Monday, January 14, 2013

Number the Stars Wallhanging


I named this quilt Number the Stars after a wonderful book by Lois Lowry that is a favorite book of my students.  The pattern comes from the book Scrappy Stars by Jodi Barrows.  Jodi is known for her Square in a Square technique and ruler.  The book is available used through Amazon.  Jodi's website is found here: http://www.squareinasquare.com/        


This is the final post about the quilts in my classroom.  It is a small room, perfect for teaching reading to small groups of children.  I enjoy making it look as much like a living room as possible.  I'm a big believer in good phonics instruction and want my students to develop good decoding skills.  But I also want my students to develop a lifelong love of reading.  

   
Two Lives Are Yours

Books I think
Are extra nice.
Through books you live
Not once but twice.

You are yourself
And you are things
With fur or fins
Or shells or wings,

As big as giants
Small as gnats
As far as stars
As close as cats.

You live today
And long ago
The future, too,
Is yours to know.

You’re multiplied,
Expanded, freed.
You’re you and also
What you read.
                       
                                Richard Armour

Coffee Can Ice Cream
1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
¼ cup sugar
1-pound coffee can with lid
Plastic wrap
Sturdy rubber band
3-pound coffee can with lid
Crushed ice
Box of salt

1.  Mix together the whipping cream, vanilla, and sugar.  Pour this into the 1-pound coffee can.  The can should be about ¾ full.  If it isn’t, you can stir in more whipping cream.
2.  Put the top on tightly.  Cover it with a piece of plastic wrap held by a rubber band.
3.  Set the 1-pound can in the center of the 3-pound can.  Put a layer of crushed ice about 2 inches thick in the bottom of the large can around the small can.  Then sprinkle ¼ cup of salt on top of the ice.  Continue layering the ice and salt until the can is almost full.  Put the top on the can. 
4.  Sit on the floor and roll the can back and forth with a partner.  In 15 minutes, check the ice cream by carefully opening the inside can.  Be careful not to get any of the salt water in the ice cream.

4 comments:

  1. It looks like a snake made it to the back of the sofa for "his" (or her) year! I love the scrappy stars and Lois Lowry's contribution to young readers.

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  2. I am so glad phonics are back in vogue! I remember teaching my kiddos Zoophonics - the movement made with the sound of each letter really helped my kiddos remember the sounds each letter made and I combined it with sign language and visuals of the letters. I taught a self-contained special ed class with kiddos with cognitive deficits. There was nothing better then seeing a kiddo in 10th grade finally decode the alphabet and learn to read!!! Sure do miss those awesome kiddos!!!

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  3. Forgot to mention, I love your quilt and your classroom!!

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