All ABOARD the Polar Express!

WOW!! What a FUN and eventful week!

Mrs. Holcomb's class joined us on the Polar Express this Thursday (check out her blog-Kindergarten Khronicles...she's awesome!)!  What a great day!  We "rode" the Polar Express, drank hot chocolate (with lots of spillage :/ ), and had a special treat.  SOOO much fun!

I sat my room up like this last year.  The kids loved it so much I did it again.  The tickets were a hit.  I told them they had to keep up with them the whole time, just like on a real train.  They were soooo concerned about those tickets, they did such a great job keeping up with them.

And THEN... after lunch, Elfis got into some mischief...

Notice the Peacemaker sign behind him.. I think he needs to read it. :)

Our cute class tree

To make the Grinch smile, I would...

I got this idea from Pam Greening at Overall Success...

I also got this idea from Pam Greening at OverallSuccess.net!  I LOVE her ideas!

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas...

This week my k-friends started out so well!  Almost everyone finished their work today (a huge feat for some) and everyone worked really hard!  The following are activities from Morning Work Baskets, Math Centers, and Literacy Centers.  Keep a look out for all of our fun theme activities we're doing this week!

Morning Work

Count the dots and color the correct number.

Color, cut out, put in order.

Create a pattern.

Color the correct color.

Color, cut out, and glue beside the correct shape.

Math Centers

The reindeers had a race.  Figure out where each reindeer placed but matching the number with the number word.  Put them in order. Write the number and number word.

Color the correct number of dots.

Measure the "toys."  Color the correct amount of "cubes" and write the number.

Literacy Centers

Out weekly pocket chart story. 

Find F.  Write F.  Trace F. Draw a picture that begins with /f/.

Color, cut out, and put in order.  Notice that "I" is missing (not on purpose), but she did a great job!

Color, cut out, and glue pictures that begin with /f/ in a stocking or present.  I love this one.  I asked what the letters were for on the stockings.  He said (in one of those "duh..you should know this kind of voice) for me, my sister, my mom, and my dog...such attention to detail. :)

Pull an object out of Santa's stocking.  Say the name and dot the beginning sound.

Read the words.  Write them under the correct word family.

Christmas Traditions and MORE...

This week we learned all about how or what kids all around the world celebrate during the Christmas season.  We created a fact book to share all this fun information with others!  

Cover page

I'm not really sure why the sheep is standing on Baby Jesus's head...

We listened to Feliz Navidad...the kids LOVED it!

One Italian legend of La Befana is that she was on her way to take presents to Baby Jesus but couldn't find him.   Instead, she left presents for the good little boys and girls and coal for the naughty ones.  She comes on January 5th, but is a lot like Santa.

And who could forget Old Saint Nick!

Next year, I am definitely going to make this whole experience even better.  I LOVE learning about different cultures and want to instill in my students that love as well.  I know some people at my school send a gingerbread man around the world and he writes letters from different places.  I love this and may use this idea next year.  I'd love to skype with a class in some of these areas or watch a video or even do some type of Promethean Board activity...Any ideas?  Do any of you do anything wonderfully awesome to teach different traditions around the world?  Leave a comment and let me know!

Here are some cut ornaments that we made to go on our class tree!

This Rudolph's antlers are a bit droopy.

These were my absolute favorite!  We made them on sand paper.

Handprint snowmen ornaments...for some reason the pictures are fuzzy.

This was supposed to be a handprint snowflake.  It was cute in my head...didn't really love the finished product.

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas...

Can you believe we have only one more week until Christmas break!?!?  This semester has flown by!  It's amazing to look back at the beginning of the year to see how far all of my little friends have come.  


This week was full of holiday fun.  We learned how and what kids all around the world celebrate during the Christmas season.  The following pictures are pictures from math and literacy centers.  Keep a look out for the next post.  It will have pictures of our Christmas Around the World fact book and some cute ornaments we made.


Oh!  I forgot to mention in the last post that we have an elf!  He arrived last Thursday.  The kids named in Elfis, how funny is that!  I'm not so sure the whole "Elfis is watching and will report back to Santa..." thing is working so much. :)

Counting 11-20

Create a pattern.

put in order 1-12

Pull an object our of the stocking.  Say the name and dot the beginning sound.  Bonus: Color the stars the correct colors.

Working away under our tree house.

Use the correct color to find and circle the letter.  Write how many.

Circle the middle sound.  

I made a mistake on the "can"...the options were u and e...and YES, I got called out on that. :)

Match the kid with the flag.  Write the word.