Holidays Around the World ORNAMENT PROJECTS 8 Countries SET 1

These 8 Projects representing 8 Holiday Customs from around the world can be hole punched and hung on a piece of yarn for display in a Christmas Tree or anywhere for any Holiday.

This set is the perfect compliment to the Holidays Around the World KEEPSAKE BOOK at Silly Sam Productions. 

The book and ornament sets can make a wonderful keepsake gift that can be saved and displayed each year during our winter holiday times. 

Native American Culture Unit

Exploring Native American Culture

 Each year we introduce our Native American Unit with a beautiful story retold by Tomie DePaola called,

The Legend of the Bluebonnet.

 Students decorate Tipis with Native American symbols.

 We read a huge collection of Native American stories. We discuss the Native American cultures and notice the different kinds of dwellings, clothing and tools that are used. We find the deep underlying themes throughout the stories like, family and nature and respecting the Earth. We look at the incredible artwork and how so much of it is inspired by nature. 

 Students color Thunderbirds with crayon and then paint over them with water colors, much like Native Americans may have used berries and leaves to make colors.

Native American Culture Unit FREEBIE

Here is a FREEBIE with my list of favorite Native American Children's Books and some activities and projects to go along with what the children learn from the stories! I hope you enjoy this little collection. 

THANKS TO GLITTER MEETS GLUE FOR THE BEAUTIFUL NATIVE AMERICAN CLIP ART REPRESENTATIONS!

Fall Leaves Window Project

I love this Fall Project! Have students collect leaves of different sizes, shapes and colors. Arrange them on a sheet of wax paper. Sprinkle crayon shavings, I actually have a special cheese grater just for crayons. Then cover with a top sheet of wax paper and have an adult iron over the top sheet, melting the colors all around the leaves. Looks awesome in a window!

The b d confusion is something that every new reader goes through. Some go through the adjustment quicker than others and some readers may have some developmental or visual issues that really make these letters a challenge. 

When I introduce this lesson, I ask the kiddos what sound they hear at the beginning of "baseball" and "drum".

Then I ask them to imagine that they are stepping up to the plate as a batter. We even stand up and act it out. 

I ask them what they need 1st in order to be ready to hit the ball. Sometimes the response is "a ball". This is great, so we have 2 students come up and act out a batter with a ball thrown to them...without a bat. A wrong answer actually works great here! They laugh and then correct the answer.

We then draw the lower case b and say, 
                 "First the bat: Then the ball"

Next we imagine playing the drums. What does a drummer need first? 
                  "First the drum: Then the sticks"

Draw the drum and sticks.

Then have students hold up their thumb hands facing each other. Trace the left thumb down, saying 1st the bat. Trace the remaining fingers in a circular motion, saying, Then the ball.

Trace the right fingers in a circular motion, saying, 1st the drum. Trace the thumb down, saying Then the sticks. 

Of course we also put those thumb hands together to make a bed. Point out the b as the first sound in bed, and the d as the ending sound in bed.

I always show them all the tricks, you never know which one will be the best trick for them!

Another one is that lower case b is inside of a capital B.
Lower case d is backwards from the capital D.

Whatever works! :)

Nouns, Verbs and Adjectives activities

CARING & COMPASSIONATE CLASSROOM

This is how we start the year off so that every student can feel Safe, Important and Appreciated in our own Caring Classroom!

We start with a group experience meant to start a thoughtful discussion about WHY we have rules.

Then Students brainstorm together to think about WHY we come to school and what RIGHTS we have when we are there.

 Next Students brainstorm together to think about WHAT rules we should have to be sure that everyone can *BE SAFE *LEARN & *BE HAPPY. 

Then we Color-Code the RULES to coordinate with the RIGHTS.

Any time a student breaks a rule, they look up at our poster to identify which RULE was broken or the category it would fit in and the coordinating RIGHT of another that was infringed upon. This has been such a powerful and effective way for students to realize how their behavior, rushing, or words, etc. can affect their classmates. It creates such compassion for others as we review our RIGHTS. We stress how every student deserves these things when they come to school and we all will protect those RIGHTS for each other. 

We do this whenever necessary, and it is hardly ever necessary.

Bill of Rights-Constitution Classroom Management System

The posters, lessons, group experience and discussion questions can be found in this pack at TpT in Silly Sam Productions.

I would like to offer 5 Sets for FREE to the first 5 people that respond here.

If you are interested please leave me a comment.

The first 5 can email me at sillysamproductions@gmail.com to receive their FREE copy.

How to Calm a Crying Child: The Birthday Cake Trick!

This is a great little trick to use to help an upset little one gain control of their breathing and calm down.

We have all been there. 

• A little one takes a hard fall and sustains a minor or major injury
• A huge crack of thunder startles them
• They realize that Mommy has left and won't be back for a while, or
• They are taking the end of year benchmark as a formative assessment and get upset because they don't know any of the answers...

Whatever the reason is that sets our little ones off...

Here is a trick to help them calm themselves and get that control back so that we can begin to help them handle the situation.

When a child realizes that they are hurt, scared or feeling some extreme emotion, they may start to cry that big cry. The one that takes over their whole body, and makes them shake and hyperventilate.

They need US to model a calm and problem solving demeanor. If we react with an OMG panic reaction, it will only confirm to them that they are in serious trouble, and it will be much more difficult to calm them down.

Even an extreme emergency can be aided by calm, problem solving, clear minds.

Here's the Trick

1. Use a calm, reassuring voice
2. Hold up your index finger in front of the child
3. Tell them that they CAN control their own breathing and that is the first step in helping them solve or handle the problem.
4. Tell the child to imagine that your finger is a Birthday Candle on their Birthday Cake.
5. Ask them to take a nice deep breath in and model it for them.
6. Then tell them to S-L-O-W-L-Y Blow Out the Candle.
7. Repeat, model and do it together until the child has their breathing under control.
8. Congratulate them on taking control and then continue on with calm instructions for an injury or explanations for a scare.
9. If the child is having trouble following your calm voice directions, tell them that you are here to help them, but that you cannot start to help until they are calm.
10. Tell them that they CAN control their breathing and try the birthday candle again.

The birthday candle image already gets the child thinking about a happy time and a happy day. Your confidence in that they can gain control helps them to believe it. Your reaction to a stressful situation will very often become theirs. No matter what the situation is, everyone can better help with a calm manor and clear heads. Chatting a little about the last birthday or next one coming up can be a great calming distraction.

Don't promise to fix it, Mommy may be at work and is not coming back right now, but they can learn to develop the COPING SKILLS to handle it. A skinned knee can be cleaned out and bandaged, but we can't make it go away. Even if an emergency room visit is necessary, they can still be in control of their breathing and stay calm.

Developing coping skills is one of the best gifts you can ever give to a child.

For more thoughts about teaching Coping Skills to children see this post from my Laugh & Learn with Silly Sam blog.

For Parents: Thoughts about Coping Skills and Disappointments