Ready, Set, SNOW! (and a freezbie - ha)

Happy Saturday everyone!! Only 9 school days left until Christmas break friends, and three of those days are half days. WOO I'm so thrilled! This week our classroom was filled with snowy Florida days (not something you usually hear about). We read some of my favorite snow books:

 
I just LOVE winter stories and so do my little ones! They really enjoy hearing about the snow, since 90% of my students have never seen it before. On Monday we began learning about what snow was and how it is formed and the difference between solids and liquids. To help them understand, I tried to relate it to something they could understand! We discussed that when you put water in the freezer it freezes and if you put it in the oven it would melt. That is what happens with snow - in the Northern states it is cold (like the freezer) so the snow stays solid and in Florida it is hot (like the oven) so the rain becomes a liquid! It definitely helped them to see the difference between the two. We then created a chart to compare solids and liquids. Students cut pictures out of magazines and glued them on the appropriate sides.

I had to remove the picture of the pretend martini glass that one of my kiddies cut out of Oriental Trading magazine. Hey, at least he put it on the correct side :)

Next we filled in solid and liquid poems by adding the missing sight words. You can check this out in my TPT store by clicking the picture below or clicking HERE.

Then we played the "Melt an Ice Cube" game from Litte Giraffes. Click the picture below to snag it for yourself!

On Tuesday we grew our own snowflakes by using boiling water, borax, and pipe cleaners. The kids bent and connected their pipe cleaners to look like snow flakes and we soaked them in the borax water overnight. Little "ice" crystals grew on them! How neat :)

Later in the week we made a chart to share what we would do if it were a snowy day in Florida!

 

 

I just looooove the snowball fight and the snow angel :)

On Thursday we created puffy snowman by mixing shaving cream and glue. I love the texture that it becomes when it drys. It is fluffy and puffy! The kids were surprisingly mess-free after it was all said and done. I used the same formula to make moons last year and my kids were absolutely covered in the stuff from head to toe. I think I learned my lesson and set better boundaries this time around. HA! Didn't they come out sooooo cute?!

 And finally, yesterday was the best of all! We created Snowman Sundaes!! YUM! This was the kids favorite snow activity, of course!

  After snacking on our delicious snowman treats, we created a graph to determine what our favorite part of the sundae was.

I was surprised to find out that they loved the Twizzlers the best! I sent home the recipe with the kids to share with their families at home. If you would like to get your copy of the adorable recipe card and the materials for the graph, click HERE.
What a crazy cold week we had. For our December Family project the kids are creating a Snow Person! I supplied the kids with 3 sturdy paper plates (small, medium, and large) and a letter explaining the project. Click on the picture below to get your FAMILY PROJECT FREEBIE!

And here's a little elf update... We found Sprinkles bungee jumping from the ceiling using a slinky! That silly elf :)

Next week it's gingerbread time - my faaaaavorite! I'd love to hear what you do for gingerbread week with your kids. Have a fabulous weekend friends :)

Sometimes You Just Have to Say... ELF IT!

Ok, so I may have to officially change my blog name to "Keepin' it (uncontrollably) Krazy in KinderLand". Sheesh, this has been quite the week. Anyone else feeling the Christmas Crazies yet?! Gosh that break is close, but oooooh so far! We've been doing lots of fun snow activities this week, but I'll post about that this weekend. I don't have a long post in me tonight :( Monday through Wednesday were louder than usual, but definitely manageable. But then today came. I was practically horse by the end of the day, I had to talk so loudly just to be heard! After a semi-decent morning, I glanced up at the clock during centers and was horrified that we were already a few minutes late for lunch. I knew that by the time we got lunch tags on and made it to the cafeteria, we would be suuuuuuper late, so we rushed!! We just about ran down the hall (so not how we usually are! I can't stand the craziness in the hallway - but we were late, people) and guess who we careened into? Yup, our Assistant Principal. I. wanted. to. rip. my. hair. out. "Is everything ok? Your kids seem a bit wild today" he says. "Oooh it's my fault, we are running (literally - ha) a bit late to lunch, just trying to get there on time!" He looks at me strangely, but walks away. That was just the beginning of the afternoon from (not going to say what I want to say here). I won't make you read my long ranting. I will sum it up in 10 words/phrase or less and you can figure it out on your own: spills, slipping, milk everywhere, climbing, getting stuck, screaming, someone's lost, someone's biting, crying, chewing glue, snot, poop on the wall, meltdown. I have a 10 minute story for each of those words. SIGH!! Tomorrow will be a better day friends! Sometimes you just gotta say ELF IT all!!!

So let's get to the elfing festivities, shall we?! Sprinkles has been quite a little sweetie this week! On Monday he delivered stockings for each of my lovelies! I painted their names at the top and they got to decorate them with the fun decorations Sprinkles left for them.

 After they finished decorating their stockings, I hung them up on the back wall for everyone to see! (sorry the picture is so crooked - apparently I am not the best photographer!) The kids were soooo excited to have a stocking up just for them! I use them as a behavior management tool during the holidays. At the end of each day in December, any students that are on GREEN, ORANGE, or PURPLE (these are our good colors on our class behavior clip chart) get to choose a prize from the Treasure Box and put it in their stocking! They get to take their stockings home on the last day of school before Christmas break.

 Doesn't it just look so cute all lit up?! I wish we could leave the lights off all day and enjoy the holiday lights! It may be hard to teach that way though.

