Roll Out the Dough

Supplies: Brown or tan towel and rolling pin

Process: Three year olds have a difficult time roll playing at times. Interacting with you during an activity like getting down and pretending that you are a rolling pin didn't go well at our house. So, out came the rolling pin and we pretended to roll out the towel to a baking poem instead.

September 2010
Originally uploaded by Teach Well Teach Often

Teach Well: Use real pastry and create something yummy to eat for snack while reciting a poem would work even better.

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Puppet

Supplies: 2 brown socks (one dark brown and the other light brown), black and pink felt or fabric, and washable fabric glue

Process: Pre-cut the shapes for the mouse's face and tail. Have the child use a Q-tip to dip into the fabric glue and put glue on the pieces. Then, have the child carefully place the pieces on the sock. Place the tail on the heal of the sock. Dry for several hours before handling.

September 2010
Originally uploaded by Teach Well Teach Often

Teach Well: Create the puppet after reading the book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Have the child use their mouse to act out the story and to share with.

Guest Illustrator - Joel Stewart

Last week we featured Michael Rosen for the book Red Ted and the Lost Things and this week we have the pleasure to introduce the illustrator, Joel Stewart. His illustrations are beautifully whimsical.

When did you begin drawing?

I drew from childhood, though in a calm sort of way. I didn't go in for dragons firing lasers and rockets etc, which I think a lot of little boys do. My father still has some insects and wildlife drawings that I'd copied when very little. The thing is, I didn't give up. I don't really remember drawing wildly much before I was ten or eleven, but a lot of people in my family drew, and my grandfather made a living from it all his life, so I never had the all too common idea that it was just a childish thing to do.

What inspires you everyday?

Wow, big question. I think, like everyone, some days nothing does! But in terms of drawing there's just something about the activity that expresses things, and allows me to look at things, in a way that makes me happy. But so many things are inspiring, from all kinds of art and music that I tend to live in a permanent state of distraction. In some ways the times when you aren't inspired, and just get on with finishing what you started when you were, are just as useful.

What gave you the idea for the artistic style for "Red Ted and the Lost Things"?

Mostly my own sketches and paintings. I'd found that this particular shade of indian red had the interesting effect of giving a kind of warm, slightly nostalgic feeling like sepia, but the nostalgia (and that isn't the right word) wasn't specific to a time period, so it could feel contemporary at the same time. Then I also realized that doing backgrounds in a muted range of colours like that allowed me to put in loads of detail, which you need in a lost property office, or to give the feel of a real city, but keep focus on the central characters, who are more richly coloured. In a way I wish I hadn't let the texture of the backgrounds get so rough, because I think it distracts a little, but otherwise I think those ideas came together quite well.

What was the last thing you lost?

Actually, it was my favourite pencil, which I bought in Florence. I managed to replace it with one the same, but then I decided that I ought not to have a favourite pencil anymore because it's too annoying when you lose it.

Have you found it?

Nope. I think it's buried somewhere in a very messy and dusty music recording studio in North London.

Did you have a favorite Teddy Bear as a child? Did it have a name?

Badgie. He's a Badger Glove puppet, but I treated him like a Teddy Bear, and I still have him.

What advice do you have for parents who want to encourage drawing?

The most important thing probably is not to DIScourage it. Otherwise exposure is the best thing. Just to be around as many different kinds as possible, preferably without discrimination. I loved awful cartoons and comics as a child, as well as things that are still important to me now (including cartoons and comics of a slightly higher caliber), and they all fed my desire to continue. My parents were brilliant at not telling one thing was better than another. I imagine I might not be so good at being unbiased.

What can you tell children who have a passion for art?

That drawing (all sorts) is important. They'll already know it. But it can't harm to say it a few times

Teach Well: Do not discourage a child who has a desire or gift to draw. In fact, feed the desire to continue.

