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Week of September 16, 2024 | TK | Having Grit Like Pete the Cat
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Head and Shoulders Knees and Toes
We sing and move to settle the wiggles.
Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons, by Eric Litwin
Pete the cat loves the buttons on his shirt so much that he makes up a song about them, and even as the buttons pop off, one by one, he still finds a reason to sing.
If You're Happy and You Know It
A chance to sing and move before enjoying picture books independently.
Substitute as second verse: If you're happy and you know it tap your shoulders - tap tap.
Substitute as third verse: If you're happy and you know it look at books - look look.
Crafty Connection Pete the Cat coloring page
We sing and move to settle the wiggles.
Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons, by Eric Litwin
Pete the cat loves the buttons on his shirt so much that he makes up a song about them, and even as the buttons pop off, one by one, he still finds a reason to sing.
If You're Happy and You Know It
A chance to sing and move before enjoying picture books independently.
Substitute as second verse: If you're happy and you know it tap your shoulders - tap tap.
Substitute as third verse: If you're happy and you know it look at books - look look.
Crafty Connection Pete the Cat coloring page
Week of September 16, 2024 | Kindergarten | Fall Leaves
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Head and Shoulders Knees and Toes
We sing and move to settle the wiggles.
I Am a Leaf, by Jean Marzollo
A simple introduction to the life cycle and functions of a leaf.
Fall Leaves Fall! by Zoe Hall
When fall comes, two brothers enjoy catching the falling leaves, stomping on them, kicking them, jumping in piles of them, and using them to make pictures. Includes a description of how leaves change through the year.
Fall Is Not Easy, by Marty Kelley
With new expectations to be met, fall can be a tough season for a lot of us.
If You're Happy and You Know It
A chance to sing and move before enjoying picture books independently.
Substitute as second verse: If you're happy and you know it tap your shoulders - tap tap.
Substitute as third verse: If you're happy and you know it look at books - look look.
Crafty Connection Fall leaves coloring sheet
At-Home Crafty Connection Use the reverse of the fall leaves coloring sheet to transform ordinary leaves found in the yard into colorful nature collages. Directions
We sing and move to settle the wiggles.
I Am a Leaf, by Jean Marzollo
A simple introduction to the life cycle and functions of a leaf.
Fall Leaves Fall! by Zoe Hall
When fall comes, two brothers enjoy catching the falling leaves, stomping on them, kicking them, jumping in piles of them, and using them to make pictures. Includes a description of how leaves change through the year.
Fall Is Not Easy, by Marty Kelley
With new expectations to be met, fall can be a tough season for a lot of us.
If You're Happy and You Know It
A chance to sing and move before enjoying picture books independently.
Substitute as second verse: If you're happy and you know it tap your shoulders - tap tap.
Substitute as third verse: If you're happy and you know it look at books - look look.
Crafty Connection Fall leaves coloring sheet
At-Home Crafty Connection Use the reverse of the fall leaves coloring sheet to transform ordinary leaves found in the yard into colorful nature collages. Directions
Week of September 16, 2024 | First Grade | Books and Reading
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I Am a Story, by Dan Yaccarino
A celebration of the art of storytelling traces how it has evolved from cave paintings and the invention of the printing press to the digital technologies that inform and unite today's diverse world. Sharp eyes will take note of the starry transition from cave people to contemporary folk as astrological signs reappear as constellations, with a tiny red bird on each page to remind us that stories give flight to our imagination.
Crafty Connection Tiny Birds coloring sheet
I Don't Like to Read, by Nancy Carlson
Henry the mouse likes everything about first grade except reading, but with some extra help at school and home, he is delightfully surprised.
Connection Read a book, of course :)
Nibbles the Book Monster, by Emma Yarlett
Nibbles the Monster enjoys books a little too much!
At-Home Crafty Connection Make a book-nibbling bookmark. Directions
A celebration of the art of storytelling traces how it has evolved from cave paintings and the invention of the printing press to the digital technologies that inform and unite today's diverse world. Sharp eyes will take note of the starry transition from cave people to contemporary folk as astrological signs reappear as constellations, with a tiny red bird on each page to remind us that stories give flight to our imagination.
Crafty Connection Tiny Birds coloring sheet
I Don't Like to Read, by Nancy Carlson
Henry the mouse likes everything about first grade except reading, but with some extra help at school and home, he is delightfully surprised.
Connection Read a book, of course :)
Nibbles the Book Monster, by Emma Yarlett
Nibbles the Monster enjoys books a little too much!
At-Home Crafty Connection Make a book-nibbling bookmark. Directions
Week of September 16, 2024 | Second Grade | Empathy
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Empathy is defined as the ability to understand the thoughts, feelings, or emotions of someone else. An example of empathy is feeling the same amount of excitement as a friend, when they tell you they are getting a puppy or a kitten.
Video Sesame Street: actor Mark Ruffalo and Murray help explain the feeling of empathy.
A Letter to My Teacher, by Deborah Hopkinson
Written as a thank you note to a cherished teacher, the ending brings the love of learning and teaching full circle.
Discuss Do you think the new teacher will be able to feel empathy for her students when things don't go quite right for them? How might having empathy affect our relationships at home or at school?
Draw and Write Students draw a picture of themselves with their teacher and write a note including a personality trait that they know their teacher will enjoy, and a behavior that they hope to improve during second grade.
