All About Johnny Chapstick.... I mean Appleseed! :)

Today we began our apple/Johnny Appleseed unit. This is one of my very favorite themes to teach each year. There are just so many fun activities to do with apples! We began with a little KWL chart about Johnny Appleseed. Today, while transitioning from one activity to our Johnny Appleseed activities, I told students to begin thinking about what they already knew about Johnny Appleseed and we would add it to our chart. While I was getting our books, brainpop, and chart all set up and ready I was overhearing my little sweeties discuss with their neighbors what they already "knew" about Johnny Appleseed and what they planned to share. One little cutie that didn't know I was listening said "well I know that his name is Johnny and his last name is Seed." Another cutie replied, "no, his last name is Appleseed." The other cutie then replied back, "no his middle name is Apple, his last name is Seed, silly!" HA  PRICELESS!

Here is our KWL chart from today.

We read some great books and we watched a Brainpop Jr video to help us learn more about Johnny. Then we added our new learning to our chart. I asked students what Johnny's real name was and one cutie literally about jumped out of her seat with excitement to tell me. She said "ooooh, oooh, ooooh I know! I know!" I called on her and she exclaimed "Miss Elisabeth it's Johnny Chapstick!!! His real name is Johnny Chapstick!!!!" HAHA Can you say PRECIOUS!?? She was so stinkin' excited because she thought for sure she had nailed it! And well she was super close. ;)

We will continue adding to our chart throughout the next couple of weeks.

Next we made this cute Johnny Appleseed craft and colored some Color Me Apples from CTP.

Here is the low down on the goodies I used to create our latest hallway bulletin board.

Color Me Apples from Creative Teaching Press {These are the perfect addition to any bulletin board! They are quick, the kids get to color and make them unique, and they are oh so stinkin' cute!!} I love using them to add a little something extra to our displays. Can't wait to use the other cute styles they offer.. pumpkins, leaves, hearts, etc.

Apple Tree Bulletin Board Set from Creative Teaching Press-- I used the tree and the bucket from this cute little fall set. There are several other super cute pieces in the pack too!! I just ran out of room.. bummer!

Lime Green Chevron Border from Creative Teaching Press-- LOVE me some chevron!

Johnny Appleseed craft-- This can be found in my Bushels of Fun with Apples pack. I just gave this pack a complete makeover. {it was my very FIRST unit I posted to tpt a few years ago and was in need of a face lift!} I got it posted last night. It almost doubled in size and I'm super excited about the new activities and can't wait to spend the next couple of weeks working on the fun activities included in this pack. 

You can check out the unit by clicking the pic below! Be sure to download the preview for a FREEBIE math station game. :)

Well blog friends that's all I got for tonight! Have an applicious week! :)

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Five for Friday! {September 5, 2014}

Happy Friday! I'm linking up with Kacey at Doodle Bugs Teaching for Five for Friday. Here are my five random things from this week.

One

This week we began learning all about main idea and details. I thought using one of our Scholastic News articles would be perfect to use for finding the main idea and details. We love Scholastic News!!!

Two

We have been learning all sorts of addition strategies these past couple of weeks. One that we have been working with is the "flip flop strategy." We made this cute little craftivity from Amy's Learning our Addition Strategies pack this week. They turned out super cute! 

Three

This week we worked with adding inflectional endings -s and -ing to root words. We practiced this is our interactive reading journals.

Speaking of interactive reading journals. I finally finished and posted unit 2 of my Reading Street Interactive Journal Printables! I will begin working on unit 3 as soon as I finish updating my apple pack.

Four

Big Event Fundraising is having a big giveaway!!! Be sure to stop by and enter for a chance to win a $250 dollar gift card to TARGET! :) I've got my fingers crossed... I can think of lots of goodies I would use the gift card for! Click the link below to visit and get entered in this great giveaway!

http://is.gd/hVwlKL

Five

Have you heard about FarFaria??

FarFaria is an app that provides the perfect story time experience. With more than 750 amazing children’s stories—and five new ones added each week—story time has never been easier.

Created for children ages 2-9, FarFaria helps children develop a passion for reading and encourages families to spend quality time reading together. FarFaria’s engaging story-discovery experience encourages children to stumble into new stories they’ll love forever.

Features

●     Unlimited reading from our library of more than 750 stories.

●     Five new, engaging stories added every week.

●     Interactive experience is fun for kids and easy for parents

●     Every story can be read aloud with a Read-to-Me feature.

●     Reading-level badge on every story cover.

●     Offline access to read Favorite stories

●     No advertising. No hidden fees.

You can try FarFaria for free. Simply download FarFaria and read one story every day for free with no obligation to pay. If you like the site and would like to read more than one story a day, unlimited access to the site is available and starts at $4.99 per month.

This app is perfect to use for a listening station or with your kiddos at home. There are tons of great fiction and nonfiction titles available! Examples: Beauty and the Beast, Chicken Little, Betsy Ross, Benjamin Franklin, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Little Red Hen, Stone Soup, Bats and Abraham Lincoln to name a few.

I have the reflective software on my MacBook and I plan to project these in addition to using them in my listening station. 

One story I am excited about using this month is Johnny Appleseed and the Bear!

App Store download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/free-childrens-books-farfaria/id491771721?mt=8

 Google Play download link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.intuary.farfaria

 Website: Farfaria.com

Would you like to try out FarFaria?? I am giving away a 3 month membership to one lucky blog reader! You can enter below using the rafflecopter.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Well that's my random five for this week! Be sure to link up with Kacey with your Five for Friday! Have a great weekend blog friends... I'm off for my nightly run. :)

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