My hands are high my feet are low, let me see you...

POP SEE KO!!!

If this picture doesn't make you sing...

Pop See Ko

POP, POP, See Ko...

Then you aren't doing enough BRAIN BREAKS!!!!

Brain Breaks are vital to my daily classroom routine!  

I do brain breaks consistently throughout the day.

What is a brain break?

Official Definition:

1. Brain Breaks are a quick and effective way of changing or focusing the physical and mental state of the learners in your group. They are also a useful tool for students to use to help activate, energize and stimulate their brains.

Kindergarten Definition

When we have been working SO HARD and our brains just need a break!

When to do a brain break:

Brain Breaks are amazing tools for getting the wiggles out 

and helping students focus on the next task.  

-When you are loosing the kids

(not literally losing them..."Oh, No I lost Joey!  Guess it's time for a brain break!")

-After working on something for a long period of time

-After carpet time or story time

-When transitioning

-Just for fun!

-Although I do Brain Breaks every day, extra Brain Breaks are great rewards!

Where to find Brain Breaks:

YOU TUBE

Is a great place to find brain breaks but search with CAUTION!

We have all been there (at least once)  

Big screen ready, log onto YouTube, projected, UH OH! 

Not always G rated!

New plan:

Log onto you tube, find brain break, big screen ready, projected.

Show Time!

But even then you have to deal with advertisements.  Once again not always G rated.

So although I LOVE You Tube just use with CAUTION!

You Tube Searches that are good For Brain Breaks:

Harry Kindergarten 

Dr. Jean Songs

Imagination Station

Go Noodle

Go Noodle is a safe website full of fun, silly, (odd), creative brain breaks 

that will get your kiddos moving.  

My students love Go Noodle!  

This is the first year that I have used this website and it is a favorite!

Another bonus...

IT'S FREE!  You know me I LOVE FREE!

Just log in as a teacher and add a classroom name!

https://www.gonoodle.com

Go Noodle is full of different Brain Breaks.

Zumba, Yoga, Kidz Bop, YouTube (without the ads), KooKooKangaroo, 

Fitness videos, and one of my favorites Indoor Recess!

Living in Indiana, we have the weirdest weather!  Their are weeks during the winter when we don't get to go out for recess!  Imagine 2 weeks of indoor recess!  AHHH!   They are kids!  They need a break!  I am an adult - I NEED A BREAK!  So in my classroom, we get rid of the winter blues with 

GO NOODLE-INDOOR RECESS!  

You can pick from 10 different indoor recess mega mixes.  

The time ranges any where form 7 minutes to 18 minutes!  

Could you imagine 18 minutes of nonstop Brain Break fun!

My Class Favorites:

(When I played these particular songs my class broke out in cheers!)

Koo Koo Kangaroo

Dinosaur Stomp

Awesome Rainbows

JK

PopSeeKo

Random songs

Kitty High Five

Disco Brain

Once again this post is my opinion!  

It is just a peek at what I do in my kindergarten class!

(And yes I brain break with them!)

...to be a fly on my wall!

So don't be shy and check it out.  

You don't have to thank me now... because once you hear 

Pop See Ko and Kitty High Five 

it will forever be engrained in your head!

Kitty high five...

kitty high five...

Target Dollar Days - life fulfilled!

Okay so we have all been there 

(Okay maybe I have been there twice in one day, maybe more...)

Target.

Okay so true story, when house shopping my husband counted out the houses that were TOO close to Target.  Ha! Ha!  We would look at a particular neighborhood and he would say in all seriousness...

"This house might be TOO close to Target.  You could walk there!"  

Who is he kidding I would NEVER walk to Target.  How would I carry home my cart full of purchases!  

Needless to say we bought a house pretty close to Target.  I have Target radar!  I could drive their with my eyes closed.  

SO here is a little Target humor for all of my Target loving teachers!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/joannaborns/addicted-to-target#.fvDLPrDyV

Of course these are all true but I can totally relate to #4.  

I don't know how I survived pre Dollar Days.  

So yesterday I did something I have never done before...went to Target with two of 

friends who are teachers! 

I know what you are thinking!  UH OH... 

Target didn't know what hit them and neither did our wallets.  

