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Sunday, August 13, 2017

The Kissing Hand

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn, is a favorite story to read at the beginning of the school year.  It may seem like a young story to read to first graders, but they take it to heart and respond so tenderly.

 I usually read it the first day, then spend the next couple days with follow up activities. 

I was so delighted when one of my first grade boy's mother shared with me something that happened that night.  As she tucked her little guy into bed and they had their 'goodnight', he took her hand and kissed the middle of her palm and then folded her hand.  She asked him what that was for. He said, "So you could take my love with you."    

Treasured moment that will last a lifetime...even for me.   


Another first grader came to school the next day and was in tears clinging to her mother. After a few moments I thought of this story, knowing they had read it in their class, too.  We talked about the story. I prompted her a little, but she then gave her mama a kiss on the hand, and mama gave her one back.  It was so sweet.

After vocabulary and reading a couple passages from the story with a partner, we decided on a terrific sentence to go on the first page of our reading journal (I love journals).  This was guided, but they sure WOWed me with their penmanship!



The kids trace each other's hand,, and then glue a heart in the middle. 

This is the mask I have used in the past, but it so goes against my 'anti-everything looks the same' mind. So, I went searching, and just love this one I found on Pinterest.


I love the paper plate idea, but didn't quite have it all together to paint them, so we did cut out circles from gray card stock.   I showed them how to make the black mask, but did not give them a pattern, so they would all look different...and that makes me smile!

 




Yes, they look different!! 
And I'm okay with that. I love how they each decided to do their mask so uniquely. 


2 comments:

  1. Those turned out so cute! I love how you put the bulletin board together. It looks very nice! That's such a sweet story, too. :)

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    1. The story still melts my heart. I sometimes wonder whether the story is too young for my 6 year olds... Great confirmation --evidently not. :-))

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