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Getting to the Core

Taking A Bite Out Of Common Core With The Very Hungry Caterpillar

1-2-3 Come Chew On Some Common Core With the Very Hungry Caterpillar and Me

the very hungry caterpillar activities, the very hungry caterpillar crafts, graphic organizer for the very hungry caterpillar, the very hungry caterpillar bulletin board ideas, common core the very hungry caterpillar, alphabet activities, shape activities, 3D shape activities, 3D shape crafts, 2D shape activities, hexagon activities, pattern block activities, pattern block shape activities, skip counting activities, skip counting by 2's, skip counting by 3's, skip counting by 5's, skip counting by 10's, color word activities, color activities, color crafts, alphabet crafts, the life cycle of a butterfly activities, life cycle of a butterfly crafts Since so many people read The Very Hungry Caterpillar, I wanted to use Eric Carle's cute little critter as a spring board to studying a variety of Common Core Standards.

I created the caterpillar template and made a list of all sorts of ways I could use it, then set about to design the details.   You can choose which one you want your students to do, or give them a choice. 

Teachers could also make up their own set and laminate to use as anchor charts. 

Make several sets but don't glue the body-segment circles together, to use for independent, sequencing centers or to play games with.  

You could also use them to  independently or whole group assess the various standards.

the very hungry caterpillar activities, the very hungry caterpillar crafts, graphic organizer for the very hungry caterpillar, the very hungry caterpillar bulletin board ideas, common core the very hungry caterpillar, alphabet activities, shape activities, 3D shape activities, 3D shape crafts, 2D shape activities, hexagon activities, pattern block activities, pattern block shape activities, skip counting activities, skip counting by 2's, skip counting by 3's, skip counting by 5's, skip counting by 10's, color word activities, color activities, color crafts, alphabet crafts, the life cycle of a butterfly activities, life cycle of a butterfly craftsIn The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats the Alphabet, students trace and write upper and lowercase letters. 

I've also included a set where a bit of the butterfly's life cycle is also included with the letters. 

very hungry caterpillar activities, caterpillar crafts, spring bulletin board ideas, butterfly activities, butterfly crafts, 2D shape activities, 3D shape activities, alphabet crafts, skip counting activities, coin crafts, coin activities, telling time to the hour activities, spring word work, For example, for the letter  Zz, I added:  Zzzzzz sleeping in a chrysalis, and then included a butterfly pattern with the letters all over her wings to be cut and glued on the last section. 

Completed projects make a sweet spring bulletin board.  I've included a poster for the center of you display.

very hungry caterpillar activities, caterpillar crafts, spring bulletin board ideas, butterfly activities, butterfly crafts, 2D shape activities, 3D shape activities, alphabet crafts, skip counting activities, coin crafts, coin activities, telling time to the hour activities, spring word work, The packet also includes an alpha-pillar craftivity teachers can make, which features upper or lowercase letters, which actually look like the background pattern of Eric Carle's book! 

These make a wonderful  border, or puzzle center as well. 

very hungry caterpillar activities, caterpillar crafts, spring bulletin board ideas, butterfly activities, butterfly crafts, 2D shape activities, 3D shape activities, alphabet crafts, skip counting activities, coin crafts, coin activities, telling time to the hour activities, spring word work, very hungry caterpillar activities, caterpillar crafts, spring bulletin board ideas, butterfly activities, butterfly crafts, 2D shape activities, 3D shape activities, alphabet crafts, skip counting activities, coin crafts, coin activities, telling time to the hour activities, spring word work, There's also a set of uppercase, as well as lowercase (12-on-a-page) letter cards, with matching picture cards of things that begin with that letter, plus a set of word cards for those objects, which provides a variety of center activities and games. 

I also made a set of 2-on-a-page alphabet anchor charts, which feature the beginning letter object on the caterpillar's tail end. 

This packet makes a nice spring review, as I find that just because I've taught and practiced something with my kiddos at the beginning of the year, doesn't mean everyone retains everything later on.

very hungry caterpillar activities, caterpillar crafts, spring bulletin board ideas, butterfly activities, butterfly crafts, 2D shape activities, 3D shape activities, alphabet crafts, skip counting activities, coin crafts, coin activities, telling time to the hour activities, spring word work, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats a Rainbow, is a quick review of color words, plus days of the week, which follows the format of Carle's story line. 

