Chicka chicka boom boom bulletin board ideas

Incorporate the state of Hawaii and the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, into a bulletin board.

By Nanette Sposito [Nanette is from Oakely, California]

“This year I put a twist on the usual ocean theme I do. Rather than learn only about ocean creatures, we focused more on the beach and Hawaii. I incorporated the book Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom into our bulletin board.”

In the story by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault, all the letters of the alphabet race one another to get to the top of the coconut tree. When X, Y and Z finally scramble up the trunk, however, the weight is too much, and down they all tumble in a heap: “Chicka Chicka . . . BOOM! BOOM!”

What You Need:

• Aqua/Blue construction paper for the sky
• Tan construction paper for the sand
• Green construction paper for coconut leaves, 3 per tree
• Brown construction paper for tree trunk, 1 each; and coconuts, 3 each
• White construction paper
• Green, brown and gold paint
• Marbles and box (for marble painting)
• Foam or wooden letters
• Sand
• White glue
• The word “Aloha”
• Letters for the children’s names

What You Do:

1. First, prepare the background by using aqua/blue construction paper for the sky and tan construction paper for the sand.
2. For each tree, draw and cut out 3 leaves, one trunk, and 2-3 coconuts.
3. Have children marble paint the leaves green, and the trunk and coconuts brown and gold.(Marble paint by dipping the marbles in paint and letting them roll across the paper, creating a design)
4. When the paint has dried, assemble the trees on the bulletin board.
5. Glue the children’s names (using foam or wooden letters) going up the coconut trees and/or on the coconuts.

Sand Footprints:
Children trace their feet on paper and cut them out. Glue is applied to the cut out feet and sand is sprinkled on the glue.

OR if you have a small group of children, you might try the following…

Children paint school glue on the bottom of their bare feet. They then place their “glue feet” on a piece of paper. Sprinkle sand on the glue footprints and cut them out when dry.

Apply the footprints to the board.

Nanette writes:

• I also added one large coconut tree; each coconut had each child’s name printed in English and Hawaiian on it.

Correlating with a classic Kindergarten back to school book, this bulletin board is sure to delight your new students when they are able to recognize and find their own names on display for all the classroom to see!

From the creator:

“The blue background was from Lakeshore Learning…it’s their special bulletin board paper that can be reused!

This was my back to school bulletin board so I cut out the first letter of each student’s name (onto colorful card stock) and wrote their names on their letters.

They got to take their letters home when the board was taken down.”

How can you use this board with your students?

• Ask students to stand up if their name starts with the letter _____.
• Have all students practice writing letters in the air with their finger after showing them the example on the board.
• As the year progresses, have small groups of students form letters with their bodies in the gym or outside on a safe surface.  You call out “Show me the letter that “Anna’s” name starts with.”  Give each group time to form an A.  Snap a picture to use on another classroom bulletin board later or for a center!

Would you like premade templates to recreate this bulletin board?  Click HERE to grab them and save yourself time!

Alphabet Recognition All Around the Room!

Materials Needed:

• Blue fadeless background:  Such an inviting color to frame the colorful letters.

• Alphabet bulletin board border:  The black background really helps the neon colors to stand out and compliments the blue bulletin board background too.

• Yellow letters: For part of the title on the board.

• Orange punch out letters:  For the other half of your bulletin board title.

• Palm tree cut out:  Used as the center piece of your back to school bulletin board.

Steps to Set Up:

1. Start with a clean bulletin board and place your blue background on it.
2. Next, position your palm tree in the middle.
3. After that, place your alphabet border around the edges of your board.
4. On the left side of the board, position your title that says “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.”
5. On the right side, finish the title “Look who’s in our Classroom!”
6. Finally, prepare different colored capital letters – one for the first initial of each child in the room.  Write his or her first name on the letter with a Sharpie.  Staple randomly in a “pile” under the palm tree on your finished bulletin board.

Back to school bulletin boards are fun for new students, young and old.  And when it integrates with literature you’ll be reading anyway, even better!

How else could you use this bulletin board idea in your school?  Feel free to leave a comment below.

Submitted by:  Kim