T is for Takis!

     Today I introduced letter Tt and it was a HUGE hit! We learned that T stands for Takis. Takis are a very popular snack every year with my K5ers. They bring them to school frequently and have been singing and dancing to Hot Cheetos and Takis by Y.N. Rich Kids since the day it came out. So what did we do on letter T day? We colored with Takis of course!
    First, I followed my usual procedure for introducing letters. We reviewed the alphabet with a song, we reviewed our sign language for letters A-S, and then I introduced the name, sound, and sign language for letter Tt. Afterwards, I had students give words that began with T. No one named Takis, so I told them I was thinking of something they liked that began with T. I gave hints as to what it was gradually. (Its something you it, its red, it comes in a purple bag, its crunchy, etc.) Finally one of the students guessed Takis and we got to start our letter T coloring using our Takis as crayons!

    I already know some of you are panicking. YOU LET YOUR KIDS COLOR WITH TAKIS! DON'T YOU KNOW THAT TAKIS ARE BEING BANNED IN SCHOOLS!?!?!? HAVEN'T YOU WATCHED THE NEWS?!?!?! Yes, I have seen the news and I was not at all surprised to learn that this snack was not a healthy one - it just doesn't take a news cast to tell me that. Takis haven't been banned in my school, and if they ever are, I doubt that my students are going to quit eating them at home. So I think its important that I encourage my students to make healthy choices and educate them about GOOD eating habits. This is exactly what we did today. My students colored with two Takis, learned the sound for letter T, and got to try eating two Takis if they wanted. They also learned that Takis are NOT a healthy snack and we should not eat many and we should not eat them often. Several of my students said they were going to start bringing other healthy snacks - fruits and vegetables - instead of bringing Takis every day!