Check out this web page for a Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Letter Hunt- could be loads of fun!
http://www.littlegiraffes.com/chickachickaboom.html
Friday, August 17, 2007
BEE Book Letter format
Dear Parents,
We missed you at Back to School Night! Here is your child’s B.E.E. (Bring Everything Everyday) book. This folder will be a communication tool between school and home. It should be sent to school every day with your child and emptied every evening. I will put all notes, newsletters, and information on the left side of the folder and all student work on the right side of the folder. The middle section will be used as a spot for us to write short notes back and forth. Whenever you need to send something back to school (money, something for the office, etc.), it should be put in the left hand pocket of the folder.Enclosed in your child’s B.E.E. book are the handouts from Back to School Night. Please read through everything thoroughly and contact me with any questions. Also, please be sure to read the label on the left pocket for further directions. Please be sure to empty the folder and send it to school with your child on Monday/Tuesday.
We missed you at Back to School Night! Here is your child’s B.E.E. (Bring Everything Everyday) book. This folder will be a communication tool between school and home. It should be sent to school every day with your child and emptied every evening. I will put all notes, newsletters, and information on the left side of the folder and all student work on the right side of the folder. The middle section will be used as a spot for us to write short notes back and forth. Whenever you need to send something back to school (money, something for the office, etc.), it should be put in the left hand pocket of the folder.Enclosed in your child’s B.E.E. book are the handouts from Back to School Night. Please read through everything thoroughly and contact me with any questions. Also, please be sure to read the label on the left pocket for further directions. Please be sure to empty the folder and send it to school with your child on Monday/Tuesday.
Brown Bear Scavenger Hunt
An easy one would be to enlarge the characters in the book -brown bear, redbird, yellow duck, etc. and then hide themaround the school. Lead the class on a "bear hunt." Alongthe way you will encounter the animals that you have placed,but no brown bear. As you go through each area, ask thepersonnel if they have seen the brown bear, but of course noone has. "Mrs. Principal, have you seen the brown bear? No,but I do see a redbird. Mrs. Secretary, have you seen thebrown bear? No, but the yellow duck came to use the phone. Mrs. Nurse, have you seen the brown bear? No, but I gavethe green frog a band-aid. etc. Finally when you get to thelast person, there is a WHOLE BOX of brown bears!! (TeddyGrahams!!)
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
K Humor
Just a note to remind us all of why we love our jobs...
A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was. The girl replied, "I'm drawing God." The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what God looks like." Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, "They will in a minute."
A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was. The girl replied, "I'm drawing God." The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what God looks like." Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, "They will in a minute."
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Sharing
I call it Sharing Time. Each student is assigned a day. I send a schedule out each month with a theme for each week. (ie: bring two objects that rhyme).
I also send home a mystery bag from time to time (paper bag for every student with directions). They write three clues for their object.Then read them at share time.
Later on in the year I use a box labeled "What's in the Box?". It goes home with one student per night. They place one object in it and bring it the next day. The person with the box chooses five students to ask a question about the contents. Then five students to guess.It helps the students focus on asking questions ,gathering information and using that information to draw conclusions. They come up with some pretty amazing and relevant quesions after a bit of practice and modeling.
Sometimes our share is an individual or family project (ie: their posters for election of a class mascot). I vary it alot and use many more ideas to make it an educational experience.. Hope this helps.
I have done something similar to the previous post. I called mine the Sharing Bag, which was a canvas bag. One child a week got to take the sharing bag home, find something to share and then write, with thier parents help, three clues about their item. They would then read their questions, or I would help them read, to the other students during circle time and they would try to guess what it was.
Another idea I saw at a workshop was using a large metal coffee can, covered with contact paper, make sure the edge is covered up with tape so they can't get cut. The teacher would place a magnetic letter in the bottom of the can and put the lid back on top. The child had to take the can/letter home and find three small objects that began with that sound to put in the can. Then at school, they would take out the objects and the students would have to guess the letter. I love this idea and plan on doing it this year with my kiddos.
I also send home a mystery bag from time to time (paper bag for every student with directions). They write three clues for their object.Then read them at share time.
Later on in the year I use a box labeled "What's in the Box?". It goes home with one student per night. They place one object in it and bring it the next day. The person with the box chooses five students to ask a question about the contents. Then five students to guess.It helps the students focus on asking questions ,gathering information and using that information to draw conclusions. They come up with some pretty amazing and relevant quesions after a bit of practice and modeling.
Sometimes our share is an individual or family project (ie: their posters for election of a class mascot). I vary it alot and use many more ideas to make it an educational experience.. Hope this helps.
I have done something similar to the previous post. I called mine the Sharing Bag, which was a canvas bag. One child a week got to take the sharing bag home, find something to share and then write, with thier parents help, three clues about their item. They would then read their questions, or I would help them read, to the other students during circle time and they would try to guess what it was.
Another idea I saw at a workshop was using a large metal coffee can, covered with contact paper, make sure the edge is covered up with tape so they can't get cut. The teacher would place a magnetic letter in the bottom of the can and put the lid back on top. The child had to take the can/letter home and find three small objects that began with that sound to put in the can. Then at school, they would take out the objects and the students would have to guess the letter. I love this idea and plan on doing it this year with my kiddos.
Literacy Bags
I am so glad that someone thought to write here about literacy bags!! I have so much to say about them! I have been working on mine ever since I was in college, and became so overwhelemed with the project that I just started them in my classroom last year, my third year of teaching! I love using them. I wish I could share with you all the bags I have, but they are in my classroom and I can't get to them right now. First of all, I buy them at Michaels craft store. They're the plain, canvas bags. I type and attach to a plain, laminated index card, a list of contents, and on the other side of the card, a list of suggested activities to use with the bags. I send them home as "Friday Treats." Meaning, if the kids in my class "stay on green" all week long on the traffic light, then they get to sign up for a Friday Treat. I have a list of several choices, and the "Weekend Book Bags" is just one of the choices. I have a letter that I send home with the bag, explainning why it is coming home, and how important it is to bring it back. Again, letter is in my classroom, packed up right now... Kids take a bag home on Friday, and return it on Monday. They LOVE it!!!! Behavior was never so good in my class as it was last year! My intent was to rotate the bags that I sent home monthly, or bi-monthly, but I didn't get enough put together in time to be able to do that all year. So, I just rotated them out one time, in the spring. I will list the bags that I can remember having, but I know I have tons more packed away in my classroom. TIP: if planning on doing a bunch of bags, I think it's cheaper to buy them through Oriental Trading Company, as you can buy the canvas bags in bulk).
TIP:Also, I thought along time about how/where to store the bags because they take up so much space. I bought a clothing tree from someplace (I had to visit several stores, as they can be expensive). I hang the bags on the clothing tree. The clothing tree sits behind my desk. TIP: When a child signs out for one of the bags, I date stamp onto an index card with their name the date that it is due, and I put it in a library pocket card that hangs on the wall, next to the bags. The library pocket card has the name of the bag written on the front. It is attached with velcro to the wall, so that I can change out the cards when I rotate the bags (I only did this once, but plan to more this year)!TIP: I find that I run short on time to manage all the Friday Treats at the end of Friday afternoons, and am hustling to let children choose bags, sign up for them, sign their name on their parent letter, and get them in their cubbies. I had a wonderful parent volunteer who ended up "taking chage" of the Weekend Book Bags for me on Fridays. She came every Friday afternoon to help kids choose, sign out, and take them home. One could only be so lucky to get another parent like her!TIP: (last one!) I demonstrated the uses of the Weekend Book Bags at Back to School Night. This really, really helped because parents understood why they were coming home, how their kids earner/didn't earn them, and how important it was that everything come back just as it was. I made a big deal about how everything in the bags was bought with my money, and how excited I was to share them with their children, and the importance that everything come back to school in the same condition as when it went home, so that others could enjoy them too. I strongly suggest talking to parents about them before sending them home. During parent-teacher conferences, I followed up with parents, asking how they were working at home, which were favorities, etc. This helped b/c some parents had forgotten about the bags b/c their child had either not earned a Friday Treat, or b/c when they earned the treats, they had always chosen other things, and not the bags. This way, parents went home and talked with their kids and encouraged them to choose the bags, and they did!
Bags in my classroom:
The Gingerbread Man (a favorite b/c I sent home a store-bought, individually wrapped cookie). I also send home a stuffed GM, and also the class book that we make at the beginning of the year on our school tour. I also send home a worksheet as a follow up to the GM.
Clifford's ABC's
Included in the bag is the book, a clifford puppet, magnetic letters to practice on the fridge at home, and a dry erase booklet for handwriting practice.
The Mitten (Jan Brett)I send home the book, a listening center tape, a small, child's mitten, a Hedgie stuffed animal, felt puppets that I bought on e-bay, and a mitten coloring page.
The Hat (Jan Brett)I send home the book, a listening center tape, felt puppets I bought on ebay, and a coloring page from the story.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear...(Eric Carle)
I send home a board book, a brown bear stuffed animal, and a class book that we made earlier in the year.
Polar Bear, Polar Bear...
(Eric Carle)I send home a board book, a stuffed polar bear, and a coloring page.
Chicka Chicka Boom, Boom
I sent home the book, a listening center tape, and an interractive flip/magnectic book that I bought throuch scholastic with my bonus points.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
I send home a board book that when I bought it also came with a small, stuffed caterpillar from the story. I send home picture/word cards of the foods in the story that I had made in collage for a class project, and I also send home a follow-up worksheet.
If You Give a Moose a Muffin
I sent home the book, a stuffed moose, and a recipe for making muffins. I also send home a worksheet of a game that I found on the internet (maybe this site). It's a worksheet that the kids can cut out about 12 muffin flashcards, write their word wall words on the cards, and color them. They play a game called "feed the moose." In this game, they read their words to someone at home. If they read the word correct, then they "feed" it to the moose. If they do not read it correct, then the adult at home "keeps" the word.
If You Give a Pig a Pancake
I send home the book, a recipe for pancakes (I found it online at teh same site as above). I also send home an empty squirt bottle to use when making muffins. The activity I found online with this story is to use the squirt bottle to make a pancake, but to make it in the shape of a letter, like the first letter of your name, or "P" of pig, or for pancake. I also send home a stuffed pig, that I found at Kohls awhile back when they were selling the books and stuffed animals for $5.00 each.
If You Take a Mouse to SchoolI send home the book and mouse (from Kohls). I send home a small, metal lunchbox that I found at a garage sale (also can be found in dollar stores). The activity on the card encourages the child to fill the lunchbox with things that they could bring to school (the then to remember to un-fill it before returning the bag).
cheaptotes.com
they're $.99 each
I got mine here. bought 12 to start. my bags are called home connection bags and I'm using them this year instead of homework. Each one has a skill to work on (colors, shapes, patterns,numbers, counting, abc's, names, opposites etc.) there is also Ted E. Bear and he goes home with books and a journal and an all about me bag. In each bag I have books to go with the skill, file folder games, and a variety of other resources. I got a lot of ideas from Jessica Meacham's site and tweaked some things.
TIP:Also, I thought along time about how/where to store the bags because they take up so much space. I bought a clothing tree from someplace (I had to visit several stores, as they can be expensive). I hang the bags on the clothing tree. The clothing tree sits behind my desk. TIP: When a child signs out for one of the bags, I date stamp onto an index card with their name the date that it is due, and I put it in a library pocket card that hangs on the wall, next to the bags. The library pocket card has the name of the bag written on the front. It is attached with velcro to the wall, so that I can change out the cards when I rotate the bags (I only did this once, but plan to more this year)!TIP: I find that I run short on time to manage all the Friday Treats at the end of Friday afternoons, and am hustling to let children choose bags, sign up for them, sign their name on their parent letter, and get them in their cubbies. I had a wonderful parent volunteer who ended up "taking chage" of the Weekend Book Bags for me on Fridays. She came every Friday afternoon to help kids choose, sign out, and take them home. One could only be so lucky to get another parent like her!TIP: (last one!) I demonstrated the uses of the Weekend Book Bags at Back to School Night. This really, really helped because parents understood why they were coming home, how their kids earner/didn't earn them, and how important it was that everything come back just as it was. I made a big deal about how everything in the bags was bought with my money, and how excited I was to share them with their children, and the importance that everything come back to school in the same condition as when it went home, so that others could enjoy them too. I strongly suggest talking to parents about them before sending them home. During parent-teacher conferences, I followed up with parents, asking how they were working at home, which were favorities, etc. This helped b/c some parents had forgotten about the bags b/c their child had either not earned a Friday Treat, or b/c when they earned the treats, they had always chosen other things, and not the bags. This way, parents went home and talked with their kids and encouraged them to choose the bags, and they did!
Bags in my classroom:
The Gingerbread Man (a favorite b/c I sent home a store-bought, individually wrapped cookie). I also send home a stuffed GM, and also the class book that we make at the beginning of the year on our school tour. I also send home a worksheet as a follow up to the GM.
Clifford's ABC's
Included in the bag is the book, a clifford puppet, magnetic letters to practice on the fridge at home, and a dry erase booklet for handwriting practice.
The Mitten (Jan Brett)I send home the book, a listening center tape, a small, child's mitten, a Hedgie stuffed animal, felt puppets that I bought on e-bay, and a mitten coloring page.
The Hat (Jan Brett)I send home the book, a listening center tape, felt puppets I bought on ebay, and a coloring page from the story.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear...(Eric Carle)
I send home a board book, a brown bear stuffed animal, and a class book that we made earlier in the year.
Polar Bear, Polar Bear...
(Eric Carle)I send home a board book, a stuffed polar bear, and a coloring page.
Chicka Chicka Boom, Boom
I sent home the book, a listening center tape, and an interractive flip/magnectic book that I bought throuch scholastic with my bonus points.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
I send home a board book that when I bought it also came with a small, stuffed caterpillar from the story. I send home picture/word cards of the foods in the story that I had made in collage for a class project, and I also send home a follow-up worksheet.
If You Give a Moose a Muffin
I sent home the book, a stuffed moose, and a recipe for making muffins. I also send home a worksheet of a game that I found on the internet (maybe this site). It's a worksheet that the kids can cut out about 12 muffin flashcards, write their word wall words on the cards, and color them. They play a game called "feed the moose." In this game, they read their words to someone at home. If they read the word correct, then they "feed" it to the moose. If they do not read it correct, then the adult at home "keeps" the word.
If You Give a Pig a Pancake
I send home the book, a recipe for pancakes (I found it online at teh same site as above). I also send home an empty squirt bottle to use when making muffins. The activity I found online with this story is to use the squirt bottle to make a pancake, but to make it in the shape of a letter, like the first letter of your name, or "P" of pig, or for pancake. I also send home a stuffed pig, that I found at Kohls awhile back when they were selling the books and stuffed animals for $5.00 each.
If You Take a Mouse to SchoolI send home the book and mouse (from Kohls). I send home a small, metal lunchbox that I found at a garage sale (also can be found in dollar stores). The activity on the card encourages the child to fill the lunchbox with things that they could bring to school (the then to remember to un-fill it before returning the bag).
cheaptotes.com
they're $.99 each
I got mine here. bought 12 to start. my bags are called home connection bags and I'm using them this year instead of homework. Each one has a skill to work on (colors, shapes, patterns,numbers, counting, abc's, names, opposites etc.) there is also Ted E. Bear and he goes home with books and a journal and an all about me bag. In each bag I have books to go with the skill, file folder games, and a variety of other resources. I got a lot of ideas from Jessica Meacham's site and tweaked some things.
First Day Poem
Let's stand up and give a cheer,
Kindergarten's finally here.
(student drawing goes here)
1,2,3, hip, hip, hooray,
Here's my picture the first school day!
On the back side I want to copy something to print for the last day of school, so that they can compare their work.I have this so far:
Oh my, the time did fly.
Now it's time to say goodbye
(student drawing goes here)
First grade, we're on our way!
Here's my picture the last school day!
Kindergarten's finally here.
(student drawing goes here)
1,2,3, hip, hip, hooray,
Here's my picture the first school day!
On the back side I want to copy something to print for the last day of school, so that they can compare their work.I have this so far:
Oh my, the time did fly.
Now it's time to say goodbye
(student drawing goes here)
First grade, we're on our way!
Here's my picture the last school day!
Grade Level
1) Sometimes we have snack sign up and one person brings a snack for all to share. We provide our own drinks.