All kidding aside Target Dollar Days has the some of the best classroom items for affordable prices!

               

Okay so the Twizzlers aren't for my classroom but best price I have found for a family bag!

Definitely needed for inspiration!  :) 

Once again this post is my opinion.  I am not responsible for how much damage this post may cause your wallets.  I just wanted to let you know teacher stuff is out at Target Dollar Days.  

I just might see you there!  

One last Target Meme for you!  

Two of my favorites all in one - Ryan Gosling and Target!

Kindergarten...No more nap time - how about app time?

If you have read any of my previous posts you know that I am fortunate to have one to one iPads in my classroom.  Over the past four years I have used lots of app with my kindergarten class.  On occasion I thought I would dedicate a post to one of the apps that I love and that my students love. 

So here it goes! 

3,2,1...app time!

This past year I was asked to present at the ipossibilities conference.  I have presented every year so far and love the conference.  I was looking for something new to present on and stumbled across this amazing app.  

Here is some info on ipossibilities.  I totally recommend it!

http://ipossibilities.weebly.com

Now back to ChatterPix.

ChatterPix is an app where you can make anything talk.  

Click on the link for a quick overview of the app

https://youtu.be/7tBS9NyFV08

One of the best things about this app besides its many uses...is IT'S FREE!!!!

That's right FREE, FREE, FREE!!!!  

I am a sucker for anything free.  

This app is super simple to use!  Another bonus...FREE and simple.  

I am going to list all of the different ways you can use this app and share some examples.  

This app can be used in any grade it just depends on what you want to use it for.  

Language Arts Literacy Uses 

1.  Alphabet

At the beginning of the year assign each student a letter.   Have them find something in the room that starts with their assigned letter.  

Take a picture tell the letter and the sound it makes!

Voila!

Save the video email it to yourself and combine it on iMovie to make a class alphabet video!

2.  Studying characters

Have students take a picture of the Main Character of a book and talk about the character.

3.  Book Talk

Have students take a picture of a book and record a 30 second book talk about a book they have read.

4.  Poetry 

Have students write a poem and illustrate it or show symbolism and read poem.  

5.  Adjectives

Have students take a picture of something and use adjectives to describe it.  

6.  Researching Historical Characters
When studying specific parts of history have students pick a character or an important part of an event and discuss why it is important.

Math Uses

1.  Money 

Have students take pictures of coins and tell what they are and what they are worth.  

2.  Time

Take pictures of clocks and save to photo gallery.  Have students use the pictures to tell what time it is.  An easy way to assess a students understanding without a paper and pencil test.  

3.  Shapes

Go on a shape hunt.  Have students find specific shapes and tell what they are and their attributes. 

4.  Story Problems

Give the student a story problem and have them illustrate it and describe how to solve the problem.

Miscellaneous Uses

1.  Getting to Know You

Have students take a screen shot of themselves and tell a little about who they are.  

2.  Social Stories

3.  Friendly reminders

Writer's Workshop Rules 

Reader's Workshop Rules

4.  Station Directions

Make a chatterpix of what needs to be done at a station and have students watch before they 

start that particular station.  

5.  Fun informative videos

I'm sure it has happened to many of you!  

Are you ready for this...BOOGER PICKING!

SO GROSS!

But it happens so after lecture after lecture of why we should NOT pick our nose I made a 

chatterpix.  Silly I know but guess what it worked! 

I gave my Kleenex box and my hand sanitzer a name and students couldn't wait to use them.  

Hey...whatever works!  I am not too proud to be a talking Kleenex box or Sassy Sanitizer.  

Hopefully you will find some of these ways useful!  Here is the link to download this app.  

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chatterpix-kids-by-duck-duck/id734046126?mt=8

I give this app 4 smiles!

Just a note...these are all my opinions!  This is an app that my students and I love so I thought I would share.  Chatterpix has nothing to do with this post except for being a fun useful app!

Catch the Rainbow

Starting with the very first week of school I do color weeks.   

We study a specific color each week.  

Each week has a color, a color song, color activities, and a show and tell at the end of the week.  

Here is a link to purchase the color song cd from FrogStreet.  

Click here to buy!

