Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The 411: Chicks - Week 2: Drawing Chicks
The 411: Chicks - Week 2: Drawing Chicks: "These are our last few days with the chicks. The children are really involved with observing and documenting their growth and the changes t..."
Monday, May 9, 2011
The 411: The Chicke Playground
The 411: The Chicke Playground: "The children have two loves recently. 1. The chickens. 2. The block area. They have managed to marry the two into a wonderful invent..."
The 411: Chicks, Part 2: More Video of Hatching
The 411: Chicks, Part 2: More Video of Hatching: "Had to add these. As always, the kids comments and commentary make it just too adorable! To hear their amazement, their excitement and witn..."
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
The 411: Welcome Little Chicks
The 411: Welcome Little Chicks: "I was sick on Monday so I came in extra early on Tuesday morning wanting to get caught up on a few things. Actually, I always feel guilty w..."
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
The 411: THE EGGS HAVE ARRIVED!
The 411: THE EGGS HAVE ARRIVED!: "The eggs have arrived to room 411 direct from the farm! The children are excited and the teachers are excited. I am not too sure how excite..."
Thursday, April 21, 2011
kinderpendent: cardboard castle ..tutorial
kinderpendent: cardboard castle ..tutorial: "This cardboard castle is easy and inexpensive to make--and will provide plenty of entertainment. To make your own you will just need 2+ la..."
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Playing in the Puddles
Today we played in puddles. When it snows, we play with snow, when it rains, we play in puddles. I remember doing this as a child and I think children do not get enough opportunities to do these things in today's fast paced world. We took out orange cones and blocked off part of the parking lot that had puddles from the mornings rain showers. The children took off their shoes and rolled up their pant legs. We talked about being safe (Paws Laws) and staying inside the area marked by the cones. We worked on skills such as jumping with two feet, following the leader, balancing on one foot, running, galloping and skipping. We also worked on expanding our vocabulary by describing how the sidewalk and parking lot felt on our bare feet (smooth, rough, bumpy, warm, cold). We talked about how the water felt (wet, cold, warm) on our feet. We talked about making splashes, ripples and footprints. This is an example of learning through play. Many cognitive, social, physical and language skills were explored and practiced during this play activity. Children learn best through play. They stay engaged longer, remember the skills better and expand on the activity independently far better than when they are just drilling skills or working on worksheets or flashcards. We hope these pictures help to give you a glimpse into the fun and learning we experienced today.
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| Getting ready to go and play in the puddles. |
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| Feet, are you ready? |
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| SPLASH! |
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| Footprints and Shadows |
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| Where does the rain come from? Where does it go? Ask open ended questions (questions that cannot be answered with a "yes" or "no" response) to really get a child thinking, reasoning and using a variety of new and complex words. |
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| Research shows that children learn best when they have multiple opportunities to be involved in gross motor activities. This is why recess is so important to the curriculum though out a child's educational career. |
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| Follow the Leader! |
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| Friendships are often formed during quiet times of exploration. |
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| All in! Puddles aren't just for your feet. Sometimes you need to explore them with your hands too. |
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| Poetry in Motion |
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| I believe I can fly! |
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| I love this picture. I think it captures the wonder of the world from a child's perspective. The reflections of the world around the child, the shimmer of the water, the purposeful stride of the child as he explores the feel of the water under his feet. A child's world is truly an amazing one, isn't it? |
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| Ripples in the water caused by the child jumping into the puddle. |
Monday, April 18, 2011
Jumping Jelly Beans!
Today we painted with jumping wind up Jelly Beans and Easter Eggs. The children focused on fine motor skills, taking turns, mixing colors, color identification and vocabulary expansion. They had so much fun watching the Jelly Beans jump across the paper! They were able to explore what happened when the Jelly Beans jumped through thin paint and thick paint. The students made circle prints with plastic eggs and used fine paint brushes to paint with the remaining paint. Enjoy watching the video!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
A great video to share about the importance of Early Childhood Education
This is a great video to share with parents, businesses, legislators and community members about the importance of investing in Early Childhood Education. Please post and share. Keep educating everyone!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
little preschool on the prairie: tube and funnel peg board
little preschool on the prairie: tube and funnel peg board: "We definitely have some 'water babies' this year. You can always tell who needs more water play by observing the children who spend copiou..."
Saturday, April 9, 2011
AFT - A Union of Professionals - Funding Database
AFT - A Union of Professionals - Funding Database This site has a great list of free items and other resources for teachers. Great site. Check it out~
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
Creating Effective Learning Spaces for Early Childhood Cognitive Development
Creating Effective Learning Spaces for Early Childhood Cognitive Development Many good webinars coming up. Go through this link and look at some of the topics.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Important facts about reading
STUDENT READING ACHIEVEMENT FACTS:
Only one-third of all students entering high school are proficient in reading -- only about 15 percent of African American students, and 17 percent of Hispanic students. (NAEP Reading_2009)
Two thirds of eighth graders do not read at the "proficient" level. (NAEP Reading_2009)
There is a significant economic reading gap for students: only 16 percent of students eligible for "free or reduced lunch" programs are proficient in reading, compared to 42 percent who are not eligible. (NAEP Reading_2009)
Boys lag behind girls in reading proficiency in all 50 states -- in some states by as many as 10 percentage points. (Center for Education Policy)
Between 1971 and 2004, the NAEP scores of 12th-graders showed no improvement. Further, the 2005 scores of 12th-graders were generally lower than their counterparts in 1992. (Alliance for Excellent Education)
Only 31 percent of college graduates have high level literacy skills. (2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy, cited by The New York Times)
47% of students who took the ACTs in 2009 did not meet the ACT College Readiness for the Reading section of the ACT Benchmark. (the ACT)
A study conducted in 2005 revealed that 33% of non-college students and 29% of college students who participated in the study felt inadequately prepared for reading and understanding complicated materials. (Achieve, Inc.)