2) We rotate the classroom that the meeting is in. One week it will be in teacher A's room, the next time we meet it will be in teacher B's room, etc. This is nice b/c it is fun to go in other teacher's rooms and see what they have been doing. I get lots of good ideas this way. We can ask her questions about a project.
3) Our team leader asks us to bring something to share at each meeting. So, for example, she might ask us to bring a pumpkin activity to share with the team. We need to have enough copies/templates, etc. to give each person on the team. I have gotten some great ideas this way as well.
4) Our team leader puts a "reminder" note in our mailboxes the day before the meeting. It tells us the day and time and which room to meet in.
5) We have someone take "minutes" of the meeting, type them up, and distribute them to each team member and the principal. She likes to see what we have discussed/decided, etc. We usually meet at least once every other week...sometimes more often (once a week) depending on what is going on. Other things that we go over are committee (language arts, math, social, etc.) items that need to be discussed. Some years we have had the assistants attend the meetings, but the past few years we have not. They get a copy of the minutes. No one else usually attends our meetings unless they need to.
Hope this helps.
Our district is very specific about how grade level meetings are to be held. Our team leader passes out a typed agenda. The bulk of our meeting time we have to discuss instruction so we discuss what the math, language arts, social studies, and science curriculum will cover in the next week. We look at our scope and sequence and discuss what is coming up. At the end we do administrative stuff like discuss any open houses or testing dates etc. We are not allowed to split instruction, like give teacher A all the planning for Language Arts, teacher B all the planning for science etc. That is a big no-no in our district.We are also encouraged to do book studies, we have done one each year for the past 2 years. We meet a second time every other week for the book study, they were very beneficial. Last year we read Katie Wood Ray's About the Authors. I have been to other team meetings that were a complete waste of time. An administrator is supposed to attend at least one of our team meetings per year.
2) We rotate the classroom that the meeting is in. One week it will be in teacher A's room, the next time we meet it will be in teacher B's room, etc. This is nice b/c it is fun to go in other teacher's rooms and see what they have been doing. I get lots of good ideas this way. We can ask her questions about a project.
3) Our team leader asks us to bring something to share at each meeting. So, for example, she might ask us to bring a pumpkin activity to share with the team. We need to have enough copies/templates, etc. to give each person on the team. I have gotten some great ideas this way as well.
4) Our team leader puts a "reminder" note in our mailboxes the day before the meeting. It tells us the day and time and which room to meet in.
5) We have someone take "minutes" of the meeting, type them up, and distribute them to each team member and the principal. She likes to see what we have discussed/decided, etc. We usually meet at least once every other week...sometimes more often (once a week) depending on what is going on. Other things that we go over are committee (language arts, math, social, etc.) items that need to be discussed. Some years we have had the assistants attend the meetings, but the past few years we have not. They get a copy of the minutes. No one else usually attends our meetings unless they need to.
Hope this helps.
Our district is very specific about how grade level meetings are to be held. Our team leader passes out a typed agenda. The bulk of our meeting time we have to discuss instruction so we discuss what the math, language arts, social studies, and science curriculum will cover in the next week. We look at our scope and sequence and discuss what is coming up. At the end we do administrative stuff like discuss any open houses or testing dates etc. We are not allowed to split instruction, like give teacher A all the planning for Language Arts, teacher B all the planning for science etc. That is a big no-no in our district.We are also encouraged to do book studies, we have done one each year for the past 2 years. We meet a second time every other week for the book study, they were very beneficial. Last year we read Katie Wood Ray's About the Authors. I have been to other team meetings that were a complete waste of time. An administrator is supposed to attend at least one of our team meetings per year.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Money, Money, Money, Money- Money!
I do this one as a chant and it really helps them remember the coin names and values.
Penny, Nickel, Dime, Quarter
Penny, Nickel, Dime, Quarter
A penny's worth 1 cent
A nickel's worth 5
A dime's worth 10 cents
and a quarter's worth 25.
Penny, Nickel, Dime, Quarter
Penny, Nickel, Dime, Quarter
I point to the picture of the coin as we say the chant.
Penny, Penny,
Easy Spent. Copper brown
and worth one cent.
Nickel, Nickel,
Thick and fat. You're worth 5,
I know that!
Dime, Dime,
Little and thin. I remember
you're worth 10.
Quarter, Quarter,
Big and bold,You're worth 25,
I am told.
Money Rhymes
Penny, Nickel, Dime, Quarter
Penny, Nickel, Dime, Quarter
A penny's worth 1 cent
A nickel's worth 5
A dime's worth 10 cents
and a quarter's worth 25.
Penny, Nickel, Dime, Quarter
Penny, Nickel, Dime, Quarter
I point to the picture of the coin as we say the chant.
Penny, Penny,
Easy Spent. Copper brown
and worth one cent.
Nickel, Nickel,
Thick and fat. You're worth 5,
I know that!
Dime, Dime,
Little and thin. I remember
you're worth 10.
Quarter, Quarter,
Big and bold,You're worth 25,
I am told.
Money Rhymes
Word Wall
The only thing on my word wall at first is the alphabet. I start adding names, one a day as I do name of the day. I add sight words about 3 or 4 a week. I have a word box as part of my calender wall where I put new words for a week or two to work with until most of the kids have the word down. Then we make a production of moving them to the word wall.
Things to do with word walls:
Word Wall SongsSongs to Sing
You sing the letters to the song as if they were the words to the song. Do the whole song since it reinforces the word more often. Point to the word on the word wall, or use flash cards.
Songs for 3 Letter Words:
• This Old Man
• Jingle Bells
• Are You Sleeping (C - A - N can)
• Three Blind Mice
Songs for 4 Letter Words:
• Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
• Skip to My Lou
. YMCA
• Are You Sleeping?
Songs for 5 Letter Words
• Skip to My Lou
• Row, Row, Row Your Boat
• You Are My Sunshine
• BINGO (There was a class that learned to spell, and this is what they sang-o)
Songs for 6 Letter Words
• This Old Man
• Jingle Bells
• Happy Birthday
• Michael Row Your Boat Ashore
• The Farmer in the Dell
• Skip to My Lou
Songs for 7 Letter Words
• She’ll Be Coming Around the Mountain When She Comes
• My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
• Twinkle, Twinkle
• Willoughby Wallaby Woo
Songs for 8 Letter Words
• We Wish You a Merry Christmas
• For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow
Songs for 9 Letter Words
• I’m a Little Teapot
Word Wall Chants
In the Seat
These cheers can be done while students are seated:
1. Blowing Kisses - Blow a kiss for each letter. On the word use two hands to blow the kiss and extend both arms out and up. Tons of fun, you can feel like a movie star!
2. Opera - Sing letters in an opera fashion.
3. Fly Like a Bird - arms flapping up and down.
4. Chicken - Arms folded up to make wings and head moving forward and back\
5. Nose - Hold your nose and spell word
6. Beat It - Beat it out on the desk
7. Cheer It - Like a cheerleader (Give me an “h”, etc.)
8. Snap and Clap - Snap the vowels Clap the consonants
9. Ketchup - One hand open, the other closed. Pound hands together like you would pound a bottle of ketchup
10. Explosion-Start at a whisper. (Volcano) Get louder with each letter. Explode when you say the word at the end.
11 . Marshmallow Clap - Almost like a clap but you stop just before yourhands touch for each letter.
12. Slow Motion - Hold the sound of each letter for a second or two.
13. Ride’m Cowboy - Straddle the back of the chair. Spin lasso around for each letter. Pretend to rope a calf and pull in at the end when you say the word.
14. Deep Voice - Say the letters and word in a deep voice.
15. Mouse Talk - Squeaky voice with hands curled up by face.
16. Scream It/ - Scream the letters and the word Whisper It Followed by whisper the letters then the word (whisper seems to settle the group down after being silly from the scream)
17. Sloooooowwwww - hold the sound of the letters for a few secondslike sit...
18. Back Tracer - trace the letters as you spell on a partners back, this is good to do in a circle facing the back of another person so that everyone has back to write on.
19. Flapping and Nodding - Pretend you’re a bird and flap your wings and nod your head for each letter.
20. Clapping Syllables - Just clap for each syllable, not really spelling, but you can use it before you spell so they can hear the syllables.
21. Smelly - hold your nose and spell it
22. Voices - change your voice for each repetition, Loud, Soft, Whisper, Squeak, Growl, Baby-talk, etc.
In the Seat or Standing Up these can be done with students sitting but might be more fun when done standing up.
23. Hand Jive-Pair up children. Children clap hands together for consonants and lap clap for vowels. Put hands in the air at the end as you say the word.
24. Raise the Roof- Push up toward the ceiling, one push for each letter.
25. Disco - Pretend to be John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. Hand starts at stomach for each letter. Hand up for consonants. Hand down for vowels.
26. Throw the Stars - Throw one hand at a time up toward the ceiling for each letter.
27. Mexican Hat Dance - Alternate feet in front.
28. Stomping - Stomp out each letter with your foot.
29. Motorcycle - Hang on to the pretend handle bars and do wheelies for each letter.
30. Dribble and Shoot - dribble the letters and shoot the word.
31. Yo-Yo - Pretend to have a yo-yo in each hand. Each time the yo¬yo goes down say a letter. Do a top-the-loop for when you say the word at the end. You might want to add some sound effects to this one.
32. Pumping Iron - Pretend to be lifting weights, one rep for each letter. You must strain to get each letter up. Pretend to mount the barbell on the stand and sound exhausted as you say the word at the end.
33. Imaginary Chalkboard - children pretend to have a chalkboard in front of them. Write each letter on the chalkboard. Make the letters large. When you’re finished with each word you can pretend to erase it. *l f teacher is leading from the front of the room she will have to form the letters backwards.
34. Apple Picking - Pretend to pick an apple from the tree and put it in the basket. Pretend to pick up the basket when you say the word at the end.
35. Robot - Use a robotic voice, with arms moving back and forth (“Danger! Danger! Will Robinson” style)
36. Tigger Bounce-Just do what Tiggers do best-bounce. Bounce up and down for each letter.
37. Alligator Clap - Hold arms straight out with four finger curled to make the teeth. Open and close arms, clapping your hand together for each letter.
38. Groups - boys cheer, girls cheer, then the whole class or one group of seats at a time, then the whole class.
39. Pass the Ball - Say letter and pass to next person who says next letter. Last person says the word and chooses the next word.
Standing Up
these cheers are done standing up and might require some room to move about.
40. Blast Off-start crouched at the floor. As you say each letter get a little higher. Jump into the air at the end as you say the word.
41. Frog Jumps-Start standing up. As you say each letter crouch down a little farther. Jump into the air at the end as you say the word.
42. Pat It - Pat heads for tall letters. Pat tummies for short letters. Pat knees for letters that extend below the baseline.
43. Box It ~ Pretend to be a boxer. One punch for each letter.
44. Be the Letter - Sort of like doing the YMCA song.
45. Hula - Hands on hips. Swivel for each letter. Hands in the air at the end when you say the word.
46. Jumping Jacks - One letter for each movement.
47. Toe Touches - One letter for each toe touch.
48. Batter Up-getting into a batting position. Take a swing for each letter.
49. Push-ups - One pushup for each letter.
50. Frisbee - Throw each letter out Frisbee style.
51. At the Mound - Pretend to be a pitcher at the mound and pitch out each letter. Pretend to watch the last pitch get hit as you say the word at the end.
52. Lumber Jack -Pretend to swing an ax for each letter. Pretend the tree is falling down at the end and say the word the way a lumberjack would say TIM-BER!
53. Surfin’ & Spellin1 - Start out by getting on a surf board. Sing: “Let’s go spellin’ now, everybody’s learning how, cone and spell it with me!” Then while we’re surfing we say the letters of the word.
54. The Swim - swim the letters. Hold your nose and go down at the end when you say the word.
55. Caribbean Spelling - We all stand up, hand on hips, and swivel on each letter. Whey you say the word you put your hands up over your head and then say “Woo!” EX. a-r-e “are” “Wool”
56. Movement - Stomping, snapping, clapping, patting our head, bobbing our heads from side to side, etc.
WORKING WITH WORDS
Goals:
• To help children learn to automatically recognize and spell high frequency words (word wall)
• To help children learn to look for patterns in words to help decode andspell the less-frequent words that they have not been taught (decoding/phonics and spelling)
Schedule:
• This block of time is divided Into two sections
1. Word Wall activities - Intro new words and On-the-back activities to focus on new words (endings, rhymes, cross checking, mind reader)
2. Decoding and spelling activities - making words, rounding up the rhymes, guess the covered word, using words you know, the wheel, Wordo, being the words, reading & writing rhymes, nifty thrifty 50, brand name phonics
Clap, Chant, Write—Introduction of New Words
Monday
1. Teacher introduces 5 Word Wall words per week by having students:
* see the words
* say the words
* chant the words (snap, clap, stomp, cheer)
* write the words and check them together with the teacher
* trace around the words and check together with the teacher
2. Have the students number a sheet of paper 1-5.
3. Place one of the 5 new word cards in the pocket chart. Say the word, use the word in a sentence, have students write the word on their paper.
4. Continue with 4 additional words.
5. When all five words have been written, point to the words and have the students clap and chant the spelling of the words.
6. Students use a red pen, marker or crayon to trace around the word.
7. On the following 2 days of the week, teacher practices the new Word Wall words
Tuesday
1. Chant the words doing one of the chants
2. On pre-made master, have them print the word outlining structure of word.
3. Have them write the practice writing the word.
4. Have students cover the words, and write them in the third column.
5. They check their own words and circle any letters that are wrong, not the whole word.
6. Students write the word again on the back if any mistakes were made. (Teacher walks around and checks.)
Wednesday
Repeat either Monday or Tuesday Activities
Thursday and Friday
1. Do any word wall word. Number a sheet of paper 1 -5 or use a master.
2. Say the words one at a time using them in a sentence. The student writes the words as they are said.
3. When all 5 have been called, select a student to chant in some way the correct spelling of the word.
4. Students check their own papers and correct.
5. On the Back Activities are included at this point.
On-the-back - Endings
This activity helps children learn to spell Word Wall words that need an ending (suffix).
1. Students number their papers 1-5 on the back.
2. Teacher calls a word that can have an ending added to it. Begin with just one ending per lesson. Then add additional endings in separate lessons.
3. Then combine them so that children are listening for all the endings. *ING - Jump+ing, The frog is jumping over the log, jumping Student finds "jump" on the word wall and writes "jumping" on paper.
4. Ask what word wall word was used with an ending. Say the word and chant its spelling.
5. Continue in same manner with 4 additional words.
6. Teacher can choose to use 5 different words using the same ending or use one-two word wall (base) words and use multiple endings.• Looks, looking, looked & eats, eating OR• Looking, making, running, riding, swimming
7. Later in the year, include words that have tricky ending rules such as "drop the e", "change y to I", "double the last letter".
On-the-back – Rhymes
The teacher says a sentence that contains a word that rhymes with one of the new Word Wall words and is spelled with the same pattern. Children must decide which word rhymes and how to spell it.
1. Students number their paper 1-5.
2. The teacher gives the following clues for the lessons words. Examples:• "I like to talk." The word begins with a t and rhymes with walk Student writes talk on paper• "I have my book." The word begins with an m and rhymes with by Student writes my on paper
3. To check the answers, teacher says the rhyming word and lets students say the word they wrote and chant its spelling.
On-the-back - Cross Checking
1. Students number front and back of paper from 1-5.
2. Teacher calls out several words that begin with the same letter for students to write on the front of their paper, (e.g. went, want, was, what where)
3. Teacher tells students that they will have to decide which word from the front makes sense in each sentence.
4. Teacher reads a sentence but say BLANK where the word should go.
5. Students decides which word makes sense in the sentence and writes that word in the correct spot on the back. Examples:• I __ll'"l to the beach.It ____ very hot today. _____ do you want for lunch? _____ should we go first? I _____ to go home.
On-the-back - Be a Mind Reader
1. Students number their paper from 1-5.
2. The teacher can choose to focus on 1 word or 5.
3. If 1 word is focused on - the teacher gives 5 clues to the word.• It's one of the words on the word wall.• It has 4 letters.• It begins with w-h• The first vowel is e• It begins the sentence: ___ will lunch be ready?
