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www.prekandksharing.blogspot.com

Can Music Get Children to Eat Well?

     Maybe you started reading this because that title is a little abby-normal.  It is; and, if it got your attention, Yay!  Can music get Children to eat well?  Yes, in a couple of ways.  Let's explore....

Although this is about being positive to keep your immune system strong, it also states that we DO react to lyrics.   When we sing about eating good food, children process that and remember it.  They go home and talk about.  It becomes part of their value system.   And we have to do it more than once.   It takes 1200 times of hearing or doing something for a child to completely learn a concept.

     We need a lot of good songs about food!  Try Peter Alsop's song "Apple Juice".

Songs for Teaching has a whole page for food songs!

     I think I've made the point.  Now, I'd like to introduce you to "The Smart Woman"

She is smart because she eats from all her food groups!

Here is what I do.  We talk about all the foods she could eat.  Each child gets a food they can feed to her.  We sing the song and the child puts the food in her mouth when that food is sung about.  They love feeding her.  (OK.  I will admit this to you.  Occassionally, I've been known to have her burp.  It does make them giggle!  And, I do say "Excuse me".)

Here is a picture of me using the doll with a class of 2 yr olds.  I start young.  (1200 times etc etc)  By the time they are four, they should have this!


You can purchase the doll.  OR ~ ~ you can make your own!
I saw someone use a clear plastic bag so the children can see what is going into the stomach.  Then, she pointed to each food when the song recapped.

Here are the lyrics.
It is sung to the tune of "I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly

I know a smart woman, when her day began

She ate cereal that had some bran. 

She’s a healthy woman

I know a smart woman, who ate some fruit

Like peaches, bananas & berries (they’re cute)

She ate the fruit to go with the bran,

That she ate when her day began.

She’s a healthy woman.

I know a smart woman who ate some cheese

Oh jeez!  She ate some cheese. She ate some cheese... (repeat all)

I know a smart woman who drank some milk

Or soy silk, but she drank milk. She drank some milk to go with the cheese.. (repeat all)

I know a smart woman and veggies she ate

The more on her plate,

The more veggies she ate.  She ate the veggies to... (repeat all)

I know a smart woman

Who ate meat that was lean

And fish, chicken or tofu for good protein.  She ate protein to... (repeat all)

I know a smart woman who ate what was good

From each food group as she should….(repeat all)

On my newest CD - "Mr. Froggy's Fitness Fun" - I have a new version of this - Are you ready?  "The Smart Woman Merengue".  Yup.  It can be even more fun by adding a movement to each food group.  Que bueno!

If you'd like signs for each food group, click on Food Signs and download them for FREE from my website.  I use these for "Dance for the Food Groups".  which you can have FREE through the weekend.  Download now.  The deal goes away on Monday.

Buon appetito!  ¡buen provecho! Lekker eet!  Afiyet olsun!

Repurposing Binder Clips

It's Scott from Brick by Brick. I love to repurpose materials—use materials in ways different from their intended purpose.

One of my favorite places to find items to repurpose is the office supply store (or the office supply section of your favorite discount store). Here are a few ideas for repurposing a favorite office item - binder clips.

Game Pieces - Use binder clips to make stand-up game pieces. This one uses a picture card. But you could use anything that could clip in the binder clip. Use photographs of your kids. Use index cards on which kids have printed their names or drawn pictures. Use letters or shapes from bulletin board sets. You can use anything. Clip it in the binder clip and stand on the table or gameboard. 

Or stick a colored sticker on the binder clip or buy a set of colored binder clips and use the clips themselves for game pieces.

Book Binding - Use binder clips to attach pages together in a homemade book. Kids could draw pictures and/or write words on sheets of paper or cards. Clip the pages together and turn the pages. 

This book is made from food labels. Cut labels from boxes or cans and tape the labels onto index cards. Clip the cards together. (Use logos that are familiar to kids. They can "read" this book because it uses environmental print, print they recognize.)

Homemade Clipboard - Use a piece of cardboard and a binder clip to make a homemade clipboard. Stack paper and align with the cardboard. Clip on the binder clip. Kids now have a portable "desk" to write or draw.

Mailbox Labels - I purchased these mailboxes for my classroom. I wanted to label each slot with a kid's name. But I wanted to be able to change the names or reuse the mailboxes from class to class. I clipped binder clips to the bottom of the slots and attached a small label with the kids' names. These worked great! I was able to remove a clip or add a clip when kids came or went. And, I could remove the label and put on a clean one to reuse the clip, too.

