Winter RoundUP: Snowmen, Snowflake, Penguin Fun

My FINAL RoundUP of the year 2012!

2012 will long be remembered as a year of milestones!

• I gave my first NATIONAL KEYNOTE (WHAT? You missed that news? Click back here if you're looking for an article designed to inspire and motivate you. Especially peachie-keen for any project that lights your fire yet seems to be taking for-ev-er to accomplish.) 
• My blog had its first 'millionth' page view in Nov!!!! Now at 1,142,946!
• I opened a brand new store at "Teachers Pay Teachers" -- to offer immediate digital download of my songs as Mp3s with support materials!!! (If you're reading this article in 2012, my whole shop there is currently deeply discounted as a way of saying thanks.)
• Our collaborative blog, PreK+K Sharing, is nearing its first million page views in just over a year. We have some seriously incredible news about to go public on Jan 1st over there: think EMPORIUM!  
• My skills at social networking are growing! I now have over 80K followers at Pinterest and I've just opened accounts at Sulia. My blogging peers teach me things on a daily basis and I'm so grateful. 
• I finally figured out how to showcase the excellence in education that I observe making my author/illustrator school visits. Build a "RoundUP" and they will come.  
• TA DA!!!

WELCOME TO A WINTER WONDERLAND OF INSPIRATION!

~~~ Any blog article that includes the word "Bulletin Board" in it -- as in, 

"Look at this winter bulletin board with clever three dimensional snowman and snow globe writings from first graders" is sure to be sought + found by Google searchers. 

 ~~~ Simple craft projects are a hit with teachers the world over. 

Simple always works. 

Projects using 'every day' objects such as cotton balls or paper plates are big winners!

Winter Bulletin Board: "First Grade is Snow Fun" 

Did you hear me mention that bulletin boards are a great image to capture? 

It's like the best bait available. 

Bulletin board images on Pinterest are a sure fire lure. 

Bulletin boards featured at Google are dynamic.

My number one and three articles here are about bulletin boards.

{BTW: Number three deserves to be number one. IMHO. LOL. }

Adding a caption that says, "WINTER BULLETIN BOARD WITH SNOWMEN" helps google find you!

Did I mention that as a former elementary Art school teacher, I am ALWAYS on the prowl for meaningful open-ended Art projects that spell success for all participants? 

Here's an example of what I'm talking about. 

'Snow exploration in Louisiana for the littles.' 

Snowflake Symmetry Art Project from Florida Elementary School for the 'bigs' 

Here's another WINTER theme bulletin board. 

One can never have enough inspiration, when it comes to bulletin boards. 

Winter World of Wonder Bulletin Board: Collaboration of Self Portraits

 

Snowmen from Snowball Letters in Names

As an author/illustrator I am also searching for fun prompts for encouraging writing in the littles. The simple writing prompt, "My snowman is _____________" prompts young fingers to grab their pencil. I have an entire series here, now with 40 articles called Fine Motor Friday.  Yup. Most Fridays I gather up ideas demonstrating how fine motor leads to fine arts. Seriously awesome ideas. Must begin your digging here to see just how brilliant the suggestions are and trust me I see amazing inspiration during my travels and I travel with fresh camera batteries where ever I go!

Did ya know that I was commissioned by Zaner-Bloser to create two albums of original songs for their programs supporting hand-writing in the earliest classrooms? TRUE DAT! Hence my continued motivation to continue to serve as a fine-motor finder-of-fun.

Look above HOW CUTE those snowmen become, with the addition of some simple sticks for arms! 

Look below to see what snowmen-do-at-night from the preschool easel perspective. 

Look at how these snowmen-at-night can serve as the inspiration for a whole writing assignment later on in elementary school. 

Penguins? Did someone say penguins? What is it about these little creatures that captures the imagination from the earliest age? Is it the tuxedos? I postulate that the simplicity of the black and white reverberates with  each of us..... it certainly does with me. EVERYone who knows me, knows I'm wild about black and white. The only thing better than black and white is polka dots in black and white!!!