4. If 5 words are focused on, the teacher gives more specific clues.• The first word I'm thinking of starts with w-h and begins the sentence: ___ will lunch be ready?• The second word I'm thinking of is one of our new words and rhymes with hide.
On the Back Theme and Word Wall Words
This activity can be done monthly.
1. Use any theme board words that are up in the room.
2. Have the students turn over their paper and dictate 1 or 2 sentences that are made up of Word Wall Words and/or theme words.
Making Words Moke Step: Choose the appropriate envelope and distribute the lettersinside to the children. Give step by step directions to make each word listed on the front of the envelope. ("Use 2 letters to make the word 'in'. Add one letter to make the word 'tin'. Change one letter to make 'fin'.") One child may demonstrate with the teacher's large letter cards in the pocket chart. After each word is made, display an index card with the word on it next to the same word made with the cards. Then put the index card word in the pocket chart for the next activity. Continue until all words are spelled. Finally, the students see if they can figure out the day's "secret word" using all of the letters.
Sort Step: Use the pocket chart to sort for patterns; including, number ofletters, rhymes, rimes, onsets, vowel sounds, etc.
Transfer Step: Hold up a card and say, "What if you were reading andyou didn't know this word? Which word would help you figure it out?" Repeat with several words. Then say, "What if you were writing and you didn't know how to spell —. Which word could help you figure out how to spell it?" Display the word under the correct pattern.
Opposite Riddles
1. Look for Word Wall Words that are opposites.
2. Number paper 1-5 and give them a riddle. ex. Word number one begins with the letter "p" and is the opposite of ugly.
3. Continue with 4 more riddles.
Guess the Covered Word
Write five sentences on the overhead. Cover up the vocabulary word with post it notes (one for the beginning letters, or onset and one for the rest of the word, or rime). In order to help with cross checking:
1. First have them guess the word with no letters showing. Write 5 reasonable guesses out to the side.
2. Uncover the onset and cross out any guesses that are eliminated. Make additional guesses if necessary.
3. Show the whole word and help children confirm which guess makes sense and has the right letters.You can use your vocabulary transparencies from the curriculum for this activity. You can also Just write the letters as needed and call the game"Guess the Missing Word!"
Hink PinksHink Pinks are rhyming pairs. Children love to illustrate these and to make up and solve riddles for which they are the answers. These are good to make as class books.EX. Drab / crab fake / snake broom / roomRiddles:What do you call a goose out of its pen?A loose goose. What do you get when your teacher gives you too much homework?A brain strain.
Rounding Up the Rhymes
This activity is done with a book that has been read aloud by the teacher or the class which contains lots of rhyming words.
1. Read the book: focus on a few pages with lots of rhymes with the same pattern so that children will see the connection between rhyming words and the spelling pattern.
2. Round up the rhymes: As the children tell you the rhyming words, write them on index cards and put them in a pocket chart.
3. Remind children that words which rhyme usually have the same spelling pattern. Have a child come and underline the spelling pattern in each set of rhymes and then decide whether or not they are the same. Discard non-matching rhymes, (dear & here)
4. Use these words to read some other words. Write a word that rhymes and has the same spelling pattern as one of the rounded up pairs. Ask a child to put it with the words that have the same rime. THEN, read all three words together.5. Next do the same for writing. Read a word aloud and have kids decide which pair could help them spell the new word. Use the rhymes to spell it.
Reading / Writing Rhymes
1. This activity is much like making word families. The teacher must distribute a pre-made set of onset (beginning letters) cards to the students. (Many will have 2 cards.)
2. The teacher writes the spelling pattern (rime) on the board, chart paper or puts into the pocket chart.
3. Students look at their onset cards and decide if it makes a real word. If so, they come to the board and try to make a word. If it is a real word, the teacher uses the word in a sentence and writes that word on the chart.
4. If the word isn't a real word, the teacher explains that. If the word is a real word but has a different spelling pattern, the teacher explains that and writes the word correctly in a special place (on another chart or in a different color).
5. The teacher then calls up children to make any missing words. "I think the person who has w-h should come up here and make a word we know."
6. If children can think up good longer words that rhyme and have the spelling pattern, the teacher adds them to the list as well.
7. The class then works together in a shared writing format to write a silly rhyme using lots of the rhyming words.
8. Then the children make their own rhymes. These can be made into a book.
Using Words You Know
1. Pick 3-4 words students know that also have many rhyming words with the same spelling patterns.
2. Using the board or the overhead, make 3 columns and write the key words across the top. Students copy it on their papers.
3. Verbalize the strategy to the students by saying, "If t-e-n is ten, the G-l-e-n must be GLEN." Write GLEN under the correct column.
4. Show the next word. Write it in the correct column and have students verbalize the strategy BEFORE pronouncing the word.
5. Show the children several words and have them use the known words to decode the new words.
6. Show the students how they can use the same strategy for spelling.
7. Say a word such as "shine" and have students write it in the correctcolumn. Have them verbalize how to spell it, "If nine is spelled n-l-n-e,then shine must be s-h-i-n-e." *
8. For this lesson, you give the words to be spelled so that you know they will follow the pattern. Use a rhyming dictionary to help you plan.
The Wheel
This game is like Wheel of Fortune, with these differences:
• Contestants guess all letters without considering if they are consonants or vowels.
• They must have all letters filled in before they can say the word. (This encourages them to spell!)
• They will win tokens (tickets or whatever you choose) instead of prizes.
• Vanna will not be there to turn the letters!
1. Write a category on the board and draw blanks for each letter.
2. Choose a student to call out a letter.
3. Fill in each blank called and give the student a token for each time the letter occurs. Continue until the student misses.
4. Write the missed letter above the puzzle and go on.
5. Fill in all the letters before the students may guess.
6. Give 5 bonus tokens to the person who guesses correctly.
Rivet
1. This game is like Hangman but without the hanging man.
2. Write a number in parenthesis to represent the number of letters in the word.
3. Then draw the same number of blanks. (5) _____
4. The teacher gives one clue to the word and then calls on students to try to guess the first letter of the word.
5. A correct guess is written on the blank. A wrong guess is written under that particular blank to keep track of incorrect letters.
6. For example: if the word is "where" - the teacher gives a clue and then calls on a student to guess. If the student guesses an "h" for the first letter, that wrong guess is written under the first blank
7. Correct letters must be given in order so the students are focused on spelling.
8. No one may guess the word until all of the blanks are complete.
WORDO
1. WORDO is a variation of Bingo.
2. Photocopy sheets with 9 or 16 blocks and give students chips or small pieces of paper to mark their boards.
3. Call on students to pick words from the wall to write on their WORDO sheets in a blank box of their choice.
4. You write it on an index card.
5. Shuffle the deck of cards and you're ready to play.
6. As you call out each word, chant the spelling together and mark your boards.
Making Sentences
1. Dictate a sentence using several of the word wall words: Josh will come to my house to play.
2. Students listen as you repeat the whole sentence.
3. Then repeat the sentence one word at a time, giving students plenty ot time to find the words on the word wail and write them.
4. Remind children to begin sentences with a capital letter.
5. Have days when you dictate questions and exclamatory sentences.
6. It's fun to use students names in the sentences. Students also like to dictate sentences using lots of words from the word wall.
Ruler Tap
1. Teacher chooses a word from the Word Wall.
2. Say the word, then tap and say several letters in that word but not the whole word: come, c-o
3. Call on a student to finish spelling the word out loud: m-e.
4. If the student correctly finishes spelling the word, that child gets to call out a word, tap and spell the word and call on another student to finish.
5. Do several additional words.
6. Variations of this activity could be, only the teacher having a ruler, all students having a ruler.
Word Sorts
1. Write 10-15 words on large index cards and place in a pocket chart.
2. Have students write these words on separate smaller cards or papers at their desks.
3. Have students sort the words into different piles depending on some features certain words share.
4. Students may sort all words that begin with a certain sound, have a certain vowel sound, or contain a certain blend or digraph.
Word Work
1. Teacher calls a word wall word; class chants and then writes word in first box on Word Work sheet (see appendix 3).
2. Continue with 4 additional words.
3. Student uses letter cards/tiles to build the word in the next space on the Word Work sheet.
4. Student uses a marker to write the word in the last space.
5. Continue with the 4 remaining words.
Build, Mix, Fix
1. Teacher calls 5 words from the word wall one at a time. Students chant and write on paper as teacher writes on board.
2. Teacher directs class to build the first word with letter tiles/cards at desk.
3. After all students have the word built, teacher directs class to Mix up the letters of the word.
4. Students are directed to fix the word by arranging the letters to spell the word.
5. Chant the word.6. Continue with remaining words.
Word Search
1. Pass out a copy of the Word Search worksheet to each student (see appendix 4).
2. Teacher chooses 5 words from the word wall.
3. As teacher calls out word, students chant and write on blank at bottom of worksheet.
4. When all 5 words have been written, students place each word in the word search puzzle and add additional letters to fill in the boxes
.5. Trade Word Search puzzles.
6. When each word is found, trace around it with a colored pencil, pen or marker or use a highlighter to highlight the word found.
Flashlight Fun
1. Turn out the lights.
2. Say the poem together with the class: Flashlight, flashlight, oh so bright. Shine on a word with your light.
3. Shine the flashlight on individual words for the class to read and chant.
Let's Cheer
1. Choose 5 words from the word wall.
2. Print each letter boldly on paper for each word.
3. Cheerleaders face the class holding the letter papers to spell the word.
4. Call out the first letter of the word.
5. The student holding that letter steps forward and raises the letter paper as the class says the letter.
6. Continue until the entire word has been spelled.
7. Say the word 3 times in unison.
8. Take turns being cheerleaders and spelling the rest of the words.
Word Jar
1. When 5 new word wall words are introduced, write them on a slip of paper and add to Word Jar.
2. Choose 5 students to pick a word from the jar.
3. One student at a time reads their word, class chants the spelling.
4. Do additional words.
Rainbow Words
1. Pass out paper to each student.
2. Teacher chooses 5 word wall words.
3. As teacher says word, students chant and write on paper with a crayon.
4. Do the same for the additional words.
5. After all the words have been written once with a crayon, students go back and write each word again with 2 different colors of crayons.
Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check
1. Take a paper with three or four columns (see appendix 5).
2. Teacher calls out 5 word wall words. *
3. Students write the list of words in the first column.
4. Begin with the first word. SAY it and notice parts to remember.
5. LOOK closely at the letters to notice the visual details.
6. COVER the word with a card and think about how the word looks.
7. WRITE the word from memory.
8. Uncover and CHECK it with the word in the first column.
9. Cover and write the word again and check.
10. Do all five words
Word Fun Center
1. Teacher chooses 5 words from the word wall and writes them on the board.
2. Divide the students into 6 groups.
3. Each group is given a different center material to spell the words.*painted lima beans*letter tiles*pasta*letter/object tray*stencils*Wikki Sticks*play-dough*alphabet stamps*magnetic letters
Hopscotch
1. Make a hopscotch grid on the classroom floor with tape, or on the playground with chalk.
2. Choose a word wall word and write one letter in each box ot the hopscotch and the whole word at the top.
3. Students hop and say each letter to spell the word and the say the word at the end.
4. Do for additional words.
Wet words
1. Teacher chooses 5 word wall words.
2. Say word to class and have them chant.
3. Write on individual chalkboard one letter at a time with paintbrush and water.
4. Continue with additional words.
Word Wall Chain
1. Pass out 5 colored strips of paper to each student size 1x5.
2. Have one student choose a word wall word and everyone writes and chants that word- each.
3. Call on another student to find a word wall word that starts with the last letter of the first word. Students write and chant it-each-her,
4. Call on additional students to continue finding words that start with the last letter of the previous word.
5. Glue the strips together to make a chain.
Spelling Grid
1. Use the overhead and a Spelling Grid sheet.
2. Teacher chooses a word from the word wall.
3. Teacher starts writing the word on the grid by writing the first letter of the word in the first box at the top.
4. Call on student to come up and write the first two letters in the boxes in the row below.
5. The next student writes the first three letters in the boxes below.
6. Continue until the word has been spelled.
7. Chant it.
Things to do with word walls:
Word Wall SongsSongs to Sing
You sing the letters to the song as if they were the words to the song. Do the whole song since it reinforces the word more often. Point to the word on the word wall, or use flash cards.
Songs for 3 Letter Words:
• This Old Man
• Jingle Bells
• Are You Sleeping (C - A - N can)
• Three Blind Mice
Songs for 4 Letter Words:
• Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
• Skip to My Lou
. YMCA
• Are You Sleeping?
Songs for 5 Letter Words
• Skip to My Lou
• Row, Row, Row Your Boat
• You Are My Sunshine
• BINGO (There was a class that learned to spell, and this is what they sang-o)
Songs for 6 Letter Words
• This Old Man
• Jingle Bells
• Happy Birthday
• Michael Row Your Boat Ashore
• The Farmer in the Dell
• Skip to My Lou
Songs for 7 Letter Words
• She’ll Be Coming Around the Mountain When She Comes
• My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
• Twinkle, Twinkle
• Willoughby Wallaby Woo
Songs for 8 Letter Words
• We Wish You a Merry Christmas
• For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow
Songs for 9 Letter Words
• I’m a Little Teapot
Word Wall Chants
In the Seat
These cheers can be done while students are seated:
1. Blowing Kisses - Blow a kiss for each letter. On the word use two hands to blow the kiss and extend both arms out and up. Tons of fun, you can feel like a movie star!
2. Opera - Sing letters in an opera fashion.
3. Fly Like a Bird - arms flapping up and down.
4. Chicken - Arms folded up to make wings and head moving forward and back\
5. Nose - Hold your nose and spell word
6. Beat It - Beat it out on the desk
7. Cheer It - Like a cheerleader (Give me an “h”, etc.)
8. Snap and Clap - Snap the vowels Clap the consonants
9. Ketchup - One hand open, the other closed. Pound hands together like you would pound a bottle of ketchup
10. Explosion-Start at a whisper. (Volcano) Get louder with each letter. Explode when you say the word at the end.
11 . Marshmallow Clap - Almost like a clap but you stop just before yourhands touch for each letter.
12. Slow Motion - Hold the sound of each letter for a second or two.
13. Ride’m Cowboy - Straddle the back of the chair. Spin lasso around for each letter. Pretend to rope a calf and pull in at the end when you say the word.
14. Deep Voice - Say the letters and word in a deep voice.
15. Mouse Talk - Squeaky voice with hands curled up by face.
16. Scream It/ - Scream the letters and the word Whisper It Followed by whisper the letters then the word (whisper seems to settle the group down after being silly from the scream)
17. Sloooooowwwww - hold the sound of the letters for a few secondslike sit...
18. Back Tracer - trace the letters as you spell on a partners back, this is good to do in a circle facing the back of another person so that everyone has back to write on.
19. Flapping and Nodding - Pretend you’re a bird and flap your wings and nod your head for each letter.
20. Clapping Syllables - Just clap for each syllable, not really spelling, but you can use it before you spell so they can hear the syllables.
21. Smelly - hold your nose and spell it
22. Voices - change your voice for each repetition, Loud, Soft, Whisper, Squeak, Growl, Baby-talk, etc.
In the Seat or Standing Up these can be done with students sitting but might be more fun when done standing up.
23. Hand Jive-Pair up children. Children clap hands together for consonants and lap clap for vowels. Put hands in the air at the end as you say the word.
24. Raise the Roof- Push up toward the ceiling, one push for each letter.
25. Disco - Pretend to be John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. Hand starts at stomach for each letter. Hand up for consonants. Hand down for vowels.
26. Throw the Stars - Throw one hand at a time up toward the ceiling for each letter.
27. Mexican Hat Dance - Alternate feet in front.
28. Stomping - Stomp out each letter with your foot.
29. Motorcycle - Hang on to the pretend handle bars and do wheelies for each letter.
30. Dribble and Shoot - dribble the letters and shoot the word.
31. Yo-Yo - Pretend to have a yo-yo in each hand. Each time the yo¬yo goes down say a letter. Do a top-the-loop for when you say the word at the end. You might want to add some sound effects to this one.
32. Pumping Iron - Pretend to be lifting weights, one rep for each letter. You must strain to get each letter up. Pretend to mount the barbell on the stand and sound exhausted as you say the word at the end.
