[momfirst]

Can you share book/correlating activity that you do the first week or two please??? I know lots of folks read and use Chrysanthemum and then do a graphing/name activity - I am looking for other similar ideas related to getting to know you and building community.
Thanks!
Leslie

[luv2tchkids2]

We make flowers after reading/discussing the story. Everyone cuts out a yellow circle and writes their name with their favorite color crayon on it. Then they make red petals. Each petal represents one letter in their name...(for example, Madison would have 7 petals) The stem represents the number of syllables in their name. (Use craft sticks for the stem) For leaves, use the number of vowels in their name. To finish off the project, I have them glue it to blue construction paper and add grass. We hang these in the hall as well as an All About Me writing where they write/describe themselves and make a picture of themselves to go with it.

[Green1]

What a clever idea - using their name details to create the flowers.
Just a clarification question - how does the stem represent the syllables in their names?
TIA

[dusty may]

I read "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" and then assign partners to students and we make a class book "Room 212, Room 212, What..." The students draw a pic of their partner and fill out "__________, _______________, who do you see? I see ___________ looking at me." (Ex: "Matt, Matt, who do you see? I see Molly looking at me.") I take everyone's picture and put them on the page with the drawing. I display it on Open House night and it stays in our classroom library all year. It is fun to look at at the end of the year and see how big the kids have gotten!

[rachg8r]

I read a story called "Don't Eat the Teacher". I use it has a lead in to talking about classroom rules. I have also made a bulletin board where the students make a shark and they write "Don't eat..." and they finish the sentence. I hang their sharks around a picture of myself that says "Don't eat Mrs. Fox". The kids really liked it.

[iteach1983]

Those are some cute ideas... I just joined PT recently and am sort of addicted! I've gotten a lot of ideas from everyone.. as a first year teacher- I need all the help I can get!! Thanks so much!

[luv2tchkids2]

You use one craft stick per syllable. For example, Madison would have 3 craft sticks for her name, but Zach would only use one craft stick. I hope I answered your question.

[lpete12884]

The Kissing Hand is a cute book to use the first week of school. I have read the book to the children and then had them trace their hand on fun foam and put a fun foam heart in the center of their hand. I add a clip type clothes pin and magnetic tape on the back. I then had these sitting on the student's desks on parent night. The hand can be put on the frig at home to hold children's papers. The children will need some help with the hand or you could use hands already made.

[teachfirstfun]

I use this book the first week of school. The students make a torn paper tree on a piece of white 9x11 construction paper. I then give them sticky dots ~ garage sale labels ~ to write the letters of their name on. Joseph, for example, would get 6 dots. They can put these anywhere on their tree. It makes a cute hallway bulletin board, and allows everyone to see what a range of abilities I have in my room from the very beginning. I put yellow paper on the board and use black border with brightly colored polka dots. I use the dot letters to write the caption. I have also make a large palm tree to put at one end of the board (since one package of border doesn't cover the entire board).

[momfirst]

I know someone who made a time capsule the first week by placing a paper from each student inside a box along with a picture I think and they brought it out the last day of school to show growth. Neat idea-

[Green1]

for clarifying that - now it makes sense.
Enjoy the rest of your summer:0)