Alphabet Activities

1-2-3 Come Review Upper and Lowercase Letters With Me!

I liked to make up a summer fun packet for my students to take home at the end of the year. It was a nice review of everything we had learned.

This packet was also handy for parents to have their child work on, if they complained of being bored, or an easy thing to give children when they wanted to play "school," while on vacation.

I designed this KnOWLedge Owl "craftivity" with that in mind. You could also make it at the beginning of the year, so that students can practice their letters, with their families at home.

Here's How To Make Them:

Run off masters on a variety of construction paper. I chose funky color combinations, but you could also do more realistic owls in various shades of brown.

Rough cut so that students can get their pieces and trim.

You may want a room helper to cut the beaks and feet, just to expedite things.

If you’re having someone cut these for you, it’s easier to trace a template on an old file folder. The helper traces once and then cuts 3-6 at a time.

Pre-cut long envelopes so that students have a pocket to put their extra letter wheels in.

Set up this “craftivity” as a center. When students are done with other work, they can come up and get the color owl pieces of their choice.

Students glue the wings to either side of the owl. They can add some crayon details for more pizzazz.

Student glue the feet to the bottom of their owl so that the tops are glued to the back. I also added crayon details here and then traced the belly of the owl with a white crayon so that the writing “popped.”

Students cut out their white alphabet wheels. Older students can cut and poke their own holes in the eyes; younger students will need this done for them.

To expedite things, I used a circle paper punch to make the letter “windows.”

owls, alphabet activities, owl lessons, owl crafts, owl art projects, alphabet lessons, alphabet assessments, common core for kindergarten, common core for 1st grade, free common core lessons, Poke a hole through the owl’s head and attach whatever wheel you want your students to work on; fasten with brass brads.

Students glue their beak on, after their eyes are in place.

If you want the beaks to be 3D, simply cut a 4-inch wide strip of yellow construction paper, and fold it in half. Trace the triangle template so that it butts up against the fold, then cut the triangles out

Students glue their envelope half to the back of their owl and write their name on it.

Close the open side with a piece of Scotch tape.

This is a safe place where students can keep their extra wheels, so that they don’t lose them.

There are lots of activities you can do with the KnOWLedge owl.

Use as a review game. Choose a quiet child to call out a letter from a-j, k-t, or u-z.

Students spin the top eye wheel ‘til they find those letters. You can also have students partner up and play this game with each other.

You can play “I’m Thinking Of A Letter.” Give clues about the letter and students spin the wheels ‘til they find it. i.e. “I’m thinking of a letter that is a vowel. It comes after the letter N and before the letter P.”

Play “Speed.” You call out a letter and see who can find the upper and lowercase letters the quickest.

Use as an alternative or additional fun way to assess upper and lowercase letters.

These are terrific sent home at the beginning of the year, so that students can practice with their parents.

They also make a nice end of the year activity, so that students don’t forget what they learned over the summer, or preschoolers can practice before they come to kindergarten in the fall.