1-2-3 Come Do Some Penguin Activities With Me
I designed the Penguin Emergent Reader packet to go along with my Silly Shaped Penguin craft. The craftivity is today's featured FREEBIE.
For your convenience, I’ve included them in the packet.
You don’t have to make the Silly Shaped Penguins, but I really think they get children excited to make this short emergent reader booklet, which includes 50 Dolch sight words!
Children read the sentence, add end punctuation ( ? . ! ), trace & write the shape word, then trace, draw and color the shape.
I've included an extra page with the hexagon, pentagon & octagon if you study those as well.
The last page is also optional. “This penguin is in the shape of my shoe. It’s a special keepsake that I made for you.” where children trace their shoe, and add details to make it look like a penguin.
There are 2 size options for the booklet: full-page (great for a teacher’s edition), plus a 2-on-a-page half size, to conserve paper and ink.
The packet also includes:
* A set of trace & write the shape word cards, which can be turned into an Itty Bitty booklet, or used for a Memory Match or “I Have; Who Has?” game. I’ve also included a full-color set as well.
* A graphing extension
* A “Roll & Color” the shapes game, where children choose a partner & take turns rolling the dice. Whatever number they roll, is the matching numbered shape that they color.
* And finally, an “I Spy a Shape” game worksheet, which is a quick, easy and fun way to whole group assess. You can use the worksheet 5 times too!
Well that's it for today. I hope your kiddos have as much fun with the silly shaped penguins, as I did creating them.
Who knew? "Penguins have only one mate, and "propose" by giving then a pebble."
1-2-3 Come Do Some More Snowman Activities With Me
Whenever I toss in a bit of craftiness to our learning, I grab my kiddos' attention and they can't wait to get down to business. It's an absolute joy to see them so happily engaged.
The little bit of extra prep time is well worth the effort, as everyone is focused and on task, with no wasted time with discipline problems or re-explaining things to students who were not listening.
Plus, completed projects make wonderful bulletin boards and hallway displays, which promote pride in their work and increased self-esteem.
With this in mind, I designed a variety of snowman-themed activities, that practice a variety of standards.
"The Snowman's Nose" is a quick, easy and fun way to practice: upper & lowercase letters, numbers to up to 20 or backwards from 31, plus skip counting by 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s, and can also be a way to whole-group assess.
There are 8 different snowman heads to choose from. Simply choose which one is appropriate for your kiddos.
"Snowy's Nose" by Kelly Asbury, is a sweet book to read before or after this craft.
Another way to practice upper and lowercase letters, counting forwards and backwards, as well as skip counting by 2s, 3s, 5s, and 10s, is with Pete the Puzzling Snowman.
Print, color, laminate and trim a set, keeping each puzzle in its own Baggie, and use them for an independent center activity, or do as a whole-group craftivity.
Children can color my snowman face, or they can draw one of their own, on the blank pattern.
After children cut up their puzzle template, they arrange the pieces on a blue sheet of construction paper, leaving a little gap in-between each strip, creating a cool mosaic effect.
For more alphabet practice, try my Dollar Deal Alphabet Wheels, which build the vocabulary needed to give an example of a word, with that beginning sound.
They feature 6 nouns that begin with that letter, and come in black and white, for individual word work, as well as color, so that you can use them as an independent center activity.
I've also included a worksheet where students trace & write the words in alphabetical order.
We revisit the letter Ss in January, with the Ss is for Snowman alphabet wheel.
To practice 2D shapes, make a set of "Shapely Snowmen".
Look closely at the photo, and you'll see that the snowman's facial features match the 2D shape of his head.
I put a sprig of holly on my hats, but a paper punched snowflake would also look cute.
Use them as giant flashcards, (Hold one up. Children call out what shape it is, along with its attributes, like the number of vertices), use them as a 2D bulletin board display, independent math center, or do as a craftivity, and have students make one of their own.
You can also play a variety of games with them. I've included directions in the packet.
My kiddos absolutely LOVE playing "4 Corner Freeze" .
It's easy-peasy for me, and only takes a few minutes, so it’s perfect for the end of the day, or when you want to give your students a brain break or get the wiggles out.
Finally, if your kiddos need some review with color and color words, the Colorful Snowman Games packet is an interesting and fun way to practice.
Students can play the color-matching game as an independent center, or choose a partner and play a spinner game.
Make an extra set and glue the puzzle hat and scarf pieces to the appropriate snowman and use them for your winter word wall, or a bulletin board display.
I’ve also included a plain set, for students to draw in their own snowman face, if you want to do this as a whole-group craftivity, where each child makes their favorite color snowman. The packet also includes a “Colors on a Roll” dice game.
The other snowman color activity is Snowman Colors, which features an emergent reader that covers lots of standards, as students read the repetitive sentences, circle capital letters, add end punctuation, trace and write the words, and color the pictures. Days of the week + color words are also reinforced.
The packet includes 3 graphing extensions, a game, bookmark and a worksheet, plus a cute snowman craftivity, where the “scarf” is a little flip booklet, featuring color words.
The featured FREEBIE today is a set of "I Spy" snowface worksheet games, which help reinforce upper and lowercase letters + numbers from 1-20.
