Song Chart

 

So here is my-very well loved song chart-on so many levels.  As you can see the cards are bent, wrinkled and curled up but it was also "Well loved" in many other ways!!

 I used a few different shapes and colors and laminated different favorite songs on the back.  Then I had velcro on the back and had them all attached to a poster....the poster did not make the trip out east-but they easily stick to carpet and other soft fabrics.

My students would pick a card, flip it over and we would sing the song.

This was one of their favorite activities.

It was also nice to be able to test some of their skills by saying, choose a blue one or choose a diamond.

The other reason I like this setup is because it prevents you from singing the same song over and over and over again because its hard for them to find it!! hehe!

When its all over we can even use the cards to sort by shape and color!  Double Bonus!

*I pulled these out and  my little 8 month old and I sang the songs he would pick up.  He LOVED it.  So theres your proof that this is not just for school aged children!!

Wall Work Series 7 =The End for Now

Don't be too sad as the Wall Work Series comes to a close because I am going to throw in a new series!  Woo Woo!  You will see what it is soon enough.  In the meantime here is the last poster from my original wall work series.  Another one of my favorites if I do say so myself. 

 I just love categorizing!  I think its so fun and such a great yet difficult skill for some students to learn.  Making it that much more important.  And lets be honest- whats better than categorizing food and drinks!

Oh I love all these little boardmaker icons.  This was just a very fun and fabulous wall work poster! 

What do your children/students need help categorizing?

Make Your Own Wrapping Paper

So I had to make a big poster for a futures planning I did at work (I will share more about that later) and I had some extra Butcher paper.  Well, since yesterday was my mans birthday this past week my little guy and I made our own wrapping paper out of it.  I put some paint on his feet and walked him all over the paper.  It was very fun and lets be honest, whats cuter that tiny footprints?  You could also use your childrens/students artwork...or even your own, if you're good like that!!!   After he had unwrapped the presents I cut out some of the best footprints and plan on using some in his scrapbook, and some for other gifts.  Its not only resourceful but is really cute!!  Make your own!

Amazing Videos

So there is nothing quite like a video that encompasses two of my greatest passions, The Gospel of Jesus Christ and individuals rising above their challenges or disabilities.  Even greater when there is more than one.  Head over to this site under professional videos (I haven't had the chance to vote on any of the other categories yet!) and watch all ten.  They are all very inspiring and uplifting and so worth your time.  Better yet watch them with your family.  They all have excellent and uplifting messages.  Then vote for your three favorites.  My three favorites are probably obvious but hey what can I say.  Just a little shout out- The one titled The Trial of Adversity was created by a friend of mine whom I grew up with.  Its one of my favorites!  There I said it.  Great Video and Subject Jason.  So head over its incredible!!

Speaking of Catie

Speaking of Catie I thought I would share one of her creative teaching ideas that I found a few weeks ago on one of the walls at my parents house.  Every Monday our family has "Family Home Evening" its a time to study the gospel, spend time together, learn about our Father in Heaven and just have fun.  Everyone in the family has a job and I guess Catie must have had the game.  When I asked her wjhat it was called she said "Matchmaker."  She made it the week of Valentine's Day!  I think it is adorable and feel like you could do something very similar very quickly for the things your students or children may be learning, weather they be sight words, shapes, colors etc.  Make your own matchmaker game!  Thanks Catie!!!

World Down Syndrome Day!

Today being March (The third month) the 21st. 

It is World Down Syndrome Day. 

Isn't my sister Catie a dream!!

Trisomy 21 - having part or all of a third 21st chromosome.  And I love it!  Its another day in addition to the other 364 to celebrate Down Syndrome and my sweet sweet sister Catie.  Oh I love this lady.  She is by far one fo the funniest, sweetest, most loving and terrific people in the world!!!!!!  I feel so blessed to have her as my sister.  We have so many amazing memories together.  Not only was I blessed to have a sister so close in age but one that is so amazing and just perfect!  I always say that she took care of me spiritually- teaching me to have pure and perfect faith and how to love unconditionally among millions of other things and I that I was sent to take care of her physically- watch over her, protect her, stand up for her -ask my parents....sometimes I went a little overboard but I LOVE IT!!  She is incredible and although the word Down in Down syndrome solely has reference to the physician who first explained it.....there is nothing down about it!!!

Here she is lovin on my new baby.

She is such a great Aunt!

Celebrate the blessing that Down Syndrome is in your life today!!!

A great functional activity for your family or classroom!

