sunflowers

http://www.first-school.ws/activities/occasions/vangogh.htm art activities
http://www.sunflowernsa.com/all-about/default.asp?contentID=61 about sunflowers
http://www.sunflowers.com/commerce/index.php about sunflowers
http://www.kinderart.com/bulletin/vangoghsun.shtml bulletion board
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tsl/archives/99-1/lesson0024.shtml sunflower unit

Books
Sunflowers by Gail Saunders-Smith
Sunflower House by Eve Bunting
Van Gogh and the Sunflowers (Anholt's Artists Books for Children Series) by Laurence Anholt
S Is for Sunflower : A Kansas Alphabet by Devin & Corey Scillian,
Life as a Sunflower by Victoria Parker
From Seed to Sunflower by Anita Ganeri
The Life Cycle of a Sunflower by Linda Tagliaferro
Sam's Sunflower, Vol. 15 by Jillian Powell
Sunflower Farmer by Jessica Sarah Gunderson
This Is the Sunflower by Lola M. Schaefer
It's a Sunflower! by Elisa Peters
Sunflower by David M. Schwartz
Sunflowers up Close by Katie Franks
Sunflowers by John Prevost
Sunflowers by Mary Ann McDonald
From Seed to Sunflower by Sally Morgan

Ideas for reading

Here are some fun ideas for reading...not a lot of activities but should give you a place to start.
http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/storyhours/downloads.html

Circus

Reading a-z
Level F- A clown face
Level G- Let's go to the circus
Level K- To the circus

Books
Circus by Lois Ehlert
Olivia saves the circus by Ian Falconer
If I ran the circus by Dr. Seuss
Morris and Boris at the circus by B. Wiseman
Harold's Circus by Crockett Johnson
Clifford at the circus by Norman Bridwell
Circus Shapes by Stuart J. Murphy
Pippi goes to the circus by Astrid Lindgren
Oliver by Syd Hoff
Sidewalk Circus by Paul Fleischman
Circus caps for sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
Cam Jansen and the mystery of the circus clown by David Adler
The man who walked between the towers by Mordicai Gerstein
The worlds greatest elephant by Ralph Helfer
Mirette on the high wire by Emily Arnold McCulley
See the circus by H.A. Rey
Ballet of the elephants by Leda Schubert
The circus is coming by Hilary Knight
My circus family by Mary Dixon Lake
Circus Parad by Harriet Ziefert
Rodeo clowns by paul Kupperberg
How to be a clown by Catherine Perkins
Clown child by Amy Littlesugar
Circus clown abc by Denise Jordan
The circus surprise by Ralph Fletecher
Pamela camel by Bill Peet
Dad runs away with the circus by Etgar Keret

Websites
http://www.learningpage.com/ fact file sheets on zoo/circus animals (elephant, lion etc.)
http://www.juggle.org/howto/howtobasics.php juggling info
http://www.circusweb.com/circuswebFrames.html
http://www.circusworldmuseum.com/map.html (because this is in Baraboo also can teach about Wiscosin history)
http://www.starfall.com/ni/download/level-2/wk202.pdf circus journal (pages 40-41)
http://www.doj.state.wi.us/kidspage/fun_facts/greatcircus.htm fun facts for kids
http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/Themes/Circus/
http://www.edhelper.com/ circus
http://theshow.bigapplecircus.org/Home games
http://theorganization.bigapplecircus.org/About/StudyGuide/ teacher guide-- gives a lot of facts about the circus
http://www.theclownmuseum.org/ they are located in Milwaukee
http://www.ringling.com/activity/education/ lots of great teaching ideas (they even have science lessons!!)
http://www.preschoolbystormie.com/circus.htm
Snacks
http://www.dcrafts.com/circusnacks.htm
animal crackers (of course the ones in the small red box)
'candy' circus peanuts--those big orange 'peanuts'
http://www.preschooleducation.com/ccircus.shtml

Elementary Books

Cam Jansen (whole series of mysteries) by David A. Adler*(some have cassettes)

Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner*

Aunt Flossie's hats (and crab cakes later) by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard*
Bunnicula by Debroah and James Howe*
The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne* (some have cassettes/cds)
A-Z Mysteries by Ron Roy* (some have cassettes) various mystery books
Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin*
Dear Mrs. Larue : letters from obedience school / written and illustrated by Mark Teague. (you can find these (in hardback) for $2.50 at some Kohl's stories!!!)
Step into Reading series various books by various authors

Upper Elementary/Middle book ideas

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen*
The Skin I'm in by Sharon Flake*
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson*
Monster by Walter Dean Myers*
Shooter by Walter Dean Myers*
(Walter Dean Myers has a lot of other good books too!)
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis*

Books by Mildred Taylor
Roll of Thunder, Hear my cry*
The Friendship
The Gold Cadillac
Mississippi Bridge

The fighting ground by Avi
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen* (and there is a movie about this book!!!)
The Jacket by Andrew Clements
My name is Maria Isabel by Alma Flor Ada
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli*
Sounder by William Armstrong* (and a movie!!)
Joey Pigza Swolled the key by Jack Gantos*
Books with * are available on CD (or cassette) from the Milwaukee Public Library

Building a positive classroom environment

Check out the resources below for ideas on making your classroom a positive community...meaning that kids feel welcome, a sense of belonging, and want to learn- which in turn will make you want to come to work;)
Book Suggestions:
Power Struggles by Allen Mendler
He and Richard Curwin have a number of books (available at the library!)
*Discipline with Dignity
*Motivating students who don't care successful techniques for educators

Web resources
Probably best place to start with 'ideas' of what to do....LD online is GREAT!!!!!
http://www.ldonline.org/article/14545
http://www.plsweb.com/resources/newsletters/enews_archives/37/2004/09/07/
Some basic thoughts on EBD kids
http://www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/behavior.html
Beginning ideas on strategies
http://specialed.about.com/cs/behaviordisorders/a/Behavior.htm
More strategies and resources
http://specialed.about.com/od/behavioremotional/Behavior_aned_Emotional_Disabilities.htm
Variety of resources from Jim Wright (he does a lot with behavior)
http://www.interventioncentral.org/index.php

Camping

http://www.kinderkorner.com/camping.html
http://www.kinderart.com/across/fireflies.shtml
http://wilderdom.com/games/IdeasSummerCampActivities.html lots of activities, games, etc.

Reading A-Z
(level F) Our camping trip
Fishing with grandpa
(Level I) Camping with Bonk
(Level K) Fishing in the rain
(Level M) Snow camping
(Level V) Yosemite and the Badge

Books about camping:
Curious George Goes Camping by Margret Rey

Bailey Goes Camping by Kevin Henkes

Arthur Goes to Camp (Arthur Adventures Series) by Marc Brown

A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen

Fred and Ted Go Camping (Beginner Books Series)Peter Eastman

Danny and the Dinosaur Go to Camp (I Can Read Book Series: Level 1)by Syd Hoff

Arthur's Camp-Out: (I Can Read Book Series: Level 2) by Lillian Hoban

The Camping Caper (Scooby Doo #18) by Gail Herman

Tiny goes camping by Cari Meister

Camping Out by Mercer Mayer

Camp out by Lynn Brunelle

Camp Sponge Bob by Molly Reisner

When we camping by Margriet Ruurs

S is for s'mores: a camping alphabet by Helen Foster James

Camping by Adam Klein

Sleeping in a sack: camping activities for kids by Linda White

Tasting Marshmallows: camping poems by Kristine O'Connell George

A day at camp by Mercer Mayer

Princess LuLu goes to camp by Kathryn Cristaldi

Henry and Mudge (various books that could fit the camping theme) by Cynthis Rylant

Little Camp of horrors by R.L. Stine

Cam Jansen- The summer camp mysteries by David Adler

Summer Ball by Mike Lupica

Beany goes to camp by Susan Wojciechowski

A week in the wood by Andrew Clements

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Recipes

Make indoor s'mores:

use graham crackers, Kraft Marshmallow Fluff and chocolate bar (don't need to warm these up)

Make trail mix or GORP (good ole raisins and peanuts)

Make your own granola

Ants on a log (peanut butter on celery with raisins)

http://www.preschooleducation.com/ccamping.shtml