1-2-3 Come Do Some Chinese New Year Activities With Me.
Chinese New Year starts February 19th this year, and runs for 15 days. I know some of you will quickly dismiss Chinese New Year, as something you want to make time for this February, because you feel you don't have any time to plug in one more thing to an already overloaded schedule.
However, even if you don't have time for an entire theme day, many of the following activities can quickly and easily be added to what you're already doing. If nothing else, simply read several books about Chinese New Year during your story time, and have children locate Asia and China on a map. My Y5's were absolutely fascinated.
If you need some help finding a story, click on the link for a list of 53 of my all-time favorite Chinese books. I think you'll find it quite helpful, as it's a comprehensive annotated bibliography, where I explain and comment on each book.
You could also wish children a "Gong Hey Fat Choy!" (pronounced gung-she-fah-tie) Happy Chinese New Year, instead of greeting them with "Good morning" as they walk in the door.
One of the 4 Chinese bookmarks
I've designed, has this greeting written on it. These could be left as a little surprise in their desks, or passed out to on-task students during reading.
One of our favorite Chinese stories was Tikki Tikki Tembo. My Y5’s were delighted when I repeated Tikki’s very long "full" name, and wanted to learn it themselves. Click on the link for an excellent animated version of this popular folktale.
Another wonderful YouTube video fairytale, is The Story of Nian a mythological, half lion-half dragon creature. It’s just 3 minutes long and explains the meaning behind many of the Chinese New Year beliefs.
Another simple way to add a splash of China to your day, is by playing some soothing Chinese music while your students work. There's something very calming in the melodic music that chinese instruments create.
I'm listening to "Music From The Tea Lands" as I blog. It's especially meaningful because 2 of our sons were born in Korea. If you don't have a CD, click on the link to hear 25 minutes of tranquil sounds from China.
Chinese New Year (2015) is the year of the sheep. My students wanted to know what animal was featured the year that they were born, so I included a list in the Chinese New Year Animal Game Card packet.
Finding the answer, is another quick, easy and fun way to add a sprinkle of Chinese New Year to your day. You can also have students play Memory Match or I Have; Who Has? games with the cards.
There are 11 sets of cards. Children can match animals to animals, animals to their symbols, or animal cards to word cards.
The packet includes background information about Chinese New Year, a list of what the animal traits are, along with the years that they were the special animal + a spinner game. For a discussion or writing prompt, students could share if those animal traits fit their personalities or not.
Are your kiddos working on counting and number identification? Why not take a few minutes to teach them how to count to 10 in Chinese? To help you, I designed some Chinese and English number cards, so children can play a variety of games.
The packet also includes an anchor chart that shows the order of "brush" strokes, as well as helpful links, so students can see, hear, and learn how to write the numbers.
It's quick, easy and fun; my Y5's were amazed. I think they just assumed everyone wrote numbers like they did.
One of the sites tells you how to ask a person their phone number in Chinese.
Since my Y5s were working on learning their phone number, I thought that would be a really fun activity for students, so I made a recording sheet. There's also one for students to write their age on.
You can introduce these lessons by reading a Chinese counting book. I've included 3 suggestions.
Click on the link to view/download the Let's Count In Chinese,Number Card Packet.
Also math related, are these 9 Chinese puzzles that will help your students practice counting forwards, backwards, as well as skip counting by 10s to 100. Set them up as an independent center for early finishers.
Another fun way to add a bit of Asian flavor to your day, is with these Chinese dragon alphabet cards. Use them as flashcards, an independent center or for some group games.
I've included a 3-page tip list of things you can do with the cards. After laminating, cut up an extra set and make puzzles. Click on the link to view/download the Chinese dragon alphabet cards.
Finally, if you have snack time, add a Chinese fortune cookie to the mix. What does the word fortune mean? Who can read theirs? What do they think of the fortune? If you have time, have them write a fortune they'd like to have and share it with a friend.
Still looking for more ideas? Click on the link, if you'd like to see all of the Chinese New Year FREEBIES on TeachWithMe. I also have an entire board for Chinese New Year on Pinterest. For a fun, Chinese riddle lantern craftivity, scroll down to take a look at the next blog article.
Well that's it for today. Thanks for visiting. I hope you're able to add a splash of Chinese New Year to your daily activities to spice things up. Wishing you a relaxing day, filled with memorable moments.
"A nation's treasure is in its scholars." - Chinese proverbs
1-2-3 Come Make A Chinese Lantern With Me
I had an absolute blast visiting China from the comfort of my own home these past few days. Mother Nature is hurling winter at my window, while I, snug in warm PJ's, flit around the world in my desk chair. Today I'm experiencing China's spectacular Lantern Festival.
Because of my voracious appetite to learn new things, I LOVE doing research, and am extremely grateful to people who make the time to share their knowledge, creative gifts and photographs to help others.
