Sing-A-Long

Children adore music! From silly songs to classical, children have the gift to relate to and appreciate a variety of music. Song and music are not only for entertainment, but additionally for learning. Through song, children can learn vocabulary, articulation, sentence structure, and culture.

While there are ample amounts of children’s music, but do not stop there. Explore a variety of genres, including traditional cultural music.

Ask your children: What is the song about? What instruments do you here? Do you like it? Why?

TAKE A LOOK: Alabama Symphony Orchestra http://www.alabamasymphony.org/

The Alabama symphony orchestra, ASO, is an instrumental performance group, which shares professional classical music in Birmingham, AL. The ASO is composed of professional instrumentalist. During the summer, they tend to offer special summer concerts in the park. There is also an Alabama symphony youth orchestra, ASYO. Check out there schedule to see what special events are offered all year long!

TAKE A LOOK: PBS Kids Between the Lions- Video Clips http://pbskids.org/lions/videos/

I love the videos offered on this site. Some of the videos are stories and science/informative videos; however, many of the clips are songs. Most of the songs are related to language development, either phonics or language concepts, like homophones. When viewing these videos, ask your child questions. What is the video about? What did you learn?

TAKE A LOOK: Marsupial Sue by John Lithgow

This is a fabulous book sung by John Lithgow and accompanied by a classical ensemble. The book discusses the importance of being your self. Readers are also introduced to animals native to Australia. The book can be ordered with a CD, which includes the song and classical arrangement. At the end of the text, the musical score is presented.  Share your knowledge about music, or learn together by searching the Web. What do the different musical notes mean?

TAKE A LOOK: BusSongs.com http://bussongs.com/

BusSongs provides the lyrics of favorite nursery rhymes and children's songs. There are multiple categories, which can help you search the library. Over 2000 songs are provided on the site. Even if you are unfamiliar with the tune, iTunes or YouTube could be helpful and even provide exciting graphics. One of the top rated songs is a personal favorite, “Skip to My Lou,” which has a famous rendition by Judy Garland in Meet Me in St. Louis.  Talk to your children about their favorite songs!

“Be Prepared” The Boy Scout’s Motto

In light of the anniversary of the April 27^th 2011 tornados, I am reminded how blessed I am. As we honor those who passed away and who worked to help those affected, we can support the effort to rebuild and prepare for the future. This is an excellent opportunity to model community service, compassion, and preparedness for your children.

Talk to your children about the importance of being prepared for an emergency. Discuss what an emergency is; however, keep in mind that you do not want to frighten your child, just to make them aware. Therefore, when introducing these topics, be mindful of the description and depth that you use.

The following highlights include how to create an emergency kit and ways for you, as parents, to get involved in community rebuilding.

TAKE A LOOK: For Parents and Teachers http://www.ready.gov/parents-teachers

FEMA presents information for parents and teacher regarding how to prepare your children for an emergency situation. The page includes links to activities and other national organizations including the Red Cross. Most importantly is communication!

TAKE A LOOK: Build a Kit http://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit

FEMA presents a simple Web page with information regarding how to prepare your family for disasters. The site includes information about what do to before, during, and after an emergency situation, as well as what items you should compile to create an emergency kit.

Let your child help you collect the materials for your family’s emergency kit. Also, practice tornado and fire drills at home.

The following video presents reasons why being prepared is necessary. For example, in wide spread emergencies, rescue services may take a while to arrive. Additionally, in the mist of chaos, having a plan helps you stay focused.

TAKE A LOOK: Habitat for Humanity 

http://www.habitat.org/default.aspx?tgs=NC8yMy8yMDEyIDY6MjE6NDUgUE0%3d

Although this is not an activity your preschooler can actively be involved in, they can see your involvement. Habitat for Humanity is a well respected organization, which works to build homes for those in need and who have lost their homes due to disasters. Volunteers are the fuel behind this organization. Many teams exist, which either support Habitat for Humanity financially or with their abilities. Many Universities’ philanthropy is Habitat for Humanity; this includes Samford University in Homewood, Alabama. Check out the above Web site to see how you can get involved!

Earth Week April 16 -22, 2012

Our planet is a beautiful place, full of life and natural wonders. Earth week April 16-22, 2012 culminates on Earth day April 22. It is a week of recycling, learning, and renewing. This is a great week to discuss how we can protect our world.

