Peanut Butter, Grape Jelly Song

September 23, 2021 Categories: Brain Breaks and Motivators / Energizers / Energizers & Activities / First Weeks of School / Morning Meeting / The First Day of School / Whole School Gatherings
  As seen in The First Six Weeks of School, 2nd edition!  “Peanut Butter, Grape Jelly” Peanut butter, grape jelly, peanut butter, jam Peanut butter, grape jelly, peanut butter, jam Peanut butter, grape jelly, peanut butter, jam I like peanut butter, yes, yes ma’am [Optional: repeat the lines above, substituting student-suggested words for “grape jelly”] Read More »
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AUG
06
2014

Greeting Ideas for School Gatherings

In my newsletter article, "School Gatherings: Build Community, Boost Learning," I talk about the power of school gatherings. Over the years I've taught in a variety of settings—and no matter what the setting,…
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JUL
28
2014

School Gatherings

During my thirty-nine-year teaching career, I’ve walked school hallways in five states and taught many students in public, private, and parochial settings. Over all those years, I’ve seen the power of group…
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JAN
24
2012

Building Community One Child at a Time

Grafton Elementary School has 750 students in grades 3 to 5. With over 200 children at each grade level, it's easy for children to feel invisible, especially in spaces beyond the classroom,…
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JUL
20
2011

Setting the Stage for Successful Assemblies

School assemblies, including those involving families, are an important part of building a strong school community. Whether it’s a science group presenting during the school day or a student band performing in…
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AUG
01
2010

Re-Energizing a Behavior Pledge

As members of the Bywood School community: We respect all people, we respect all property; We walk safely, we talk quietly; We never touch to hurt another person; We always keep our…
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FEB
01
2010

Starting with a Common Signal

"Where should we start?" is a common question for schools that want to implement the Responsive Classroom approach schoolwide. There's not one right answer, although it's definitely helpful to invest early on…
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AUG
01
2008

A New Way to Start

When Steve Bahn became principal at Ideal Elementary School, a K–6 school with 245 students, he didn't like how the school day began. "It felt chaotic and fragmented," he recalls. Students entered…
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APR
01
2008

All-School Messages

How do you create all-school messages that work well for your school community?Chris Dodge, principal of Fayston Elementary School in Fayston, Vermont, writes an all-school message every day. “It’s the first thing…
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APR
01
2008

Engaging Hearts & Minds

In this climate of high-stakes testing and fast-paced teaching, inviting student passion into the classroom can be difficult. Where do we find the time? How do we do it without compromising required…
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FEB
01
2008

Marvelous Math

"Which of Beauvoir's Life Rules do you think is most important? Add to the graph to show what you think." For a month, these words greeted all who passed through Beauvoir's front…
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APR
01
2007

Talent Days Offer Every Child a Chance to Shine

Come to Talent Days at our school and you’ll see children sharing a kaleidoscope of skills and interests—doing magic, photography, cooking, writing, gymnastics; training pets; and singing or playing instruments. No matter…
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AUG
01
2005

Crowning Day for Ks

Our school celebrates and welcomes our new kindergartners with a special all-school Morning Meeting affectionately known as “Crowning Day.” Planning for Crowning Day begins before the kindergartners start school. The fifth graders…
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AUG
01
2004

Student-Led All-School Meetings Bring the School Community Together

In a school with over 500 students and more than eighty staff, it can be difficult to get to know one another. At K.T. Murphy Elementary School in Stamford, Connecticut, the staff…
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