I know I'm late in posting this, as September has gone by faster than its usual speed of light for me, but I wanted to finish up with apples, before I move on to other fall-themed units.

I figure apples fit well with my harvest theme for October, so I usually throw in a few extra apple activities that I didn't have time to cover earlier. It's also great to compare and contrast apples with pumpkins too. 

Any hoo, I had so much fun redesigning two of my all-time favorite life cycle of an apple crafts, and tossing in an emergent reader to round out the activities in my latest fall packet: Life Cycle of an Apple Activities.

I think you’ll love the versatility, as it’s appropriate for a variety of ages and levels, with lots of options.

The Life Cycle of an Apple emergent reader, is great non-fiction practice that reinforces plenty of sight words, as it includes 31 from the Dolch word lists!
Picture prompts help with the other words.

I’ve included a color copy for teachers, as well as a student copy in black & white.

Children trace and write the life cycle words, read the simple sentences, color the pictures, then cut & collate the pages into a “just the right size” booklet.

There’s a template with 6 on a page, as well as one with 12 mini-pages on a one-page template, so that you have the option to make Itty Bitty booklets, that are a real paper-saver.

To assist with reading, review the life cycle of an apple, with the 8 colorful pocket chart cards.

I also made a bookmark-size template for your students.

The 2 apple craftivities also reinforce the life cycle. Nothing like a hands-on artsy activity to get your kiddos excited.

I’ve included a simple 4-section life cycle, as well as a more detailed one, with 7 sections. I feature both options in the photographs.

Completed projects look awesome dangling from the ceiling, as there is a front & back for each project.

Choose either the apple with a sweet fingerprint poem, or the equally adorable apple pie.  Here's the poem:

"There's a star inside my apple!  It's a miracle indeed, that a sweet and yummy apple was once a little seed. This one is extra special.  It's made with TLC.  The seeds are from my fingerprints, as you can plainly see."

I made the leaf 3D by folding an extra one in half then gluing it to the flat one. For that finishing touch, have students glue their school photo on the leaf. 

The life cycle of an apple, on a small paper plate, covered with aluminum foil, also turned out really cute. I spritzed ours with apple-cinnamon air freshener! Our room smells fabulous! 

The back of the "pie" has the life cycle, and the front features the "Life Cycle of an Apple" title circle.  Since the apples end up in a pie, I thought I'd dangle a slice "Oh my! Apple pie." to complete the cycle. 

I hope your kiddos enjoy doing these activities as much as mine did. An added bonus, is the wonderful compliments you’ll get from appreciative parents, who’ll love this special keepsake!

Click on the link to pop on over to my little TpT shop to take a peek at this 33-pager: Life Cycle of an Apple Activities packet. 

While you're there, I'd so appreciate it if you'd click on the "Follow Me" button; then you'll know when I post Diane's Dollar Deals, new stuff, and FREEBIES too.

Speaking of FREEBIES, today's featured free item, is a fall-themed "Shapely Graphing" packet.  Reinforce graphing, shapes and colors all in one worksheet!  Can I get an Amen!?

The teacher's answer keys are in full color to save you a ton of time, while the student worksheets are in black and white.

It's the newest FREEBIE in my store; I thought it fit the blog today because it has an apple graph, then slides us into the rest of my fall themes: pumpkins, leaves and spiders. Click on the link above to grab it.

Well that's it for today.  If March roars out like a lion or lamb, then September is bidding adieu like a beach ball. 

It's a beautiful sunny day in the 70's, and time to take my poodle pup, Chloe, for a much-needed trot around the block.  Wishing you a blessed week. 

"Designers want me to dress like spring, in billowing things.  I don't feel like spring.  I feel like a warm red autumn." -Marilyn Monroe

1-2-3 Come Do a Brown Bear Activity With Me

Do you read the story Brown Bear What Do You See, by Bill Martin & Eric Carle? It’s one of my all-time favorite stories about colors.

With that book in mind, I designed this sweet “just the right size” Brown Bear booklet, as a fun way to reinforce the 5 senses.

Brown Bear not only sees things, but he hears, feels, smells, & tastes them too!

Children color their cover, complete the prompt by writing one or two words of what their bear saw, heard, tasted etc. then draw a picture.

Encourage older students to write short, but descriptive sentences and turn this activity into an emergent reader.

When students have completed their worksheet, they cut out the pages, put them in any order they want, then staple them to the “pencil” on the cover of their booklet.