-          What does the Earth provide/give us? (Water, food, wood, etc)

-          What animals live on the Earth?

-          What do we do to take care of the Earth? (Recycle, energy saving light bulbs, etc)

TAKE A LOOK: “Earth Day Activities- Helping the Environment”

                                http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/earth-day/

This is a great resource of parents and teachers. The page displays categorized links to specific information related to Earth day. These include the history of Earth day, printables and coloring pages, thematic books, and crafts.  While the activities are interesting, most of the activities are more relevant for elementary students. Therefore, parents and teachers of young children will need to investigate the activity and may need to modify it to meet the developmental level of their youngsters.

TAKE A LOOK: Earth Day at the Gardens on May 5, 2012

The Birmingham, Alabama botanical gardens present their annual “Earth Day at the Gardens” on May 5^th from 11-4pm. This free event is great for families. It is an entertaining and interactive event to bring awareness about natural resources and protecting animals all around the world. Don’t forget to bring your old technologies to recycle! For more information, check out the botanical garden’s Web site http://www.bbgardens.org/earth-day.php.

TAKE A LOOK: “How to Plant a Tree: Planting Flowering Trees, Tree Shrubs, & More”

The most classic Earth week event is planting a tree. Lowes presents a helpful video regarding how to plant a tree. While the video is directed toward adults, the information is trustworthy and provides an interesting, realistic video for all ages. As the presenters states, planting a tree requires planning and preparation. Therefore, plant a tree with friends or school, because Earth week is not only about knowledge, it is also about a collaborative and cooperative effort to make a difference and protect the Earth. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9MxrQyyvxs

Get your child’s school involved to raise money to play a tree for the play ground, local philanthropy, or retirement homes. This would be an excellent opportunity for the community grow together and for you to model Earth healthy behaviors for your children. Let’s show our children how important the Earth is!

Organization Rocks!

I love to be organized. I am the person that has nightmares about clutter and a desk covered with paperwork. Through experience and research, I have found some great ways to get organized. Have funJ

For Parents and Fellow Teachers

TAKE A LOOK:  Diigo (http://www.diigo.com/)

In order to organize the plethora of online information we are constantly interacting with, check out Diigo. I created a Diigo account to keep track of research, articles, and videos for a technology class and have found it to be an invaluable resource.

Once you have created a Diigo account, a Diigo symbol or tool bar will appear on your Web window. When you find a site you wish to keep and reaccess, you click the Diigo symbol and select “Bookmark”. You are able to describe the site and give it tags, which make it easier for you to find in the future. Additionally, you can highlight important information or place a sticky note on the page. In your Diigo Library, the user can create lists to further organize their Web sites. For my classroom, I will be creating lists to organize different subjects and themes.

What makes this tool more amazing is its ability to allow collaboration between parties. You can make your Diigo public and interact in the Diigo community!

Check out my Diigo account: http://www.diigo.com/user/zanwan

For Kids

TAKE A LOOK: Picture Bins

“Please excuse the mess my children are making memories.”

Our children’s rooms can become complete chaos as our children learn and play.  However, after play some order and floor space would be appreciated. In my classroom, we utilize pictures to indicate where students need to return toys. We model how to match the toy to the picture. As a result of this simple system, our students have learned self help skills and thus gained independence.

While taking pictures of all your child’s toys and having a specific place for them may be inappropriate and overwhelming in your home, you can institute a modified version… picture bins. By using a shelving unit, book shelf, or space under a bed, install tubs of various sizes. Decide on what you would like to be stored in the container, for example: a bin for cars, trains, or puzzles. Take a picture of the toys in the bin. Print the picture and attach it to the outside of the bin, which is visible to your child. As your child plays and interact with new toys, model how to return toys to the bins. Praise your child for their efforts! Your child will enjoy the independence and you will enjoy seeing the floor J

Music to Your Ears

Music is an awe inspiring art which has the ability to teach. Young children are drawn to various music and it can serve as a natural motivator within classrooms. My preschoolers love to move and groove! We dance to traditional children’s songs as well as classic forties jazz. Through these experiences we are exercising and learning.

In the classroom and at home, we can share the expressive nature of music, which can represent an individual and a culture. Additionally, music can impact language development. Child friendly lyrics can teach vocabulary, sentence structure, content, and mathematics.

