There is nothing more heartwarming for a new teacher or classroom teacher than to see children making friends in early childhood. These friendships may change from day to day, week to week, or may be long term.

Parents are often at pains to know from you if their child is mixing well and if they have special friends that they spend time with each day. It can be worrying for parents to see their child playing alone or being excluded from a group of children.

How can you play a role in making sure that your young students are making friends when they come into your classroom? This article is going to give you some teaching strategies and suggestions on how to ensure that children are interacting with each other on a regular basis.

How a Skilled Teacher Can Ensure that Students are Making Friends While in School

A skilled teacher will learn teaching strategies to make sure children are included within groups. It takes even greater skills to orchestrate and nurture a friendship between two or three children. It is wise to remember that not all children will be compatible and some will just not get along together at all.

It is unwise to expect all children to like each other and start making friends right away. A good rule of thumb is to look at your own friendships and see what cements them. You will find that similar interests, familiar personality traits, nonthreatening behaviors, laughter, empathy, inclusion, predictability, and just being there for each other, are all positive attributes for forging friendships.

Is it possible that children are capable of the exact same thing?

Children will be practicing a basic form of these attributes. They may like their little friend to share their toys, not physically hurt them, be happy, always ask them to play, sit next to them at lunch, or like holding hands.

The seeming simplicity of children’s friendships is a reflection of the more mature friendships of adults. The underlying principles are the same. Sometimes the questions are the same too. For example, the question, “Do you like me?”

That is a question asked by all of us at some point in our lives. It may be asked out loud when we are a child and be more intuitive and silent as we get older.

To help children form friendships a teacher or care taker needs to be sensitive and familiar with each child’s personality. To encourage friendships you may want to do the following:

1. Get to know each child well.
2. Look for similar traits in children.
3. Observe for already budding friendships and encourage them.
4. Promote tolerance in play.
5. Set an example as a friend.
6. Facilitate friendships by entering play with a quiet or shy child.
7. Be supportive of an assertive child.
8. Read stories about friendship to the children, and ask questions.

We all like to make friends and our ability to do this started in childhood with encouragement from parents, teachers and care takers. So, is making friends always easy?

The Process of Making Friends

The process of making friends is different for children depending on the age group you are talking about. It isn’t uncommon for children to make friends quickly when they are very young, and for some children this may take some time.

Remember, children each come from different backgrounds and family settings, which means that they may not be capable of making friends with someone that they have just met or have only known for just a few weeks, months, and sometimes it could take a few years.

Children are quite impressionable, and they are going to model what we as teachers and parents live in front of them. When we form relationships with others, our children and students are always watching, so be mindful of this.

If we want children to form healthy friendships and love relationships, then we need to model that for them. Do you feel that you as a parent have gone a good job? Have you as a teacher studied more about children forming relationships and how to help them better?

As a teacher your work is never done, and it shouldn’t be if you are still teaching and working with children in the classroom.

St. Patrick’s Day, as an official holiday in the United States, was first celebrated on March 17, 1780, in Morristown, New Jersey. It was authorized by none other than George Washington himself!

The first Saint Patrick’s Day celebration took place in pre-Revolutionary Times in the United States in 1762. Today, the largest Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in the world is held in New York City. Over 150,000 people march in the parade every year. New Yorkers have also created some unique Saint Patrick’s Day customs, such as eating green bagels, drinking from green water fountains, and lighting up the Empire State Building in green lights.

St. Patrick, born Maewyn Succat, was born about 387 A.D. in Northern Wales and died March 17, 493 A.D. For the time period, he lived a very adventurous life. When he was 16 years old, pirates captured him and he was taken to Ireland. Here, as a slave, he tended sheep for the next six years. He embraced Christianity during this time period of his life. It was only after he had escaped to France that he became a monk and changed his name to Patrick. A vision in 432 A.D. directed him to return to Ireland to bring Christianity to her people.

