Recess and physical education are a super important part of the day, particularly with kids spending nearly all hours inside. Today, my kids decided to stretch out their morning language arts time by writing their own stories, so language arts and math time nearly collided. I needed a break, so I figured the kids did, too.
At their elementary school, they will sometimes use GoNoodle on YouTube for indoor recess time or for rewards for positive behavior. So, when I asked the kids today how they wanted to get some energy out between language arts and math, they both chose GoNoodle.
This is their current favorite video: PopSee Ko 2.0.
It's catchy, it's short, it's kind of funny, and it encourages movement and a much-needed break. I'll admit to joining my kids in a couple rounds of this, and it lifted my spirits, too.
Check out the GoNoodle YouTube channel for lots of other songs and games that are free and encourage kids to move and play.
I am convinced we have a superhero for a classroom kindergarten teacher. In the last two months, she taught every kid in her class (26 kids total! 20 of them are boys!) the two songs below. Now my 6-year-old knows every state name (in alphabetical order) and every US President (in chronological order). States song The "50 States That Rhyme" is one of many versions out there. I like how the video shows the outlines of each state along with the name of each state.
Here are some basic activities you can do with this video as a starting point: 1) Memorize it! What better time to play a song on repeat :)
2) Alphabetize it Today my kids alphabetized the states using this song. They each had a piece of paper and paused the song at each state name. So, they were practicing writing, spelling, and geography (and they were working together to share one iPad, another great life skill). 3) Map it Find each state on the map. Print and fill out one of these free printable maps. Learn state abbreviations. 4) Game-ify it Use index cards, cut up cardstock, or even cut up notebook paper to make flashcards. Create a big "flashcard map" on the floor, putting each flashcard where the state is roughly located in relation to the rest of the country. 5) Research it Choose a state to learn more about. Lots of choices here. I'll share more specific ideas about larger projects in a future post. Presidents song There are a lot of these songs, too, but this happens to be the one my kid memorized.
I would recommend similar activities with this song as I would with the states song. Knowing all the US Presidents in order is an amazing party trick -- I still haven't mastered it myself. It's also going to make learning AP US History a lot easier in high school. My heart bursts when my kindergartener reminds me that Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President or that Grover Cleveland was President twice (but not in a row). What educational songs do you love on YouTube? Please leave a comment to share ideas!
With the world currently on fire, everyone I know is starting to homeschool their kids. Rather than feeling completely overwhelmed, let me recommend starting by buying some no-prep packets on Teachers Pay Teachers (TPT).
My personal favorite seller for preschool through early-to-mid elementary school is The Moffatt Girls. I love their no-prep packets. (Here's a link to the 1st grade no-prep bundle.) You can buy a month's worth of math and literacy worksheets for about $6-8. A monthly packet is 40-60 pages, depending on the month. Or, if you're ready to commit, you can buy an entire year's bundle (all the months) for about $50-60 (prices change depending on if they're running a sale).
What packets you should buy for your kid is a very personal decision. Fortunately, you can preview materials from all TPT sellers before you commit. In The Moffatt Girls' packets, my 2nd grader is currently working on the November materials of the 3rd-grade year-long bundle. My (advanced) kindergartener is in January of the 2nd-grade bundle.
So, start here!
I recommend hole punching a month's worth of worksheets and putting them into one three-ring binder per kid. You can do way more advanced organizing, but we're in survival mode, people. More ideas to come. Stay tuned!