So if I had continued teaching I would have added this as one of our March activities, I had some boys in my class who by now would be ready and very excited for an opportunity like this.  We would have a March Madness Bracket Competition! With a delicious prize of course!  I thought it would be a great opportunity to create a bracket, then have to find out the scores of teh games from the previous day and look at the numbers and figure out which one was bigger (very good skill) and then chart or mark it on your bracket.  Then by the end they would be required to add up different point values folr each section of the bracket and see who won.  There are many ways this can be modified for students.  Espn has a great website for creating and printing your bracket electronically here.  You could also do the competition using pictures of the mascots and maybe make it a cut and paste activity. Or even by colors of the team....this was actually created for wives....come on guys give us more credit.  I beat my husband every year!!  You could also have a braket where they just circle who would win.  Look how many different modifications there already are that you don't even need to create!  You can also check out this fabulous HUGE bracket on one of my favorite blogs!  I love it!  Maybe you could throw one of these in your classroom and do it as a class!

As the teacher or parent you could have a list of the scores and have them circle the bigger number and mark it on their chart.  (Since sometimes online and in the news papers they bold the bigger number and that would be too easy now wouldn't it!)  Or you could have the students who are more literate and or computer savvy look them up on their own by headlines or on different sports sites.  Oh man I wish I wish still teaching so we could have our own March Madness....no worries.  I have plenty of years to do this with my own little family!!!  So get to it!!!

Great St. Patricks Day Craft For anyone!

Ok so I don't feel like I come across too many great St. Patrick's Day crafts but I love this one.  I found it on one of my favorite blogs of all time.  Its one of my favorites and relates well to this site because of her advocacy for adoption (just like my grandparents who this blog is in honor of) in addition to her great ideas and posts... I consider it a must read!   I think this sweet project is perfect for a Special Education Classroom but also for you kids at home, preschool, kindergarten...whoever.  It is adorable!! I love love love it!

The little hands will make parents just eat these up!

(Photos by the r house)

And look at this cute finished product.

As a special education teacher I was always looking for simple projects that weren't too complex and didn't always require perfect fine motor skills but maybe some fine motor practice (cutting out the shamrocks!)  This was right up my alley.  Thanks Lindsey!

Art Week Day 6 and 7

Day 6 of Art Week we went to a Trash Museum. 

I love the above sign....so cute!!

It was pretty fun.  It may be unique to where we live but it showed how materials are recycled, had different displays to show what to recycle and how and had a "Temple of Trash."  There were a few fine art creations but the bottom line is it just made me more dedicated to recycle.  In fact I went home and got myself a whoppin $1.50 for some water bottles I had lying around!  It was a pretty good day.  Check out what cheap, unique museums are in your area.  This was very educational and a great cheap thing to do on a day off!

 

These are some items found in the "Temple of Trash"- I had to take a picture of the carebear Thermus.  Ah the good old days!



Anyone else remember the vintage Dorito bag?  Different Bag, same great taste!

Day 7 we ended our art week with a boom and went to church-yup it was Sunday and thats what we do around here on Sundays and we love it!  Please learn more about it here or here.

Art Week Day 5

Upcycled Mod Podge Bracelets

(Before)

 (After)

So we decided to fancy up the cheap bracelets we got at a thrift store.  We used Scrap paper and Mod Podge and had a blast doing it.  The one above was created by my sister.  I think she did a fantastic job.

The one below I created.

It was very fun.  Very easy.  And Very cheap!

Plus its always fun to make something cheap and old come alive again! 

Try it yourself. 

I love Mod Podge!

(Before)

(After)

I wish I had done more with mod podge with my students.  I think we could have done some fantastic crafts.  But you can bet I'll be making some with my own little ones!

Art Week Day 4

Duck Tape Purses and Wallets

So on day four of our art week we created these very fun, easy and adorable duck tape purses and wallets.  We decided to use clear duck tape because we thought it would be a little bit fun and different.  We have seen colored duck tape items but we didn't really find any colors we cared for and thought it would be fun to go with clear and add our own accents. 

This is a little wallet sized item I made.  I added a little paper flower accent to spice things up.  I decided to use it to store bobby pins!

This little purse opens and closes with a little duck tape tie.  This is my sisters, I thought it was very cute and fun.  Its kindof a clutch shape- Small and Slick.

Try it Yourself:  This would be very easy to do with almost any child over 4 (With help of course)  its pretty easy to fix any mistakes without much notice, and very fun to do!  Plus its very cheap!