New Website... kind of

So I have started my new website. However, I ended up with one that I didn't expect... a recipe and menu planning website. It is still very much a work in progress (in fact there is only one recipe on it as of today) but I will be adding to it daily for quite a while.

In the meantime, I am putting my sugar and spice site on hold so I can put all my energy into the other site. A recipe and menu planning website isn't much with only one recipe! Ha! All the recipes I have put on this blog will soon be on the other website. So, please stay with me. When I set out to start a blog I didn't know where it would take me but it is slowly unfolding. 

In the mean time, please check out my new website: http://www.mommysmenu.com/

Allyoop!

New Website-A Work in Progress

Just wanted to leave a quick note that I am working on my new website.

I will let you all know when it is up and running.

Mommy Quick Tip-Washing Velcro

Anyone with babies likely has a plethora of velcro on items you wash in your washing machine. From bibs to playmats, they are on so many baby items. I have fought with velcro for years. I would put the ends of bibs together so the velcro wouldn't snag on other clothing, I have turned things inside out, I have (in my admittedly less-sane-little-sleep hours) spoken to the velcro prior to putting it in the washing machine and asking it to not snag... yet, the velcro always detached, the item turned right-side out, or the velcro rudely ignored my verbal pleas until now!  I have finally conquered putting velcro in the washing machine...

1. Take an old sock (they are usually easy to come by)
2. Cut it in strips the size of the velcro
3. Push strip onto the velcro (you may need to work in some kinds of socks a little more than others so it sticks)
4. Toss the item needing a wash in the washing machine with sock-strip-covered velcro
5. Once washing (and drying when applicable) is complete, remove item... still velcroed to the sock strip... and smile with triumph while you quickly pull the sock strip off the velcro without a single snag on other items washed with the velcro item!!!

*If you are like me and have lots of items with velcro, keep a little jar/cup/box near your washing machine with sock strips of different sizes so they are always on-hand when you need them.
**Don't feel like cutting old socks into strips... assign one of your kidd-os to do it (depending on age of course)... they will love cutting up socks. Not exactly sure what it is, but there is something enticing to little ones about cutting up clothing. Perhaps there is a slight sense of breaking general household/school scissor/cutting rules.

Happy Washing!!!

Name Change-Input Requested

To My Readers,

After two months of blogging I have decided to change my site address. I am going to change from http://www.sugarnspicesnailsntales.blogspot.com/ (which, I mean, I don't  know what I was thinking.. what a mouthful! I tried to tell the address to my mom the other day on the phone because she wasn't at her home so she couldn't just pull it down from favorites, or however it is she has it saved on her computer, and I had to repeat it several times to ensure the letter "n" NOT "and" and that there is an "n" between "sugar and spice" but not between "spice and snails" etc... what a mess!!!) to http://www._________.com/ and I need your help!

I am looking for something simple so I don't run into the aforementioned issues of trying to tell people my site address but I also want something that is similar to what I already have. I also hope that if you like my blog you are passing it along to friends (although, up til now it was probably difficult to verbally pass it along.. and perhaps even a little challenging to type it correctly) it will be easier with the change over.
I was thinking of putting a voting widget on here so people could vote for which they liked best, but I opted out of that so I could have more specific input from my readers. Thus far I have come up with the following addresses, in no particular order (which are currently not taken in cyber world):

1. http://www.sugarandsnails.com/
2. http://www.sugarandtales.com/
3. http://www.sugarytales.com/
4. http://www.sugartales.com/
5. OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS... (WARNING: some combinations may lead you to some questionable sites, especially when trying to work with the word "spice," when checking to see if your suggestion is already a website!!!!!)

I would like to launch my new site this coming weekend (October 24th-25th) so please respond by Friday the 23rd. :)

Thank you all,

Allyoop

Food Find: Candy Corn Flavored Hershey Kisses

My husband came home from the store this week with an impulse buy (which is very unlike him): Candy Corn Flavored Hershey Kisses.

I fully admit that I am not, nor have I ever been, much of a candy corn fan. Don't get me wrong, I will eat candy corn if you have it out in a candy dish and I am visiting you. I also appreciate it for its asthetic purposes in the fall (for decorating cookies and its use in non-edible items as little knick-knacks). But I rarely ever buy candy corn for the purspose of consumption... if I want fall colored candy in a candy dish I buy Reeses Pieces (YUM!).

Now, back to the Hershey version. So when my husband came home with the bag I was only mildly curious, but couldn't ignore his excitement for his "find." So, I tried one, and now I am hooked! They taste like a combination of white chocolate, candy corn, and egg nog. Further, not only is their packaging perfect for the fall, but they look really cute unwrapped (great for cookie decorating, or if you are one who makes a cookie haunted house at Halloween these would be great additions to fences or tops of towers). If you are looking for a change of pace with Halloween candy, you need to try these.
(I put a link for them below so you know what to look for; but Amazon is charging $8.99 a bag!! We paid around $3.00 at our local grocery store.)





Happy Candy Corn Kisses-ing!!!

DVD Recommendation: Halloween

I love the Scholastic Video Collection dvds. For those of you who aren't familiar with them, they are children's books made into cartoons and placed on dvds with multiple stories in a single dvd. Some of them are on a specific topic, some highlight an author, but each has a good selection of children's stories.

At the first of October I always take out my copy of Teeny-Tiny and the Witch-Woman...and 4 More Spine-Tingling Tales.

 This DVD has four stories on it plus one bonus story for a total of 5 stories and is a total 55 minutes in length. Since there are five different stories this is a great dvd to put for a little treat to watch either one at a time (for about a 10 minute story) or watch the entire 55 minutes at once. The cover story, Teeny-Tiny and the Witch-Woman, is the story of three brothers who wonder off into the woods and stumble upon a witch's house and end up staying the night. The narrator of the story has the voice of an elderly woman and the voice of the witch is a bit chilling. In fact when my daughter was 5 she was a bit scared of this particular movie, but now that she is 6 she seems to really enjoy it.