The kids love this!  They are so excited to learn the song and they love getting 

to share a show and tell every week!

Here is a break down of what a color week looks like.  

The first color that I do is RED so I will use that for the example.  

One of my morning work stations includes a cut, paste, and color page for the specific color.  

This particular week it is RED.

Check out my Color Words Worksheets on TPT 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Color-Words-Print-Go-Worksheets-1916450

These worksheets are great for morning work on Monday morning as an introduction to the specific color. 

Color Song

To start the morning we always say the Pledge of Allegiance and then head to carpet time for a morning story and calendar time.  I have all of the songs printed and laminated on anchor charts.  (Coming soon for Free on my TPT store.)  We read throughout the song, listen to the song, and sing the song together.  I make fun little hand movements to go along with the song.  We sing the song every morning for the rest of that week. 

Color Activities
-make an anchor chart of all the things that we can think of that are RED  
-do cut and past color worksheet
-Read a picture about the color
-do a picture sort (cut out pictures that are RED and glue them on the sort page)
-paint with different shades of RED 
(change the shade by adding white & back)


Friday
Color Day

Everyone wears RED on Friday and brings in a RED show and tell.
The students look forward to our show and tell Fridays.
(This is a great time to focus on speaking and using complete sentences.)

We do this same schedule for all of the colors over the next few weeks.

(I do an end of the year scrapbook so I try to take class pictures every Friday to show Our Many Colors and to add to the end of the year scrapbook!)

What to do at the end of all the color days?

We tie dye of course!  That's right I tie dye with 24 kindergarteners!!!  The first year that I got this CrAzY idea I told my husband and his response...

"Are you crazy?  Have you even tie dyed before?"

Well no- I thought but how hard can it be!!!
This is probably the 4th year that I have tie dyed and I LOVE IT!
It is organized color chaos.  But that's what kindergarten is anyway!?!?!?!  Right!?!?!?

Supplies Needed:
Tie Dye kits
Rubber Bands
Squeeze Bottles
Plastic Wrap
Plastic Gloves
T shirts

When tie dying I send out a letter to parents letting them know the plan.  I then have parents send in a t shirt for their child (labeled with Sharpie).  It doesn't have to be a new t shirt it can be an old, stained t shirt.  (white works best).  Make sure they have been pre washed with out fabric softener.

I pre twist and rubber band the t shirts the day before.
(A metal fork works best for twisting in a clockwise fashion)

Once the shirt is twisted, use 3-4 rubber bands to secure the shirt and then label the shirt with the child's name on tape.

Have children wear old clothes on the day of tie dying.  Have all of the squeeze bottles ready to go.  (I try to have at least one parent volunteer to help out on tie dye day.)

Call the students back one at a time.  Let them pick up to three colors.
Have shirt ready sitting on a large piece of plastic wrap.  Have them squeeze (with help) the dye into the creases of the shirt.  If they are using 3 colors divide the shirt into thirds.  One color per 1/3.  Turn it over and do the other side.  Wrap the shirt up in plastic wrap and then microwave for 30 seconds.  Leave wrapped up until the next day.  Rinse the shirt until the water runs clear.  I then take all the shirts home and wash them and have them ready for our final Friday of our color days!

I guess when I finish a unit I like to go out with a bang!

Teddy Bear Sleepover

The first week of kindergarten can be challenging for everyone involved:  parents, kindergarteners, and even us teachers.   I know for me the first week, let alone the first day, always seems to catch me by surprise.  I know it is going to be a bit challenging but by the end of the year I forget what it was like.  

Don't get me wrong I love the first week!  

You get to see all of those sweet little smiles that you will get to spend the next 180 days with. 

 But along with those sweet little smiles comes tears, fears, excitements, 

and probably the quickest day of the entire year!  You blink and it's gone!  

Most kindergarteners are comforted by a teddy bear or some sort of stuffed animal.  That is how the Teddy Bear sleepover came to be.  How much more comforting would school be if you could bring your Teddy Bear or favorite Stuffed Animal?

This can be done a few different ways.  During Back to School Night or Meet the Teacher night you can pass out a note to have students bring their favorite teddy bear or stuffed animal to school with them on the first day.  This will help make the student feel more at ease and a great show and tell for the first day of kindergarten!