In a 2005 study, 70% of 300 surveyed college instructors felt that students were unprepared to understand college level reading and comprehending complex materials. (Achieve, Inc.)
The 2009 SAT results revealed that students who had four or more years of English and Language Arts study scored over 100 points more in Critical Reading, Writing and Mathematics sections than students who had one year or less training. (The CollegeBoard)
In 2008, California reported that only one-third of students who graduated from California public schools were prepared to go to a 4-year college. (The Center for Future of Teaching and Learning)
Reading frequency declines after age eight – and boys are more likely to be low frequency readers than girls. (2008 Kids & Family Reading Report)
Parents are key reading role models. High frequency reading parents are six times more likely to have high frequency reading kids. (2008 Kids & Family Reading Report)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT HAPPENS IF KIDS DON'T LEARN TO READ AND READ WELL:
The Coalition for Juvenile Justice (2001) reports that 82 percent of prison inmates are high school dropouts, and a very high proportion of them cannot read. (Adolescent Literacy: A National Reading Crisis)
More than one third of all juvenile offenders read below the fourth-grade level. (Adolescent Literacy: A National Reading Crisis)
Every school day in America, 3,000 students drop out -- the majority of them are poor readers. Students with below grade level reading skills are twice as likely to drop out of school as those who can read on or above grade level. (Adolescent Literacy: A National Reading Crisis)
About one-third of all first-year college students took a remedial course in reading or math in 2007-2008. Students taking remedial reading classes in college had only a 17 percent chance of graduating, according to 2004 DOE data. (Alliance for Excellent Education)
Forecasts that by 2018, 63 percent of all jobs will require at least some postsecondary education. Employers will need 22 million new workers with postsecondary degrees -- and the report shows that we will fall short by three million workers without a dramatic change in course. This translates into a deficit of 300,000 college graduates every year between now and 2018. (Georgetown University, Center on Education and the Workforce)
Forecasters have predicted that if static literacy levels continue, then by 2030 the entire Literacy Level distribution of the U.S. population will have decreased, creating an American workforce that is unequipped and unskilled to work in the demanding global market. (Educational Testing Service)
In 2008, the California State University System, the largest university system in the country, recorded that more than 60% of its incoming freshmen student's required remedial coursework in English. (The Center for Future of Teaching and Learning.)
It was estimated that a single state's employers will have to pay almost $40 million a year to provide remedial training in reading, writing, and mathematics to its employees if the current trends in secondary school preparation continue. (Achieve, Inc. 2004)
The United States placed 16th out of 21 OECD (Organization of Economic Co-Operation and Development) countries surveyed for high school graduation rates. (Educational Testing Service 2007)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN KIDS WHO CANNOT READ BECOME ADULTS WHO CANNOT READ
Among adults at the lowest level of literacy proficiency, 43% live in poverty. Among adults with strong literacy skills, only 4% live in poverty. (First Book)
Low literacy costs $73 billion per year in terms of direct health care costs. This is equal to the amount Medicare pays for physician services, dental services, home health care, drugs, and nursing home care combined. (The National Center for Family Literacy)
One in every 100 U.S. adults 16 and older is in prison or jail in America (about 2.3 million in 2006). About 43 percent do not have a high school diploma or equivalent and 56 percent have very low literacy skills. (The National Center for Family Literacy)
If the male graduation rate were increased by only 5 percent, the nation would see an annual savings of $4.9 billion in crime-related costs. (Alliance for Excellent Education)
The average annual income for a high school dropout in 2005 was $17,299, compared to $26,933 for a high school graduate, a difference of $9,634. (Alliance for Excellent Education)
If the students who dropped out of the Class of 2009 had graduated, the nation's economy would have benefited from nearly $335 billion in additional income over the course of their lifetimes. (Alliance for Excellent Education)
Unless major efforts are made to improve education attainment of US citizens, personal income will decline over the next 15 years -- by 2022. (Educational Testing Service)
There is a distinct correlation between the Literacy Levels (1-5, 5 being the highest literacy level) and participation in the workforce. While only 49% of Level 1 adults report being active in the workforce, in comparison 77% of adults in Level 3 and 91% of adults in Level 5 are participating in the workforce. (2005) (Educational Testing Service)
It is suggested that adults that place amongst the lower literacy levels are not only less-skilled for the changing employment environment, but are given less opportunities to engage in programs to acquire requisite skills and job training. (Educational Testing Service)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT A DIFFERENCE READING MAKES
Children who grow up in homes where books are plentiful go further in school than those who don't. Children with low-education families can do as well as children with high-education families if they have access to books at home. (Family scholarly culture and educational success: Books and schooling in 27 nations 2010)
When children are provided with 10 to 20 self-selected children's books at the end of the regular school year, as many as 50 percent not only maintain their skills, but actually make reading gains. (Bridging the Summer Reading Gap, by Anne McGill-Franzen and Richard Allington)
Children living in poverty, on the whole, have a greater summer learning loss than do children from affluent families, and those students living in poverty who did have gains over the summer, had smaller gains than their peers whose families had higher incomes. (McGill-Franzen and Allington)
Ensuring that books are available to any child at any time of the year will be a good first step in enhancing the reading achievement of low-income students and an absolutely necessary step in closing the reading achievement gap. (Ameliorating summer reading setback among economically disadvantaged elementary students, Richard Allington, April 2007)
Students who read widely and frequently are higher achievers than students who read rarely and narrowly. (Scholastic: Classroom Libraries Work!)