Another favorite of mine on this dvd is: The Witch in the Cherry Tree. This is the story of a witch who wants to go into a little boy's house to eat cakes. However, the boy and his mother won't invite her in so she does things outside to try to get him to let her eat some of his homemade cakes. It is a cute story that will appeal to many children.

One of the other lovely things about the Scholastic Video Collection in either your home or classroom is that in addition to watching the stories on t.v. you can then read the stories to the children and there is something about seeing the book of the movie that appeals to children. One sequence I have used in my classroom and can be done at home as well is to 1. Read the book to the children, 2. Do a language arts activity with the book, 3. Watch the dvd of the book, 4. Do an art activity with the story, and 5. Re-read the book. In some instances I may spend an entire week on a story and also have a variety of centers based on the stories in my classroom. If you are at home, centers could look be a small activity done each day so by the end of the week they have done 5 activities with the story. I wouldn't do all 5 steps with every story, but those books that children really love, the kind children can't seem to get enough of, I always do so that they get their fill of the story. In future posts I will give specific examples of activities to do with different books for home and the classroom.

*I apologize for some of the above links. Some of the books are older books and you may need to either check them out from your local library or purchase a used copy. Also some of the used copies on Amazon are showing up at very high prices so do a little looking around on Amazon. I was able to find each of them listed separately for under $10.*

Happy Spine-Tingling!!!

Book Recommendations-We're Off to Find the Witch's House

One of my favorite Halloween books for children is We're Off to Find the Witch's House by Mr. Kreib who, as he puts it in his dedication, "...for thirty years, [I] shared the tricks of imagination and the treats of language and laughter..."

 
Each and every October I look forward to reading this book both in the classroom and to my little ones at home. You know a children's book is excellent when you can't decide if you like the words or the illustrations best. This is the case with We're Off to Find the Witch's House. The flowing words make me sing this book rather than "read" it, even though it is not accompanied with music: "...We're galloping past a ghastly ghost, a mostly misty, ghostly ghost, a flying floating, twisty ghost, swishing through the dark..." The illustrations are so delightful that each time we read the book my daughter and I notice details in the illutrations we hadn't noticed before.

The story is of a small group of children dressed up in Halloween costumes on their way to find a witch's house; along the way they encounter many Halloween creatures. Be sure to read the last few pages to yourself prior to reading this one aloud to children so you can be sure to read the ending with enthusiasm!

After devouring this book you will wish you could have entered Mr. Kreib's classroom.


    

(This book is available in soft or hard cover.)

Happy Witch House Hunting!!!

Terrific Toys - OBall

When my daughter was a baby one of my sisters gave her an OBall.



These balls are great toys for babies and toddlers. They are light weight and their design makes them easy for babies to grasp and for toddlers to play catch with. They are also soft so you needn't worry about anyone getting hurt playing with them, (making them an excellent toy to have in the classroom for games that require tossing something around).

Since they first hit the market years ago they have increased the colors, size, and design that they come in. There is one with rattles, which is very appealing to babies, and even football shaped OBalls for wee sport fans. My daughter has had hers since she was a baby. It has endured all types of baby and toddler "abuse" yet it still looks new! These are a great buy and last a long time.



Happy OBalling!!!

Mommy Quick Tip-Lunch Box Napkins

If you are the parent of a little one who takes lunches to school/daycare/etc. this quick tip is for you!

I keep a small box of crayons in the top kitchen drawer near where I make my daughter's lunches. Then, each day when I pack her lunch I write a little message ("I love you!" "Yummy!" "You're funny!", etc.) and/or draw a little picture/place a seasonal sticker on the napkin for her. I try to draw a different picture each day to add a small element of surprise.

She is in first grade and has told me that she turns the napkin over each day right after reading/looking at it so her friends won't see; but she insists that I continue sending napkin notes because "they make me think of Mommy". The pictures are just a little reminder that I love her and think about her while she's at school. If you don't keep the crayons & stickers in the kitchen, it is likely that the napkin notes won't happen on hectic mornings!

Here is a typical example that I drew today (some times they are less detailed and some days they are more detailed):

p.s. If you are intimidated by drawing pictures, skip the drawings and just write a little note and use stickers...

Happy Lunch Packing!!!

Music Monday-Catch The Moon

I will conclude the Month-O-Elizabeth Mitchell with the darling album and board book: Catch The Moon (yes, that's right, a 2-for-1). This album is not only an Elizabeth Mitchell album but was a combination effort with the lovely Lisa Loeb.


 
Catch the Moon is a dreamy board book about two little girls, Ruby West and Ella Jane, playing with the moon: "...They send the star and moon back home And dream by star moon light." With night-time water color  illustrations by Elizabeth Mitchell's mother this is a great book to add to your bed-time collection. The following link from Elizabeth Mitchell's website allows you to read the book on the web http://www.youaremyflower.org/ctm/index.html

Several familiar songs such as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Big Rock Candy Mountain, and Little Red Caboose are included among the 13 sweet songs on this album. The complete list of delightful songs on this album are: Big Rock Candy Mountain, Little Red Caboose, Oh Susanna, Catch the Moon, La Manita, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Stop and Go, New Morning, Oh Groundhog, Butterfly, Donguri/Rolling Acorn, Free Little Bird, and Fais Do Do.




Finally, the following links are to videos with Lisa and Elizabeth singing songs from this album:
Catch the Moon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epRWUbgw9V4
Stop and Go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m37oqM9qkGk

Happy Loeb/Mitchelling!!!

Recipe - Fresh Apple Cake

As we come to the end of apple month some people are all appled-out! This apple cake calls for fresh apples, and is a nice change of pace for those of us who try to eat seasonal produce. When you try to eat seasonally it is easy to get tired of eating the same fruits and veggies in the same ways...yummy recipes come at a premium! This delightful, yet EASY recipe was given to me by my mother. It one of my favorite fall desserts and due to its simplicity, it is easy to let your wee ones do most of the "work." (If you are a teacher and your school has an oven, this is an easy dish to make with your students.)
Enjoy!