33. Imaginary Chalkboard - children pretend to have a chalkboard in front of them. Write each letter on the chalkboard. Make the letters large. When you’re finished with each word you can pretend to erase it. *l f teacher is leading from the front of the room she will have to form the letters backwards.
34. Apple Picking - Pretend to pick an apple from the tree and put it in the basket. Pretend to pick up the basket when you say the word at the end.
35. Robot - Use a robotic voice, with arms moving back and forth (“Danger! Danger! Will Robinson” style)
36. Tigger Bounce-Just do what Tiggers do best-bounce. Bounce up and down for each letter.
37. Alligator Clap - Hold arms straight out with four finger curled to make the teeth. Open and close arms, clapping your hand together for each letter.
38. Groups - boys cheer, girls cheer, then the whole class or one group of seats at a time, then the whole class.
39. Pass the Ball - Say letter and pass to next person who says next letter. Last person says the word and chooses the next word.
Standing Up
these cheers are done standing up and might require some room to move about.
40. Blast Off-start crouched at the floor. As you say each letter get a little higher. Jump into the air at the end as you say the word.
41. Frog Jumps-Start standing up. As you say each letter crouch down a little farther. Jump into the air at the end as you say the word.
42. Pat It - Pat heads for tall letters. Pat tummies for short letters. Pat knees for letters that extend below the baseline.
43. Box It ~ Pretend to be a boxer. One punch for each letter.
44. Be the Letter - Sort of like doing the YMCA song.
45. Hula - Hands on hips. Swivel for each letter. Hands in the air at the end when you say the word.
46. Jumping Jacks - One letter for each movement.
47. Toe Touches - One letter for each toe touch.
48. Batter Up-getting into a batting position. Take a swing for each letter.
49. Push-ups - One pushup for each letter.
50. Frisbee - Throw each letter out Frisbee style.
51. At the Mound - Pretend to be a pitcher at the mound and pitch out each letter. Pretend to watch the last pitch get hit as you say the word at the end.
52. Lumber Jack -Pretend to swing an ax for each letter. Pretend the tree is falling down at the end and say the word the way a lumberjack would say TIM-BER!
53. Surfin’ & Spellin1 - Start out by getting on a surf board. Sing: “Let’s go spellin’ now, everybody’s learning how, cone and spell it with me!” Then while we’re surfing we say the letters of the word.
54. The Swim - swim the letters. Hold your nose and go down at the end when you say the word.
55. Caribbean Spelling - We all stand up, hand on hips, and swivel on each letter. Whey you say the word you put your hands up over your head and then say “Woo!” EX. a-r-e “are” “Wool”
56. Movement - Stomping, snapping, clapping, patting our head, bobbing our heads from side to side, etc.
WORKING WITH WORDS
Goals:
• To help children learn to automatically recognize and spell high frequency words (word wall)
• To help children learn to look for patterns in words to help decode andspell the less-frequent words that they have not been taught (decoding/phonics and spelling)
Schedule:
• This block of time is divided Into two sections
1. Word Wall activities - Intro new words and On-the-back activities to focus on new words (endings, rhymes, cross checking, mind reader)
2. Decoding and spelling activities - making words, rounding up the rhymes, guess the covered word, using words you know, the wheel, Wordo, being the words, reading & writing rhymes, nifty thrifty 50, brand name phonics
Clap, Chant, Write—Introduction of New Words
Monday
1. Teacher introduces 5 Word Wall words per week by having students:
* see the words
* say the words
* chant the words (snap, clap, stomp, cheer)
* write the words and check them together with the teacher
* trace around the words and check together with the teacher
2. Have the students number a sheet of paper 1-5.
3. Place one of the 5 new word cards in the pocket chart. Say the word, use the word in a sentence, have students write the word on their paper.
4. Continue with 4 additional words.
5. When all five words have been written, point to the words and have the students clap and chant the spelling of the words.
6. Students use a red pen, marker or crayon to trace around the word.
7. On the following 2 days of the week, teacher practices the new Word Wall words
Tuesday
1. Chant the words doing one of the chants
2. On pre-made master, have them print the word outlining structure of word.
3. Have them write the practice writing the word.
4. Have students cover the words, and write them in the third column.
5. They check their own words and circle any letters that are wrong, not the whole word.
6. Students write the word again on the back if any mistakes were made. (Teacher walks around and checks.)
Wednesday
Repeat either Monday or Tuesday Activities
Thursday and Friday
1. Do any word wall word. Number a sheet of paper 1 -5 or use a master.
2. Say the words one at a time using them in a sentence. The student writes the words as they are said.
3. When all 5 have been called, select a student to chant in some way the correct spelling of the word.
4. Students check their own papers and correct.
5. On the Back Activities are included at this point.
On-the-back - Endings
This activity helps children learn to spell Word Wall words that need an ending (suffix).
1. Students number their papers 1-5 on the back.
2. Teacher calls a word that can have an ending added to it. Begin with just one ending per lesson. Then add additional endings in separate lessons.
3. Then combine them so that children are listening for all the endings. *ING - Jump+ing, The frog is jumping over the log, jumping Student finds "jump" on the word wall and writes "jumping" on paper.
4. Ask what word wall word was used with an ending. Say the word and chant its spelling.
5. Continue in same manner with 4 additional words.
6. Teacher can choose to use 5 different words using the same ending or use one-two word wall (base) words and use multiple endings.• Looks, looking, looked & eats, eating OR• Looking, making, running, riding, swimming
7. Later in the year, include words that have tricky ending rules such as "drop the e", "change y to I", "double the last letter".
On-the-back – Rhymes
The teacher says a sentence that contains a word that rhymes with one of the new Word Wall words and is spelled with the same pattern. Children must decide which word rhymes and how to spell it.
1. Students number their paper 1-5.
2. The teacher gives the following clues for the lessons words. Examples:• "I like to talk." The word begins with a t and rhymes with walk Student writes talk on paper• "I have my book." The word begins with an m and rhymes with by Student writes my on paper
3. To check the answers, teacher says the rhyming word and lets students say the word they wrote and chant its spelling.
On-the-back - Cross Checking
1. Students number front and back of paper from 1-5.
2. Teacher calls out several words that begin with the same letter for students to write on the front of their paper, (e.g. went, want, was, what where)
3. Teacher tells students that they will have to decide which word from the front makes sense in each sentence.
4. Teacher reads a sentence but say BLANK where the word should go.
5. Students decides which word makes sense in the sentence and writes that word in the correct spot on the back. Examples:• I __ll'"l to the beach.It ____ very hot today. _____ do you want for lunch? _____ should we go first? I _____ to go home.
On-the-back - Be a Mind Reader
1. Students number their paper from 1-5.
2. The teacher can choose to focus on 1 word or 5.
3. If 1 word is focused on - the teacher gives 5 clues to the word.• It's one of the words on the word wall.• It has 4 letters.• It begins with w-h• The first vowel is e• It begins the sentence: ___ will lunch be ready?
4. If 5 words are focused on, the teacher gives more specific clues.• The first word I'm thinking of starts with w-h and begins the sentence: ___ will lunch be ready?• The second word I'm thinking of is one of our new words and rhymes with hide.
On the Back Theme and Word Wall Words
This activity can be done monthly.
1. Use any theme board words that are up in the room.
2. Have the students turn over their paper and dictate 1 or 2 sentences that are made up of Word Wall Words and/or theme words.
Making Words Moke Step: Choose the appropriate envelope and distribute the lettersinside to the children. Give step by step directions to make each word listed on the front of the envelope. ("Use 2 letters to make the word 'in'. Add one letter to make the word 'tin'. Change one letter to make 'fin'.") One child may demonstrate with the teacher's large letter cards in the pocket chart. After each word is made, display an index card with the word on it next to the same word made with the cards. Then put the index card word in the pocket chart for the next activity. Continue until all words are spelled. Finally, the students see if they can figure out the day's "secret word" using all of the letters.
Sort Step: Use the pocket chart to sort for patterns; including, number ofletters, rhymes, rimes, onsets, vowel sounds, etc.
Transfer Step: Hold up a card and say, "What if you were reading andyou didn't know this word? Which word would help you figure it out?" Repeat with several words. Then say, "What if you were writing and you didn't know how to spell —. Which word could help you figure out how to spell it?" Display the word under the correct pattern.
Opposite Riddles
1. Look for Word Wall Words that are opposites.
2. Number paper 1-5 and give them a riddle. ex. Word number one begins with the letter "p" and is the opposite of ugly.
3. Continue with 4 more riddles.
Guess the Covered Word
Write five sentences on the overhead. Cover up the vocabulary word with post it notes (one for the beginning letters, or onset and one for the rest of the word, or rime). In order to help with cross checking:
1. First have them guess the word with no letters showing. Write 5 reasonable guesses out to the side.
2. Uncover the onset and cross out any guesses that are eliminated. Make additional guesses if necessary.
3. Show the whole word and help children confirm which guess makes sense and has the right letters.You can use your vocabulary transparencies from the curriculum for this activity. You can also Just write the letters as needed and call the game"Guess the Missing Word!"
Hink PinksHink Pinks are rhyming pairs. Children love to illustrate these and to make up and solve riddles for which they are the answers. These are good to make as class books.EX. Drab / crab fake / snake broom / roomRiddles:What do you call a goose out of its pen?A loose goose. What do you get when your teacher gives you too much homework?A brain strain.
Rounding Up the Rhymes
This activity is done with a book that has been read aloud by the teacher or the class which contains lots of rhyming words.
1. Read the book: focus on a few pages with lots of rhymes with the same pattern so that children will see the connection between rhyming words and the spelling pattern.
2. Round up the rhymes: As the children tell you the rhyming words, write them on index cards and put them in a pocket chart.
3. Remind children that words which rhyme usually have the same spelling pattern. Have a child come and underline the spelling pattern in each set of rhymes and then decide whether or not they are the same. Discard non-matching rhymes, (dear & here)
4. Use these words to read some other words. Write a word that rhymes and has the same spelling pattern as one of the rounded up pairs. Ask a child to put it with the words that have the same rime. THEN, read all three words together.5. Next do the same for writing. Read a word aloud and have kids decide which pair could help them spell the new word. Use the rhymes to spell it.
Reading / Writing Rhymes
1. This activity is much like making word families. The teacher must distribute a pre-made set of onset (beginning letters) cards to the students. (Many will have 2 cards.)
2. The teacher writes the spelling pattern (rime) on the board, chart paper or puts into the pocket chart.
3. Students look at their onset cards and decide if it makes a real word. If so, they come to the board and try to make a word. If it is a real word, the teacher uses the word in a sentence and writes that word on the chart.
4. If the word isn't a real word, the teacher explains that. If the word is a real word but has a different spelling pattern, the teacher explains that and writes the word correctly in a special place (on another chart or in a different color).
5. The teacher then calls up children to make any missing words. "I think the person who has w-h should come up here and make a word we know."
6. If children can think up good longer words that rhyme and have the spelling pattern, the teacher adds them to the list as well.
7. The class then works together in a shared writing format to write a silly rhyme using lots of the rhyming words.
8. Then the children make their own rhymes. These can be made into a book.
Using Words You Know
1. Pick 3-4 words students know that also have many rhyming words with the same spelling patterns.
2. Using the board or the overhead, make 3 columns and write the key words across the top. Students copy it on their papers.
3. Verbalize the strategy to the students by saying, "If t-e-n is ten, the G-l-e-n must be GLEN." Write GLEN under the correct column.
4. Show the next word. Write it in the correct column and have students verbalize the strategy BEFORE pronouncing the word.
5. Show the children several words and have them use the known words to decode the new words.
6. Show the students how they can use the same strategy for spelling.
7. Say a word such as "shine" and have students write it in the correctcolumn. Have them verbalize how to spell it, "If nine is spelled n-l-n-e,then shine must be s-h-i-n-e." *
8. For this lesson, you give the words to be spelled so that you know they will follow the pattern. Use a rhyming dictionary to help you plan.
The Wheel
This game is like Wheel of Fortune, with these differences:
• Contestants guess all letters without considering if they are consonants or vowels.
• They must have all letters filled in before they can say the word. (This encourages them to spell!)
• They will win tokens (tickets or whatever you choose) instead of prizes.
• Vanna will not be there to turn the letters!
1. Write a category on the board and draw blanks for each letter.
2. Choose a student to call out a letter.
3. Fill in each blank called and give the student a token for each time the letter occurs. Continue until the student misses.
4. Write the missed letter above the puzzle and go on.
5. Fill in all the letters before the students may guess.
6. Give 5 bonus tokens to the person who guesses correctly.
Rivet
1. This game is like Hangman but without the hanging man.
2. Write a number in parenthesis to represent the number of letters in the word.
3. Then draw the same number of blanks. (5) _____
4. The teacher gives one clue to the word and then calls on students to try to guess the first letter of the word.
5. A correct guess is written on the blank. A wrong guess is written under that particular blank to keep track of incorrect letters.
6. For example: if the word is "where" - the teacher gives a clue and then calls on a student to guess. If the student guesses an "h" for the first letter, that wrong guess is written under the first blank
7. Correct letters must be given in order so the students are focused on spelling.
8. No one may guess the word until all of the blanks are complete.
WORDO
1. WORDO is a variation of Bingo.
2. Photocopy sheets with 9 or 16 blocks and give students chips or small pieces of paper to mark their boards.
3. Call on students to pick words from the wall to write on their WORDO sheets in a blank box of their choice.
4. You write it on an index card.
5. Shuffle the deck of cards and you're ready to play.
6. As you call out each word, chant the spelling together and mark your boards.
Making Sentences
1. Dictate a sentence using several of the word wall words: Josh will come to my house to play.
2. Students listen as you repeat the whole sentence.
3. Then repeat the sentence one word at a time, giving students plenty ot time to find the words on the word wail and write them.
4. Remind children to begin sentences with a capital letter.
5. Have days when you dictate questions and exclamatory sentences.
6. It's fun to use students names in the sentences. Students also like to dictate sentences using lots of words from the word wall.
Ruler Tap
1. Teacher chooses a word from the Word Wall.
2. Say the word, then tap and say several letters in that word but not the whole word: come, c-o
3. Call on a student to finish spelling the word out loud: m-e.
4. If the student correctly finishes spelling the word, that child gets to call out a word, tap and spell the word and call on another student to finish.
5. Do several additional words.
6. Variations of this activity could be, only the teacher having a ruler, all students having a ruler.
Word Sorts
1. Write 10-15 words on large index cards and place in a pocket chart.
2. Have students write these words on separate smaller cards or papers at their desks.
3. Have students sort the words into different piles depending on some features certain words share.
4. Students may sort all words that begin with a certain sound, have a certain vowel sound, or contain a certain blend or digraph.
Word Work
1. Teacher calls a word wall word; class chants and then writes word in first box on Word Work sheet (see appendix 3).
2. Continue with 4 additional words.
3. Student uses letter cards/tiles to build the word in the next space on the Word Work sheet.
4. Student uses a marker to write the word in the last space.
5. Continue with the 4 remaining words.
Build, Mix, Fix
1. Teacher calls 5 words from the word wall one at a time. Students chant and write on paper as teacher writes on board.
2. Teacher directs class to build the first word with letter tiles/cards at desk.
3. After all students have the word built, teacher directs class to Mix up the letters of the word.
4. Students are directed to fix the word by arranging the letters to spell the word.
5. Chant the word.6. Continue with remaining words.
Word Search
1. Pass out a copy of the Word Search worksheet to each student (see appendix 4).
2. Teacher chooses 5 words from the word wall.
3. As teacher calls out word, students chant and write on blank at bottom of worksheet.
4. When all 5 words have been written, students place each word in the word search puzzle and add additional letters to fill in the boxes
.5. Trade Word Search puzzles.
6. When each word is found, trace around it with a colored pencil, pen or marker or use a highlighter to highlight the word found.
