Whimsy Workshop Teaching

Teacher Clip Art, Literary Resources, Classroom Ideas

Books That Teach Friendship and Social Skills

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Our class spends a LOT of time learning social skills, problem solving, friendship and conflict resolution. This helps to create a peaceful environment where learning can thrive, and we do not have to spend the majority of our time solving interpersonal conflicts. We use interactive lessons from The Kindness Classroom SEL curriculum, along with many of the books listed below to reinforce concepts.
 

Click on any cover to see details of the story.
 
Llama Llama Time To Share by Anna Dewdney

Franklin Plays the [Read More…]

Father’s Day Directed Drawing Ideas

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Looking for some new ideas for Father’s Day?
I’ve got two Father’s Day ideas for you – and they’re free!
 

FATHER’S DAY DIRECTED DRAWING
Do your students love directed drawing?
Parents just love the personal touch of a drawing made by their child.
It’s a simple ideas but such a wonderful keepsake!

Students just follow the steps to draw themselves and their Dad.
Then they color it in, and write about it using several writing prompts.

 
MAKE YOUR OWN CARDS
Do you have your own ideas for Father’s Day?
Do [Read More…]

Mother’s Day Gift: Borax Crystal Necklaces

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Looking for more Mother’s Day ideas? Add some Borax to your shopping list!
Try these Mother’s Day pendants and add a little SCIENCE to your project!
Students are so excited to see the crystals grow, and then add string to make a crystal necklace that mom will love!
MATERIALS NEEDED
The materials for this craft are simple:
Borax
Glass jar
Hot water
Pipe Cleaner
Wire
Pencil or stir stick
Measuring cup and spoons
Food Coloring (optional)
String

 
HOW TO MAKE IT
1. Bend the pipe cleaner into a spiral shape. Attach a plain piece of wire [Read More…]

Flower Rings Craft Tutorial

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This flower art project took my class by storm!
It began as a little spring flower craft, and soon spread through our class, then the classes down the hall as students saw the results and wanted to try it, too! 
If you’re looking for something to keep little hands busy, this will do the trick. And they look so cute!

FLOWER RING MATERIALS
 *pipe cleaner
*a pencil
*glue
*a pom pom.

HOW TO MAKE IT
 The petals of the flower are made by twisting the [Read More…]

Directed Drawing For Math!

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Most of my students have a good understanding of our math concepts, but could definitely use some practice with basic math facts and speed of recall. Fast recall of facts will help them in later grades when the concepts become more complex. Daily repetitive practice helps with speed of recall, but that’s not always engaging for students. This is why I began using Math Pictures every day.
 
 

Question:
How can we make basic math facts practice more engaging and fun?
Answer:
Integrate your math practice [Read More…]

Simple End Of Year Ideas

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How do you celebrate the end of the school year? Are you always collecting new ideas?
I’ve tried many different ideas over the last 20+ years, and today I’m sharing some of my favorite and most successful ideas.

 
END OF YEAR MEMORY SHIRTS
Students bring an older t-shirt to take part in this activity. (I usually grab a few extras at the dollar store for students who forget.) Slide some cardboard inside the shirts and ask students to write their name using Sharpies or [Read More…]

Easter Craft Ideas For Primary

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What are your favorite Easter crafts?
As Easter approaches I am always collecting ideas to try with my students.
My choices have to be manageable for primary students, either as a large group, or as a small group in the hallway with a helping parent. Here are some fun and easy Easter craft ideas!
 

 

BUNNY CANDY HOLDER
This is a cute way to hide some candy! Cover the bottom and drop some candy inside!
Click HERE to see instructions.

 

CHICKS IN THE GRASS CRAFT
Click HERE to [Read More…]

Filed Under: Art

Teaching Social Skills: Growth Mindset Classroom

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Welcome to the Social Skills Ideas Bank!
 
The Social Skills Idea Bank is a series of related posts, each dedicated to sharing strategies for teaching a particular social skill.
As teachers, our strength lies in sharing our ideas, experiences and strategies!
This is a growing list, and you are invited to contribute in the comments section. We hope you will, because there’s nothing like a good idea shared between teachers to make our jobs easier.
This post is about simple ways to guide students to growth [Read More…]

Animal Writing Flap Books

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Do your students love animal research projects?
It’s a great way to introduce non-fiction writing, and it can be a source of pride for students who feel very “grown up” because they are doing research! However, this enthusiasm can be dampened if emergent writers are not supported with reading materials at their level, and so long as the information sources are not too overwhelming.
 

 
This is why differentiating your non-fiction materials for emergent writers is so important.
Here are some tips for implementing your [Read More…]

Story Writing Ideas

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We reserve  time each day for story writing.
There are so many ways to encourage students to write, even when they are just at the emergent level.
 

 
Two things that I focus on the most in my primary classroom are:
-Students feel confident in their ability to express ideas through writing.
-Students have the opportunity to share their written ideas in a supportive environment.
 

 

Explore Different Kinds of Writing
 
Many students have no strategies for finding a topic, so we spend time discussing different forms of writing and [Read More…]

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