Making Spaceman Sticks

Every year I like to make a set of these spaceman sticks for my students.  It is a great help when teaching your class how to make spaces between words!  It is an essential writing tool in my classroom!



Simply print the spacemen onto labels (or you can use paper).  Then cut the labels to the desired size - I like to cut off some of the white area.  Put the stickers onto jumbo craft sticks and secure with a piece of clear packing tape.  I also like to add each students name on the bottom of the stick with a permanent marker.

spaceman spacer sticks in a glass jar

Click below to get the labels.

Space Man Stick Labels FREE Kay Sommer

 photo blog signature png_zpsv5i1fn7d.png

Constitution Day!

We had fun learning about the Constitution today!  I found these ideas on Pinterest!

We began by making tricorn hats with "powdered" hair.  I prepped the materials by cutting blue construction paper into the hat shape, and by cutting white construction paper into strips.

 I stapled 2 sides of the hat together.


 The students curled the white paper strips and then glued them onto the hat.

Finally I put the hat around the student's head and stapled it in front to fit.

Then I got the "marker quills" ready!  I simply taped a large feather to a few markers.  I purchased the feathers at Michaels.  I saw this idea from A Place Called Kindergarten.

I wrote our classroom constitution on some chart paper after ripping the edges.  After reading our constitution and talking a bit about the US Constitution, we all put on our hats and began signing, just like James Madison and George Washington!



And here is our finished classroom constitution!  I modeled my version after one that I found at Howywood Kindergarten.

This was so exciting for the kids!  Who knew that learning about the Constitution could be such fun?!?!
 photo blog signature png_zpsv5i1fn7d.png

Tops and Bottoms

We are reading one of my favorite books this week - Tops & Bottoms by Janet Stevens.  We just love how Hare tricked the lazy Bear!


After reading the book, we charted out the different vegetables that Hare got - the bottoms (beets, carrots, and radishes), the tops (broccoli, lettuce, and celery), and the middles (corn).
We recalled the events of the story and my students helped to glue the pictures on the chart.


Then everyone got to complete their own cut and glue worksheet.


Give this book a read.  I'm sure that everyone will love it!
You can find this in my TpT store.


 photo blog signature png_zpsv5i1fn7d.png

The Science of Coconuts in Your Kindergarten Classroom

Explore coconut seeds with your Kindergarteners!  

Kids are innately interested in nature and the world around them.  Investigate coconuts and learn what they are all about!


We have been busy learning about all kinds of seeds.  Large seeds, small seeds, fruit seeds, vegetable seeds, and flower seeds. 

a coconut with the words Coconut Science

Today we spent the last part of the day exploring coconut seeds.  I brought in a coconut, some bottled coconut water, and lots of tools to crack the coconut open and to cut up the coconut meat.

a hammer and a knifebottle of coconut water

We began by passing around the coconut.  We touched it and shook it. Then we drew a picture of what the outside of the coconut looked like.

a kindergarteners drawing of a coconut

Then we predicted what the coconut would do when it was put in a container of water.  Would it sink or float?  Next, we headed outside to see what would happen.

a kindergartener placing a coconut in a container of water to see if it floats or sinks

a kindergarten student testing to see if a coconut will sink or float

a kindergarten student putting a coconut seed into a container of water

Yes, it floated!!!  We recorded the results.

kindergarteners drawing of a coconut floating in a container of water

Then I poked a hole in the coconut and drained out the coconut water. Since the water that I drained out of the coconut was full of bits of the coconut shell, we tasted the bottled coconut water instead.

a plastic cup full of coconut water

Then I hit and hit and hit the coconut with a hammer.  Finally, it cracked open.  Then we drew a picture of what the inside of the coconut looked like.

a coconut that has been cracked open showing the white coconut meat
a kindergarteners drawing of the inside of a coconut

Last we tasted a small piece of coconut meat!  Everyone really enjoyed exploring coconuts!

I just added the Coconut Science sheet to my freebies. 


 photo blog signature png_zpsv5i1fn7d.png