I encourage you to share a variety of music with your children. The following are interactive games, crafts, and clips, which encourage you and your child to explore different sounds and movement. Check out music from different cultures, and do not forget the traditionally dances. Ask you children what they think about the music? Do they like it? How does it make them feel?

TAKE A LOOK: Music as Expression

Zoe’s Dance Moves (http://pbskids.org/sesame/games/zoe_dance_moves.html)

Sesame Street’s adorable Zoe loves to dance and you and your child get to select her dance moves and costumes! The musical arrangements include a mix of classical, Asian, and rock. As you listen, point out the different sounds presented. This interactive game displays how music can be a form of expression, similar to verbally communicating and art. As a note for parents, this game is free and does require your assistance to play the game, because the player is required to click and follow simple steps.

TAKE A LOOK: Music from Around the World

An exciting way to see the differences in music is to explore cultures around the world. Each country and people have unique traditions! The following videos are just the beginning of an exciting world of music.

Flamenco Dancing in Barcelona, Spain (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiuH7yOMCVo)

Flamenco dancing combined with a singular guitar is a classic performance in Spain.

Native American Dance (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C_KyDnVzlY)

This traditional Native American dance is performed with traditional costume and chants.

TAKE A LOOK: Make an Instrument (http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/crafts-by-type/music-instruments/musical-instruments/)

Making instruments only requires a few simple materials and time, and the experience is priceless. The website posts links to child-friendly instruments appropriate for a variety of ages. From a wooden harmonica to a spin drum and tambourine, children will love to create the instrument and music. The fun does not end with the craft. Put on a show, march in a parade, and enjoy the expression of music! 

The Shape Song

Shape-tastic!!!

Learning to identify and categorize different shapes is an important early childhood skill, which also helps your child prepare for kindergarten geometry standards.

When discussing shapes with your child, there are no limits to what shapes to discuss. It is always good to start with the basics: square, triangle, circle, and rectangle. However, youngsters love stars, hearts, octagons, and trapezoids.  Talk about the number of sides and where your child has seen the shape before. This can be on the road, on their plate, in a book, or on the internet.

My preschoolers love shape stories. We make a scene by combining basic shapes. This simple yet exciting activity can build your child’s knowledge of shapes, ability to analyze and categorized, and create a scene by combining these skills.

For example, I want to make a house. I am going to begin with a big square. For the roof, I am going to draw a big triangle. Now, I need a door. A door is the shape of a rectangle. Oh, I need a door handle as well. My door handle can be a circle. I want two windows. I want my windows to be squares. What else can I add to my house? What shapes should I use?

My students add to the scene with creative ideas, which create whimsical scenes, as well as discuss science, health, and language. Some additional ideas to explore include the ocean, city, farm, and plate with food.

TAKE A LOOK: The Shape Song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfRuLS-Vnjs )

This animated YouTube music video identifies basic shapes (square, circle, and triangle), as well as the number of sides they have. Additionally, the clip concludes a shape scene which combines the basic shapes in various sizes. This is an excellent example of a shape story.  What shapes can you find in the picture?

TAKE A LOOK: Purpy’s Shapes (http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/preschool/ngames/shapes.htm)

Purpy’s shape game is a free, interactive, online game which identifies different shapes and allows you and your child to identify the shape of common objects. For example, triangles can be the shape of a piece of pizza and the capital letter A. You also get to explore a picture to find different shapes hidden within the scene. The shapes identified include circle, square, triangle, oval, and rectangle. This website will require adult assistance to support learning and help with mouse control; the user is required to click to select different shapes.  

Cooking with Kids

The inspiration for this activity is derived from my favorite memories of Sunday afternoons in the kitchen with my parents cooking tasty treats. From vegetables to cakes, we made them all.

Cooking with children can be a thrilling learning experience resulting in a tasty product. Through cooking, children learn to follow step by step directions, categorize types of food, learn safe cooking practices, and develop early math skills. Additionally, the conversations with your children throughout the experience can increase language skills and vocabulary.  

TAKE A LOOK: Monkey Mayhem- A Monkey Made of Fruit

Ingredients:

1 pineapple circle slice (face)

1 strawberry (nose)

2 orange wedges (ears)

2 blueberries (eyes)

1 apple wedge (mouth)

*Due to the wide variety of fruit required, this activity may be best for a group.

*Fresh, frozen, or canned fruit can be used.

Directions:

Explain that you are going to create a monkey by using fruit. Look at the ingredients… What color is the fruit? What shape is the fruit?

