1-2-3 Come Do Some Vowel Activities With Me
Today I'm featuring 4 of my newest vowel packets. I hope your students enjoy them as much as mine did.
First up are my word wheels and puzzles. They are my way of grabbing students’ attention, so they’ll want to practice vowel pairs, which can be a bit tedious on the road to fluency.
The crafty little twist of a wheel, and game-like aspect of making a puzzle, is a fresh alternative to a worksheet, which students really enjoy, and has been extremely successful in improving fluency, while building their vocabularies as well.
Both the wheels and puzzles come in color, so you can use them for an independent center, as well as black & white, so children can make their own.
I’ve also included a “Trace, Write & Alphabetize” worksheet, if you want your kiddos to show that they’ve worked on those center activities.
There are puzzles and wheels for ai, ay, ea, ee & oa vowel pairs. Some have six sections, others 10.
Next up is a "Vowel Owl" packet. It's stuffed with a variety of super-fun ways to practice those tricky vowel pairs: ai, ay, ea, ee, & oa, which help build vocabulary & fluency.
There are games, sorting mats, worksheets, puzzles, posters, an “All Aboard the Vowel Train” booklet, as well as a paper chain and “flip up” craftivity, plus an emergent reader, 1-page story, which includes 80 Dolch sight words!
We all know that “Practice makes perfect”, but simply reading and writing words can become a bit tedious.
So, if you want your kiddos to get them excited to practice their word work, tell them they’re going to get to make a paper chain, where they trace and write the vowel pair words, color the pictures, then link them all up.
Working in an independent center, putting together a puzzle, then recording the results, or playing a word game with a partner or as a small group, also creates interest, and helps improve fluency.
Whenever I could, I also tossed in a bit of math practice (Tally marks, counting, adding, and analyzing data.) Mixing math with literacy gives you more bang for your time too!
The vowel-pair number puzzles, also mix math with literacy, as they practice sequencing numbers from 1-10, counting backwards from 10-1, plus skip counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s.
The puzzles come in full color to use for an independent math center, as well as black & white, so that students can color and cut to make a puzzle of their own.
For an interesting bulletin board, have children glue the pieces of their puzzle on a sheet of construction paper, leaving a small gap in-between, creating a mosaic effect.
Finally, since I'm celebrating Seuss for the entire month of March, I decided to make a Seuss-themed vowel packet, and came up with "Vowel Prowl" with the Cat in the Hat.
Even though I designed this packet with Seuss's crazy cat in mind, it also works "purr-fectly" with any other cat, like Pete! Simply color the patterns blue for you know who.
The packet includes:
* 2, "We are on the prowl for a vowel” posters
* Vowel song-poster to the tune of BINGO, with matching AEIOU letter cards
* 4 vowel worksheets
* A “tally time” listening & following directions activity
* 3 options for a “Popsicle stick “long or short” puppet pal.
* 3 options for “long or short” vowel “header” cards to put in sorting cups
* 60 mini word cards for sorting
* 2 sorting mats
* 10, alphabetical lists of long and short vowel words
* 2, “I’m On The Vowel Prowl” word journals, with 10 pages. (2-on-a-page patterns to conserve paper.
Just in time for your March is Reading Month activities, today's featured FREEBIE is aSeuss-themed reading log. I hope you find it useful.
Well that's it for today. I can't believe it's snowing again! That lion continues to roar here in Michigan.
Oh well, since I'm cooped up like the kids in the Cat in the Hat story, I may as well design some Horton "stuff". Wishing you a heart-full of springtime.
"Step with care and great tact, and remember that Life's a Great Balancing Act!" -Dr. Seuss
1-2-3 Come Do Some Seuss Hat Craftivities With Me
Since Seuss's hat is so iconic, with the stripes making it an easy vehicle to cover an assortment of standards, I decided to design a few more activities featuring the cat's hat to celebrate Seuss.
First up is a Seuss-hat, “flip the flap” ABC booklet. My kiddos absolutely LOVE making these emergent readers. I enjoy the versatility.
The packet contains a booklet for each letter of the alphabet.
You can make these as a whole group activity, as an independent center, for a bulletin board, for a class-made book (each student contributes a letter) or have each child do all of the letter booklets as a “letter a week” activity, and keep them in their ”portfolio" file folder.