Guest Author - Michael Rosen

This week's guest is Michael Rosen, author to Red Ted and the Lost Things. This story is about the journey home for two lost toys. I love that the dialogue between the toys are in a comic book style where you can only see their thoughts (since toys don't really talk out loud). It truly is creative and everyone young and old can relate to losing something special to them!

photo credit

When did you begin writing?

I liked writing when I was at school, but the first time I started writing poems and stories out of school was when I was about 15.

What inspires you everyday?

Hearing other people's poems and stories is a great stimulus. But I'm listening and thinking about things to write about all the time.

What gave you the idea for "Red Ted and the Lost Things"?

I think it was several different things. Lost property offices have always interested me. They seem to say so much about who we are. Then I thought about the way people get lost and how important it is for us to find a home for ourselves. I was also thinking about journeys and how you can never make a journey entirely on your own. You always need help, but the people who help will always have different reasons for travelling with you.

What was the last thing you lost?

My father's autobiography. I can't find the book he wrote.

Have you found it?

No

Did you have a favorite Teddy Bear as a child? Did it have a name?

I had a teddy but I think he was just Teddy.

What advice do you have for parents who want to encourage writing?

Just keep reading to your children, talking about stories, poems and films. Don't try to control what your children read or in the end it will put them off. Keep taking children to libraries and bookshops. Try to help your children's school keep up a good library, a good school bookshop. Take your children to see authors at book festivals and libraries.

What can you tell children who have a passion for writing?

Keep a notebook. In the notebook, write down your thoughts, phrases and sayings that you hear people say. Write down your favourite lines from poems and books. Collect words and thoughts. Keep reading. Never stop reading what other people write.

Teach Well:  Try to help your children's school keep up a good library, a good school bookshop.

Guest Illustrator - Sarah McMenemy

 This week's guest is Sarah McMenemy, illustrator to The Busiest Street in Town. Sarah began drawing houses as a teenager around her community when the word spread about her talent! The Busiest Street in Town is a beautiful story of friends making a difference in their neighborhood.

I can remember drawing as a small child. My mother was very good at drawing and I used to try to copy her drawings and was usually quite frustrated with the results. But I kept going!

I find drawing very exciting, I am most often inspired by beautiful architecture, people's faces, or nature.

The illustrators from the Festival of Britain era were my early influences, Edward Ardizzone, John Minton, John Piper. I absorbed their wonderful line work through old children's books and looking at the dust covers of novels on visits to the library with my Grandmother. These days I still love work from that time but I admire the work of contemporary illustrators like Emma Chichester-Clark.

I work with mixed media, gouache paint, black ink and coloured paper collage on watercolour paper.

My favourite colours are prussian blue and venetian red.

The busiest street I've been on is Oxford Street in London.

If I could plant a garden in my neighbourhood it would have plenty of trees in it, silver birches, maples, oaks, robinias. It would also have a wide variety of flowers, it would look like a cottage garden and would be alive with bees, butterflies, birds and squirrels.

My favourite type of cookie is homemade shortbread. Rub 100g of butter into 175g of flour until it becomes breadcrumbs, then add 50g brown sugar. Press the dough into into an 18cm tin and bake in the oven for 45 minutes at 150c.

I have a best friend called Ella. We love to dance together. I dont think we've ever played Parcheesi, I'm afraid.

Teach Well: Check out the post about the author, here.

Guest Author - Leigh Hodgkinson

This week's guest author is Leigh Hodgkinson, who is also an illustrator and animator. Boris and the Wrong Shadow, is about a cat named Boris who wakes up from his nap having Vernon's shadow! Boris finds out what it is like having a shadow of a small mouse instead of his own. Not only is the story delightful, humorous, but the illustrations ROCK! Here's what Leigh had to say...

When did you begin writing and drawing?

I have always drawn and made stuff… as long as I can remember. A drawing or a painting or a collage or whatever, was never just that, there would always be a story to go with it… even if it was only in my head!

