It's a Rainforest EXTRAVAGANZA!!

Happy Hump Day, friends!! Kerri here...

You ever have one of those days where you fell like your class has been taken over by a bunch of aliens?? Well, that was my day today. Sigh...Spring Fever has hit with a VENGEANCE in Room 4!!

As I was looking over my plans for April from last year, I had a slight panic attack when I realized that it is time to start planning my big ole Rainforest EXTRAVAGANZA! This beast of a unit takes us 8 weeks to complete, so I start the first week in April. 

At my school, we culminate the year with our Open House 2 weeks before school lets out for the summer, but I start planning and prepping for the big event WAAAYYY early, because Open House is my most favoritest thing ever! I love transforming my room into a place that literally makes my kids say "ooohh, aaahhh" when they see it, and I also love the satisfaction that comes from engaging my kids in an 8 week long thematic unit that includes language arts, math, science, writing, and (of course) most importantly, ART!

Last year I developed my Rainforest Fun! Art and Writing Unit, after years of teaching my kids about the rainforest and turning my room into a rainforest every year for Open House. 

Here are some pictures of last year's Rainforest transformation...

(Disclaimer: I am not a patterned art type of gal. All of the art projects my kiddies do are the "I do, you do" step cut method, which makes their art sooo much more original and unique, I think!)

Yup!! The rainforest literally threw up in my room! I love it!!
My kids EAT. IT. UP. every year, and they learn so so much about the rainforest. I am getting excited just thinking about teaching it again this year!!

If you are interested in transforming your classroom into a living rainforest, then you can check this out...

In addition to directions for all of the 10 art projects you see above you, this unit includes all sorts of writing activities for lots of different rainforest animals, which you can save and make into a rainforest book for your kiddos!

I also have my companion Rainforest Fun! Math Literacy Centers available as a companion to my Art and Writing Unit, to extend the rainforest fun just a little bit further! :)

Thanks for checking out my rainforest ideas! I hope you all have a wonderful Open House this year, whatever theme you choose to do! It's a such a memorable experience for our students, isn't it?? :)

Kerri B

P.S. And I hope the aliens haven't abducted your children like they have mine. Hopefully, they'll be back to themselves tomorrow!!

Open House Rainforest!

Oh. my. SNAPS, Peeps!! Kerri here...
Lindsay and I STILL have 8 more days of school left! We are LITERALLY hanging on by a thread, friends. Like, for reals. And, we both have BUNCHES of stuff left to do! Like testing, report cards, end of the year certificates and what have you, FATHER'S DAY gifts. Seriously....Calgon take me away!


We will be doing a DUAL post tonight, so we can show you pictures from both of our Open Houses. Ours was last Thursday and here are some pictures of the RAINFOREST madness! Most of these projects are from my Rainforest Art and Writing Pack! 


Check out the rainforest in my room...

Toucans and Fun with WORMS pictures!

Toucans and Leaf-Cutter Ant projects

Sloths,  flowers,  and Monkeys!

This is just a big old rainforest Party right here!!

Rainforest Animal Research Reports and clay snakes

Rainforest Acrostics and Sloth Stories

I just love their sloth drawings! We step-drew them together!

Step-draw Macaws

Jaguar stories

Mini-Me's, jaguars, and red-eyed tree frogs

Rainforest Guide projects and another Rainforest Wall

Layers of the Rainforest

Self-Portraits and Autobiographies

Big, fat, hairy caterpillar (I'll let Lindsay tell you about that one!)

My front door!

Aren't these toucans so fun??

A boy teacher that I work with, who shall remain nameless, but has something in common with a certain LARGE PURPLE SINGING DINOSAUR, told me that one of his kids had an ACTUAL seizure when walking through my room, and the other kids all came out with their eyes going wonky, like they were in a cartoon. 
HARDY HARDY HAR. Doesn't he know that Open House is all about FIERCE and FABULOUSNESS? Whatevs... :)


I know I promised you directions on the Toucan art and I will give it to you for FREE (dimensions and directions!) but not tonight, I am T.I.R.E.D. and Lindsay wants her turn to share! 