Students trace and write the upper and lowercase letters, as well as the words that begin with that letter. They read the sentence and add end punctuation.
I have used almost all of the words from the Pre-Primer, Kindergarten and 1st Grade Dolch word lists, plus many of the Dolch nouns!
There are covers for the class book, as well as the file folder, and I’ve also included a mini, set of letter cards that you can toss into a Seuss hat.
Children choose one, and that’s the letter they will contribute to the class book.
The packet also includes upper & lowercase letter assessments, plus "trace and write" upper and lowercase letter worksheets, plus a "Hats Off To Wonderful Work!" poster.
From letters let's go to numbers with “I’ve Got Your Number!” Seuss hat booklet.
This is super-fun for your kiddos and easy-peasy for you to "print & go".
The booklet helps review quite a few math standards as you flip from left to right, and then again, with another section, of "flip the flap" pages, from right to left, to show a group/set of apples.
I chose apples as the object because of Seuss’s story: 10 Apples Up On Top
You don’t have to add that extra flap to make it simpler for PK kiddos, but it’s really not hard at all, and provides great fine motor cutting practice.
I've also included a pattern without clocks for them, as well as completed teacher samples in full color, to expedite making a sample to share.
For more math practice, I designed a simple "print & go", "Show Me The Number!" worksheet that covers a variety of math standards.
Interest remains high, even though you can use the worksheet for an entire week or even all of March, because the number changes daily.
Students look forward to working on their Cat Hat Math Mat, because they know what to do, which empowers them.
They can get right down to business, without waiting for directions., which is a real time saver.
Use the large template to explain and demonstrate what you want your kiddos to do. To conserve paper, I created a 2-on-a-page worksheet for students. I’ve also included a completed sample. Laminate & hang up as an anchor chart poster, which will help remind children of the directions.
The beauty of this worksheet, is that you can use it for any number. Younger students can work on numbers less than 10, kinders can work on those toughie teens, while older kiddos tackle bigger numbers.
The worksheet is also an easy way to whole-group assess, is great for early finishers, homework or a sub folder too.
Laminate several large worksheets and keep in your math center. Children fill them out with a dry erase marker.
The packet also includes a helpful cat’s hat bookmark with math symbols, which my kiddos keep in their math journals.
I become queen of the copy room for a bit, which is well worth the effort because after I’ve got them done, I’m free and have reduced my stress level a ton!My students enjoy working on a page a day, and I have a little lesson for 10 days! Woo hoo.
There are full-page, large templates to make a worksheet, poster, bigger booklet, and teacher’s edition.
I’ve also made 2-on-a-page worksheets to conserve paper, plus a cover if you’d like to make a workbook like I do.
When my students complete their booklet, they earn a “Hats off to you!” bookmark. These come 5 on-a-page, as well as 12-on-a-page.I also laminate a set of the large patterns and put them in my math center. Children use a dry erase marker to do X number of pages.
I complete a set using Seussical colored markers, mount them on turquoise and red construction paper, laminate, and hang them up as posters.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/d/drseuss106026.html
"Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!" -Dr. Seuss
1-2-3 Come Do Some Dr. Seuss Activities With Me
Seuss is on the loose and I'm celebrating with some super-fun Seuss-themed activities. Today's blog features some of my favorite ways to practice standards using a Seuss hat.
First up, word families. The "Stackin' Up Word Families With A Seuss Hat" packet includes 39 word families! Not surprisingly, a lot of these words appear in Dr. Seuss’s stories!
Simply choose the word families that your students are working on.
Use them for a bulletin board display, your word wall, centers, games, assessing and worksheets!
Next up are the "Flipping Over 2D and 3D Shapes!" emergent reader booklets.
Students read the simple sentences, underline the capital letters and add end punctuation.
They trace and write shape words, then trace, color and draw the various shapes.
Gluing the top square to their cat’s hat, then snipping on the lines, creates a "flip the flap" booklet.
I really think it’s important for students to not only be able to identify the various shapes, but pick them out in real life and give examples.
With that in mind, I designed both booklets with graphics of real life things.
When everyone is done, read the booklets together as a whole group, to reinforce concepts of print.