Can you explain a little bit of the process it takes to create your images? (Do you tend to use mixed media most of the time? Why do you use the media that you do?)

I love using an assortment of bits and bobs…. Scanning in textures (from potatoes to sequins to a nice piece of lace), using photographs, doing nice scribbly drawings and using paint and glue. What ever I feel like at the time! Then I never get bored or precious about what I create and I think (hope!) this makes the artwork feel fresh and fun. Then, once I have everything in the computer I can play with colour, scale, composition, and smarten it all up untill I get the image exactly as I want it. This way of working gives me a freedom that perhaps “traditional” artwork wouldn’t give me. I always feel little scared of a very clean and white piece of paper… I feel like I might make a mistake and muck it up. So I always like to scibble or paint or stick something on it just so stop the paper being quite so new to stop me worrying, then I can get on and enjoy being creative!

When did you begin making your images into movies and can you briefly tell the process of creating them?

I first studied animation at art school. This is when I got a taste for the magic of making things move… it got me hooked! After that, I went on to study animation direction at film school before then going on to work in the animation industry.
I make my animation in much the same way as my artwork for books and animate them in a styalised cut-out way in the computer. (where all the elements on screen are cut up into pieces so have the potential to be animated) I like working in a kind of 2.5d way! The animation is flat (2d) yet placed in a 3d environment. This way I can play around with lights, shadows and camera moves to add atmosphere and drama.

Where did you come up with the idea of “Boris and the Wrong Shadow?”

I have always liked shadows, whenever I am on holiday I always take photos of peoples shadows. I like the shapes they make, how they stretch and squish around things. Also, in “Peter Pan” I loved the bit when Wendy sews Peters shadow back on him… that idea that a shadow was part of you, but could be something detachable I found really interesting.

For me, the story isn’t just about shadows, it is about feeling happy and confident and happy with who you are. Venon tries to be something he is not, and that never works out well in the end. So Boris teaches him that being a small mouse is actually fine. I used the shadows as a way of visually showing that idea.
I also wanted to do a story where a cat and a mouse were friends. Boris is such a happy-go-lucky kind of a cat that he doesn’t care if you are a mouse or an elephant. If you are nice and interesting and fun to be with… that is all that matters.

If you could trade shadows with anyone or anything, what would it be?

Probably a giraffe…. I love their necks and would be an amazing shadow to have! I am not sure a giraffe would be so impressed with my shadow though!
When I had long hair I used to like putting it up in little scrunched up bunches that always reminded me of the funny nodules giraffes have on their heads. When I wore my hair like this it always made me smile when I caught sight of my shadow.

Do you have any pets?

No I don’t…. but I do have a little baby which nearly the same!
I really wanted a cat, which is why I wrote the origional Boris story (Boris and the snoozebox) about a cat who didn’t have a home and was sent around the world in a parcel. I would love it if a cat who didn’t have a home came to stay with me.

When I was a child we had siamese cats… and for a while, stick insects and silk worms!

What are your hobbies? (Do you love a home makeover like Vernon?)

I like swimming, listening to old records in the shed, making new things out of old things, sitting in cafes with friends, having baths and sleeping!

What do you like to do with your friends? (Tea please?)

I love having tea parties and picnics. This gives me a perfect excuse to make cakes and biscuits. A few years ago I had a “Cake-off” cake baking competition. It was fun, but there were about 20 different ones to try- everyone ate too much cake and felt a little bit sick! My husbands lemon drizzle cake won the first prize (and he hasn’t stopped showing off since!)

What advice can you give to children who love to draw and create?

Just enjoy the process of drawing and being creative. Don’t worry about whether it will be any good, don’t worry that it has to be the best thing you have ever done. Even if you make a mistake or think it is rubbish, you will learn from it. Some of  the best things I have made have come out of doing something I didn’t mean to do. For me, the experimenting and the playfulness of creativity is what I find most enjoyable. So the most important thing is to have fun with it!