Earlier this year I went on a tirade about open-ended Art over at our collaborative blog PreK+K Sharing. My rant on the importance and significance of open-ended art continues to gain hundreds of readers weekly due to the incredible images I had to share. The writing and penguins below are the 'thumbs up' version of how to encourage your students in their creativity. You'll have to click over to the collaborative to see the penguins that I dubbed "Stepford Wives." I'm usually all hapy, happy, joy, joy, but that bulletin board stopped me in my tracks. 

Just how cute is this hot chocolate coloring project, with fluffy marvelous marshmallows melting magically? It's the fluffy cotton that makes the fine motor work of controlling a crayon worth the work in the hands of a tiny tot. I'm big on big endings.

Open Ended Art Project for "Mitten" Fun 

No seriously awesome RoundUP is complete without the punctuation of a pocket chart or the inclusion of an anchor chart. The fact that I have one of each to share in this overview is a double-bonus superlative and I know you appreciate my gathering them together. 

Do you realize how your simple 'pin' is the best way of saying thank you? It guarantees my gratitude and has the potential of ripples and ripples of additional viewers discovering me. Did I mention how much I LUV Pinterest?  

My all-things-fall RoundUP has just crept into my all-time Top 10 list..... I wonder if winter will surpass it? Time will tell. 

Little Snowmen Anchor Chart for Melting/Count-Down

There are some AWESOME Snow + Snowmen posts over ta our collaborative blog, PreK+K Sharing. You simple must pop over for this Top10 favorite from Deb Chitwood. 

Matching Activity over at PreK+K Sharing

Or if you need another open-ended art project look, look no further than this post making snowflakes. All of the instructions are included to make it super successful. 

Coffee Filter Snowflakes over at PreK+K Sharing

Do you know the value of movement and dance for the children in your life, but search for ways to integrate ideas into your day? Here's a prop that will lure you over to national dance expert Connie Dow's article at PreK+K Sharing! 

Snowflake "Prop" for Dance Activities

Miss Carole has her own take on the use of integrating 'snow-props' into her zipper songs and suggestions in this oh-so-popular article. 

Be the wind: Blow and let Go! 

Our generous Carolyn Wilhelm shares one of her gazillion gifts-as-FREEBIES in this article from last year. 

FREEBIE SNOWMAN MATCHING

Scott Wiley shares insight on "Making Snowflakes Our Way" in this article

Snowflakes and Fine Motor Fun 

Thanks for spending a part of your day here under-the-rainbow. Honest. There's all sorts of good stuff for you to explore around here. I hope that you'll consider following my blogging adventures. Who knows what's in store for 2013? I know that I'm headed back to Texas for my fourth and fifth trips this school year! I have keynotes coming up in Tennessee and Florida. 



Life is such a glorious adventure and I'm ever so appreciative of your support. I promise if you like art and polka dots you'll LUV my picture books, too. The newest won garnered a national INDIE AWARD of EXCELLENCE(!!!) and earned me the opportunity of traveling to Europe to visit four of our Army bases in Germany and Italy to share my patriotic dittie with the children of our troops stationed abroad. YES. I'm living the dream! I got to spend a day in REGGIO Emilia, singing to the Italian children. Those 18 articles are chronicled in this series.  

My next BIG blogging adventure rolls out a week from today. I am joining over 60 of my bestest early childhood blogger-buddies as we all create an ABC series specific to our passion. This will be my MOST concentrated blogging effort EVER, as I take a look at the ABCs of Arts Integration for children. Click over here to see the entire line-up of what's in store for your blog readers next week. This incredible brainstorm is the vision of "THIS READING MAMA". Wish me luck in getting mine together. I have a big incentive as a reward. We leave on a cruise a week from today as it unfurls. Imagine me without the internet for a week?!?!?! I'm willing. It's fun being a diva. Somebody's got to do it!

-- Debbie -- 

My NEW STORE: BIG SALE

**** Remember, right now all of my digital downloads are 50% off -- for the next couple of days to conclude all of this greatness of 2012. Please pop over and follow my store, so you'll see the announcement when I roll out the next digital download. Gather up your FREEBIE, "Going to the Library" and I'd be so grateful if you'd leave some comment LUV over there.

Pop Ups and Foldables on Fine Motor Friday: Part 40

WELCOME to Fine Motor Friday, Issue #40! 