Whenever I'm designing a new packet, I like to find out the "how" and "why" of what I'm doing. As teachers, it's extremely important to have a wealth of trivia floating around in one's head that you can share with your students, making things more interesting and factual.
Inevitably some child will ask: "Why are lanterns so popular in China?" "Why is red one of their favorite colors?" "How did the Lantern Festival start?" I wanted to know too, so I spent several hours Online going on an Asian Internet adventure to find out.
After searching, reading, and carefully cross-checking where possible, I came up with all sorts of information about China's lanterns, as well as their Lantern Festival. I found it all very fascinating and especially enjoyed the various folktales behind their traditions, which date back 1,000's of years!
I made a list of my favorite Chinese New Year YouTube videos, so your kiddos can experience a Lion Dance, a Dragon Dance, stilt walkers, zillions of floating lanterns drifting up into the sky, and other aspects of this fabulous celebration, that will make things real and exciting for them. Click on the link for the 29-page Chinese Paper Lantern Packet.
One of China's most popular lanterns is the riddle lantern; it's an integral part of their pageantry. If you have the time, making this Chinese paper lantern is a quick, easy and fun craftivity that helps students practice their cutting skills.
Solving riddles is another simple way to add a bit of Chinese New Year flavor to your day. Here's how:
Paper lanterns are relatively inexpensive at party stores. Purchase 2 or 3 and hang them from the ceiling. Write the riddles on strips of yellow paper.
Dangle some lengths of string or curling ribbon from the base of the lanterns and attach enough riddles for each student to have one. As they walk through the door and see these swirling and twirling globes decorated with yellow strips of paper they will be all a-buzz.
Wish them a "Gong Hey Fat Choy!" (pronounced gung-she-fah-tie) Happy Chinese New Year, then give them time to exercise their brains via riddles.
To make this easy for you, I made a list of over 90 riddles that I thought your students would enjoy. Some are simple, some a bit more difficult; all are thought-provoking. Read through the list and decide what is age-appropriate for your kiddos then use those on your riddle lantern(s). Click on the link for the Chinese Paper Lantern Craftivity.
Well that's it for today. Thanks for visiting. Even though February is not quite over, it's time to start planning for March is Reading Month. I hope the work that I do, helps save you time, and alleviates a bit of stress from your life.
I truly enjoy reading any comments about the materials I provide and how you've used them. Wishing you a wonderful day.
"A gem is not polished without rubbing, nor a man perfected without trials." - Chinese proverb
1-2-3 Come Do Some More Dental Hygiene Activities With Me
Yesterday I posted a few of my most popular dental hygiene-themed activities, which focussed on a variety of standards. (Scroll down if you missed it.) Today, I've got a few more on the craftier side.
I like to cover a variety of standards in all of my subject areas whenever I do a unit, and Dental hygiene is no exception.
We had scissor practice daily, as my Y5's really needed to work on their cutting skills, and it was also a way for them to strengthen their finger muscles, so writing became easier for them.
With that in mind, I designed the "secret triangle" where children get in that cutting practice, while reviewing shapes, and learning some basic facts about dental hygiene.
Introducing it as a "secret message" writing prompt, got their attention, and kept interest high. They really enjoyed this activity, and were excited to take it home to share.
Print off the circle template on white paper. Students trim, fold the "flaps" on the dashed lines, and then write at least 3 things they do to help take care of their teeth.
I've included a triangle, with a rhyming poem, that they can cut and then glue to the back. I found it in a dozen places Online and no one seems to know who wrote it.
"Got my toothpaste, got my brush. I won't hurry; I won't rush. Making sure my teeth are clean, front and back and in between. When I brush for quite a while, I will have a happy smile!"
Hold the folds shut with a sticker. Click on the link to view/download the Dental Hygiene Secret Triangle Writing Prompt.
Because I always had "early finishers" I liked to have some independent centers that my Y5s could transition to, when they completed their work. Because of the dental hygiene theme we were doing, I designed this interesting toothbrush center game, which reinforces color words.
Click on the link to view/download the Toothbrush Color Word Center Activity packet.
Run off the master toothbrush on white construction paper; laminate and trim.
Using dry erase markers, students trace and write the color words in matching colors and then place the appropriate colored handle over the top.
While I was diddling around making the toothbrush templates, I thought they would also work for a cute writing prompt craftivity, which would again give them some more cutting practice, as well as a review of how students can take care of their teeth.
So I designed the "Snip and Flip" Toothbrush writing prompt" Click on the link to view/download it.
For this activity, run off the handles on popular colors of construction paper and give students a choice. (I have a handle for boys (his) and one for girls (hers) so you can have a teachable pronoun moment too.)
