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
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