Items associated with St. Patrick’s Day

There are many items associated with Ireland and St. Patrick’s Day apart from the saint himself. You will often see them in the decorations, people wearing them, telling stories about them, and more.

What follows is a list of many of the common items associated with St. Patrick’s Day, Ireland or being Irish, to help give you some ideas of the kinds of decorations or projects and activities you can do with the children. We have tried to give a variety of ideas for each. Use these ideas based on your children’s interests and ages and pitch the activities to their levels and abilities.

Green

If you are Irish, or just want to join in the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, you will want to get out some green clothes to wear and you might even find a few sprigs of real shamrock to wear in your buttonhole in the same way that you would wear a rose in your lapel. You can make any green decorations, from paper chains to shamrocks.

The Shamrock

Shamrock is a three-leafed clover that covers Ireland and was part of their mythology because they naturally formed a triad. Shamrocks are much different from the four-leaf clover. These Shamrocks are more popular in the United States than in Ireland and are said to bring good luck. St. Patrick was said to have taught about the holy Trinity using the shamrock, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The shamrock appears in a great number of items associated with Ireland, and can be used as a decoration in its own right, or part of a decorative display, card and so on.

The Harp

The harp is another traditional symbol of Ireland. The poets of Ireland would recite their legends and history to the accompaniment of a harp. The harp is therefore another common symbol of Ireland that can be seen on many banners and coats of arms.

Leprechauns

Another traditional Irish invention is leprechaun; the leprechaun is an Irish fairy that looks resembles an old man. It is said that this fairy has a pot of gold which can only be found by following the sound of his hammer. If you can catch the fairy, people say that he’ll give you his pot of gold. Other legends say that you can always find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. They are known for playing tricks.

Researching any and all of these topics should lead to some beautiful artwork the whole family can enjoy for the holidays.

Some arts and crafts ideas you can use

If you want to decorate your house for a family celebration or a party, you will want gather together or buy some basic art supplies and then get the kids together to start making all of their St. Patrick’s Day related items.

Construction paper in orange, white, green and gold will work well, or the colors of the rainbow if you want to incorporate that motif into your St. Patrick’s Day decorations.

Card Making

Kids love to make cards for special occasions, so you can have them make a St. Patrick’s Day card for everyone in the family. Use construction paper, stickers, stamps and more.

Coloring Projects

Check the dollar store and local card store for any holiday themed books, coloring books, stencils, and so on. You can also look online for great activity sheets and more.

Painting Projects

Your children can use the line drawing to paint them as well as color them. They can also add them to posters, maps of Ireland, or other painting projects. If your child is good at art, they might want to try their hand a painting of a famous location in Ireland.

Decorations

The kids can decorate the house in a number of ways for St. Patrick’s Day. They will probably get started in school making shamrocks, pots of gold, rainbows and more. They can use the coloring pages as a starting point, or downloads from the Internet or your greeting card software disk.

You can also use their coloring and painting projects on the refrigerator, walls, in the windows and more. With construction paper, you can make streamers of shamrocks, paper chains in green, white and gold, or various shades of green, and so on. Any leftover green or gold or even silver items left over from Christmas can be used for great looking décor.

Ireland and the United States are not the only countries that celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. People in Singapore, Russian, Japan, Australia and many other countries celebrate it, too. For example, the Seoul Shamrock Society in Korea organizes a week-long festival, with poetry readings, folk music concerts, a parade, and, of course, lots of green!

]]> http://www.howtoforteachers.com/some-facts-on-st-patricks-day/feed/ 0 http://www.howtoforteachers.com/hand-washing-make-it-part-of-your-teaching-routine/ http://www.howtoforteachers.com/hand-washing-make-it-part-of-your-teaching-routine/#comments Fri, 01 Feb 2013 05:40:27 +0000 Heather Collins http://www.howtoforteachers.com/?p=623

Hand washing is so important, because germs love schools. The nature of the school environment makes it an ideal place for germs to spread. There is a broad spectrum of microbes out there just waiting for the opportunity to re-infect and multiply – everything from the common cold right through to whooping cough.

