A Kindergarten Smorgasboard of Art and Writing

TGIF!  I totally expected a snow day today...but it was a no go.  Those days are the worst.  You go to bad expecting snow and ice and so you're up and down constantly checking your phone for the news that you have a day off.  And it doesn't come.  All of the other counties around are closed.  Maybe...maybe...nope.  Off to work we go!  And we survived!!

Today I want to share a couple of random (really?!  Surprise, Mr. Greg being random and all over the place!  SPARKLY!  ADD!) happenings from Monsters Inc!  It's a kindergarten smorgasboard of art and writing!  Hang on to your thematic teacher sweaters!

This week we have been talking about Martin Luther King (yeah yeah I know!  We're late...but since I had the FLEP last week, I wanted to do it this week...and by the way the FLEP now has a new addition.  I know, I'm so lucky.  Now, it's the FLERP because I have a cold sore so the Mister added the R.  A walking virus am I!)  Anyways...enough about my viruses, let's focus people!

It is always powerful to hear the innocence of children when discussing issues of race and inequality.  The shock that they show when they hear that people were treated differently because they were different is astounding.  It really does disturb them.  I love to hear them express that everyone is the same and we all love each other.  If only the world were more like kids!  We did a simple art project to go with our writing.  Our writing prompt was "I have a dream..." and we spend a great deal of time talking about the difference between a nighttime dream and a dream to help the world be better.    I was very pleased with my monsters thoughtful and authentic dreams!    The writing paper was something I created for my monsters.  They drew themselves in the circle so that it was their dream coming from their brain!  I love how kids see themselves!

Our art project was a paper plate with hands around the outside.  The picture in the middle was a coloring page that the monsters colored and cut out!

"I have a dream to give people peace."

"I have a dream to be peaceful."

"I have a dream to be nice to my friends!"  Simple and powerful.

We also did some fun snow art this week!  This was my favorite!  How cute are these?!

I really just love these things!  They're hanging from our ceiling!  We finally took down Santa Clauses! hehe  Better late than never...

The snowman craftivity is a freebie on the freebies page!  Just click the picture to visit the freebies page!

Now, here is THE BIG EXCITING NEWS!  Both of these art projects were completed using the infamous and must sought after GLUE SPONGE!  (Do you hear the fanfare and drums?!)  Yep.  It works and works pretty well.  We've not touched a glue stick all week.  Our tables are clean, are hands are clean and Mr. Greg isn't losing the glue battle.  I AM VICTORIOUS!!!!!  

Here are some tips for the glue sponge:  

*pour a bottle of glue in the bottom and a bottle of glue on top and mist with water.

**let sit for a few days.

***spritz with water at the end of each day!  

I am in love with this thing!  

Here is what we're going to be using in our classroom over the next few weeks! Check out these common core aligned activities