Fall Pattern Calendars

Fall Calendars & Pattern Calendars-

 

As a KRC teacher, Kindergarten Readiness, with a MA degree in technology I LOVE to create different items that I can use in my classroom. 

My first summer project was to finish creating at least one pattern calendar for ever month.  I have just finished this project, and plan to create a few calendar options.  My students LOVE the pattern calendars and “predicting” what picture/pattern will come next. 

The pattern calendars are great to use during calendar time in the Early Childhood classroom, or just for fun in an Elementary or Middle School Classroom.

 

 Who does not love the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.  Here are two calendars that I created for the months of August and September to go along with this book.

August & September:

 

Below are samples of what the kinds of pages you will find in all of my calendars.

  These images are from my Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Calendar.

 

 Other August & September Calendars:

Coconuts & Coconut Tree ABAB Pattern Calendar

 

 

 

Monkeys & Coconut Trees ABC Pattern Calendar



 

 

 

 

Other Fall Calendars:

 

October Halloween ABC Pattern Calendar



 

 

November Thanksgiving ABC Pattern Calendar

 

 

December Christmas ABCD Pattern Calendar

 

 

More Calendar Patterns for...

Spring & Summer Calendar Patterns for Your Classroom

As a KRC teacher, Kindergarten Readiness, with a MA degree in technology I LOVE to create different items that I can use in my classroom. 

My first summer project was to finish creating at least one pattern calendar for ever month.  I have just finished this project, and plan to create a few calendar options.  My students LOVE the pattern calendars and “predicting” what picture/pattern will come next. 

The pattern calendars are great to use during calendar time in the Early Childhood classroom, or just for fun in an Elementary or Middle School Classroom.

 

May Calendar:   ABCD Calendar
This is my favorite calendar that I created.  I have added samples of what the calendar pages look like. 

What is in this packet?

1.  You will find a 30 or 31 day pattern calendar.  The pattern is completed for you.

2.  You will also find extra blank pieces in the calendar to use in case you lose a piece, or if you need an extra to finish the pattern.

 

3.  You will find holiday pieces in this pack to use for the month. 

4.  This packet contains directions on how to print and use this packet as your calendar and as another resource in your math centers.

 

Use this packet as your calendar:

     Use the calendar pieces to help you teach patterns along with your other math skills during calendar time.  Of course I start with the first day of the month, and each day my students tell me what number goes next and what pattern piece goes next.  This pattern is repeated all month long.

 

Math Center Ideas:

     I also use these pieces in math centers for numeral recognition, numerical order, and patterning.  You can do the activities listed below in small groups, one-on-one, or in a math center.

a. Numeral Recognition

b. Numerical Order

c. Patterns

Here are a few more images of other calendars that I have created.

March Calendar:   ABCCD Calendar

 

 

 

 

April Calendar:   ABBC Calendar

 

June Calendar:   ABCCD Calendar

 

 

 

July Calendar:   ABAB Calendar

 

 

 

 

 August & September Calendar:   ABC Calendar



Calendar- Patterns- Lessons

Patterns- Calendar Time-Math

As we begin the spring semester of school we will begin to really work on and understanding patterns. We have been discussing patterns the last few months as we did our calendar time. I decided to create calendars with thematic patterns for my classroom.

In these thematic calendars you will find.

* 31 or a 28 day calendar in a complete pattern.

* February Title that matches the clip art of the dates in the calendar.

* There are several blank pieces of each clip art that is used in the calendar. Use these pieces as replacement pieces, or to finish a pattern.

* Directions

The first theme that I used was winter. Here arte two winter themed calendars.


Winter Themed Calendar #1: ABBC Pattern:

 

 

Here are some samples of what you will find in both of the winter calendars

Winter themed calendar # 2: ABCD Pattern

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a sample of the winter holiday page.  You would find this in all three of the winter calendars, and similar pieces in my other calendars.

 

 

 

Winter themed calendar # 2: ABCD Pattern



Valentine/February Calendar

 

Here is a sample of the February calendar pieces.

 



 

 

 

 

FREE Winter Calendar Below

As I complete more calendar I will add them to my blog.

Please go to my TPT store to view more samples of these calendars.
ENJOY!!



