1-2-3 Come Do Some "It Looked Like Spilt Milk" Activities With Me

Do you read "It Looked Like Spilt Milk"  by Charles Shaw?

It’s a terrific, springtime story for introducing your study of clouds, and helps children stretch their imaginations. 

Because my Young Fives really enjoy this story, I designed several cloud-themed activities for them to transition to, after we read the tale.  They are both featured on the blog today, along with an awesome FREEBIE.

Since "It Looked Like Spilt Milk" is perfect for practicing the “sequencing and retelling a story” standards, I designed a quick, easy and fun slider craftivity, which will help your students retell the story in the proper order.

There are 2 outside slider options to choose from.

One features a cloud, the other a square with a spilled milk "splat". 

I chose blue construction paper, to resemble the story as well as the color of the sky.

Pick your favorite or give children a choice.

Students color the story elements on the “slider strip” then cut and glue it together.

There are 2 "storytelling slider strip" options as well.
One, for beginning readers, has the pictures labeled, while the other strip's graphics are blank.

As they pull on the end of the “slider-strip” the various “cloud” pictures go through the “window”, so that children can take turns retelling the story to a partner or reading buddy, then take their craftivity home to share with their family, once again practicing these standards.

I introduce the lesson by reading the book ”It Looked Like Spilt Milk”, then share my completed "slider craft” with my students.

After I read the story, we retell the tale together, using the picture prompts on my slider.

I have them guess which story element they think comes next, before I pull the picture through the “window”.

My students now know what’s expected of them, and are very excited to transition to making an “It Looked Like Spilt Milk” storytelling slider of their own.

Storytelling sliders are also an easy & interesting way to assess comprehension.

I’ve included a “Let’s “sequence the story” activity for this, where students color and trim the picture “windows” then glue them in the correct order on their worksheet.

There’s also a “Here’s What Happened…” writing prompt worksheet, as another way to check comprehension, plus practice sequential writing, hopefully using a variety of ordinal numbers and other transitions. 

Finally, I thought it would be fun to practice upper and lowercase letters with a "cloud alphabet", which also includes an "animal cloud" for each letter as well.

The "Cloud-Themed Alphabet Packet" includes:
* An “Alpha Clouds” (color, trace & write) booklet.

With 4 pages on one, to make a "just-the-right-size", mini booklet.

*An “ABC Animal Clouds” booklet, with the same above format.

* A boy & girl “Look at my cloud name” worksheet craftivity.

* 3 sets of alpha-cloud cards for upper & lowercase letters.

* 2 sets of animal cloud cards. There is a “cloud animal” for each letter of the alphabet.

* There are also matching animal word cards, which will provide more ways to play “Memory Match” and “I Have; Who Has?” games.

* Children can also pick a picture card and describe the animal using 1-3 adjectives OR…
* Pick a word card and use it in a sentence. OR…
* Students can arrange the letter and/or word cards in alphabetical order.

-Use the “Kaboom!” cards to add to the fun.
-Use the cover to make an “Itty Bitty” booklet.

* I’ve also included a 5-page, tip list of other games and things you can use the cards for.

* 2 poster poems to introduce the lesson

These activities can be used for independent centers, whole group activities, Daily 5 word work, early finishers, homework, or tossed in a sub tub.

Today's featured FREEBIE is a set of number posters.  

These anchor charts are perfect for a math bulletin board that you can refer to daily and review:

* fractions, colors, patterns, telling time, fact families, money, tally marks, ordinal numbers, measurement with a ruler, +1 addition, sequencing numbers, counting groups and sets of objects, and using a ten frame for addition or subtraction.

Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by. My feet have hit the floor running, as I'm watching 3 of my grandchildren today.

They are age 4, 2 and 1, so it will be a busy day of play, filled with lots of fun and giggles.   Wishing you a love-filled day.

"Becoming a grandmother is wonderful. One moment you’re just a mother. The next you are all-wise and prehistoric." ~Pam Brown

Having A Blast With Wind!