I specifically used lots of Dolch word pronouns for more teachable moments. I’ve also included a graphing extension.
Finally, I created some Seuss-hat, telling analog & digital time to the hour and half hour activities for the "It's Time For Seuss!" packet.
There are dice games, worksheets, an anchor chart, cat clock craftivity, clothespin clip game, sequencing time "Speed" game, pocket chart digital & analog time cards to the hour and half hour, an Itty Bitty Time booklet, praise certificates and an assessment!
The featured FREEBIE today is a Seuss hat writing prompt with a "Seussism" quote poster.
Use the poster to introduce the lesson, then display it in the center of your bulletin board display, surrounded by your students' completed hats.
Simply run off the template. Students write the things that they enjoyed doing the most during their day at school, writing something on each stripe of the cat's hat.
They write their name in the oval on the bottom. Add a school photo for that finishing touch.
Since a lot of teachers decorate with Seuss for back-to-school, I’ve also included a template for that special first day.
Well that's it for today. Time to get busy with Horton and Green Eggs & Ham stuff!
Wishing you a non-crazy, carefree day!
"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go!" -Dr. Seuss
1-2-3 Come Do Some Dr. Seuss Lorax Activities With Me
Ever since the movie came out, my students absolutely love the Lorax. He's such a cute little fluff ball, and the inspiration behind my "Shapin' Up With The Lorax" packet.
This craftivity is quick, easy & super-fun and includes a variety of game options.
There's also an emergent reader, which practices capitalization and end punctuation as it reviews shapes.
I’ve provided 2D shapes (circle, oval, square, rectangle, triangle, hexagon, pentagon, octagon, trapezoid, rhombus, heart, star & crescent), as well as the four, 3D ones: cone, cube, cylinder andsphere.
Make a set to use for a bulletin board display.
Make an extra set; cut them in half, and use as puzzles for an independent math center and an interesting way to review symmetry.
Play 4-Corner FREEZE; a game that practices a variety of life skills, like listening and following directions, as well as the 2D/3D shape vocabulary, plus recognition, and counting backwards from 10 to 0.
My kiddos absolutely LOVE this game. Easy-peasy for me, and only takes a few minutes, so it’s perfect for the end of the day. I’ve included directions in the packet.
You can also use the Lorax shapes as big flashcards. Hold one up. Children call out what shape it is, along with its attributes, like the number of vertices.
Play “Who’s Missing?” Display a set on the wall. After children leave, take one away. In the morning, children guess which one is missing.
I’ve also included a 2-on-a-one-page template, so children can pick their favorite shape and create their own Lorax.
There are 2 mustache options: “I ‘mustache’ you a question. What shape am I?” is written on one, the other is blank.
For a cute keepsake idea, students can use their hand prints as the mustache, and add accordion-folded legs and arms. (Super fine motor practice!)
Have older students write attributes on the back.
Next up is a Telling Time With The Lorax Game, which practices analog and digital time to the hour.
There are several ways to use the packet. 
Make a large Lorax teacher’s clock to use as a whole-group assessment tool.
You can also have children make their own, mini (4-on-a-page pattern) Lorax clock, to whole group assess in another way.
Ask children to show you 11:00 or whatever time. Sitting at their desk/table, they manipulate their paperclips to display that time.
You walk around the room making sure children have the correct time.
Another option: Instead of using paperclips, children can use a dry erase marker to draw hands on their clock, to show you the time, then erase it with a tissue.
The “clocks” can also be used as spinners to play the “It’s Truffula Tree Time!” game.
To use for a math center activity, laminate the full-size truffula trees, and medium-size spinners, and attach a large paperclip with a brass brad.
Using a dry erase marker, children play with a partner, spinning the paperclip to see what time they will trace on the truffula tree trunk.
The winner of the game, is the first one to fill in all of the times, or who has the most times traced when the timer rings.
So that children practice numbering a clock, I’ve also included mini-blank clocks without numbers.
When students spin, they not only trace the time on their truffula tree, they also write that number on their mini clock worksheet.
I’ve included 2-on-a page templates of the game, so that you can play this as a whole group activity too.
Children can play with a partner or in a group of 3-5. Each student makes their own truffula tree, has their own blank clock, and shares the spinner.