Fresh Apple Cake

Ingredients ~ 1 cup oil, 2 cups sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 cups firmly packed grated apples, and 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions ~ Grease then lightly flour 9"x13" casserole dish. Mix oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Stir. Add apples and walnuts. Stir. Pour into baking dish. Bake at 350 F for about 40 minutes. Can be served warm or cool...is great with a glass of milk, apple cider, apple juice or hot chocolate!

*My blog has "sugar" and "spice" in its name for a reason... Prior to baking this cake I usually sprinkle cinnamon, a little nutmeg, and brown sugar over the top, not only because it makes the cake extra yummy, but also because I add those three ingredients to just about every recipe I can!  : p

Happy Apple Caking!!!

Music Monday-You Are My Little Bird

My internet went out. Grrr. So my Music Monday is more of a Thursday thang this week! :)

Well into the month of September as well as the month-o-Elizabeth Mitchell and we come to her lovely album You Are My Little Bird. This album was my first exposure to Elizabeth Mitchell and her music...I have never turned back!




This album is so completely relaxing and pleasant that I listen to it on a regular basis. One of my favorite songs on the album is Three Little Birds. Many of you are probably familiar with this Bob Marley song: "...don't worry, about a thing, cause every little thing is gonna be all right..." and many of your little ones were introduced to it in the popular movie Shark Tale. The message of this sweet and simple song as expressed in the chorus is great for children to learn. I often sing this song while driving in the car with my little ones and while doing things in my classroom as a constant reminder that whatever is going on in life, everything is going to be fine.

Another of my favorites is If You Listen..."If you listen, you can hear, birds sing and flowers grow, if you listen you can hear, my love for you just grow..." The lyrics are few and sweet which make it an easy song to learn so you can sing it to your little ones before bed or while snuggling them on a rocking chair.

I simply cannot say enough about how restful and pleasant each and every song on this album is. If you have not been turned on to Elizabeth Mitchell up to this point, I highly recommend giving this album a chance. It is great to use in a classroom or at home. The complete list of songs on this album are: Little Liza Jane, Who's My Pretty Baby, Zousan, Little Bird, Little Bird, Three Little Birds, What Goes On, Pom Na Tu Ri, Buckeye Jim, Peace Like A River, Los Pollitos, Winter's Come And Gone, Little Wing, Lily Pond, The North Wind, If You Listen, Down In The Valley, and Grassy Grass Grass.



Happy Elizabeth Mitchelling!!!

Quick Tip - Left Handed Scissors

Dou you have a little one who is left-handed? Purchase a pair of left-handed scissors! It makes cutting so much easier. If you are a teacher I recommend keeping a few pairs in your class for left-handed students. Be sure to inform their parents where you picked yours up since they aren't sold everywhere and many parents don't know where to get them or even know they exist!



Happy Cutting!!!

Literature Highlight & Activity - Dappled Apples

The last few mornings I have loved the fresh crisp smell of fall in the air... with the start of fall many classrooms are doing activities involving apples. One book I must read each and every fall is the the lovely book Dappled Apples by Jan Carr.




The words in this book flow with delightful rhymes and alliteration..."flutter, flitter, gold as glitter, colors crackle round the tree....pumpkin pile-up...evil fairy, Yikes! She's scary! Patched-up pirate, Who is he?..." From jumping in piles of fall leaves to pumpkin patches and trick-or-treating this book highlights all the reasons children (and adults) love the fall. The illustrations are made of bright, colorful cut-paper collages that give the reader a 3-D effect.

I read Dappled Apples several times during the fall season and do the following after each phase of the book:

After reading the first part about apples: take your child to an apple orchard. Children love the act of picking their own apples just like the children in the book. It teaches your children about seasonal foods and where apples come from.

After reading about fall leaves: go outside and pile up leaves with your children. Then join them in a leave jumping (which usually also ends up in leaf throwing) party.

After reading about the pumpkin patch, take your children to a pumpkin patch. Pack the following items: crayons (or other drawing utensils), paper, and a clipboard. (You don't HAVE to take a clipboard, anything hard will work, but children LOVE using clipboards, plus with the wind that comes in the fall it will be easier to hold your children's paper... so I highly recommend purchasing one... or several if you are a teacher. I will continue to post activities where children do things outside and will need clipboards.) While at the pumpkin patch have your children go on a hunt for interesting looking pumpkins. Once they find their favorite unique pumpkin have them draw a picture of it (or of a whole group of pumpkins). If you have a little extra cash, I also recommend buying the pumpkins. It is always fun to actually take one of the pumpkins home.



After reading the part about trick-or-treating have your children sit around your art table (my art table is our dining room table covered in a plastic table cloth I purchased at a dollar store). Place scissors (I recommend children's scissors, also if you can get some scissors with different blades they are really fun to use), construction paper, and glue at the table. Then have your children make their own cut-paper collage pictures of Halloween costumes.

Happy Dappled Apple-ing!!!

Music Monday-You Are My Sunshine

For the Month-o-Elizabeth Mitchell Music the next c.d. filled with wonderful children's music is her darling album: You Are My Sunshine.

This album is loaded with fabulous music for your children AND YOU! There is a great rendition of the traditional alphabet song called Alphabet Dub that is still to the traditional tune (making it easy for children to sing along to) but the background instruments as well as some of the sound effects make it an enjoyable song for adults as well. Who knew the alphabet song could be SO COOL!?! (Elizabeth Mitchell.. that's who!)

Some of the well-known songs are splendid versions of You Are My Sunshine, Skip to My Lou, and Froggy Went A Courtin. Shortly before my grandfather passed away from Cancer the hospice nurses would visit with a guitar and sing, among other songs, You Are My Sunshine. Every time I hear that song I think of those precious memories of spending time with him in his bedroom as a child singing that song, not knowing how many more days we would have with him. So it is extra special to me that thanks to this lovely version of the song, my daughter now knows the lyrics to the song and enjoys it as much as I do, only for different reasons.