Also, be confident in your own ideas and ways of being creative. There is no right or wrong. That is what is so exciting about art. There is no one else like you in the world, so your way of seeing things and drawing things is unique. It is good to be inspired by others, but try not to copy. Anyone can copy, but not anyone can do what you do.

What advice can you give teachers about going that extra step to create movies of their classroom’s illustrated work?

Keep it simple. Animation is very involved and time consuming… so quite a lot of patience is needed. Perhaps start off with good old fashioned techniques that show the potential of animation to get pupils inspired….. zoetropes, flip books, then perhaps some simple under the camera cutout characters. Digital technology is making it easier for people to make their own movies which is fantastic. But it is important to be realistic about what you can achieve in the time so that pupils don’t get dissappointed. After all, one second of animation is 24 frames… which is 24 different images!



You can check out Leigh's other books and some of her animated videos at her blog, Wonky Button.



Teach Well: Have your child choose different items around the house, scan them, and create illustrations with them.

Borders Summer Reading Double Dog Dare

At Borders today, I noticed this great reason to start your summer reading program with your children today! You can pick up forms in the store or online. All you need to do is write down the titles of the ten books your child read and turn the form in to get your free book. Check out the list of the free books they are giving out!

Teach Well: Get your child signed up at your local library's summer reading program and use this free book as an intensive to begin reading!

Feed the Penguin

I am sure I got this game idea from Mailbox Magazine but love the new twist I added!

Supplies: Clip art of a penguin, tub or box, clipart of fish, and dice

Process: Cut your penguin out then slit a slot where his mouth is. Attach it to the front of a box or dish tub. Cut out fish clipart (I found mine on my computer). Lay the fish on the floor (your "ocean"). Roll the dice and count how many fish you can gather from the ocean to "feed the penguin."

Teach Well: Read Without You before playing this game.

Good Night Gorilla!

Read Good Night Gorilla, watch Scholastic's video, and go on your own walk through the zoo!

Supplies: Stuffed animals that you may find at the zoo, clipart keys, a 3x5 index card for each animal, & markers

Process: Use clipart of a key and make several and cut them out. Color each index a different color. Color a 3x5 index card to match each colored key. Then place your stuffed animals around the room an index card at its side. Hand out enough keys to the children so that everyone has an even amount. Take a walk around the room and together find an animal to let out of "its cage." Match the key with the colored index card and have the child with that colored key "unlock" the animal. Let the child carry the stuffed animal around as you go walking through the "zoo."

Teach Well: Keep the animals and keys out at center time. You will be surprised how the children act out the story. Add blankets and pillows to the center so they can pretend to be the zoo keeper and zoo keeper's wife.

StressLESS Teaching Resources Giveaway!

If you are returning for our week long celebration welcome back! If this is your first time check out this post, and this one for another chance to win!

Today's giveaway comes from StressLESS Teaching Resources, a great Etsy store for teachers! I love this felt board set that goes with the book Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell. We are going to be reading this book this month. I love how interactive the book can be in a classroom setting. How much more interactive will it be with this felt board set?!

Give each child in the class a character (if your class is larger read the story again) and when you get to their animal have them come up and place it on the felt board. Leave this set out after reading the story so that the children can do the story again during center time. Make sure to keep the book at the center so that the children can read it to themselves or a friend.

A little about Tanya and her Etsy store: My name is Tanya Winters and I am an Early Childhood Educator in Maryland. I hold a Bachelor's of Arts Degree in Early Childhood Education and a Master's of Science Degree in Curriculum and Instruction. I am a trained Reading Recovery Teacher and I have taught grades kindergarten and first. Moreover, I have functioned as a reading specialist--training teachers and instructing elementary aged students. I have also worked with students with special needs and have assisted in developing Individualized Educational Plans (IEP's). Currently, I am homeschooling my 3 children, Autumn(5), Caleb(3) and Aaron(1). In addition, I am newly an adjunct professor of early childhood education at a community college in my area. That's right, you've guessed it...I LOVE EDUCATION!!