Chicka Chicka Book Boom Tree- Project 4

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Tree & Class Library

A couple of months ago I found a pin on Pintrest where someone had made a Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Tree for her classroom.  I LOVED the idea so I made one myself.  I adapted the leaves and added coconuts to my tree.

If you have seen the other project that I made this summer you will see a pattern with my colors. :)  Here is my tree and the instructions on how to make one yourself.

Materials Needed & Instructions:

1.  a 2x2 piece of wood
2.  a board for the base ( I used left over wood from the computer tables that I made)
3.  four L brackets and screws
4.  textured spray paint
5.  carpet roll 1 or 2 depending on the size you get.
6.  brown paper bags
7.  scissors
8.  hot glue gun or E6000
9.  old sports umbrella
10.  fabric
11.  stitch glue
12.  lots of pins
13.  safety pins (hang your coconuts)
14.  wire cutters (cut & shape your umbrella/leaves & cut the wire for the coconuts)
15.  Letters to go up your coconut tree!

Instructions:

Tree Trunk

A.  Use your L brackets to screw the 2x2 to your board.

B.  Textured spray paint for the base.  Sorry, I did not write the information down on the paint I used.  I looks like sand when it is dried.  See the picture below.

C.  Get a cardboard tube from the inside of a carpet roll.  I called a local guy who installs carpets.  He gave me two rolls for free.  :)

D.  I glued and duck taped them together.  I wanted to be able to walk under the umbrella/leaves without the danger of poking my eye.





E.  Cut the brown paper bag.  I got mine from Kroger.
F.  Turn the bags inside out and glue them in a "tube" shape.  You will need to see what fits your carpet tube.

G.  Place them over the tube.
H.  Once they are stacked to the top squish them down, add more bags, and it will look like the trunk of a coconut tree. :)

  

Leaves & Coconuts:

A.   Take the material off of a large sports umbrella.
B.  Trim the umbrella spikes/rods as needed.

** Special Note-  I place my tree in a corner against a wall.  The bathroom door is around the corner from my tree.  Take your umbrella to your classroom and place it where you want your tree to go.  You do NOT want to cut off to many of the metal bars.  I did, and my tree now has two umbrellas in it. LOL

C.  I cut a straw and tied it with wire to create a base at the tip of the leaves.  This was a big help to make sure the leaves were the same width apart.

D.  Cut your fabric & attach to the rod.  I used a lot of stitch glue and some hidden pins.

*** Special Note- I did not attach these longer pieces together.  Each wire left, after trimming, had a partner for the long pieces.  I connected these longer pieces with shorter pieces of fabric. 

Example:  I glues a piece of fabric between the purple and lime green pieces that you see here in the front of the picture.  The fabric did not hang down.  It was the length of the umbrella rods.

You will notice that my tree has long and short leaves.  This is what gives it the feel of the coconut tree.

 

E.  Cut out large circles in your fabric for your coconuts.
F.  Make newspaper balls and wrap the fabric around the newspaper.
G.  Use a trash bag twisty tie to close and tie the fabric around the paper.

H.  Tie a piece of wire through the trash bag tie.
I.  Tie a safety pin to the end of the wire and pin it to a leaf under the tree. :)

 

 



Letters on My Tree:

I found these foam glitter letters and the foam circles at my local Michael's craft store.  The best part is that they match the stickers on My Way Home craft project.  That was the first project that I made over the summer.

Letters on My Wall:

I traced and cut out these glitter letters from foam sheets that I also got a Michael's craft store. 



 

Full view of my tree, class library, and our word wall.

 

*** Special Note- Make sure you anchor your tree to a wall in your classroom.  This will prevent it from falling.

Built Three Student Computer Tables- Project 2

I teach Kindergarten Readiness in Rutherford County in the state of Tennessee.  Another KRC, Kindergarten Readiness Class, teacher had tables built for her classroom to fit her students.  We all have three student computers on large rolling computer tables.  I LOVED her idea.  So, I got her measurements and built my own. 

AND NO, I had NEVER built anything before. :)  I have refinished and painted old furniture before, but I have never BUILT furniture.  I have add these steps and what I learned in this process so you can build your own. :)

My personality is the color orange, many of you in education have heard the color personalities before.  I get an idea and dive right into it, and THEN I figure out how to complete the task.  :)  I did hit a few bumps in this road.  That is why I am writing this post.  Reading this will help you have an easier road ahead of you.

