Happy Shinning Stars Behavior Chart

I love using this style behavior chart with my four year olds, it's very simple for them to understand.  Everyone starts the day on the super happy face.... and I allow for one freebie verbal warning.  After a verbal warning and a class rule has been broken the child's star will fall to the happy face.  Where they will spend 4 minutes on the thinking mat, when time is up we go over what the better choice would have been, plus the child will automatically loose their computer time for the day, if later in the day for the next morning.  If by chance good choices are forgotten again the star falls to the not so happy face.  When a star is here 5 minutes in spent on the thinking mat, and a one on one meeting with the teacher will be done after time is up to go over why good choice are not being made and to again go over what the good choices are and then reminded what will happen if their star shall fall again.  If again all good choices have just flown out the window, and the star shall fall again to the sad face thinking time will be served in the office and a sad note will be sent home to the parents.  I've found by the time a child has gotten to the not so happy face behavior greatly improves... with punishments set in place for office visits and parent notification the idea really deters the negative choices.   Those who are able to stay of the super happy face all week get a choose a prize out of the prize box.   This is one of three possible ways kids get to pick a prize.  The other two is completing any homework and turn it in by deadline and able to dictate the weeks Bible verse via memory.

Our sensory table is ready for the Artic!!



In January we spend a week learning about the Artic region and the animals that dwell in that environment.  I was happy to stumble across bags of plastic like snow stuff at Wal-mart after Christmas.  This is stuff I believe you would use in mini Christmas villages to give the look of snow.  I couldn't pass up large size bags for about $.60 each... I picked up 2.  One bag filled my little sand and water table up pretty well.  I added some small Artic animal toys to it and viola... an Artic play land.  The kids in my class have really enjoyed this addition to this play set.

My classroom- Big ideas in a small space

I love centers in my K4 preschool classroom, and think the MORE centers the more benefits children can have.  My challenge is small space, and I'm constantly working on ways I can better utilize the space I have.  So as of the moment this is what I have come up with.

 Book Center

I really wanted a quiet spot for the kids to have an opportunity to be alone if needed and a place to relax.  Having the book stand butted up to my desk creating a wall (I put our writing center book shelf on the opposite side for support to help either from flipping over) created a little reading nook.  With a stuffed animal and few pillows and couple child size seats my book center has become more welcoming and I've noticed the kids are more likely to freely go over there on their own.  Most go there to retreat away from the larger group and end up laying down flipping through books.  I hope to add a couple larger floor pillows.  I use a small plastic container between the two chairs to hold the books that go along with the months themes.  Books places on the bookshelf contain a wide variety of various types of books.  Though I may change this since I've noticed the kids tend to gravitate more to books we have read or go a long with what they are learning about.

Cubbies/ Parent Information Board

Above our cubbies is my parent information board.  Each month a monthly calendar goes home listing each week's theme, letter number shape color and sight words for the week, Cooking activities, special happenings, and craft projects, as well as, any closings, music classes and chapel meetings.  This same calendar is located on my Classroom News wall in 2 forms the same one sent home and then one the large dry erase calendar.  Each week I send home a weekly newsletter, this newsletter is more detailed about what we will be doing that week, any changes that contradicts what was on the monthly calendar, upcoming important dates, reminders or other news that has came up after the calendar was sent home or simply just unable to fit on it.  Plus our weekly Bible memory verse for the children to work on at home.  This newsletter will also be placed on the wall (normally wear the bare green paper it).  Also included on our Classroom news wall is our lunch menu, poems I find inspiring to early childhood development, programs parents may find helpful for their children, programs/events going on in the church, or other related articles and whatnot's I find that parents maybe interested in.   Along with what is posted on the wall and what is sent up, Any really important reminders or notes is written on the small dry erase board that is held up by the large clothes pin.  This sits right next to our sign in/out sheet to I know everyone will see it.

 Discovery Center

This is one of several of my centers I really wish I had room to expand!!  The kids really enjoy exploring their world around them with the different tools from magnets to binocolors to color paddels.  I also enjoy adding things I find from nature for them to explore.  Currently we have a plant, a turtle shell and a bird's nest out.

 Weather Center

 Our weather center is one of the kids favorites, They LOVES when it's their turn in our classroom jobs to be the metorologist.  Where get to step out our back door to figure out what the weather and temprature is, mark it on our display and annouce it to all their friends during large group.  I'm hoping to add some tools right outside our classroom to include a themometer, rain gauge and a wind shock.  But more on that later down the road.

Sensory Table (AKA Sand and water table)

I refer to my sand and water center as our Sesory table since rarely is there ever sand or water in it!!  I enjoy changing out it's contents to keep the kids engaged.  I plan to do a post in the near future of great mediums to use in your sensory table.

Art Center

One of my favorite centers and I LOVE keeping it stocked with a varity different items the children get to choose from.  The draw backs to my art center through is my limited non-carpeted area and the lack of NO sink in our classroom, our nearest restroom in down the hall.  But we learn to adapt and make it work (Baby whipes help clean up enough to safely send children down the hall to wash their hands properly).

Dramatic Play Center

This is one of the top two favorite centers amongst my class, and it stays busy!!  I'm working to add several prop boxes to change out every once in while to add to the kids imganiation and play.  Keep an eye out for these!

View of my classroom from farthest front left corner to the opposite back right corner

This is overlooking our two tables we use to do our classwork, the dramatic play center, the block center and the computer center

From the back left corner to the front left corner

Again over looking our work tables, large group center, block center, my desk and work area, writing center, computer center and manipulatives center.

 Large Group Center

This is where our class meets as an entire group (lucky with only 10 on roll we have just enough space)

View of the left side the classroom

Block Center

I would like to add to this center with a varity of building mediums and props.

Math & Manipulatives Center

Yet another center I would like to expand and still searching of options and ideas, as of know the kids love making patterns, sorting and putting puzzles together.