Earth Day Book and Activity Packet and Spring Freebie

Hello! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Today I want to share an Earth Day and spring freebie resource I created for Teachers Pay Teachers. I have used many resources off of TpT, but this is the first time I have uploaded a resource that I’ve created. In kindergarten I like to do a mini unit during Earth Day week to discuss reducing, reusing and recycling and the importance of taking care of the earth.

Science

On the first day of the week, I like to start with a science experiment for students to observe throughout the entire week. I use this lesson from Mystery Science where students compare plants that have sunlight and those that are in complete darkness. If you school does not subscribe to Mystery Science, they are offering a free trial on their website until June 2022. They also offer Earth Day mini lessons. You can easily do this day without the Mystery Science lesson, but it does add a fun aspect.

Activities:

  • Earth Day word search (in packet)
  • Earth Day write the room (in packet) I split the class in half and have half work on the word search and the other half do the write the room activity. Once students begin finishing the write the room activity, I will have them do the word search and send someone doing the word search to start the write the room. This keeps things a bit less chaotic.
  • The Lorax is a fun way to end the week. We normally do a special snack while we watch the video. It leads to good discussion about why trees are important and using your voice to make change.

Books:

  • Earth Day printable book– I use the book from the Earth Day resource on Teachers Pay Teachers to read with the class. Teaching kindergarten, I project the book and read it to the whole class. I also give each student a copy for their book bins to read during independent/partner reading.
  • The Earth Book by Todd Parr– This is a great book for younger learners. It is age appropriate and give practical ways that kids can take care of the earth such as turning lights off and recycling.
  • Recycle! by Gail Gibbon– This book has a lot of factual information about recycling. It has nice illustrations on each page as well.
  • Be a Friend to Trees by Patricia Lauber- This book about trees is informational and is easy to understand. It also has nice illustrations and diagrams. It discusses why trees are important and different ways people and animals depend on animals.
  • From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbon– This book is wonderful to cover the life cycle of a plant. There are nice diagrams that explain the process. For kindergarten, there is a lot of valuable, age appropriate information, but I do skip over a couple of pages that are a bit more complex. I think it would be perfect for first/second grade.

What activities do you like to do for Earth Day?

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for Amazon.

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Must Have Breast Pumping Items

Whether you are exclusively pumping or pumping at work, there are a few things that will make pumping easier and a better experience. I am not an expert, just a mama who has pumped to build a supply and while working. These are some of my favorite must have breast pumping items.

Must have breast pumping accessories to have whether you are pumping to build a supply, exclusively pumping or pumping at work. 10 Must Have Items for Pumping.

Breast Pump

A good pump is obviously an important thing to have. Having a good pump will help with milk production and the amount you pump. I have the Medela Pump in Style pump. It is easy to learn the settings and use. This was a pump I was able to get 100% free through insurance.

Water and Snacks

Water and eating enough calories is extremely important for milk production. Every time I sit down to nurse I get extremely thirsty, so I always make sure to have a bottle of water when I pump too. Eating a good snack while pumping is a great way to get in a few extra calories for the day also.

Hands-free pumping bra

A pumping bra is nice to have to hold the pump in place and free up your hands. When I pumped at work, a pumping bra allowed me to answer a few emails during that time instead of holding the pump in place. This is definitely a must for comfort.

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What to Pack in a Newborn and Toddler Diaper Bag

Today I’m excited to share what’s in my diaper bag with a newborn and toddler. Before I had my daughter, I did share a what’s in my toddler diaper bag post, but now that we have a newborn too, I needed to add some things to our bag. I still use the TWELVElittle Diaper backpack. If you would like to see a full review of this diaper bag, click here.

Newborn Items

  1. Diapers and wipes- It is recommended that you bring one diaper for every hour that you plan to be gone.
  2. Change of clothes- We need our spare outfit more time than not, so this is something I always make sure to replace.
  3. Swaddle blanket- My daughter was born in December in Michigan, so I make sure to have a swaddle in case it is cold where we go. If you have your baby in the summer, this may be an item you can skip.
  4. Burp clothes
  5. Nursing cover- This is a preference item for me as I prefer to cover up when I nurse.
  6. Changing pad- Many diaper bags come with a changing pad. I leave mine in the bag just in case we need it.

Additional items you may want to include in your newborn diaper bag: Pacifier, formula/bottle, diaper cream

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Amazon Must-Haves for Teachers in 2021

Hello! I am so excited to share my most used Amazon must-haves for teachers in 2021 that every teacher should have. I teach kindergarten, but I think that all of these items can be used for older grades as well. 

Amazon Must-Haves for Teachers in 2021

Amazon Basic Laminator

When looking for a laminator I debated between a Scotch laminator and the Amazon Basics one, but settled on this one after getting a great deal on Prime Day. I have had this machine for a couple of years and have laminated hundreds of sheets of paper I am very happy with this product. The lamination sheets are thicker and more durable than the large lamination machine a school.

Scotch Thermal Laminating Pouches

The Scotch Thermal Laminating Pouches are perfect for laminating activities for students because they are thick and durable. The best part is, you can laminate the whole sheet of paper, then cut out the activity. There is no need to cut out the activity before laminating because the pouches don’t easily peel. They sell the pouches in packs of 100 or 200 sheets (I normally purchase a 200 pack for the school year with my yearly school allowance)

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What Should My Child Know Before Kindergarten

It can be tough to know what your child should know before kindergarten. I remember when I was in kindergarten, I went to school for half day. We sang songs, listened to story time and played. Not only are many kindergarten programs whole day now, the day is filled with much more academics. Kindergarten has essentially transitioned into what first grade used to be.

These days, students are learning much more at a quicker pace. By the end of the school year, they are expected to know their letter names and sounds and to begin reading books. We learn to identify numbers in math and count. We quickly transition into basic addition, subtraction and comparing groups. In my experience, students who start kindergarten with some prior academic knowledge, have a much easier time learning the materials we cover. There are a few things I recommend students know before beginning kindergarten.

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