Other Ideas:

• You could also use the binder clips as counters or other manipulatives. 
• Add the clips to an activity that allows kids to practice pinching to open the clips. (Great for fine motor development) 
• Hang the clips on pushpins to make easily changeable wall displays. 
• Or just clip papers together, as the binder clips were designed to do.

What ways could you use these in your classroom?

TRANSITIONS: UNSUNG HEROES OF THE MUSICAL CLASSROOM

Ms. Brigid here, from Merit School of Music  in Chicago. Thank you for joining me. On a hot summer night in Chicago – and we’re having a lot of them all of a sudden – I met with a group of Pre-K teachers to conduct a workshop on  “Musical Building Blocks” focusing on elements and techniques for successfully integrating music into the classroom and circle time. We discussed fast and slow, high and low, piano and forte, sound and no sound, stopping and starting, how to teach a song and sing a book. Woven throughout were transition chants and songs to facilitate movement and change levels from sitting to standing. Here are a few of my favorites. Please share yours below in "Comments" or email them directly to me (gardengoddess1@comcast.net). I will post them to our community so we can all benefit!

Down Is the Earth (chant)

Down is the earth.                    (Drum the floor)

 Up is the sky.                            (Fling arms up in air, above head. Voice rises) 

Here are my friends,                  (Both hands gesture to friends on either side)

And here am I.                           (Both hands touch chest)

I found this chant on one of my down the rabbit hole internet searches, purely by accident, and have not as yet been able to track down the provenance. Thank you to whomever penned it! My 2-3s and 3-5 year old children loved this from the beginning of the  year to the end. It’s extremely flexible – and can be performed sitting or standing. Use of comparatives (high/low, piano/forte, etc.) are especially effective. When children are comfortable, try the chant using opposite movements, e.g. standing and reaching up to the sky while chanting "down is the earth," etc.

*A chant merely means that the words are spoken, not sung.

Two Little Hands (chant)

Two little hands go clap, clap, clap. (Clap hands simultaneously with “clap”)

Two little feet go tap, tap, tap. (Stamp feet – more fun than tapping!)

One little body turns around. (Turn body around one time)

 Everyone here sits right down. (Everyone sits down)

The rhythm and rhyming words make this a fun and easy group activity to move from high to low, or standing to sitting. Eventually, my kiddos “audiate” the chant, i.e., they hide the words in their heads and perform the motions, all together, entirely in silence. Silent round of applause! Many of you may be familiar with some version of this rhyme that uses “one little child turns around.” I changed it after the umpteenth child – over many years – rightfully pointed out that I was not a child.

Everybody Have a Seat 

Piggyback tune: Shortnin’ Bread

Everybody have a seat, have a seat, have a seat,

Everybody have a seat on the floor.

Not on the ceiling, not on the door,

Everybody have a seat on the floor.

Everybody have a seat, have a seat, have a seat,

Everybody have a seat on your chair.

Not on the ceiling, not on the stair,

Everybody have a seat on your chair.

A favorite with both children and teachers, this is a great way to get from high to low, from standing to seated. Encourage other rhyming pairs – the sillier the better.

Some ideas: Everybody have a seat… on the rug. Not on a ___, not on a bug,… or

Everybody have a seat…at the circle. Not at a ___, no at a birkel,… and etc. This chant can also be used to line kiddos up at the end of the day (Everybody line up… at the door) – really, there are no limits to the way it can be used. Pre-K and K teachers are the champions of creative “piggybacking” – adapting words to known melodies for their own purposes!        

Tall As A Tree (chant)   

Tall as a tree.                                    (Stand and stretch arms as high as possible)

Wide as a house.                                    (Stretch arms and legs out wide)

Thin as a pin.                                    (Jump body back, arms glued to body)

Small as a mouse. (x2)                           (Curl into small ball)

Movement is key to learning! The similes used employ the whole body – so it’s an effective way to bring a dose of gross motor after an period of inactivity. Repeat the chant more than once to wake up the body. Comparatives may also be used.

Per friend Allison Ashley:  To transition to lining up, end with “quiet as a mouse.”

Thanks for reading!

Please share your transitions chants and songs below in “Comments” or

email me: gardengoddess1@comcast.net.

I hope you’ll join me next month for musical musings.