Children learn an average of 4,000 to 12,000 new words each year as a result of book reading. (Scholastic: Classroom Libraries Work!)
Research has found a relation between the amount of time that children read for fun on their own and reading achievement. (Handbook of Research on Teaching the English Language Arts)
Children in classrooms without literature collections read 50% less than children in classrooms with such collections. (International Reading Association)
Studies have proven that increased family engagement in educational programs is linked with increases in child reading achievement and other academic successes (such as high school graduation rates.) (Pre-K Now)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THE GLOBE
In 2006, UNESCO reported that there are still 132 million young people worldwide that are unable to communicate in a written language. (UNESCO)
According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, there is an estimated 774 million illiterate adults in the world, in which 64% are women. (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
From 2001 to 2006, 8 countries have recorded an increase in their average reading literacy scores, 6 reported decreases. And the U.S. and other remaining countries reported no change. (National Center for Education Statistics)
Around the world, 775 million adults are illiterate. (UNESCO)
Only one-third of all students entering high school are proficient in reading -- only about 15 percent of African American students, and 17 percent of Hispanic students. (NAEP Reading_2009)
Two thirds of eighth graders do not read at the "proficient" level. (NAEP Reading_2009)
There is a significant economic reading gap for students: only 16 percent of students eligible for "free or reduced lunch" programs are proficient in reading, compared to 42 percent who are not eligible. (NAEP Reading_2009)
Boys lag behind girls in reading proficiency in all 50 states -- in some states by as many as 10 percentage points. (Center for Education Policy)
Between 1971 and 2004, the NAEP scores of 12th-graders showed no improvement. Further, the 2005 scores of 12th-graders were generally lower than their counterparts in 1992. (Alliance for Excellent Education)
Only 31 percent of college graduates have high level literacy skills. (2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy, cited by The New York Times)
47% of students who took the ACTs in 2009 did not meet the ACT College Readiness for the Reading section of the ACT Benchmark. (the ACT)
A study conducted in 2005 revealed that 33% of non-college students and 29% of college students who participated in the study felt inadequately prepared for reading and understanding complicated materials. (Achieve, Inc.)
In a 2005 study, 70% of 300 surveyed college instructors felt that students were unprepared to understand college level reading and comprehending complex materials. (Achieve, Inc.)
The 2009 SAT results revealed that students who had four or more years of English and Language Arts study scored over 100 points more in Critical Reading, Writing and Mathematics sections than students who had one year or less training. (The CollegeBoard)
In 2008, California reported that only one-third of students who graduated from California public schools were prepared to go to a 4-year college. (The Center for Future of Teaching and Learning)
Reading frequency declines after age eight – and boys are more likely to be low frequency readers than girls. (2008 Kids & Family Reading Report)
Parents are key reading role models. High frequency reading parents are six times more likely to have high frequency reading kids. (2008 Kids & Family Reading Report)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT HAPPENS IF KIDS DON'T LEARN TO READ AND READ WELL:
The Coalition for Juvenile Justice (2001) reports that 82 percent of prison inmates are high school dropouts, and a very high proportion of them cannot read. (Adolescent Literacy: A National Reading Crisis)
More than one third of all juvenile offenders read below the fourth-grade level. (Adolescent Literacy: A National Reading Crisis)
Every school day in America, 3,000 students drop out -- the majority of them are poor readers. Students with below grade level reading skills are twice as likely to drop out of school as those who can read on or above grade level. (Adolescent Literacy: A National Reading Crisis)
About one-third of all first-year college students took a remedial course in reading or math in 2007-2008. Students taking remedial reading classes in college had only a 17 percent chance of graduating, according to 2004 DOE data. (Alliance for Excellent Education)
Forecasts that by 2018, 63 percent of all jobs will require at least some postsecondary education. Employers will need 22 million new workers with postsecondary degrees -- and the report shows that we will fall short by three million workers without a dramatic change in course. This translates into a deficit of 300,000 college graduates every year between now and 2018. (Georgetown University, Center on Education and the Workforce)
Forecasters have predicted that if static literacy levels continue, then by 2030 the entire Literacy Level distribution of the U.S. population will have decreased, creating an American workforce that is unequipped and unskilled to work in the demanding global market. (Educational Testing Service)
In 2008, the California State University System, the largest university system in the country, recorded that more than 60% of its incoming freshmen student's required remedial coursework in English. (The Center for Future of Teaching and Learning.)