The full list of songs are as follows (again, ALL are fabulous!! I listen to this album even when by myself): So Glad I'm Here, Skip to My Lou, Ladybug Picnic, Hey Bo Diddley, Crawdad, Alphabet Dub, Car Car, Ooby Dooby, You Are My Sunshine, Goin Down the Road, Black Jack Baby, Jubilee, Here Comes My Baby, 3 is the Magic Number, Froggy Went a Courtin, and Goodnight Irene.



Happy Listening!!!

Recipe - Rice Pudding

Every so often when I was growing up my sweet mother would make this yummy treat. My mom always forced us to eat healthy food growing up... (imagine a school field trip... all my friends eating twinkies and juice boxes and there I was pulling out my smelly tuna fish with sprouts sandwich! Don't get me wrong, I like tuna fish sandwiches, but it didn't compare to what other children hand. Plus people could always smell it coming out of the little sandwich bag.) This recipe is very yummy and healthier than some other rice pudding recipes you may find.

Nana's Rice Pudding

Ingredients ~ 1/2 cup powdered milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 & 1/2 cups milk, dash of salt, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 cups cooked rice (white, brown or a combination of both) I always make a little extra in case I decide to add more to it before I bake it, cinnamon, raisons, chopped walnuts (sometimes I make it without walnuts if I don't want it crunchy... but my mother "always likes a little crunch."), and nutmeg

Directions ~ Mix powdered milk and sugar. Add 1/2 cup milk and stir. Add dash of salt, egg, vanilla and stir. Spray oven safe bowl with non-stick cooking spray (I no longer purchase this since there is propellant in it, and I'm not fond of eating propellant, so I lightly grease everything with a little Crisco). Pour mixture into bowl. Pour rice into bowl and stir. Add milk and stir. If it looks too liquidy to you feel free to add the extra rice I recommended above. Add raisons, walnuts, and cinnamon to taste and stir. Sprinkle nutmeg over the top. Cook at 350F stirring several times while baking. Bake for 30 minutes. If it doesn't look done, keep baking. It shouldn't need to bake longer than 45 minutes, the longer it bakes the less "pudding"-like it will be so monitor it closely towards the end or it will be too dry. (If you do over bake it, just add a little milk to the individual bowls you serve it in to help soften it.)

After I dish up my pudding I always sprinkle a little white sugar/brown sugar/cinnamon mixture on the top of each serving to add a little extra SWEET!

Happy Baking!!!

Classroom Management - Free Choice

Whether at home or in the classroom there are times when both you and the children need some unstructured, no-adult-needed, "down time." When I say "unstructured" I don't mean free reign, I mean, free to choose to do whatever they like out of a pre-established set of choices and associated expectations for proper use of materials.

Directions for implementation:

1. Designate an area of your home or classroom as your "free choice" area. This step is crucial. If you don't have an established area it will likely turn into free choice headache plus (meaning some things will be for free choice but over time other things that you don't want used as free choice will likely start to show up there and/or it will get messy and ultimately it ruins the beauty of having free choice). The area can be any size you want. A corner of a room, a single shelf on a book case, a box kept in the same place in the same closet, etc. If you are at home and have a play room, designate part of the room for this, not the entire room.
*A point of clarification, this designated area is where you store the free choice activities, you can certainly have them use the materials wherever you would like.

2. Place one (yes one and ONLY one) free choice activity in that area (this is just to begin, you will add more later). If you start with more than one it won't work so well.. but I will explain later. I recommend starting with jigsaw puzzles, because they are inexpensive to purchase, easy to find, easy for children to do without guidance, you can find puzzles designed for any age and they are GREAT for development. My daughter has been doing puzzles since she was knee-high to a grasshopper.. he he... and she has gotten very good at them over time to the point of helping my husband and me with 500+ piece puzzles.

3. Take a picture of the free choice spot/area. Print off a copy of the picture (laminate it on cardstock if you can, if you can't, paste it on cardstock and either self-laminate with duct tape or put it inside a baggie). Then tape/tack/whatever it to your area. It needs to be in an area where the children can see it for they will use it as a guide every time they clean up so they know where to return the materials so the area stays organized.

4. Show the area to your children. This step is also crucial. If done well you won't have to re-teach this area over and over again. Have the children sit down in front of the area and tell them it is the new free choice area. Explain that when, and only when, you tell them they can have free choice time (feel free to name it whatever you want.. I have heard it called "self directed" "free time" "explore time" "discovery" etc. just find one term and always use the same term) they can come to this area and use the materials that are there. Explain that these are the only materials they can use during this time, that the materials will always be kept there, and that this is where the materials will be returned at the end of free choice. Show them the picture you took of the area and explain that you expect the area to look the same as in the picture after they have finished cleaning up from free choice EVERY time.

5. While they are still in the area give them directions as to how you want the children to use the puzzles (or whatever activity you have in that area). If you want them to be careful opening and closing boxes, tell them that and demonstrate how you want them to open and close them. Think through your expectations, share them with the children, and demonstrate them.

6. After you have set your ground rules, let the children use the materials. Once this is well established you now have free time of your own. However, for the first few "gos" I recommend finding something somewhat close to the children that you can do so you can still monitor their use of the materials. In doing so you can correct any behaviors immediately so they know the rules are set in stone.

7. Once their free time is up have the children practice putting the materials away the way you demonstrated. If they struggle to do it correctly, have them do it again. If they still don't do it right. Do it for them then have them do it again. (You can later put a timer or a clock in the area with the end time marked so they can see how much time they have... if you choose to do this, it CAN be shown and taught at any time. Just make sure you teach the children about it so they know how they can use it. Also... I always give my children a verbal warning a few minutes in advance so they can mentally prepare themselves for the end of free time and aren't surprised when it is over.)

8. Once you have success with the first activity (and I suggest doing it at least twice), add another activity. You will need to repeat *taking the picture of the area (if you add things that aren't in the picture the picture is useless), *teaching the children where the materials are kept in the area, *how to use the materials and *how to put the materials away correctly.