There's a blank version, where older students think of something edible that color, then write it down and draw a picture of it, as well as a simpler version, where the black line graphics are on the page for children to color. 

I've also included a teacher's copy with full color graphics, so you can quickly make a sample to share. 

very hungry caterpillar activities, caterpillar crafts, spring bulletin board ideas, butterfly activities, butterfly crafts, 2D shape activities, 3D shape activities, alphabet crafts, skip counting activities, coin crafts, coin activities, telling time to the hour activities, spring word work, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats Some Numbers, is similar to the alphabet packet.

This caterpillar counts from zero to ten, where students trace and write the numbers as well as the number words. 

very hungry caterpillar activities, caterpillar crafts, spring bulletin board ideas, butterfly activities, butterfly crafts, 2D shape activities, 3D shape activities, alphabet crafts, skip counting activities, coin crafts, coin activities, telling time to the hour activities, spring word work, There are also caterpillar "body" circles for skip counting by 2s 3s, 5s, and 10s.

If you are practicing counting backwards from 10 to 0, simply have children put the caterpillar in reverse order. 

very hungry caterpillar activities, caterpillar crafts, spring bulletin board ideas, butterfly activities, butterfly crafts, 2D shape activities, 3D shape activities, alphabet crafts, skip counting activities, coin crafts, coin activities, telling time to the hour activities, spring word work, I've also included a "You Can Count On The Very Hungry Caterpillar" craft for teachers to make, just like the alphabet one mentioned above.

very hungry caterpillar activities, caterpillar crafts, spring bulletin board ideas, butterfly activities, butterfly crafts, 2D shape activities, 3D shape activities, alphabet crafts, skip counting activities, coin crafts, coin activities, telling time to the hour activities, spring word work, As with the alphabet packet, there are posters, anchor charts, games and a worksheet.

In all of the packets there are 4 patterns for the caterpillar's head, plus a variety of options for butterflies.

very hungry caterpillar activities, caterpillar crafts, spring bulletin board ideas, butterfly activities, butterfly crafts, 2D shape activities, 3D shape activities, alphabet crafts, skip counting activities, coin crafts, coin activities, telling time to the hour activities, spring word work, Since I have many requests for shape craftivities, particulary 3D shapes, I thought I'd make The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats 2D & 3D Shapes, which reviews: the circle, oval, triangle, square, rectangle, rhombus, trapezoid, star, heart & crescent, plus 3D shapes: cone, sphere, cylinder & cube.

very hungry caterpillar activities, caterpillar crafts, spring bulletin board ideas, butterfly activities, butterfly crafts, 2D shape activities, 3D shape activities, alphabet crafts, skip counting activities, coin crafts, coin activities, telling time to the hour activities, spring word work, There are various options to choose from. Simply choose which "body segments" are appropriate for your students.

Older students can write the attributes of each shape on the back. One of the options also practices the days of the week.

very hungry caterpillar activities, caterpillar crafts, spring bulletin board ideas, butterfly activities, butterfly crafts, 2D shape activities, 3D shape activities, alphabet crafts, skip counting activities, coin crafts, coin activities, telling time to the hour activities, spring word work, On the last day the caterpillar rests in his chrysalis, then awakens as a beautiful 3 dimensional butterfly with the various shapes on its wings.   

very hungry caterpillar activities, coin activities, telling time to the hour and half hour, telling time activities, caterpillar crafts, spring bulletin board ideas, butterfly activities, butterfly crafts, 2D shape activities, 3D shape activities, alphabet crafts, skip counting activities, coin crafts, coin activities, telling time to the hour activities, spring word work, Since telling time is also a standard, I made a "clock-apillar" which reinforces time to the hour and half hour. 

Use as a whole-group craftivity, game, center or assessment tool.

very hungry caterpillar activities, coin activities, telling time to the hour and half hour, telling time activities, caterpillar crafts, spring bulletin board ideas, butterfly activities, butterfly crafts, 2D shape activities, 3D shape activities, alphabet crafts, skip counting activities, coin crafts, coin activities, telling time to the hour activities, spring word work, Like wise, we are also studying coins at this time, so I made a "coin-apillar" too.

