Bubbles

Yesterday was "Bubble Day" in first grade.  What a blast!!  My favorite activity of the day was making bubbles on our desks.   It was so cool.  The kids could have played forever....and truth be told, I had just as much fun as they did!  I wonder if you ever get too old for bubbles?  Do they ever lose their magic?  

   Pour 1-2 tablespoons on top of

 the desk, and spread it out a little.

Dip straw into bubble solution.  I put the solution into portion cups.

Then set the straw on the desk and blow gently.

Check out this bubble inside a bubble. 

Our record was 3 bubbles inside a bubble.   

They were making lady bugs, flowers, and racing their bubbles across the desks.

I can also guarantee their desks have never been cleaner. 

Fun, fun, fun!!!

Here is the recipe for making your own bubbles:
1 cup water
4 tablespoons dishwashing liquid 
2 tablespoons glycerin 


Couple of Hints
Joy or Dawn dishwashing liquid work best.  Glycerin makes the bubbles stronger so they don't pop as fast.  I've also been told you can use light Karo syrup instead.  I haven't tried it with Karo syrup.  If you have, and it works let me know.  Glycerin can usually be found in the first aid section of the pharmacy.  Some pharmacists keep it behind the counter and you will need to ask.

I mixed up a big 12 cup batch and we had plenty for all of our "Bubble Day" fun!!

Can I have a Dinosaur, Please?

I love when a great lesson just happens!

  Each day during our morning meeting I let the kids share one thing that happened today, yesterday, or will happen tomorrow.  One of the little guys was sharing how yesterday he begged and begged his mom for a puppy and she said no because his sisters are allergic.  Well of course this revelation inspired almost every other kiddo to share a story about begging for something…it is first grade after all!  Well then one of my little sweeties surprised me by saying he had a connection to a book he had just read.  He told us that he had a book about begging for a dinosaur in his “Just Right Bag”.  He pulled out “Can I Have a Tyrannosaurus Rex Dad?  Can I Please?”  At this point another sweetie grabs “Can I Have a Stegosaurus Mom? Can I Please? out of her “Just Right Bag”.

I decided this would be a great opportunity to talk about writing a persuasive letter.

We read both books and then set out to write our own letters.  They were a hoot!  These little people have persuading (aka begging) down to an art form.   I have to tell you they kept me laughing all day!!

I am sure going to miss this darling bunch!!

We just used letter writing paper I already had on hand.

Click here to download some I spiffed up with a graphic from Scrappin’ Doodles.

Seven days to go…I promise I’m not counting

Classroom DIY

Check out my post today on Charity Preston's 

amazing new blog  "Classrom DIY"   

I'll show you how to make your own letter and number tiles.  

They are inexpensive and sooo easy!!!

Mystery

I had a request for a “Mystery” anchor chart.

I can’t believe I forgot my favorite genre.

I love, love, love a great whodunit!!!

click here to download

I have started to put together my 

“summer at the lake” reading list.

I would love your recommendations!!!

Genre Hunt and Anchor Charts

We have been talking about our favorite genres this week.

Each day my students have been on a 
little scavenger hunt in our classroom library.

Their goal is to find a book in each of the following genres.

 Here is a little recording sheet they have been using to keep track of their “finds”.

Click here to download the anchor charts and recording sheet.

Fact Family Go Fish

We are all about fact families this week.  My kids had so much fun playing this little version of "Go Fish".  Some of my sweeties also played it as a game of concentration.  They laid out the cards and took turns picking four cards at a time trying to match all the cards that would make the fact family complete.  

 Click here to download the game and recording sheet.

I would love to hear your ideas about teaching/practicing fact families.

Put it in the Piggy

If it’s true that “practice makes perfect”, the first graders in room 105 are now practically perfect at counting coins.

Here is a fun little coin counting game we have been playing this week.

1. Spin to choose the type of coin

2. Roll the die.  (I used a 10 sided die, but a 6 sided die would work too.)

3. Take that number of coins and put them on the piggy bank

4. Count the coins and write how much the coins are worth on the recording sheet.

click here to download the game and recording sheet