5 Colored Ghosts

We have been working on re-telling stories.  And one of my goals for the year is to add more puppetry in the classroom.  Each year in Kindergarten, I see children struggle more and more with the classroom puppets.  I stumbled upon a wonderful story about 5 colored ghosts.

Simply, they are white because they eat only white food, such as mashed potatoes, milk, white bread, sugar cookies, vanilla ice cream and more.  My boys added "marshmallows, cheese" and more.

  After mommy leaves, they of course adventure on their own and eat broccoli, blueberries, strawberries, orange juice (This ghost thought "drinking" was safer than eating.) and chocolate chip cookies.  Not sure if you can see, but the last one had "chocolate chips... all over.

Mom comes back and says, "I know what you have been doing!  So you will all have a glass of milk and go right to bed."  In the morning, when they woke up, they were all white again!  (Don't you love the ending.)  Check out the  Time for Play blog (click on the name) for the complete story.

I am crazy about this because each student made their own set of the puppets.  They are "reversible" and so simple.  I did the first show and made a big deal about setting up the stage by covering a table with a sheet.  This led to a wonderful discussion on how they could do it at home with chairs... and more.  We are taking turns each day to tell it again.  I love that you can change whatever they eat, just so long as the color matches.  The boys totally get it and we have had great success.  I sure hope you try it.  Let me know if you do!

"5 Days of Halloween"

It has been too long since my last post.

I have been very busy with my class.  They are wonderful group of energetic boys with a thrill for learning.  We have made collage fall leaves, glyph scarecrows, learned about apples and pumpkins, and so much more.

One of my favorite holidays is Halloween.  Each year we sing a Halloween song to the melody of "The 12 Days of Halloween."  

On the first day of Halloween, my true love gave to me, an owl in a spooky old tree.

On the 2nd day of Halloween, my true love gave to me, 2 jack-o-lanterns, and...

On the 3rd day of Halloween, my true love gave to me, 3 bats-a-flapping...

On the 4th day of Halloween, my true love gave to me, 4 witches flying...

On the 5th day of Halloween, my true love gave to me, 5 scary ghosts...

One year my class was sad that was all there was.  So we added more!

On the 6th day of Halloween, my true love gave to me, 6 goblins gobling...

On the 7th day of Halloween, my true love gave to me, 7 mummies marching...

On the 8th day of Halloween, my true love gave to me, 8 spiders spinning...

On the 9th day of Halloween, my true love gave to me, 9 monsters marching...

On the 10th day of Halloween, my true love gave to me, 10 vampires dripping...

On the 11th day of Halloween, my true love gave to me, 11 mice a munching...

On the 12th day of Halloween, my true love gave to me, 12 trick or treaters.

Today we got together with our 9th grade buddies and illustrated our own copies of the book.  They all had a blast.  We just did "5 days of Halloween."

Here are some photos.  Try it in your own classroom!  Happy Halloween.