1-2-3 Come Do Some More Cat In The Hat Activities With Me

I love the hat that Dr. Seuss created for his cat.  It's the perfect vehicle for all sorts of interesting activities.  I've designed a few more for today's article that cover a variety of standards.  I hope you enjoy them. 

I've had a few requests for more place value items, so I designed the Cat Hat Place Value Mat activity.  After running off the hat template, you can make it more durable and add some red to the hat,  by gluing it on a sheet of red construction paper, then trim and laminate.

Run off the number tiles on Seuss colors like red, yellow and turquoise.  Each number needs its own color.  Laminate and trim. 

I would do this as a whole group activity, so every student needs 10 of each of the 3 kinds of number tiles.   Store the set of 30 tiles in a Ziplock snack Baggie and make a class set.  By having 10 of each in the Baggie, you’ll have extras incase students lose one.

Have students take turns calling out 3-digit numbers.  Using a dry erase marker, children write that number on the hat brim and then put the correct number of tiles in the appropriate columns.  This is a quick, easy and fun way to whole group assess.

The packet also includes a certificate of praise.  Click on the link to view/download the Cat Hat Place Value Mat

For more math fun with the cat's hat, I designed a How many ways can you show a number, Popsicle stick activity.  There are several ways to use the Seuss Hat for different number games. 

Students can put the "How many ways can I show the number ______." hat brim strip, on their hat and then place all of the Popsicle stick equations, that make that number, on their Seuss hat.

Children place the Popsicle sticks on the hat in such a way, that they look like an ABAB striped pattern.

Students can show addition and subtraction as pictured, or to expedite things, just addition OR subtraction equations.

This is an easy and fun way to whole group assess a variety of concepts. 

I've included number tiles from 0-120 with a blank sheet for you to program with even higher numbers.  I've also included pages so students can work on fact families.

Besides using the hat for math, I made a few hat activities for language arts.  The Cat Hat AT family slider, is a fun way for students to see the various AT family words that they can make by pulling on the "slider."   Click on the link to view/download the Cat Hat AT slider craftivity.

I will read... is a hat bookmark that can be used as a writing prompt.  Share my example with your students and challenge them to write verses of their own. 

I've alluded to a variety of Seuss books in my poem. "I will read with Mr. Brown; I will read upside down.  I will read with duck feet; I will read because it's neat."

Challenge your students to figure out which books I've used.   Click on the link to view/download the I Can Read Dr. Seuss bookmark-writing prompt.

After reading The Cat in the Hat, review story elements with this Cat in the Hat language arts packet.

The packet includes pocket cards, a beginning-middle-end graphic organzizer, plus sentence strips to sequence the story. 

Students arrange the sentences in the correct order and glue them to their hat. 

Click on the link to view/download the Cat in the Hat story elements packet. 

Finally, because the punctuation pocket cards have been so popular, I decided to tweak this idea, and make the "cards" into stripes for the cat's hat. 

Run off the cat hat template on red construction paper. 

Run off the sentence strips on white copy paper.   Students underline the letters that need to be capitalized and add punctuation.  They cut their stripes and glue them to their hat in an ABAB pattern, leaving room so that the hat will look like it has alternating red and white stripes. 

If you want, have students re-write the corrected sentences on the red stripes.  So that each students' hat could be different, I made up 108 sentences from a variety of Dr. Seuss stories. 

Completed projects make a nice bulletin board.  A caption could be: "Hammer, slammer, whammer; ___________'s class really knows their grammar!"  Click on the link to view/download the Cat's Hat Grammar "craftivity" packet.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.  To view more Seuss activities, scroll down for other articles and more Dr. Seuss FREEBIES.

"I like nonsense; it wakes up the brain cells." -Dr. Seuss

1-2-3 come Enjoy Winter Wonderland With Me!

Oh my!  It's  really snowing hard, and the winter wonderland swirling outside my office window is spectacular!  We are supposed to get 17 inches! Woo hoo!  As long as it's winter it might as well snow.  There's always the added excitement of a snow day right? So bring it on!

Making templates for my daily tabletop lessons, was a real time saver for me.  The repetition empowered my Y5's, as they were familiar with the format and could get right down to business, without wasting time with a lot of directions.  To keep things fresh and interesting, I simply changed the clip art. 

With this in mind, I designed monthly Fun With Number Worksheets.  They review a variey of standards in an interesting way.  I used a graphic organizer-format, that's especially beneficial for visual learners. The different clip art (snowmen, snowflakes, mittens, Martin Luther King, penguins, New Years etc.) added variety.

Print, laminate and trim the number cards 1-120.  Toss them into a basket.  Have a child choose one, as the number students will use to fill in their worksheet with.  When kiddo's are done, they can exchange their paper with another child to correct.  (Saves you time, and provides extra practice for your kiddo's.)

You can also use these for your sub folder, homework practice, something for early finishers, or assessments.  Click on the link to view/download the January Number Fun Packet.   If you'd like the Big Bundle number fun packet (105 pages!) that includes all of the months, click on the link.