Flashlight Fun
1. Turn out the lights.
2. Say the poem together with the class: Flashlight, flashlight, oh so bright. Shine on a word with your light.
3. Shine the flashlight on individual words for the class to read and chant.
Let's Cheer
1. Choose 5 words from the word wall.
2. Print each letter boldly on paper for each word.
3. Cheerleaders face the class holding the letter papers to spell the word.
4. Call out the first letter of the word.
5. The student holding that letter steps forward and raises the letter paper as the class says the letter.
6. Continue until the entire word has been spelled.
7. Say the word 3 times in unison.
8. Take turns being cheerleaders and spelling the rest of the words.
Word Jar
1. When 5 new word wall words are introduced, write them on a slip of paper and add to Word Jar.
2. Choose 5 students to pick a word from the jar.
3. One student at a time reads their word, class chants the spelling.
4. Do additional words.
Rainbow Words
1. Pass out paper to each student.
2. Teacher chooses 5 word wall words.
3. As teacher says word, students chant and write on paper with a crayon.
4. Do the same for the additional words.
5. After all the words have been written once with a crayon, students go back and write each word again with 2 different colors of crayons.
Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check
1. Take a paper with three or four columns (see appendix 5).
2. Teacher calls out 5 word wall words. *
3. Students write the list of words in the first column.
4. Begin with the first word. SAY it and notice parts to remember.
5. LOOK closely at the letters to notice the visual details.
6. COVER the word with a card and think about how the word looks.
7. WRITE the word from memory.
8. Uncover and CHECK it with the word in the first column.
9. Cover and write the word again and check.
10. Do all five words
Word Fun Center
1. Teacher chooses 5 words from the word wall and writes them on the board.
2. Divide the students into 6 groups.
3. Each group is given a different center material to spell the words.*painted lima beans*letter tiles*pasta*letter/object tray*stencils*Wikki Sticks*play-dough*alphabet stamps*magnetic letters
Hopscotch
1. Make a hopscotch grid on the classroom floor with tape, or on the playground with chalk.
2. Choose a word wall word and write one letter in each box ot the hopscotch and the whole word at the top.
3. Students hop and say each letter to spell the word and the say the word at the end.
4. Do for additional words.
Wet words
1. Teacher chooses 5 word wall words.
2. Say word to class and have them chant.
3. Write on individual chalkboard one letter at a time with paintbrush and water.
4. Continue with additional words.
Word Wall Chain
1. Pass out 5 colored strips of paper to each student size 1x5.
2. Have one student choose a word wall word and everyone writes and chants that word- each.
3. Call on another student to find a word wall word that starts with the last letter of the first word. Students write and chant it-each-her,
4. Call on additional students to continue finding words that start with the last letter of the previous word.
5. Glue the strips together to make a chain.
Spelling Grid
1. Use the overhead and a Spelling Grid sheet.
2. Teacher chooses a word from the word wall.
3. Teacher starts writing the word on the grid by writing the first letter of the word in the first box at the top.
4. Call on student to come up and write the first two letters in the boxes in the row below.
5. The next student writes the first three letters in the boxes below.
6. Continue until the word has been spelled.
7. Chant it.
Quick Sight Word Activities
sight word word search
roll or draw sight word and graph
highlight sight words in newspaper or magazine
sight word memory
sight word bingo
roll or draw sight word and graph
highlight sight words in newspaper or magazine
sight word memory
sight word bingo
Teaching Numbers
I play a game with my kids that's easy and easily adaptable to skills/levels and they love it! I call it Erase It! I write numbers ( or you can use letters, sight words, whatever the skill, or even a mixture of these) scattered around the board. The students take turns coming to the board, pointing to a number they know and identifying it. If they're correct they get to erase it. They love erasing!! If they're incorrect, I tell them and the group the correct answer so everyone will know that number. ( So for the person who's next, if they're paying attention, they've been given the answer! ;) ) They sit down and we move to the next person's turn. They only get to erase if they give the correct answer. They keep answering until all the numbers are erased.
The only thing you have to watch is making sure you write low enough so that they can reach it and putting the numbers far enough apart so that they don't accidently erase more than one ... because they are sometimes HAPPY erasers! :)
An idea that one of my colleagues gave me with numbers to 31- tear apart an old calendar (laminate to use again) and give each kid a cube and you call a number and they have to move their cube to that number. Its a quick way to see who is having trouble and who is doing well. After a min. I would let someone come up and write it on the board so everyone can check to make sure they are right. We also did number bingo, writing the number i call out on their white boards and holding them in the air and I also put the numbers they were having the hardest time with (11, 13, 20, 12)on their tables. So instead of calling them by color groups- I would call table 11. And I mixed them up often so they would have to look and see which number was at their table.Hope this helps a little- numbers are hard to teach!
A little activity I do is to put calendar pieces down on the floor covered with clear contact paper. I love the Carson Delsoa stars... These pieces are right in front of the door for students to line up on. I put one blank piece first (for the line leader) and then number 1 - ... however many students you have. When we line up I tell them to stand on a number (they do not have an assigned number... they just take the next in line). Sometimes while we are waiting (either for others to line up, or on teachers, etc) my assistant or I would sing ...
(teacher)
"Where is __(number)___?"
"Where is ___(number)__?"
(and the child on that number has to answer)
"Here I am! Here I am!"
(and then we all say.. )
"How are you today sir?"
(and the child answers)
"Very fine and thank you!"
then we all end with
"Next Number... Next Number"
it goes to the tune of "where is thumbkin". It is a little short thing we do to kill time- but it is always funny to see someone who doesn't know there number... all the sudden they get nudges from the front and behind!
The only thing you have to watch is making sure you write low enough so that they can reach it and putting the numbers far enough apart so that they don't accidently erase more than one ... because they are sometimes HAPPY erasers! :)
An idea that one of my colleagues gave me with numbers to 31- tear apart an old calendar (laminate to use again) and give each kid a cube and you call a number and they have to move their cube to that number. Its a quick way to see who is having trouble and who is doing well. After a min. I would let someone come up and write it on the board so everyone can check to make sure they are right. We also did number bingo, writing the number i call out on their white boards and holding them in the air and I also put the numbers they were having the hardest time with (11, 13, 20, 12)on their tables. So instead of calling them by color groups- I would call table 11. And I mixed them up often so they would have to look and see which number was at their table.Hope this helps a little- numbers are hard to teach!
A little activity I do is to put calendar pieces down on the floor covered with clear contact paper. I love the Carson Delsoa stars... These pieces are right in front of the door for students to line up on. I put one blank piece first (for the line leader) and then number 1 - ... however many students you have. When we line up I tell them to stand on a number (they do not have an assigned number... they just take the next in line). Sometimes while we are waiting (either for others to line up, or on teachers, etc) my assistant or I would sing ...
(teacher)
"Where is __(number)___?"
"Where is ___(number)__?"
(and the child on that number has to answer)
"Here I am! Here I am!"
(and then we all say.. )
"How are you today sir?"
(and the child answers)
"Very fine and thank you!"
then we all end with
"Next Number... Next Number"
it goes to the tune of "where is thumbkin". It is a little short thing we do to kill time- but it is always funny to see someone who doesn't know there number... all the sudden they get nudges from the front and behind!
Parents are Teachers too
Here is a poem I think I will send home the first day- just a little something to remind parents that this teaching thing is a partnership...
An apple for the teacher
Is rally nothing new
Except when you remember
Parents are teachers too.
I'm sure there are others too
An apple for the teacher
Is rally nothing new
Except when you remember
Parents are teachers too.
I'm sure there are others too
Monday, July 30, 2007
Class Books
Class Book Ideas
http://www.teachers.net/lessons/posts/927.html
http://www.ourschoolfamily.com/Class%20Books.htm
http://www.pre-kpages.com/classbooks.html
Class Books by Mrs. Klenke
http://warhawks.k12.mo.us/elem/klenkew/teacherskornerclassbooks.html
Dr. Jean Book Ideas
http://pre-kpages.com/drjean.html
Class Books: Main Site
http://kidscount1234.com/
Scroll down the menu on the left for lots of ideas for makingclass books.
http://www.teachers.net/lessons/posts/927.html
http://www.ourschoolfamily.com/Class%20Books.htm
http://www.pre-kpages.com/classbooks.html
Class Books by Mrs. Klenke
http://warhawks.k12.mo.us/elem/klenkew/teacherskornerclassbooks.html
Dr. Jean Book Ideas
http://pre-kpages.com/drjean.html
Class Books: Main Site
http://kidscount1234.com/
Scroll down the menu on the left for lots of ideas for makingclass books.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Fine Motor
Take an easy coloring page from a coloring book and laminate it. Have the children use Wiki sticks to trace over the picture.
Kelly's Web Link
Our Occupational Therapists gave us the idea to cut up a dish drainer mat and fill the little suction type holes with beads and tweezers or colored water and eye droppers. Kids love it.
Kelly's Web Link
Our Occupational Therapists gave us the idea to cut up a dish drainer mat and fill the little suction type holes with beads and tweezers or colored water and eye droppers. Kids love it.
Centers
An idea to get art squeezed in amongst all the literacy "who-rah"
I choose an art project for each week and make it part of my "must do" centers...and I call it "reading to perform a task" to please the suits. It's always the favorite must do center for most of my kids!
I choose an art project for each week and make it part of my "must do" centers...and I call it "reading to perform a task" to please the suits. It's always the favorite must do center for most of my kids!
Daily Schedule
This year I am going to try and do a daily schedule on the board. It will be fairly simple... one with pictures and writing on it to help "chunk" up our day. I think it will give the kids a good sense of order and routine while also teaching vocabulary. Another K teacher used this last year- I was so impressed when one of her kids said, "You are the teacher we see at Dissmissal". I thought that was such a big word for a small kid to use- but in reality she had taught them a great deal of vocabulary and writing and reading skills by simply posting her schedule. I plan to do just as she did. My schedule will be on laminated posterboard with a magnet on back.
Housekeeping?
Ever thought of changing housekeeping? Here are some ideas and links
hospital, grocery store and restaraunt... more ideas on http://www.kidcount1234.com
Bakery
I change it into a veterinarian's office. I bring in stuffed animals and I get out my doctor's kit. I also put old ankle wraps (the stretchy kind that you wrap on sprained ankles)along with a small cat carrier in the housekeeping area. The kids absolutely love checking out the animals and wrapping them up in the bandages.
flower shop and pizza parlour
There are a couple of "sets" out there with pizza stuff in them. One is by Melissa and Doug and I bought it at Tj Maxx. The other I got at Lakeshore, I believe, or Discount School Supply. There are pieces to make pizza, cutter, cheese shaker. Check your catalogs. I put out a cash register, order pad, telephone and pocket chart with pizza words pepperoni, mushroom, cheese, etc, I made checked aprons and tabkecloth and chef's hats. Also, I went to local pizza shop and got small boxes, menus, and bags.
School, Doctor's Office, Toy Store- Lakeshore has dramatic play boxes of several of these ideas! Each box comes with 4 write$wipe cards and 4 word rings with different vocab. words.
I've done several of the ideas already listed but a couple of others are a pet store and a bus station. We made a bus by painting a big box and put up small Judy Clocks labeled arrival time and departure time. We also had maps and a cash register for them to play with purchasing tickets. We created tickets, printed them out, and laminated them for durability. I teach pre-k and we follow ECERS. We have to have 2 well developed dramatic play themes in our dramatic play center. One of course is always home living since we have all the stuff and then we swap out the second.
plan a wedding for q and u and thus the drama center becomes the site for the wedding - prepare reception foods. Kids love playing dress up for the wedding afterward
It had such great ideas I had to keep it to help me with my own plans!
October- I have lots of pumpkins which i have collected. There are the type used for trickor treating, small ones which once had match box cars in them etc. Ihave also been given many donations. During this time I do everything up with fall and Halloween decorations and put our a cash register along with pricing stickers. The kids love to charge 100 for everything! I also put out fall silk flowers and leaves which some kids like to use to make arrangements in the pumpkin buckets. Nov. I don't do anything new because we miss so much school during conferences and Thanksgiving. I just fo back to housekeepingDec.I have 3 small fake trees and lots of decorations. I have a variety of. boxes along with wrapping paper. The kids decoratand and wrap. I put out the cah register and sometimes they charge each other for their services. I find that they also love to make things to decorate the center with (It is a mess and kind of drives me nuts but they love it.Jan.Grocery store. I put grocery ads out and lots of empty food boxes and cans along with baskets for shopping. The kids set up and then price things and use the cash registerFebruary- I made mail cubbies from 1/2 gallon milk cartons which I have put letters on a b c etc.I have tons of stationary, stickers, a variety of pens and pencils and envelopes. Kids write letter and put them in the appropriate box. I often buy 200 penny stamps and they can use those as well. 1 per letter. sometimes kids sort and then take turns putting the envelpoes into the kids cubbiesMarch is Dennys. I have menus from the restaurant a pad for taking orders and the kitchen comes back out because we need to have a cook. Someone is a waiter ,there are customers and then a cashier.In my imagination station kids pick a job and then do that until someone wishes to trade. For example, at the restaurant there are necklaces with the job on it 1. cook 2. waitress 3. customer 4. customer 5. cashier. The center is full when all necklaces have been taken. Kids can trade off if they wish. When I introduce a new center we look at the jobs and discuss what each person should be doing then we make the necklaces, customers do not ring up their own food! (;This works really good for me.
hospital, grocery store and restaraunt... more ideas on http://www.kidcount1234.com
Bakery
I change it into a veterinarian's office. I bring in stuffed animals and I get out my doctor's kit. I also put old ankle wraps (the stretchy kind that you wrap on sprained ankles)along with a small cat carrier in the housekeeping area. The kids absolutely love checking out the animals and wrapping them up in the bandages.
flower shop and pizza parlour
There are a couple of "sets" out there with pizza stuff in them. One is by Melissa and Doug and I bought it at Tj Maxx. The other I got at Lakeshore, I believe, or Discount School Supply. There are pieces to make pizza, cutter, cheese shaker. Check your catalogs. I put out a cash register, order pad, telephone and pocket chart with pizza words pepperoni, mushroom, cheese, etc, I made checked aprons and tabkecloth and chef's hats. Also, I went to local pizza shop and got small boxes, menus, and bags.
School, Doctor's Office, Toy Store- Lakeshore has dramatic play boxes of several of these ideas! Each box comes with 4 write$wipe cards and 4 word rings with different vocab. words.
I've done several of the ideas already listed but a couple of others are a pet store and a bus station. We made a bus by painting a big box and put up small Judy Clocks labeled arrival time and departure time. We also had maps and a cash register for them to play with purchasing tickets. We created tickets, printed them out, and laminated them for durability. I teach pre-k and we follow ECERS. We have to have 2 well developed dramatic play themes in our dramatic play center. One of course is always home living since we have all the stuff and then we swap out the second.
plan a wedding for q and u and thus the drama center becomes the site for the wedding - prepare reception foods. Kids love playing dress up for the wedding afterward
It had such great ideas I had to keep it to help me with my own plans!
October- I have lots of pumpkins which i have collected. There are the type used for trickor treating, small ones which once had match box cars in them etc. Ihave also been given many donations. During this time I do everything up with fall and Halloween decorations and put our a cash register along with pricing stickers. The kids love to charge 100 for everything! I also put out fall silk flowers and leaves which some kids like to use to make arrangements in the pumpkin buckets. Nov. I don't do anything new because we miss so much school during conferences and Thanksgiving. I just fo back to housekeepingDec.I have 3 small fake trees and lots of decorations. I have a variety of. boxes along with wrapping paper. The kids decoratand and wrap. I put out the cah register and sometimes they charge each other for their services. I find that they also love to make things to decorate the center with (It is a mess and kind of drives me nuts but they love it.Jan.Grocery store. I put grocery ads out and lots of empty food boxes and cans along with baskets for shopping. The kids set up and then price things and use the cash registerFebruary- I made mail cubbies from 1/2 gallon milk cartons which I have put letters on a b c etc.I have tons of stationary, stickers, a variety of pens and pencils and envelopes. Kids write letter and put them in the appropriate box. I often buy 200 penny stamps and they can use those as well. 1 per letter. sometimes kids sort and then take turns putting the envelpoes into the kids cubbiesMarch is Dennys. I have menus from the restaurant a pad for taking orders and the kitchen comes back out because we need to have a cook. Someone is a waiter ,there are customers and then a cashier.In my imagination station kids pick a job and then do that until someone wishes to trade. For example, at the restaurant there are necklaces with the job on it 1. cook 2. waitress 3. customer 4. customer 5. cashier. The center is full when all necklaces have been taken. Kids can trade off if they wish. When I introduce a new center we look at the jobs and discuss what each person should be doing then we make the necklaces, customers do not ring up their own food! (;This works really good for me.