After hanging up our stockings, we decorated our Christmas tree together while jamming out to our favorite holiday music!! I'm a sucker from the Carpenters version of "Home for the Holidays". LOVE!

On Tuesday, Sprinkles had a super special treat waiting for us when we arrived:

 Hmmm... what could it be? Goodness me, it's MAGIC ELF SEEDS!  Haha :) So cute! The kids were so excited that they were practically convulsing. Sprinkles left us a bowl, sugar, magic red sprinkles, and magic elf seeds.

 There was also a super sweet poem from Santa explaining exactly what we should do with the things he sent us. It was silent in the room (quite the rarity) as I read the letter to them. 

 The letter explained that we should pour the enchanted sugar in the bowl. Then, each little kiddie planted their magic seed in the sugar and blew it a kiss to make sure it felt loved! After all the seeds were in, each child sprinkled a bit of Christmas magic (red sprinkles) on top to help the seeds grow!

 

 We left the bowl out overnight and waited patiently to see what would grow!

  The next morning the kids came racing in to see if their seeds had grown! And wowie wow wow, did they ever!! They grew into big tall candy canes and each one had a little message on it straight from the North Pole!

And there you have it! Another successful elf adventure! The kids just love that elf! 

If want your elf to deliver magic elf seeds from the North Pole to your class, check it out at my TPT store by clicking on the picture below!

Well, my lovely friends, I think I am off to bed! I need to be well rested if tomorrow is anything like today!! YAAAAY FRIDAY!!! Have a Fabulous Friday :)

Elfing Around & A Freebie

We have been elf crazy in our room this week!! I just love holiday fun! I think I had more fun then the kids did :) We started by reading the story  "The Littlest Elf" by Brandi Dougherty. It is a super cute story about a tiny elf who is too small to do any of Santa's North Pole jobs, but finds a special job in the end.

 

After reading the story, talked a lot about the North Pole and what the elves can do there! We made a chart listing what we would do if we were elves!

The next day, we talked about how the elves get their jobs at the North Pole. I explained that when adults want to get a job, they fill out an application listing all of their information and why they would be a good fit for the job. In order to become elves, we too would have to fill out an application! I found an adorable application from Rachelle over at "What The Teacher Wants" (click the picture below to grab yours!!).

The kids enjoyed answering the questions and coloring the pictures. It was interesting to see what their favorite toys (some were a bit ridiculous for a 5 year old - an iphone? really?) were and their cutey cute elf drawings!

  I mailed those applications to Santa Claus and he sent us a special surprise in return! A special secret package straight from the North Pole! I wrapped the box in advance and gave it to our wonderful secretary. She called the room and said we had a package delivered to the school. I was sooo surprised that we had a packag - we weren't expecting anything (the kids just ate this up!) So I sent two kiddos to the office to pick up our package. When they returned, they were absolutely beaming, talking over each other, screaming that it was from Santa!

I put it in the middle of the room and let them rip it open!

 

Inside the package were the following items:

-A special letter from Santa telling us all about our magic Elf!

-The Elf on the Shelf in his box

-The Elf on the Shelf book

- A magic elf key

-A special present from Santa to us

I got this idea from Pinterest (where all good ideas come from of course) and decided it would be an amazing present from Santa. Instead of using all whoppers and one red gumball like the original version, I just used all red (honestly - because that's what I had at home already ha). I found these suuuuuuper cute labels for the bags from Anna over at "Crazy for First Grade".

 

  They could not believe that Santa wrote a letter just for them!  

 To get this elf introduction letter from Santa and a farewell letter from the elf, visit my TPT store by clicking HERE

The elf also had a magic key with him! The key had a little poem on it telling the kids that the key was made by Santa and is filled with Christmas magic! This is the key he will use to get in and out of our room each night to fly back to the North Pole. You can get your own magic elf key by clicking HERE

 After reading the story, we had to name our magic elf! Each child chose a name that they would like for our elf. We then voted and narrowed it down to 5 names. We put those 5 names on a graph and each child voted for their favorite by coloring in a little elf and gluing it above their choice. And the winning name is..... Sprinkles!!

Click HERE to grab your elf name voting graph freebie!

  The next day we began our Elf on the Shelf Adventure Log! We colored the cover of our log and filled in the first page - "Meet Our Elf".  The kids will fill in a page everyday chronicling our elf's adventures. They were so excited about this! You can grab your copy by clicking HERE.

 The next day we found our elf (with his key) sitting up by the TV and he had a super special movie with him! He wanted us to hear all about his story! He also brought us some delicious cookies to eat. The kids enjoyed their cookies while watching the movie. If you haven't seen it, you just have to! It really brought it home for the kiddos. They saw him come to life (even though he looks like a toy) and it made the even the skeptics believe! One of the characters in the movie actually touches the elf and they were so sad! It was just a perfect addition to the Elfing festivities!

 

The next day our elf was caught "monkeying around"!

 

 Can't wait to see what he gets up to next. I have a whole calendar dedicated to his shenanigans. Click on the calendar picture below to see what I have in store!

 

 On Friday, we made our Christmas countdown chains to hang from the ceiling! Each day we will cut a link until we reach the star, that means it will be Christmas!! The star has a cute little poem on it explaining how the chain will work.

  You can make Christmas countdown chains with your kiddies by clicking on the picture below:

Wowie! We have started our holiday season with a big elfin bang! I hope you are enjoying your season as well, I'd love to hear what you are all up to! Have a relaxing (yea right) weekend!!