If you're working on +1 simple addition with your little ones, I think you'll enjoy the snowy +1 Snowman booklet. 

Students trace and write the numbers, circle the number in the sequence, add +1 to arrive at a new number and then cut and glue X number of snowflakes around the snowman. 

I've also included a graphing extension.  Click on the link to grab it. +1 Snowman Addition booklet. 

Finally, help review analog and digital time (to the hour and half hour) with the Time For Snow snowman clock matching game.  Print the snowman template on white construction paper; laminate and trim.  Run off the hatband-time words, the digital time-rectangles and the analog clocks; laminate and trim.

Students choose a time and then match all of the pieces and parts to complete that snowman.  Make an extra set and glue together for a "Time For Winter" bulletin board. 

Run off the analog clock and digital time box templates, on glossy photo paper.  Children trim and glue to their snowman, to make a dry erase digital and analog clock. 

Teacher calls out a time and students draw hands on the clock and write in the digital time in the box, using a dry erase marker. 

Children hold up their snowman when they are done.  This is a quick, easy and fun way to whole-group assess. Students erase that answer and the teacher calls out another time. 

Play continues 'til you have reviewed all of the times to the hour or half hour.  Click on the link to view/download the Time For Snow matching game.

Thanks for visiting today.  I'm off to unbury my snow shovel.  Wishing you a warm and snuggly day.

"Snow provokes responses that reach right back to childhood." -Andy Goldsworthy

1-2-3 Come Do Some Wintery Craftivities With Me

If you need a quick bulletin board for January, I think you'll like this simple but vibrant mitten craftivity.  Run off the template on a variety of colors of construction paper. 

Children choose one and press their painted white hand in the center.  Gluing pulled-cotton to the cuff, adds that finishing touch.  For even more pizzazz, write students' names with glitter. 

If you want, give students a writing prompt, and have them complete it on the back of their mitten, then suspend from the ceiling.  Click On The Link to get the mitten pattern. 

This is a fun activity to do with your kiddo's after reading The Mitten  by Jan Brett.

If your little ones are still working on identifying letters, another simple bulletin board "craftivity" is to have children choose either a mitten or snowman pattern, trace it on a wordy section of the newspaper and then trim.  

Children complete a matching recording sheet, filling in their guess of how many letters they think they will find.  Afterwards, they find and circle, either the letter Mm for mitten, or Ss for snowman, counting as they go.  

When they are done, they complete the data as to whether their guess was equal, greater than or less than their correct answer.  If you want, have them figure out how many more or less they were off. 

Children who chose the snowman, add facial features; those who chose the mitten can color it their favorite color. 

Gather students together to discuss their results.  Do they have any ideas of why more S's  than Mm's were found?

Click on the link to get the newsprint mitten/snowman patterns.

If you are starting to work on coins with your students, you'll want to take a look at Mitten Money.

This easy reader reinforces word wall and Dolch words, as well as all of the 2-D shapes, + the penny, nickel, dime and quarter coins.  Click on the link to view/download the Mitten Money easy reader. 

For more math activities check out the place value snowman.  Students can choose to draw their own face on the snowman, or color mine. 

To turn these into a dry-erase "board" cut squares of glossy photo paper.  Each student needs 4 to glue on top of the squares on their paper.  

Print; laminate and trim the snowman number cards (0-9) Toss them into a mitten; call on 3 students to choose a card. 

These will make the 3-digit number that students write in the number box, using a dry erase marker.  

Children figure out the place value position of each, and write the appropriate numbers in the one's, ten's, and hundred's boxes.  

When they are done, they show their work; you can whole-group assess with a glance.  Play continues 'til all of your students have had a turn to choose a number.  Click on the link to view/download the Place Value Snowman Packet. 

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.  I hope you can stop by tomorrow for the newest FREEBIES. 

"In seed time, learn; in harvest, teach; in winter, enjoy." -William Blake

1-2-3 Come Do Some Common Core Gingerbread Activities With Me

Even though you may have taught a particular standard a few months ago, doesn't mean all of your kiddos have retained that information.  It's imperative to continue to reinforce various concepts throughout the year. 

To keep interest high, simply add variety.  The easiest way I found to do this, is to simply theme various activities. Gingerbread for December, is one of my favorites. 

In order to cover all of the Common Core State Standard: K.G.1 when reviewing shapes with students, one must include some spatial direction activities as well: "Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes, and describe the relative positions of these objects using terms such as above, below, beside, in front of , behind, and next to."  

With this in mind, I designed the Gingerbread Spatial Directions Shape Easy Reader.

Students trace and write the shapes and spatial direction words, as well as color, cut and glue the shape "cookies" on the designated "spot."   Click on the link to view/download the Gingerbread Spatial Directions booklet.

Telling time to the hour is another standard. (1.MD.3a)  Students can easily tire of the same-old learning about time lessons, so it's nice to switch things up a bit. 

I find that if children can play a game, or even make their own clock, that they will stay more focused.  I think your kiddo's will enjoy the "It's Gingerbread Time" game.  Students work in pairs or groups of 3 to 4 and take turns spinning the gingerbread clock. 

