Resources for May

 May is here, and the horses are at the gates.

 

 

Yes, the Kentucky Derby is this week, and there's a close read about the Kentucky Derby in this resource: Science and Social Studies Activities for May!

           

 

I'm sure I'll have my kiddos wear fancy hats and find Kentucky on the map! Maybe even read a good horse book! (Click the images for links!)

This week also brings Cinco de Mayo AND Teacher Appreciation Day. 

I plan to celebrate Mexico on both Monday and Tuesday, then celebrate teachers for the rest of the week.

Here are some Cinco de Mayo resources:

Cinco de Mayo No Prep Printables for Literacy and Math!

Here's a fun word work game with a Mexico theme: Mexico Suffixes Go Fish Game!

 

Of course I have a Mexico freebie: Writing Paper with a Mexico theme!

 

for more ideas for celebrating Mexico, see THIS BLOG POST.

This is what I plan on doing for Teacher Appreciation:

I'm going to run off a whole bunch of these Thank You Cards, and have them fill them out for the teachers in the school! I don't let them make them out to me,since there are plenty of other teachers who spend their time helping children. (Any adult who works with children is fair game for Teacher Appreciation, even if they don't have a certificate!)

 

or perhaps you'd like the freebie?

 

 

For more about the Thank You Cards, see THIS BLOG POST.

Here's some fun Mother's Day stuff: Mother's Day Math!

 

Mother's Day No Prep Printables: Literacy and Math

And here's my traditional Mother's Day gift:

 

 

for more information about this Mother's Day gift, 

see THIS BLOG POST.

Toward the end of the month is Memorial Day. I know some teachers will be enjoying summer by then, but we're not even close yet! 

But it's not too early for Freedom Isn't Free!

 

Plus, a freebie for keeping track of the Patriotic Holidays!

Plus, another freebie: Patriotic Brain Breaks!

 

 

for more information about celebrating patriotic holidays, see THIS BLOG POST.

Of course, I do like to make the lives of teachers a little bit easier. Here's a whole bunch of May Reading, Science, and Social Studies activities that will intrigue the children and save time (and money) for teachers: May Bundle!

What are your plans for the month of May?

January Resources

I'm dreading going back. I've enjoyed my morning ritual of having a cup of coffee, watching TV, and browsing Facebook and teacher blogs while in my jammies! I'll have to say good bye to all that when our vacation ends.

 

But the good news is: I get to see the kids again! Plus, there's a lot of fun stuff that can be done in January! (Well, besides testing and Progress Reports!)

 

First of all, it's winter. Now I've never been crazy about the snow or the cold, but the kiddos love playing in the snow, and I love their enthusiasm. Therefore, I look for opportunities to include winter themes in my classroom. Let's start with books! (Each image is a link to Amazon for more information!)

Here are a couple of fun resources to help the kids practice the basics in a fun way.

                           

 

HERE is a link to the winter video on Brain Pop Jr. Don't you love the way they put sophisticated concepts into language the children can understand?

Besides winter, there are a couple of days that are important. We have a day off for Martin Luther King Jr. in a couple of weeks. Besides making sure the kids know why we have the day off, I think Dr. King was an amazing man. I always spend some time talking about Dr. King, and love the innocent passion I always get from the kids each year. "They couldn't use the same bathroom? That's...just...so...wrong!" They are amazing!

                 

HERE's a link to the Brain Pop Martin Luther King Free movie! 

A lesser known holiday: Friday January 9th is National Static Electricity Day. It's handy that it lands when the air is so dry, since it gives us plenty of opportunities to explore static electricity! (I suspect that was intentional, but I know nothing about how National Static Electricity Day came to be!)

Speaking of electricity, did you realize Ben Franklin's birthday is January 17th? Now he's an interesting guy! 

     

 

I love all the little holidays.  Brain research tells us that children need novelty to learn. Well, all these little days are a great way to bring novelty into the classroom! See this resource for more of these fun little holidays! Click here: 

School Days are Fun Days Calendar of Fun 2023!

Don't forget...

If you enjoy celebrating individual days, you'll love January Morning Meeting Greeting Activities! I'm trying to make your life easier by writing your morning letters for you. Each day includes the full date, something to celebrate on that date, and questions designed to get the children thinking! These can be used for discussions or writing prompts, and can be used occasionally or as a daily morning routine. Plus, they will be updated each year!

Here's another look at the individual pages!

 

You may also be interested in this creation: Science and Social Studies Printables for January. There are activities for winter, Ben Franklin, static electricity, Martin Luther King Jr., mapping, and making timelines. See the image below for the link. (Be sure to download the preview for more details!)

I've also put several January items into a bundle that has pretty much everything you'll need for those first few weeks back! 

This image gives you some ideas about what's in it, but if you want a closer look, check out my preview here: January Bundle or see the image below.

 

Enjoy your January!