A Drug Free Me

As my students filed into the cafetorium, I heard some of them remark, "Man! I'm too old for a puppet show!" However, as they sat down and watched the actor do silly dances across the stage their "macho" attitudes started to change. They began to laugh at the silliness that they were witnessing, but all the while they were chanting along with the anti-drug rap.

Once the actors called for volunteers, my children were waving their hands frantically, trying to become involved in sharing the Kiwanis Club's message.
A few of my kids were actually picked to be part of the band during one of the segments. The other students laughed at the wigs the band wore, as they danced across the stage. My kids were now saying, "Man! I wish that I was picked! I can dance too!" They ended up really enjoying the show and they learned how to say no to drugs and deal with peer pressure.

Happy Holidays!!! (Christmas Activities and Testing Strategies)

Cheers to whatever you're celebrating this time of year! Whether it's Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, New Years, or just enjoying some time away from work. Enjoy every moment. I will be including some great holiday activities in this post to help ease your party planning.

However, this time of year does mean one thing for most teachers. It means the
year is about halfway over. Not to be a "Grinch", but testing is right around the corner!!! I always get nervous around this time of the year. I wonder if I have done all that I can to cram as much information into those tiny little brains as much as humanly possible. Then again what if my kids just freak out once they get the test and everything that was learned just fades away. I know that I'm over reacting, but deep down many of us feel this way.

So my question is how are you preparing your students for the upcoming testing sessions?

I teach 6th grade in Louisiana so we take the ILeap, which is basically a comprehensive test which includes several constructed responses. Below are some sites that I have found really helpful in getting my kids prepared for Standardized Testing.

(Right click on the links below to open in a new tab or window.)

1. Louisiana Pass-- A great site for Math review.
2. PSSA Math Practice Grade 5 (PDF)
3. Houghton Mifflin Math-- Test Prep, Brain Teasers, and Testing Techniques
   
4. Brain Child-- Preparation for many different state tests.
   
5. Test Taking Tips-- Several ways for your kids to stay cool under testing pressure.
6. Leap4Fun--Engage up to four players in this interactive board game. (Perfect for the one computer classroom)

Be sure to leave comments on your favorite standardized testing tips. As a community we can help each other to reach the demands of accountability.

I was going to incorporate a "Test Prep" section into Gallimore Learning, but there are so many tests out there, that it's hard to easily organize them all.

Now that I have stressed you out, it's time to sit back, relax, and enjoy some class holiday party plans.

Holiday Ideas

Happy Hands Wreath-- for lower elementary

• Trace about ten hand prints on green paper. Glue them onto a wreath shaped chunk of cardboard. Decorate with glitter, fake berries, a bow, whatever...they are adorable. You can also use the same hand prints and shape them into Christmas trees with the fingers pointing down, and then let them decorate with beads, sequins, popcorn, whatever to make a cool tree.

Christmas Craft Ideas for Kids -Craft Spoon Christmas Tree

You'll Need

1. Wooden craft spoons;the spoons that come with ice cream cups.
2. Acrylic paint
3. Fabric paint tubes
4. Paint brushes
5. Yellow fun foam or felt
6. Craft glue
7. Scissors
8. Pin backs or ribbon

Step 1. Paint five wooden spoons with green acrylic paint.

It will take just a few minutes of drying time before
handling. Children can do the next step while waiting.
Step 2. Cut the star from the fun foam or felt.
I prefer fun foam. It's easier for kids to cut & glue.
Step 3. Glue the craft sticks in a fan shape to make the tree.
Step 4. Make dots with the paint tubes, for the decorations.
Step 5. For an ornament or gift tag; glue a ribbon loop
to the back.

To make a pin, attach a pin back. Pin backs can be found plain or with self adhesive strips
already attached.

Pine Cone Tree

Supplies needed:

• Pinecones (purchase green or spray paint)
• Green paint
• Mini-pots
• Stars
• Sequins
• Glue

Christmas Wreath Game

Suspend a large Christmas wreath in a doorway at a convenient height from the floor. Prepare in advance "snowballs," made of cotton batting covered with white tissue paper.

The players stand about eight feet from the wreath, and take turns, one at a time. Each is given three "snowballs," and the one who succeeds in throwing all three, one at a time, through the wreath, is given the prize.

To make it more exciting, sides may be chosen, and each one of the three snowballs numbered, one being 5, the other, 10, and the third, 20. If the ball numbered 5 goes through, it counts 5 for that player's side. If it does not go through, it is a loss, and so on. The side scoring the most points is victorious.

Get free holiday clip art here