Name Cards As Inexpensive Teaching Tools!

 I loved name cards when I taught Y5’s. They were perfect for a variety of things. 

I laminated them so that they lasted longer, and because they were double, I had extra sets because I didn't stand them up as a tent card.

Being able to recognize their name was a report card standard and surprisingly many little ones came to me not knowing how to identify their name.

Besides placing them on the tables in the morning, so students knew where they sat for that day, and scattering them on the floor so they could “find themselves” as a fun identification game, I also rubber banded a set and put them in my library book crate.

When students brought their book back, they looked for their name card and stuck it in their book.

My 4-year-olds, often forgot which book they brought back by the time the end of the week rolled around and it was our turn to go to the library.

The long cards would stick out, so I simply flipped the book open to see who I needed to hand it to.

It was also another chance for them to reinforce identifying their name.

Because notebooks are offered as loss leaders in most major Office Supply Stores during the summer, I can pick up a “writing notebook” for my students to practice writing their name in for as little as 10 cents!  I also tucked a name card in this notebook as well.

When The Dollar Store started carrying name cards, you can imagine my joy!  I kept a pack by my rocking chair and used them as flashcards. 

I'd flash a name for only a few seconds.  If it was your name on the card you had so many seconds to raise your hand and claim it.  I also used that pack as a fair way to choose students as my reading helpers.  I'd fan them out face down and have students select cards and read who would get to do whatever.

I’ve seen the “informational” name cards that I revamped in the photo above, produced by a variety of companies, and thought I’d whip up my own version.

I made two lines so you can write your students’ names, but I also included another line, so you can use the cards for name writing practice.

That way, the cards will make a quick & easy way for you to whole-group assess writing standards (How students hold a writing utensil, if they make their letters top down, if students are right-handed etc.) without using paper.  Simply have students use a dry erase marker, which my kiddo’s LOVED using!

I’ve also printed the cards, so that you can make copies, so you can fold them and use them as a tent with names on both sides, or with skip counting and 3-D shape information on the other side.

If you’re like me, and lay the cards flat, I’ve made an extra double-page set of the skip counting card, so you can use that as a practice tool if you want too.

You can also have students play “I Spy” the shape, letter or number and have students point to the various thing that you want to practice,  as a quick and easy game or fill in, when you have a few minutes of time to kill.

I've also printed the vowels in green, so students can easily differentiate them from the consonants, for another teachable moment.

Click on the link to view/download Informational Name Cards

 I hope you and yours, enjoy these as they brighten your day!

Thanks for visiting. Feel free to PIN anything from my site that you think others might find useful.

“Success is the sum of small efforts-repeated day in and day out.” –Robert Collier