These caterpillars feature a penny, nickel, dime, quarter, half dollar and dollar coins.

very hungry caterpillar activities, coin activities, telling time to the hour and half hour, telling time activities, caterpillar crafts, spring bulletin board ideas, butterfly activities, butterfly crafts, 2D shape activities, 3D shape activities, alphabet crafts, skip counting activities, coin crafts, coin activities, telling time to the hour activities, spring word work, The packet also includes "What's the Value?" caterpillar-coin worksheets.  

Finally, if you want to practice reading with a very hungry caterpillar, your kiddos will enjoy making the versatile "Word-apillar".

I use this craftivity as a super-fun way to build vocabulary and practice whatever “word work” I want to reinforce: Dolch & Fry sight words, word-family words, seasonal words, whatever...

I’ve included a list of 31 “word work” ideas, along with ideas for games you can play after you choose your words.  

Whew! That's a lot of Very Hungry Caterpillar options!  I hope they help your kiddo-caterpillars blossom into smart little butterlies! 

keepsake craft for mothers day, shoe print butterfliesToday's FREEBIE also features a butterfly.

It's one of my personal favorite spring craftivities, which makes a wonderful keepsake for mom, as the wings of the butterfly are a child's shoe print.

Do this with your butterfly activities, then tuck it away for Mother's Day.

Click on the link for the "Fluttering By With A Mother's Day "Hi" craft.

The very hungry caterpillar activities, the very hungry caterpillar crafts, money activities, coin activities, emergent readers, graphic organizers, story elements for the very hungry caterpillar, caterpillar activities, caterpillar craftsThanks for visiting. I normally don't post on weekends, but I finished so many things up over spring break that I wanted to share. 

Wishing you a relaxing and fun-tastic weekend.  

"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself." -John Dewey

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Wind Activities

1-2-3 Come Do Some Wind Activities With Me

Since March is one of our windiest months here in Michigan, I like to do a mini theme about wind, with a few kite activities tossed in. 

One of my students' favorite stories is The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins. Like Jan Brett's The Mitten, this tale is also perfect for sequencing.

kite crafts, wind crafts, kite activites, wind activities, the wind blew activities, ite and ight word family activitiesWith that story in mind, I designed "The Wind Blew" emergent reader packet, which includes 3 booklet options, plus a variety of page options too.

There’s a black & white version for your students, with a matching full-color teacher’s edition, to use as a sample to explain the lesson.

Students read the repetitive sentence, trace & write the object that the wind blew, then trim and collate the pages, stapling into a “just the right size” booklet.

I’ve also included an extra page, where children complete the sentence: “The wind also blew . . .” and add their own idea and illustration.

The 3rd version, is a non-illustrated option. Students read the sentences (these are filled with over 40 Dolch sight words), add end punctuation (period, question mark, exclamation point), then illustrate and color the page.

kite crafts, wind crafts, kite activites, wind activities, the wind blew activities, ite and ight word family activitiesBesides the booklet options, I’ve also included extra page options as well, which coordinate with Pat Hutchins' book  “The Wind Blew”. 

I made “Who Has Seen The Wind?” a poem by Christina Rossetti, into a photo-poster, as an interesting way to introduce the lesson, and get in that "poetry genre" standard.  To mix math with literacy, I've also included a graphing extension. 

kite crafts, wind crafts, kite activites, wind activities, the wind blew activities, the wind blew activities, the wind blew story, ite and ight word family activitiesThe other packet that I designed to go along with Hutchins' book "The Wind Blew", is a "retell the story", sequencing craftivity.

So that you can quickly & easily make a sample to share, I've included a full-color pattern.  There's also a black & white version, so students can make and color their own.

I've included a "pennant flag" option, for those from a different country, in lieu of the US flag strip. 

kite crafts, wind crafts, kite activites, wind activities, the wind blew activities, the wind blew activities, the wind blew story, ite and ight word family activitiesFinally, what would a windy day be without a bit of kite flying?  Your students will soar with the kite-themed, -ite and -ight word family packet.

 The packet includes:

* An -ite word family poster featuring an alphabetical list of 43 -ite words.
* An -ight word family poster with an alphabetical list of 74 words.