It was estimated that a single state's employers will have to pay almost $40 million a year to provide remedial training in reading, writing, and mathematics to its employees if the current trends in secondary school preparation continue. (Achieve, Inc. 2004)
The United States placed 16th out of 21 OECD (Organization of Economic Co-Operation and Development) countries surveyed for high school graduation rates. (Educational Testing Service 2007)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN KIDS WHO CANNOT READ BECOME ADULTS WHO CANNOT READ
Among adults at the lowest level of literacy proficiency, 43% live in poverty. Among adults with strong literacy skills, only 4% live in poverty. (First Book)
Low literacy costs $73 billion per year in terms of direct health care costs. This is equal to the amount Medicare pays for physician services, dental services, home health care, drugs, and nursing home care combined. (The National Center for Family Literacy)
One in every 100 U.S. adults 16 and older is in prison or jail in America (about 2.3 million in 2006). About 43 percent do not have a high school diploma or equivalent and 56 percent have very low literacy skills. (The National Center for Family Literacy)
If the male graduation rate were increased by only 5 percent, the nation would see an annual savings of $4.9 billion in crime-related costs. (Alliance for Excellent Education)
The average annual income for a high school dropout in 2005 was $17,299, compared to $26,933 for a high school graduate, a difference of $9,634. (Alliance for Excellent Education)
If the students who dropped out of the Class of 2009 had graduated, the nation's economy would have benefited from nearly $335 billion in additional income over the course of their lifetimes. (Alliance for Excellent Education)
Unless major efforts are made to improve education attainment of US citizens, personal income will decline over the next 15 years -- by 2022. (Educational Testing Service)
There is a distinct correlation between the Literacy Levels (1-5, 5 being the highest literacy level) and participation in the workforce. While only 49% of Level 1 adults report being active in the workforce, in comparison 77% of adults in Level 3 and 91% of adults in Level 5 are participating in the workforce. (2005) (Educational Testing Service)
It is suggested that adults that place amongst the lower literacy levels are not only less-skilled for the changing employment environment, but are given less opportunities to engage in programs to acquire requisite skills and job training. (Educational Testing Service)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT A DIFFERENCE READING MAKES
Children who grow up in homes where books are plentiful go further in school than those who don't. Children with low-education families can do as well as children with high-education families if they have access to books at home. (Family scholarly culture and educational success: Books and schooling in 27 nations 2010)
When children are provided with 10 to 20 self-selected children's books at the end of the regular school year, as many as 50 percent not only maintain their skills, but actually make reading gains. (Bridging the Summer Reading Gap, by Anne McGill-Franzen and Richard Allington)
Children living in poverty, on the whole, have a greater summer learning loss than do children from affluent families, and those students living in poverty who did have gains over the summer, had smaller gains than their peers whose families had higher incomes. (McGill-Franzen and Allington)
Ensuring that books are available to any child at any time of the year will be a good first step in enhancing the reading achievement of low-income students and an absolutely necessary step in closing the reading achievement gap. (Ameliorating summer reading setback among economically disadvantaged elementary students, Richard Allington, April 2007)
Students who read widely and frequently are higher achievers than students who read rarely and narrowly. (Scholastic: Classroom Libraries Work!)
Children learn an average of 4,000 to 12,000 new words each year as a result of book reading. (Scholastic: Classroom Libraries Work!)
Research has found a relation between the amount of time that children read for fun on their own and reading achievement. (Handbook of Research on Teaching the English Language Arts)
Children in classrooms without literature collections read 50% less than children in classrooms with such collections. (International Reading Association)
Studies have proven that increased family engagement in educational programs is linked with increases in child reading achievement and other academic successes (such as high school graduation rates.) (Pre-K Now)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THE GLOBE
In 2006, UNESCO reported that there are still 132 million young people worldwide that are unable to communicate in a written language. (UNESCO)
According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, there is an estimated 774 million illiterate adults in the world, in which 64% are women. (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
From 2001 to 2006, 8 countries have recorded an increase in their average reading literacy scores, 6 reported decreases. And the U.S. and other remaining countries reported no change. (National Center for Education Statistics)
Around the world, 775 million adults are illiterate. (UNESCO)
The 411: Allie Magnuson: Teach ABCs With Ease: Lists for Te...
The 411: Allie Magnuson: Teach ABCs With Ease: Lists for Te...: "Allie Magnuson: Teach ABCs With Ease: Lists for Teaching the Alphabet Classroom Solutions Great resource for teaching alphabet sounds. She h..."
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Playing House: 10 Fun Learning Games Using Plastic Eggs
Love these ideas! I will be adding this blog to my lists of places I return to often.
Playing House: 10 Fun Learning Games Using Plastic Eggs: "Here are some egg-celent learning games to play with your child!! Hide-n-seek puzzlesWe used this game for our letter E activities a few we..."
Playing House: 10 Fun Learning Games Using Plastic Eggs: "Here are some egg-celent learning games to play with your child!! Hide-n-seek puzzlesWe used this game for our letter E activities a few we..."
Monday, March 21, 2011
The 411: How To Make Duck Soup
The 411: How To Make Duck Soup: "This was the book we used for our Friendship Feast in late February. The children loved this story and we highly recommend it! I..."
