Showing posts with label crafts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crafts. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 23, 2025

Higher Order Thinking?


Happy New Year! I don't know about everyone else, but my school is pushing Rigor, with higher order thinking questioning.

This is what we were doing last year at this time. I thought my students were doing great. They were reading, writing, and finally could color! Got to have color.

Now I am rethinking what my students should be doing at this time of the year. They are mostly still 5 and 6 years old. They love school and learning - but am I pushing them to the higher level of learning. I am looking at the questions that go along with the Bloom's Task Wheel that everyone in my school has. 

I need to get to the top of the wheel (pyramid) more, but with little Ks who are just now beginning to APPLY the knowledge they have learned, it might be more difficult than someone looking in might think.

How do you get your Ks to climb to the top of the Bloom's chart? I would love some feedback on this.

Snowman Craftivity!

We had so much fun making our snowmen yesterday. Our school is about 6 miles from the coast, so most of my students have never seen snow. They love reading about snow and they loved making these snowmen from my Winter Math and ELA 135 Pages of Printables!


The snowmen are so big and just look great as my 'window curtain.' In the Winter Printables packet, this is only about 5 pages of 100, but I decided to make the snowmen with lined chart paper rather than the white paper I suggested in the packet. I wanted to have a writing activity that didn't take too long so I could get these up!

Some students wrote more than usual. What I was most impressed with is how my students' coloring, glueing and cutting skills have improved since the beginning of the year. I know that isn't at the top of most State Standards checklists, but it does help when a student can concentrate on coloring and then apply those details and descriptions to their writing.

My students were so involved with this activity! I know some teachers will know what I mean when I say I am so proud of their cutting skills!


I didn't edit any of the writing. They read what they wrote to their table buddies and I displayed all of their work.
Yes, this is such an improvement over what was done at the beginning of this year. And this child was so proud of her work! She cut around the lines, and colored with pizazz! She was following directions until she came to the mittens!
You can see the chart paper here. I say to use two sheets of construction paper and let students cut the corners to make a circle. We were out of white art paper and bulletin board paper, so I improvised and I really like this! I think I like the chart paper the best. It isn't too heavy for hanging and students loved writing on the chart paper.

Can you tell how focused my little ESL guy is? He didn't even realize I was taking a picture. I think coloring gives ESL Kinders a sense of accomplishment. They are trying so hard to learn English and may feel behind the others. A coloring project like this really gives them a chance to soar to the top of the class. 




I love my students faces when they are involved with a project. I took about 40 pictures, and could look at them all day! 

If you are interested in Winter themed activities for ELA and Math, the Winter Math and ELA Printable Packet contains 135 pages of ELA and Math printables. I like to call them processing sheets.... all engage students!  There is measurement, Emergent Readers, a Counting Book, writing, Artic Animals.... and of course the snowman!


Thanks as always for visiting my blog! I hope you enjoy looking through my students pictures. I am so proud of them! (I have to add one more of their snowmen!)


Okay, that's it! Thanks for being patient with all my pictures! 



Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Happy New Year Blog Hop!

Join In The New Year Fun!


K-2 Blog Hop! 

Each blog will be featuring a Forever Freebie and TPT paid item. What to do: Check out the Paid TPT Item. Go to TPT, download my Forever Freebie, please leave some feedback as a thank-you!  Then just hop on over to the next blog to pick up a Forever Freebie and check out another item! 


Lots of fun and a great way to meet new TPT Sellers!

Oh, and have a wonderfully happy and content New Year!

My TPT Wonderful Winter Package! 
100 Pages of Printables, Centers, and Books! 
So many activities and printable for teachers to copy and have ready to Go! Meaningful work that will keep students busy and thinking! 
Fun and engaging for Math and ELA!


Winter Math and ELA Package



My Forever Freebie!






Thanks for visiting!

Friday, December 20, 2013

Our Christmas Elf Applications!


I had so much fun with these little Elf Applications! My students took this so seriously and this was the best present I could have this Christmas. They actually believed they could apply to be an Elf! I am just back in Kindergarten after teaching 4th and 5th grade AIG (Academically Gifted Students.) I wanted this change and I can see why now! These children have not lost their magic, they still believe that anything is possible and I love that! I hope their creativity never gets stifled!


When we were going over the Application (they did this first) I asked them to really think hard about whether or not they wanted to be an Elf when they grew up. We talked about having to make all those toys and then what it would be like if they were sent out to homes and schools to be an Elf On A Shelf. One little girl almost cried saying she didn't want to be an elf! I told her just to say that she didn't want to apply. She is the one that is below. I think the cutest one of the bunch!



Most of mine wanted to be an Elf. We talked about why an elf would have to like toys, snow, and of course, Christmas. They had such a good time doing this.


My only regret is that I cannot find the file or where I got this free item. I have searched through TPT where I usually get my free items and I can't find it anywhere. When you add something to your wish list and then download the item, it is gone. If someone knows who I can link this free item to, please let me know. I couldn't even share the link with my co-teachers since it is lost somewhere. It must not be titled Elf Application.

I love the little faces they made! Cute activity and it tied in well with careers and why you need to have certain skills and likes to be successful in a job choice!


At beginning of the year, my students couldn't even hold scissors for the most part. I just love the way they have learned to cut out carefully. These pieces were not that big and they had to cut the collar, the hat, all of the pieces. They have come a long way since the beginning of the year!


Sunday, April 14, 2013

4th Grade Common Core Workbook

Common Core is beginning to be 'common' language to my students. In my classroom we talk about the Common Core way of learning and my students are starting to really like learning this way.

Why? Mostly because Common Core is activity or project based. I like to use the term, Craftivity. My students get excited when they know that there is a craftivity involved with their learning. They know that they can cut and paste, and glue, research and write, and color. While they are doing all of this, they are learning and processing information. I am giving them more challenging assignments, but with Craftivity • technology and the ARTS combined, they are ready to learn.

I have been wanting a new book that is now available. The Fourth Grade Common Core Workbook


This book is packed with Common Core Craftivities, lessons, and more .... all for 4th grade! This is the information from their website: 

This Fourth Grade Common Core Workbook is the largest collection of resources for teaching the Common Core State Standards. This workbook includes over 850 pages of Worksheets, Activity Centers, and Posters that teach all the Fourth Grade English Language Arts Common Core Standards.   

Common Core Craftivities, lessons, and more .... all for 4th grade! Go to the website linked above and look around.

I will be so excited to get this book. I'll be sure to take pictures of how my class is using this book, so please stay tuned for more!  Update! My good bloggin' buddy, Joanne at Third Grade Is The Place To Be,  sent me a note (see comment below), letting me know she had the 3rd grade preview and it is amazing! She also said there is a code to save 15% off your purchase. Had to add this! 15% off of anything nowadays is a great savings. 



As always, thanks for dropping by!