Puzzles, wooden building blocks, Lego's, K'Nex, Lincoln Logs and board games all work well for activity choices. Some people use sand and water trays. I think these types of messy activities are great for children to explore, but I don't use them for free choice because my view of free choice are activities that are easy to clean up.

Here are a few of links with specific items I have used that work well but there are thousands out there to choose from:



Happy Free Time!!!

Curriculum Suggestion-[Fill in the blank] of the month!

Teachers are constantly bombarded with covering all the required curriculum. Between state standards, district mandates and school/grade level traditions it can be hard to find time to squeeze in anything else. However, I am a firm believer that you must include curriculum that you are passionate about. The types of things that made you want to become a teacher in the first place! If this is lost, it can be easy to get burnt out in a hurry. This is what led me to today's post: [Fill in the blank] of the month!

(For you non-teaching mommies or daddies out there this is an easy thing to do at home as well...minus a couple of the obvious differences between classroom and home.. adjust accordingly to what makes sense for your situation.)

One of my first posts was about how to name tables in your classroom. I mentioned I would later discuss what I used my author tables for... this is that promised post.

I love literature, especially children's literature and familiarizing children with specific authors and illustrators, so I made sure I could spend time each month focusing on authors. The implementation was easy... here is what I did (keep in mind you can alter this to whatever you want!)...

1. I set up the author tables (for details click on: http://sugarnspicesnailsntales.blogspot.com/2009/08/classroom-management-author-tables.html )

2. At the beginning of the month I announce to the class the author of the month. Since entire classroom tables were dedicated to each author, the children sitting at the author of the month table would shriek with joy that their table was chosen for the month.

3. Immediately after making the announcement I would read a story by the author (if you are teaching older grades and using chapter books, just read the first chapter) so the students would have an instant connection with the author. Followed by a little biography about the author making connections to the lives of the students (if possible). In addition, when possible I would show a dvd or computer clip of the author or an episode (or part of an episode) of Reading Rainbow or of a Scholastic video if the author and/or book by the author was highlighted. I don't like to use a lot of television in the classroom. However, showing the authors talking or watching a spotlight about a book is okay as it helps children connect with the author/book. I can promise you many students tune out while a teacher is verbally providing a bio but those same students will glue their eyes to the t.v. just because of the novelty of it in a classroom.

4. The students at the author table received special priveleges all month (nothing exciting, just the first to line up, things like that... seems small but can be a big deal in primary grades).

5. I made sure to read books by the author throughout the entire month and had a display of books by the author in my classroom library. If you have a small classroom, find a small spot on a counter or even an extra desk and make it your author spotlight by putting a picture and name of the author above or below where you have your book display (you can use an extra copy of the table sign described in my earlier post), it can be as simple or elaborate as you want. Even the simple use of a chair with some fabric draped over it with the author's name and picture taped to it will work. Just place the books on the seat and around the legs. If you have questions and would like some additional suggestions simply post a question and I will address it as soon as I can!

6. Along with reading books throughout the month I would use coloring sheets or other book related activities as fillers whenever possible. Usually the best worksheets (i.e. by best I mean the worksheets are don't look homemade) are available on the author's or publisher's website. For example, the Junie B. Jones website (author Barbara Park) has a Junie B. mask, wordsearch and other printables: http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/junieb

Below are resources for the author bio/book spotlight mentioned above.



*Where the Wild Things Are dvds has an interview with Maurice Sendak*

The following are just a few author websites that have bios/videos/etc. that you may find helpful:
http://www.janbrett.com/
http://www.loislowry.com/
http://www.toddparr.com/
http://www.judyblume.com/
http://www.roalddahl.com/

Most websites are simply the authorsname.com like those above. I made the list short since they are pretty easy to find. You can also refer to my previous post which has a list of authors at the bottom of the post: http://sugarnspicesnailsntales.blogspot.com/2009/08/classroom-management-author-tables.html

Recipe - Oreo Cookies

A great back to school treat and activity is to bake homemade oreos. My dear friend Michelle shared this recipe with me a few years ago and it is ALWAYS a hit, plus little ones think it is neat to make their own oreos. You must follow the directions EXACTLY, but it is super easy.

Homemade Oreos

Ingredients for Cookies ~ 2 devil's food cake mixes, 1 & 1/2 cups shortening, 4 eggs
Ingredients for Filling ~ 2 cups powdered sugar, 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese (softened), 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 tablespoons milk

Directions ~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. *Since you bake these for precisely 9 minutes you MUST preheat your oven.* Combine mixes, shortening and eggs. Scoop out dough and form into balls. You will want to make your balls as close to the same size as possible. Place dough on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 9 minutes. Remove cookies from oven. Cookies will NOT look done. Let cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Place on rack to cool. Combine remaining ingredients. Spread filling between 2 cookies.

This recipe makes approximately 38 decently sized oreos (76 individual cookies).

I am such a bakaholic/cookieandbakedgoodseatingaholic that I have to plan on sharing my goodies.. which usually means doubling a recipe... or I will eat them all in little to no time. However, this recipe makes enough to share without doubling... even for me!

Happy Baking!!!

Rainy Day Activities

At home or at school it is always a good idea to have access to ideas for a "rainy day." Many of the activities I will post on this blog can be used as a rainy day activity (my music drawings for example. Click this link to see what I am referring to: http://sugarnspicesnailsntales.blogspot.com/2009/08/art-activity-music-drawings.html )

Collecting ideas is easy, it is the organization and updating that is easily left behind... when this happens many rainy days can go by without actually using these days to have fun with your children/students. Here are a couple of suggestions that have worked for me:

1. Purchase a three-ring binger, a hole punch, dividers with tabs, and some plastic storage sheets to keep in the binder. When you have a good idea on my blog or elsewhere you can print out the idea and place it in your binder. As you begin to collect ideas use the dividers to categorize your ideas. If you are really organized you can also include an index at the front of your binder. Simply write down a list of your tabs and leave space under each tab name. As you add items to your binder you can write in the activities under the tab name in your index. The plastic storage sheets can be used to put your printed out ideas if you access your binder frequently. If you don't I would save the storage sheets to store games or activities that you have created to keep the entire project together (for example if you make a paper BINGO game you could keep the boards, call cards, and paper markers...if you choose to use markers over cereal or candy... all in the storage sheet so you know where to find it when you need it).