Snacks
I love pictorial recipes so the kids can look at the directions and follow the directions themselves. That way I can set the activity up as a center. I started making printable pictorial recipes because of that. You can check them out on my free printable website
Making Learning Fun
We make Reindeer Sandwiches during Christmas. Cut a piece of bread in half diagonally. Spread peanut butter on bread. Use 2 raisins for the eyes, a cherry for the nose, and pretzels for the antlers. The kids loved it.
This may be something you might try. We use it for large groups of cub scouts every year. And its very cheap for supplies, you can make lots for a little ( bring several pans or use 13x9 cake pans cut the baking time to 20-25 minutes). The kids love when they get to eat it too. You could also sprinkle raisins or fresh chopped apples in this. I set out the ingredients,call up each child to measure for me.. mix the sugar/cin in 5-6 bowls on long banquet type tables table . Cut up biscuits into 5-6 bowls.Put the baking pans on the table to place the rolled biscuits in. Place children on each side of table in chairs, and have them roll the biscuits in the sugar mix, then drop in the prepared baking pans. Bake as directed.
Monkey Bread
We are making
1. blueberry muffins for Blueberries for Sal,
2."porrige" for Goldilocks and the 3 Bears (instant oatmeal)
3. purple cows when we do Harold & the Purple Crayon and the poem I've never Seen a purple crayon : put a scoop of ice cream in a cup , pour on grape soda (like a grape float)
There is a second grade website that has lots of great easy snacks to go along with great books called "Snazzy Snacks" that you can down load.I've got it saved under
Snazzy Snacks
I think the easiest way to afford cooking projects in the classroom is to build it in to your budget. I always ask for a supply fee from my parents. One of the things it covers is cooking supplies/projects.
I TRY to do at least one cooking project a month. I usually will work it into our center time, which is towards the end of the day, if it is a simple activity. If it is something that takes time to cook (applesauce or stone soup), then obviously, you have to start in the morning.
I try to correlate it to a book we are reading or a theme. Nursery rhymes correlate well with cooking projects! Some of my most memorable cooking projects were:stone soup (with a REAL stone!)porridge (3 Bears oatmealrici e bici (rice and peas...yum!)the Queen of Hearts tartsapplesaucedinosaur dirt cakepirate shipshalloween trail mix
I also think that whatever you cook in the classroom, everyone should have a part in preparing it. Write the recipe out rebus style (literacy, writing, reading). Have some children measure (science, math); some chop; some mix; some clean up. Offer everyone a taste; seconds for those who really enjoyed it. I also feel that it shouldn't be "snack". I think PARENTS should provide a snack for their child(no soda, candy) on a daily basis. Cooking with the teacher in the classroom is a special activity.
What is a healthy snack?· Fresh or tinned fruit. Bananas, apples, grapes, oranges, applesauce cup, etc · crackers or rice cakes · Cheese slices, cubes, sticks, shapes or string cheese · Vegetable sticks/carrot sticks· Yogurt cups or gogurt · Raisin bread, fruit loaf or toasted English muffins. · Fruit or vegetable muffins, such as carrot, banana, zucchini, pumpkin· Granola bars· Graham crackers or goldfish crackers· PretzelsIf you have a question, you can send me a note or call me!What is NOT a healthy snack?Candy, cookies, cupcakes, pop, Little Debbie’s, chips, fruit snacks or fruit roll ups.
Making Learning Fun
We make Reindeer Sandwiches during Christmas. Cut a piece of bread in half diagonally. Spread peanut butter on bread. Use 2 raisins for the eyes, a cherry for the nose, and pretzels for the antlers. The kids loved it.
This may be something you might try. We use it for large groups of cub scouts every year. And its very cheap for supplies, you can make lots for a little ( bring several pans or use 13x9 cake pans cut the baking time to 20-25 minutes). The kids love when they get to eat it too. You could also sprinkle raisins or fresh chopped apples in this. I set out the ingredients,call up each child to measure for me.. mix the sugar/cin in 5-6 bowls on long banquet type tables table . Cut up biscuits into 5-6 bowls.Put the baking pans on the table to place the rolled biscuits in. Place children on each side of table in chairs, and have them roll the biscuits in the sugar mix, then drop in the prepared baking pans. Bake as directed.
Monkey Bread
We are making
1. blueberry muffins for Blueberries for Sal,
2."porrige" for Goldilocks and the 3 Bears (instant oatmeal)
3. purple cows when we do Harold & the Purple Crayon and the poem I've never Seen a purple crayon : put a scoop of ice cream in a cup , pour on grape soda (like a grape float)
There is a second grade website that has lots of great easy snacks to go along with great books called "Snazzy Snacks" that you can down load.I've got it saved under
Snazzy Snacks
I think the easiest way to afford cooking projects in the classroom is to build it in to your budget. I always ask for a supply fee from my parents. One of the things it covers is cooking supplies/projects.
I TRY to do at least one cooking project a month. I usually will work it into our center time, which is towards the end of the day, if it is a simple activity. If it is something that takes time to cook (applesauce or stone soup), then obviously, you have to start in the morning.
I try to correlate it to a book we are reading or a theme. Nursery rhymes correlate well with cooking projects! Some of my most memorable cooking projects were:stone soup (with a REAL stone!)porridge (3 Bears oatmealrici e bici (rice and peas...yum!)the Queen of Hearts tartsapplesaucedinosaur dirt cakepirate shipshalloween trail mix
I also think that whatever you cook in the classroom, everyone should have a part in preparing it. Write the recipe out rebus style (literacy, writing, reading). Have some children measure (science, math); some chop; some mix; some clean up. Offer everyone a taste; seconds for those who really enjoyed it. I also feel that it shouldn't be "snack". I think PARENTS should provide a snack for their child(no soda, candy) on a daily basis. Cooking with the teacher in the classroom is a special activity.
What is a healthy snack?· Fresh or tinned fruit. Bananas, apples, grapes, oranges, applesauce cup, etc · crackers or rice cakes · Cheese slices, cubes, sticks, shapes or string cheese · Vegetable sticks/carrot sticks· Yogurt cups or gogurt · Raisin bread, fruit loaf or toasted English muffins. · Fruit or vegetable muffins, such as carrot, banana, zucchini, pumpkin· Granola bars· Graham crackers or goldfish crackers· PretzelsIf you have a question, you can send me a note or call me!What is NOT a healthy snack?Candy, cookies, cupcakes, pop, Little Debbie’s, chips, fruit snacks or fruit roll ups.
Literacy Props
In the interest of expanding my CD collection- I have began to take note of different CD's and prop opportunities. Below are several from Jack Hartmann and other K folks.
Literacy Props
Shari's Site
A couple of other names include Greg & Steve, Jim Gill
Literacy Props
Shari's Site
A couple of other names include Greg & Steve, Jim Gill
Friday, July 27, 2007
Math Tubs: Numbers
One thing that I have done that is easy and cheap is to get abunch of small white paper plates and write numbers on themwith a marker. Then I had the children try to fill the plateswith the correct number of manipulatives. For example, onechild couldn't count out more than 3 things accurately. So Igave him 10 paper plates with a big 4 printed on them with afat magic marker. His job was to count out four things andput them on each plate. When he mastered quantities of four,he got a new set of plates with the number five on them.
My kids also enjoyed putting unifix cubes together, so Iprinted the numbers 0-10 (or more) on them with a fine tippermanent marker and put them in a zip bag. The children hadto connect the cubes and put them in the correct order. Allof the cubes in each bag were the same color, so as to not getthem mixed up with the next child's cubes.
Another thing that is fun to do is find pictures in amagazine, and cut them out. Glue them in certain quantitiesonto a paper. For example, the children would trace and thenwrite a number five on a paper, and then find five objects ina magazine, cut them out, and glue them onto the paper.
Another thing that we did with cubes is build towers of acertain number. The children had to make ten towers that eachhad five cubes. The towers should all be the same size whenthey are done. They can then put the towers on a paper withthat number printed on it several times, so there should be atower of five under each number five.
They can also make a tower of one, then two, then three cubes,etc., and stack them up in order on a paper that has thosenumbers written on it.
We also use matching sets cards a lot. You take some indexcards, and print the numbers 0-10 on them individually. Thentake some stickers and put them on other index cards. So youhave a card with a zero and another card with no stickers. Then you have a card with number one printed on it, andanother card with one sticker, etc. The children have to putthe numbers in order and match the correct number of stickersto each numeral card. I kept these sets in baggies and usedthem quite a lot. Some kids at the beginning of the year might need to have just 0-5 at first.
http://www.childcareland.com/
Shelly Lovett always has so many good ideas - this is her home site - look at the numbers and other activities on the left side you could adapt to tubs easily
Our kindergarten teachers used clear VCR tape covers/holders to make their number boxes (filled with small items, of course). Just another idea! :-)
This is such a good idea. Have you checked out the ideas in Math Their Way? The newsletter is available online which gives a wonderful synopsis of each chapter and blackline mastera for you to use. You really need to check this out if you have not already! I did the sort of the same thing last yer only my whole class worked on the same number at one time and I just set up number stations. It ws actually kind of hard to manage and to see who was getting what. The way you describe is interesting. When in the year will you start this? Will you work on numeral writing first or at the same time? I ws thinking you might want to go to 5 (or six) first and when the children have really internalized these, then do 6 -10. Maybe even another unit(patterning) first.
I would try to include lots that had invariance of number, that is the best for number sense to me. I did the toothpick activities described in the link. Also, if you have geoboards they can make deigns with that numer of bands. GET THEM TO DESCRIBE THEIR DESIGNS TO A BUDDY. "I made an F. One up, 2 across. One and two is three." Also get little solo cups and have their partner hide small objects under the cup. They count how many are out (2), then have to say how many are in (1). Do you know how to do the bean toss with lima beans? Spray paint beans on only one side (whatever color you like) then make cups of beans with whatever number you need. They toss and say " Three is 2 green and 1 white." Toss again " Three is 3 green 0 white." Toss again is "# is 1 green 2 white." etc. There are even nice recording forms for this activity.
The adress to the REALLY GOOD math their way newsletter is:
http://www.center.edu/NEWSLETTER/newsletter.shtml
CHECK THIS OUT. Lots of recording sheets for number combination activities including the beans:
http://www.hubbardscupboard.org/number_journals.html
Here is a link to the math their way page about number stations.
http://www.center.edu/pub/docs/chapter10.pdf
Math Their Way has great ideas, free printables, & pictures.My kids fav number activity was the Number Dice Roll. They roll those numbers and write them. Later, they rolled the numbers and stamped them.
This is an old link:
http://maththeirway.com/NEWSLETTER/newsletter.shtml
This is a new link: (click on Newsletter)
http://maththeirway.com/
Math Their Way original ideas from the 70's have been incorporated into so many of the math programs you see today. The activities are all tried and true! This teacher went home every evening figuring out ways to teach her kids in hands-on ways. She died young, but her husband continues the work. I learned about it in the early 90's from the veteran teachers I worked with & have used it every since though have tweeked it from time to time.
If you click on the newsletter, you'll see lots of activities with materials you already have on hand. They are explained in detail with pictures. I used to keep all my junk in video cases, then switched to the dollar store containers that have the lid that is connected. They are the perfect size for teddy bears, beans, dice, keys, buttons, paper pattern block cut outs, etc.
I use print outs for my calendar & you'll see the links - weather graph, tooth graph (cut out your own shapes), tally marks (u make on plain paper each month), place value (printable cards), number line (adding machine tape) you generate as a class every day. I'ved used these on my calendar every year of teaching. They are generic & kid appropriate.
I have the birthday cakes that my kids colored my first year of K above the numberline, but you can't see them on my math page. You can see them on my birthday page though. They color a candle the first week of school & I put them up on the cakes.
The opening shows using a balloon every day and popping it for yesterday. I don't do that, because it is not earth friendly to me.
I use the 100's printable for homework folders for counting. I print them on tag, then laminate them & they last in the MOOSE folder all year. (p44 blackline link) There is an assessment link that is very helpful, too.
My kids also like the bean recording sheets for addition/sets. You throw out beans (mine are half orange and half brown - painted - u can buy these now, lol)& put into 2 groups. You color in the orange beans on the bean sheet, then the brown beans on the bean sheet. Later, students can write the equations. Such as 4-2=6 (which is 4 orange beans plus 2 brown beans equals 6). For many years, I had my beans in film canisters, then realized the kids just needed to toss them gently from their hands & that makes bean storage easier in baggies.:o)
Math Their Way in the K Classroom
The early weeks of school can be used for setting guidelines & exploration of the manipulatives you'll be using! It's a good time for observation to see what you children know & how they work together in groups. Depending on the level of the students, I do exploration for 2 to 3 weeks. Believe it or not, I start it the first day/first week of school with small tubs of multilinks, number puzzles, pattern blocks, & unifix cubes. They are easy to put out & simple to monitor!
My kids also enjoyed putting unifix cubes together, so Iprinted the numbers 0-10 (or more) on them with a fine tippermanent marker and put them in a zip bag. The children hadto connect the cubes and put them in the correct order. Allof the cubes in each bag were the same color, so as to not getthem mixed up with the next child's cubes.
Another thing that is fun to do is find pictures in amagazine, and cut them out. Glue them in certain quantitiesonto a paper. For example, the children would trace and thenwrite a number five on a paper, and then find five objects ina magazine, cut them out, and glue them onto the paper.
Another thing that we did with cubes is build towers of acertain number. The children had to make ten towers that eachhad five cubes. The towers should all be the same size whenthey are done. They can then put the towers on a paper withthat number printed on it several times, so there should be atower of five under each number five.
They can also make a tower of one, then two, then three cubes,etc., and stack them up in order on a paper that has thosenumbers written on it.
We also use matching sets cards a lot. You take some indexcards, and print the numbers 0-10 on them individually. Thentake some stickers and put them on other index cards. So youhave a card with a zero and another card with no stickers. Then you have a card with number one printed on it, andanother card with one sticker, etc. The children have to putthe numbers in order and match the correct number of stickersto each numeral card. I kept these sets in baggies and usedthem quite a lot. Some kids at the beginning of the year might need to have just 0-5 at first.
http://www.childcareland.com/
Shelly Lovett always has so many good ideas - this is her home site - look at the numbers and other activities on the left side you could adapt to tubs easily
Our kindergarten teachers used clear VCR tape covers/holders to make their number boxes (filled with small items, of course). Just another idea! :-)
This is such a good idea. Have you checked out the ideas in Math Their Way? The newsletter is available online which gives a wonderful synopsis of each chapter and blackline mastera for you to use. You really need to check this out if you have not already! I did the sort of the same thing last yer only my whole class worked on the same number at one time and I just set up number stations. It ws actually kind of hard to manage and to see who was getting what. The way you describe is interesting. When in the year will you start this? Will you work on numeral writing first or at the same time? I ws thinking you might want to go to 5 (or six) first and when the children have really internalized these, then do 6 -10. Maybe even another unit(patterning) first.
I would try to include lots that had invariance of number, that is the best for number sense to me. I did the toothpick activities described in the link. Also, if you have geoboards they can make deigns with that numer of bands. GET THEM TO DESCRIBE THEIR DESIGNS TO A BUDDY. "I made an F. One up, 2 across. One and two is three." Also get little solo cups and have their partner hide small objects under the cup. They count how many are out (2), then have to say how many are in (1). Do you know how to do the bean toss with lima beans? Spray paint beans on only one side (whatever color you like) then make cups of beans with whatever number you need. They toss and say " Three is 2 green and 1 white." Toss again " Three is 3 green 0 white." Toss again is "# is 1 green 2 white." etc. There are even nice recording forms for this activity.
The adress to the REALLY GOOD math their way newsletter is:
http://www.center.edu/NEWSLETTER/newsletter.shtml
CHECK THIS OUT. Lots of recording sheets for number combination activities including the beans:
http://www.hubbardscupboard.org/number_journals.html
Here is a link to the math their way page about number stations.
http://www.center.edu/pub/docs/chapter10.pdf
Math Their Way has great ideas, free printables, & pictures.My kids fav number activity was the Number Dice Roll. They roll those numbers and write them. Later, they rolled the numbers and stamped them.
