fairy tales & the kindergarten ball.

We always spend 2 days in May learning about fairy tales and reviewing manners.  Ok, so maybe I take it over the top pretending the kids are proper ladies and gentlemen and telling them to say things like "You look dashing, darling!" in a little British accent, but I've discovered they're much more likely to use their manners if they think it's covered by a joke.  ;)

I feel like a broken record saying "Because of 3-5 EOY testing, we didn't get as many activities done as planned..." but when you have 3 additional kinders because their teacher was pulled to proctor and 3 additional 3rd graders {with no materials} staying with you while they wait for their one-on-one modifications, you just practice that thing we teachers love most: f-l-e-x-i-b-i-l-i-t-y.

Instead of having the kids decorate a pre-cut crown, I let them watercolor all over a piece of white construction paper and took it to the die-cut machine when dry.  I got 2 large & 2 small pieces out of each picture which was waaaaaaay more than enough once the ends were stapled together.  The kids loved coming in and seeing their artwork made new!

After discussing magic and putting spells on people, we created our own magic wands!  I just googled for a star outline, let the kids color and cut them out and used my handy-dandy hot glue gun to add some tinsel and a popsicle stick.  Then they sequined to their little hearts' content.

My kids love our puppet theatre so we practiced with The 3 Little Pigs before I turned them loose to reenact other favorites or make up their own stories.  Yes, I know there is no lion in The 3 Little Pigs, but we couldn't find a wolf.  And who am I to remind the kids of that fact when it was their suggestion to use our old pal, Leo.  That's problem solving, I say!

Does anyone else think that their best ideas are the ones you come up with ON THE SPOT?!  That's where these houses came from.  I went next door to let my neighbor borrow The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs and saw these cute little houses on her table.  She was doing something different with them but I thought...Ta-da!  Little Pig Houses!!  They drew bricks, used yarn for straw and we went on a nature walk to collect actual sticks.  Next year I plan to use actual hay but for an impromptu lesson, it worked!

The writing is a P.O.V. activity that we did after reading the true story.  The kids said whether they believe the pigs or the wolf and explained why.

{print pig puppets from Gogoland}

I believe the wolf because he was getting
sugar for his grandma's birthday cake.

I believe the pigs because the wolf was
just trying to not get in trouble.

We also completed activities from my Peter Pan & Beauty and the Beast units on TpT.  Both *free* because I'm new at creating units.  I just ask that if you use them you leave me feedback, share my blog with others and think about helping me out by rating my products on TpT.