I did "I Spy" daily, as a fun way for my Y5's to practice, as well as a quick and easy way for me to whole-group assess.
Well that's it for today. Hope you found something here that tickled your fancy. The sun is shining outside my office window and making the snow sparkle.
As Mr. Rogers used to say: "It's a wonderful day in the neighborhood." Wishing you a carefree day filled with Brrrrr-illiance!
"Some people are so much sunshine to the square inch." -Walt Whitman
1-2-3 Come Do Some Snowman Activities With Me
No matter what grade I taught, my students LOVED making glyphs. They are a quick, easy and fun way to practice listening and following directions.
With that in mind I designed a snowman glyph. Completed projects make an adorable bulletin board, and provide an interesting way to get to know your kiddos too.
To practice data collection & analysis, as well as process of elimination, have students try and figure out who made some of the snowman glyphs. I've also included 3 graphing extensions to practice another math standard.
Another super-fun snowman activity, is Silas, the 3D Cylinder Shaped Snowman.
I've found that if I toss a bit of craftiness into our lesson, I not only grab my students' attention, but they learn and retain those concepts better.
The cylinder shape was a bit of a toughie for some of my kiddos, so this really helped solidify the concept.
Silas does double duty, as his facial features practice and review 2D shapes, which can be drawn on, or cut and glued.
Finally, my kiddos needed more place value practice. To put a bit of zippidy-doo-dah in reinforcing this math standard, I designed Petey, a super-fun place value snowman.
Simply print the worksheet filled with an assortment of place value blocks. (There's 2 on a page).
Students decide which pieces they want to use to decorate their PV snowman with, then color, cut and glue them to the pattern.
Afterwards, they figure out the value of their snowman, then fill out the "My Place Value Snowman" worksheet.
I've included a blank template as well, if you think this is too much information for younger kiddos.
Children can fill out the black and white version, with whatever information is appropriate for their level.
I've included one in color, so that teachers can quickly and easily make a sample to share.
Completed projects make an awesome bulletin board or hallway display.
For more wintry place value practice, I designed a snowman, whole-group assessment game, which can also be used as an independent center activity.
I’ve included both a full page snowman, as well as a two-on-a-page pattern. Students can draw in their own snowman face, or color my pattern.
To turn these into dry erase “boards”, cut squares out of glossy photo paper. Each student needs 4 to glue on top of the squares on their place value snowman. My students keep their snowman in their math journals, as we play the game once or twice a week.
Students, don’t really seem to get tired of it, and the place value “light bulbs” go on rather quickly in their heads. Despite the fact that many of my kiddos can't count past 100, they still can wrap their brains around place value, when shown visually, by playing this game.
Print; laminate and trim the number cards (0-9) and toss them in a mitten or winter cap. Choose 3 students to pick a card. This will become the 3-digit number that students write in the number squares of the snowman’s hat, using a dry erase marker.
Today's featured FREEBIE is a "Rip & Tear" snowman craft. Ripping and tearing paper is a super-fun way for kiddos to strengthen those finger and hand muscles.
The packet includes a pattern for a mosaic snowman, as well as a whole, torn paper one.
My kiddos do one the first week of January, then the other at the end of the month.
Completed projects make an awesome bulletin board or hallway display, which we keep up through February.
In the photograph, you can see Silas, the 3D cylinder shaped snowman, hanging with our rip and tear snowmen.
Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by.
Even tho' it's a chilly 33 degrees outside, the sun is shining, so I think I'll take my poodle pup Chloe for a walk. Wishing you an energizing day.
"The higher your energy level, the more efficient your body. The more efficient your body, the better you feel and the more you will use your talent to produce outstanding results." - Anthony Roberts
1-2-3 Come Do Some Mitten Activities With Me
We are smitten with The Mitten, by Jan Brett. It's a Ukrainian folktale, and one of my kiddos' favorite winter books, that's perfect for practicing sequencing and a variety of other standards.
With that in mind, I designed The Mitten Literacy Packet, with quick, easy and fun "print & go" activities, games, and even a mitten craft.
The packet includes:
* A world map worksheet, where children locate the Ukraine as well as their own country and color it.
* A label the cover worksheet, with completed sample.
* Characters, setting and events, pocket chart cards.
* Story elements, plus beginning-Middle-and End parts of the story, worksheets.
* Worksheets for sequencing the animals.
* Several writing prompt worksheets, for summarizing the story and explaining your favorite part.
* Who-What-Why-When-Where-How? worksheet.
* Several games, including a set of Memory Match cards that you can play 3 additional games with.
* 5 Venn diagram worksheets, which are a fun way to practice comparison & contrast.
* A graphing extension.
* 21, pocket chart, sentence cards, which help review the story, as well as practice capitalization and end punctuation.
* There's a matching set of mini cards, to use for several other activities.
* 9, "We read The Mitten today. Ask me to tell you the story." bookmarks.
* "Mm is for mitten and . . ." beginning letter sound worksheet.
* Rhyme time worksheet, with matching answer-key poster.
* "How Many Words Can You Make?" worksheet with an answer-key poster.
