Habitats- The Desert

Kids love learning about the world and how one area may be very different from another. I have used this common core aligned 25 page resource with my second graders as well as my girls and it has been a hit. As with all my new products, this is marked 40% off for the first 24 hours. This resource is the first in my habitat bundle (more to come!)


https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Habitats-The-Desert-3065222

ABC Scavenger Hunt

My girls love scavenger hunts. It really is one of their favorite things. So for my youngest, who is just beginning to learning the alphabet, a scavenger hunt is the perfect game. I first cut out all the letters of the alphabet and placed them on the table (you could even lay them out in random order and have the child line them up correctly). Afterwords, I gave my daughter a basket and told her to read the letter then go off in search of something that begins with that letter. She loved it! My older daughter even wanted to get in on the fun.

I watched as my girls ran from room to room collecting items and then placing them above the correct letter. My youngest did need help or "clues" sometimes and rather than just tell her the letter, I gave her the sounds the letter makes. Nine times out of ten she could then figure it out herself.

I mixed the letters between uppercase and lowercase for an additional challenge. My youngest is much better at the uppercase and still struggles with some of the lowercase so this was a good lesson.

This was a great activity that could be done at home or in a preschool or kindergarten classroom. It was so much fun that they wanted to do it again!

That's Jake (above the J) from Jake and The Never Land Pirates- in case anyone was wondering :)

The Benefits of Exercise or Recess in Schools

I know it goes without saying that all children need some form of exercise throughout the day. Over the years I have seen this topic of discussion played out in various schools and districts. How important is physical education during school hours? My opinion? VERY important. I have seen the results of physical education made a priority versus the impact when it is pushed to the side. I know how students act after returning from a rigorous play. They are much calmer, happier and ready to focus on the next activity. As teachers, we are held to whatever our district and school administration will mandate. I have been fortunate enough to always be in a school that students received some form of physical exercise each day. I am also a huge fan of indoor recess and used these videos almost daily as a quick energy release for the students. For parents out there not familiar with indoor recess, it is a great tool for restless kids or rainy days. The students always look forward to a quick four or five minute active time in between lessons. I have heard the argument from administration and some parents alike that maybe it is not the school's responsibility to provide the physical exercise for students. I do not believe these people think it is not important but rather that are faced with the constant struggle that all educators think about: how can we uphold the rigorous requirements and standards schools are expected to prove while still allowing for exercise and free play? It's a balancing act. Student and school performance is of course under constant scrutiny so many are trying to find ways to squeeze more instruction into the school day. If the school day is not extended, cuts must be made. But at what cost? I remember reading about a district in Florida that cut recess out all together in order to fit in more instruction. Parents were pretty upset knowing their child was in class or some form of instruction all day long with no release. Now, more than ever, we realize the importance of physical education on the health and wellness of a student. I do agree parents have a responsibility as well but physical exercise or free play during the school day is, to me anyway, so much more than just the physical benefit of increased health. It is about social and mental health as well. I have always believed that you must teach the entire child. This includes social and emotional. If a child walks into school and one of those pieces is missing, they will not be as successful as others. I do think I've seen a turn recently in districts trying to find new ways to allow the students to be active while not interrupting the instruction for long periods of time. One district I live near allows for two times during the day where the time between classes is extended from 10 to 20 minutes in order to allow for 10 minutes of walking with a teacher (their next class period). It has actually been beneficial for so many. I love seeing the creative ways schools try and fit movement in during the day and I look forward to seeing where this goes in the future!

Second Grade Common Core Math- Addition Worksheets with a Farm Theme

I love themes- really love them. I created this farm-themed workbook for my math centers and the kids loved working their way through the farm one job at a time. Each worksheet is aligned with a Common Core standard and answer keys have been included. You can find it for sale at my TpT store!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Second-Grade-Math-Addition-Worksheets-for-the-Common-Core-Classroom-2996847

Tired Mommy- Making an Effort for Daily Playtime

Lives can be so hectic, especially with working and raising a family. One thing I have been trying really hard with over the last year or so is to strive for at least 30 minutes a day of uninterrupted play time with my girls. They decide everything. What we play, how we play it, and what role I will have. I love seeing them just take over completely. They immediately begin to direct me from one place to another and I can sense the excitement in their voices of perhaps feeling a sense of control. As a parent, it can be really hard to not want to control parts of this play. Once, at the end of a particularly stressful day, my daughter began to dump out a huge bin of toys that had just been cleaned and organized earlier in the day. It was difficult, extremely difficult, to not automatically say, "let's not dump it out" or "let's find something else to play with." However, I bit my tongue and let her proceed. Of course, we also include a ten minute clean up time afterwards to help us with any messes. 

I have to admit, there are many days I do not want to sit in the floor and just play and be told what to do. I am a tired mom and have worked all day as well. But I know the excitement my kids have when they can just sit and play with us (my husband will usually join in). They actually look forward to it. I've had my daughter wake up first thing in the morning and tell me that she's already thought about what family playtime will be for that night. It's a special time for them because they know that they have complete control over the time. It is not an activity that I have gathered for them, or something that I try and control in any way. As long as it is safe, I'm pretty much up for it. Our 30 minutes usually exceeds into the hour range before we finally stop for baths. 

During our play time, I always try and engage them in conversation about what they are doing. If my daughter wants me to be a queen and pretend to be chased by a dragon, I might say, "tell me more about this queen" or "what does her castle look like?" I love seeing their imagination and creativity come out. I have also noticed on days where we aren't able to fit this special playtime in for one reason or another, my girls seem more frustrated or get upset easier. Their lives, even as young girls, as still pretty controlled. They have to be up at a certain time, school for several hours, help with cleaning, etc. This playtime is a part of their day that they completely control and honestly...we all need some of that! 

