Your students will enjoy creating and using their own weather dials. Here's a printable My Weather Dial template to help you get your weather lesson started.
Grades:
Kindergarten - 2nd Grade
Objective:
Students will learn to identify, describe, read and draw different types of weather, such as sunny, sunny & cloudy, cloudy, rainy, stormy and snowy.
Materials:
Instructions:
1. Color the weather inside each circle.
2. Cut out the hand, small circles, large circle and words “My Weather Dial”.
3. Glue the large circle in the middle of the construction paper.
4. Glue the small circles around the large circle.
5. Glue the words “My Weather Dial” above the circle.
6. Use a hole punch and brad to attach the “Today is” hand.
The weather dial can be added to your morning morning meeting, and incorporated as a daily weather lesson.
Teachers, Get ready to bookmark this fun Winter activities list, because you'll find it helpful all season.
Hit "print" on your browser and create a "Winter Activities" file. Each activity comes with free printables and instructions. Many activities below can also be posted on your winter classroom bulletin board.
- December Holidays Process Chart - Compare and contrast winter holidays, such as Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. As winter approaches, children are excited about the holidays they share with family and friends. Teaching the children to recognize the meanings, traditions, special foods and games associated with each holiday (Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa) can help the students and parents learn to appreciate their differences, while still holding dear their own families beliefs and traditions. Check-out several books about each holiday from the library. Set aside time each day to read a couple of books. After reading aloud each book use what was learned while reading to fill in the blanks on the chart. Students can display their charts on the classroom bulletin board. Here's a holiday readers variety pack to help out with this lesson.
- Letter to Santa - Here’s a free template for a Letter to Santa to use during writers’ workshop. Knowing the children’s family traditions is important. Referring to the Family Tree (which can be completed at the beginning of the year) can help determine the students able to do this assignment, and if you feel it would be appropriate for a classroom bulletin board, or more appropriate for a small, rotating, group activity.
- Top 5 Hannukah Activities - Read a story, play games, cook, and watch a short video.
- Christmas Handprint Wreath - Each wreath is unique and a treasured gift for parents.
- Writer's Workshop and Winter Scene Shoebox Craft - Students will love creating their own winter scenes and stories. In addition to the printable book, you'll find a printable story web, draft, writing process and parts of a story. The stories can be displayed on the classroom bulletin board. The winter shoe boxes can also be put on display.
- Reindeer Race Craft and Game - You'll want to make sure you have one laminated and put in a shoebox for your classroom game cabinet. Perfect for rainy day lunches and educational time-fillers (teaches magnetism).
- Winter Warm Fuzzy - Your students will love to create an adorable warm fuzzy and write Winter Warm Fuzzy stories to display in your classroom. To create books for the stories, fold 3 pages of 8.5 X 11 paper in half. Staple three times on the folded side. Students then write the title, author, illustrator (their own names) on the cover and title page. The writing process, story web & draft, and parts of a story printables will help the students get started.
- Snowman Paper Bag Puppets - As an alternative option, instead of using the template on paper bags for puppets, glue the snowmen on one side of large, blue construction paper (12" X 18") folded in half. Tape student created snowmen stories on the other side of the folded construction paper(written on 8.5 X 11 paper). This activity is perfect for a winter bulletin board. You could also do the same type of activity with the Santa Claus Paper Bag Puppet template. Then, put the Letter to Santa on the other side of the large construction paper.
Parent Gifts and Winter Classroom Decor
Perfect to send home as gifts for parents and to decorate your classroom.
Free Christmas Tree Ornament Templates
Candy Cane Reindeer Ornament Craft
Snowman Photo Ornament
Winter Snow Globe Craft
More Winter Teaching Tips:
Encourage Parent Volunteers
If you are blessed with helpful parent volunteers, this is a great time to make use of them. Include a note in your classroom newsletter encouraging parents to volunteer. Explain that they can read a children's book (about their families special holiday, such as Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa), and help out with a craft or lesson plan to compliment it. (Such as any of the crafts and lesson plans above). Encouraging parents to volunteer to share their family traditions can help every family feel cared for and respected as you complete the December Holidays Process Chart.