* Keepsake hand print mitten craft, plus . . .
* 3 mitten-themed graphic organizer worksheets.
Whew! That covers a nice variety of stuff doesn't it?
Click on the link to zip on over to my TpT shop for The Mitten Literacy Packet.
Today's FREEBIE is a snowman acrostic poem packet.
It's a quick, easy and fun way to incorporate the poetry genre into your studies.
Besides the snowman arostic pictured, the packet also includes 5 other acrostic poem templates.
Completed projects make an adorable bulletin board too.
Well that's it for today. Wishing everyone a wonder-filled wintry week. Thanks for stopping by.
"Poetry is when emotion has found its thought, and the thought has found words." - Robert Frost
1-2-3 Come Do Some Mitten Activities With Me
Do you read the Ukrainian folktale The Mitten, by Jan Brett? It’s one of my favorite winter stories and perfect for practicing the sequencing and retelling a story standards.
With that in mind, I designed some quick, easy and fun, mitten-themed activities. First up is The Mitten story “slider” craftivity, that will help your students retell the story in the proper order.
Simply run the mitten and slider patterns off on white paper. Using construction paper or card stock adds to the sturdiness.
Children trim their mitten, then color, cut and glue their slider together.
I pre-cut the mitten slits using an Exacto knife, so that children can easily insert their “storytelling strip”.
As they pull on the end of the “slider” the various pictures go through the mitten “window”, so that children can take turns retelling the story to a partner, then take their mitten home to share with their family, once again practicing the lesson.
I introduce the lesson by reading the story, then share my sample with the children. We retell the tale together, using the picture prompts on the slider.
My students now know what’s expected of them, and are excited to transition to making a “mitten story slider” of their own.
Another way students can retell the story, is with The Mitten Story Wheel. It's a quick, easy & fun way to assess comprehension and practice sequencing as well.
There are full color patterns to use for centers, as well as a sample to share, plus a black and white pattern, so your students can make their own.
As a comprehension-assessment tool, and for more fine motor practice, another option is to have students cut up the picture sections, then glue them to the blank wheel in the appropriate order.
To practice ordinal numbers, have children write 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc. on each piece. I've also included "Sequence the Story” Puzzles.
Use the full-color versions for an independent center, and print the black and white pattern, so children can color, cut and arrange their own puzzle.
There's also a writing prompt worksheet, where students write what happened in the story.
Since The Mitten story has eight animals climbing into a mitten, its a wonderful segue for practicing ordinal numbers too.
The packet includes:
* An emergent reader booklet: Move Over Please, So I Won't Freeze, which reinforces a variety of Common Core Standards, along with ordinal numbers and verb practice.
* A mitten paper plate pocket "craftivity", which students make to keep all of their mitten-related work in.
* A set of ordinal number pocket chart cards
* A student-made, mitten matching game, where students match the animal character to the animal's name, or the ordinal number position it had in the story, or all three.
Children can do this independently, or pick a partner to play against.
* Ordinal number character assessment strip
* 2 graphing activities
* 2 writing prompts on one worksheet, which can be turned into a class-made book.
* Several mitten worksheets, including one that covers rhyming words, plus more verb-work. (Great for Daily 5 word work activities.) and . . .
* A certificate of praise bookmark that can be used to play another game.
Finally, my kiddos absolutely LOVE making class books. They're a quick and easy way to practice a variety of standards. Contributing a page for a class book, is super-fun for your kiddos, and will grab their attention from the get go.
Completed projects make a cute bulletin board display; afterwards, collate the pages and put the book in your classroom library.
There are two writing prompts to make two books included in the packet. Both are based on The Mitten, by Jan Brett.
In the first one, Our Mitten, the teacher loses a mitten. As children find it, they tuck something inside.
Here, I wanted my kiddos to take size into consideration, and think of something that could realistically fit inside a mitten.
On their page, students state their name and tell what they put inside their teacher’s mitten and why, adding an illustration.
The Animals In Our Mitten, is the next book. The cover and pages, are in the shape of a large mitten.
Children fill in the blank with an adjective, animal and action verb. i.e. “A slow, green turtle shuffled into our class mitten.”
I feel that even PK kiddos can come up with a descriptive word and action for their animal, and believe it’s not too early to have children practice writing a vivid and complete sentence, however, I've also included a simpler page, where little ones simply name an animal and draw a picture.
I’ve further tied the packet into Brett’s folktale,The Mitten, by including an alphabetical list of 39 of the action verbs in her story, along with a worksheet.
There’s also a verb-definition poster, plus 39 action verb cards, and 11 character cards, which you can use for several games and activities.
Today's featured FREEBIE is a shaving cream snowman.
Equal parts of non-menthol shaving cream, mixed with Elmer's glue, dries all puffed up, creating amazing results!
It's our favorite winter craft. Completed projects turn out absolutely fabulous! We get tons of compliments on our bulletin board too.
Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by. I'm sure the holiday break went fast for you as well.
Here's hoping some of these activities get you excited for back to school, celebrating a fresh start in the New Year.
"Whatever you do, or dream that you can do--begin it. Boldness has genuis, and power and magic in it." -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
