Groundhog Day - Groundhog in Nature

Your students might enjoy seeing a real groundhog in nature.
This is a fun YouTube clip.



Happy Groundhog Day!
Kathy

Music Lifts Us Up

Music is so important to our lives.
Music lifts up our souls and releases pressures in our daily living.
Music helps us express ourselves in ways that normal speech can not.
Music is fun!

I thought I would share some music that my son, Gordon, has recorded on YouTube.
(I am a proud mama!)
I hope it lifts up your spirit.

Have a wonderful week!

Kathy

Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch

This wonderful, heartwarming story is one of my all time favorites. It's a great read anytime of the year, not only on Valentine's Day. Please click on the picture to view the book on amazon.com.

Mr. Hatch is a very drab, unexciting person. He works at a shoelace factory and goes through the same dull routine everyday. He eats the same lunch day after day and never speaks to anyone. He doesn't even smile.

On Valentine's Day Mr. Hatch receives a heart-shaped box filled with candy with a note that reads, "Somebody loves you."

Mr. Hatched is amazed that someone would care about him that he changes his demeanor. Mr. Hatch begins to interact with his co-workers and neighbors. He laughs, he smiles, he helps people, he bakes brownies, he has a picnic and party in his yard. People adore him.

Then the postman arrives and tells Mr. Hatch the heart-shaped box filled with candy was delivered to the wrong address. It wasn't meant for him. That puts Mr. Hatch into a state of depression. He thinks that nobody loves him after all.

Mr. Hatch soon discovers that somebody really does love him. His friends and neighbors rally around him in a loving demonstration of hearts, bows, candy, streamers, a gift, and a huge sign that reads, "Everybody Loves Mr. Hatch."

We all need love and we all need each other!

To  help children understand and connect to the book, I have added a new product to my Teachers Pay Teacher's Store.

Children need to think and talk about what they have read or what has been read to them. So I have created question and answer sticks that support literacy and stretch student understanding and appreciation of the story, Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch.

This product also contains text to self prompts and a cute Valentine Bear craft and Valentine card that students can make and give to someone special in their lives.
Please click on the pictures below to view my TPT product. Thank you.

Love and Hugs,

Kathy

Have You Filled a Bucket Today?

New Year. . .  new resolutions . . . new and better habits . . . new beginnings and  . . .

definitely new positive thinking!

So . . . . what better way to start the New Year than to read the book,

Have You Filled a Bucket Today! by Carol McCloud.

Please click on the picture to link to amazon if you would like to view the book.

This is such a heart warming book that encourages positive behavior in children and a good reminder to the adults that read the book to children about the importance of how we act.

Are you a bucket filler or a bucket dipper?
This is a very effective metaphor for understanding the effects of our words and actions on others, positive or negative.

Each and every one of us carries an invisible bucket. When you care and love others in all that you say and do, you fill their bucket and make them feel special. You also fill your bucket and feel good about yourself. You are a bucket filler.

But . . . you can also take out good feelings from someone's bucket by saying or doing mean things or ignoring them and making them feel bad. That makes you a bucket dipper.

This book shows children how easy and rewarding it is to express love, kindness, and appreciation to everyone.  The illustrations in the book are wonderful.

To help children understand and connect to the book, I have added a new product to my Teachers Pay Teacher's Store.
Children need to think and talk about what they have read or what has been read to them. These question and answer sticks are one way to support literacy and stretch student understanding and appreciation of the story, Have You Filled a Bucket Today?

This product also contains a bucket craft project that students can make. Then students can write "Caring Words" on lined heart paper and put them into each other's buckets and be bucket fillers.

Please click on the picture to view my TPT product.
Thank you.

Bucket filling makes everyone feel good.
Have a marvelous week.
Kathy

Amazing T-Rex Illusion!

I really enjoy watching magic and illusions.  I am fascinated by how they work.
This is one of my favorites.
Take a few minutes and watch this amazing illusion.
Watch it all the way through. The ending reveals how it is done.



Have a great week!
Kathy