Get Ready for the Substitute
Just in case you catch a winter bug, keep some of the above activities on hand as emergency substitute plans in a file on your desk. Don't forget to keep a big stack of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa books there, too.
When to Use the word "Holiday" and When Not To
We all know that this word can be used appropriately, and not appropriately. Using the blanketed word of "holiday" can actually be disrespectful and biased, especially when referring to a Christmas tree or menorah. We don't call a menorah a "holiday candle". Lighting the menorah is a very special tradition in Jewish culture. Calling it a "holiday candle" would be disrespectful, as it's also disrespectful to call a Christmas tree a "holiday tree". So, keeping this in mind, we can help all our students feel included and respected. Read more at Kelly's post, Is Christmas a Bad Word?
Stay Away from Sugar Cookies
After my first year of teaching I never allowed a parent to bring in sugar cookies and hype the students up in the middle of the day. That was probably my worst day ever. Save it for right before dismissal. ;) Here are more tips for Classroom Management and Holidays.
Here's a free sun salutation handout and exercise plan (see below) for you and your students.
This exercise plan works for teachers and students because it's part of the daily morning routine.
You can choose to follow this daily exercise routine before or after morning circle time.
You Go Home at 3, So You Can Exercise
Teachers have all the time in the world to exercise because they go home at around 3:00 p.m. everyday, right? Oh, the naive statements of those who have never taught. No, world! Surprise! Teachers don't go off and indulge themselves in the hot tub at the gym after the kids are gone at around 3 p.m everyday. Teachers have to correct papers, write the name of every single student on miscellaneous items, clean up messes, write lesson plans for the entire next day (which takes hours after the students are gone), make a bazillion copies and tons of other stuff you don't have time to listen to me list, so I'll get to the point... because I know you have been holding your bladder since 7:30 a.m. and you need something helpful that's quick, free and convenient. Seriously, I want to help you feel better because I know how it feels. Teaching doesn't leave much time for exercising, unless we follow an exercise plan that is part of our teaching day. Like this...
Exercise Plan:
- Sun Salutation - Make an overhead transparency or refer to it as you model the exercise. Assigning a student leader as part of classroom jobs can be helpful, too. As time progresses, students will memorize the sun salutation.
- Jumping Jacks - Set of 25
- Running/Walking - Run or walk around the field as far away from the other classrooms as possible. The teacher and students may want to start out walking. Those who would like to can run. Students will learn to be silent in the hall on the way to the field. Other teachers who may complain about the distraction through the windows can learn to shut their windows or join you. You may inspire other teachers to join you, especially when they start seeing your results.
- Cool Down - Students who finish quickly can begin their cool down. While on the ground, they can stretch their legs and arms.
Modeling Healthy Choices
When our students see us fitting exercise into the day the impression speaks much more than just talking about it. So, not only are we being a positive role model, we are caring for ourselves so we can live a longer and healthier lives. There is a way to get exercise ourselves while fulfilling the physical fitness needs of our students. I've found that it's easier to fit in the exercise with our students in the morning, rather than trying to fit it in after they are gone.
I've done it both ways. I've let the P.E. teacher do all the physical fitness for the students, but honestly my best summer was when I followed this exercise plan with my students. I felt great and it really helped my students and I focus. I did this during summer school, but I regret not following it during the school year. I think it would have kept me healthier and happier... Like I was that summer. I'm hoping this exercise plan can offer you support and encouragement.
Share Your Stories
Please feel free to share your experiences. What types of physical fitness activities do you and your students enjoy?
This snowflake craft is perfect for decorating the classroom and making cards for parents.