Sunday, March 20, 2011
The Wash Hands Song with Danielle Howle
The Wash Hands Song with Danielle Howle
Learn the Wash Hands Song with Danielle Howle
Thought this was great! http://www.knowitall.org/instantreplay/content/video.cfm?ProgramIDpassed=939&SeriesIDpassed=171&offset=0 I want to give credit where credit is due so there is the link where I found this awesome little video on washing hands. We will be using this in our classroom!
Learn the Wash Hands Song with Danielle Howle
Thought this was great! http://www.knowitall.org/instantreplay/content/video.cfm?ProgramIDpassed=939&SeriesIDpassed=171&offset=0 I want to give credit where credit is due so there is the link where I found this awesome little video on washing hands. We will be using this in our classroom!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Preschool Teachers Talk
Recipes for Playdough :: PreschoolTeachersTalk.com
Recipes for Playdough :: PreschoolTeachersTalk.com: "Recipes"
Lots of great recipes for different kinds of playdough including KoolAid playdough, birdseed playdough, oatmeal playdough and much more. Enjoy! Go to their site for lots more. All of these recipes are from their site and I give them full credit for each recipe.
GLUTEN-FREE PLAYDOUGH
* 1/2 cup rice flour* 1/2 cup corn starch* 1/2 cup salt* 2 tsp cream of tarter* 1 cup water* 1 tsp cooking oil* Food coloring, if desired
Preparation:Mix ingredients. Cook and stir on low heat for 3 minutes or until mixture forms a ball. Cool completely before storing in a sealable plastic bag.
JELLO PLAYDOUGH
Jello to color,add texture and fragrance
1 cup of flour1/2 cup of salt2 tablespoons of cream of tartar2 tablespoons of vegetable oil1 cup of warm water Three ounces of jello – any flavor you wish
Directions:Combine ingredients and cook over medium heat until it thickens. Knead until cool enough to touch
CLOUD PLAYDOUGH
Ingredients:1 cup salad oil6 cups flour1 cup waterfood coloring or tempera
Use just enough water to bind mixture. Knead. Cloud dough is soft, pliable and oily, but provides an unusual tactile experience.
COTTON BALL PLAYDOUGH
Ingredients:1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Water
1 Bag Cotton balls
Mix flour & water together to make a paste. Roll cotton balls in paste & carefully lift out, allowing excess to drop off. Form into desired shapes on a baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour at 325 degrees. Can be painted when cool.
PAPER PLAYDOUGH
Ingredients:2 cups salt2 cups flour2 cups absorbent paper shredded (kleenex)1 teaspoon oil of cloves
PLAYDOUGH that looks like MUD
Ingredients:
3 cups water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups salt
Bring water and oil to a boil then stir in the remainder of the ingredients. After dough is formed knead until smooth then add brown tempera paint (either dry or liquid) and 2 or 3 Tablespoons of coffee grounds. It really looks like dirt!
SOAP PLAYDOUGH
Ingredients:1 cup Ivory Snow laundry detergent2 cups warm waterfood coloring
Add food coloring to water then add to laundry detergent. Mix with electric beater until fluffy. Use just like play dough.
MOON SAND
6 cups of play sand or colored sand
3 cups of cornstarch
1 1/2 cups of cold water
Step one: Mix the water and cornstarch together thoroughly, this will take a few minutes to get it nice and smooth.
Step two: Gradually mix in the sand, one cup at a time. You’ll need to really work it in with your fingers.
Step three: Play with it!
Step four: When you’re all done, pop it in an airtight container.
Step five: When you next play with it, you’ll need to revive it with 2-3 tablespoons of water. Just sprinkle it over and work it in.
GAK
Materials:* Elmer’s Glue® (8 oz bottle of Elmer’s Glue-All)* Borax (a powdered soap found in the grocery store)* Large mixing bowl* Plastic cup (8 oz size works well)* Spoon* Measuring cup* Food coloring (the spice of life)* Water* Paper towel (hey, you’ve got to clean up!)* Zipper-lock bag (don’t you want to keep it when you’re done?)* Empty plastic soda bottle with cap* Water
Here’s the easiest way to make a big batch Elmer’s Slime. The measurements do not have to be exact but it’s a good idea to start with the proportions below for the first batch. Just vary the quantities of each ingredient to get a new and interesting batch of goo.
1. This recipe is based on using a brand new 8 ounce bottle of Elmer’s Glue. Empty the entire bottle of glue into a mixing bowl. Fill the empty bottle with warm water and shake (okay, put the lid on first and then shake). Pour the glue-water mixture into the mixing bowl and use the spoon to mix well.2. Go ahead… add a drop or two of food coloring.3. Measure 1/2 cup of warm water into the plastic cup and add a teaspoon of Borax powder to the water. Stir the solution – don’t worry if all of the powder dissolves. This Borax solution is the secret linking agent that causes the Elmer’s Glue molecules to turn into slime.4. While stirring the glue in the mixing bowl, slowly add a little of the Borax solution. Immediately you’ll feel the long strands of molecules starting to connect. It’s time to abandon the spoon and use your hands to do the serious mixing. Keep adding the Borax solution to the glue mixture (don’t stop mixing) until you get a perfect batch of Elmer’s slime. You might like your slime more stringy while others like firm slime. Hey, you’re the head slime mixologist – do it your way!5. When you’re finished playing with your Elmer’s slime, seal it up in a zipper-lock bag for safe keeping.