There are pages with word prompts for K-1, as well as pages with picture prompts for PK kiddos. (See photo).

Besides the Itty Bitty booklet, the packet includes a Brown Bear 5 senses poster for reviewing the 5 senses.

I’ve also included a “Label the bear’s senses” worksheet, with a write-in, or cut & glue option. There are 2 size choices as well.

In addition to the booklet, students can also think of one more thing their bear could see, hear, smell etc. and write those answers on the bookmark-size worksheet.

As with all of my products, I include a completed sample, so that you can quickly & easily make an example of your own, to help explain what you want your students to do.

This activity packet is just $2.95.  Click on the link to zip on over to my TpT shop to check it out. Brown Bear's 5 Senses.

The featured FREEBIE today also has a bear theme.  It's a set of 12 pocket chart cards that practice beginning capitalization & end punctuation. 

Besides the cards, the packet also includes a worksheet and certificate of praise.  I designed these around another favorite bear story: Goin' On A Bear Hunt.   Click on the link for an awesome telling of the tale by Michael Rosen, the author. 

Well that's it for today. I'm anxious to finish the matching "Color Bear" emergent reader that will reinforce these word wall words.

I'll hopefully have it completed by the end of the day, so do pop back tomorrow for a look see. Wishing you a wonderful week.

"You can always tell about somebody by the way they put their hands on an animal." - Betty White

1-2-3 Come Read With Me

Hooray for Dollar Deals from Diane.
Here’s another emergent reader “just the right size”alphabet booklet. 

I hope your kiddos are enjoying them as much as mine did. You know you've got a winner when your students ask for another one!

They're truly a quick, easy and fun way to reinforce a variety of standards.

Besides the 4-on-a-page template, I’ve also included an 8-on-a-page pattern, so that you can make an “Itty Bitty Alpha-bits” booklet if you want.

Using the pictures as a guide, children read the page, trace the letters, write the letters, then color the picture. 

Afterwards, they cut the pages into 1/4ths (grab that teachable moment to review fractions if you're studying them) collate the pages and then staple their booklet together.

When everyone has completed their booklet, read it together as a whole group to cover concepts of print, and reinforce the repetitive text.

Even though my Y5's were technically not really "reading", they "got it" because of the repetitious sentences and picture clues. 

I think one of the reasons they loved making these little booklets was because they could share them with their family.  They were really proud of themselves.

There’s also a "Color Me" alphabet poster, which comes on a full page, as well as 2-on-a-page, and is the featured FREEBIE today.  Click on the link to grab your copy.

Children can color their poster all at once, or keep the poster in their writing journals, and color only the letters that they have studied & mastered. 

This is a wonderful visual way for kiddos to see how much they are learning in a short amount of time--a real self-esteem builder.

You can also use the poster to play an “I Spy a Letter” game.
Give children an M&M or other manipulative.
Call out a letter; children cover it with their playing piece.

You can see at a glance who is having difficulty, which makes this a quick, easy & fun way to whole group assess.

Click on the link to pop on over to my TpT shop for this latest Emergent Reader Dollar Deal.  While you're over there, I would so appreciate it if you'd follow me; you'll know when I post more Dollar Deals & FREEBIES that way. Thanks in advance. 

Well that's it for today. I need to get going on apple stuff before it's pumpkin time!  So LOVE fall.  Wishing you a day filled with giggles.

"In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed." -Khalil Gibran

1-2-3 Come Make An Emergent Reader Alphabet Booklet With Me

Woo hoo!  I just finished another emergent reader alphabet booklet.  This one is called: From Ape to Zebra.

My kiddos absolutely LOVE “Itty Bitty” booklets.  They’re just the right size for little ones, as they aren’t overwhelmed with coloring big pictures.

Because of this, I think they do a better job, and I can have them work on a bunch of pages for one activity, without using a ton of paper & being queen of the copy room.

As with my other emergent readers, children use the pictures as a guide, read the sentence, trace the letters, write the letters, then color the picture.

The text in this emergent reader is “meatier” as I’ve loaded it with alliteration, to better reinforce the beginning sounds.

I also wanted to include the long & short vowel sounds, as well as “hard” & “soft” consonant sounds like goat & George.

I worked in the silent letter Kk in know as well as the hard sound in kite. So grab those teachable moments!

