The Magic Pocket
Today was another really LOUD day. Winter days are more difficult on everyone. There isnt as much moving and grooving and all that pent up energy shows up in louder voices and faster feet in the classroom. As teachers we just have to take a deep breath and know it is needed.. all that energy cant stay inside long.
Just like we challenge the kids fine motor and gross motor skills sometimes we have activities set up to challenge their cognitive or thinking skills. Today in small groups I drew a large pocket on a piece of paper. We talked about our pockets and what we do with them. We talked about some of the things we put in our pockets. We counted our pockets. I showed the kids where I wrote ” The Magic Pocket ” at the top of the paper. We talked about what things we could put in our magic pocket and wrote them on the sheet. Not only did this activity make us think about what we might put in a magic pocket but it also reminded us that print has meaning as I dictated what the kids said.
During circle time we read another ” Pete the Cat ” Book. This time is was ” Pete’s Rocking New School Shoes. ” We also did another brain stretcher activity . Prior to circle time I hid something in my pocket and I gave them clues to what it could be. The clues were:
1. Small animal
2. Lives outside
3. Likes water
4. Has a long tongue
5. Is green and sometimes brown
6. Likes to eat flies
I didnt say ” hops” because the game would have ended. Obviously it was a frog . It was a stuffed frog. I am WAY TOO PRISSY to put a real frog in my pocket.
We also went on a walk to get some of our energy out. The trees are so beautiful. We saw a dead snake. We saw a sign that said “Dead End” I read it to the kids. Later I heard Fernando talking to another child. ” There is a dead man. He died down there.” Thinking he was referring to a real situation , I said ” Where, Fernando”” He said ” where the sign is !” Oh…. Dead End.. 🙂 Kids are so literal. So we stopped and I explained ” Dead End ” again to make sure everyone was clear what it meant . Fernando said ” I was scared… ” Poor kid. Dumb Teacher. :/
