BUCCANEER READING CORNER

OK! I was watching Sesame Street with my nephew, the cutest thing ever, and saw an idea worth adapting to the classroom. Aye matey, a book reading theme. ARRGH!

Using a "PIRATE" theme, the children would become "BOOKANEERS". With a few props to make the corner look like a place for pirates, a time frame, some great books to supplement the library's collection, a progress chart type of treasure map and book report forms (if they are apropos) they're ready to read matey. Arrgh!

MATERIALS:

TREASURE CHEST-, actual or bulletin board drawing with the titles of age appropriate books ( or the book jackets) filling the chest because the books are the treasure for which we search. ARRGH!

TREASURE MAP- which includes the different locations ( Dead Man's Cove, Parrots Perch, Pirate's Beach, Booty Hill, Gold Coin Trail etc.) where each child's marker will be placed as they complete a book (and a book report if it is included in the program).

MARKERS- Make markers out of heavy weight tagboard so they will last longer. You could make gold coins, a parrot, a pirate hat, a pirate's head with an eyepatch, a ship, etc. Have fun with this.

THE END- Keeping in mind the time frame, and since this is a type of contest, the children who have reached the treasure in the allotted time should receive some kind of recognition. Perhaps a treasure scroll with the appropriate decorations and the list of books completed could be awarded at a special time where their names are read aloud.

One Way To Clean A Desk

Just as a follow up on desk cleaning I'll give you one of the ways I did it.

ARE YOU READY?
DON'T PANIC.
IT ALL WORKS OUT IN THE END!
ITS CALLED

FINGER PAINTING

SUPPLIES

A piece of white butcher paper cut to the size of the desk ( unless you have finger painting paper available to you), liquid starch, 4 colors of liquid tempera paint, paint shirts, 5 disposable rags per child, 1 plastic grocery bag for each child, a flat drying space, a quiet activity for the end of the project, a bucket of water for each child ( use your best judgment on # of children per bucket), a large receptacle for dirty water if you don't have a sink in your room, 4 or 5 helpers.

GETTING READY
This project could be the culmination of several lessons on printing and print making. Since most of the work the students see anymore is in the form of a photo copy it is a good lesson to show them how it all started.

It is also helpful if you give pointers on finger painting such as using the side of the hand or the side of the hand when made into a fist to make a print pattern. This also is a good method for making "sweeping" motions and patterns. Using just the tip of the finger can create interesting patterns.

Prior lessons could include stamping to make note cards ( use all your own stamps and borrow some and have the children bring some). The newspaper is a good example of printing. I have taken classes to the P.I. or Times for a tour. Using slice fruits or vegetables to make prints is fun. A beautiful print is to paint one side of a fish, using more than one color and then putting the painted side down on paper. When you remove the fish the student will have a print of the fish. These are often beautiful enough to frame and give as a gift.


GET STARTED

Everyone should be in a PAINT shirt. Have at the ready a piece of white butcher paper cut to the size of the desk. Each child should put his/her name on the bottom corner or the paper. Every child should have disposable rags for cleanup. Put a silver dollar size amount of liquid starch on each desk. Then add a SMALL squiggle of poster paint on top of the starch. You have 4 colors available so they can choose the color they want. The child then mixes the paint and starch and then spreads it all over his/her desk to do finger painting. They don't need much time because the starch will dry up and the novelty can wear off and some of the children might lose interest in finger painting and move on to body painting. As each child finishes you put the butcher paper smoothly over the top of the painting. The child then smooths out the paper pressing all over it to make sure the entire drawing has transferred. The paper is then carefully removed from the desk, either by the child or the adult, and set somewhere flat, the floor, to dry out. The child then proceeds to wash the desk carefully and fully.

HOW TO CLEAN

Each child should have several disposable rags for cleaning and a small bucket, dishpan, large bowl of water. They clean the desk by first wiping as much paint as possible off without the use of water. When most of the paint is gone the child may then use the water to finish the job. The rags are disposed of in a plastic grocery bag at each desk, the water is emptied into a very large receptacle such as a garbage can , the shirt is put in a bag and the child sits and does quiet work such as reading, sudoku, creative writing, a math worksheet etc. but something that can be done in a space away from the desk that is now CLEAN.


MAKE IT EASIER

If you have room mothers or older students who are allowed to help with the younger students try to get 4 or 5 of them to help pour the starch, add the color, help make the print and put it in designated drying area, help remove painting shirts which are buttoned down the back, and supervise the desk cleaning and the quiet time that follows. They will then be able to empty the large container, rinse out the small containers, make sure all clean up rags are added to garbage, and paint shirts are ready to go home to the volunteer who will wash and dry them. In truth I have always had great success at having the students themselves do these tasks but extra adult help is better.

GOOD LUCK! IF YOU ARE PATIENT AND ORGANIZED THIS WILL BE A LOT OF FUN. LET ME KNOW HOW IT TURNS OUT.

Getting More Folksy

So, I've been told that I need to be more "folksy" in my blog. I'm not sure about that but here goes.

I suppose I could introduce myself first.!? I taught elementary school for 22 years before I retired to open my own business. But, each August/September I'm like an old firehorse, ready to go when the bell rings. My brain just won't shut off sending me new, and old, ideas for creative writing, art, discipline, english, reading, arithmetic, and idea after idea after idea. That's why I started this blog. Just the act of putting my ideas "out there" makes me feel more relaxed. If this craziness of mine is of some help to one of you, then I won't FEEL so crazy.

HERE'S A TIP YOU MIGHT LIKE: Most of you have already been doing this but for those who haven't-have each child bring in an oversized shirt for clothing protection during art or classroom clean up, like desk washing. Yes, desks should be scrubbed down once in a while. The shirts can be sent home to be washed by the room mother or another volunteer. Keep them in a box or hang them up if you are lucky enough to have the space. Remember, projects are fun even if they are messy.