Until then, happy singing!

Merit School of Music, Chicago

Call on Merit School of Music! Our onsite school is in the West Loop. We work in the schools throughout the area providing band, orchestra, percussion, choir, early childhood, and general music instruction with project based units including Recorder, Music and Storytelling and Songwriting. We do great work! YoYo Ma is a supporter!

Chicago Families

Please come to Merit’s Storytime sessions – the 2^nd and 4^th Mondays of the month. It’s free, fun, and facilitated by singers and storytellers Amy Lowe, Irica Baurer & me. Stories and songs start at 11am, and we end with instrument exploration and family networking. Storytime will continue through the summer months, so come on down!

The next session is July 27.

I am continually inspired by The Children’s Music Network (CMN) community. an international group of socially conscious musicians, educators, librarians, families, songwriters and good people, who “celebrate the positive power of music in the lives of children by sharing songs, exchanging ideas, and creating community.” Please visit CMN, and find a gathering in your region.

©2015 Brigid Finucane  * 847-213-0713 * gardengoddess1@comcast.net

http://prekandksharing.blogspot.com

@booksinger1

Blog History

June 2015. Summer Songs

May 2015.  Crescendo II! Chants & Games for Music Foundation

April 2015. Crescendo -And Sites to Sigh For: edWeb & CMN

March 2015. Piano and Forte! Songs and Books for Investigating Music Fundamentals

Feb.2015. Chinese New Year – Looking for Year of the Sheep & A Good Friend

Jan.2015. Multicultural Children’s Book Day - The Lions of Gir

Dec.2014. Singing a Storybook – Wintertime / A Winter’s Tale

Nov. 2014. Singing a Story – The Magic of Musical Books: Part II

Oct.2104. Singing a Story – The Magic of Musical Books: Part I

Sept. 2014. Educators Who Care, Share. Singers, Sites & Songs from the Heartland Part III: From the Midwest & Great Lakes Regions (Listening Locally)

Aug. 2014. Educators Who Care, Share. Singers, Sites & Songs – Part II: Midwest & Great Lakes (Listening Locally)          

July 2014. Educators Who Care, Share. Singers, Sites & Songs Part I: Midwest & Ontario (Listening Locally)

June 2014. Garden Lessons, Typographic Art Apps and Thank You Notes

May 2014. Spring! Songs, Chants & Apps to Welcome the Season

April 2014. Part II. Dancing, Singing & Drawing Legato and Staccato

March 2014. Part I. From “Hush Little Baby” to Yo-Yo Ma – Using Books, Apps and YouTube Videos to Introduce Legato and Staccato

Feb.2014. Pete Seeger – A Time to Thank

Jan.2014. Gung Hay Fat Choy! Stories, Books & Apps to Celebrate the Chinese New Year

Dec.2013. Singing Time! Embracing Appadiction

Gratitude (and Exhaustion!)

Teachers learning fingerplays!

 Happy Summer from Miss Carole of Macaroni Soup!
 To all who have faithfully come to PreKandKSharing on the 16th of each month - THANK YOU!  Today I am winging my way toward Johnson City, TN to Sing, Dance and LEARN through music with teachers and caregivers at the East Tennessee State University Early Childhood Conference on Friday and Saturday.  
  Last week I did four workshops at the SDE "I Teach K!" Conference in Las Vegas!  And there's lots more sharing and learning coming up in August!

SDE "I Teach K!" in Las Vegas - stretchy band fun!

 This month I don't have a song to share or dance to teach you - please page through one of the gazillion blogs I've written since this wonderful project started. Okay, maybe not a gazillion, but 44 blog posts is a lot for a person who had never read a blog, followed a blog or written a blog.    

 Thanks to Debbie Clement's immense patience in showing me the ropes, and for dreaming this up in the first place!  Thanks to all who have written to me, asked wonderful questions and even invited me to their schools, libraries and conferences. My job - sharing music, movement and sparking imagination is a privilage!

I can't wait to go back to school!  Crazy, huh?

    I will get back on track next month - I promise you songs to keep "back to school" humming in the key of FUN! 

Yours for a Song!
"Miss Carole" Stephens
Macaroni Soup! Active Music for Active Learners!