Recipe from Steve Spangler
SILLY PUTTY
Ingredients:
2 cups white glue1 cup liquid starch
Directions:Mix together with hands. Keep kneading until it forms a silly putty ball. Will take a few minutes of kneeding before the wetness goes away.
If it is wet and starch is not bonding, add more glue. If it is sticky, add more starch. Keep kneading until it forms a silly putty ball.
Store in an air tight container in refrigerator.
OOBLECK
What is Oobleck?
Oobleck is a type of non-Newtonian fluid. Most fluids we know of are considered as Newtonian fluids, but non-Newtonian fluids are a strange and perplexing group of fluids. When a force (ex. poking, rolling, stirring) is applied to a non-Newtonian fluid, the viscosity (resistance to flow) of the fluid increases. In simple terms, any force you exert on a non-Newtonian fluid will make the fluid behave more like a solid. The more force you exert, the harder the fluid becomes. Strange but true! Other types of non-Newtonian fluids include quicksand, ketchup, and blood.
Ingredients:* 2 cups cornstarch* 3 drops food coloring (if desired)* 1 cup water
Directions:1. Mix ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. (Add water slowly as it may not need entire cup!).
Mix together and enjoy!
Lots of great recipes for different kinds of playdough including KoolAid playdough, birdseed playdough, oatmeal playdough and much more. Enjoy! Go to their site for lots more. All of these recipes are from their site and I give them full credit for each recipe.
GLUTEN-FREE PLAYDOUGH
* 1/2 cup rice flour* 1/2 cup corn starch* 1/2 cup salt* 2 tsp cream of tarter* 1 cup water* 1 tsp cooking oil* Food coloring, if desired
Preparation:Mix ingredients. Cook and stir on low heat for 3 minutes or until mixture forms a ball. Cool completely before storing in a sealable plastic bag.
JELLO PLAYDOUGH
Jello to color,add texture and fragrance
1 cup of flour1/2 cup of salt2 tablespoons of cream of tartar2 tablespoons of vegetable oil1 cup of warm water Three ounces of jello – any flavor you wish
Directions:Combine ingredients and cook over medium heat until it thickens. Knead until cool enough to touch
CLOUD PLAYDOUGH
Ingredients:1 cup salad oil6 cups flour1 cup waterfood coloring or tempera
Use just enough water to bind mixture. Knead. Cloud dough is soft, pliable and oily, but provides an unusual tactile experience.
COTTON BALL PLAYDOUGH
Ingredients:1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Water
1 Bag Cotton balls
Mix flour & water together to make a paste. Roll cotton balls in paste & carefully lift out, allowing excess to drop off. Form into desired shapes on a baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour at 325 degrees. Can be painted when cool.
PAPER PLAYDOUGH
Ingredients:2 cups salt2 cups flour2 cups absorbent paper shredded (kleenex)1 teaspoon oil of cloves
PLAYDOUGH that looks like MUD
Ingredients:
3 cups water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups salt
Bring water and oil to a boil then stir in the remainder of the ingredients. After dough is formed knead until smooth then add brown tempera paint (either dry or liquid) and 2 or 3 Tablespoons of coffee grounds. It really looks like dirt!
SOAP PLAYDOUGH
Ingredients:1 cup Ivory Snow laundry detergent2 cups warm waterfood coloring
Add food coloring to water then add to laundry detergent. Mix with electric beater until fluffy. Use just like play dough.
MOON SAND
6 cups of play sand or colored sand
3 cups of cornstarch
1 1/2 cups of cold water
Step one: Mix the water and cornstarch together thoroughly, this will take a few minutes to get it nice and smooth.
Step two: Gradually mix in the sand, one cup at a time. You’ll need to really work it in with your fingers.
Step three: Play with it!
Step four: When you’re all done, pop it in an airtight container.
Step five: When you next play with it, you’ll need to revive it with 2-3 tablespoons of water. Just sprinkle it over and work it in.
GAK
Materials:* Elmer’s Glue® (8 oz bottle of Elmer’s Glue-All)* Borax (a powdered soap found in the grocery store)* Large mixing bowl* Plastic cup (8 oz size works well)* Spoon* Measuring cup* Food coloring (the spice of life)* Water* Paper towel (hey, you’ve got to clean up!)* Zipper-lock bag (don’t you want to keep it when you’re done?)* Empty plastic soda bottle with cap* Water
Here’s the easiest way to make a big batch Elmer’s Slime. The measurements do not have to be exact but it’s a good idea to start with the proportions below for the first batch. Just vary the quantities of each ingredient to get a new and interesting batch of goo.
1. This recipe is based on using a brand new 8 ounce bottle of Elmer’s Glue. Empty the entire bottle of glue into a mixing bowl. Fill the empty bottle with warm water and shake (okay, put the lid on first and then shake). Pour the glue-water mixture into the mixing bowl and use the spoon to mix well.2. Go ahead… add a drop or two of food coloring.3. Measure 1/2 cup of warm water into the plastic cup and add a teaspoon of Borax powder to the water. Stir the solution – don’t worry if all of the powder dissolves. This Borax solution is the secret linking agent that causes the Elmer’s Glue molecules to turn into slime.4. While stirring the glue in the mixing bowl, slowly add a little of the Borax solution. Immediately you’ll feel the long strands of molecules starting to connect. It’s time to abandon the spoon and use your hands to do the serious mixing. Keep adding the Borax solution to the glue mixture (don’t stop mixing) until you get a perfect batch of Elmer’s slime. You might like your slime more stringy while others like firm slime. Hey, you’re the head slime mixologist – do it your way!5. When you’re finished playing with your Elmer’s slime, seal it up in a zipper-lock bag for safe keeping.