As an educator it is an essential part of your teaching strategy to teach the importance of hand washing and the correct techniques. Research has shown that this is the best method to combat the spread of germs, so it is the first line of defense.

What Children Should be Taught About Hand Washing

It’s important that children should be taught the following about hand washing:

• Eating
• Touching or preparing food
• Visiting someone who is sick so as not to take infection with them
• Treating or touching wounds – eg changing a Band-Aid
• Before cleaning their teeth

Children should be taught to wash their hands after:

• Going to the bathroom
• Coming indoors after being outside
• Sneezing or coughing
• Putting rubbish in the garbage bin
• Preparing food (also during if they are touching raw and cooked foods so as not to cross contaminate)
• Patting animals or cleaning up after their pets
• If they have been to a doctor or dental appointment
• If they have been in contact with someone who is sick

When teaching children to wash their hands:

• Have a ‘How to Wash Your Hands’ chart laminated and placed on the wall near the hand basins. For younger children ensure that this has pictorial as well as written instructions
• Demonstrate how to wash their hands – show them how to wash their fingers, back of their hands, the palms, wrists and most importantly under their fingernails. Use soap and warm water if possible
• Reinforce the importance of drying their hands on a clean towel or paper towel
• Make sure that they wash their hands for 20 to 30 seconds
• For preschoolers incorporate a favorite song into the hand washing procedure. Use a Transition Verse to make the transition from their current activity to hand washing easy and fun. Send only three to five children at a time to avoid ‘mayhem’ at the basins.
• For older children establish a three foot rule. Encourage the students to stand at least three feet (1 meter) away from their peers when interacting with them whenever possible.
• Discourage children from sharing items which have been in their mouth, such as lip balm, mouth guards and eating and drinking utensils. Even if they are washing their hands thoroughly it has been shown that the sharing of such items spreads germs.

How You Can Easily Teach Children About Hand Washing

Incorporating hand washing procedure into the general routine or the class environment, no matter what learning setting you are in, will enable your students to learn this as a part of normal routine.

If this is then reinforced in the home environment then the child will have learned an effective and essential cleanliness habit for life. Send a leaflet showing the correct hand washing technique in your newsletter to encourage this.

The simple technique of effective hand washing will decrease the spread of germs within the learning environment, keeping all children in the environment safe and prevent a pandemic!

There is plenty of research that shows that keeping hands clean can stop or prevent the spread of germs in almost all cases. It’s better to emphasize this habit as a daily part of the routine, rather than NOT at all.

Wouldn’t you want to know that after another child or adult used the restroom that they washed their hands before touching your food or anything else that you would come into contact with?

Offer an Open House with Parents to Encourage Hand Washing at Home

As you know the children are not in your hands once they go home, and their parents may or may not encourage this practice of washing their hands. So, what do you do? It might be best to offer an Open House type event so that you can share your thoughts and techniques on hand washing to prevent the spread of germs and encourage good health in the school environment.

Don’t worry as to whether or not parents would be offended. You can simply tell them that you wanted to share with them what you were teaching in class, so that they will know more about what you are trying to accomplish with the children while they are in your care.

It’s important that you share what you have found in research, and how that translates into better care for their children overall. Parents would surely want you to do what is in the best interest of their children’s lives, right?

Earth Day Worksheets

Teach Children that Earth Day is a Birthday for the Planet

Teach them using Earth Day Worksheets that it is a special day to celebrate the wonderful world in which we live and how we can conserve and look after it. This will give a sense of occasion and excitement to children and allow them to look forward to the event.

There are many lessons to be taught about the planet and the best way is to use worksheets that absorb the children’s interest and suggest some projects and exercises that can be done that educate and have a fun element. There are many resources for home schoolers and teachers and you will have just as much fun planning your Earth Day lessons as teaching the children.

Make sure that a brief overview of Earth Day and how it began is described and what it means to us if we use up the planet’s resources and treat it with disrespect.