Because some of these will be new to your students, I’ve included -ite and -ight word covers for a student-made dictionary.  Remember to take those teachable moments to explain homonyms and compound words.  There's also ...

kite crafts, wind crafts, kite activites, wind activities, the wind blew activities, the wind blew activities, the wind blew story, ite and ight word family activities* An -ite and -ight word family slider craftivity featuring 11 words, with a large teacher’s copy, as well as a smaller, 2-on-a-page pattern for students; plus ...

preview ite kite p2* An emergent reader, with 16 pocket chart cards for whole-group practice.

This comes in a full-page size in color & black and white, as well as a smaller, 2-on-a-page, black & white booklet for students, as well as ...

kite crafts, wind crafts, kite activites, aesops fable the wind and the sun story, activities for aesops fables, wind activities, the wind blew activities, the wind blew activities, the wind blew story, ite and ight word family activities* 25 traceable Dolch word cards that appear in the story, with a cover so children can make an Itty Bitty booklet, plus . . .

* A “Give Me A K!” kite poster which is an “echo cheer”, 2 graphing extensions, 7 worksheets, 72, mini-word cards, plus the silly, story poem “Zite and My Kite” and finally...

* An -ite and -ight word family kite craftivity, with 6 kite options, plus a blank kite so students can design their own.

kite crafts, wind crafts, kite activites, aesops fable the wind and the sun story, activities for aesops fables, wind activities, the wind blew activities, the wind blew activities, the wind blew story, ite and ight word family activitiesToday's FREEBIE also has to do with the wind. It's a "Tell Me A Story" packet, featuring "The Wind & The Sun" an Aesop's Fable.

It's an oldie but still goodie, that I did years ago, before computer classes, clip art and fonts that I now use. I hope you enjoy it.

kite crafts, wind crafts, kite activites, aesops fable the wind and the sun story, activities for aesops fables, wind activities, the wind blew activities, the wind blew activities, the wind blew story, ite and ight word family activitiesWell that's it for today.  Thanks for visiting. 

Since March roared in like a lion here in Michigan, it will be interesting to see if it gently leaves like a lamb, or continues to be really windy. 

Wishing you a carefree, high-flying sunny day.

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade." - Charles Dickens

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Bunny and Chick Themed Activities For Spring

1-2-3 Come Do Some Chick and Bunny Craftivities With Me

I love springtime. There's something magical and invigorating about it; and there are so many themes you can incorporate into your lessons.

The chick and bunny seem to be popular symbols, so with that in mind I used them to design some quick, easy and super-fun craftivities, which practice a variety of standards. 

ick word family activities, op word family activities, easter crafts, chick crafts, bunny crafts, 2D shape activities, 2D shape crafts, 3D shape activiteis, 3D shape crafts, hexagon activitiesI'll be featuring 4 of my favorites, along with today's FREEBIE.  First up is a chick-themed -ick word family packet.    

The packet includes:

* An -ick chick word slider craftivity, featuring 20 words, with 2 size options.

ick word family activities, op word family activities, easter crafts, chick crafts, bunny crafts, 2D shape activities, 2D shape crafts, 3D shape activiteis, 3D shape crafts, hexagon activities* An -ick family poster with 22 words, plus  10 “flip the flap” -ick word booklets, as well as an “ABC Me” worksheet.  I've also included ...

* A cover to make an -ick word family dictionary, along with an Itty Bitty -ick word family booklet, plus a "Fill in the blanks” missing -ick word, sentence worksheet along with ...

ick word family activities, op word family activities, easter crafts, chick crafts, bunny crafts, 2D shape activities, 2D shape crafts, 3D shape activiteis, 3D shape crafts, hexagon activities* A set of -ick word family picture cards, with matching -ick word cards, so you can play “Memory Match” and “I Have; Who Has?” games, individually, with a partner or as a whole group activity.

* To mix math with literacy, there's an “Isn’t it slick that I can skip count with my chick?” slider craft, with 2 size options.
These number sliders skip count by 2s, 3s, 5s, or 10s. 

ick word family activities, op word family activities, easter crafts, chick crafts, bunny crafts, 2D shape activities, 2D shape crafts, 3D shape activiteis, 3D shape crafts, hexagon activitiesYou can also practice the -op word family with my bunny packet.

