Off-Track!

Sorry I have been out of action. I went off track...being on C-track, I start the year for 1 month, but then go off track for 1 month, before doing a 3-month on, 1 month off schedule. It is nice to give the kids a break...but before I went on vacation, we worked hard on setting the schedule, learning about each other, teaching new routines and getting some work done. Overall, I think the kids did pretty well.

Now...for one of my new activities that I tried out. I think the kids did pretty well. I got the initial idea from PINTEREST (don't all great ideas come from there these days?) We might try to make these little monsters later in the year...because the LOVED being able to blow the paint around the paper.

   

 This is the picture from pinterest. I really liked the splatter paint idea...but I put my own spin on it...

We made fish. 

In one of my previous posts, I talked about using pocket chart poems to lead my students in a variety of activities. We focus on tracking text, answering questions, identifying sight words, etc. It also makes for some fun art activities.

Here is the poem that I used...

"Five Little Fishies

Five little fishies swimming in the pool

First one said, 'The pool is cool.'

Second one said, 'The pool is deep.'

Third one said, 'I want to sleep.'

Fourth one said, 'Let's dive and dip.'

Fifth one said, 'I spy a ship.'

Fisherman's boat comes. Line goes ker-splash.

Away the five little fishies dash."

Here are the steps that I used to have my kids make their own little fish.

First, I taught the kids to blow their paint threw a straw. They loved this part. This actually works on strengthening the jaw muscles, which encourage speech and eating. 

Then, I traced the fish outline around their fish, making sure to keep as much of the color as I could in the fish. I also cut them out to make the cute fish. I added googly eyes to each fish. 

We also had an opportunity to talk about mixing colors. I only gave them blue, yellow and red paint. They got to mix as much as they could. 

Overall, I think the fish look GREAT! When I go back into my classroom, I might try to take a picture of all of the fish. They are currently on the wall right now. 

Up next, our last project that we completed before we went on vacation.