Children learn by example and worksheets can lay the foundations for teachers and parents to actively demonstrate behaviours that children will mimic such as not littering the environment, recycling, saving electricity, not wasting water, and walking instead of using the car.

Worksheets are a useful educational tool and Earth Day worksheets are readily available and designed for purpose. There are advantages and disadvantages to worksheets they are easy to correct, they help the child internalise the concepts, they can be performed with minimal supervision and provide a record of learning. Disadvantages can be that the information learned does not stay in long-term memory and often does not link to other areas of learning. For Earth Day worksheets, there is a very specific topic and the celebration aspect will reinforce learning.

Look for Earth Day worksheets that teach children about ecology and the extinction of species where possible and help them to understand how fragile our planet is and what they can do to make a difference.

Earth Day Worksheets – General

Earth Day worksheets of this type explain in simple terms what global warming is and gives tips on how the child can make a difference by walking more, using less energy by switching off lights and recycling glass, plastic and cans. There are relevant projects the children can do on their own such as remind their parents to keep car tyres properly inflated to save on fuel. They can choose to write a poem about global warming or write a letter to the government.

Some Earth Day worksheets present ongoing challenges that the child can do while updating the activity on the worksheet as each task in the project is completed. Some typical challenges would be to use a recyclable bag when going shopping with parents, plant some flowers or a small tree and similar environmental awareness tasks.

Earth Day Worksheets – Nature

Hands on Earth Day worksheets are great fun for children and will bring out their inner explorer as they conduct their own research into different questions and to complete tasks. There are simple pollution tests that can be done under supervision. To tell what is in the air we breathe, smear petroleum jelly onto several sheets of paper (recycled of course!). Put the papers in different locations say near a busy road, a factory, and backyard. After two days collect the paper and decide which is the dirtiest and what is says about those places.

Planting wildflowers is another practical project. Lots of wild flowers are declining in numbers as natural habitats are lost. Help conserve them by letting the children make a wildflower garden.

Earth Day Worksheets – Endangered Species

This type of Earth Day worksheet will appeal to animal lovers and draw in the concept that animals are an essential link in our lives and their presence on the planet is part of the environment. They can be taught why species are declining and worksheets will give them a project like drawing and telling the story of an animal. Allow them to choose their favourite animal and the worksheets on these topics will suggest tasks.

For every subject there will be relevant Earth Day worksheets available. The internet is a great source for finding worksheets to suit every child and cover Maths, Science, and English all with Earth Day topics. Projects for colouring, researching, experimenting, writing, and making things are readily available and this makes Earth Day worksheets a valuable and convenient teaching aid.

Our Earth Day worksheets are ideal for homeschooling.


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Habitat Information for Grades 3-4-5 and Free Download

A habitat is the place where an animal lives. A healthy habitat provides the animal with all the things it needs to survive like air, food, water and shelter. Animals also need adequate space, also known as their territory. Habitats are made up of both living things like plants and bacteria as well as non-living things like rocks and water.

There are many different types of habitats on our planet. Major habitats like deserts, the Arctic tundra, rainforests and the ocean have their own special characteristics. They often have very different climates, vegetation and animal life. The animals are specially adapted to live in their particular habitat. Polar bears thrive in the Arctic, but would not last very long in the desert.

Not all habitats are large. There are smaller habitats within the larger habitats. Take the desert for instance. Animals like coyotes may live in the wide open space, but scorpions often make their homes under rocks and certain birds nest in cactus plants.

Plants and animals living in the same habitat are all connected by a food web which originates with the Sun. Food webs are basically a ‘who eats whom’ of a habitat. They are made up of plants, predators and prey. Animals can be both predators and prey. A fish might eat an insect and then find itself dinner for a bear just a few minutes later.

Everything in a habitat is extremely important no matter their size. If even the tiniest insect becomes extinct it can cause a chain reaction affecting all the other animals in the habitat. For example, if a species of bee becomes extinct all the flowers it pollinates will soon follow. The main cause of plant and animal extinction is loss of habitat due to agriculture, logging, or development.