Recipe from Steve Spangler
SILLY PUTTY
Ingredients:
2 cups white glue1 cup liquid starch
Directions:Mix together with hands. Keep kneading until it forms a silly putty ball. Will take a few minutes of kneeding before the wetness goes away.
If it is wet and starch is not bonding, add more glue. If it is sticky, add more starch. Keep kneading until it forms a silly putty ball.
Store in an air tight container in refrigerator.
OOBLECK
What is Oobleck?
Oobleck is a type of non-Newtonian fluid. Most fluids we know of are considered as Newtonian fluids, but non-Newtonian fluids are a strange and perplexing group of fluids. When a force (ex. poking, rolling, stirring) is applied to a non-Newtonian fluid, the viscosity (resistance to flow) of the fluid increases. In simple terms, any force you exert on a non-Newtonian fluid will make the fluid behave more like a solid. The more force you exert, the harder the fluid becomes. Strange but true! Other types of non-Newtonian fluids include quicksand, ketchup, and blood.
Ingredients:* 2 cups cornstarch* 3 drops food coloring (if desired)* 1 cup water
Directions:1. Mix ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. (Add water slowly as it may not need entire cup!).
Mix together and enjoy!
Friday, March 18, 2011
Mamapedia 5% automatically goes to our school!
https://deals.mamapedia.com/national?ref_id=244949
Sign up at Mamapedia and get great savings on child centered products. Even better, when you purchase something from Mamapedia 5% of the purchase goes directly to United Services when you use the code 7LT2 or just look up United Services under schools. It is easy and free and supports your child's school. Today I am ordering 2 years worth of Family Fun Magazine for $5 (I have a credit on Mampedia) and $1 will go to United Services. I use a lot of ideas from Family Fun Magazine in the classroom. I have bought several things from Mamapedia for the classroom. My sister (she has twin 16 month old boys and a 4 year old girl) sent me a link to this and I have loved it. I thought I would pass it on as an easy fund raiser for the school and as a way to enhance your child's education at home. Many of the Mamapedia deals are for educational products for children and support small businesses with innovative ideas for children and families. I encourage you to check it out. I have also found some really unique gift ideas for my niece and nephews off this site. Most of the items are at least 50 to 70% off which is great for my budget too. Thanks for taking the time to look at this as a way to support our school financially and your child's education. Enjoy!
Sign up at Mamapedia and get great savings on child centered products. Even better, when you purchase something from Mamapedia 5% of the purchase goes directly to United Services when you use the code 7LT2 or just look up United Services under schools. It is easy and free and supports your child's school. Today I am ordering 2 years worth of Family Fun Magazine for $5 (I have a credit on Mampedia) and $1 will go to United Services. I use a lot of ideas from Family Fun Magazine in the classroom. I have bought several things from Mamapedia for the classroom. My sister (she has twin 16 month old boys and a 4 year old girl) sent me a link to this and I have loved it. I thought I would pass it on as an easy fund raiser for the school and as a way to enhance your child's education at home. Many of the Mamapedia deals are for educational products for children and support small businesses with innovative ideas for children and families. I encourage you to check it out. I have also found some really unique gift ideas for my niece and nephews off this site. Most of the items are at least 50 to 70% off which is great for my budget too. Thanks for taking the time to look at this as a way to support our school financially and your child's education. Enjoy!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Researchers Find Early Childhood Education Program Yields High Economic Returns
Researchers Find Early Childhood Education Program Yields High Economic Returns
More proof that what we do makes a significant and profound impact on our children, families and communities. A short "must read" article.
More proof that what we do makes a significant and profound impact on our children, families and communities. A short "must read" article.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
US Room 407: Igloo's and a snowman with a pot on his head
 |
| Hit the link to go to their blog to see the full post and all of the pictures! |
US Room 407: Igloo's and a snowman with a pot on his head: "After a false spring (we really did love the 60 and 70 degree weather!) winter came back. Did we get sad? NO. Did we pout..."
The 411: The blue tornado experiment and video
The 411: The blue tornado experiment and video: "Ms. Sarah found a way to make a tornado by using milk (which we added a few drops of blue food coloring to for this video) and water. ..."
The 411: The Amazing Milk Magic Trick
Hit the link below to go to the blog to see how to do this science experiment and to see all of the pictures.
The 411: The Amazing Milk Magic Trick: "Today we did a really cool milk experiment. We video taped it so you could do it at home with your child. It is simple and so mu..."
Blog post from NIEER
Selling our Children’s Birthright
Posted: 04 Mar 2011 10:33 AM PST
Is Anybody Listening to Ben, David and Paul?