Here is the measurements and supplies needed to build these tables.  BTW- I could not have done this without the very kind a patient guy at Home Depot.  He helped me make sure we got the tables to the correct measurement. :)  He sat down with me and we built each table like a puzzle before I left H.D.  LOVED HIM!!!!!

My Table Measurements:

Top of tables = 24(w) x 22(h)   {Measure how much space your computer needs before you start this process}

Sides of tables= 19(w) x 22(h)

2x2 Bracings

4 leg Bracings & two bracings where the top and the sides of the tables meet.  I suggest you do this measurement with your wood and the person helping you cut your wood.  Mine were 19" & 20".

What Type of Wood Do I Use?

 I purchased MDF wood.  This is very strong and very smooth wood.  I did not want my little ones to get splinters.  The guy who helped me was able to use one sheet 49 x 97 to make all three tables. :)  $25.04 for the one sheet.  Not bad!

**Special Note- MDF wood can not get wet or it will warp.  Keep it dry while building it.  Don't worry about the wood you will protect it with a primer before you paint it.

I used 2x2 pieces to brace the inside of the the tables and to add plastic and felt floor protectors.

 I used scrap pieces of my MDF board for the bracing at the back of the table.  Make sure you leave room for theses bracing to go inside the wood.  You do not want your 2x2s to go to the edge of the table.  You can see how it fits nice and snug in the pictures above. 

Tools You Need:

*  Screws or Nails   {I had a drill and electric screw driver so I went with the screws} 

*  Drill or Nail Gun

*  Electric Screw Driver

*  Regular Screw Driver

*  Clips/Bracing ( Holds the table together while you drill)

*  Measuring Tape

*  Some sort of measuring device to measure if your boards are level

*  Dremmel (Round the corners of the desks)

*  Sander

*  Pencil

  Box of Screws under $5.00

***Special Note- After the tables are put together make sure you round off the corner of the table with a dremmel.  This will make the tables a little less pointy and sharp if a student hits it.

Priming & Painting the Tables:

Tools & Items You Need:

1.  Painter's Putty

2.  Putty Knife ( I started with one, but I wound up using my finger)

3.  Sander

4.  towel & hair dryer (I do not own a shop vac)

5.  Disposable painting tray

6.  Medium to small paint roller (You can re-use this item when you paint your tables)

7.  small foam edger brush.

8.  Paint Stirrers (1 per color and 1 for the primer)

  Paint rollers & Kit estimated $5.00

Priming Steps:

1.  You need to sand and wipe the edges of the board clean.

2.  Then use painter's Putty on the edges of the boards.  The pores of the wood are opened when it is cut by the saw.  If is VERY difficult to paint the edges.  This putty and the steps below make it MUCH easier.  I started with the putty knife, but the fingers work just as good.  See the pictures below.

3.  Spread the wood putty on all edges of the wood, and over any nails or screws.

  Small putty jar $5.48

4.  Once the putty dries on the edges sand them down lightly.  It should be a smooth edge on the tables.
5.  Wipe down or clean the sanding off of the edges.  I also used a hair dryer to get all of the small pieces.  I don't own a shop vac. :)
6.  Now you are ready to prime.
7.  Use a foam roller brush and small foam brushes for your hard to reach places.  THEY CANNOT BE REUSED.
8.   Allow to dry over night.


The Primer:
Your Primer CAN NOT be water based.  Make sure you tell the person helping you at the paint store that your wood is MDF.  I used the Zinsser product you see below.  I did some research to see what primer and paint could be used on this type of wood.  This was the recommended product.

  $ 17.98 gallon

 

Painting Your Tables:

Use new foam roller brushes and new small foam edging brushes.

You can use latex paint now that you have primed the wood.  It took 2 - 3 coats per table. 

Allow the paint to completely dry before you do a second coat.

 

My Paint Colors:

  $12.58 pint

All of my paint colors were the Behr product you see above. I chose satin paint since it is easier to clean. I spent quite a bit on my paint, but I wanted the tables to match everything the was going into my room.

Teal= Peacock Feather
Lime Green= Pepper Grass
Purple= Exotic Purple

I purchased all of the above items at Home Depot.


To see how I built my crates click on the picture below.