2. You can do basically the same thing as above only write/print the ideas on index cards and keep them in an index box... this is less convenient for storing pre-made games/activities, but it still works.

3. Same thing as above only use a shoe box, gift box, or other box so you can store activities and ideas all in the same place. Organize as you desire depending on the size of box and contents.

4. Purchase some books. The use of books that already have activity ideas in them is a fast and easy way to accumulate and store ideas. Plus you can keep them on your bookshelf (on my bookshelves at home and in the classroom I have books as well as binders). Here are a few book suggestions:



Finally, regardless of the choice of books, binders, or boxes, always keep them in the same designated place so you can access them quickly. It is also helpful to have a little storage bin stocked with crayons, paper, markers, glitter, glue etc. so you have materials ready when you need them. This doesn't have to be expensive and it doesn't have to be done at the same time. Add one item a week and you will be surprised at how quickly you have a little craft center. I recently found a great way to store my craft supplies at home:



The drawers have lids and handles so you can pull out an entire drawer dedicated to one or more items and carry it where you are going to do your activitying/crafting. When you are done using the supplies simply put them back in the drawer, close the lid (which is attached) and easily slide it back into its place. This has worked wonders for my daughter at home...no more cramming things into drawers that won't close.

Happy Rainy Days!

Miscellaneous Quick Tip - Vases

At home or in a classroom it is always a good idea to keep a couple small vases in an easily accessible place. Then, when your little ones come in with small flower/twig/leaf/weed bouquet you have a place to put them (most bouquets are way too small to put in a regular sized vase). If they aren't displayed it can be disappointing to the child.

I always keep mine under the kitchen sink so I can pull it out and fill it with water in an instant. You may want a narrow one with a little height and a clear one about the size of an 8oz cup with a wide opening for small handfuls of clover, flower petals, or similar.

Happy Flower/Weed/Twig Arranging!!!

Quick Tip - Coloring inside the lines

When my daughter was three she attended a daycare for a couple hours a week. One day she came home and was distressed about coloring inside the lines. The "teacher" said she shouldn't "scribble" and needed to "color inside the lines." Needless to say I was upset... and thus today's post!

If you are the parent of a preschooler, let him/her color anyway she/he wants to color. Just the manipulation of and basic hand-eye coordination used when coloring with crayons/markers/pencils is a good start for children this age. Do NOT, I repeat, do NOT push the "color inside the lines" bit.. that will come with age and maturity.

Teachers, if you teach in the primary grades (K-3) your students likely have many opportunities to color. This goes back to an earlier post about art vs. skill-focused projects... If the purpose of the coloring sheet is to work on eye-hand coordination and controlling writing utensils by all means, teach them how to color inside the lines. INSIST that they try their best to "stay inside the lines." However, if you are NOT teaching a skill, and the child is coloring for the sake of coloring or to create a piece of art, let them color however they wish. Let them express themselves while they are still young enough to feel good about their coloring regardless of how "messy" you as the adult view it. (You never know if you have the next Jackson Pollock in your room and you would hate to stifle his/her creativity at such an early age!!)

With that said... simply saying "color inside the lines" or "stay inside the lines" is NOT teaching the children a skill. You need to demonstrate coloring. You need to "think out loud" while you color on the board or on an overhead. Walk around the room and give one-on-one assistance to your students. Then.... have days where they can color for colorings sake... for the sake of being a child... cuz dagnabit sometimes it does feel good to just SCRIBBLE!!!

Music Monday-You Are My Flower

One of my dear friends and favorite people, Shelley, introduced me to Elizabeth Mitchell. Her music is so wonderful I am going to spotlight a c.d. each week this month. (September... yes I know it is still August but I'm thinking ahead!)


The first album I recommend is: You Are My Flower.


There are many delightful songs on this child friendly album. There is a great rendition of This Little Light of Mine, Shoo-Fly, and Jingle Bells (among others). My daughter's favorite song on the album is number 3: John the Rabbit.

My favorite song is number 7: Little Sack of Sugar. My family and I sing this song to our little guy daily while playing with him. The chorus is: "Jiggle, jiggle, jiggle, jiggle. Tickle, tickle, tickle, tickle. Little sack of sugar I could eat you up..." If you have a baby or toddler you MUST listen to and familiarize yourself with this perfect song to sing to your "little sack of sugar". *WARNING: It is the kind of song that EASILY gets stuck in your head; but at least it is a happy, fun song.

Food Activity - Making Butter

This activity can be done at home or in a classroom setting and it is sure to put smiles on faces.

What you need:

Clear glass jar with secure lid

Whipping Cream



What you do:

Pour the whipping cream into the jar.

Put on the lid and make sure it is tight.

Shake.

*There are recipes that recommend adding salt and other things, but my experience has been that this works just fine.*

Placement of children:

Have children sit on the floor in a circle.

This can be done as a whole class activity along with a lesson about having unity in the class and working together to help each other. This can also be done as a family to teach the same thing. In either case it is a good idea to have a little chant or sing a little song as you go around so every child has the same amount of time to shake the jar (I usually allow about 10 seconds per student to keep it moving around the circle). I have also done this where I read a story or put in a story on a c.d. so I have my hands free to count down time for each child with my fingers so they know when it is time to pass the jar to the next child.

Once the butter has been made, simply scoop some out and put on any yummy bread of your choice. The butter doesn't have a lot of flavor but children enjoy watching the change from the liquid to solid form.

Happy buttering!!!