Whatever number they land on, they draw hands on the clock showing that time to the hour on their gingerbread recording sheet.  They also include the digital time underneath the gingerbread man.  

The first one to fill in all of their clocks is the winner.  Click on the link to view/download the Gingerbread Clock Game.  For more time activities click on the link to zip on over to that section of my site.

I've also designed an adorable Gingerbread Place Value game that makes practicing breaking down numbers a bit more fun. Print and laminate your teacher gingerbread house, as well as the black and white houses that students use.

Using a dry erase marker print a 3-digit number on the top of your gingerbread house.  Show it to the children and have them break it down by writing the appropriate numbers in the 1's, 10's 100's windows on their gingerbread house - place value mat. 

While they are doing that, you write the answer on yours. 

When everyone is done, show the answers and have students self-check and correct if necessary. 

You'll be able to whole-group assess by seeing who is changing their mat without embarassing a student. Continue playing by calling on quiet students to make up a number for the class to break down.

You can make inexpensive "dry erase" gingerbread mats for your kiddo's to take home by printing off the black & white gingerbread house on brown construction paper. 

They color and trim.  Pre-cut "window" squares out of glossy photo paper.  They glue them to their gingerbread house for a quick, easy & inexpensive dry erase board that really works! 

I made mini-dry erase boards for my kiddo's to use for fact-family fun or whatever else I wanted them to practice.  They are a wonderful way to whole-group assess all sorts of stuff.  To expedite things, a terry cloth square was also kept in the envelopes.  Each child had their own that they kept in their work folder. 

Click on the link to view/download the gingerbread place value mats. The adorable gingerbread house clip art is by dj inkers.

That's it for today. Thanks for visiting.  Feel free to PIN away. "Tis the season for sharing!"  

I'm off to go get the ingredients to make salt dough ornaments for the first time.  I'm so excited.  Wishing you a crafty day filled with homemade fun. 

"Our houses are such unwieldy property that we are often imprisoned rather than housed by them." -Henry David Thoreau

1-2-3 Come Learn About Place Value With Me!

I found that when I played fun place value games with my kinders and 1st graders, the light bulbs of understanding went on so much faster.

Repetition is a must, as everyone learns at a different rate.  By making a different place value slider each month, you get the consistent repetition you need, but because it's a little different, things don't get boring for your little ones.

Making things hands-on, by incorporating a craftivity-game, is always edu-taining for children.

Because students are familiar with the directions, and can get right down to business, you're also empowering them and building their self-esteem.

"Sliders" were one of my Y5's favorite craftivities.  I designed them for skip counting, shapes, upper and lowercase letters etc.

I gave them the name "sliders" because students slide a strip up and down as a quick & easy way to practice and review all sorts of things.

Because quite a few teachers have requested activities for place value, I thought sliders would be a wonderful way for students to "see" and "manipulate" that concept.

They are a quick, easy, & fun way to whole group assess too!

I designed a place value slider for each month, with some generic extra's. They will help you with Common Core State Standards: 1.NBT.2a, 1.NBT.2b, 1.NBT.2c, 1.NBT.3, K.NBT.1

For more CCSS practice have students jot down the numbers they are showing on the slider. Students can then compare 2 numbers as > or < .

To include addition and subtraction practice as well, ask students to make the number that is 10 more or 10 less.

Let's Make A Slider!

Run off the place value slider templates on construction paper.  Choose a variety of colors where appropriate. i.e. apples can be red, green and yellow; leaves can be all of the fall colors etc.

By doing so you are teaching a little bit of science at the same time.  i.e. apples can be 3 different colors; leaves change color because they don't have chlorophyll etc.

To expedite things, have a room helper pre-cut the slits.

Run off the 1’s, 10’s, 100’s strips on white construction paper. Students trace the numbers and cut out their strips.

The 1st strip, without a 0, is the 100’s strip, the 2nd is 10’s, the 3rd is 1’s.  Remind students that the 100 strip does not have a 0 on it.

Cut the 3 blank strips and fold them in 1/2. Cut on the fold.

Glue one piece of the blank strip, to each end of a numbered strip, so that you can easily pull the strips up and down. Insert strips into the slits on the place value slider.

A piece of Scotch tape on the back, makes things smooth for easier pulling.

The teacher starts by calling out a number and then writing it on the board.  Students manipulate the strips in their slider to make that number.

Teacher calls on students to tell  how many 100’s, 10’s and 1’s there are. Give every child a chance to make up a number and play the teacher.

Cover more CCSS math standards with the prior suggestions discussed above.

When everyone catches on, you can play “Speed” to see who can make the number 1st.

Make sure you make a sample for yourself to demonstrate what you want your students to do. Students can add a bit more pizzazz to their sliders with crayons.

I hope your kiddo's will enjoy making, manipulating, and collecting their monthly place value sliders.

Click on the link to view/download the Place Value Slider Packet.

Thanks for visiting.  Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find helpful.  My "pin it" button is at the top.

"Of those to whom much is given, much is required."