2016 Gingerbread Exchange

** UPDATE**

Since there are a few more spaces open, I will leave the sign up open through Tuesday, November 29th.

It's time for the annual Gingerbread Man Exchange!  Each December, wonderful Pre-K and Kindergarten classes have been mailing paper creations to each other and learning a little geography in the process. If you would like to participate this year, the deadline to sign up is November 27, 2016.

The gingerbread men must be mailed between December 1 and December 3, 2016. Gingerbread men may be decorated with glitter, yarn, fabric, stickers, markers, crayon, paint, etc. (no candy or food items.) Please include a short note from your class and if possible a photo of the students. You will mail one gingerbread man to each class on the list you sign up on.  You should receive one gingerbread man from each of the classes on your list.

If your class would like to send out and receive 12 paper gingerbread men, sign up HERE.
If your class would like to send out and receive 20 paper gingerbread men, sign up HERE.
You may notice that there is an extra sign up slot on your list, that is because your class will not be sending a gingerbread man to your own address.

When signing up, PLEASE LOOK to see who has already signed up on a particular list.  Everyone wants to send and receive mail from as wide a variety of places as possible.  Try to sign up on a list that does not yet have a school from your state signed up. (For some states like Georgia and Texas, this in unavoidable because we get a big response.  Let's try to limit each list to two schools from these states.)  Please don't sign up more than one class from the same school on the same list. I will be checking the sign up to see if it is filling up and we need to add additional lists.  YOU CAN edit your own sign up if you realize that you provided the wrong zip code, etc.

If you would like to Skype in addition to the mailing project, please put that information and your email address under your address.  That way, other teachers on your list who wish to Skype with you can contact you

Sensory Activities for the Classroom

Aimee Pillar, a pediatric occupational therapist, recently contacted me about a study she is conducting.  She is researching the sensory aspects of the environment and how they impact participation for preschool students with autism.  She is seeking preschool teachers to complete a short questionaire.  Here's the link if you are willing and able to help her out: Questionaire.

Aimee has shared some sensory activities for use in preschool classrooms.  They are available at:

http://pillerchilddevelopment.com/proprioception.php
http://pillerchilddevelopment.com/vestibular.php
http://pillerchilddevelopment.com/tactile.php

I have included the information from the first two links here.  Please click on the third link for more ideas.

Drawing Animals

I discovered years ago that kids love to be shown how to draw simple animals in a "follow the directions" kind of way.  Sometimes, I do this whole group.  Other times, I put a simple tutorial in the art or writing center for kids to do when they chose to.

 Kathy Wilson with WeDrawAnimals.com has created some tutorials for me to share here.  My students have loved to draw rabbits and cheetahs, so that is what I'm highlighting today.  Be sure to visit the WeDrawAnimals.com website for many more FREE tutorials.

Enjoy!

Eilis

Valentine's Exchange 2016

It's time for the annual Pre-K and Kindergarten Valentine Exchange!

Here's the Sign Up Genious link for this year's Valentine Exchange.  It is set up exactly the same as last year's.  If your class wants to send out and receive a total of twelve valentines, sign up one time on one list. If your class wants to send and receive about 24 valentines, sign up on two different lists. When signing up, please provide the mailing address that you want the valentines sent to (either your own address or the school's).  Either way, be sure that the address is complete. Each list is limited to one class from the same school and two classes from the same state.  I have set up four lists for now, but will add more if they fill before the deadline (January 31, 2016).

The valentines should be student created.  Be creative with paper, ribbon, glue, stickers, markers, paint, etc. Please do not include food or candy.  Please include a brief letter about your class/school/town.  Students love to see a photo of your class if it is possible to include one.

Valentine's Day falls on a Sunday this year. Valentines should be mailed out between February 1st and 5th.  This should allow all the mail to be received by February 12th.

Blessings,
Eilis