This is an old link:
http://maththeirway.com/NEWSLETTER/newsletter.shtml
This is a new link: (click on Newsletter)
http://maththeirway.com/
Math Their Way original ideas from the 70's have been incorporated into so many of the math programs you see today. The activities are all tried and true! This teacher went home every evening figuring out ways to teach her kids in hands-on ways. She died young, but her husband continues the work. I learned about it in the early 90's from the veteran teachers I worked with & have used it every since though have tweeked it from time to time.
If you click on the newsletter, you'll see lots of activities with materials you already have on hand. They are explained in detail with pictures. I used to keep all my junk in video cases, then switched to the dollar store containers that have the lid that is connected. They are the perfect size for teddy bears, beans, dice, keys, buttons, paper pattern block cut outs, etc.
I use print outs for my calendar & you'll see the links - weather graph, tooth graph (cut out your own shapes), tally marks (u make on plain paper each month), place value (printable cards), number line (adding machine tape) you generate as a class every day. I'ved used these on my calendar every year of teaching. They are generic & kid appropriate.
I have the birthday cakes that my kids colored my first year of K above the numberline, but you can't see them on my math page. You can see them on my birthday page though. They color a candle the first week of school & I put them up on the cakes.
The opening shows using a balloon every day and popping it for yesterday. I don't do that, because it is not earth friendly to me.
I use the 100's printable for homework folders for counting. I print them on tag, then laminate them & they last in the MOOSE folder all year. (p44 blackline link) There is an assessment link that is very helpful, too.
My kids also like the bean recording sheets for addition/sets. You throw out beans (mine are half orange and half brown - painted - u can buy these now, lol)& put into 2 groups. You color in the orange beans on the bean sheet, then the brown beans on the bean sheet. Later, students can write the equations. Such as 4-2=6 (which is 4 orange beans plus 2 brown beans equals 6). For many years, I had my beans in film canisters, then realized the kids just needed to toss them gently from their hands & that makes bean storage easier in baggies.:o)
Math Their Way in the K Classroom
The early weeks of school can be used for setting guidelines & exploration of the manipulatives you'll be using! It's a good time for observation to see what you children know & how they work together in groups. Depending on the level of the students, I do exploration for 2 to 3 weeks. Believe it or not, I start it the first day/first week of school with small tubs of multilinks, number puzzles, pattern blocks, & unifix cubes. They are easy to put out & simple to monitor!
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Birthday Cheer
Shake up and celebrate birthdays with a little different cheer:
I don't know but I've been told
Someone here is ___ years old.
The bad news is we sing off key,
The good news is we sing for free.
Happy
Birthday
Happy Birthday _______!
Cheer each line and the children echo. Say the last phrase in unison.
I don't know but I've been told
Someone here is ___ years old.
The bad news is we sing off key,
The good news is we sing for free.
Happy
Birthday
Happy Birthday _______!
Cheer each line and the children echo. Say the last phrase in unison.
Friday, July 20, 2007
The Daily 5
I have also made it a personal mission to find out more about the Daily 5. I ordered the book, have read a few pages within it and have talked to several different teachers about their view and organization of "The Daily 5". Here is a link (with videos I think) to help in this journey.
The Daily 5
The Daily 5
Math Their Way
I have been hearing a lot of good things about this math program and today I have a link.
Math Their Way
This page in particular is to the Blackline Masters for the program. Check out the link on Geoboards.
Math Their Way
This page in particular is to the Blackline Masters for the program. Check out the link on Geoboards.
Listserves and Journals... not for the faint of heart
Here is a link to a bazillion different listserves I ran across online. Many of these are quite interesting and very active. Take note though- this is not for the faint of heart! There are lots of people lurking on these. And for those unfamiliar with listserves- when you respond to the server- all subscribers will receive your message!
Listserve Link
Don't get me wrong- these are lots of fun and can be very informative and helpful! I've been on my own fair share of listserves before.
Listserve Link
Don't get me wrong- these are lots of fun and can be very informative and helpful! I've been on my own fair share of listserves before.
Free Journals and Articles
If you look around long enough online you are bound to find anything... well below you will find a link from the NAEYC web page listing their current publications. Under several you will find links to some free articles and also journal exclusives. One of my favorites is Beyond the Journal. Be sure to check out the archives.
Another favorite journal is Early Childhood Research and Practice. This journal is free and is very scholarly. If you work in early childhood please take the time and browse.
Another favorite journal is Early Childhood Research and Practice. This journal is free and is very scholarly. If you work in early childhood please take the time and browse.
Reggio Emilia and Project Based Learning
I did my Graduate Research on how student perceive themselves as learners in a Project Based Learning setting. This was somewhat challenging and rather presumptuous of me- considering I only taught in a true "Project Based" manner for the course of one six week long project (Hence my findings- one project is not long enough to show any consistent or even accurate change). Action Research is all about getting the rights and wrongs of learning in hand. During the course of the study though- I ran across a great deal of research by Sylvia Chard and Lilian Katz. These ladies have teamed up for the last 20 years and looked closely at both Project Based Learning and later the Reggio Emilia approach to teaching. Below I am going to include several beneficial links to sources I used during my reseach. For more information- view the "Scholarly Resources" sidebar on this blog.
Reggio Emilia and Project Based Course
The Cloud Project
Project Approach- Best Practice (visit the home page too!)
Link to special section of Early Childhood Research and Practice focusing on Project Approach. Please note that Lilian Katz is the editor!
Chard article in the very first edition of Early Childhood Research and Practice
There are many different books and other materials available on both Project Based Learning and the Reggio Emilia Approach. One place to start is by simply visiting Google
Reggio Emilia and Project Based Course
The Cloud Project
Project Approach- Best Practice (visit the home page too!)
Link to special section of Early Childhood Research and Practice focusing on Project Approach. Please note that Lilian Katz is the editor!
Chard article in the very first edition of Early Childhood Research and Practice
There are many different books and other materials available on both Project Based Learning and the Reggio Emilia Approach. One place to start is by simply visiting Google
Nutrition ~ The Healthy Child
I found this very neat idea online about tasting passports. This is on a page for Nutrition Explorations. Very helpful considering Healthy Active Child...
Nutrition Page
Nutrition Page
Your Kindergartner
I found this wonderful webpage that discusses expectations and milestones for K students. I would like to create such a page for my own website. Here is the link for futher ideas.
Your Kindergartner
Your Kindergartner
National Library Week
Well I am not a librarian, but I can celebrate! This link takes you to a website filled with lessons and ideas celebrating books. They are useful any time of the year.
National Library Week
National Library Week
Christmas in July?
:0)
I had bookmarked this on my PC (I am currently dumping loads of email and bookmarks!) but want others to take note. This is a website for The Polar Express. It has lesson plans and ideas for all grade levels.
I had bookmarked this on my PC (I am currently dumping loads of email and bookmarks!) but want others to take note. This is a website for The Polar Express. It has lesson plans and ideas for all grade levels.
Dr. Jean ~ Discovery Bottles
Here is a link for some discovery by Dr. Jean. These are great for observations and science. Check out Dr. Jean's new CD at drjean.org
Discovery Bottles
Discovery Bottles
Fingerplays
Fingerplays are an essential part of Kindergarten. I don't do enough of them. In a noble effort to learn more- I provide the following:
Fingerplays
More Fingerplays
Literacy Fingerplays
Songs and Fingerplays
Headstart Lane Fingerplays
Patricia's Fingerplays
Piggyback Songs and More
More Mrs. Jones
Surely I can learn something new!
Fingerplays
More Fingerplays
Literacy Fingerplays
Songs and Fingerplays
Headstart Lane Fingerplays
Patricia's Fingerplays
Piggyback Songs and More
More Mrs. Jones
Surely I can learn something new!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
KidWriting for Dummies
I've been looking into a new writing program called KidWriting. I ask a fellow teacher to give it to me in a nutshell... here is her description:
First, you model writing by using chart paper, gathering yourkiddos around you and soliciting their help when you write. Draw a picture first--the book uses (for the first lesson) a picture of a stick figure lying on the beach under a beach umbrella and you write the sentence, "I really wish I was at the beach". When you write "I" ask if anyone knows how to write the word, "I" (occasionally I do have someone), if not, I always say, "Well, want to know MY secret? (they will), 'If you know the letter 'I', you know the word 'I'" (this is a poem I made up for 'a' and 'I' and my kids all learn those two words right away. Then for 'really' I keep saying the word, stretching it out and ask what letter sounds they hear---I call on students and write down whatever they say....same with all the rest of the sentence. It is amazing that this first one, it doesn't even look close to the real thing unless I have real readers, but a few weeks later, there will be a huge improvement. I exaggerate all the sounds as I write adult writing underneath, talking only about what they got right, don't mention anything incorrect.
Oh--I nearly forgot, you also do a spiel on Kidwriting--what constitutes kidwriting, in all it's different forms, zig-zaglines, loopy writing, things that look something like letters, real letters/numbers-----this honors everyone's writing but acknowledges that kidwriting is different from adult writing. Then send them to write by having them draw a picture first, then use whatever type of kidwriting they want to use or are willing to challenge themselves to.
Bring them back together and have 2-4 children share their journals, again, commenting on any positives you can, ignoring any negatives.
There are also supports like the hats that kids can wear while writing---Bat of That, Whiz of Is, Love of 'of', Kiss of This,etc. (these are on the website, downloadable for free...www.kidwriting.com). My students learn all the hat words SO quickly!
Ideally you will have this 40-45 minute writing time everyday, it will really help you to see how children write to read and read to write....they really do need both to move forward and they are terribly integrated.
I hope all this helps, there is a ton of info on the website, but the book is only about $30 and well worth it...so many great ideas.
First, you model writing by using chart paper, gathering yourkiddos around you and soliciting their help when you write. Draw a picture first--the book uses (for the first lesson) a picture of a stick figure lying on the beach under a beach umbrella and you write the sentence, "I really wish I was at the beach". When you write "I" ask if anyone knows how to write the word, "I" (occasionally I do have someone), if not, I always say, "Well, want to know MY secret? (they will), 'If you know the letter 'I', you know the word 'I'" (this is a poem I made up for 'a' and 'I' and my kids all learn those two words right away. Then for 'really' I keep saying the word, stretching it out and ask what letter sounds they hear---I call on students and write down whatever they say....same with all the rest of the sentence. It is amazing that this first one, it doesn't even look close to the real thing unless I have real readers, but a few weeks later, there will be a huge improvement. I exaggerate all the sounds as I write adult writing underneath, talking only about what they got right, don't mention anything incorrect.
Oh--I nearly forgot, you also do a spiel on Kidwriting--what constitutes kidwriting, in all it's different forms, zig-zaglines, loopy writing, things that look something like letters, real letters/numbers-----this honors everyone's writing but acknowledges that kidwriting is different from adult writing. Then send them to write by having them draw a picture first, then use whatever type of kidwriting they want to use or are willing to challenge themselves to.
Bring them back together and have 2-4 children share their journals, again, commenting on any positives you can, ignoring any negatives.
There are also supports like the hats that kids can wear while writing---Bat of That, Whiz of Is, Love of 'of', Kiss of This,etc. (these are on the website, downloadable for free...www.kidwriting.com). My students learn all the hat words SO quickly!
Ideally you will have this 40-45 minute writing time everyday, it will really help you to see how children write to read and read to write....they really do need both to move forward and they are terribly integrated.
I hope all this helps, there is a ton of info on the website, but the book is only about $30 and well worth it...so many great ideas.
Reading Hut
Talk about creative- this lady built a hut in her room! I love it- would definitely go with my jungle theme. Could it be a fire hazard?
The Reading Hut
The Reading Hut
Transition Songs
I'm always looking for songs to help with transition. Here is one for the end of the day:
End of the Day Chant
See you later alligator
Afterwhile crocodile
Bye bye butterfly
Give a hug ladybug
Be sweet Parakeet
Blow a kiss jellyfish
See you soon raccoon
Take care polar bear
Out the door dinosaur
So long King Kong
Good bye said the fly
Got in line just fine!
I may change that last part....
End of the Day Chant
See you later alligator
Afterwhile crocodile
Bye bye butterfly
Give a hug ladybug
Be sweet Parakeet
Blow a kiss jellyfish
See you soon raccoon
Take care polar bear
Out the door dinosaur
So long King Kong
Good bye said the fly
Got in line just fine!
I may change that last part....
Spelling Songs
I found this posted online and laughed! I use to make up spelling songs sometimes to the tune of many of these... but as you can tell... someone has put lots of thought into this! Hope it is useful!
If you don't have the CDs, make up your own songs -
Songs to Sing
You sing the letters to the song as if they were the words to the song. Do the whole song since it reinforces the word more often. Point to the word on the word wall, or use flash cards.
Songs for 3 Letter Words:
• This Old Man
• Jingle Bells
• Are You Sleeping (C - A - N can)
• Three Blind Mice
Songs for 4 Letter Words:
• Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
• Skip to My Lou
. YMCA
• Are You Sleeping?
Songs for 5 Letter Words
• Skip to My Lou
• Row, Row, Row Your Boat
• You Are My Sunshine
• BINGO (There was a class that learned to spell, and this is what they sang-o)
Songs for 6 Letter Words
• This Old Man
• Jingle Bells
• Happy Birthday
• Michael Row Your Boat Ashore
• The Farmer in the Dell
• Skip to My Lou
Songs for 7 Letter Words
• She’ll Be Coming Around the Mountain When She Comes
• My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
• Twinkle, Twinkle
• Willoughby Wallaby Woo
Songs for 8 Letter Words
• We Wish You a Merry Christmas
• For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow
Songs for 9 Letter Words
• I’m a Little Teapot
If you don't have the CDs, make up your own songs -
Songs to Sing
You sing the letters to the song as if they were the words to the song. Do the whole song since it reinforces the word more often. Point to the word on the word wall, or use flash cards.
Songs for 3 Letter Words:
• This Old Man
• Jingle Bells
• Are You Sleeping (C - A - N can)
• Three Blind Mice
Songs for 4 Letter Words:
• Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
• Skip to My Lou
. YMCA
• Are You Sleeping?
Songs for 5 Letter Words
• Skip to My Lou
• Row, Row, Row Your Boat
• You Are My Sunshine
• BINGO (There was a class that learned to spell, and this is what they sang-o)
Songs for 6 Letter Words
• This Old Man
• Jingle Bells
• Happy Birthday
• Michael Row Your Boat Ashore
• The Farmer in the Dell
• Skip to My Lou
Songs for 7 Letter Words
• She’ll Be Coming Around the Mountain When She Comes
• My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
• Twinkle, Twinkle
• Willoughby Wallaby Woo
Songs for 8 Letter Words
• We Wish You a Merry Christmas
• For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow
Songs for 9 Letter Words
• I’m a Little Teapot
Math Graph of Week
This is an idea by Jessica Mecham:
I started this project with my Kindergarteners at the beginning of the 2006-2007 school year. They loved it! Each week, during our Morning Meeting routine, we create a class graph. The graph's topic always related to current classroom theme/skill/topics/interest. The graph took us all week long to create. We read a book each day of the week that related to our graph's topic, and after the read aloud, a few students would respond to the graph's question. At the end of the week, we'd analyze the graph. This can be done in K, 1, 2, or even 3. To challenge the older students, when analyzing the graph, determine the MODE, MEDIAN, and RANGE. With all grade levels discuss MOST, LEAST, MORE THAN, LESS THAN, and EQUAL TO. The graphs were displayed on our classroom walls, and were created on large pieces of tag/poster board. At the end of the school year, the children each took home 2-3 graphs.
Jessica's Graph of Week Page
I started this project with my Kindergarteners at the beginning of the 2006-2007 school year. They loved it! Each week, during our Morning Meeting routine, we create a class graph. The graph's topic always related to current classroom theme/skill/topics/interest. The graph took us all week long to create. We read a book each day of the week that related to our graph's topic, and after the read aloud, a few students would respond to the graph's question. At the end of the week, we'd analyze the graph. This can be done in K, 1, 2, or even 3. To challenge the older students, when analyzing the graph, determine the MODE, MEDIAN, and RANGE. With all grade levels discuss MOST, LEAST, MORE THAN, LESS THAN, and EQUAL TO. The graphs were displayed on our classroom walls, and were created on large pieces of tag/poster board. At the end of the school year, the children each took home 2-3 graphs.