Quick Tip - Art vs. Skill-Focused-Projects

Quite often people who work with children confuse art and skill-focused-projects as the same thing. (There are a plethora of skills, but for today's post I am referring to skills usually associated with art.) Each have their place within a classroom or home setting but they are NOT the same and therefore the terms should NOT be used interchangably. In my classroom I not only teach them separately (although many projects are a combination of both) but I use those two terms with the children so they can learn the difference.

Skills: following directions, cutting, cutting along a line, glueing, coloring INSIDE the line, drawing straight lines, drawing shapes, etc.

Skill Focused Projects: a classic example of a skill focused project that is often confused as "art": handing children pieces of construction paper with pre-drawn lines on them, telling the students to cut out the objects on the paper, and glue the cut pieces of paper together... all of the students end up with almost identical "creations"...snowmen, frogs, teddy bears, lions, etc.; the only difference is the quality of cutting, glueing, and placement of the glued papers. I am not anti skill-focused-projects; they have a place in a child's development and should be used (in fact I will post some good ideas for those I have used in future posts), but DO NOT CALL THE END RESULT OF THESE PROJECTS "ART"!

Art: any activity where children can use self expression to create something. Yesterday's post about music art, is art... they used self expression to create drawings or paintings. Another example of art is giving students modeling clay and allowing them to mold/sculpt it into something, and depending on the type of clay used, they can also paint it once it has dried. It is okay and in fact good to teach skills while completing art projects, if children ASK for some pointers it is okay to provide some feedback and guidance...but let each student's art be a creation of their own. Sometimes it may be hard to stop yourself from saying something when you see a child using a medium in a way that is different to you, but bite your tongue and allow them to explore (provided they are not ruining furniture or the medium itself so it cannot be used again in the future when applicable). That is the best way for them to learn.

Here are a couple of books I have used either as is, or as a springboard for other SKILL-FOCUSED projects (yes I know that the one says art activities...but you now know better):




Here is a book I have used either as is, or as a springboard for other ART projects:




Happy Projecting!!!

Art Activity-Music Drawings

Two things children love: free reign coloring and music.
Free reign coloring and music=music drawings.

Step One: select fun lively music - one of my favorites for this activity is a c.d. my sister gave me- Herb Alpert's Whipped Cream and Other Delights-one of the great things about this music is that it is likely different from music many children are typically exposed to and every child I have played this music for has had a good time listening to it...even a few students who usually keep to themselves can't help but move to the rhythms.





Step Two: play music and let children dance to music in any way they see fit (without hurting themselves or others.. this can be difficult in a classroom setting so lay out expectations of keeping enough distance between peers that they can stretch out their arms without touching anyone, they must sit out for a song if they can't do this...)

Step Three: stop music and provide each student with a large piece of paper and markers, crayons, or for a lot of fun...finger paints (I like to get messy)!!!

Step Four: explain to children that they can only use their coloring tools on the paper when the music is playing and that they are supposed to "color to the music". Do NOT even attempt to explain what that means. Let the children engage in self expression and discover their own interpretation of what it means.

Step Five: play music and watch the children have fun. After a minute or so on a song I switch to a different song to keep the children interested by hearing different songs.

Step Six: have the students show what they did and allow them to verbalize what they did, IF THEY WOULD LIKE. Self expression is personal. Some children won't want to share so don't make them. Giving them the freedom of choice will help these children enjoy self expression activities because they dont' have to worry about what other's will think of their creations.

*A variation of this is to pour washable finger paint in shallow pans outside on a sidewalk or other large paved area. Have the children take off socks and shoes, step in the paint them dance around to the music (best if children are wearing shorts or skirts). Giving students different colors and assigning groups of children to specific colors will make great TEMPORARY sidewalk art. After it has dried have the children look at the footprints and challenge them to select and follow a trail of footprints...which could also lead to a science activity about animal tracks and trails.

Home Book Activity-The Kissing Hand

In a previous post I suggested some books for the start of the school year. I have a tradition that I do every year at the start of school with my daughter. The morning of the first day of school we take a few minutes together after she is all ready for her day and read The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn.





-In the story the raccoon is nervous for the first night of school (since he is a nocturnal animal and goes to school at night... side note: children love seeing the pictures of the animals going to school outside at night). His mother kisses his hand and says that it is a "kissing hand" and that whenever he misses her he can use his kissing hand to remember that his mommmy loves him. The illustrations in the book show a red heart in the center of the palm of his "hand".

While reading the book I kiss her hand and speak to her just like the mother speaks with her son. Then when the book is over I draw a little red heart with a marker on the palm of her left hand (since she is right handed so it doesn't rub off as fast) so she has a little reminder that her mommy loves her. Then when we say good-bye at school one of the last things she does is show me her kissing hand and the little heart on it. In this picture she was a little shy to show me in case someone in line was watching so she put it right up to the camera so no one could see.


*Also if you like The Kissing Hand there is another kissing hand/Chester book by Audrey Penn called A Pocket Full of Kisses. This is a great book about a new baby in the family. Chester learns about his mother having enough love for Chester and his little brother.

Quick Tip - Family vs. Parents

Okay so this is admittedly a rant, but at the same time, if you haven't thought about it before, here you go!
When addressing the adult figures in the lives of your students in person as a whole group (perhaps at back-to-school night) or in written form (in newsletters and other correspondence) address these people as "Families" NOT "Parents." I have worked with some "old-schoolers" who insist that they don't have to change their ways because of issues in their student's homes and therefore always use the term "parents" even though these adults may be grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. My stance... who cares?! If you take the focus off yourself (i.e. Well children "should" be raised by their parents so I use "parents" or I don't have to take the time to change a word on my standard letter I use every school year) and place the focus on the appropriate people, the students, you will realize that it is okay and actually GOOD to be sensitive to the little people. Aren't we supposed to be educators and don't we teach about feelings?!
*Side note, I always use the term "students" when I write my newsletters and in any written correspondence. It is just an easy way to reinforce roles, I am the teacher and the children are students, we all know they are children but sometimes families forget that you are viewing them as students.
**Additional side note, in my blog I say children and students, and often parents or sometimes even just mommies, but it is my blog, not my classroom ,so I can be as inconsistent as I would like, but when I am NOT blogging, I use families and students. :)

Book Recommendations-First Day of School

The first day of school is a big deal, especially in the primary grades. The way a teacher looks, speaks, presents her/himself and what is covered sets the tone for the school year. In the primary grades children are often clinging to parents prior to the first bell ringing. Reading stories at the start of class is a great way to help them forget about their worries as they are swept away in a good book. In a future post I will list possible first day activities and a basic first day lesson plan. For today, I will just cover some books that you may want to consider adding to your library or at least checking out from the library to have on hand.