There just never seems to be enough time in the day to get everything done that has to be done and then try and include some science too.

Then if you manage to make the time, there’s always the problem of where can you go to get some quick and easy things to plug in, that will interest the students and be grade-level appropriate!

This was a dilemma that I had with every grade I taught. I wasted tons of time on the web searching for who knows what.

Now I just design my own mini science lessons to match the theme I’m doing for that particular month.

By including some math skills and writing activities in the process, I get lots of bang for my “time buck”.

Wind is a terrific theme for March and can easily be tied in with clouds.  Both offer lots of opportunities to learn a little science.

In my Wind Packet I’ve included several hands-on “craftivities” that make a great incentive center.  i.e., complete the required lessons for the morning and then you get to visit this special center and make a pinwheel, wind cloud, or wind-fact tinsel cloud!

Pinwheels are a fun way to show the movement of wind.

I’ve included 5 patterns for you to choose from, or simply run off the plain pinwheel on a variety of brightly colored construction paper.

Having students pretend to be the wind and blow paint around on a cloud using a straw, reinforces the colors of the rainbow and makes a pretty pattern.

Your students will enjoy making a Wind Facts - Tinsel Cloud, which gives a list of facts about the wind answering questions like: What is wind? , What makes wind? and What is the record for the fastest wind?

There’s a writing prompt on the back that gets students to think at a higher level and is a nice introduction to metaphor or simile.

I’ve also included 4 quick and easy wind experiments sure to knock your students socks off and add interest to your science time.

Will The Wind Blow It? Has students become little scientists. They make predictions and record data and then analyze the data and come to  conclusions about the results.

Wind Chill uses hand sanitizer for a fun “hands on” evaporation and wind experiment that takes just a few minutes.

Up Up And Away involves a balloon race and incorporates measuring and comparison skills.

The Egg In A Bottle looks into wind pressure and is my personal favorite.  It will have your little ones in awe!

If you do all of the experiments do the graphing activity and then have students make the class wind book writing about which one was their favorite. 

I've also included the nursery rhyme "Rock A Bye Baby" with links to several YouTube videos. I try to include this genre into my story time whenever it fits in with a theme that I'm doing.

I hope these ideas add delight to your day.

No one will ever think that you’re a boring wind bag when you spice things up with a little scientific fun!

Click on the link to view/download the Wind Packet

Be sure and pop in tomorrow when I’ll some weather activites!

Cloudy With A Chance Of Learning...

Yesterday we were flying high with kites in the sky. 

Today clouds are in the sky.  It’s another one of the themes I like to touch on during March Is Reading Month.

I like to design easy readers that help review difficult standards like those tough 3D shapes.

I figure if I can make a little booklet about them, my students get to do a hands-on activity that makes learning more fun.

My 3D-Cloud booklet, covers concepts of print as well as writing skills, while reinforcing the 3D - shapes, so I get more “bang for my time buck!” so to speak, plus students really enjoy making these just-my-size booklets and sharing them with their families, so they help reinforce the lessons at home as well.

I include a graphing extension to nail yet another standard, which get students actively involved in discussion.

Click on the link to view/download My 3-D Cloud booklet.

The Shape On My Cloud reviews 6 basic flat shapes, colors and counting. The surprise ending incorporates a rainbow for a little bit of science.

Students trace the shape, colr and number words and shapes. Click on the link to viw/dwonload the cloud booklet.

Great Reads: Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs, Little Cloud and It Looked Like Spilt Milk

While surfing the net this morning I came across a Linky Party.

Click on the link and join Jeannie at Kindergarten Lifestyle. Add your blog to her list.  She’ll be turning it into a pin board list on Pinterest.

Just click on the little blue “Add Your Link” button on her blog.  It’s super easy!

Enjoy and have a great day!  Spring has really “sprung” here in Michigan.  It’s going to be 80 today!

I hope wherever you are, you too are enjoying the rejuvenating sunshine and sweet smell of springtime.