The format is similar. The -op word family poster has an alphabetical list of 49 words, with some new words even to me, llke kop and trop, so I've also included a cover to make an —op word family dictionary.

ick word family activities, op word family activities, easter crafts, chick crafts, bunny crafts, 2D shape activities, 2D shape crafts, 3D shape activiteis, 3D shape crafts, hexagon activitiesI chose 18, or those -op words and made "just the right size", mini-cards.  Students can put them in alphabetical order, as an independent center, or partner up to see who can do it the fastest.  

Another idea, is to have children choose 2-3 cards and use the words in a sentence. 

The bunny and chick were also perfect to design some more "shapely critter crafts" which all started years ago with the penguin packet.

It's a wonderful, hands-on way to review 2D and 3D shapes.

ick word family activities, op word family activities, easter crafts, chick crafts, bunny crafts, 2D shape activities, 2D shape crafts, 3D shape activiteis, 3D shape crafts, hexagon activitiesMake a large set to use as flashcards, for whole-group games, and anchor charts, then have children pick their favorite and create their own.

Completed projects make an adorable bulletin board. 

I've included several posters for the center of your display. 

ick word family activities, op word family activities, easter crafts, chick crafts, bunny crafts, 2D shape activities, 2D shape crafts, 3D shape activiteis, 3D shape crafts, hexagon activitiesThe packets include an emergent reader, games, worksheets, and a "certificate of praise" bookmark.  

For the emergent reader, students read, trace and write the shape word, fill in the shapes to look like chicks/bunnies; trace the shape and then draw that shape.

ick word family activities, op word family activities, easter crafts, chick crafts, bunny crafts, 2D shape activities, 2D shape crafts, 3D shape activiteis, 3D shape crafts, hexagon activitiesThey also underline the capital letter and add end punctuation. 

Both animals are super-cute, but my personal favorite is the bunny.

There are 3 pattern options for the rabbit: A whimsical looking one, a "fluffy" faced one, as well as blank templates so children can draw their own.  

I've also included a paw pattern to make the shapes look even more like a bunny.

ick word family activities, op word family activities, easter crafts, chick crafts, bunny crafts, 2D shape activities, 2D shape crafts, 3D shape activiteis, 3D shape crafts, hexagon activitiesI think part of the bunny's charm, is that I also added a set of butterflies and ladybugs, which feature the various shapes. 

ick word family activities, op word family activities, easter crafts, chick crafts, bunny crafts, 2D shape activities, 2D shape crafts, 3D shape activiteis, 3D shape crafts, hexagon activitiesFor a bit of 3D pizzazz, students choose one and glue the bug to the top of one of the bunny's ears. 

ick word family activities, op word family activities, easter crafts, chick crafts, bunny crafts, 2D shape activities, 2D shape crafts, 3D shape activiteis, 3D shape crafts, hexagon activitiesTo get the 3D "pop" bend the ladybug's antennae forward. 

For the butterfly, give children 2 different colors.

ick word family activities, op word family activities, easter crafts, chick crafts, bunny crafts, 2D shape activities, 2D shape crafts, 3D shape activiteis, 3D shape crafts, hexagon activitiesThey trim and fold one of the butterfly's wings, then glue just the thorax to the top of the other butterfly. Easy-peasy and looks fabulous! 

ick word family activities, op word family activities, easter crafts, chick crafts, bunny crafts, 2D shape activities, 2D shape crafts, 3D shape activiteis, 3D shape crafts, hexagon activitiesBesides the standard 2D shapes, due to many requests, I've also included the trapezoid and rhombus "pattern block" shapes, along with the hexagon, pentagon and octagon. 

Since many teachers are also teaching 3D shapes, there's also patterns for the cone, cube, cylinder and sphere.

Click on the links for the "Slick Chick Spring Shape Up" packet, and the "Hop To It" Bunny Shape packet.

ick word family activities, op word family activities, easter crafts, chick crafts, bunny crafts, 2D shape activities, 2D shape crafts, 3D shape activiteis, 3D shape crafts, hexagon activitiesFinally, while diddling around with pattern blocks, I discovered that you can use other pieces, to make a hexagon. 

