STAND UP FOR DR. KING

Our daughter,Holly, wrote the lyrics for this song, and I think they are beautiful!  This book would provide a perfect opportunity to teach some new vocabulary words.  You can download it on myJanuary, 2007, website.

Stand Up ForMartin Luther King – 3^rd Monday in January

(Tune:  “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean”)

Dr. King stood upfor justice.                  (Standand sway back and forth.)

He stood up forequality, too.                  

Dr. King stood upfor children.

He stood up for meand for you.              (Pointto self and then others.)

So now we…

Stand up, standup,                                (Marchin place to the beat.)

Stand up forMartin Luther King.

Stand up, standup,

Stand up for Dr.King.

Dr. King wantedall of America                (Swayback and forth.)

To be tolerant,fair, and free.

He stood up forwhat he believed in.

He stood up foryou and for me.              (Pointto self and the others.)

So now we…

Stand up, standup,                                 (Marchin place.)

Stand up forMartin Luther King.

Stand up, standup,

Stand  up for Dr. King.

Dr King taught usall to be dreamers       (Swayback and forth.)

So one day theworld could begin

To judge peoplebased on their character

And not on thecolor of their skin.

So now we…                                             (Marchin place.)

Stand up, standup,

Stand up forMartin Luther King.

Stand up, standup,

Stand  up for Dr. King.

MLK and KWL- Check out books from your school library on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.   Put them in your class library andask the children to see what they can find out about Dr. King.  Use a KWL chart to begin yourdiscussion.  K – What do theyalready know about Dr. King?  W –What do they want to learn about him? L – After reading books about Dr. King, add the new information thechildren have learned.

Heroes –Martin Luther King was ahero.  Make a list of other peoplethat the children consider to be heroes. What character traits does a hero have?  Ask children to write stories about what kind of hero theywould like be when they grow up.

Acts ofKindness – Get aspiral notebook and write “Acts of Kindness” on it.  Encourage the children to record kind deeds their classmatesdo for them.  Read over the book atthe end of each day to encourage more positive behavior.

Henry Box Brown– Henry Box Brown was born a slave and escaped in a box.  He’s such an interesting person that Iknow your children will enjoy learning more about him.  Brainstorm with your children how theycould find out more about Henry Box Brown.  For example, you could look on the internet, go to thelibrary, look in an encyclopedia, ask parents. etc. 

HOT, HOT CHOCOLATE!

One of my favoritescenes in THE POLAR EXPRESS is when they are serving hot chocolate on thetrain!  Ahhh!  The smell and simple pleasure from acup of hot chocolate!

Well, here’s a wayto stir a lasting memory and love of poetry in children with a cup of hotchocolate.  Ask each parent to sendin a box of instant hot chocolate and an old coffee mug.  End each Friday with a “Hot ChocolatePoetry Café.”  The children canempty a packet in their cup and then the teacher can add hot water.  Mix it up and get ready to enjoy somepoems, a story, and perhaps a song as you sip and smile!


Talk about multi-sensory learning!  

IT'S FREEZING!

Frozen Thoughts

Fill a clear plastic container half full with water.  Mark the line.  Place outside overnight to freeze.  Compare the water line after it’s frozen.  Why did the water expand when it froze?  (That’s a good homework questions for children to ask their parents!)

*Wet a paper towel, a piece of string, and other objects and place outside to freeze.  Encourage the children to describe the differences.

Icy Experiment

Give each child a clear cup with an ice cube in it.  Ask them to draw a picture of what it looks like.  Have them predict how many minutes it will take their ice cube to melt.  Encourage them to draw what it looks like after five minute intervals.

Snow Painting

Fill a squirt bottle with water.  Add food coloring.  Let children spray on snow to create designs.

Icebergs  

Fill plastic containers with water.  Add food coloring and freeze.  Place these in your water table and tell the children they are icebergs.  Add walruses, polar bears, and other plastic arctic animals.

LET IT SNOW!

 Snow Flakes

Let children foldcoffee filters in half, then fourths and eighths.  Cut little “bites” out of the folded edges.  Open.  You can make colorful snowflakes by coloring the coffeefilters with water soluble markers before cutting them.

Hint!  Make snowflakes out of newspaper,tissue paper, wrapping paper, and other types of recycled paper.

Ice Skating

Give each child 2paper plates.  Demonstrate how toplace these on the floor and put one foot on each plate.  Slide your feet as if skating.  Put on some waltz music and let thechildren skate, twist, and turn. Play “freeze.”  When youstop the music children must “freeze” in their positions.  When the music begins again they maycontinue to skate.

SnowmanAddition

Draw snowmen onposter board similar to the one shown. Laminate.  Children makesets (or write addends) in the top two balls and then put the sum in the bottomball.

Snow Seeds– (Pamela Pounds, AL)

To make snowseeds put rice and white glitter in a ziplock bag with this note: 

          Sprinkle freelyin your yard.