In developing my teaching resources, I draw on the 18 years of experience that I have educating children. I utilize my skills as a highly qualified teacher to develop educational tools that are developmentally appropriate and excellently constructed. It is my goal that a mom experience NO STRESS while using my educational resources to homeschool her little ones.

To win a felt piece or fingerplay glove from StressLESS Teaching Resources leave a comment in this post. All the comments for each post will close September 15th, at midnight Pacific Standard Time.

Teach Well: Keep the book at the center so that the children can read it to themselves or a friend.

Good Night Gorilla!

Welcome to another day of giveaways! This month we will be reading Good Night Gorilla and doing a fun "walk through the zoo" activity to go right along with it. Wouldn't it be great to have this wooden set, from Mama Kopp Shop, to use in the classroom or at home when you walk through the zoo?

Comment on this post to try and win this beautiful wooden set! Comments close on September 15th, at midnight Pacific Standard Time.

Lorilee Kopp, the owner of Mama Kopp Shop, is a mother who stays home with her kids to ensure they have a unique educational experience. She says, "This is the love of my life, being home with my children. Next is my love to create. I love being part of heirloom toy making. I am very proud to be part of it and so proud to make things for families all over the world. I strive to tempt imagination in children as well as adults. It is important to me that each piece be made as perfect as can be. I use quality, natural materials. And hold close to my wooden art waldorf traditions. And if I can sneak in a little educational element I will." Visit her blog, Live n' Learn for those "live creatively and homeschool."


Teach Well: Tempt imagination in children.

Schedules and Creative Spaces

The best way to begin preparing yourself for teaching next year is with your schedule. When are you going to be teaching? Is it in the morning or does your child do better in the afternoon?

Then, decide what you are going to be teaching. My scope and sequence helps break down what I teach, when I teach it.

To give you an example, I copied my own schedule below:

Morning Preschool Schedule

8:30-8:45 Opening/Free Center Time

8:45-8:50 Clean Up

8:50-8:55 Pledge of Allegiance

8:55-9:15 Circle Time/Calendar
· Wednesday Discussion
· Thursday Math Concepts
· Friday Science Enrichment

9:15-9:30 Bible/Verses

9:30-9:50 Jamboree Time (Gross Motor Play)
· Aerobic Wednesdays

9:50-10:00 Drinks/Bathroom Breaks

10:00-10:20 Activity Time
· Wednesday Letter Readiness/Zoo Phonics
· Thursday Spanish
· Friday Computer

10:20-10:45 Snack

10:45-11:00 Story Time

11:00-11:20 Craft

11:20-11:30 Clean up/Song Time/Pray/Line up/Dismissal

The next step to preparing for the school year is by making creative spaces for learning. Whether you are going to be teaching from home or in the classroom, creative spaces help children experience learning in a unique way. To see a great example of that take a visit to Megan Powers' classroom, Scholastic's 2009-2010 Kindergarten Teacher Advisor.

Below is a video of her classroom. Check out her spaces!



If you teach from home you can easily create these learning spaces. Later in the school year, I will show you some of mine to get you even more inspired! Make sure to visit Megan's blog through out the year to get even more ideas!

Teach Well: Create creative spaces in your home or classroom. Don't worry... it's ok to be inspired by another teacher like Megan!

School's Out

Woohoo, school's out! When you think of your summers as a child what do you think of? One summer, while I was growing up, my mother started us all on a reading program. She rewarded us for every book we read. I would have to admit that I did not enjoy reading until then. It was because of my mother's reading program that I love books today.

Check out this article from Scholastic on how to encourage your reluctant reader. "So how do we parents turn our children from novice or even struggling readers into kids (and later, adults) who will consistently turn to reading as a source of pleasure? There are several rules of thumb that the experts agree are building blocks to raising enthusiastic readers." To read the rules click here.