I know that there are many first day books on the market but these are just a few that I have used in my classroom:



First Day Jitters follows a girl through the morning of her first day of school. She doesn't want to go to school but a man, who appears to be her father, continues to make her get ready and eventually drives her to school while encouraging her that people will be nice to her. At the end of the story the reader finds out that the girl is actually the teacher. After the book is over I share with the students that I felt like that teacher this morning, because I was nervous too. We then have a discussion about feeling nervous the first day of school. This tends to break the ice with the students when they realize that others in the class, including the teacher, is nervous. This gives everyone some common ground. *A side note, quite often some of the young sensitive children will be overly nice and try to give me some encouragement and comfort at the end of this discussion. It is a very sweet experience.


Another good book to include in your first day pile is Oh, the Places You'll Go! Most children are already familiar with Dr. Seuss which helps them feel comforted by something familiar. The pictures in this book are imaginative and fun for all children. After the book is over I give a brief run-down on some of the places (field trips) and activities (art projects, themes, parties, etc.) we will go on/attend over the school year. It is important during this BRIEF introduction that the teacher is animated and friendly. Children read the moods of teachers very easily; therefore if the teacher is excited the children are likely to be excited.


Perfect for Kindergarten, Chrysanthemum is about a little mouse who loves herself and her name until the first day of school when children make fun of her name. At the end of the story she loves her name again and those who teased her are now envious. Children respond well to this story. I use it when we discuss classroom expectations and we discuss feelings. Then as things come up (as they are likely to, especially with girls) you can refer to the book which tends to help.


Often students have parents at home missing them the first day of school. This is the story of a little racoon and mother who are nervous about missing each other on the first day of school. She gives him a kiss on his hand to help him think of her while he is away. I do an activity with this book the first day (this will be described with my first day of school lesson plan mentioned above). As a mommy, I also read this to my daughter the morning of the first day of school.


Probably not suitable for primary grades (at least not kindergarten and first grade), but a must have for upper grades. The Teacher from the Black Lagoon is a about a boy who falls asleep on the first day of school and dreams that his teacher is a monster that does horrible things to the students in his class. He is relieved when he wakes up to find he has a nice (non-monster) teacher.
Happy Reading!!!

Classroom Management - Naming Tables

I know that many, if not most, in the primary grades are used to giving tables names so you can call on an entire table to line up, put chairs up, etc. Many teachers give their tables color names (red table, blue table, etc.), some use shapes (circle table, triangle table, etc.) and some give numbers or letters (A table/table A or Table 3).

My favorite way to name tables is to use the name of authors and/or illustrators. I decide on the people I want to highlight (I do more with these individuals but will descibe in a future post). Once I have my list (i.e. Dr. Seuss, Maurice Sendak, Barbara Park, etc.) I center a picture of each person on poster board (about 8.5"x11") with their name under the picture in large easy-to-read print. Then on either side of the picture I place pictures of familiar characters from their books. For example the Barbara Park would have pictures of Junie. B. Jones on the poster board. (If you are doing this with older grades for, say, rows or clusters of students you could use pictures of book covers or even just names of familiar books.) Then when I call tables I say "the Park table" or "the Barbara Park table" (or even just "Park," in a rush).

Doing this helps children draw connections with books. It also gives students a working vocabulary of names so when they decide they like a certain series of books (many first graders and kindergartners LOVE Junie B. Jones) or find that they love books by a particular author (my daughter loves Maurice Sendak books) they have more language to effectively express to their parents or librarians which books they are looking for. I have found that when students connect with an author, they in turn want to read more from that author, which helps increase their desire to read.

Below are several pages that you might find helpful in choosing authors. Select those appropriate for your grade levels. It also helps to choose authors you, the teacher, personally enjoy!

Primary Grades:

Sandra Boynton
Jan Brett
Eric Carle
Ian Falconer
Mem Fox
Crockett Johnson
Ezra Jack Keats
Jonathan London
Mercer Mayer
Barbara Park
Todd Parr
Beatrix Potter
Richard Scarry
Maurice Sendak
Dr. Seuss

Upper Grades:

Judy Blume
Matt Christopher
Beverly Cleary
Christopher Paul Curtis
Roald Dahl
Kate DiCamillo
Jean Fritz
C. S. Lewis
Lois Lowry
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
J. K. Rowling
Louis Sachar
Shel Silverstein
E. B. White
Laura Ingalls Wilder

Great Beginner C.D.

I am a firm believer that children respond well to delightful, engaging music. A great c.d. to have in your collection is On the Good Ship Lollipop by The Persuasions. Songs like "On Top of Spaghetti" and "I'm So Glad (I've Got Skin)" are fun for children to sing and dance to when they need wiggle time or to listen to while playing games. I liked to start my mornings by playing track #3 "Good Morning to You" as a welcome song each day. It is a fun cheery song that sets a happy, welcome tone for the day.


The Persuasions: On The Good Ship Lollipop

I start the year by teaching that students need to be settled down and gathered in a circle by the end of the song each morning so we can have our morning meeting. The students became familiar with this song and enjoyed singing along. By using the same song every day for either the whole year or perhaps even a new gathering song each month, trimester, etc. children know the song well enough to know how much more wiggle time they had before they needed to be ready for the day in the circle. This also helped me have good starts to my day each day as I didn't have to start the day "nagging" students to settle down and join the circle.

*If you decide to purchase this c.d. please use the link above as it will take you directly to Jerry Lawson's website!*