Hope you had fun visiting the rainforest!! G'Night, Peeps!

Happy Tuesday friends!  Its MY turn!!

Luckily for me, my Open House was a week and a half ago . . . whew!  The rainforest madness about did me in - but the look of pride on the kiddos faces as they take their parents around the room is ALL worth it!  Our room was jam-packed full of rainforesty goodness!  And there was SO. MUCH. WRITING.  It was actually a wonderful way for me to focu on non-fiction writing with my kidlets.  Ya know, instead of writing about a roller-skating Sloth named Sprinkles . . . my students had to use our anchor chart and think of some facts they knew and could put into sentences about sloths . . . and other rainforest critters! 

Here is a look at the whole room.  Holy Rainforest Batman!

Here are our fabulous step-draw macaws in their 3-D frames.  I was so proud of how well my kidlets did with oil pastels!  

Here are our rainbow fish with . . . yes, a pirahna right in the middle.  

Here are the Mini Me's all dressed for the Rainforest, along with our jaguars and butterflies.

One of my FAVORITE projects is our 3-D ABC art that we do with our Big Buddies. Each student brings in an item (or items) that are used to cover their assigned letter.  Then my kiddos write about things beginning with that letter.  They got SO creative with their letters this year!

Isn't this R adorable??  Covered in ribbons, rocks, rainbows, rubber bands . .

Sloths and monkeys and flowers . . . oh my!

Our Rainforest Guides and layers of the rainforest.  I love, love, LOVE the little animals with each Rainforest Guide.  Isn't that grey gorilla the cutest?  

Sloth stories.  Lots of great writing on this wall!

"Sloths never groom themselves.  Then they grow their algae.  It takes one whole day for a sloth to take him to another tree to another tree."

Wonderful Me writing and our tree-cutter ants and more writing!

This cute idea came from A Cupcake For The Teacher's TPT store here.  We brainstormed a HUGE list of things we had learned this year, and the kids did a great job of writing about one thing each.  This little guy says "This year I learned to write new words.  I sound them out by myself." Sigh.  Insert proud teacher face here.

And last but not least, here is the cover of our A to Z art book.  I didn't get a shot of all of the books on the tables, but I loved their little self-portraits in their hot air balloons floating off to First Grade!

It is SO fun to look back at all of the wonderful work my kiddos accomplished.  They are ready to leave me and become fabulous little firsties! 

I had one mom share the sweetest story with me at Open House.  She said her daughter was in the backseat talking with her little sister (not knowing that mom was listening), and the following conversation took place:

Little sister: Who is your best friend?
Big sister: Does it have to be a kid?
Little sister: Nope.
Big sister:  Good, cuz Mrs. Messner is my bestest friend!

Ay yi yi - how cute is she?  I will miss my lil enchiladas! 

Well friends, that is it for tonight.  I promise to be back with some Father's Day things to share soon!  G'night!

Goodbye Third Grade, Hello Kindergarten!

Greetings blogger buddies!


Okay, okay . . . I have to admit that I have been totally MIA on our blog the last few weeks.  The end of the year was a whirlwind and I can't believe it's already August - yikes!  Here's a peek into what I've been up to!


As I wrapped up my year with my wonderful Third Graders, Open House was a huge highlight!  Our room showcased my wonderful writers, artists, readers, mathmaticians, and scientists!  Here are some pictures to give you a peek:

This was our Native American wall for Social Studies.  Each child made a clay doll, made a hand-woven basket, and several books and maps showcasing the various Native American groups of the regions of California.

Across our classroom clothesline I hung self-portraits that my students did of themselves using oil pastels.  They loved the challenge of drawing themselves realistically, and especially had fun with their crazy, colorful backgrounds!

