Distance Learning

It has been three weeks since my whole world changed. Three weeks... it seems like it has been so much longer. 

We found out on Friday, March 13th that our school was moving to Distance Learning because of COVID-19 and we needed to send home books and work that day. I was able to get together one week of work for my students. I created a distance learning tab on my class website. I was hoping that this would not last long. At the end of the day, I gathered my little kinders at the carpet and I explained that school was going to close for a little while because of COVID-19. I explained their work for the next week and then we said a prayer together. During prayer, one of my kids said, "But I am going to miss you!" I held back tears as I told the kids that I would miss them too. I told them that we would see each other soon. I walked my students to the gate, gave them hugs, and they left with their families. 

Since then, one week has turned into three weeks. I, like many of my fellow teachers, have been working 12 to 14 hour days, creating online lessons, recording videos, uploading materials, emailing parents, doing online Zoom meetings with students and coworkers, and grading all of the work that my students turn in. It has been overwhelming and a little crazy. 

It is week three and I think I am finally in a groove with online learning. For the rest of the school year, I am going to be posting pictures of my kids working from home.

Here is one of my students working on a leprechaun project on St. Patrick's Day. 

I hope you are all staying safe and that you will stay healthy.

Art on the 100th Day

This post is from February, but I never got a chance to post it.

Today we painted a picture of the cherubs from Sistine Madonna. Yesterday we tried to do a directed draw of the cherubs. It was way harder than I thought it would be so I made another line drawing of it a home, xeroxed it onto card stock, and then I let the kids choose if they wanted to paint the one they drew or a line drawing that I did. 

We used crayon to color the cherubs and outline the clouds. Then we used water colors to paint the clouds in the background. We had a lot of fun painting the cherubs. They turned out so cute!

100th day in K

Happy 100th Day of School! We had a great day. The kids dressed up as 100 year olds (they were SO cute). 

We did some fun 100th day activities. This is a picture of the kids making a gum ball machine with 100 gum balls in it.

We talked about what we will do when we are 100 years old and we made this cute craft by A Cupcake for the Teacher.

Our third grade buddies came over to do an art activity with us. The kids had to use the numbers in 100 to make a new picture. They were very creative; they made faces, robots, trucks, TNT, trees, creatures, monster trucks, scooters, etc...

This is the third grade and kindergarten class. We love our buddies.

We had a great day. We are 100 days smarter!

Art Masters: Michelangelo

We have been learning about Michelangelo for the past two weeks. This week the kids made a painting based on Michelangelo's work on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. This is our version of Adam touching the hand of God. 

I drew the outline of the hands for the kids. Originally, I was going to have the kids draw the hands as a directed draw activity, but when I tried it myself I thought it would be way too hard for the kids to do. The kids painted the hands using tempera paint. 

Then the kids used watercolors to paint the background. They were able to choose the colors that they wanted to use for the background. 

They did an awesome job! I cannot wait to hang up these paintings in our classroom. 

Kinder Fun

Math Time:
We are practicing making rows, columns, and arrays with lima beans.

Social Studies:
We learned about Johnny Appleseed. 

The fourth graders taught us God Bless America in sign language. 

Reading:
We are reading books by ourselves!

Bates Nut Farm

My class went to Bates Nut Farm a couple of weeks ago. It was a very hot day, but we still had a lot of fun.

Kids: "Let's pick up this pumpkin!"

"Look! A flower!"

"A seed!"

We went on a tractor ride.

We each got a pumpkin to take home for Halloween. 

It was a great day!

Fall Festival

Every year my school has a Fall Festival. It is an awesome way to kick off the fall season. There are many fun games and prizes, there are also jump for joys, face painting, and crafts. The kids had so much fun at the fall festival.

Cake Walk

Crazy Hair

Sand Art