Book: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Last year I made a chicka chicka boom boom tree for my classroom reading center. I had my husband help but it was really simply. He got 4" pvc pipe and 2 8' two by fours and cut one in half to make a cross for the bottom stand. Then you get a big umbrella and ripe the fabric off. You place the umbrella into the top of the cylinder and cut your leaves out of bullentin board paper and just hot glue then to the rods of the umbrella. You wrap your pvc in burlap, you can find different colors at walmart for cheap. Then get abc magnets and hot glue them on the tree they will stay. I made coconuts out of the left over bulap and stuffed them with paper.

You can make the tree whatever size you want to. It was a big hit with the other teachers. I also put small sand bags on the stand so I knew it would not fall and covered the bottom with the rest of the burlap so it loooked like sand. The tree is sturdy without the sand bags but I did not want to take a chance.

I teach first grade and will be doing Chicka Boom Boom tomorrow. I will first read the book aloud to the class, then we'll read it togetether. Next we will learn the chicka chant. It goes I said a boom chicka boom, the follow I said a boom chicka Boom, I said a boom chicka rocka chicka rocka chicka boom, repeat, a ha, repeat, one more time repeat, you can raise and lower your voice they love this, and do it a few times. Then the kids will trace a palm tree and paste it to construction paper, they will then color their name (I cut out letters to their names), they just have to color and paste them to their palm treees.

I used this book the first week of school last year. We made coconut trees. I showed them how to cut the leaves (green construction paper) and a stem (brown). I did this rather than make tracers so each tree was unique. This also gave me a chance to help those who were having difficulties. Next the children seached magazines to find the letters in their names and glued them on (coconuts). I posted them on a bulletin board with the title "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Welcome to our Room". I would definately do this activity again.

I use this book the first week of school. The students make a torn paper tree on a piece of white 9x11 construction paper. I then give them sticky dots ~ garage sale labels ~ to write the letters of their name on. Joseph, for example, would get 6 dots. They can put these anywhere on their tree. It makes a cute hallway bulletin board, and allows everyone to see what a range of abilities I have in my room from the very beginning. I put yellow paper on the board and use black border with brightly colored polka dots. I use the dot letters to write the caption. I have also make a large palm tree to put at one end of the board (since one package of border doesn't cover the entire board). :)

My daughter made a chicka chicka boom boom tree by using large coffee cans. She kept the lids on them and painted them brown. She staked them on top of each other to make the trunk and the top one did not have a lid. She attached the green leaves to the top. It was really cute because magnetic letters stuck to the tree. It was one of her centers in her classroom.

I am planning to use Chicka Chicka Boom Boom as my theme this year. I can do lots with it I believe; coconut trees and coconuts, and letters. It would also be easy to expand to an island or rainforest theme and add in monkeys, parrots, or boats, fish etc.

I know I will make a big coconut tree to stand in one corner. Maybe as part of the reading center. I would like to have a hammock too.. but that will probably not happen. So I might just get one of those pet net hammocks used for stuffed animals and put a stuffed animal monkey in it.. who then can be our class mascot. There is one small one you can buy from Lakeshore or somewhere for a desktop or center, or cheaper paper ones from Oriental Trading. I am thinking of buying several of those barrels of monkeys games and perhaps using those as a management system for each table. Like stringing out the monkeys.. or placing them in the barrel maybe whenever they are doing their job... and whichever table has the most will have extra recess or something... OR I may use it as a whole class system, where when the class earns enough monkeys.. they get a popcicle treat or something. I am just at the thinking stage right now.

I'm starting the year off with a jungle theme and I'm using "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" as an inspiration for my door decoration. (You could easily do this on a bulletin board.) I covered the door with blue paper. Then, I made a 3D palm tree by taking a carpet roll and cutting it in half so that it would lay flat and I could hot glue it to the door. Then, I cut out large leaves from green bulletin board paper (I used two shades of green to make it interesting.) I cut the sides of the leaves so that they would look serrated and I glued them to the top of the tree. I took pieces of brown paper and balled them up and glued them on to look like coconuts. Then, I bought an inflatable monkey from a party store ($2.99) and attached him to the tree. The caption on my door was, "We're Wild About Learning." However, I've seem people use "Chica Chica Boom Boom, Look Who's in Our Room." It really looks great and it didn't take too much time.

When I taught library, I have made a huge tree trunk. Then let the children trace their hand prints on green construction paper and put their names on them. Then let them cut them out. Place the handprints on the tree like leaves. The caption says Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, There's more than enough room for kindergarten at ----- (school name). Welcome friends!

Also, have done a sheet with cut outs of a tree trunk, leaves and coconuts. Glue the tree pieces to larger piece of construction paper and then let them glue pieces of alphabet cereal to the picture.

I have a huge tree in my classroom that is made from wrapping butcher block paper around it. Then I twist some of the butcher block paper for vines and attach them to the ceiling. The children create the leaves, coconuts, and letters for the tree. We use it for a million things.

We also put all the letters in a blanket and recite the rhymes from the cassette. We throw the letters up in the air and try to catch them on the blanket. (the children are holding it like a parachute). We discover the letters that fell on the ground and didn't make it back to the tree.

One day I just started singing a chant that I made up. The kids echoed me. I sang softer and softer and so did they. We ended up so soft that we were only moving our lips. The kids request this chant every day. Below are the words I use. But making up your own would be fun!

(Loudly sing)
Hey, Hey - kids repeat
We're lining up quietly-kids repeat
Chicka, Chicka Boom bah- kids repeat.
We're lining up quietly- kids repeat.

(Softer)
Hey, Hey- repeat
We're listening to Mrs.______ now. - Repeat
Chicka, Chicka, Boom bah- Repeat
We're listenig to Mrs. ______ now. Repeat

(Softer)
Hey Hey
We're ready to go home now
Chicka, Chicka, Boom bah.
We're ready to go home now.

(Softer)
Hey hey
We will remember homework
Chicka, Chicka, Boom bah
We will remember homework.

Just keep going as long as you need. I make the verses up as I go along.

I have done two cute ideas,

I have done a huge wall display usig the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom come see who is in our room. I made a huge palm tree and cute out large colorful FIRST letters for each child's name. Then I used an index card to complete the name and attached their names all around and all over the tree.

I also make a 3D tree out of chicken wire and covered it in strips of brown burpal. I went to the party store in town and bought life size helium balloons that are palm frawns. I tried a string and a weight on them and dropped them down the tree trunk. It is WONDERFUL. I then used large sponge letters to attach all over the tree. It was so cute and the kids knew INSTANTLY what the tree was for.