Activity for Students – Grades 3-4-5

Directions: Read each statement below. Write T if it is true and F if it is false.
1. ____ A fallen log can be a habitat for insects or small animals.
2. ____ Animals living in the same habitat are connected by a food web.
3. ____ Insects are not a very important part of their habitats.
4. ____ An animal can be both predator and prey.
5. ____ A rattlesnake is specially adapted to live in the Arctic.
6. ____ The main cause of plant and animal extinction is forest fires.

DOWNLOAD THIS WORKSHEET NOW FOR FREE



This information passage is one of the worksheets included in our Habitats Thematic Unit for Grades 3-4-5 on The Very Busy Teachers Store on Teachers Pay Teachers.


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Within your learning setting you will have learners who have difficulties with what you are teaching. There are many reasons for this and the main one is usually the learner is not developmentally ready to understand a particular concept.

The main areas of delay are in social skills, reading, writing, spelling and math. If a learner is not ready to understand what is being taught then they are unlikely to lay a strong foundation of basic skills on which to build subsequent learning.

These are the learners who get “left behind” and may never “catch up” to their peers unless an astute teacher is aware of their developmental difficulties. Observing children as individuals and having a sound knowledge of child development is essential for you as the teacher to recognize and remedy any challenges within your learners.

Learning Difficulties Tells You that You Need to Acknowledge Different Learning Styles

You as the teacher need to acknowledge different learning styles and levels of development in your learners and plan an inclusive teaching mode to enable all learners to engage in your lessons and activities. This will take time but if you are organized from day one to assess and record behaviors of your learners you will be off to a flying start.

It is important to have a questionnaire for parents as they are the people who know their children best and have been their first teachers. This means that they are likely to be aware of their learning difficulties.

Be respectful of parents and their opinions and concerns as this will allow for open communication. Never label a learner as having difficulties, but complete a full assessment in your learning environment. We are quick to see the challenge as belonging to the child when it maybe that you have to modify your teaching in some way to accommodate the learner.

This may mean asking for help for learners who need one on one contact for certain activities. You may need to assess the learner for the benefits of a resource teacher in some areas. Professional assessments may need to be carried out to fully pinpoint their difficulties.

It is helpful to have this done but if all it does is label a learner without providing a solution to the challenges then it should be seen as a negative step. Make sure that there is a positive outcome to a professional assessment as this can be very supportive to learner, parent and teacher.

Watch Learners with Difficulties to Help Them Best

Watching learners with difficulties become successful in your classroom is a very rewarding experience and should be seen as you making excellent progress as a teacher. Your aim for all children should be that they reach their full potential.

You want to be the teacher who recognizes differences and caters to learners with difficulties by examining all possibilities. If you take the time to do this, your students will respect you more as well as the parents.

Because not all students learn in the same way, it’s important that you invest in the time to understand how all of your students learn. The reality is that you as a teacher can never really do your job when you don’t do this very simple part of your job. You have to learn about them first in order to help them learn!

This is a huge part of helping them overcome any difficulties that they may have! Remember that your classroom will only do as much as you help them to do. Be the teacher that all students need and that all parents wish their child had!

Learners Can Overcome Difficulties When You Go the Extra Mile

One of the worst difficulties for learners to overcome is fear. Where does that fear come from? Students become fearful when they feel that they don’t understand something. This is especially true if they are called up to the board to solve a math problem when they have difficulties learning Math.

What does this tell you? Students that have difficulties learning need a little extra encouragements in order to help them maintain self-confidence and perform to the best of their ability. As you read this, what students are you thinking of that could use a bit more attentiveness?

I hope that you found this article on learning “difficulties” helpful, and that you will return soon for more helpful blogs and information for teachers and how you can best help the students in your classroom!

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Cooking with children or students can be lots of fun! It’s all that stirring, baking and licking the cooking spoon, right? However it is also perfect for turning a fun time into a learning experience.

