Our First Week of Learning and Fun in 2014!

My kinders are off to a great start in 2014!

So what was some of the fun we got into this week...

Some New Year Centers!

Number Ordering Puzzles

They are LOVING these- and prepping them is super simple!  Insert a picture, insert a table, insert some numbers, print, laminate, cut & bag!  BAM!  Keep reading for a chance to snag one for yourself!

and one of our favorites...New Years War!  Their favorite part now is the 'WILD' card I added in- and when a 'WILD' War came up- well...you would've thought someone had hit the lottery!

Our first round was for the number that was 'greater'- and when a wild card came up, they had to look at their partner's card and decide what number would be greater.  Second round was fewer- and the wild worked the same- UNTIL one group had a '0' and a 'WILD'- 'Mrs. Drake- there is no number fewer than 0 so how can I win?'- Hmmmm- great question- why don't you just flip the next card and whoever has the smallest number wins all 4!  Guess I didn't think that one all the way out!

We worked in our Interactive Notebooks A LOT this week!

One of our math centers this week was to be able to 'read' the ten frames by counting and then gluing the number to match under the flap:

And we also used our notebooks to record our resolutions!

Our notebooks are also serving as a 'scrapbook' of our year!  For this insertion the students had to record their age, grade, favorite color, favorite toy and what they want to be when they grow up!

 When it came to the profession flap, I offered them the option of selecting a profession from the clip art images I had or they could choose to draw/write their own.  Most opted for the clip art- and nearly all my girls are going to be princesses, but I did have a fishermen and Spiderman join the crowd from my boys!


All of our notebook activities came from my New Years Interactive Notebook pack!  The winter pack is nearly done!  I have a bunch of the activities from it prepped for next week!

This week we started working with CVC words and 'tapping out!'

We used our notebook to practice reading a word and finding the picture to match.  They all did wonderful with this!

Writing Our Resolutions!

Have you seen this book?

It's all about a squirrel trying to figure our his New Years resolution- which is perfect for reading to kinders!  I always find it challenging to get them to think of a resolution- but this book really helps- and explains- about resolutions!

I purchased it from Scholastic last year, but its also available on Amazon.

Then it was time for us to write our resolutions!

This one cracked me up!
'I (will) help people be calm.'- and this is coming from one of my 'firecrackers!'

Some took an academic spin on it...
'Write stories.'












Most were to help people!

They then decorated the '2014' on the front and we glued the resolution flip and decked out photo onto a piece of 12x18 construction paper.

'Listen to my teacher!'

They are now proudly displayed in my hallway!

Now everyone that walks past our room knows what we are working on fro the New Year!

Now, I have to say, after this week's EXTREME cold, I believe the smartest being in our class right now is our (hibernating) Mr. Bear!

We built him this stellar den, complete with paper pillows and blankies!  We have explicit directions to not wake him until the Spring!

If you are doing a unit on Hibernating Animals/Animals In Winter, be sure to grab this foldable reader freebie from my TPT Store!  It has had over 10,000 downloads already and is the freebie 'sister' to my #1 seller- 

Hibernation & Animals In Winter Super Pack!

So what's in store for my kinders for next week....

'SNOW' much fun!

We'll be talking all about winter!

Want one less center to have to think of and plan?

Use one of mine!  The graphics are from Whimsy Workshop!  Here snowman set is absolutely adorable and they print beautifully!  I used her graphics for so many of my centers for next week!   Just click on the graphic below or here to download a color and b&w number puzzle for ordering numbers 1 to 10!

Leave me a blog post comment for a chance to win Snowman Count the Room using her graphics!

Be sure to come back and visit on Saturday for information about a Blog Hop Giveaway I am participating in!

Thanks for stopping by...