***As a 'special celebration' for this the 40th issue of Fine Motor Friday, I have a 

COLOSSAL-BIG thank you sale (50% off all digital)

just launched at my Teachers Pay Teachers store! 

More on that later! What a fun way to conclude the year. 

I have so much gratitude for your continued support. 
This is my way of saying thanks. 

Today we're going to take a look at supporting and refining fine motor development through the prism of the use of 'three dimensions' in projects and assignments. Let's take a look at having some fun with 'foldables' and Pop-Ups.

MOTIVATIONAL MANIPULATIVES!
First up? A Science journal that has 'foldable' components inside! These yellow construction paper insert pieces, are fold-out sections that are 'glued' inside of the traditional science notebook. First grade. Science.
VOILA! Gotta LUV it!!

Now that I have your attention..... 

Let's take a look at some simple 'pop-up' projects. 

Perfect for any holiday or reading assignment. 

Making your work 'pop-up' is a certain invitation to fun!

Gives the tough task of writing ~~ an incentive.  

My long term fans know that I'm big on big endings. 

Having a 'pop-up' in your writing is the equivalent to a big ending in my book. 

NOVELTY!

The brain thrives on novelty!

Now let's take a closer look at 'foldables' as they have been used for the final presentation of reports. 

In this case? Reports on inventors. 

These portraits-of-inventors house the student's written report in such a clever and personalized manner.

AWESOME ASSIGNMENT! 

-Thomas Edison

-Wilber Wright

-Granville Woods

A simple piece of paper 'folded' yields a three dimensional surface for sharing the learning acquired on any subject matter. These were used for the demonstration of learning acquired on porcupines. 

The folded 'flaps' create fun little triangles for sharing on all sorts of details including habitat and diet. You can bet the kinesthetic learner appreciates this atypical format for presentation. 



Here's a bulletin board that celebrates reading, books and the holiday season by presenting the student's favorite book in a three dimensional format. The 'reading' photo close-ups are especially well done, aren't they? Perfect blend of photo and hand drawn book cover details. 



Here's a decorated classroom door that pops up to grab your attention. Simple personalized hand prints are grouped together to create a striking collaborative Art statement of welcome-to-our-room.

Classroom Door Decorated with Student Hands

***All of the photos up to this point are from my various Author/Illustrator school visits across the country. The above images are from schools in Texas, Colorado and Ohio respectively. I LUV prowling the hallways in search of excellence! 

That's what my entire blog is about:

Excellence-in-education. 

I have had two articles here and here, previously that have featured photos that I've taken of Dinah Zike's display at conferences (click here to reach her website directly) where I've also been a presenter. These are a few images from her displays. Remind you of the porcupine summaries? 

This book report 'foldable' from the Dinah-display, has a striking similarity to the science inventors way up above. 

From a pure teaching stand-point these next two images are my absolute favorites. First. A student dictionary for syllables. Simple always wins, doesn't it? As a composer of children's music, I LUV to play with language and experiment with syllabication emphasized with the beat of the music. TA-DA! 

From a 'story-telling' point of view this next simple idea is deserving of my very top award. Recall. Memory. Re-telling. The Little Red Riding Hood 'sequence' board is simply brilliant. Once you create the system, it could be used and reused with every story shared. 

Sequencing Graphic Organizer Suitable for Story-telling and Memory Recall

Now. Back to the SALE part of today's announcement! 
Many of my original songs-for-students are designed from a brain-research, simplicity of sequence and recall perspective. My all time favorite "All Together Now" is the perfect 2.5 minute 'brain break' -- designed for optimal sequence, memory work, while getting the entire class up and moving. Plenty of oxygen. Super fun! Two and half minutes of delight. It's perfect for transitions or for use in a 'shared reading' format. 

This was the year to get my little store at Teachers Pay Teachers launched.

For quite some time folks have been after me to give them digital download capability. Slowly, but surely (is there any other way?) I am creating zipped files that include the Mp3 version(s) of my my songs. 

 

 Please consider officially 'following' my store, so you'll know when I offer new releases. Tell your friends. Tweet, pin and + this article to the wider world and I will be forever grateful. This is my way of contributing to a bright new year ahead!

-- Debbie -- 

And of course, follow me on Pinterest!
Tens of thousands already do!