Materials for the Snowflake:
- White or light blue paper (White copy paper works well. Construction paper doesn't cut as nicely.)
- Scissors
- Glue and glitter (optional)
Matrials for the Card:
- Construction paper (light blue or dark blue. A different color than the snowflake.)
- Pencil
- Black pen
Instructions:
[caption id="attachment_3759" align="alignleft" width="228" caption="1. Using 8.5 X 11 paper, fold in half to make a triangle. Cut off the extra paper to make the triangle."][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_3760" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="2. Set aside the extra paper. (Later, students who finish early can use it to make small snowflakes.)"][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_3761" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="3. Fold another triangle."][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_3762" align="alignleft" width="288" caption="4. Fold one side."][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_3763" align="alignleft" width="224" caption="5. Fold the other side"][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_3764" align="alignright" width="224" caption="6. Cut a straight line across the bottom."][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_3767" align="alignleft" width="224" caption="7. Think about the design you want. "]
[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_3765" align="alignleft" width="224" caption="8. Cut the paper to make your snowflake. (For a hole in the center, cut the tip at the top.)"][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_3766" align="alignnone" width="285" caption="9. Open the snowflake."]
[/caption]
10. Dot with glue and sprinkle with glitter. (optional). If you are making a card. Glue the snowflake to the card before dotting with glue and sprinkling with glitter.
11. Use string to hang the snowflakes from the ceiling, tape them in the window or make a card for parents.
Gift Card Idea:
- Fold large light blue or dark blue construction paper in half to make a card. (You may want to use white or dark blue for the card if the snowflakes are light blue. If the snowflakes are white, light blue or dark blue construction paper for the card looks nice.)
- Students write a note inside the card to parent(s) in pencil. Proofread and then trace over with black pen. It can also be helpful to use lined paper inside the card.
The Challenge of it All - Do I Have Time?
Creating and then maintaining a classroom website can seem like a daunting task. Let's be honest about this. Businesses actually hire website developers to create and up-date websites for their businesses. How in the world can a teacher be expected to do all the assessments, develop differentiated instruction for each student, communicate effectively with parents, keep the classroom clean, correct all the papers, keep up on all the professional development course requirement and many other things we do, like write every child's name on treat bags for the holidays? Okay, I'll stop now, but I could go on and on. Being a teacher is a huge job, and creating a website can seem like more work. Well, at first it is. However, there are ways in which it can cut back on your work load once it's established. I've got some ideas I'd love to share with you.
Technology Can Help
When I taught kindergarten and 2nd grade I felt these pressures and I understand what many teachers are experiencing. Well, the truth is that technology can actually help with some of this. Yes. Initially, it takes more time, but once the process is streamlined we can actually save time by using technology in our classroom. Classroom websites are an excellent way to help with communication (students and parents). By the way, the parents and students can be recruited to help up-date some of the pages, too. It's important to give specific directions with this. Maybe a parent can copy and paste the newsletter for the month you typed and put it in on the website. Or you can save it as a PDF file and they can up-load it for you. I didn't do it this way, but some teachers might find it useful.
How Can Having a Classroom Website Help You:
- You need to find a volunteer for a project or field trip. Send out a quick e-mail to all of the parents or post it on the website. If a note was sent home, you would have to wait until the next morning for a response. So, you have just saved time.
- Student and parent access to homework is available 24-hours a day. Cuts down on phone calls about homework.
- Student and parent access to field trip forms and scheduled events 24-hours a day. This can also cut down on miscommunication and lost forms.
- Using the website as a tool for learning. I loved to put links to educational games, which were extensions of what we were learning in the classroom. Many games differentiate the instruction because they keep score and progress to the next level as the student improves.
- A quick reference for links to use during computer lab time. Having a list of links on the classroom website can be a time saver when at the computer lab. The students just book mark the classroom website and go to the games you have listed. This is extremely helpful when there is a substitute teacher, too.
