Vacation is Over

Well, today is the last day of my vacation.  I am super sad, although I do miss my babes at school.  It has been a very relaxing vacation with a bunch of weekly trips to Disneyland with hubby and the grand kids.

Chinese New Year is on Friday, so I updated my little Chinese New Year book.  It is a simple - fill in the blanks book and has vocabulary cards and a true/false test.  Another grade for the grade book.  My kiddos really enjoyed it last year.

You can find it on TpT or Teachers Notebook.  Thanks for looking.

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is one of my favorite holidays to teach.  One year when I was visiting Hawaii, I was able to see an actual lion dance - it was so cool with lots of firecrackers.  I think my love for the holiday started then.

The inspiration for the dragon and the lantern art came from Sandi.  I didn't have a Chinese newspaper, so a parent brought in a Korean paper that I copied and cut into strips.  My parent said that a Chinese or Japanese paper would have looked nicer, I can't tell the difference. I think they turned out great.

We made Year of the Snake headbands, with glitter of course.

We worked on our Chinese New Year small books and took a little test.

Made some cute dancing dragons.  They all turned out different, they really enjoyed this activity.

Of course, we ate with chopsticks - orange chicken, rice and fortune cookies.  They each had a different way of using the chopsticks.  Here one of my little ones is teaching another one.

We have the stab method, which is the way I eat with chopsticks. My husband is Japanese/Hawaiian, but I can't use chopsticks - go figure.

This one was a cutie.  He invented his own method, the two stick pick up.  It worked great, I should try it this way.

According, to my babes "it was the best day ever"

Five For Friday - February 8

I am linking up with Doodle Bug for Friday's linky party.

Here are 5 things about this week.

1.  Our Chinese New Year Board, love it.  We celebrated Chinese New Year today and according to my kiddos, "It was the best day ever."  I had to remind them that they said that for the Mitten day and Gingerbread Houses and .....  I love my kids.

2.  We made these adorable dancing dragons.  We battled another classroom, so much fun.

3.  Glitter - the reason why my custodian loves me.... not, giggle.  There was glitter, everywhere in our classroom today.  I told the custodian that I left him a present by my reading table, he just laughed.  He is the best.  The kids thought that I put glitter all over the classroom on purpose.  Which is why they thought "it was the best day ever".

4.  We, almost, finished working on our contraction unit.  This is the last character in the story.  Nikki from Melonheadz made him just for me.  Love this guy.

5.  District assessments and a lockdown drill during recess made this a very long week, plus we had hail today at dismissal - in southern California.   How was your week?

Hoping to get some rest this weekend, but I have a birthday party for my grand daughters, baby shower for the twins, and grades to finish.  Math assessments start on Tuesday and I am flying to Hawaii to see hubby for Valentine's Day/Long weekend, so excited.

Small Books

I have been busy this weekend.  I took naps both days, played with the grand baby a lot and even cooked dinner both nights.  The cooking thing is huge around my house, because I never cook anymore.  I finished a lot of school goodies this weekend and got them loaded to both of my stores.  I love productive weekends.

I have been making small books for my kiddos based on facts for the holiday.  I have included vocabulary cards and a test for the grade book.  I love when I can give a quick assessment.  Below are the books that I have finished, so far.

Groundhog Day at TpT or TN

Abraham Lincoln at TpT or TN

George Washington at TpT or TN

Chinese New Year at TpT or TN

I love the clip art and the paper for the Chinese New Year book.  I asked Corinna at Surfin through Second if she would make me some special paper.  It is adorable, you have to check it out.  I am addicted to her paper and frames, I have everyone she has made.

I am almost done with February's Vocabulary Cards and Activities packet, should be posted later tonight.  I am, also, going to add the vocabulary cards to the Martin Luther King, Jr. packet - so if you downloaded the small book, look for the update soon.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.