Holidays Around the World Plans 2018


This year is EXCITING because I have added 8 new countries!  I have now created a Holidays Around the World Part 3. I had so many requests for certain countries that were not included in Part 1 or Part 2. Ask and ye shall receive (but I really wanted the variety for my classroom as well)!




This bundle has 20 countries included
Countries and their corresponding holidays included are: 
  • Netherlands- Feast of Sinterklaas (Clog Craft)
  • Israel- Hanukkah (Dreidel Game)
  • Italy- Day of Epiphany (Broom Craft and Poem)
  • Mexico- Las Posadas (Poinsettia Craft)
  • England- Christmas (Stocking Crafts and Card Writing)
  • Germany- Christmas (Gingerbread Man Craft and Writing)
  • Australia- Christmas (Koala Craft and Writing)
  • Sweden- St. Lucia's Day (Candle Craft)
  • America- Kwanzaa (Bead Bracelet)
  • France- Christmas (Game)
  • Greenland- Christmas (Santa Craft and Letter)
  • India- Diwali (Lamp Craft and Writing)
  • Brazil- Christmas (Sandpaper Snowman)
  • South Africa- Christmas (Bead Christmas Tree)
  • China- Chinese New Year (Fireworks Painting)
  • Saudi Arabia- Eid al-Fitr (Lantern)
  • Russia- New Year's (Nesting Doll Craft)
  • Greece- Christmas (Sailboat Craft and Writing) 
  • United Arab Emirates- Ramadan (Moon and Star Craft)
  • America or Canada- Christmas (Christmas Eve Craft, Christmas (Rudolph Craft, Mad Lib, and Writing) *America/Canada is included in each pack





Something else I've wanted to do FOREVER is make informational slides for each countries that I teach about in Holidays Around the World. There is just not much information out there for so many of the countries/holidays. I have taken what I know and what I've researched/read and put the information in slides with graphics.  There are 20 countries included and 4 slides per country (1 slide with the country's flag and 3 slides with information). 


If you buy Holidays Around the World Bundle (1, 2, 3) you get the informational slides FOR FREE as a bonus! (You can also buy it as a stand-alone product)




I know you're spending your own money on this and I want you to make the most informed decision. Because of the updates I've made the past year, I feel like this product has everything we need to teach Holidays Around the World and not get sick of it each year (there are SO many options, guys!).  Want to know more? I've made this video to describe pretty much everything in the pack so you can see exactly what's included. If you purchase the NEW bundle, you get 20 countries instead of 13! 



If you own Holidays Around the World Bundle (Part 1 and 2), but you still want more countries, Part 3 is the stand-alone pack so you can still get 8 more countries!

  • Brazil- Christmas (Sandpaper Snowman)
  • South Africa- Christmas (Bead Christmas Tree)
  • China- Chinese New Year (Fireworks Painting)
  • Saudi Arabia- Eid al-Fitr (Lantern)
  • Russia- New Year's (Nesting Doll Craft)
  • Greece- Christmas (Sailboat Craft and Writing) 
  • United Arab Emirates- Ramadan (Moon and Star Craft)
  • America or Canada- Christmas (Ornament Watercolor) 

********************************************


3 Reasons You Need Robots in the Classroom


This blog post is in partnership with Wonder Workshop. All opinions are my own. 



1. STEM integration made-easy (coding!)
My students are learning the basics of coding by using the Wonder App on our classroom iPad.  The Dash robot from Wonder Workshop is ideal for K-6 classroom (if you're looking for something 6th-12th, try the Cue). They go through the engineering process when coding as well. The iPad app easily pairs with your robot. We learned how to make the robot talk, move, and light up- all in one day! The great thing about Wonder Workshop is that it has resources for educators (videos, curriculum, accessories, etc). They've really thought of everything!

We love watching YouTube videos to learn more:


There is also coding curriculum for Dash that is available to educators when your school purchases the robtos.


2. They are SO engaging and fun!
My students are obsessed with our "class pet" named Dash. We use him during STEM rotations and my students work together on an ipad to do block coding. They figure it out on their own because the app is so user-friendly. My students set a timer on the iPad and trade off after 4 minutes each. They collaborate and problem solve when Dash isn't doing quite what they coded him to do.


It's funny that I'm writing this post because here's what 2 of my students wrote today!




3. There are a variety of extensions, apps, curriculum and resources!

Don't worry, when you get a Dash or Cue Robot in your classroom you won't be left to figure it out on your own! There are so many things available to your students and one of them we love is the Sketch Kit. The Sketch Kit is a new accessory for Dash and Cue robots that enables kids to visualize the results from their code on a large-scale, dry-erase surface. Sketch Kit helps kids sketch out their programs so they can share their creations with friends, teachers, and parents. Sketch Kit allows kids to express their creativity and exercise their critical thinking and spatial reasoning skills as they draw geometric shapes, abstract patterns, animals, words, and more.



