Every year, I come up with or borrow ideas for a theme for the year. This year, I am doing an around the world theme.
I bought a map from amazon.com and plan to show the kids the map as we sing a song from another country, so they will know where the country is in relation to where we live. I looked at several different maps and this one looked the most interesting and got great reviews. Nice thing is that it comes laminated! It is pretty small, but that works well for me since I have a small room and not much white board space. I used magnets on my white board to post it and put it low so that all of the children will be able to look at it.
I made a passport for each student. There are three spots under each country. You could hole punch or stamp or even just make a mark on your passport when you sing a song. I will sing three songs for some countries and only one for others, but the three spaces gives me the option. I have made them in both black and White and color. I plan to use small black and white ones for each student and a large color one for each class.
The class passport is 4 1/2″ x 6 3/4″. The individual one is 2 1/2″ by 3 3/4″.
Bulletin Boards
Music is a Universal Language
It has many of my world posters on it with some world clipart. I spent many hours making posters for the countries for which we will sing songs. My room is very small, so I have very little room for posting things. I have put the world posters on several bulletin boards, as well as my wall, and will also use them when I introduce the countries. I will probably use the promethean board to show the posters when I introduce the countries.
Traveler of the Day
I will put the passports in pockets for each class on my “Traveler of the Day” board. You could put your passports in alphabetical order for each class if you want to use them during class. I have so little time during class and so many kids that I will probably mark our class passport during the year and then have the kids mark their passports at the end of the year before they take them home. Each day, we will take the first passport from the class’s pocket and move it to the back. The next student will be the Traveler of the Day. What does the Traveler of the Day do?
World Theme passports, bulletin boards, World posters, and song list
An Around the World Behavior Chart
Hello! Do you have a hello song or a good bye song that you use regularly? I love your ideas! Just found your sight!
I am just seeing your comment. Sorry it has taken so long! I don't have a hello song. My kids come in singing a song we've been working on and then we start with our person of the day leading vocal play.