Bunny Treats: An Adjective Adventure with Plants

We love to get packages. We also go crazy for special visitors. On Wednesday morning we found this letter in the classroom.

We learned that a Mystery Friend sent us the letter. The letter told us to find some Easter eggs around the school. Hidden inside each egg was an adjective clue that would help us infer who sent the letter.

After finding all of the eggs, we came back to the classroom to read the clues.

Then, we inferred who sent us the letter. We also identified and colored the adjectives from the clues. We had some wonderful discussions about our inferences. One little one did think a camel sent us the letter. I worried at first that the Easter eggs would make them think that the Easter Bunny sent us the letter but the clue about brown fur kept them from inferring that. =)

After lunch, we came back to the classroom and found the TOP SECRET envelope and a package. Inside the envelope were 12 riddles about treats a bunny would like to eat and some that a bunny would not like to eat.

Here is an example of one of the riddles.

The kiddos LOVED reading these riddles and trying to solve which ones would be the bunny treats. I loved seeing the way they worked together. After we sorted the cards by which ones would be bunny treats, we talked about the things rabbits eat....PLANTS!!!

We just started learning about plants this week so this was a great way to continue our discussion about the parts of the plant. We talked about the parts of a plant and how we eat plants ALL OF THE TIME! They thought this was too cool. =)

We opened the package and found HUGE Easter eggs that were full of plant parts.

We then made our own plant! =)

sunflower seeds

carrots for the roots

celery for the stem

spinach for the leaves

broccoli for the flower

strawberries for the fruit

Click on the pictures to go check it out in my store.

You can also do the activities in this packet AFTER Easter.

It is on sale and so is everything in my store. =)

I am soooooo sorry for not getting around to share the winner of my giveaway.

Barbara Balius...check your email. =)

Thank you to everyone who entered. I loved reading about all of your blessings. Thank you to each one of you for being such a HUGE blessing to me.

I would love to hear what you think about this packet. Leave a comment with your email and I'll pick 2 people to win it later this weekend. =)

From My Heart to Yours,

No, I Didn't....Yes, You Did!!!

I am not sure about you but when I hear

No, I didn't!!!!

and then

Yes, you did!!!!

My right eye starts twitching.

I have the urge to bop a kiddo or 2 on the head.

I want to start hollering calmly say "Please, just be quiet."

But, I know that will only solve the problem temporarily...even though, I might feel better if I do a little head bopping (Which I never do). =)

I would love if every day was like this...

(I DO try and help my kiddos see that you CAN disagree with someone but arguing about it won't solve the problem.)

Part of me would like to try this...

{source}

In the past, we talked about telling the other person I disagree with you but I am not going to argue with you because I care about you. 

I noticed that this was giving some kiddos the excuse to get out of their hurtful behavior....especially when they had done something intentionally.

This year I started thinking about the WHY behind a child not wanting to just apologize(or admit to the problem) ...when a lot of the things happen on accident.

My kiddos get very, very good about not tattling and using their BIG VOICE. They might tell a friend I didn't like it when you stepped on my foot. Most of the time a kiddo will apologize and we move on...no big deal.

But sometimes, I have a kiddo who will argue with me OR anything breathing about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING....grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!! I am sure none of you have kiddos like that, right??!!??? =)

I remembered something I learned from Ruby Payne who is the guru of working and teaching children of poverty. One of the big things a child of poverty will always do is try and save face. This can be why they laugh in your face when you correct them or smile when you talk to them about their poor/bad choices.

If they are laughing in our face, they REALLY don't want to look bad in the eyes of their friends.

So, here is what we have been working on....

Child 1: I didn't like it when you kicked me in the back (This is when everyone was moving up toward the pocket chart.)

Child 2: I didn't kick you!!!

***instead of the Yes, you did....we now have NEW words***

Child 1: I am not saying you did it on purpose. I think it happened on accident when you were scooting up.

Child 2: Oh, I am sorry. I didn't realize that happened. I am sorry for accidentally kicking you.

Child 1: I forgive you.

Here is the part I really like: Child 2 takes ownership of their behavior AND they have to then find a way to make the situation better depending on what happened.

So, our new helpful sentence stems are:

I am not saying you did it on purpose. I think it happened when....

You maybe didn't realize you....

I am not mad at you. I'm just trying to help you understand you what might have happened.

This works well with my Hoovers and my kiddos who are a Frosty (prone to HUGE meltdowns)! =)

I always need to remember to try and stay calm when they start to fuss and argue. =)

Now, some BIG news....

Heather's Heart is now on FB =)

Click on my button to go to my FB page. I would love for you to like me there. =)

Please let me know if the link works...it was acting all wonkers.

