor-Dramatic-Play-Restaurant-Pretend-Play-Printables-for-Preschool-PreK-2115691

I wanted to incorporate more provocations and student interest-sparked learning opportunities into my classroom. I also believe in giving students choices whenever possible, as I think they should be the ones working the hardest. To simplify my routines, I began loading up my morning bins and keeping them organized and fresh every week, thus giving birth to my morning table routine.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Growing-Things-Alphabet-Bump-11439169

Each morning, at all of the tables in my classroom, I set out play-based materials such as LEGO, Playstix, Starflex, puzzles, Unifix cubes, and story cubes. Additionally, I set up learning experiences at extra tables in my classroom. While each table generally has a theme to simplify planning, there are no hard and fast rules. I typically include a sensory table, a science table, a math table, a language arts table, and alternate between a writing table and an art table, depending on the theme for the week.

One of my favorite changes to the routine is allowing students to wander from table to table, exploring and discovering what catches their interest. It’s incredibly heartwarming to hear their squeals of delight as they explore the room, making for a truly magical start to the day.

This transformation of my morning routine has not only made learning more joyful and engaging for my students but has also reinvigorated my passion for teaching. I believe that by creating a classroom environment that sparks joy and curiosity, we can instill a love for learning that lasts a lifetime.

Uncategorized · water week

Diving into Wonder: Kindergarten’s Water Inquiry Week Aquatic Adventure!

NicoleLeave a comment

Water Cycle Week in our kindergarten classroom was an exciting and educational experience, filled with hands-on activities and engaging lessons.

On Monday, we kicked off the week by setting up our classroom with a Water Cycle alphabet bump game, where students had fun matching letters while learning about the water cycle. The math table featured a water cycle math bump game with 10-sided dice, adding a new twist to our math practice.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Water-Cycle-Alphabet-Bump-10921983

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Water-Cycle-Math-Bump-10921835

Our sensory table was transformed into an aquatic adventure, complete with rocks, water, and fish, promising to be the highlight and messiest part of the week!

To tie in with our theme, we started the day by reading “Drop an Adventure through the Water,” which set the stage for our learning. We then brainstormed all the things we could think of that start with the letter “W,” incorporating literacy into our day. No letter introduction is complete without a kinesthetic learning component, so we made “W’s” out of playdough, reinforcing letter recognition and formation.

Our day continued with a directed drawing of a watermelon, a fun and creative activity that also tied into our theme.

We finished off the day with an investigation into volume using water, exploring different-sized containers and beakers to see what we could learn about capacity.

On Tuesday, we delved deeper into the water cycle by learning about clouds and how they form. After reading a book about clouds, we got creative and made cloud art with shaving cream and glue, adding an artistic element to our science lesson.

Unfortunately, I had to be off for the remainder of the week, but the learning continued with a focus on fairy tales. Students enjoyed fun read-alouds and even created their own fairy tale books at their reading level, participating in the learning with the TOC.

Overall, Water Cycle Week was a fantastic learning experience that combined science, literacy, math, and creativity in a fun and engaging way. The students had a blast while learning about the water cycle and other related topics, making memories that will last a lifetime.