Free Download

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Teddy-Bear-Sleepover-1912182

During the first month of school we do a bear unit.  At the end of the bear unit we have a bear sleepover.  I send the invitations home on Wednesday.  The students bring their bears or stuffed animals back to school and leave them for the night on Thursday. 

Boy do those bears have a good time!  

 

When the students come in they are AMAZED!

On Friday we have a bear picnic.  All of the kindergarten classes get together with their bears or stuffed animals and have a special bear themed snack.

The snack includes:
goldfish
teddy grahams
honey comb cereal
&
Cap'n Crunch - Oops All Berries.



What a fun way to end a unit!

Behavior Bucks - The key to my technique

In the last post I talked about my Behavior Management techniques which included using Behavior Bucks, iPad Bucks, and stickers for Rewards.  Stickers are self explanatory but I thought I would go into a little more detail about both the Behavior Bucks and iPad Bucks.  

Behavior Bucks

Link for free download 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Behavior-Bucks-Positive-Reward-Coupons-1908050

iPad Bucks 

(Link for free download in previous post)

When a student makes it to the top of the color chart they can choose either an iPad buck or a Behavior Buck.  iPad bucks can be used in my classroom during free time or activity time.  With an iPad buck students can have free iPad time and play any app that they would like.

How I use Behavior Bucks

Behavior Bucks are one of my main reward systems that I use in my class.  As students earn Behavior Bucks they store them in their library pocket with their popsicle sticks. (Discussed in the previous post.)  Throughout the year we have shopping days.  During the shopping days students have an opportunity to buy items from "Mrs. Gardner's Store."  

The items for my store come from parent donations or items that I have purchased.  Most of the items come from The Dollar Tree or Target Dollar Days. 

Before a shopping day I count all of the students Behavior Bucks in their pockets.  I make a list of the students name and the amount of Behavior Bucks that they each have.  I then find the student with the most behavior bucks and price my store items according to that.  For example if the highest amount of Behavior Bucks is 36, I might make the most extensive items $10.  I will then price items from $10-$1.  I want to make sure every student can by at least one item.  

I never have a shopping day where a student does not have money.  Every student in class gets a chance to shop.  When introducing the Behavior Bucks I explain to students that the harder they work the more "money" they will earn.  The amount of money that students have can range anywhere from $40 (more or less depending how often you have shopping days) to $1.  It does not matter how much the highest amount is as long as everyone has at least one Behavior Buck to spend.   

I call the students to shop a few at a time starting with the students who have earned the most first.  As the students are called they count their Behavior Bucks and start shopping.  They find what they want and count out how much that particular item costs.  Throughout this process they are using basic math skills (counting, addition, & subtraction).

For students who haven't earned as many Behavior Bucks this is an opportunity for them to try harder for the next shopping day.  After the first shopping day I always ask the class who liked shopping day.  Everyone usually says yes.  I talk about who would like to earn more money next time and usually everyone is excited to start earning right away.  I use this as a teachable moment to review the different ways that students can earn behavior bucks.  

How can students Earn Behavior Bucks?

I use Behavior Bucks as a way to reinforce positive Behavior.

Ways to earn:

Throughout the day if I see students making great choices I will encourage the 

positive behavior with a Behavior Buck.  

The entire class is doing great.  (working, walking in the hallway, etc.)

Class reward for good behavior with a special visitor

Good Behavior with a sub

Mystery students

Top of the Color Chart

Behavior Bucks are a great tool for all students.  I always try to find a student who struggles with particular behaviors and "catch" them being good.  This is a great encourager and the smile you get when you "catch" a struggling child making good choices makes your job worthwhile.  This is one of the reasons we teach.  

I teach because I LOVE what I do.  I want every child to enjoy learning and feel proud of their accomplishments regardless if it is a behavior or academic accomplishment.  I want my students to feel good about themselves and that is what makes my classroom community SO special.     

Let me know if you have any questions about Behavior Bucks and Shopping days.  

Color Chart Craze...Yay or Nay!?!?!?!

We all know that Color Coded Behavior charts are ALL the rage!
What are your thoughts do you use them or not?  