Montessori-Inspired Pioneer Activities Using Free Printables

By Deb Chitwood from Living Montessori Now  

I grew up 40 miles from DeSmet, South Dakota, of Little Town on the Prairie fame. I was always a fan of the Laura Ingalls Wilder book series and loved studying about that time in history. I enjoyed sharing the Laura Ingalls Wilder books and activities with my own children. Today, I want to share some ideas for Montessori-inspired pioneer activities that can be used in the classroom or at home. 

I shared a list of free pioneer printables in my post today at Living Montessori Now. Here, I'm sharing some Montessori-inspired pioneer activities using free printables for preschoolers through first graders. You'll find many activities for preschoolers through first graders throughout the year along with presentation ideas in my previous posts at PreK + K Sharing. 

You'll also find ideas for using free printables to create activity trays here: How to Use Printables to Create Montessori-Inspired Activities. At Living Montessori Now, I have a post with resource links of Free Printables for Montessori Homeschools and Preschools. 

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links at no cost to you. 

Covered Wagon Lacing

Free Printable: Covered Wagon Lacing from Wild West Mega Pack at 123 Homeschool 4 Me 

The tray is a Multicraft tray. This activity just requires printing out, laminating, and cutting out the covered wagon; punching holes around the wagon; and using tape to create an end on the yarn for lacing. Older children could use yarn threaded through a needle. 

Pioneer Counting and Skip Counting Puzzles Free Printable: Pioneer Counting and Skip Counting Puzzles from Pioneer Pack, Part 1 from 3 Dinosaurs 

I printed out, laminated, and cut out the puzzle pieces. You can choose a pioneer puzzle with simple linear counting or with skip counting. For younger children, I would just use one puzzle per box. For older children, you could add all four puzzles to a box for extra difficulty. I used a Really Useful Pencil Box. You could also use a zippered pencil pouch to create an activity bag with the puzzles for traveling or waiting rooms. 

Pioneer Counting and Addition Roll and Cover Games

Free Printable: Wagon Roll and Cover and Cabin Roll and Cover from Pioneer Pack, Part 4 from 3 Dinosaurs   

I added two activities/papers to this tray for children at different levels. The covered wagon is a simple counting activity. The cabin in the page below it has an addition activity using two dice. I used clear glass gems as markers so children could see the numbers through the gems. I also used a sugar tong from Montessori Services to add an activity for fine-motor development. 

Pioneer Town-Store Money Activity    

Free Printable: Pioneer Town-Store Money Activity from Little House in the Big Woods and Pioneer Unit at Every Star Is Different 

I really like this activity for giving a high-interest way to help children become comfortable dealing with coins. If you have a children's cash register, that could be used to make the activity even more meaningful. 

Younger children could match the coins to the card. I placed only the coins in the dish that are needed to complete the activity for a control of error. You could use 4, 8, or 12 cards. Older children could match the actual money amount to the coin cards. 

Pioneer Beginning Sounds Clip Cards

Free Printable: Pioneer Beginning Sounds Clip Cards from Jump in to Summer Learning: Pioneers (Day 5, Kindergarten) at Royal Baloo 

The basket is a Montessori Services basket. I used mini clothespins to add both difficulty and interest. I also added control dots to the back to identify the correct answer when the child turns the card over after clipping on the clothespin. 

Pioneer Girl and Boy Paper Doll Cutting Activity  

Free Printable: Pioneer Girl and Pioneer Boy Paper Doll Printables from Little House on the Prairie 

This is an advanced cutting activity and fun craft that would be of interest to kindergarteners through elementary-level children. I used Fiskar kids' scissors.

Here's the link to my favorite laminator ... inexpensive and great for almost any activity that needs to be laminated!

More Free Pioneer  Printables and Montessori-Inspired Pioneer Activities

Go to my post at Living Montessori Now for links to pioneer freebies from around the blogosphere: Free Pioneer Printables and Montessori-Inspired Pioneer Activities.

You'll find more pioneer activities and ideas in these Living Montessori Now  posts:

Little House on the Prairie Unit Study




Laura Ingalls Wilder and Montessori Washboard Activity Frontier Life Unit Study Pinterest Board

If you'd like to focus on manners with children, please check out my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to Teach Grace and Courtesy! It's written for anyone who'd like to feel comfortable teaching manners to children ages 2-12. I'm also one of the coauthors of the book Learn with Play – 150+ Activities for Year-round Fun & Learning!

Have a great rest of the summer!