Since this is a really new shape for my Y5s, it tends to be a "toughie" for them to remember. 

I think part of the difficulty, is because there are not many "real life" examples for them to see.  With that in mind, I designed the "Don't be vexed by the "hex", hexagon challenge.

I putzed 'til I created a dozen arrangements, and have included a full-color, as well as a black & white template (filled in with lines, plus blank) for them to place pattern pieces on.

Later, after they've created some patterns, turn it into a "Speed" game; set a timer and see who can make the most hexagons before it rings. 

ick word family activities, op word family activities, easter crafts, chick crafts, bunny crafts, 2D shape activities, 2D shape crafts, 3D shape activiteis, skip counting activities, spring bulletin board ideas, 3D shape crafts, hexagon activitiesToday's FREEBIE also has a bunny theme, which practices skip counting.

Your students will enjoy hopping to the next number, as they skip count with the bunny, by 2's, 3's, 5's, and 10's.  I've also included "What's Missing?" worksheets for each skip counted set.  These are great for "early finishers" or homework to send over spring break.  

ick word family activities, op word family activities, easter crafts, chick crafts, bunny crafts, 2D shape activities, 2D shape crafts, 3D shape activiteis, skip counting activities, spring bulletin board ideas, 3D shape crafts, hexagon activitiesWell that's it for today.  Thanks for visiting.  Time to switch gears and put my nana hat on, as I'm taking care of my grandchildren today. 

Kaiden (3) and Kaitlyn (1) put the grand in grandma. 

Wishing you a love-filled day filled with lots of hugs and giggles.

"I love music of all kinds, but there's no greater music than the sound of my children and grandchildren laughing." -Sylvia Earle

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Springtime Fun

1-2-3 Come Do Some Spring Things With Me

Spring has officially sprung, and even though we've still got it in the 40s here in Michigan, I'm full gear into springtime fun. 

Today's blog features 3 of my favorite spring activities, which when completed, make adorable springy bulletin boards or hallway displays, sure to put a smile on your face. 

bunny glyph, spring glyphs, glyphs, egg glyph, Easter crafts, easter activities, spring bulletin board ideas, venn diagram activities, bunny crafts, common core activities for spring, spring games, venn friendsFirst up is a sweet little bunny glyph.  They really do turn out absolutely "awwww-dorable".   

No matter what grade I taught, my students LOVED making glyphs. 
They are a quick, easy & interesting way to practice and assess listening and following directions.

Since this is one of my report card standards, glyphs also provide a "hard copy" to use as proof that a child does or doesn't listen & follow directions.

Glyphs are also an interesting way to get to know your students.

bunny glyph, spring glyphs, glyphs, egg glyph, Easter crafts, easter activities, spring bulletin board ideas, venn diagram activities, bunny crafts, common core activities for spring, spring games, venn friendsBe sure and make your own sample. I think children really enjoy learning about their teacher too.

The packet also includes 4, sweet photo-posters of real bunnies, as well as a links page for a few bunny songs & the story of Peter Rabbit & Benjamin Bunny. 

bunny glyph, spring glyphs, glyphs, egg glyph, Easter crafts, easter activities, spring bulletin board ideas, venn diagram activities, bunny crafts, common core activities for spring, spring games, venn friendsI also designed an Easter egg glyph as well.  I've included 2 egg glyphs in the packet.  One is pretty easy, the other a bit more complicated.

Choose which one is best suited for your students.
The glyphs are also easily adapted by simply tweaking the directions to fit your needs.

Because each one is different they make a super-interesting bulletin board. Every year we get tons of compliments! 

bunny glyph, spring glyphs, glyphs, egg glyph, Easter crafts, easter activities, spring bulletin board ideas, venn diagram activities, bunny crafts, common core activities for spring, spring games, venn friendsMost passers-by are unaware that these are glyphs, so I made a springy "Glyphs" poster for each packet, to use for the center of your display. 

bunny glyph, spring glyphs, glyphs, egg glyph, Easter crafts, easter activities, spring bulletin board ideas, venn diagram activities, bunny crafts, common core activities for spring, spring games, venn friendsSince my Venn Friends have been super-popular, I wanted to design one for spring as well.  This one features  rabbits.