Today's FREEBIE also features Seuss's Lorax. It's a super-cute writing prompt. Making a mustache to launch a writing prompt, is an interesting and "Suessical" way of doing things. I think your students will enjoy it.
For an adorable bulletin board, take everyone's photograph wearing their mustache and put it next to their writing. Your bulletin board title could be the same question you are asking: "We mustache you, would you save a truffula tree?"
Flank the board on either side, with 2 colorful truffula trees, made out of strips of neon-colored tissue paper, and rolled up green bulletin board paper for the trunk. Stripe it with brightly colored boarder.
Well that's it for today. I can't believe spring is just around the corner, as it's bitter cold today and the bleak view out my window is still snow covered!
Wishing you a wonderful week!
"Life is like a mustache. It can be wonderful or terrible, but it always tickles!" -Unknown
1-2-3 Come Do Some Cat in the Hat Craftivities With Me
Seuss's birthday is on March 2nd, so my school kicks off our March is Reading Month with a super-fun Cat in the Hat Day.
With that in mind, I designed a plethora of Seuss hat-themed activities. Here are 3 of my kiddos' all-time favorites.
First up is a place value “Cat in the Hat” game. I print and laminate a class set so that we can play a whole-group place value game.
Students take turns calling out a 2 or 3-digit number. Using a dry erase marker, students write the number on the hat brim and then place that many number tiles in the appropriate columns.
This is also a quick and simple way to whole-group assess. When students have filled in their mat, they raise their hand. You can see at a glance who is having difficulty.
The hat and number tiles come in a large, full-page size, as well as a smaller, 2-on-a-page pattern to conserve paper.
I’ve also included a 3D “Cat in the Hat” place value craftivity, that makes an interesting manipulative for an independent center, assessing, or playing a game with a partner.
Next up is a quick, easy and super-fun, Cat's Hat AT Word Family packet, filled with a variety of interesting activities to help practice the at family of words.
The packet includes:
* An at word family poster.
* A “My Cat Pat” emergent reader flip booklet with a full-color teacher’s edition.
* A set of “Pat the Cat” pocket chart cards
*An at family, “Cat in the Hat” slider craftivity, featuring 16 words.
*4 worksheets.
* A “My Itty Bitty Book Of at Family Words” booklet.
* Picture and word cards to use as an independent center.
* You can also use the cards for a Memory Match or “I Have; Who Has?” game.
* I've also included black and white “Trace, Write & Color” puzzle cards, with a matching set in full color for a center activity.
Finally, the next cat hat craftivity is very versatile, as the "Classmate Hat" can be used as a game, independent center, whole group activity, bulletin board, writing prompt or reading log.
There are "brim" options for preschool to 2nd grade, as well as several generic ones to fit whatever.
Besides the “Alphabetize Your Classmates” game, the packet also includes a mini cat hat craftivity, with a variety of brim options for that too.
Students choose to put their hat on a cat pattern, an enlarged photo of themselves, or they can pick a head pattern and draw a face on it.
I’ve included 9 faceless head templates they can pick from, as I find this helps little ones with size, however you can always opt to have children draw their own.
Students color, trim and glue their hat on top of their head. Completed projects make an adorable bulletin board.
I've included a worksheet for alphabetizing practice, plus a "Speed" game challenge, recording sheet.
Since the hat templates are blank, you can also have students write a list of their favorite Seuss books. Older students can put their list in alphabetical order.
Another idea is to “Stack a Hat” using the stripes as a reading log to jot down each book they read during March is Reading Month or the number of pages they’ve read each week.
You can also use the blank hat for a writing prompt of your choice, or have students list the reasons why they like to read, or specifically why they enjoy reading Dr. Seuss books.
Patterns come on a full-page, as well as a smaller, 2-on-a-page size, to save on paper.
The FREEBIE today also features Seuss. It's a set of silly Dr. Seuss songs that I made up. I hope you find them useful.
Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by. As much as I've up-dated, tweaked and designed, I still have a huge "to do" pile sitting on my desk.
So I'm certainly happy that March has 31 days in it, providing more time to cram in some extra-fun spring themes. Wishing you a sunshine-filled day.
"The beautiful spring came; and when nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also." -Harriet Ann Jacobs
