Paintchip Contractions

I saw this great idea to help teach children contractions (not labor ones) ;-) (Example: Can't, Won't, Don't, etc...)

Take a paintchip (free at your local hardware store, and found in GLORIOUS colors!) I was so excited about this project, that I forgot to take a picture of one before cutting it!

So, pre-cut, it would look sort of like this:

I guess you don't HAVE to cut the sides off, but, I wanted all extra words/letters/numbers (that might distract/confuse), gone.

Then, write your words.

In the first box, your first word, second box, your second word, leave the third open, and your 'contraction' in the fourth.

Accordion fold the last box:

So it'll fold over like this:

And then you can see your contraction:

Here are all the ones I made. I only scratched the surface of contractions for my budding reader!

Rainbow Rice Fun

Hello!

I know several blogs that do "Wordless Wednesday" and post a super cute picture on Wednesdays instead of a traditional post.  Here's my spin on that. =)  It's the instructions for making Rainbow rice in picture form.  Then you have the pictures of my kiddos at the end exploring it - all self directed!  On their own they: mixed the rice, filled the eggs, hid the marbles, found the marbles, made it rain rice, made musical instruments, filled the jar (together!), and yes - even stood in it! =)  It was really fun to see how the interacted with the objects in pan (I used a 9X13 Pyrex dish).  Give it a shot!  {Written directions are at the bottom of the post.}

Ingredients

Per color:

1 c. white rice

1 glob food coloring gel

1/2 t. white vinegar

Place 1 c. rice in a zip lock bag or plastic container.  Add a glob of coloring gel with a toothpick and give it a quick swirl.  Add 1/2 t. white vinegar and seal your container.  Give it a REALLY good shake.  Now shake some more!  Make sure the color is evenly distributed.  Pour it out onto a plate of some sort and let dry - preferably overnight (I hid ours in the oven).  Repeat for as many colors as you'd like.  Layer into a 9X13 container or dish washing bin.  Add fun tools and your kiddos and watch what they do!