Across the front of the room I hung their wonderful "Third Grade Gazette" newspapers, which featured articles they wrote about their favorite field trip, the best book they read, and what they were most proud of this year in Third Grade!  I also hung their dioramas that they created based on a story from our Language Arts anthology.

Probably our favorite project was creating a Solar System in our classroom.  Actually, it worked out great - since I had 24 students, they each got to research, write about, and create their own paper mache planet, so we had a total of three Solar Systems on display - along with our GIANT sun!!  (The sun was made of a HUGE balloon and took several coats of paper mache and many hours of work from students, parents, and myself before it was ready to be displayed.)  Along with each planet, my students wrote a "Postcard From Space" to their parents on what it was like to be visiting their planet of choice.  Click HERE to download a template of the postcard to use with your kiddos!


As I wrapped up this year with my students, I received news that I will be teaching KINDERGARTEN next year - WOOHOO!!  I am so excited to be going back to a grade that I am so passionate about!  Unfortunately, once school was out and my new room was clean and ready, I only had TWO DAYS to move in all of my things and get set up for next year before I had to turn in my key for the summer! Whew!  Thanks to Kerri for coming and helping put up some fabulous bulletin boards (pictures coming soon), and to my husband for doing some serious heavy lifting . . . As of yesterday, we are only two weeks away from my due date for little Jackson to arrive!!  Here are some recent belly shots from our maternity photo shoot.  Can't wait to meet the little man inside that belly!!

So now as I anxiously and eagerly await Jack's arrival, I have been filling my sleepless nights with lots of kinder prep: getting things organized for my long-term sub, loading up on school supplies, and digging up all my kinder files.  I wanted to share my Kindergarten Classroom Rules that I made a few years ago and still love.  They are: Quiet Voice, Raise Your Hand, Give 100%, HFO (stands for keeping Hands, Feet, and Objects to yourself!), Show Heart Behavior (which covers being kind, respectful, etc.), Listen, and Walk.  Hope you can use these in your rooms as well!

Click on the image to download a PDF of my classroom rules!

Hope you are all having wonderful, relaxing summers.  I will keep you updated with baby news and hopefully lots of helpful Kinder resources as well!

Lindsay



Open House 2011-It's a Jungle in Here!

Hi Blogging buddies! Kerri here...
Can I just say how completely JEALOUS I am that so many of you are on your summer break, while I sit here EXHAUSTED after Open House last night, and I still have 2 weeks left of school! GAH!

Direct Draw Oil Pastel Parrots

Anyway, my theme this year was "The Rainforest" and it was SO STINKING FUN! Here are some pics of how my classroom turned out!

Rainforest animal Research Reports and Clay Snake Projects

Leaf-Cutter Ant Art and Writing

One of our Rainforest Walls

Jaguar Stories

Rainforest Guides and Writing

Sloth Stories

Rainforest Acrostic Poems

Another Rainforest Wall with our Piranha filled River

Jaguar Story

Monkeys and Sloths

Water Color Pencil Flowers

All the Books on their Desks

Decoupaged Keepsake Pencil Boxes

Layers of the Rainforest Art

SLOTHS!! I love them...

MONKEYS!! I also love these!

Tear Art Rainforest Flowers

Close-up of the clay snakes

Our Technology Table showing our Leapsters and Tag Readers

Red-Eyed Tree Frogs-I saw this idea on the blog First Grade Best and adapted the frogs to make them Red-Eved Tree Frogs! Thanks for the cute idea Michelle!

My Front Door that I ADORE!

Mini-Me Projects that the kids did at home

Self-Portraits and All About Me Writing

Another view of our Rainforest

Jog-a-thon Poster!!


Keep a look our for my first ever unit that I will be selling on TPT...on the Rainforest!! YAY!
This Unit is seriously such a blast to teach and the kids DIG it! I will be working on it in 2 weeks, once MY summer starts!!
Toodles!!