Monday, October 17, 2011

I Got Skills... Map Skills

As we were finishing our supper, I told my husband, "I've got to go post. If I don't, I think I'll die!" Okay, so that was a t-a-d over-dramatic. However, blogging, or lack there of, has been on my mind. I've had all of these ideas for posts, but I haven't had the time to get to it.

 I know I've read this often from other bloggers lately, but it is soooo true. BUSY, BUSY, B-U-S-Y! I am so busy! I don't even have time to sit in front of my computer for a spare thirty minutes while I watch my favorite shows. {I don't even have the time to get on my little smart phone!} I haven't blogged or read blogs in a week. The Horror! 

Oh, no! What is Cara up to? Did Abby create another fabulous lesson for me to drool over? Has Kerri posted about a new TLC art project that I'm dying to do? What about the Teeny Tiny Teacher??

I dunno??? I haven't had a chance to read about my bloggy friends' teacher lives.

Which is a nagging reminder to me that I am terrible at time management. Every year, I make a goal to work on this. AND every year, I find myself bogged down, staying at school late, bringing piles of work home, and spending my Sundays in my classroom. BOO! Will I ever get it right? Geez, I hope so.

Any whoo, one of the topics I wanted to post about was geography. I am totally repeating this from other bloggers, BUT it is an awesome activity! I first saw this on Pinterest which took me to Jenn's blog, Finally in First. This activity tied in with the story, Me on the Map. I used to have this story in my old reading series and I loved it so much, I got a copy of the book for my personal library. Which is good for me, since our new reading series doesn't have it. It has a similar story called, All on the Map {NOT as good!}

I make sure to include the story, Me on the Map, when I teach this other not-as-good story because it works well with the topic. I had the kiddidles make their own flap book like Jenn's class.


The kids used their pencils to draw and label the first two pages of the book. The rest of the flaps the kids wrote the labels but glued the map or picture onto the pages.







I really liked the color paper I ended up using. It makes the books look very pretty.

During the creation of said flap book, we hit a major pitfall in geographic knowledge of the continents.  My kids were l-o-s-t. They kept on saying country names, state names,  and I think I may have heard someone say our galaxy?? We needed an intervention, STAT! Luckily, I have this great game to play on the Smart Board which usually helps with this problem. {Side note: SmartBoard is only available at the computer lab. Can you say, "Bummer!"} Click {here} for the game.

This game is from National Geographic Kids and my kids love it. Oh, who am I kidding, I find myself playing it while the kids play, too. First, we'll play the game whole group and I'll choose one person to touch the board.  If the toucher needs assistance, the watching kids may only say the name of the continent rather than the color. It's like speaking english in a spanish class. NOT ALLOWED! The first day, they wanted to say the color names, not the continent names, so badly. But, as the days progress, they are learning those continent names, by golly!

Go play it. I dare you. You'll love it. BTW, may "all-time" high score is 14.

The next link is for a catchy 40 second song to learn those continents from Teacher Tipster. Click {here} for the YouTube song. 

My kids loved listening to this song and asked me to play it over and over and over again. I was singing it on my drive home from work today. I know my continents, baby!!

The next document is what I made to print the flap book for the kids. I added the page color on each sheet just as an idea for when I chose the colored printer paper. I didn't even use those colors. I found prettier colors, thank you!

Me on the Map Student Book

I feel so much better, now.
Have a great week and I hope to be back much sooner than seven days!

26 comments:

  1. You more than up for your little absence! All of this stuff is great! I teach continents in December-ish and I can't wait to do all of the above! :) Also, I am beaming with pride that you lumped me in with Cara and Abby! That's just PLAIN NUTS!! But thanks for the shout out! I am busy, too, but hanging in there. :)
    A Teeny Tiny Teacher

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  2. You are cracking me up!! You sound like so many of us!! Life takes over and we just can't do it all...although we think we can!!! Thank you so much for your flap book!!

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  3. We do this in the spring and I will add this to my collection. Thanks so much for sharing!
    Robynn
    BusyBees

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  4. I really like this! Thank you.

    ❀Barbara❀
    Grade ONEderful

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  5. Can I just say....THANK YOU! We are just finishing our firemen {patterns courtesy of you} after our fire safety visit on Friday. The map project is next on my list and you have saved me so much time by sharing your template-
    awesome!
    Primary Practice

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  6. I can't wait to use this when we get to Me on the Map. Thank you!

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  7. You are so sweet to give me a shout out!! And I love this map idea. I will so be using this when we get to Me on the Map!
    Thanks again,
    Kerri B
    teacherbitsandbobs.blogspot.com

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  8. Awesome!!!!!!!! I used this last year, but just did it on white. It's a great idea to do it on color! Love it!
    -Rachelle
    whattheteacherwants.blogspot.com

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  9. Why didn't I wait? I just made my own templates after I couldn't find any on line! Thanks for sharing. It will help a lot of other teachers.

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  10. Love the Flap Book! I did this with my kindergarteners this year. I didn't think to print the lables on- we used stick on labels. Also, we used squares instead of circles- made the cutting so much easier:)

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  11. I love this idea. My class will be starting a unit where maps will be important to know, and I thank you for sharing your great ideas!

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  12. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! This is perfect for the unit we just finished!!!

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  13. Just found you through Pinterest:) I am also a teacher in Flordia (4th Grade)....can you gmail me this.....I don't Facebook and it says I have to have that to download it:/
    tara.eiken1@gmail.com

    4th Grade Frolics

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  14. I am a teacher, clear over in Idaho! I would love this unit as well and it will not let me download the file. Would you mind emailing it to me? amccain.legacycharterschool@gmail.com

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  15. I've been looking for this and I love your version! Scribed won't let me download it either. Can you email it to me?
    anhudacek@gmail.com

    Thanks so much!!!

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  16. I love your version! Would you mind sending it to me as well? I'm not able to download from scribd. Thanks!! Melaniejarrett@gmail.com

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  17. I can not download from Scribd. Could you email me your version? I would appreciate it so much!
    kbronson@limacityschools.org

    Thank you!!
    Kerri

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  19. Love this!! It won't let me download it either. If you are sharing and could email it that would be great! Thank you!!

    lisadaniels67@sbcglobal.net

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  20. any chance you would be willing to email the me on the map templates? I can't download them...

    klucka@hamilton.k12.wi.us

    thanks!

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  21. our computer will not print in scribid either ... if you would be so wonderful as to email them to us as well! such a great tie in to the book! thank you soooo much!

    mumaw-a@troy.k12.oh.us

    ana.mumaw@gmail.com

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  22. I can not download from Scribd. Could you email me your version? I would appreciate it so much!

    kcontopulos@gmail.com

    Thank you,
    Kendall

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  23. Thank you SO MUCH for the templates for "Me on the Map". I searched and search and found them on your sight -- so each to download!

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