The following ‘rules’ are necessary to follow when cooking with children or you’re your students in any learning setting:

The Rules for Cooking with Children

Supervise Each Cooking Session – It is essential that when cooking with children and students, that they are adequately supervised when they cook and should be instructed that they must always ask permission before cooking.

Cleanliness is a Must – Lead by example and wash and dry your hands then instruct your students to do the same. Follow this up by demonstrating how to keep all cutting and preparation surfaces clean before the cooking session begins.

Protect Yourself and Your Students - Wear protective clothing and ensure you’re your children or students do the same. When cooking with children, a good quality apron is ideal. Remember to avoid loose clothing especially anything with flowing sleeves or fabrics that can catch on things. All students with long hair should have it tied back. Use only dry, high-quality pot-holders and oven mitts.

Hot and Cold Water Beware! – Don’t forget that cold water can but just as hazardous in the kitchen as hot – NEVER add cold water to a hot pan. Immediately wipe up any spilled liquid on the floor and counters to avoid accidents. Keep all electrical appliances away from water and small wet hands. Remember that steam burns! Remember to open all hot pots with the lid pointing away from yourself and your students.

You Are the Adult – You Use the Knife - Any ingredients which require cutting should be prepared by the adult in charge when cooking with children that are young. Demonstrate how the knife is used properly by keeping knives visible when in use and not hidden by a dishtowel or in soapy water and don’t point the knife when demonstrating techniques. If you are cooking with children who are a little older then always ensure that the cutting instrument matches the child’s abilities and STRICTLY SUPERVISE.

Demonstrate Food Handling Safely – Explain to your students the necessity for keeping hot food hot and cold food cold and demonstrate how to avoid cross-contamination of raw and cooked foods.

Be Kitchen Safety Smart - Be aware that even the best prepared plans sometimes go astray so make sure that there is a first aid kit and a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and know what to do in an emergency. By demonstrating these items to your students you can instill in them the need for taking care in the kitchen environment.

Be Pot Savvy - Remember to keep pots and pan handles pointed to the center off the stove, to stop them being bumped of knocked off the stove – small minds are curious and a simple attempt to look in the pot can end in disaster.

Use common sense – Ensure that on leaving the kitchen all electrical appliances and the oven are turned off. You as the adult should lift heavy items, hot liquids, and anything into or out of the oven by yourself – don’t let your students do it.

Rules – Make up a list of ‘Our Kitchen Rules’ and read it at the beginning of each cooking session. Make this part of the routine and always have the rules prominently displayed.

Most Important of all: HAVE FUN!!

Cooking with Children Will Present Them with the Opportunity to Learn

When you are cooking with children you are teaching them new skills and responsibility. Here are some things that they will be learning as a result of cooking with you.

• Math skills – fractions, subtraction, addition, weight and measures, use the timer to demonstrate the lapse in time, patterns and allow them to categories items in the pantry etc.
• Reading and Writing – When cooking with children, allow the students to write out the recipe and this will also enable them to see the sequenced plan of events in the cooking process. Allow the students to practice their reading by reading the recipes allowed to you.
• Science – students will learn some of the chemical reactions which take place during cooking, they will learn about cause and effect, safety and the importance of hygiene.
• Social and Cultural – a great social experience and the children must co-operate in the kitchen. There is also the opportunity to teach them about different foods in different cultures.

Use Fun Recipes When Cooking with Children!

Try This Fun Recipe When Cooking With Children!

Gingerbread People

Makes 20

Ingredients
125g butter
½ cup golden syrup
½ cup brown sugar
3 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Red and white prepared cake decoration icing
Silver cachous
Liquorice
Red-colored marzipan

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 3 baking trays with baking paper.
2. Heat butter, golden syrup and sugar in a microwave-proof bowl on High (100% power) for 1 minute, until butter has melted. Stir to combine. Set aside.
3. Sift flour, cinnamon, ground ginger and soda into a bowl. Stir in butter mixture, egg and vanilla essence. Press together to form dough. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill for 10 minutes.
4. Knead dough lightly on a floured surface. Roll dough to a 5mm thickness. Cut shapes with a gingerbread cutter. Place on prepared trays. Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly golden. Cool on trays.