Begin with the pineapple slice as the base for the head. What goes on the monkey’s face?

As your child explains what is on the monkey’s face, let them select the fruit to represent it. I have made suggestions in the ingredients section. Ask your child, what do the _(ears, nose, eyes, mouth)_ do? Where are your _(ears, nose, eyes, mouth)_?

Upon building your monkey masterpiece, enjoy the healthy snack! You can find a monkey book in your personal library or local library to extend the monkey experience.

TAKE A LOOK: Pinterest Recipes- Search for the Perfect Cookie

For those who already love or will soon discover the creative social sharing on Pinterest (www.pinterest.com), it is a great avenue to get your kids involved in the search for recipes and arts and crafts, as well as teach your child about the internet. You can explain the purpose of a password and internet safety. By exploring the Website together, you are able to model appropriate behavior on the internet.

For this activity, search for a perfect cookie on Pinterest. Ask your child what their favorite cookie is. Talk about the different letter sounds in the word. Discuss types of descriptive adjectives for the cookie like delicious, tasty, and sweet. While cooking, talk about measurements and which is big and small. Let your child mix the dough and even use their hands; this will strengthen their fine motor muscles. Most importantly, have a sweet-tastic time!

Twitter List: Activities, Apps, and Research for Early Childhood

During the past week, I have created a Twitter list, which is a separate folder for Twitter accounts with a specific theme. In order to provide more resources for you and our classroom, I decided the Twitter list should supports the goal of this Blog, which is to encourage family learning, interaction, and fun.

The criteria for the accounts include early childhood/preschool relevance; technology incorporation; kinesthetic, interactive, and artistic activities, which are developmentally appropriate; and a consistent and concise theme throughout the Twitter account.

I hope you can incorporate the Twitter list into your existing Twitter accounts. By following these accounts, you will receive frequent updates regarding research, new technology applications, and interactive and artistic activities for your preschooler. I will be integrating some of the resources into my classroom, and I hope other teachers and their students will benefit as well.

Throughout the search for helpful Twitters, I have located several exceptional resources for you to follow and use at home. For the complete list, check out this link: https://twitter.com/#!/ZandraWarren/ed-529

When you actively engage your children in activities, academics, and conversation, an amazing bond is created between the participants. By playing with your children and possibly incorporating some of the ideas from this Blog or other resources, you can teach your child. Play time can be one of the most impressionable learning experiences for young children, so lets work together to help your children grow and learn to love learning!

TAKE A LOOK: Applications for iPhones and iPads- BrightStartApps @brightstartapps

BrightStartApps presents a variety of links to new and exciting applications for Apple technologies.  The suggestions are relevant for preschool learners and support academic and language learning. The most recent tweet includes an application for Pre-K Letters and Numbers through Famigo; it received four stars.  

TAKE A LOOK: Art Activities- Education.com @preschoolers

Education.com provides daily art activities and supplemental links for special events. The most current tweets supply links for an “easy-store puppet stage”, Dr. Seuss links, and sight word Bingo.

TAKE A LOOK: Current Research- Autism Classroom.com @AutismClassroom

This Twitter has links to current research, activities and applications to support your family dynamic, and support group information. Other Autism awareness groups tweet additional relevant research and activities. Some of the most recent tweets include “sensory-friendly” family films, links to literature and video resources about the diagnosis, and social skills activities. 

Open-Source Apps- Tux Paint

G. Solomon and L. Schrum, authors of Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools, suggest the use of “open-source educational applications” in schools (2007). It combines the freedom of open-source tools and the needs of educators to develop activities which are connected to school, state, and national curriculum. The biggest challenge would be locating enthusiastic programmers and educators who are willing to openly and actively communicate and learn. Additionally, it could be beneficial to have students’ input during the process.

The following Website contains of 50 open-source applications which can replace traditional education programs.

http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/osrc/article.php/3888901/50-Open-Source-Tools-That-Replace-Popular-Education-Apps.htm

TAKE A LOOK: http://tuxpaint.org/

This open-source program is great for children ages 3 and up. It is a free application which can be used on Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux.

You and your children can create beautiful art with a variety of exciting tools, including a paint brush, stamps, shapes, text, and “magical” special effects. Try these:

        - Self portrait- Take a look in the mirror!

        - Recreate a scene from your favorite story

        - Create a picture to email or mail to a family member or friend