Anyone interested in our children’s future — and thus that of our nation — should be alarmed at the news coming from state houses and Capitol Hill these days. From Georgia to Iowa to Texas, governors are proposing to cut early childhood education in their efforts to reduce spending and the U.S. House of Representatives has proposed massive cuts to Head Start and education that will no doubt affect many young children and their families. Like Esau who sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew, these political leaders are choosing a small immediate gratification over much larger future rewards, thereby sacrificing our children’s future. Previously I have written in this space why, when it comes to education, austerity is a false cure for what ails our economy. In recent days, three of the most respected minds in the nation have also sounded their concern over looming cuts to education.
This week, Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke urged state and local leaders not to short-change education as they address fiscal problems and zeroed in specifically on early childhood education. “Research increasingly has shown the benefits of early childhood education and efforts to promote the lifelong acquisition of skills for both individuals and the economy as a whole,” he said.
In recent days two of the nation’s preeminent columnists (from opposite sides of the political spectrum) added their voices to the call to spare education from the meat axe approach many politicians are taking to spending. David Brooks, the conservative columnist at The New York Times, said what many politicians have been unwilling to: “Trim from the old to invest in the young. We should adjust pension promises and reduce the amount of money spent on health care during the last months of life so we can preserve programs for those who are growing and learning the most. Brooks described governors’ cuts to education as “thoughtless and destructive” and said Republicans in Congress are excusing the elderly while imposing budget cuts that would send early childhood programs off a cliff.
Nobel laureate Paul Krugman sounded a similar message in his recent New York Times column titled “Leaving Children Behind.” He zeroed in on Texas where Governor Rick Perry has proposed cuts that would deny an estimated 100,000 at-risk kids access to state pre-K. Krugman points to the abysmal 61.5 percent high school graduation rate in Texas and asks, “What’s supposed to happen when today’s neglected children become tomorrow’s work force?”
I do not for a minute downplay the severity of the fiscal crisis confronting the nation. It is severe. However, it must be addressed in a way that preserves the prospect of our future prosperity.—and that means investing in early childhood education. Doing so requires brand of leadership that seems in short supply these days. During the dark days of 1776, Thomas Paine, the author of Common Sense saw the need to pen another pamphlet to encourage the populace to do the right thing in the face of dire threats to the republic. It was titled The American Crisis and in it, Paine wrote that it is surprising to see how rapidly a panic will sometimes run through a country. Yet, he said, panics are capable of producing “as much good as hurt” because “the mind soon grows through them and acquires a firmer habit than before.” Let’s make sure that habit includes putting productive investments in children’s early education at the top of our list of priorities.
Steve Barnett,
Co-director, NIEER
Posted: 04 Mar 2011 10:33 AM PST
Is Anybody Listening to Ben, David and Paul?
Anyone interested in our children’s future — and thus that of our nation — should be alarmed at the news coming from state houses and Capitol Hill these days. From Georgia to Iowa to Texas, governors are proposing to cut early childhood education in their efforts to reduce spending and the U.S. House of Representatives has proposed massive cuts to Head Start and education that will no doubt affect many young children and their families. Like Esau who sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew, these political leaders are choosing a small immediate gratification over much larger future rewards, thereby sacrificing our children’s future. Previously I have written in this space why, when it comes to education, austerity is a false cure for what ails our economy. In recent days, three of the most respected minds in the nation have also sounded their concern over looming cuts to education.
This week, Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke urged state and local leaders not to short-change education as they address fiscal problems and zeroed in specifically on early childhood education. “Research increasingly has shown the benefits of early childhood education and efforts to promote the lifelong acquisition of skills for both individuals and the economy as a whole,” he said.
In recent days two of the nation’s preeminent columnists (from opposite sides of the political spectrum) added their voices to the call to spare education from the meat axe approach many politicians are taking to spending. David Brooks, the conservative columnist at The New York Times, said what many politicians have been unwilling to: “Trim from the old to invest in the young. We should adjust pension promises and reduce the amount of money spent on health care during the last months of life so we can preserve programs for those who are growing and learning the most. Brooks described governors’ cuts to education as “thoughtless and destructive” and said Republicans in Congress are excusing the elderly while imposing budget cuts that would send early childhood programs off a cliff.
Nobel laureate Paul Krugman sounded a similar message in his recent New York Times column titled “Leaving Children Behind.” He zeroed in on Texas where Governor Rick Perry has proposed cuts that would deny an estimated 100,000 at-risk kids access to state pre-K. Krugman points to the abysmal 61.5 percent high school graduation rate in Texas and asks, “What’s supposed to happen when today’s neglected children become tomorrow’s work force?”
I do not for a minute downplay the severity of the fiscal crisis confronting the nation. It is severe. However, it must be addressed in a way that preserves the prospect of our future prosperity.—and that means investing in early childhood education. Doing so requires brand of leadership that seems in short supply these days. During the dark days of 1776, Thomas Paine, the author of Common Sense saw the need to pen another pamphlet to encourage the populace to do the right thing in the face of dire threats to the republic. It was titled The American Crisis and in it, Paine wrote that it is surprising to see how rapidly a panic will sometimes run through a country. Yet, he said, panics are capable of producing “as much good as hurt” because “the mind soon grows through them and acquires a firmer habit than before.” Let’s make sure that habit includes putting productive investments in children’s early education at the top of our list of priorities.
Steve Barnett,
Co-director, NIEER
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