Video Sesame Street: actor Mark Ruffalo and Murray help explain the feeling of empathy.
A Letter to My Teacher, by Deborah Hopkinson
Written as a thank you note to a cherished teacher, the ending brings the love of learning and teaching full circle.
Discuss Do you think the new teacher will be able to feel empathy for her students when things don't go quite right for them? How might having empathy affect our relationships at home or at school?
Draw and Write Students draw a picture of themselves with their teacher and write a note including a personality trait that they know their teacher will enjoy, and a behavior that they hope to improve during second grade.
Week of September 16, 2024 | Third Grade | Ghost Stories
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Leo : a Ghost Story, by Mac Barnett
Leo is a friendly house ghost--but when a family moves into his house, and tries to get rid of him, he leaves and roams the city looking for a friend.
Video YouTube Cracking ice cubes out of a tray
Cold Feet, by Cynthia DeFelice
When Willie McPhee, the finest bagpiper in all of Scotland, falls on hard times and is in danger of freezing, he takes a pair of boots from a man who --he thinks-- no longer needs them. Now though his feet are warm, something worse than freezing lies ahead.
Video YouTube Highland bagpiper in the snow
Crafty Connections Cut a spiral paper ghost and enjoy a haunted house coloring sheet
Leo is a friendly house ghost--but when a family moves into his house, and tries to get rid of him, he leaves and roams the city looking for a friend.
Video YouTube Cracking ice cubes out of a tray
Cold Feet, by Cynthia DeFelice
When Willie McPhee, the finest bagpiper in all of Scotland, falls on hard times and is in danger of freezing, he takes a pair of boots from a man who --he thinks-- no longer needs them. Now though his feet are warm, something worse than freezing lies ahead.
Video YouTube Highland bagpiper in the snow
Crafty Connections Cut a spiral paper ghost and enjoy a haunted house coloring sheet
Week of September 16, 2024 | Fourth Grade | Making Your Mark
Celebrating Peace Week by Making Connections to Foster Peace
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Whoever You Are, by Mem Fox
Aims to inspire tolerance and understanding by showing how, around the earth, across cultures and generations, children share commonalities.
Read and Reflect Students will think about what peace means to them at home, at school, in their community, and around the world.
[Red: a Crayon's Story, by Michael Hall An amusing but affecting story about staying true to oneself in this tale about a blue crayon in a red wrapper. Skip this year to make room for Whoever You Are]
The Dot, by Peter H. Reynolds. A delicate fable about the creative spirit in all of us.
International Dot Day is September 15-ish.
Crafty Connection With crayons and thin markers, students will personalize a square sheet of paper containing the outline of a one fourth of a circle for a bulletin board display. Though we are uniquely ourselves, we can join together in beauty and harmony.
Aims to inspire tolerance and understanding by showing how, around the earth, across cultures and generations, children share commonalities.
Read and Reflect Students will think about what peace means to them at home, at school, in their community, and around the world.
[Red: a Crayon's Story, by Michael Hall An amusing but affecting story about staying true to oneself in this tale about a blue crayon in a red wrapper. Skip this year to make room for Whoever You Are]
The Dot, by Peter H. Reynolds. A delicate fable about the creative spirit in all of us.
International Dot Day is September 15-ish.
Crafty Connection With crayons and thin markers, students will personalize a square sheet of paper containing the outline of a one fourth of a circle for a bulletin board display. Though we are uniquely ourselves, we can join together in beauty and harmony.
Week of September 16, 2024 | Fifth Grade
Sharing the Joy of Books and Celebrating Peace Week
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Video Getting to Know Little Free Library The non-profit organization was founded in 2012. Now there are over 150,000 little libraries worldwide.
Little Libraries, Big Heroes, by Miranda Paul
The story behind the founding of the Little Free Library non-profit by Todd Bol (1956-2018) which began in Wisconsin as a tribute to his late mother, a teacher, and spread around the world. Learn more at littlefreelibrary.org.
Little Free Libraries Flourish in Manhattan Beach The Beach Reporter tells about local Little Free Libraries and highlights one hosted by Chris Primm, the Library Resource Specialist at Meadows Elementary. The former Pennekamp Library Resource Specialist hosts a variation on the theme called a Puzzle Perch. Click here to view alternative little free libraries...even one with fetch sticks for your dog.
Whoever You Are, by Mem Fox
Aims to inspire tolerance and understanding by showing how, around the earth, across cultures and generations, children share commonalities.
Crafty Connection World peace coloring sheet
Little Libraries, Big Heroes, by Miranda Paul
The story behind the founding of the Little Free Library non-profit by Todd Bol (1956-2018) which began in Wisconsin as a tribute to his late mother, a teacher, and spread around the world. Learn more at littlefreelibrary.org.
Little Free Libraries Flourish in Manhattan Beach The Beach Reporter tells about local Little Free Libraries and highlights one hosted by Chris Primm, the Library Resource Specialist at Meadows Elementary. The former Pennekamp Library Resource Specialist hosts a variation on the theme called a Puzzle Perch. Click here to view alternative little free libraries...even one with fetch sticks for your dog.
Whoever You Are, by Mem Fox
Aims to inspire tolerance and understanding by showing how, around the earth, across cultures and generations, children share commonalities.
Crafty Connection World peace coloring sheet
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