Our Reading Tree

I have always loved willow trees and as a young child. I always thought it would be the perfect place to settle in with a good book.  My husband planted a few willows in our yard about 5 years ago as a gift to me and it was perfect timing because they are just the right size to house our small group for a little outdoor reading time.

Is a Gluten Free diet safe for your child?

I would like to share this article I found to let you know that a gluten free diet is safe for all children, when done properly.  Our home is gluten free because of my children having Celiac Disease; and I am working hard to make it a balanced diet to help my children thrive.

http://gluten.lovetoknow.com/Is_It_Safe_for_Children_to_Be_On_Gluten_Free_Diets

ABC/123 Learning Tree

Check out this fun ABC/123 Learning Tree that I have been working on.  I LOVE how they turned out.

Educational possibilities:
- Reenact the storybooks Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and Chicka Chicka 123
- fun manipulatives for letter and number recognition 
- match uppercase letters to lowercase letters
- spell words
- Addition and subtraction
- Beginner multiplication
- LET THE IMAGINATION RUN WILD!!!!!!

I am currently sold out of the ABC/123 Learning Trees but will soon be adding more to my Etsy shop.  If you are interested send me a message and I will add you to my waiting list.

$25 plus shipping

http://www.etsy.com/transaction/79067951

On our way..........

Well....my initial licensing visit went well!  A few small things to fix up and I can send in my application to be licensed!  I am looking forward to opening on September 1, 2012!

Upcoming IDCL Workshop

Imagine ~ Dream ~ Create ~ Learn (Make-N-Take)

Description: Imagine ~ Dream ~ Create ~ Learn If you can Imagine it ~ you can create it! Creating age-appropriate learning games, manipulatives, classroom decor, and so much more! Create materials to correlate with your upcoming themes and lesson plans. Leave with lots of new ready to use materials for your FALL themes. Lots of samples to get you started! Materials available for your use: Die cut machines with images available for any theme, paper, 12x12 laminator. Goals and Objectives: -- Hours/Credits/CEUs: 5.00 Hours (Self Paced) / 0.00 Additional Hours Date: Self Paced Training (Available 11/12/2011 to 11/12/2011) The workshop will start at 12:30PM and end at 5:30PM. Training Funded By: -- Organization: -- Trainers: Sara Fink - Registered - Approved Location: Grace Lutheran Church - Dining Room 8396 Steeple Hill Drive Larsen, WI 54947 County: Winnebago   Course Details: Applies Toward: General Course Tier: Registered Licensing Type: Early Childhood Core Knowledge Area(s): Developmentally Appropriate Practices (5 Hours) CDA Content Area(s): Principles of child development and learning (5 Hours) Target Audience: Classroom Staff Family Child Care Parent Educators Ages Addressed: Three Year Olds - (37-48 months) Four Year Olds (49 - 60 months) Five Year Olds (61- 72 months) Elementary (K-5th grade) Delivery Methods: Classroom - In Person Assessments: None Specified Registration Info: Registration Required: Yes Registration Deadline: 11/5/2011 Event Fee: $40.00 Contact Info: Name: Sara Fink mommyfink@hotmail.com Web Site: http://imaginedreamcreatelearn.blogspot.com/ Facebook Event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=124247111010052 Workshop can also be found on The Registry website here: https://www.the-registry.org/myregistry/event/EventList.aspx

Shameless Plug

If you wouldn't mind...I would LOVE it if you would vote for my Apple Bushel number match project over at the Cricut official facebook page.  One lucky educator will receive a free E2 machine.  You can vote once a day. Here is the link to my project:


http://apps.facebook.com/cricut_classroom/contests/150663/voteable_entries/31445447

Thank you so much!!!

Hugs,
Sara

Welcome ~ Apple Bushel number match

Hello and welcome to IDCL.  I plan to use this blog to share projects and ideas for my preschool classroom.  Most often I will be using my Cricut to create games, activities, and decor for my classroom.  I hope you enjoy the creations and that you are able to take some of the ideas and run with them in your classroom as well.

APPLE BUSHEL NUMBER MATCH

Cricut Cartridges used: 

Paper Dolls for Everyday

Doodlecharms

Just Because Cards

Learning Curve

 Your Story laminator

12x12 laminating sheets

Adhesive (I used glue sticks and an ATG gun and some clear packaging tape)

Eyelets/Eyelet setter (optional)

Velcro dots (or any other adhesive velcro cut into small squares or circles)

Magnet Strips

Instructions:

1.Cut out one tree from Paper Dolls for Everyday.  I cut out the tree twice (once on brown and once on green).  I used my Gypsy to position the tree so that I could make it as large as possible with it still fitting on a 12x12 piece of paper.  I positioned the tree with some of the trunk off of the mat to cut the "green" part of the tree.  Then for the trunk I positioned the tree with much of the "leaves" off of the mat and just cut out the trunk of the tree.  I then laminated the tree using a 12x12 laminating sheet.

2. Cut out the bushels from the Doodlecharms cartridge.  You will need 20 bushels.  Cut out 10 of the bushels using the blackout feature for the backside.  After you cut them out place packaging tape on the "inside" of all 20 bushels.  This will help protect them for long lasting play in your classroom.  Then I cut out numbers 1-10 out of red vinyl or you could just use stickers or cut numbers out of paper and adhere.  Once the numbers are adhered to the front of the bushels you need to add a small amount of adhesive to the bottom of the bushels just to hold them together while you are laminating them.  Laminate the 10 bushels and cut around them.  I then added four eyelets to each bushel for looks and to help reinforce the edges.  One more step to create your bushels.....carefully cut the lamination around the top edge of the bushels off.  This will allow you to open the bushels and fill them with apples.

3. Cut out the apples from the Just Because Cards cartridge (you can find different apples on other cartridges as well).  You will need 55 apples.  Cut out the layer with the leaves in green and the apple layer in red.  Adhere the layers together - laminate - and cut out.

4. Add Velcro to the tree and apples.

5. Place magnet strips on the back of the tree to attach to magnet board.  (Optional.  You could make this work for a flannel board if that is what you have as well with a little bit of Velcro on the back of the tree) 

6.Print out a Apple counting helper to help children correspond the physical number to the number of apples.
You can download my word document here: http://www.box.net/shared/ootqv6bx8k7516kl8nxi