- On-line tests - There are tools now available which allow teachers to develop tests on-line and post them on their classroom websites. These tests are then scored for you. Thus, saving you time!
How Do I Make a Simple Website?
Seriously, don't even think about creating an HTML site from scratch! This is supposed to save you time. There are so many useful "What You See Is What You Get" tools now-a-days. To save time, there are many options. You can use a blog or create a website. When I think of blogs, I usually see some type of news feed with the most recent information first. When I think of a website I often think of visiting a site that looks the same and has pages listed along the sides, top or in different boxes on the page. The pages change, but the main page usually stays the same. You can see examples of websites/blogs teachers have created on this page. Please let us know if you would like to be added to this list.
As you can see, Ms. Jasztal, Mrs. Russ, Ms. Powell and a third grade teacher (un-named) have very different websites. Some include photos of the students using Shutterfly (as in Ms. Jasztal's) class, and some do not. Of course, a permission slip from parents is required before posting photos of the students. Each of these sites are excellent examples, and were possibly created using different programs. The good news is, you can choose to spend as much time on this as you want to. I tended to use the simplest means available to me, yet allowed the most options.
Top 3 Suggestions for Creating a Teacher Website
1. TeacherWeb.com
I loved www.teacherweb.com. I loved it so much that for a Developing Internet Based Instruction course I took at U.C. Berkeley extension, I developed an on-line course explaining how to make a simple website using Teacher Web. Here's an example of a great looking page using teacher web. There are many different options specifically designed for teachers, college instructors, librarians and school nurses.
As you can see, the on-line course, (which is still being developed and is actually designed for child care providers), is a simple step-by-step on-line video tutorial. Please note that I have not started teaching the course yet, but I plan to soon. Even though I developed this for child care providers, Teacher Web is most commonly used by classroom teachers. So, please feel free to use the site as a tool to take you through the process of creating your own website without actually taking my course.
Teaching Resource Center is not affiliated with Teacher Web. I've personally found that Teacher Web is simple, easy and useful. When I signed-up for the page it was free for one month and then there was a small fee for the entire year. When you explore the site you'll see what the current rates are. It's easy to quickly up-date pages. They also have an awesome library of graphics. For example, I used the animated frog graphic to hop across the page during the spring when my class was doing this science/writers' workshop lesson.
Another option is to use a blog, like https://www.blogger.com/start. As you can see, the third grade teacher uses her blog to give parents up-to-date, useful information about her instruction and classroom calendar. If you prefer, you can keep your name off of the page and not post any pictures to keep confidentiality. That way, only the parents in your classroom will know that this is your website.
Wordpressis easy to use. I did a quick search to find a teacher website. Look what I found! As you can see, this teacher is really making good use of the "finding volunteer" time saver suggestion I listed above under "Ways Having a Clasroom Website Can Help You".
Your Experiences and Websites
If you would like to have your website listed on our site, feel free to let us know, and share your website ideas in the comments, too.
Students can use the passes to use the restroom or for traveling through the classroom halls.
Directions:
1. Make two copies of this sheet. (For safety, students can use the buddy system, which is explained below.)
2. Color each pass.
3. Cut out each pass.
4. Laminate each pass.
5. Punch a hole at the top of each pass.
6. Put strings through the holes.
7. Hang the passes by the door.
8. Explain the buddy system to the students.
While teaching kindergarten and 2nd grade, my students were taught to use the buddy system. When a student left the room he/she always left with a buddy.
Hall & Restroom Health & Safety Rules:
Here's a helpful check list to review with the students.
1. Be sure to walk.
2. Stay with your buddy.
3. Never leave campus with any adult without checking with your teacher first.
4. If someone (even an adult) talks to you in the halls and you feel uncomfortable, go directly to the classroom and tell your teacher.
5. Wash your hands with soap and water after using the bathroom.
6. Use a paper towel to open the bathroom door and throw it in the garbage.
