Dollar Tree Teaching Finds: Basics, Valentines, St. Patrick's

For $1 each, there are children singing 20 Bible Songs on each and if you put disk into your computer, there is a coloring page on Adobe to print out for each song..that's 60 faith learning songs and coloring pages for $3!!!

Extra Large Pad for Collages, Construction Paper ~ Oh..so many uses, Folders (3 for $1) for kids' Documentation Portfolios

 

VALENTINES: Stamps & Stamp Pad (idea: hot glue 2 stamps of similar size together, back to back..makes handling easier), Love Socks to make into Hand Puppets (use felt, buttons, etc. and hot glue on eyes, nose, ears, mouth), Stickers for Collages

ST. PATRICK'S: Dress-up ~ Headbands of Shamrock, Leprechaun Hat, & Green Feathers; and Glasses of Shamrock, Leprechaun Hat, & Green Bow accompanied by a Mirror

19 SALADS that Sound Amazing!!!

I am on a health kick ~ a kick I hope becomes a habit. My husband inspired me when he told me that he used to eat a salad as his big meal every day. He would pile a large bowl full of dark, leafy greens as the main ingredient. So here I am, reeling my family in by focusing on feeding us all SALADS with FRESH, RAW VEGETABLE BASES.

The Salad Bar. Instead of throwing all the ingredients into one big bowl, and since I have picky eating children, I plan to put each ingredient into its own serving dish and serve a buffet style bar, where each one can fix there own personalized salad.

These are MAIN DISH SALADS. Accompaniments if needed can be:
Baked Potatoes, French Fries,  Canned Soups, Eggs, Cheeses, Bagels, Trisquits, Wheat French Bread

And I know I will be free to be creative and substitute ingredients. I will definitely be adding different cheeses and as veggies are in season or on sale, I might try out different combinations. 

Recipes from The Pioneer Woman:
Buffalo Chicken Salad
Caprese Salad
Big Steak Salad
Spinach Salad
New York Style Chopped Salad
Caesar Salad ~ Can add cooked Chicken Strips
Asian Noodle Salad ~ Can add chopped Roast Beef
Layered Salad
Cheeseburger Salad
Zucchini-Tomato Pasta Salad
Wild Rice Salad
Spicy Peanut Butter Pasta Salad ~ Add lots of Shredded Cabbage as base, less pasta & add Roast Beef
Mexican Dip Salad ~ Add lots of chopped Romaine and Tomatoes on top..can add cooked Ground Beef

Recipes from Rachael Ray:
BLT Salad
Beef, Leek, & Tomato Salad
Club Salad

HUBBY'S LAYERED GERMAN STEAK SALAD:

Bottom Layer: Greens, Walnuts, Carrots, Yellow Pepper, Minced Hard Boiled Eggs

All mixed with Creamy Raspberry Vinaigrette

Middle Layer: Blue Cheese and Soft Croutons

Top Layer: Thinly Sliced Cooked Steak

 

Creamy Raspberry Vinaigrette 

RACHAEL RAY'S CONEY SALAD ~ what I recall:

Cabbage
Grilled Chopped Onions
Chopped Pickles
Sauerkraut
Grilled Chopped Brats

Dressing:
Mayonaisse
Mustard
Vinegar
Garlic

MY FRESH EXPRESS SALAD:

Spinach
Mixed Greens
Red Potatoes boiled in water, then chopped and sauteed in oil, dill, and salt
Cooked Penne Pasta
Sundried Tomatoes
Pickled Garlic Cloves
Served with Garlic flavored Olive Oil & Vinegar

image from here

 

Teaching Tools to Have On Hand: Books

ILLUSTRATED SONG BOOKS..Some of my favorites:

You can also make your own by google-ing pictures that match lyrics and printing out pics and lyrics together..make into cards or books..I've done this with Broadway songs and Disney songs..


PEEK-A-BOO BOOKS..find these at Half Price Books in the children's board book or interactive section..kids love opening doors and finding what's behind them..advent calendars are great for this too..

TOUCH & FEEL BOOKS..great sensory lessons..find these at Half Price Books in the children's interactive section..

FIND IT BOOKS..children's books where there are things hidden in the pictures for the kids to find and sometimes count..like Highlights magazines used to do..

images from here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here

Lesson Plan Tricks: Songs & Crafts

During my sick in bed time, and while my body is getting squeaky clean, I thought I would share with you some tricks I use in the curriculum that I premiered yesterday.
 


 SONGS:

1) Teach Words that Match Pictures to help with Memory & Comprehension. Find pictures online that illustrate each phrase of the song lyrics. To save money, print pictures and accompanying phrase lyrics in black & white, cut out and tape each piece to construction paper, then number pages and paper clip. Sing along to picture cards.

2) Teach Artistic Accomplishment & Interpretation by showing children youtube or DVD videos of the songs performed in a musical or on a movie.

CRAFTS:

Collages: Large sheet of paper accompanied by small-ish printed coloring pages and a print out of the Craft Focus phrase they represent. Children create there own collage as they glue stick pictures to large paper and color them using crayons, colored pens (kids love using pens, makes them feel like adults), stamp pads with fingers or dotted with pencil eraser, or markers (regular or dot). Take turns with the mediums used to color pictures. Children can also create their own drawings to complete the collage.   

image from here

Leadership & Confidence: Animal Layout ~ Rooster Lesson Plan

Animal:

·         The Rooster

Traits (ideas from www.wikipedia.org ):

·         FOCUS: Confidence & Leadership, Movement: Struts

Books:

Songs & Rhymes (most can be found and heard on www.youtube.com ):

·         “I’ve Gotta Crow”(from Broadway’s Peter Pan)

·         “Following the Leader” (from Disney’s Peter Pan)

·         “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” (Christian Mother Goose version, see book above)

·         “This Little Light of Mine” (children’s Bible song, see illustrated book above)

Scriptures:

·         Luke 18:16-17

Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

·         Matthew 21:26

They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?” “Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’ ”

·         Psalm 8:2

“You have taught children and infants
to tell of your strength,
silencing your enemies
and all who oppose you.”

Craft Focus for “Application Cement”

#1        “So Naturally
When I discover the cleverness of a remarkable me,
How can I hide it
When deep down inside it just tickles me so
That I've gotta let go and crow!”

#2       Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.” ~ from Matthew 18:16

#3       “Hide it under a bushel?

NO!

I’m gonna let it shine!”

Game/Activity Ideas for “Application Cement”

·         Game:

Chutes and Ladders: (I just printed a game sheet from online and printed a stack of “happy choice” picture cards for the kids to pick from when they landed on a ladder and “sad choice” picture cards for them to pick when they landed on a chute)