Venn diagrams are a quick, easy & fun way to introduce the concept of comparison - contrast writing, and an interesting way for students to get to know each other better.

My kiddos absolutely love making them, so we do a seasonal one each month; they’ve come to really look forward to picking a new partner to learn more about.  

bunny glyph, spring glyphs, glyphs, egg glyph, Easter crafts, easter activities, spring bulletin board ideas, venn diagram activities, bunny crafts, common core activities for spring, spring games, venn friendsTo help students do a thorough job completing their Venn diagram and jump start the writing process, I've included a list of 40 questions that they can choose from to discuss with their partner.

For added fun, and to practice another standard that mixes math with literacy, I’ve also included a graphing extension. 

Finally, today's FREEBIE also features bunnies.   This bunny craftivity, is a quick, easy and super-fun center, assessment, or game, with  4 sizes of bunny patterns to accommodate the various sizes and kinds of craft sticks.

bunny glyph, spring glyphs, glyphs, egg glyph, Easter crafts, easter activities, spring bulletin board ideas, venn diagram activities, bunny crafts, common core activities for spring, spring games, venn friendsProgram the "ears" with whatever you'd like to reinforce, then keep each set in a Ziploc Baggie.

The beauty of this bunny pattern, is that you only have to make a few bunnies, yet you're able to use them to practice a variety of Common Core Standards, or whatever else you can think up.

bunny glyph, spring glyphs, glyphs, egg glyph, Easter crafts, easter activities, spring bulletin board ideas, venn diagram activities, bunny crafts, common core activities for spring, spring games, venn friendsHere are some ideas:
* uppercase-lowercase letters
* number-number word
* number-group/set
* contraction-words that make up the contraction
* synonyms-antonyms
* rhyming words
* homonyms
* opposites
* equation-answer
* color-color words
* shape-shape words
* 2 words-compound word
* singular-plural

 bunny glyph, spring glyphs, glyphs, egg glyph, Easter crafts, easter activities, spring bulletin board ideas, venn diagram activities, bunny crafts, common core activities for spring, spring games, venn friendsWell that's it for today, I hope spring has sprung in your classroom. 

Wishing you a joyous holiday break whenever that happens.

The earth teaches me to forget myself as melted snow forgets its life. The earth teaches me resignation as the leaves which die in the fall.  The earth teaches me courage as the tree which stands all alone. The earth teaches me regeneration as the seed which rises in the spring. -William Alexander

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Up Up and Away Kite Activities

1-2-3 Come Do Some Kite-Themed Activities With Me

One of our themes for spring is kites; so I've been busy designing an assortment of kite activities to help teach a variety of standards.

Today's blog features 4 of them, along with the featured FREEBIE.

3D shapes, 3D shape activities, 3D shape posters, 3D shape photographs, kite activities, emergent readers for spring, pattern block activities, pattern block centers, synonym activities, ordinal number activitiesPractice 3D shapes with the "Shapin' Up With 3D Kites" packet.  The  emergent reader reinforces 3D shapes as well as colors.

The packet includes:

3D shapes, 3D shape activities, 3D shape posters, 3D shape photographs, kite activities, emergent readers for spring, pattern block activities, pattern block centers, synonym activities, ordinal number activities* A 2-on-a-page emergent reader booklet.

* Students read the simple sentences, trace and write the shape and color words, then color the pictures appropriately.

* A set of colorful, 3D shape pocket chart cards, with matching black and white ones, so that students can color, cut, and add the cover, to make an Itty Bitty Booklet.

* I've also included a graphing extension, a “design your own kite” worksheet, plus  40 lovely photographs of real 3D-shaped kites, many of which also feature 2D shapes.

Print, laminate and trim. (There are 4 pictures per page.)  Children choose one or two and write the shapes and colors that they see on their “I Spy!” recording sheet.

3D shapes, 3D shape activities, 3D shape posters, 3D shape photographs, kite activities, emergent readers for spring, pattern block activities, pattern block centers, synonym activities, ordinal number activitiesFor writing practice, have students write a sentence or two about the kite picture. To use as an independent center, have students sort the photographs by shape. The pictures also make a lovely spring bulletin board.

