Pizza Party Smarties

I am lucky enough to have the summer opportunity of being a nanny/tutor for two little girls ages 4 and 6.  They are super smart and my job is to prepare them for preK and 1st grade while making sure they have an entertaining summer break.  We do lessons that are fun and creative while incorporating reading, writing, and math in a low intensity environment.  Call me crazy, but the extra income and experience has actually been great!  We have different themes that we are covering throughout the summer including cooking, plants, animals, and Spanish fluency vocab.(colors, numbers, food, and farm animals).  I wanted to share the pizza/cooking activity we did last week because it turned out super cute! 

These girls love music.  (They are both learning the ukulele and piano.)  We have a music time everyday.  This week I started the day with this song about pizza (click the link to hear) You Tube "I am a Pizza" Song , and built a lesson from there.  

We discussed cheese, vegetables, and other pizza toppings that we all love and acted out making a pizza with hand and arm movements.  Next it was time to build our pizza with construction paper materials.  I had a variety of paper toppings including mushrooms, cheese, pepperoni, and peppers.  They rolled, folded, and glued the crust into place and then chose the ingredients they wanted for their own pizza.

Next, we added a writing and drawing element to our lesson.  We did a guided drawing of their pizzas (I only guided the shape of the toppings).  They were to draw the pizza they created and then write a sentence about it.  [Remember they are sisters so of course there is a little competition among them, as you can see from the sentence choice below, lol.]

The last thing we did on our pizza/cooking adventure was a sequencing activity to plan our recipe. We brainstormed and listed everything we would need for the recipe.  Then we wrote the steps in order and included which materials we would need for each step. Lastly we mixed, rolled, spread, sprinkled, and placed each ingredient to make and bake a deliciously messy, handmade, kid-created pizza! 

I am lucky to have a little more freedom when planning activities this summer, but I'm sure this could be extended and modified to be classroom friendly using playdoh and/or other supplies.  This same idea could also be used with cupcakes, sundaes, or some type of healthy meal. 

     

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New Name, New Adventures

Hi all!  I'm getting ready to be in my new classroom with my new last name!  For those of you that don't know, I got married May 4, 2013:

{Photo Courtesy of  April Stanley Photography}

That means this year I'll have a new school, new classroom, new grade level, and new teaching title.  To celebrate my new title, I just finished my first classroom decoration with my married name on it:

I also just bought the "Back To School Lessons and Activities Mega Pack - Cruisin Into Kindergarten" by Kindergarten Squared on TeachersPayTeachers.  It is only $10.00 right now and has so many cute templates, activities, and materials that I can't wait to introduce to my little Kindergarten lovelies!  I'm especially excited to include the "All About Me Bags" into my first weeks of school fun.   TeachersPayTeachers is easily one of the greatest new tools for teachers...but be careful, it's quite addictive! 

Check the Mega Pack out for yourself:

Back to School pack by Kindergarten Squared: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Back-To-School-Lessons-and-Activities-Mega-Pack-Cruisin-Into-Kindergarten-274355

The New Digs

Yesterday was the first day I was able to look at my new classroom.  I've taught in this classroom before, but yesterday it was officially mine.  I have already sketched out a layout and started brainstorming furniture, center, and supply arrangements!  Here are the views all around the room.  I am lucky to be receiving all of the books and supplies that are left on the shelves.  The in-classroom bathroom will also be a new experience for me so any tips or rules that have worked for you are welcomed and greatly appreciated!  

Here is the view from my doorway:  

Back Wall (tons of storage):

Front Wall with TV and White Board:

Left or West Wall (bathroom on the right):

Our Hallway Hangers and Door (my last classroom had neither

a door nor hall hangers so I'm super excited about these

seemingly simple things!): 

I'll be posting my progress as the summer continues.  Stay tuned for the classroom metamorphosis amazement!