You’ll see a lot of words from the Dolch word lists. Would you believe I was able to incorporate 60? (!)

Afterwards, students cut the pages into 1/4ths, collate the pages and then staple their booklet together.

You can also sneak in another teachable moment if you'll be working on fractions sometime this year.

There's a template for a 4-on-a-page booklet, as well as one with 8-on-a page, so you can make an Itty Bitty Alpha-bits booklet.  Choose which one's right for your kiddos.

When everyone has completed their booklet, read it together as a whole group to cover concepts of print.

The featured FREEBIE today, is  the "Color Me" alphabet poster that's included in the packet. After students color their poster give them an M&M or other manipulative & play “I Spy a Letter”.

You call out a letter and they move their piece of candy on top of it. You can see at a glance who is having difficulty.  Continue playing 'til all of the letters have been colored in. 

I've included a full-page poster, as well as a template with 2-on-a-page. You could also reuse their worksheet to individually assess children for uppercase letter recognition.

That's it for today. Thanks for stopping by.  There's a chill in the air here in Michigan, which makes it easier to give up any vestiges of summer that we seem to cling to at the beginning of September. 

I just hope I don't have to switch from air conditioning to turning the furnace on too quickly.  Wishing you a sweet day, filled with snuggly moments and a bit of chocolate.

"By all these lovely tokens September days are here.  With summer's best of weather and autumn's best of cheer." -Helen Hunt Jackson

1-2-3 Come Make a Mother's Day Keepsake Card With Me

This fingerprint keepsake card is a quick, easy and fun craftivity, with wonderful results.  I've included 2 options for creating them.  Little ones can simply color the letters and then carefully press fingerprints on the paper. 

Older students can place the letter templates over the blank poem-page and then press their prints in and around the letters, using various colors of stamp pads.

I made several sets of the templates, using an old file folder, so that more than one child could use them at a time, and set this activity up as an independent center at a table.

Remind students to use the sanitary wipe to clean off their pointer finger, using only one color at a time, so they don't ruin your stamp pads.

There are lots of washable stamp pads on the market, but if yours stain your students' fingers, wipe with a sanitary wipe and have them rub a little suntan lotion on the stain.  By the end of the day, it should be gone.

After they are content with the look of their paper, they carefully lift off the templates to reveal the word mom. For even more of a keepsake factor, have students glue their school photo inside the oval.

This is the technique that I used on the photograph.  I saw a similar poem all over the Internet, and revamped it for this project.  The original author is unknown.  Here is my version:

"I've left some little fingerprints on just about every wall, on furniture, doors and windows, I've really marked them all.  Here are some that won't rub off to remember when I was small, because I'll love you forever, even when I'm big and tall."

Have older students use the back of the paper to complete the writing prompt: My mom colors my world with love because...

Show children your sample and have them read the word MOM, then flip the page upside down and ask them to read the "new" word WOW.  Encourage students to share this demostration with their own card, explaining to their moms that they are a wow mom. This could also be another writing prompt for the back.

Take advantage of a teachable moment, and tell your students about palindromes, as mom, read forwards or backwards, is the same.  Click on the link to view/download the Fingerprint Mother's Day Keepsake Card.

Another colorful card is the Mother's Day Rainbow Writing Prompt Mobile. Have students brainstorm with you, thinking of ways their mothers color their world with love, caring, joy etc.  List these on the board.

Cut strips of construction paper.  Students fold the strips in half.  Using a glue stick, they rub glue all over the back, place a piece of yarn down the middle of one section, and then press shut.  They continue this process until they have all of the colors of the rainbow represented in their appropriate rainbow order.

Students complete the writing prompt by composing a sentence on each strip.  Older students can write on both sides.  Add the finishing touch, by including a photograph on the heart pattern. 

Click on the link to view/download the Mother's Day Rainbow Writing Prompt Mobile.  If you'd like to see all of the Mother's Day FREEBIES on my site, click on the link. 

I also have a very "pinteresting" PIN board, chockful of more free Mother's Day crafts and activities.

That's it for today.  Thanks for visiting.  The wind is howling outside my window.  It's a cold and dreary day that doesn't look or feel much like spring. 

However, it's the perfect kind of day to tackle paper mountain, and get some design work done, as there's no temptation to go out and play.  Wishing you a stress-free and productive day.

"My mother taught me about the power of inspiration and courage, and she did it with a strength and passion that I wish could be bottled." -Carly Fiorina