I would HIGHLY recommend getting a Dash for your classroom! This was me a few months ago figuring out:

Halloween Activities for Elementary (with lots of freebies)





 This unit integrates Halloween into math, literacy, and art! Differentiated for
 Kinder, 1st, and 2nd grades (with B/W options available).



Over 100 pages including:
Scoop and Sort Place Value
Patterning
Greater/Less
Problem Solving
Graphing
October Battleship
Place Value Game
Bat Writing
Spider Writing
Spelling Game
Q-Tip Skeleton
Paper Plate Spider with Writing
Paper Plate Scarecrow
Hand Print Spider with Poem
Spider Web Chart
Don't Munch the Mummy! (sight word game)
Reading Response Activity
Interactive read-a-loud
Original Poem
Green Witch, Green Witch book 
Student Mini-Book
Class Book
Word Search



*******************




• This writing pack contains two parts – 4 Halloween Writing
Assignments and 5 October themed journal pages.
• Each of the 4 Halloween Writing Assignments have a
brainstorm page
• 3 different differentiated writing pages for
each of the Halloween Writing Assignments. 
• 2 different grading rubrics. 
This unit was originally created for grades 3-6, but I've had teachers of younger grade levels use this and love it too. With my update, I created differentiated writing pages so it can be used will all grade levels K-6.

3-6 example:


K-2 Example:

*******************


Want some free downloads?














This will be a quick, fun drawing activity. Then, we'll share our pages in small groups because you know your students are dying to talk about what they did the night before.  



I'm loving the Hello FontsMoffatt Frames and KPM Doodles!





Then, we graphed whether or not we thought spiders were scary! We used the free app on our iPad called Doodle Buddy



We recorded our results on Cara Carroll's cutest recording sheet {here}.






And then we wrote an opinion piece (Common Core Opinion Writing) about if we were afraid of spiders.  We supported our opinion with 2 reasons why! 





We also wrote an informational piece on what we learned about spiders and you can see how we did that {here}. 




Then, we did some of these in math! We are working on counting on and counting back, so our equations are simple. 






Screen Free Fun!

The creators of Beyond Tablet reached out to us and wanted to know if we'd like to test their product. As a mom of 3 little kids, I am concerned about the amount of screen time my children are exposed to, so I was immediately interested in this product.

(This post contains affiliate links.)


When the Beyond Tablet arrived, my kids were immediately excited to play. My kids are in 3rd grade, 1st grade, and preschool and the best thing about the Beyond Tablet is that it's differentiated! There are games for each of my kids to play, and they all have different levels. Even my 3 year old loves playing! (And if I'm honest, it's fun for me too! Ha!)

           

What is Beyond Tablet?
Beyond Tablet is a screen-free, multi-user, and kinesthetic learning device. Children will immerse themselves using multiple learning activities via the overlay activity maps that bring curriculum to life.
The board itself arrives with four musical games and has a capacitive sensing and object recognition surface, providing soothing haptic feedback to the senses. The value added is when the activity maps and manipulatives come together to provide a unique collaborative learning experience.
Children will challenge themselves to reach new levels in mathematics, literacy, programming and musical games that bridge the gap between the curriculum and the confidence children exert while using digital items. Veiled rigor combined with organic academic opportunities through play should be a part of every classroom center.

(Source: beyondscreen.com)


In the classroom, the Beyond Tablet can be used for center time, student reward time, or perfect for small groups. 

Want to save 10%?! Use code TW10 at checkout! 




Pin this post for later:

Dragons Love Tacos Class Pet

I have sent home a class pet each year and I usually change it up every few years! After doing Pete the Cat, Pigeon, and Clifford... this year I decided to do Dragon from Dragons Love Tacos! News flash: KIDS LOVE THIS BOOK! I want my students to be excited about books and I knew that sending home a plush Dragon (with a plush taco) and the book would do just that. Plus, I love the home to school connection. I let my students keep him over the weekend and bring the bag back the next week.  You could have them just have it over night or for one week. It's up to you!



I did not buy the book and plush toy together because I wanted the bigger Dragon and it only comes solo. I also got 3 of these blank canvas bags for 13.00 and I switch them out every few times (and they are washable as well). Here's what I bought:

       


You can buy a combination one for a lot less, but it's a tiny Dragon.



I have never had a student not bring him back, but I have had him come back pretty dirty. I just wash him on gentle cycle and you're good to go!  



You can download the cover to our 
class book here.






Back to School TPT Faves!

It's August 1st which means we are officially on the count down for school to start! (In Utah we start middle of August. I know some of you in Arizona, Georgia, and Tennesee already started!) 

We wanted to have a place where we keep all our favorite back to school items! Here are 12 of our favorite items for back to school (plus a few extra of our very favorite curriculum items for the year!)

Click each image to read more about each item!

  
  
 
 

And don't forget that TPT is having their back to school sale! Today and tomorrow, Aug 1st and Aug 2nd, you can save 25% on everything in our stores when you use the code BTSFRESH at checkout! 
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...