So here are my thoughts...

I started teaching when I was 30 years old (stayed home with my boys).  I am now 37 and I have modified my Behavior Management techniques a few times. 

As a teacher I knew from the get go that I would not use the stoplight method.  In case you aren't familiar with that method it is the green, yellow, and red cards.   Students start on green, then yellow, and lastly the DREADED red.  I like to call this the 3 strikes (oops...I mean 2 strikes) your out method.  Really...2 strikes and your day is done.  WOW!  I know that in some schools notes get sent home when students are on red.   I wonder, does anything get sent home when students are on green for the entire day?

Lets put ourselves in the shoes of the student.  It is 10:30 I am already on red.  Red=DOOMED.  No moving off that DREADED color -  I am stuck.  EWWW, maybe if I am lucky I will get one of those nifty notes sent home!  (SARCASM)  Well, my destiny has already been determined so guess what today is a free for all!  Why would a student change their behavior?   I know I wouldn't.

In my classroom I wanted to create a positive environment.  One where students know its okay to make mistakes because we all do it.  An environment where their day isn't determined to be good or bad by 10:30.  So this is what I decided during my first year teaching kindergarten.  

I used popsicle sticks, little library pockets, and sticker charts.  On the first day of school I gave every student 3 popsicle sticks with their name on them.  They got to color them anyway they wanted.  Each student then had a pocket with their name on it taped beneath a stick chart.  Once the popsicle sticks were colored they got to put them in their pocket.  

The popsicle sticks were then used in place of the stoplight cards.  After a few warnings if a student  continued to misbehave he/she would have to pull a popsicle stick.  (For example if the student continued to shout out after several warnings they would have to pull a stick.)  As the day went on if the student changed the unwanted behavior he/she could put their stick back.  Ultimately the idea of Behavior Management is to teach students to make the right choices.  Making mistakes is a part of life...we all do it.  I stress to my class that making mistakes is okay as long as you learn from them.  So mistakes can be made, but we can also change our behavior for a positive outcome.  

If a student looses all of their popsicle sticks then they have a time out for a part of recess  . I truly don't believe that recess should be taken often away and definitely not all of recess!  But if I need to take away a few minutes every once in a while then I feel that's okay.  If you have a student that is constantly loosing all of their popsicle sticks then you need to find a new method for that student.  If you are taking away a students recess (all or part) everyday than your method is not working and more than likely that student is a child that needs to get out and run off some of that energy!  As a teacher I want every student in my class to be successful.  Sometimes that means that I have to try different options.  Remember fair does not always mean equal.

At the end of the day the students who still had all 3 of their popsicle sticks or the ones who earned back the lost sticks would get a sticker on their sticker chart.  Students start fresh with 3 popsicle sticks everyday.  After their chart is full they get something from the treasure chest.

Their have been years that I have had 5 different behavior plans going on.  It was hectic but it worked.  Another thing that I have learned just because one plan works for a while does not mean it will work all year and you may need to change it up.  I have used popsicle sticks, balloon charts (student color in a certain number of balloons to earn a reward), smiley face charts, modifies sticker charts,  and certificates.

Although I was happy with the popsicle stick method I wanted something that really encouraged positive behavior.  I felt that my students who were always making good choices where getting left out so I added a few things.  This is where the modified color coded behavior chart was introduced in my classroom.  I am sure that you are all familiar with these charts...start at ready to learn, move up to great job, then outstanding, or move down from ready to learn to think about it, teacher consequence, then parent contact.  Really once again 3 strikes your out.  Could you imagine if real life was 3 strikes your out?  How successful would we be.  Plus we are dealing with kids here!  5 year olds in my case.

Well in my room this chart looks a little different.  There is no teacher consequence or parent contact.

So after ready to learn I have think about it.  Once you have moved down to think about it you then have your three popsicle sticks that you can lose and earn back if you have modified your behavior.  You can also still move back up the chart you aren't stuck.  My class is about getting chances and focusing on the positive.

You can earn rewards two different ways in my class.  That way the kiddos who are always doing their best don't get overlooked.   If you finish the day with all 3 of your sticks you get a sticker on your chart.  If you have all 3 sticks and have moved up to the top of the color chart you get a sticker on your chart and you get either a behavior buck (classroom money) or an iPad buck (used for free iPad time).  I will explain how I use behavior bucks on the next post.