Be sure and check out my giveaway too. =)

How do you handle fussing and arguing? I would love to know. =)

From My Heart to Yours,

Spring Blessings Giveaway

I love Spring. The weather is gorgeous, flowers are blooming, and summer is quickly approaching.

Easter is my favorite holiday of all time because without the cross where would we all be???

I also got both of my sweet fur babies in the Spring.

Edison

and

Houdini (as known as Boing Boing)

My niece Grace and I also have a birthday in the Spring. =)

So to help celebrate my favorite month, I am having a little giveaway.

1 person will win:

a $50 gift card to Target

AND

a $25 gift card to TpT

I will also donate $50 to the animal shelter where I got Edison in your name.

Enter below.

Be sure and double check to be sure you are following me. =)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you all for being such a blessing to me. =)

From My Heart to Yours,

A Leprechaun's Birthday ...A Compound Word Investigation

On Friday morning, we opened the breakfast cart and found a letter from Lucky the Leprechaun. In the letter he told us that he is having a birthday soon. Since all leprechauns LOVE rainbows, he sent us on a search to find the rainbows he hid all around the school.

As we found the rainbows, we talked about what kind of words we kept finding on the cards. We knew they were all....

COMPOUND WORDS

After finding all of the rainbows, we opened the TOP SECRET envelope.

Inside were riddle clues.

We got into our investigation groups and each team came and got a riddle to try and solve. The kiddos were able to look at the compound words we discovered on our RAINBOW HUNT to infer which compound word it could be.

When the mission was complete and all of the riddles were solved, we got to open the final envelope. Inside was a poem from Lucky.

Lucky the Leprechaun told us he left a birthday present for us...and it was a compound word treat. We brainstormed what the present could be. He also told us in the poem that the gift would be found in a place that was also a compound word. We thought it could be a classroom, the bathroom (ewwwww) or....

               THE PLAYGROUND

When we went out onto the playground we found this.

Inside were rainbow cupcakes and Leprechaun necklaces.

You cannot see the red layer but it was there.

Lucky the Leprechaun also left us some compound word activities to work on when we come back from Spring Break. He also told us to be looking when we come back because he just might hide a pot of gold for us to find! =)

Here is a closer look at what is in the fun and engaging packet...

I am joining together with the wonderful Miss-Kindergarten to give away my packet

AND

Her adorable compound word craftivity.

Enter below. The giveaway will end on March the 11th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

March *Freebie* Fun...and Sound Racers =)

I love Spring. Here in East Texas we are already seeing the signs of Spring:  tulips trees, dogwoods, azaleas, and many other flowers are all starting to bloom. March also brings Spring Break, my birthday and my niece's birthday. But, I also start freaking out a bit....

3 months of school left???!!!???!!! Holy Moly...I need to see how much more I can cram into my kiddos heads. There are times I am feeling good about all of the progress my kiddos are making then....BAM!!! They say or do something that makes me want to go bang my head against the wall. Seriously, where have you been the last 7 months ????!!!!!????

One of my kiddos last week could not remember what this sign meant -....and this happened right after she just successfully finished a math sort that was mixed addition and subtraction. I had a 5 minute conversation with her that made me think I needed either an adult beverage or medicine for the migraine headache that was coming on. I felt exactly like this...

At times like this, all I can say is Help Me Jesus.

With Easter being in March this year, we will be doing a few of our leprechaun and St. Patrick's Day activities this week. Here are some of the *freebies* I shared last year.

Click on the picture above to grab your *freebies*.

My kiddos LOVE dice games. =)

Here is a subtraction sort....

And some ABC order fun.

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I finished this packet several weeks ago and just never got around to sharing with you about it. My kiddos love this and I am able to use it with all of my Guided Reading groups. The packet has around 300 words that focus on:

*short vowels and CVC words
*blends
*digraphs
*CVCC and CCVC words
*magic e
*r controlled vowels
*the 2 sounds of ow
*ou words like in mouse
*oo words like in boot
*vowel teams like ai, ee, oa, ay, etc

This is wonderful for RtI and is amazing at helping children blend sounds together to help decode words. The kiddos LOVE using little cars to drive over the sounds and then race and blend the sounds faster to read the word.

It is on sale this weekend. Click here to go check it out. =)

I hope you enjoy the *freebies*. I would love for you to leave me a heart note if you grab them. 

From My to Yours,

Time to Hear a Heart

I missed school today. I NEVER miss school. I think this is the 4th time in 10 years.

On Friday, a loved one lost her battle with cancer and was called home. Although it is a blessing she is no longer suffering, our hearts ache that she is no longer with us.

I have always tried to put on a brave face no matter what I am going through. I hold back tears when I often need to let them fall.

But today the flood gates opened...I think I have been crying since I woke up at 4:30 this morning.

