Five for Friday- April Showers and Recycling

Linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching today to share five things from our first full week in April!

To spruce up our writing center this week, which was sort of getting under-used, I added an idea I've seen from others- sticker stories!  It has been a big hit.  I went through our sticker box and pulled out some sheets I thought they would like.  Dinosaurs and Sponge Bob have been big favorites so far.  The sheet on top is my example.  I told them they could pick five stickers out of the basket and then write a few sentences about their stickers.

Two students decided to work together on this story- "One day Sponge Bob was walking Jerry..." etc.  and asked for extra time to finish.  They went on to tell a whole story with a beginning, middle, and end!

I've been wanting to get a new color printer for home and saw Simply Kinder's printer recommendation.  When I looked up the printer on Amazon it was only $68.  It arrived two days later and I signed up for the HP instant ink program.  So excited to have a color printing option now! 

In science this week, we talked about natural resources and ways to reuse, reduce and recycle.  We made a list of ways we use "trash" in our classroom. 

We then ended the week by using our paper scraps to make picture collages.  I loved seeing their their creativity! 

It's been a cold, dreary week but we have our own little spring oasis inside at the science center!  The kids love coming in and checking the progress of our plants every day.  (They especially love getting to spray the plants with water!) 

My new favorite afternoon snack- it's like pretzels and Nutella all in one!

Happy Weekend! Check out the other Five for Friday posts at Doodle Bugs Teaching here!

Spring break recap and so happy for April!

Thought it was about time for a little update...this teacher was really happy to turn the calendar page last week and focus on a new month!  March started out with a severe stomach flu bug for me (I seriously cannot remember the last time I was that sick- I even missed my favorite day of the year...Dr. Seuss day!!  Two sick days off is a first ever in my six year teaching history) and the month ended with a bad sinus infection.  I'm pretty sure my little kinder kiddos have learned the art of sharing.  :) I guess since it is only my second year in kindergarten it is going to take some time to build up my immunity.  

The Wednesday night before Easter I was out driving around and happened to look up in the sky and see a bright beautiful full moon- and it explained a lot!

Enough said.  

But spring break was wonderful- I spent lots of time catching up with family and just relaxing.  The Tuesday after Easter my mom and I took my younger siblings on a field trip to Washington D.C.  It was a beautiful day but pretty crowded in the museums.  We walked over five miles and packed as much as we could into the day!

Back to the classroom last week...I decided our dramatic play and science centers needed a little revamping so we turned our dramatic play center into a flower shop!  I have a few more additions for this week but my kids loved the new additions on Friday! 

(If you want the recording sheet I used, I bought the flower shop dramatic play package HERE.  I have this seller's doctor set too and I love the picture cues that makes it easy for my non-readers and ELL's to use too!)

And the new additions to our science center- I have more plans but for now the kids are just sorting seeds and observing the seeds we planted on Friday.  We did sunflowers and radishes in upcycled milk gallon jugs (hello Earth Day connection!).  I opened the seed packets and glued one of each to the envelope so they can see which seeds go to which plants as they are sorting.

My little sister pulled the "Brown E's" (brownies) trick on me late April Fools night.  I really really wanted those brownies too! 

Ran an 8:39 minute mile in my 5K this weekend!  I'm pretty sure that's my fastest mile ever...so far, that is.  ;) 

Happy Sunday!