Teach: Back to School, Back to School (and a MLK idea)

Yes, my 16 day holiday vacation is coming to a close... it was a wonderful break, and although I am ready to get back into a routine, I can't say that I won't miss wearing PJs, sleeping in, and crafting/blog stalking to my heart's content.

This week, we are learning about the letter Ff, verbs, plot, calendar parts (days, months, seasons), New Year holiday, and Martin Luther King Jr. (may seem early, but I want our work posted in the hallway to be relevant for when it is his birthday- not doing it the week of and having it up for one day)!

We will be completing this activity this week: unfortunately, I do not know the original author of the "Box of Crayons" poem. It has floated around the internet and I first found out about it from my cooperating teacher during Student Teaching, April (from ChalkTalk: I know, I'm lucky)! If you know the original author, please let me know in the comment section so I can give credit where credit is due! And the image of the crayon was found from Google at this website.

[Feel free to "right click" and save the picture so you can open it in Word and print it out for yourself to use in your classroom. Please leave me a comment if you do!]

The kiddos will listen to the poem and we will discuss what it means (in relation to crayons and then compare to people: what if we all looked the same? did the same things? liked/disliked the same things? etc). Next, the students will illustrate a self portrait in the middle of the crayon and then color the top/bottom of the crayon their favorite color.

I am nervous though: at our school, Kinder takes naps until Christmas. Beginning in January, we take naps away to prep them for 1st grade... There are going to be some grumpy five and six year olds this semester! In lieu of a nap time, we will be working on reading and writing skills: blending, mainly. Also, word identification, 1-1 correspondence, etc.

I am going to be reaallyyyy tired tomorrow... and I hope the kids are tired too... not wired... Fingers crossed!

Teachers, if you went back today, how'd it go?

Teachers, if you go back tomorrow (like me), good luck!