Get Free Behavior Bucks Here

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Behavior-Bucks-Positive-Reward-Coupons-1908050

Get Free iPad Bucks Here

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/iPad-Bucks-1784753


With this method all students have a chance to be successful and I am focusing on the positive.

Check out my Color Coded Behavior Charts at my TPT store.
Don't worry they are the full chart but feel free to try it out with out the bottom two colors and add in a few popsicle sticks!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Behavior-Clip-Chart-1868539

Let me know if you have any questions about my behavior management technique.  

A Little Personality and Something FREE!

Being a mom of 2 boys I don't feel like I truly get the opportunity to let my inner creative decorator shine through very often.  So that is where my classroom comes in play!  I love to decorate my classroom, give it a little personality, and make it a part of me.  

  SO true.  Don't you agree? 

(Keep reading for your chance to win something from my store)

Theme or NO Theme?
Your thoughts?

This is my eighth year teaching

kindergarten and my 3rd classroom.      

My first year I taught half day kindergarten in 2 different classrooms at 2 different schools.  

I had an ocean theme in one room and shared classrooms with another teacher.   

I then went to full day in a different classroom.  I took over for a teacher who moved so the theme 

was already set.  Basic kindergarten with a little Americana.  

The following year the room was all mine and I began to give it a little Mrs. Gardner Flare.  Anyone that knows me knows that my style is a bit unique.  My husband says I have flare (a very nice way of saying different.)

Over the past few years I have wanted to give my room a little flare.  Make it my own.   When you walk in I want it to have that WOW factor.  Excitement, fun and a lot of (!!!!!!!)

Am I the only teacher that gets excited when I receive the classroom decor catalogs in the mail?  You know which ones  I am talking about.  (It's almost as exciting as back to school supply time!)   I am thrilled and my husband thinks "Here we go again?"  Another new theme!   

A few years ago I found the best theme ever Dr. Seuss!  This may be the first year that I didn't even think about switching!  I love the Dr. Seuss theme!  

I have everything from the alphabet wall, the word wall, behavior chart, calendar!  

My room has officially been "Seussed! "

Okay so maybe I am not begin completely honest...I love the theme and I am planning on keeping it 

but I want add a little bit of my own touches!  

I am super excited to take down my old alphabet and add my very own.

Tell me what you think.

                                             

How cute is this!?!?!?   I am working on my behavior chart, and popcorn word wall.  

Tell me what you think and what theme you have in your classroom to win
something FREE (1 item up to $5) from my store!

Leave a comment and share and like my page on Facebook!   I will do the drawing sometime tomorrow!

You have to do both!  Leave a comment on this page and share my blog on Facebook!
GO to my Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/LittleSmilesBigSunshine
 share my link.  Tag me so I know you shared! 

Oh the possibilities!

So here I am on summer break and I am writing my second post!  Originally I thought it might be difficult to start a blog during the summer when I didn't have my classroom and didn't have my students to help me share great ideas.  So far that hasn't been a problem...finding time might be another story.  As we all know as teachers summer is our time to slow down...YEAH RIGHT!  I am now the official entertainer and personal chauffeur for my boys.  

Enough gibberish, the real reason for this post!

Just a little background...I work for an AMAZING school corporation and have so many opportunities to grow as a teacher.  Four years ago a group of teachers were invited to pilot one to one iPads in kindergarten class rooms.  I was one of the lucky teachers who had this opportunity.  

Don't get me wrong... the idea of little kinders and fragile, expensive pieces of technology terrified me!  Let's be honest the idea of me with a fragile, expensive piece of technology terrified me!

Over the past few years I have learned so many ways to utilize iPad technology into my classroom.  I have also presented at the iPossibilities conference for the last four years.  I have presented on my favorite apps, different ways to use apps, creating QR Codes for listening centers, and picking one specific app to feature.  

Here is a link to the iPossibilities Conference.  It is a great conference that I highly recommend!

http://ipossibilities.weebly.com

I thought that one of the features of my blog would be to share apps that I have used and how I have used them.  Once again I am not advertising for these specific apps I am just giving you a peek into my kindergarten room.   

