Catching Up with Room 13

Not only was there reading and sharing books today but many more activities were scheduled for the afternoon.  I was unsure the class could make it through what I thought was a long list but they surprised me coming in right on time by 3:25 dismissal.  
The letter for the day P . So it was only fitting they'd turn the letter P into a pig.

Looks simple enough? Not exactly. This photo is the teacher's copy. Note the curly tail made with a pipe cleaner wound around a pencil. 
First off just staying on line cutting was a challenging task. Second rounding corners on pig's ears produced some of the tiniest ears you have seen. Cutting white triangles to glue in the ears also was a challenge. I can tell you with certainty at the end of the project not one pig looked the same! But they didn't care, just happy to show off their work.

A song fest of Five Little Pumpkins Sitting on Fence 

followed by a brief playtime certainly rejuvenated the group.

This gave me some time to check out the fancy kid apparel. 

Hello Kitty shoes







Next on the agenda was a monster project which involved many, many steps. The art activity was spread out over several days. 

"Go Away Big Green Monster" is a wonderful interactive book by Caldecott Award-winning author-artist Ed Emberley. He has created an ingenious way for children to chase away their nighttime fears. Kids can turn the pages of this die-cut book and watch the Big Green Monster grow. Then, when they're ready to show him who's in charge, they'll turn the remaining pages and watch him disappear! Now in his eighties, Ed Emberley has been creating original books since the 1960s. He has written and illustrated more than 100 books and is perhaps best known for his beloved how-to-draw books for kids such as: Ed Emberley's Big Green Drawing Book, Ed Emberley's Drawing Book of Faces, and Ed Emberley's Great Thumbprint Drawing Book, and many others. I loved this book and I must say so did the kids. Great for ages 4-7.
All this monster work went on a door display with the hopes their classroom will win a prize this Friday for most creative door based on a book. They certainly get my vote.  

Nap time for kindergartners was eliminated decades ago but today I could have used one after an afternoon of being a classroom helper and a 4 hour morning drive from Up North to the cities to get there.  
Cook's notes: An easy autumn kid-friendly treat.

Owl Cookies
Cook's note: These cookies can also be made with your favorite peanut butter cookie recipe. Recipe adapted from Taste of Home and makes 9 large cookies.
Ingredients:

• 1 tube refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough at room temperature
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 18 yellow candy coating disks
• 18 semisweet chocolate chips
• 9 pieces candy corn
• canned frosting

Directions:

• In a large bowl beat cookie dough and flour till combined
• Set aside 4 -1/2 tsp. of dough for ears
• Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls into nine mounds 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet
• Coat the bottom of a glass with cooking spray
• Flatten dough with glass to about 1/8 inch thickness
• Position two candy coating disks on each cookie for eyes
• Place a chocolate chip on each disk
• Use 1/4 tsp. of reserved dough to shape each ear-position on top of head
• Bake @ 350 8- 10 minutes
• Immediately position candy corn on each cookie for beak
• Cool 2 minutes before removing

Note: Above are the original directions but I had more success with the following:
immediately after taking cookies out of oven then press candy disks into cookie for eyes and using a little frosting to attach chocolate chip to disk.