Whether you begin your own reading program at home, like my mother, or join a local one instead, you are helping win your child to reading. Don't know where to start? Try Scholastic's Summer Reading Challenge. When your child has checked the list off have them collect their reward!

Teach Well: Building a reader today grows a reader for a lifetime.

Rainbow Fish

Supplies: Clip art of fish, glue, and foil

Process: Pre-cut the foil into small round pieces. Do the dramatic play of Breakfast on the Shore and when the children are done "cooking" their fish have them take their fish to the table. Give the child glue and have them place the glue on their fish. Then have them add the foil scales to the fish. Dry.
Teach Well: Hang these fish on a bulletin board that reads, "I will make you fishers of men..." Add a net to "catch" some of the fish. You can also do this project after reading the book Rainbow Fish.

Wooly Lamb Puppet

Supplies: white construction paper, paint brush, cotton balls (or Poly-fil), craft stick, stapler, glue, and black paint.

Process: Use a paint brush and paint the child's hand, palm up. Carefully lay the hand on the white paper and press to make the hand print. The thumb is the head, and the four fingers are the lamb's legs. Have the paint dry. Cut the hand print out. Have the child squeeze glue onto the body of the lamb and place the cotton on top. Let the glue dry. Staple the craft stick onto the bottom of the lamb.


Teach Well: Try and use a stapler for the craft stick. If you need to use glue instead of a stapler use wood glue. Elmer's glue will not last for long on wood and has a long drying time. For easy clean up squeeze some liquid soap into the paint.

Where or Where Has My Little Sheep Gone?

Supplies: yarn, stuffed sheep or clip art, prize

Process: Before the lesson make a trail-like obstacle course with yarn or string. At the end of the trail have your stuffed sheep with a prize for the class sitting with it. Have it winding around the room in and around items. Read a book about sheep, or read about The Lost Sheep in the Bible. Afterwards, sing Where or Where Has My Little Sheep Gone. Then follow the trail to find the sheep.

Where or Where Has My Little Sheep Gone

Where oh where has my little sheep gone?

Oh where oh where can he be?

With his wool so soft,

And his tail so small.

Where oh where can he be?

(sung to Where Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone)

Teach Well: Play this game to reward a class for good behavior. Prizes don't have to be sweet; you can use farm stickers or tattoos instead. To make this game even more fun have a child be the leader with a shepherd's staff. If you are playing this game at home try to set it up during your child's nap time, then have snack at the end of the trail for fun!

Flower Picking

If you haven't had a chance to make the playdough in my previous post, this activity will give you another chance! Find silk Easter lilies at your local dollar or craft store. I use them for many activities and have several on hand. This makes for a fun center and great for those small motor skills.

Supplies: Silk flowers cut into single stems, brown playdough

Process: Place the playdough on the table and have flowers next to it. Have the children explore and plant their flowers how they like.


Teach Well: Have dice on the table along with this center. Have the children roll the dice and place that many flowers in thier soil. Before this activity read The Parable of the Lily.

Purple Cows

I love to incorporate poetry in my curriculum when I can. The poem The Purple Cow is funny and makes a child "think again."

The Purple Cow

I never saw a Purple Cow,

I never hope to see one;

But I can tell you, anyhow,

I'd rather see than be one.

by Gelett Burgess

Treats in the classroom are fun and rare. When we read this poem I always make sure we make Purple Cows afterwards!

Supplies: small cup, spoon, vanilla ice cream, and grape soda

Process: Put a scoop of ice cream in the cup. Have the soda in a pourable measuring cup. Have the children pour their own soda into their cup. Drink and enjoy!

Teach Well: Give the children small cups and spoons to help scoop out the ice cream from the bottom of their cups. About 30 percent of the children will have the experience and decide that they don't like it. That's OK! It's about having an experience and trying something new!