Jessica's Graph of Week Page
Elementary Teacher Resources
The following is the text version of Mrs. Mikesell's Elementary Teacher Newsletter
If you would like to subscribe- click here
Welcome to the Fourth Issue of Elementary Teacher Resources-Pinching Pennies
I don’t know about you, but I spend more money on my classroom than my family. Teachers are notoriously spending hundreds of dollars in their classrooms every year. I want to help you spend less money on storage and organization.
This special supplement of Great Elementary Teacher Resources is all about saving you money so you can buy more important items for your students!
Below are examples of free storage. These are things you can start asking neighbors, friends, and coworkers to start saving now so you'll be ready to go once school starts again.
Water Bottles
I use water bottles for storage of desk items like paperclips, rubber bands, and thumb tacks.
They have a great lid, they don't spill all over the classroom when I drop them, they are easily transportable and they can be stored in a box.
Wide mouth bottles from sports drinks are perfect for pencils, markers and pens. I place these in centers or on tables because they are very durable, the children can see exactly what they want before opening the bottle and they are free. My friend who's an occupational therapist even loves this idea because it builds small motor coordination!
Cat Litter Boxes
Reuse cat litter boxes for book bins, centers buckets and theme storage.
They are extremely sturdy, can be spray painted and have great handles.
I really like these for thematic book bins. They hold a ton of books and can easily be stacked on top of each other.
Laundry Baskets
Pick up a big stack of laundry baskets. Get as many as you can that stack into each other.
They are cheap, stackable, and great for centers, backpacks, puppets, sleeping mats, science tools and math journals.
I always seem to bring a laundry basket full of lunches, first aide kit, coats, and other junk on field trips with me. I don't really care if they get banged up, and they are rarely left behind.
I have a big pile of probably 20 baskets that I use all of the time.
One of my favorite uses is for comfy reading time. It gives students a safe and quiet spot to read.
Milk Jugs
Use milk jugs for storage of math manipulatives like links, cubes and those cute little bears. They have a lid, so they won't spill all over, and they hold up forever.
Egg Cartons
Use egg cartons for math sorting, painting, planting seeds, 2 row graphing, and a million other things. I really like the cartons that are clear plastic because you can store items in them too!
Super Simple Space Saving Center
Tissue Centers
When thinking about easy centers storage, think tissue boxes!
Every school goes through hundreds of these a year - ask teachers to send them your way.
Tissue boxes are made of nice, sturdy cardboard. They can be painted, glued on, or written on.
The access hole is a great size for little hands, and they can hold quite a bit.
I use them for math tubs, magnets, markers, crayons, pencils, literacy centers, cassette tapes, glitter... the list can go on and on. So, next time you sneeze, take the tissue and think about what the box might be in your classroom.
If you would like to subscribe- click here
Welcome to the Fourth Issue of Elementary Teacher Resources-Pinching Pennies
I don’t know about you, but I spend more money on my classroom than my family. Teachers are notoriously spending hundreds of dollars in their classrooms every year. I want to help you spend less money on storage and organization.
This special supplement of Great Elementary Teacher Resources is all about saving you money so you can buy more important items for your students!
Below are examples of free storage. These are things you can start asking neighbors, friends, and coworkers to start saving now so you'll be ready to go once school starts again.
Water Bottles
I use water bottles for storage of desk items like paperclips, rubber bands, and thumb tacks.
They have a great lid, they don't spill all over the classroom when I drop them, they are easily transportable and they can be stored in a box.
Wide mouth bottles from sports drinks are perfect for pencils, markers and pens. I place these in centers or on tables because they are very durable, the children can see exactly what they want before opening the bottle and they are free. My friend who's an occupational therapist even loves this idea because it builds small motor coordination!
Cat Litter Boxes
Reuse cat litter boxes for book bins, centers buckets and theme storage.
They are extremely sturdy, can be spray painted and have great handles.
I really like these for thematic book bins. They hold a ton of books and can easily be stacked on top of each other.
Laundry Baskets
Pick up a big stack of laundry baskets. Get as many as you can that stack into each other.
They are cheap, stackable, and great for centers, backpacks, puppets, sleeping mats, science tools and math journals.
I always seem to bring a laundry basket full of lunches, first aide kit, coats, and other junk on field trips with me. I don't really care if they get banged up, and they are rarely left behind.
I have a big pile of probably 20 baskets that I use all of the time.
One of my favorite uses is for comfy reading time. It gives students a safe and quiet spot to read.
Milk Jugs
Use milk jugs for storage of math manipulatives like links, cubes and those cute little bears. They have a lid, so they won't spill all over, and they hold up forever.
Egg Cartons
Use egg cartons for math sorting, painting, planting seeds, 2 row graphing, and a million other things. I really like the cartons that are clear plastic because you can store items in them too!
Super Simple Space Saving Center
Tissue Centers
When thinking about easy centers storage, think tissue boxes!
Every school goes through hundreds of these a year - ask teachers to send them your way.
Tissue boxes are made of nice, sturdy cardboard. They can be painted, glued on, or written on.
The access hole is a great size for little hands, and they can hold quite a bit.
I use them for math tubs, magnets, markers, crayons, pencils, literacy centers, cassette tapes, glitter... the list can go on and on. So, next time you sneeze, take the tissue and think about what the box might be in your classroom.
Math Journals
Here are some ideas shared on Teachers.Net chatboard
Here is how I did math journals (not every day)
1. Bought spirals on sale, for 10 cents each.
2. Kids picked out a notebook color they liked and I labeled them.
3. First day I taught how to use journal (very specific), tobe on correct page, write date etc. Then we traced our handand counted fingers, some kids wrote the numbers.
4. Continued with drawing and tracing (shapes) and learninghow to use journals
5. Worked up to gluing a math problem in the book (up in themargin and then another one by the hole in the middle of thepage) Showed how to answer problem in the correct space - nextyear I may just do one problem per page, just to fill in moreof the book:) I used a lot of problems http://sewwhat4ucorp.com/teacherresources2006.htm then once Igot the hang of it I made up some of my own.
6. The only thing I had to really watch was to make sure theywere on the correct page. I would check each journal as Ipassed out the problems.
7. The journals were kept in their cubbies. I have tablesupplies (scissors, glue sticks, pencils for them to use)
Here is how I did math journals (not every day)
1. Bought spirals on sale, for 10 cents each.
2. Kids picked out a notebook color they liked and I labeled them.
3. First day I taught how to use journal (very specific), tobe on correct page, write date etc. Then we traced our handand counted fingers, some kids wrote the numbers.
4. Continued with drawing and tracing (shapes) and learninghow to use journals
5. Worked up to gluing a math problem in the book (up in themargin and then another one by the hole in the middle of thepage) Showed how to answer problem in the correct space - nextyear I may just do one problem per page, just to fill in moreof the book:) I used a lot of problems http://sewwhat4ucorp.com/teacherresources2006.htm then once Igot the hang of it I made up some of my own.
6. The only thing I had to really watch was to make sure theywere on the correct page. I would check each journal as Ipassed out the problems.
7. The journals were kept in their cubbies. I have tablesupplies (scissors, glue sticks, pencils for them to use)
Rhyme Time
I found these webpages on Nursery Rhymes and the alphabet. I'm not too crazy about this alphabet rhyme, but think the links at the bottom may be useful.
ABC Rhyme
Hubbard's Cupboard
Here's another link- full of songs and poetry
Songs and Poems
ABC Rhyme
Hubbard's Cupboard
Here's another link- full of songs and poetry
Songs and Poems
Story Souvenirs
I read about this neat idea called "storybits" or Story Souvenirs. Essentially it is a small token sent home with students so that they can recall or retell a story they read that day to their parents. While this is something anyone can easily come up with- several sites on the Internet are dedicated to getting those creative juices flowing. Please visit these sites. I believe I may use this idea once a week- for nightly homework.
Story Souvenirs
StoryBits
More from Four Block
Yet another Four Block
Shari's Site
If you have other ideas or websites please share!
Story Souvenirs
StoryBits
More from Four Block
Yet another Four Block
Shari's Site
If you have other ideas or websites please share!
Beanie Babies
This is such a cool idea! This link shows how you can use beanie babies to teach reading strategies.
Beanie Babies
Beanie Babies
Author Studies
I'd like to do a few author studies with my K folks this year. Here are a few I am interested in.
Eric Carle, Leo Lionni, Ezra Jack Keats, Pat Hutchins, Donald Crews, Lois Ehlert, Maurice Sendak, Mercer Mayer, Laura Numeroff, Kevin Henkes, Audrey and Don Woods, Robert Munsch, Jan Brett, Mem Fox, Dr. Seuss
Anyone have any other ideas?
ABC Schoolhouse has a few authors listed on their sites.
Hedgie's favorite are:
Eric Carle
Ezra Jack Keats
David Shannon
Tomie dePaola
Frank Asch
Donald Crews
Denise Flemming
Mem Fox
Lois Ehlert
Jane Yolen
Robert Munsh
Jonathan London
Eric Carle, Leo Lionni, Ezra Jack Keats, Pat Hutchins, Donald Crews, Lois Ehlert, Maurice Sendak, Mercer Mayer, Laura Numeroff, Kevin Henkes, Audrey and Don Woods, Robert Munsch, Jan Brett, Mem Fox, Dr. Seuss
Anyone have any other ideas?
ABC Schoolhouse has a few authors listed on their sites.
Hedgie's favorite are:
Eric Carle
Ezra Jack Keats
David Shannon
Tomie dePaola
Frank Asch
Donald Crews
Denise Flemming
Mem Fox
Lois Ehlert
Jane Yolen
Robert Munsh
Jonathan London
Bear Unit
I'm always looking for thematic units- and well, here are some resources. Anyone interested in bears? Follow this link for a free unit.
September Ideas
I also cut and pasted the following off of a Teacher Chatboard. It sounds like a cute bulletin board to go with your study:
Anyway, on a BB by my door, I had "Beary Special Students" with a teddy bear cut-out and a photo of each child's head on bear's tummy or you could do it instead of his head. I had them walking on a path to a cut-out of a school building, and pasted on paper with green for grass and blue for sky. Around my door, I took brown kraft roll paper and put a strip on each side of my door. I then drew lines and knotholes with marker to look like wood. On the top, I put a roof cut from black paper. I then had teddy bears cottage door that I purchased from a BB set on my door. I called it Mrs. ----'s Den. I made it to look like the cottage from the book The Three Bears.
September Ideas
I also cut and pasted the following off of a Teacher Chatboard. It sounds like a cute bulletin board to go with your study:
Anyway, on a BB by my door, I had "Beary Special Students" with a teddy bear cut-out and a photo of each child's head on bear's tummy or you could do it instead of his head. I had them walking on a path to a cut-out of a school building, and pasted on paper with green for grass and blue for sky. Around my door, I took brown kraft roll paper and put a strip on each side of my door. I then drew lines and knotholes with marker to look like wood. On the top, I put a roof cut from black paper. I then had teddy bears cottage door that I purchased from a BB set on my door. I called it Mrs. ----'s Den. I made it to look like the cottage from the book The Three Bears.
Need Art Ideas?
I got this link off of a teacher chatboard. It works K-6.
Art Lessons
See if you can find something useful!
Art Lessons
See if you can find something useful!
All About Me!
This all about me page shows all kinds of neat activities one could use during an All About Me unit or at the beginning of the year, as you do King or Queen of the Day.
All About Me Art
It would be really neat to do the height activity at be beginning and the end of the year.
All About Me Art
It would be really neat to do the height activity at be beginning and the end of the year.
K Bootcamp
I love this website! It is very informative for new teachers but hey- I still love it!
K Bootcamp
See what you think!
K Bootcamp
See what you think!
Mini Books
We all love easy readers- here are a variety of mini books. Easy printables that your students can read.
Mini Books
Mini Books
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Resources
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is one of our favorite books at the beginning of K. Here are some resources I found online.
Counting Coconuts Booklet
Chicka Chicka Take Home Chart
Chick Chicka Phonemic Awareness
Chicka Chicka Printables
Chicka Chicka File
Chicka Chicka Alphabet
Chicka Chicka Scissor Skills
Chicka Chicka Alphabet File
Chicka Chicka Numbers
Story Patterns
Coloring Page
Emergent Readers
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Unit
Chicka Chicka Activities
Lots of stuff to accompany good reading!
Counting Coconuts Booklet
Chicka Chicka Take Home Chart
Chick Chicka Phonemic Awareness
Chicka Chicka Printables
Chicka Chicka File
Chicka Chicka Alphabet
Chicka Chicka Scissor Skills
Chicka Chicka Alphabet File
Chicka Chicka Numbers
Story Patterns
Coloring Page
Emergent Readers
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Unit
Chicka Chicka Activities
Lots of stuff to accompany good reading!
Pocket Chart Activities
I love Pocket Charts! I plan to start a pocket chart center this year with my K's. I have found all kinds of activities and surprises on the following sites.
All About Pocket Charts
Jessica's Pocket Charts
KinderKorner Pocket Charts
School Days
Angie's Pocket Chart Site
There are lots of things you can have them do! I have various kinds of ABC flash cards that I'm going to use for them to sequence. I bought 2 sets of ABC strips (the kind you put over the chalkboard.) at Dollar Tree. One set I'm putting in the pocket chart and the other set I'm going to cut apart so they can match the letters and practice sequencing them on top of those. I use rhyming flash cards for them to match the rhyming words. In another pocket chart, I have monthly words (October, for ex.-pumpkin, witch, haunted house, etc.) and 2 sentence starters which reinforces sight words: I like_______. and I see_______. Children have to fill in the blank with monthly words and use sight word cards: I like the pumpkin. I see a witch.I do this for each month. Then they take a pointer and read the sentences they made. You can also have them write their sentence later on in the year and illustrate. The other side of that pocket chart I have some kind of seasonal cutout. (Scarecrow, for example) I write out sentences to describe cutout. See my blue hat. See my yellow shirt. See my red pants. I make the same sentence and cut apart the words for the children to place over the words in the sentence. They read the sentences with a pointer when finished. This idea is from Kinderkorner. Check out Jessica Meacham's site- she has a wealth of pocket chart ideas! www.jmeacham.com
especially at the beginning of the year (but really all year long) I use their names. Anything with their names and they will be engaged for a long while. you can do their pictures and names for a matching gameor do poems where their names get subbed in. ____ be nimble. chicka, chicka boom boom, here comes ______ up the coconut tree. and like the previous posted mentioned color word activities are always good.
I'm using them for making words activities. Check out Jessica Meacham's site-she has pictures of how she turns these pocket charts into making words folders! Click on "Working With Words".
Hope these help!
All About Pocket Charts
Jessica's Pocket Charts
KinderKorner Pocket Charts
School Days
Angie's Pocket Chart Site
There are lots of things you can have them do! I have various kinds of ABC flash cards that I'm going to use for them to sequence. I bought 2 sets of ABC strips (the kind you put over the chalkboard.) at Dollar Tree. One set I'm putting in the pocket chart and the other set I'm going to cut apart so they can match the letters and practice sequencing them on top of those. I use rhyming flash cards for them to match the rhyming words. In another pocket chart, I have monthly words (October, for ex.-pumpkin, witch, haunted house, etc.) and 2 sentence starters which reinforces sight words: I like_______. and I see_______. Children have to fill in the blank with monthly words and use sight word cards: I like the pumpkin. I see a witch.I do this for each month. Then they take a pointer and read the sentences they made. You can also have them write their sentence later on in the year and illustrate. The other side of that pocket chart I have some kind of seasonal cutout. (Scarecrow, for example) I write out sentences to describe cutout. See my blue hat. See my yellow shirt. See my red pants. I make the same sentence and cut apart the words for the children to place over the words in the sentence. They read the sentences with a pointer when finished. This idea is from Kinderkorner. Check out Jessica Meacham's site- she has a wealth of pocket chart ideas! www.jmeacham.com
especially at the beginning of the year (but really all year long) I use their names. Anything with their names and they will be engaged for a long while. you can do their pictures and names for a matching gameor do poems where their names get subbed in. ____ be nimble. chicka, chicka boom boom, here comes ______ up the coconut tree. and like the previous posted mentioned color word activities are always good.
I'm using them for making words activities. Check out Jessica Meacham's site-she has pictures of how she turns these pocket charts into making words folders! Click on "Working With Words".
Hope these help!
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