ECE Spring "Folded" Books -- What's Hatching?

SIGNS OF SPRING! SPRING ARRIVES!

Sweet signs of spring are surging out of the long, gray winter, bursting forth with new life! Look around. Search for evidence and share it! What could possibly make me, an author-illustrator of picture books, happier than seeing young children constructing their own first 'books'? Excellence in early education! Spring!

How sweet is this idea? Discuss spring. Eggs. What comes out of an egg? Fold a piece of paper into three sections. And then give your students markers, time and support and let's see what they come up with. 

There are so MANY things to LUV LUV LUV about this project: 

1. You can see from the examples that every child was given free reign to create their own 'hatchlings.'
2. It's obvious that these are children who have been supported in nurturing their expressive capability. 
3. I'm willing to bet you a doughnut that there was NO model of a teacher-created 'finished product' to use as a guideline.  
4. These children know that LOTS of things hatch from eggs: butterflies, snakes, turtles et.al.
5. I'm WILD about the diversity in the children's responses.

What is it about a simple fold (or two) in a piece of paper that SUDDENLY transforms it into a 'book'? What an incredible and empowering message to relay to children. "You are an illustrator. You're work is worthy of publication. Share your ideas in your own book!" 

Here are a just a few of the amazing responses to "What's Hatching?" 

Now take a look at the entire collection of spring-time folded-books displayed so proudly on the classroom door! Talk about decorated doors! [Must remember to add this one to my all-time #1 article here, the collection of classroom decorated doors!] 

I know that my 'author-illustrator' dreams were nurtured very early in my own development. From the time I won my kindergarten coloring contest, through my college professor's encouragement, and on to my husband making the bold decision that we could take out a loan against our house to publish my first traditional hardback book and culminating in a national prize for my most recent picture book..... I have been supported to share my ideas. The window of opportunity for planting those seeds and nurturing them, starts early. 

Kindergarten Coloring Contest Announcement + Modeling my PRIZE Outfit! 

As a self-published author/illustrator, where I am the creative team and the entire marketing team all rolled together, all quilted into one polka-dotted person, I take seriously the power of Pinterest as my new, best friend. Every time you pin from my blog you help send one new ripple out into the cyber-space, that has the power to introduce my work to a wider audience. So I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your pin, + ,  stumble, Sulia-post and  tweet. As a result of those ripples I just mailed my books out to Canada and AUSTRALIA! 

YEAH PINTEREST!!! Welcome INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS, TOO!!

The concept of 'Folded Books' is a very big deal in education. So big, that the term 'Foldables' is actually already copyrighted. I have not yet met Dinah Zike, but I stand in awe of her contribution to the teacher's toolbox. I have had the pleasure of seeing her booth at a couple of teacher conferences and I have documented and shared those images here previously. This article is currently in my Top-10 list for readership, so you know folding books, graphic organizers, foldables are the wave of the future and delight the kinesthetic-learner in each of us. So let's get started early!

Community Church Preschool, Vero Beach 

Hope that you're having an incredible blog-browsing, rejuvenating cyber-romp and I invite you to return here often as I am treated to so many brilliant ideas in my travels making school visits. BTW: I took today's photos in Vero Beach just prior to our return north. They were in one of the preschool rooms in the Community Church Preschool. I shared their amazing collections of trains in this earlier article...... coming soon will be their 'pizzas-of-delayed-gratification.' 

Humpty Dumpty Fun 

If you're having fun with eggs you'd probably appreciate clicking back to see my earlier mini-RoundUP with some Humpty Dumpty egg ideas. 

I now have 113,521 Followers

I now have 291 followers

-- Debbie -- 

Here's an entire collection of resources on 'foldables' and graphic organizers.

When you click from my blog to go shopping at Amazon, you add a little cha-ching in my retirement account. THANK YOU! 

 

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!  

FOLDABLES: Graphic Organizer Examples

                                                        

Looking for supportive approaches for your kinesthetic students? Need a hand's on approach for your written projects? WELCOME!
GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS "FOLDABLES"

My #1 read article of-all-time,

is this post from the time I presented at the TN- IRA conference!

It turns out that teachers are crazy-WILD about foldables!!

Guess where I just presented? Another IRA event!!! 

This time I gave workshops for the state of Illinois -- IRC.

GUESS WHAT I FOUND??
JUST FOR YOU!! 
New ideas!!! 

Graphic Organizer 'foldable' examples from Dinah Zike

I went prowling the exhibit hall in search of the Dinah Zike booth.
This woman is obviously the QUEEN of da foldables. 

Here's her website -- where you can learn her approach 
and see her products in detail! 
Some day I'll meet this woman in person.  

I just know all of these images are going to re-charge your battery.
Be certain that you go to her website to learn her approach to this kinesthetic learning opportunity.

LUV me some Onomatopoeia!!!!!
I promised to keep my eyes wide open on your behalf....
and I LUV to be able to deliver on a promise!

These next two remind me of little foldables we used to make when I was in elementary.

They had flaps that you lifted.

We called them fortune tellers and Cootie-catchers.

Now taken from the playground to the classroom!!

I'd be grateful if you'd 'pin' your favorite idea.

I think Dinah would be grateful for the traffic we'll send her as well.

I only get credit for photographing + sharing her ideas.
Now you put your 'spin' on these concepts in your classroom!

If you want to do some time travel into the future, click here to hop to a display of children's foldable reports I photographed during one of my spring Artist in the Schools visits. 

Student Reports as Foldables

Here's a peek at my concluding workshop.

I had extra helping hands to catch my enthusiastic participants in action!!

Here's my 'photographer' that captured those participants!!!

It's Carie-the-Kindergarten teacher!!!

Carie was a help in every way. 

She's the amazing dynamo who served 9 years in the Army, 

prior to taking over the reigns in kindergarten. 

She's the one who created the amazing collaborative quilt in response to my picture book, "Red, White and Blue."  

You really need to treat yourself to the series of articles I wrote last year, after meeting Carie.

Here's a snippet of the quilt her K-kiddos created.

***I am now an 'Amazon Associate' which means whenever you click from my blog to Amazon and do some shopping -- you are adding to my retirement account. SO GRATEFUL! 

I've done some window shopping and have gathered up a LOT of foldable and graphic organizer resources for you. ENJOY! 

-- Debbie -- 

EDITOR'S Note from the future: I now have a little store over at TpT where I am uploading my original children's songs in zipped files with Mp3 versions and support materials. Swing by and pick up your FREEBIE. Follow my store so you'll know when I upload new projects and hold sales. 

This post has been added to Laura's Link-up on all things 'Foldable' over at Corkboard Connections.