A New Friend!

A few days ago I introduced a new friend to my classroom. He is very funny! Everywhere he goes in the classroom he likes to make the music from JAWS! 
Yes, he is a shark and his name is Clark, but the kids like to call him "Sharky". 
Clark has decided he's okay with the nickname. 

He is the most motivating puppet I have in the classroom right now! The kids have suddenly become much more interested in making their printing a priority! It is much neater and they are trying harder to remember to start their letters at the top!

When he sees someone who had made a great effort, he tells them and then asks them to "Gimme some fin!" and the child gives him a high five on his fin. He also notices pencil grip, printing posture, letter formation, spaces and more! He is the best "off the cuff" puppet I have pulled out in a long time! The children are HOOKED! They ask for him everyday and I have to remind them he only comes out at printing time.

The kids often stick their fingers out and want "Sharky" to bite them. I solved that problem by having "Sharky" tell the kids, "Pleck! I do not eat fingers! Gross! Too dirty!" He tells them that he learned from his uncle that people taste terrible! He only eats vegetables! His favourite is kohlrabi! 

This made me think, hmmm, I bet lots of kids have not tasted kohlrabi! We could have that as a "treat" from "Sharky"! This puppet is so much FUN! Best 25 bucks I have ever spent on my classroom!