FREEBIE- Stop the Cycle of Negative Thinking

Changing a child's mindset from a negative thinking pattern takes a lot of practice. This worksheet is a great tool when working with students and challenges them to change the way they view a situation. It is one of the worksheets that I've included in my self-esteem 6 week curriculum that I will have available soon on my shop! Enjoy this freebie!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREEBIE-Stop-the-Cycle-of-Negative-Thinking-2986381

Self Esteem Resource for Individual or Small Groups!

Self-esteem is so important for a child's success. For this reason, I love running self-esteem small groups. It a great time to get together with kids and allow a safe place for expression. I have seen students become completely different and take on a new perspective in just a matter of weeks. These groups are so beneficial! I have just posted my self-esteem packet on my Teachers Pay Teacher store.

This resource is perfect for small groups or individual student sessions. In general, these worksheets are recommended for grades first through fourth. This packet includes 6 separate worksheet topics and one activity. I have also included talking points that can help educators facilitate the activity or discussion. This packet includes the following:

Talking Points- For educators or parents
I’m special- Writing or drawing handout
I have so many reasons to be Proud- Boy
I have so many reasons to be proud- Girl
Talk about your happy memories- Girl
Talk about your happy memories- Boy
Let’s make some goals!
Let’s make a plan to reach a goal!
All about my school-Writing or drawing handout
Activity- Roll the dice self esteem discussion


I have created each activity to fit within a 20-30 minute session but of course this can be extended or shortened if needed. A great resource for counselors!

You can find these (and my other products) for sale on my Tpt store. Have a great day!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Self-Esteem-Packet-with-Worksheets-and-Activities-Perfect-for-small-groups-2986128

Updated Preview for Grief Packet!

I just updated my grief packet that is currently for sale ($2) on Teachers Pay Teachers to include a preview of everything you will get with this purchase. This workbook is perfect for a 6 to 8 week group or individual sessions with students and includes
the following worksheets:


1. Talking Points: Resources for Educators

2. How am I Feeling Today?

3. What do you hold in your heart?

4. What I think Matters- Boy

5. What I think Matters- Girl

6. Write a Letter to a Loved One

7. I may feel Different, but I am still me

8. My Worry Scale

9. I am not alone- Color Sheet and Message

10 .I am not Alone- Color sheet and Message

11. I am not alone- Color sheet and Message

12 .I am not alone- Color sheet (blank message)

13. Activity 1: Emotions Scavenger Hunt

14. Activity 2: Musical Memory

You can find this and more on my Teachers Pay Teachers store! 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Grief-Packet-for-use-in-Small-Group-or-individual-Sessions-2976614

Classroom Rules with a cute owl theme!

Having classroom rules posted is very important. I always made sure they were easily seen by everyone. Many times, if I saw a child breaking one of our rules, I would simply point to the rule posted around the room. With this product I added a cute owl theme and incorporated each rule into a short poem. It adds some cuteness but still gets the point across. This product is now for sale for $1 and includes 4 rules.

You can find this product for sale at my teachers pay teachers store:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Rules-Owl-Theme-2982899

Self-Esteem and Social Media

With pretty much everything related to children, I believe the foundation always starts at home. So how can we, as parents, help our child's self-esteem that builds a strong foundation before we send them out the door everyday?

I've always said, I am SOOOOO grateful social media did not exists when I was a kid. I have always been pretty sensitive as a child and I let things get to me easily. If social media had been thrown into the mix...I may have just melted into a pool of insecurity from time to time. I have two daughters quickly entering these years and want to help them the best I can. That being said, my first piece of advice is to strongly monitor your child's social media connections and activity. Especially in the pre-teen years because this is when most kids begin to experiment with social media, not to mention they are still young enough that you can (hopefully) get away with it as part of the deal when they initially sign up for some of these sites. If it is part of the deal from the beginning, you may have a much easier time than if you spring it on them when you suspect something may be happening. It may even be a good idea to make up a contract with your child that you both sign, laying out some of the ground rules, and posting it somewhere you both can see, You can make the contact fun..it doesn't have to be scary or intimidating or make your child feel like they have no privacy. That is definitely not the intention. It's also a good idea to sit down with your child and you both write up the contract together and let them decide some of the rules. Have consequences for not following these rules you've both agreed upon. Follow-through with the consequences.

If you work to set these ground rules when they are still young, and remain consistent with following through (and updating the rules as needed), you have set a clear expectation that will hopefully carry into their teen years...when things will only get harder!

Callie Cookie and the VERY Emotional Day

It is the first day of school for Callie Cookie and she is feeling a range of emotions. Follow Callie through her first day and experience some of the same emotions we all feel everyday. This 16 page story book includes questions and talking points that help facilitate the discussion. These questions are perfect for not only discussing feelings, but also requires the student to recall important details from the story. Perfect for a small group or individual counseling sessions.

Be sure to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store for more products!!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Mrs-Kikis-Education-Station

Grief Packet for Sale!

Excited to share my first resource as a preview of what's to come. It's currently on sale on Teachers Pay Teachers (you can follow the link below). Grief is something that children have a hard time expressing and this packet is the perfect resource for communicating when the words may be hard to say. Please stay tuned for further resources!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Mrs-Kikis-Education-Station