* Since I included color words in the emergent reader, I also included a set of colorful pocket chart cards, as well as a set in black and white, so students can add the cover and make a “Flipping Over Colors!”  Itty Bitty Booklet. (“grey” & “colours” spelling options are also included). 

3D shapes, 3D shape activities, 3D shape posters, 3D shape photographs, kite activities, emergent readers for spring, pattern block activities, pattern block centers, synonym activities, ordinal number activitiesNext up is an ordinal number "craftivity". It's a quick, easy and fun way for students to review ordinal numbers, ordinal number words + sequencing.

Encourage children to color the stripes on their kite in a pattern, or in rainbow-color order.

I've included ordinal number kite cards to play a Memory Match or "I Have; Who Has?" game, as well as a set of mini, sequencing cards, which could double as a bookmark for students' math journals. 
There's also a whole-group assessment worksheet, with 2 size options.     

3D shapes, 3D shape activities, 3D shape posters, 3D shape photographs, kite activities, emergent readers for spring, pattern block activities, pattern block centers, synonym activities, ordinal number activitiesDo your students enjoy playing with pattern blocks? Spring things up with these 2, kite-themed pattern block games.

I've included a full-color pattern, as well as a black & white version, so that little ones look for a shape, rather than a color.

There's also a set of pocket chart cards that show and name the pattern block shapes.

Use them to introduce the lesson, then put the cards in a center, for a "trace, draw, and place the pattern piece" activity.

Students can play "Spin to Win" with the spinner, or practice numbers as well, by rolling a dice, then referring to the poster to see what pattern block they should place on their mat.  Students can play independently or with a partner. 

3D shapes, 3D shape activities, 3D shape posters, 3D shape photographs, kite activities, emergent readers for spring, pattern block activities, pattern block centers, synonym activities, ordinal number activitiesFinally, practice synonyms with the "Soaring With Synonyms!" packet.  So that you can also do this packet with younger kiddos, I've included a blank kite pattern.
They could list rhyming words, sight words, color words etc. PK students can simply do the craft.

3D shapes, 3D shape activities, 3D shape posters, 3D shape photographs, kite activities, emergent readers for spring, pattern block activities, pattern block centers, synonym activities, ordinal number activitiesThe back of the kite can also be used for a writing prompt, or spring poem. Completed projects look awesome suspended from the ceiling in our hallway.

Studying synonyms and antonyms not only increases vocabulary, but enhances students’ writing; making it more interesting and vivid, as it gives children a better word base to choose from, so their writing is not redundant and boring, filled with over-used words like “said”, “pretty”, “went” etc.

Besides the synonym/antonym kite craftivity, the packet also includes:

3D shapes, 3D shape activities, 3D shape posters, 3D shape photographs, kite activities, emergent readers for spring, pattern block activities, pattern block centers, synonym activities, ordinal number activities48 kite word cards to play Memory Match & "I Have; Who Has?” games, plus a blank set of kite cards to program with whatever...

Black line mini kite worksheet for more synonym/antonym practice, plus a full-color, completed worksheet to use as a sample, along with synonym and antonym “definition” anchor charts plus . . .

An alphabetical, word-list poster of 70 words students can choose from to complete their kite, with background information about synonym/antonym word work, as well as a list of 290 synonym/antonym pairs. 

3D shapes, 3D shape activities, alphabet games, alphabet cards, alphabet activities, 3D shape posters, 3D shape photographs, kite activities, emergent readers for spring, pattern block activities, pattern block centers, synonym activities, ordinal number activitiesThe FREEBIE today also features kites.  It's a set of alphabet cards.

I've included separate upper and lowercase letter cards, as well as ones displaying both letters. 

There's also a tip list of things you can do with the cards, including playing games like Memory Match, "I Have; Who Has?" and "Kaboom!" 

3D shapes, 3D shape activities, alphabet games, alphabet cards, alphabet activities, 3D shape posters, 3D shape photographs, kite activities, emergent readers for spring, pattern block activities, pattern block centers, synonym activities, ordinal number activitiesWell that's it for today. The wind is howling outside and making my office window rattle, the perfect background to work on my wind activities!

Wishing you a fun-filled, easy peasy breezy day. 

"I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination." - Jimmy Dean

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