April was a month of fairy tales, and this is always one of my favorite units. I can practically guarantee that EVERY student is going to love EVERY story and activity. The last week in April I told the students the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. There's a prop I bring with when I tell this story (this prop idea was stolen from one of the most awesome teachers I've ever met - Jeanne Bell); it's a fabric beanstalk that grows to the ceiling when someone pulls on a fishing line pulley... thing-y. And of course, I let all the children take a turn chopping down the beanstalk with a home-made, cardboard axe that I brought with. They loved it!
After our story, we planted our own beans! And I made it a little more fun and interesting by making-up a story about how I got the beans from Jack! I couldn't wait for the kids to take their beanstalks home and see them grow. I had planted my own bean last summer, and it grew really fast... freakishly fast!
Unfortunately though, almost every child reported to me this week that their beanstalks have not grown at all! I can't believe it! What horrible news. The kids all seemed so sad and disappointed. I don't know what happened. I guess I got a bad batch of beans. Thanks for nothing, Jack!