          Close your eyes,and wish real hard. 

          If you can getthe north wind to blow,

          In the morningyou’ll have snow.

          If for somereason all you get is rain,

          Pick the seedsup and try again.

SNO' FUN

I’m a LittleSnowman

(Tune:  “I’m a Little Teapot”)

I’m a littlesnowman                   (Bendknees.)

Short and fat.                           (Extendarms in a circle.)

Here is my broomand                (Holdout right hand.)

Here is my hat.                         (Touchhead with left hand.)

When the sun comesout            (Slowlymelt to the ground.)

I’ll melt away.

But I’ll be back anotherday!

I’m a snow lady,                          (Bendknees.)

White and round.                        (Extendarms in a circle.)

In my hat andapron                   (Touchhead and waist.)

I don’t make asound.                  (Indexfinger on lips.)

When the sun comesout             (Slowlymelt to the ground.)

I’ll melt away.

But I’ll be backanother day!

*Download this book on my January, 2007, website.

Snow People

Instead of drawingsnow “men,” encourage children to paint or draw snow ladies, snow children,snow pets, and other characters.

Snow Dough

You can use anyplay dough recipe for snow dough. Simply omit the food coloring and let the children knead in iridescentglitter to make it sparkle.  (Myfavorite dough is: 2 cups flour, 2 cup salt, 2 TB. cream of tartar, 2 TB.vegetable oil, and 2 cups water. Mix ingredients together in a pan until smooth.  Cook over medium heat, stirringconstantly until the mixture forms a ball and sticks to the spoon.  Cool and knead.  Store in airtight containers.)

Note!  Make sure children wash hands beforeand after playing with dough.

RING IN JANUARY!

HAPPY, HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU!

Ring in the NewYear

(Tune:  “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”)

Let’s all do alittle ringing,  (Shake hands as ifringing bells.)

Let’s all do alittle ringing,

Let’s all do alittle ringing

It’s a Happy NewYear!

Let’s all do alittle clapping…  (Clap hands.)

Let’s all do alittle dancing…   (Dancearound.)

Let’s all do alittle smiling…   (Smile.)

When is yourbirthday?

When is yourbirthday?

When is yourbirthday?

Stand up andcheer.

(Say months of theyear.)

January, February,March…(Children stand up on their birthday month.)

Let’s all be alittle kinder…  (Pat friends on theback.)

For a Happy NewYear!

Yesterday,Today, and Tomorrow

Make a brochure byfolding a piece of paper into thirds.   Label the sections “Yesterday”…”Today…”Tomorrow”  Children draw what they were like whenthey were little (babies or toddlers), what they look like now, and what theywill be like when they are grown-up.

New Year’sResolutions

Discuss what a NewYear’s Resolution is.  Let childrendraw pictures and dictate or write sentences about a resolution they want tohave for the New Year.  Put thesetogether to make a class book.

Birthday PartyCenter

Purchase abirthday party package at a dollar store. Put the party hats, favors, plates, etc. in plastic tub.  Add paper and pencils so children canwrite invitations to their pretend party. Don’t forget some play dough and candles so they can make birthdaycakes!

MIRACLES

A favorite bookthat I read several years ago was called THE MIRACLES OF SANTA FICO.  It was the story of a beloved priest in asmall village in Italy.  His dyingwish was to witness a miracle, and so all the villagers faked a miracle bygluing leaves to a withered fig tree. Of course, the priest wasn’t fooled, but his parting words reallytouched me…

         Hislife stretched out before him and for the first time he

         realizedthat it had all been a miracle –everything—

         everyday—every accident—every coincidence—every

         disappointment—everyjoy—all of it…It was all a miracle.

As teachers andparents we witness miracles every day. Children are born knowing nothing, and yet they miraculously learn tospeak, walk, laugh, and sing.  Theycome to school knowing very little, and they learn to read, share, write,cooperate, play games, and love learning.

We experienced amiracle this week with our 20 month old granddaughter Kalina.  She has been immersed in languagebetween her brother, poet mother, Bulgarian father, and Spanish speakingteachers.  However, her vocabulary hasconsisted primarily of “Dadee, Momee, No, Mo/more” and squeals and points.  But this week her vocabularyexploded!  She started sayingEVERYTHING!  It was amazing!!! 

I remember my daughtercommenting when K.J. finally started to write.  She said, “You know, children take it in, and take it in,and take it in…and then something comes out!”  The same thing happened with Kalina and her vocabulary.  I told my husband the miracle story andhow Kalina and taken in all the words and sounds and finally something like amiracle happened and she put it altogether.  He said, “Jean, I’m not sure I’d call that a miracle.”  Well, I do!

And, you knowwhat?  The same thing happens everyyear and every day in your classroom. You’ve just got to keep your eyes open for all the little miracles thisNew Year!