I'm Bloglovin'

I should say, I'm learning how to be bloglovin'.

If you want to follow in my footsteps, google: how to add a bloglovin widget to your blog, and you'll get a step-by-step tutorial...

Let's see how all this Bloglovin' stuff turns out, shall we?

Snowflake Sun-catchers

Windows need sun-catchers, especially if the view is, well, urban!

 
These winter snowflake sun-catchers brighten up our view, which is safety grills and sky scrapers.

Snowflakes are pretty, and they make a great math lesson, too.  Kids draw and cut geometrical shapes around the edges. 

The prep work is not hard:  I fold copy paper in quarters.  Then I cut 3 points with variations, like straight, curved, or zigzag.  So easy, and so beautiful. 


Martin Luther King's Kids

Martin Luther King's kids sit in my kindergarten, absorbing his legacy. 

He inspires us to think about appearances and character.

One of my 5-year-olds said:  "We all look just the way we're supposed to."  That's real depth!

Another girl said: "Some kids aren't nice, but you could still dance with them." 

I love to hear how kids process things!  And I'd really love to hear what other kids have to say about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.    Please drop me a line and let me know!

And BTW, if you'd like this Martin Luther King photo montage template and plenty of conversation starters, I've made a lovely packet of them.

Happy Birthday, MLK; I'm thinking about you, too.



Martin Luther King Jr and the Surprises

It's a Martin Luther King Jr display!  Gorgeous art work, gorgeous dreams for the world:

That's what I love about teaching!  No matter how many times you teach a lesson, kids will always surprise and delight you with the outcome.  I wouldn't have thought to put a green Mohawk next to blond pigtail to show diversity, but there it is--and so true to life.

If you'd like to open this page on your Smartboard to give kids ideas for their Martin Luther King writing, feel free.  You'll still get a lovely panoply of responses.  I'd love to see some of them!  If you'd like the template it's here...

Martin Luther King Jr and the Tough Questions

Martin Luther King Jr. reminds us to ask the tough questions.  And I like to ask them as early as Kindergarten.

The more you ask, the more interesting answers you get...

• Why should we love each other?
• Why do you love someone?
• What does brotherhood mean?
• What makes a good friend?
• Can you be friends with someone who is very different from you?
• How can I be kinder?
• Why should I be kind?
• How do I feel when someone is kind to me?
• How do I feel when someone is not kind to me?
• Why should we be non-violent?
• What is my dream for the world?

If you want to pose the questions, and see some interesting lists of answers, as well as create gorgeous Martin Luther King Jr. Montage with Writing and Art Projects for the kids, give this a try!

Martin Luther King Day

Martin Luther King Day is a perfect time to talk about kindness.

 

Actually, I like to talk about kindness every day--I think it's that important!  Everything in life shines up brighter with a big dollop of "nice."

From basic civilities, to random acts of kindness, to seeing past your differences; all of these make a better day, haven't you noticed?

There are so many resources out there to support this in the classroom.  I'll post some here, and return to post more! 

Here's my Mini-Book of Martin Luther King's Life and a lovely photo montage for kids to write on and add a drawing...and assorted Printables for kids to write and display!

Here's Jenny Kramer's song called "Stand Up for Your Beliefs," for grades 1-12.

Here's Smart Kinder Kids' I Have a Dream Pack for the Smartboard.

Enjoy your Martin Luther King Day--and your daily acts of kindness!