I think we often get so busy that we stop to really listen to each other. We ask each other How are you today? as we pass by because we usually expect to hear the answer I'm fine or Good.

I feel so rushed during the day to try and get it ALL IN. We shuffle our kiddos in and out of reading groups, math groups, and intervention groups. We meet with them to do running records, assessments, and conferences.

We are quick to intervene with discipline problems without really taking the time to figure out the why behind what happened.

Our lives don't slow down when we leave school.

There are errands to run, kiddos to take from one practice to the next, dinner to prepare, homework to get done, baths, laundry, taking a few minutes to talk to that man that might still be your husband, planning and doing all of the things that you didn't get to finish at school, and maybe finding some time to sleep.

I think all of these things that keep us so busy and consumed are just background noise that often muffle the words of our hearts and the hearts of others.

I have faith in knowing that God brought every person into my life for a reason. I want to take the time to let others know that I am blessed because of that. My heart decides whether to see others as a blessing or a burden.

{source}

Am I taking the time to let the ones I love know how much I love them?

Am I taking the time to really listen to others and their hearts???

{source}

Everyone who crosses your path tomorrow will be carrying burdens. Some burdens are carried where others can see them. These are burdens we can pray for, talk about, help with, carry as our own, and just be aware of. Many burdens though are carried in the heart. Sometimes the heart has not even found the words to carry with these burdens. They are there and if we take the time to stop and listen our heart can hear.

Will you take the time tomorrow to listen to a heart???

From My Heart to Yours,

Are You Insane???!!!????!!!??

My sweet and helpful class has been completely a little wacko this past week. I think they were still on a Valentine's sugar high from last week PLUS the change in the weather....Mother Nature in Texas has PMS and needs hormones...has sent many of them OVER THE EDGE! They are latching on and trying to drag me with them!

I am not sure about you but there have been many, many, many, MANY, MANY times when I have wanted to look at my kiddos and ask Are You Insane???!!!???!!!???

To be honest, there are a few parents and teachers I want to ask that question to also. =)

The past few days I have repeated some of the same things over and over....

You are not being kind or helpful telling her to mind her own business. (Even though I agree!)

He is RIGHT in front of you. The volume of your voice does not need to be that loud.

Walking with your eyes closed is not being safe. You are not keeping your promise to help me keep others safe.

I am not sure why you tore up the NEW eraser I gave you. Do you REALLY think I am going to let you feed that to the tadpoles??!!!???!!!??

It is hard to work on your math problem when your head and arms are inside your shirt.

Are you being a bucket filler or a bucket dipper by fussing and arguing with her/him????

I am not sure why you are licking your hands and arm????? You are not a cat....we don't bathe ourselves with our tongue.

For a couple of days I repeated myself many, many times HOPING and PRAYING it would work like it usually does. My kiddos are almost always very good about taking helpful reminders. So, I had to remind myself of my favorite quote:

It is easy to blame the kiddos and think THEY are the ones that need to make the changes first. Now, please don't get me wrong- I am all for teaching the children to take responsibility for their choices and actions. THEY do need to learn better ways to handle situations and become problem solvers. But, I am the adult and should always reflect upon myself and what I am doing FIRST.

I also need to remember one of the key points of Conscious Discipline about how I cannot change a person or his/her behavior....only my reaction and feelings toward that person. I also needed to remind myself of what I tell my kiddos: No one can make you angry without your permission. YOU are the boss of your feelings.

I think we often get in ruts and find ourselves doing the same things over and over without really questioning and reflecting upon WHY we are doing it. We then get frustrated when things don't go the way we think they should. I need to remind myself more often that I would never find myself getting angry or upset with a kiddo that was struggling with math or reading. So ,why do we find ourselves growing so impatient with our children and their behavior???

Are the words I am saying building them up or knocking them down?

When our kiddos are struggling with their behavior are we letting them know we care enough about them to let them know that what they are doing is not okay? Are we encouraging them through these tough times?

I have realized with some of my Hoovers that the most powerful thing to do is encourage them. This is where I love Our School Family job of the Cheerleader. Instead of driving myself crazy thinking of how can I get these kiddos to stop_________________________, I had to think of what I wanted them to do. 

We had a School Family Meeting about celebrating each other. I started helping the Cheerleader this week really find LOTS and LOTS of ways to celebrate others...especially friends who were having a hard time making helpful choices and started to turn their thinking around.

I think we often fall back on some "insane" thinking when we are going through tough things ourselves. Often our kiddos might be crying out for love through some of their behavior so I want to remember that...

So, even though we want to say "You are driving me crazy"...

Stop and take a deep breath and remember-

I think our kiddos do too. =)

From My Heart to Yours,