Who remembers the Magnetic Letter Desk from the 80's?

This was one of my favorite childhood toys.  

(Remember I wanted to be a teacher since the young age of 5!)

For the 21st century learners, I would like to introduce Magnetic Alphabet for the iPad.  

(There may be an android version)

Here is the link to the iTunes store:

id389132393

At first glance this app may look like a new version of an old toy...but the possibilities!
This is a great app to use during literacy stations or RTI.

Ways to use the app

1.  Have students practice writing their name.

2.  Have students find specific letters as you call
out the letter or the sound.

3.  Have students spell word wall words from the word wall.
Have students take a screen shot as they build
words and count who gets the most.

4.  When studying initial sounds have students find
words that start with the specific letter being
introduced or studied.  Have them type the word.
(Can use a different color letter for the initial sound)

5.  Have students do a word hunt while reading.
Different word hunts:
Beginning letter
2, 3, 4, 5  letter words
Rhyming words
Specific blends
Specific digraphs
2, 3, 4, syllable words
Specific word families
Specific prefixes
Specific endings

6.  Spelling words - Changing the letters that correlated
to the specific skill different color.

7.  Stretching out words
(CVC, CVCe)

I have found when I give my students a challenge to try to find the most words they are more engaged.  Make anything a game and they are ready to play.


Like I said the possibilities are endless!  You can take a simple app and get so many uses out of it.  I have the lite version in my class and it works for me.  This version is limited to only uppercase letters.   But it's the free version and as long as I have letters I am good!  Plus here's a bonus you don't ever loose letters!  It never failed as a child I would start to spell a word just to find that I was missing the t for cat or 2 p's for apple!

Overall I give this app 4 smiles!

Let me know what you think and feel free to share your ideas!

Why Little Smiles Big Sunshine?

This has always been a quote that inspires me!  I am a "smiler"...I love to smile!  When it comes to smiling why not?  Everyone loves a smile!  Smiles are powerful.  

Here is a link to read a little more.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericsavitz/2011/03/22/the-untapped-power-of-smiling/

Smiles bring happiness and happiness means sunshine!   

I am a teacher.  I teach kindergarten (best job EVER!)  What do I see every morning when I start my day...25 little smiles.

Smiles mean happiness ---->Little Smiles

All of those little smiles create Big Sunshine!  

Smiles=Sunshine

Sunshine=Happiness

And that is how the name was created.  

Now a little about myself and my hopes for this blog.  

I am a kindergarten teacher at heart!  I love it!  I have wanted to be a teacher since my first day of kindergarten.  Kindergarten was fascinating, fun, and one of the best years of my life.  I loved the songs, playtime, and we can't forget the letter people!  What I would do to have my own set of inflatable letter people!?!?!?  Do you remember the letter people?

http://www.retrojunk.com/article/show/1448/the-letter-people

As a kindergartener I knew that I wanted to be a teacher.  

I must be honest at this point... As an adult I never thought about teaching kindergarten.  Actually kindergarten was not even a consideration.  Who in their right mind would want to teach kindergarten?  I am not going to school to be a glorified babysitter!!!

Well...guess what I am a kindergarten teacher and I love it! I wouldn't choose anything different.

It all started when my oldest son began kindergarten.  There was more to it than nap time, playing, snotty noses and babysitting.  

Kindergarteners are AMAZING little people and they bring me lots of smiles and sunshine!

As you read my blog you will notice that I use lots of (!!!!!!)  I never noticed it until one of my husbands work buddies pointed it out after reading some of my Facebook posts.  My husbands response to my over use of (!) "You have obviously never met my wife."

I live life with lots of (!!!!!!) (excitement).  I talk with lots of (!!!!).  With  all of my excitement and energy comes passion!  From here on out I will post activities and ideas from my classroom.  These are ideas that I am using, have used, or going to give a try in my kindergarten class.  I am not pretending to be a pro nor am I advocating that all of my ideas are AMAZING.  I am just sharing what I do.  I am sharing my passion!  

Share a smile!  Remember it's true smiles are contagious!