 

Deb Chitwood is a certified Montessori teacher with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Studies from Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England. Deb taught in Montessori schools in Iowa and Arizona before becoming owner/director/teacher of her own Montessori school in South Dakota. Later, she homeschooled her two children through high school. Deb is now a Montessori writer who lives in San Diego with her husband of 40 years (and lives in the city where her kids, kids-in-law, and toddler granddaughter live). She blogs at Living Montessori Now.

Do You Get to Know the Parents of Your Child's Friends?

If you don't, you should. It is every parent's responsibility to get to know their children's friends, including the parents of those friends. This is especially important if you allow your children to go to their friends' homes to play or hangout. Doing so provides clues as to how safe your child will be in their home and whether there will be positive or negative things that could  influence your children while they're in the care of these other adults.

One day, a father dropping off his daughter to play with ours, immediately began backing out of the driveway after his little girl got out of the car. I quickly approached the car to introduce myself and without saying a word, he rolled down the window and just stared at me. I was stunned when he responded in a manner that said, "So what." He reluctantly said his name and quickly drove away. I could not believe that he was dropping his sweet little 9-year-old daughter off at a house he had never been inside of, nor met the adults who live there! 

How could a parent be so trusting or not care enough to want to know what kinds of things or activities his daughter might see or experience while at that home? Lucky for him, my wife and I are trusting, caring and responsible parents, but what if we weren't? Why does it seem that so few parents take the time and effort to check out the adults who will be responsible for their child's safety and care?

One day my 7-year-old son revealed that he was watching R-rated HBO movies on a large screen TV in the bedroom of one of his neighborhood playmates. I was shocked and told him that I would need to speak with his mother before he could go back over to that home to play with his friend. 

A few days later, I saw that boys mom outside, working in the garden. I approached her and revealed what I had learned. I shouldn't have been surprised when she reacted in a way that told me she didn't see a problem with it. She then uttered two very classic but annoying statements: "Boys will be boys," and "They are going to see it all somewhere so why not let them see it in their own home."

Today's progressive entertainment industry has made it known that they are not responsible for what our children see and hear. They are in the business to make money and to sell what many adults want to buy. Many parents are in denial that they themselves are responsible for managing what their children are exposed to. And if they aren't in denial, then they just haven't yet come to terms with this responsibility, a responsibility their parents didn't have. These two factors alone have contributed to the inappropriate accelerated maturity of our children.

Bill Corbett has a degree in clinical psychology and has been chosen to deliver the keynote

address at a large education conference in Holland this Fall.  He is happily married with three grown children, three grandchildren, and three step children, and resides in Enfield, CT.  You can see his published books by CLICKING THIS LINK.

20 Great Books About Birthdays!

Hello again, it's Ayn from little illuminations! Today is my birthday!!! I am here at the beach, celebrating with 30 of my favorite family members for our week long family get together. In honor of my special day,  I thought I would share 20 of my favorite books about birthdays! 

      ***This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Little Illuminations is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.***

Happy Birthday To You! by Dr. Seuss





You're Only Old Once by Dr. Seuss






It's My Birthday! by Helen Oxenbury


 
The Night Before My Birthday by Natasha Wing


 
Happy Birthday, Mouse! Laura Numeroff


 
The Secret Birthday Message by Eric Carle



How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Birthday? by Jane Yolen & Mark Teague



  Llama llama, Birthday Party by Anna Dewdney


 
The Birthday Queen by Audrey and Don Wood


 
Scaredy Squirrel Has a Birthday Party by Melanie Watt


 
Clifford's Birthday Party by Norman Bridwell


 
Froggy's Birthday Wish by Jonathan London


 
Happy Birthday, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty MacDonald


 
5 Little Monkeys Bake a Birthday Cake by Eileen Christelow



 
Arthur's Birthday by Marc Brown


 
Happy Birthday, Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel


 
Birthday Monsters by Sandra Boynton




Carl's Birthday by Alexandra Day


 
Birthday Bugs by David A. Carter


 
The Story of America's Birthday by Patricia Pingry



  Do you have a favorite birthday book? I'd love to hear about it! Share it with us in the comments below!!!

I'm thrilled to say I have been blogging here on PreK+K Sharing since the very beginning!  I am a Ga. Pre-K teacher, serving 4 and 5 year olds in an inclusive setting. Stop by and visit me anytime at littleilluminations.blogspot.com where I share my PreK classroom adventures or visit the little illuminations fanpage on facebook! And be sure to check out PreK+K Sharing EEE!