Decorate gingerbread with prepared icing and silver cachous. Make Santa suit with rolled out red marzipan and cut Santa boots from liquorice.

“Cooking with children” and your students can be a wonderful activity, so be sure to click the link below for more great recipes ideas!


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The Octopus is a Pretty Amazing Animal!

The octopus are believed to be the most intelligent of all marine invertebrates. Interestingly, over half of their 500 million brain neurons are in their eight arms rather than in their brains!

Adaptations of the Octopus

They also have many adaptations.

Animals have two types of adaptations. Behavioral adaptations allow an animal to survive using their actions. Behavioral adaptations may be instinctive, meaning they are born knowing how to do them, or learned.

The way an octopus finds food and shelter and its methods of gathering food are learned adaptations.

How the octopus raises its young and how it defends itself are all examples of instinctive behaviors. Learned behaviors are those that are developed by an animal’s first hand interaction with their environment.

Physical adaptations are body structures or abilities that assist them in finding and consuming food, defending themselves and reproducing. Camouflage, mimicry, chemical defence, and body coverings and parts are all types of physical adaptations. An animal’s physical adaptations help them survive in their environment.

An octopus has many physical adaptations. It can change its color and its pattern in order to camouflage itself to match its surroundings. The mimic octopus is able to take on the appearance and movements of fifteen other species like the sea snake, lion fish, and stingray.

When an octopus is in danger it ejects ink and creates a black cloud. This chemical defence enables it to make a quick get-away. The octopus’s unique body coverings and parts are another example of its amazing physical adaptations. An octopus can tear clam shells open with its sharp beak and grab its food with its tentacles. An octopus can even unscrew the lid on a jar using their tentacles to get what is inside!

This information passage is part of the comprehension worksheet included in our Ocean Thematic Unit The Very Busy Teachers Store on Teachers Pay Teachers.

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Early Childhood Friendship

Will you be my Friend Please?

There is nothing more heart warming for a teacher or care giver than to see children forging close friendships. These early childhood friendships may change from day to day, week to week, or may be long term. Parents are often at pains to know from you if their child if mixing well and if they have special friends. It can be worrying for parents to see their child playing alone or being excluded from a group of children.

A skilled teacher or carer will learn strategies to make sure children are included within groups.

It takes even greater skills to orchestrate and nurture a friendship between two or three children. It is wise to remember that not all children will be compatible and some will just not get on together at all. It is unwise to expect all children to like each other.

A good rule of thumb is to look at your own friendships and see what cements them. You will find that similar interests, familiar personality traits, non threatening behaviours, laughter, empathy, inclusion, predictability, and just being there for each other, are all positive attributes for forging friendships.

Children will be practicing a basic form of these attributes. They may like their little friend to share their toys, not physically hurt them, be happy, always ask them to play, sit next to them at lunch, or like holding hands.

The seeming simplicity of children’s friendships is a reflection of the more mature friendships of adults. The underlying principles are the same. Do you like me? Is a question asked by all of us. It may be asked out loud when we are a child and be more intuitive and silent as we get older.

To help children form friendships a teacher or carer needs to be sensitive and familiar with each child’s personality. To encourage friendships you may like to;
1. Get to know each child well.
2. Look for similar traits in children.
3. Observe for already budding friendships and encourage them.
4. Promote tolerance in play.
5. Set an example as a friend.
6. Facilitate friendships by entering play with a quiet or shy child.
7. Be supportive of outgoing children.
8. Read stories about friendship, to the children, and ask questions.

We all like to make friends and our ability to do this started in childhood with encouragement from parents, teachers and carers.

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The Voyage of the Mayflower Comprehension Sheet

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