Run the "bristle boxes" off on white paper. Students cut on the lines to make "bristle tabs" that they can flip over to reveal the other bristle box, where they've written how they take care of their teeth.
I also included a traceable bristle box for PK children (pictured). Click on the link to view/download the Snip and Flip Toothbrush Writing Prompt Craftivity.
Finally, these tooth-themed alphabet cards are great for all sorts of activities: sequencing, sorting, patterning, and playing games like Memory Match and I Have; Who Has? As with all of the alphabet card packets, they include an upper and lowercase set for more options.
There are several pages of tips and ideas for what else to use them for too. Click on the link to view/download the Dental Hygiene Alphabet Cards.
That's it for today. Thanks for visiting. If you'd like to see all of my dental hygiene FREEBIES, click on the link to zip on over to that section of TeachWithMe.
Winter weather continues to rear it's frigid face here in Michigan, so it's time to throw another log on the fire and snuggle in. Wishing you a warm and cozy day.
"Use your smile to change the world; but don't let the world change your smile." -Unknown
1-2-3 Come Do Some Tooth Activities With Me!
I never know when to start posting dental hygiene activities. I always did our tooth unit the last week of February, simply because there was so much else to cover at the beginning of the month: Groundhog Day, 100 Day, Valentine's Day, (We also visited a post office), as well as President's Day. Anyone else's brain out there spinning?
"Everybody in this place, please put a smile on your face!" is a just-for-fun poster that I designed. I share it with my kiddos when I launch our dental hygiene activities. Click on the link to grab the Smile Awhile FREEBIE.
My Y5's enjoyed our "Terrific Teeth" unit; I was always amazed that there was at least one child every year that had never visited a dentist! Today's blog will feature some of my most popular dental hygiene activities. Most of them are "print & go" to make it easy for you to toss a few tooth-themed activities into your busy day.
For those of you who like to start your themed-units with a KWL, click on the link for a dental hygiene one you can do as a whole group, as well as a template your students can do in their writing journals. Dental Hygiene KWL
Another great way to learn where your students stand on dental hygiene is to do some graphing activities.
Have they lost a tooth? Do they have a cavity? Have they ever been to the dentist? Would they like to be a dentist? What color is their toothbrush and how many times do they brush a day?
These are some of the eight tooth-related graphing questions you can ask your kiddos. Click on the link to view/download the 8 Dental Hygiene Graphs.
Sending a brushing chart home with your students, is also a fun way for them to let you know that they are practicing good dental hygiene. I've designed 4 toothbrushing charts that children can choose from.
They can X off the chart, cover with stickers or color the various icons as they brush. Click on the link to view/download the 4 Brushing Charts.
Studying dental hygiene provides a wonderful way to build vocabulary. To help you, I made an alphabetical list of 101 words that are associated with dental hygiene.
To reinforce these new words, I've included several word searches plus a dental hygiene word journal, where students can record vocabulary as well as definitions.
Click on the link to view/download the Dental Hygiene Word packet, which is great for your Daily 5 word work activities too.
After you've watched some dental hygiene videos and perhaps had a dentist visit your classroom, choose several of these graphic organizers to help reinforce the information that your students learned and practice their writing skills in a visual way. Click on the link to view/download the dental hygiene graphic organizer packet.
Another way for students to gain more dental hygiene knowledge, is by doing a Flip For Facts File Folder activity.
Take your students to the computer lab, so they can look for information on teeth and how to take care of them.
Students jot down their favorite dental hygiene facts and then write them on the template. I've included tips and links of how to make citations for information found Online.
This activity is a great precursor for writing a report, which even a kindergartener can do. Click on the link to view/download the Dental Hygiene Flip For Facts File Folder packet.
To incorporate some math skills with your dental hygiene activities, I also designed a Timothy Tooth Counting booklet with a matching center activity.
Students trace and write the numbers and number words, and then draw the appropriate number of teeth in Timothy's mouth. Click on the link to view/download Timothy Tooth's Counting Booklet.
The center activity has large tooth posters. Using dry erase markers, children trace and write the numbers and number words and place that many tooth tiles inside the mouth.
There's also templates for doing some subtraction activities as well. Click on the link to view/download the Counting Teeth Center Packet.
Finally, the Dental Hygiene Number Puzzles are another way to integrate math, and help practice counting to ten, counting backwards, and skip counting by 10s to 100. Click on the link to grab these FREEBIES.
Thanks for visiting. If you're still looking for more tooth-themed FREEBIES to round out your week, click on the link to check out my dental hygiene Pinterest board.
Since it's a wind-chill snow day, I have lots of time to play with my "to do" pile. Hopefully besides sorting through my desk, I'll get to actually design a few things. Wishing you an energy-filled day.
"I want to get close to you, like shoes with laces, teeth with braces, and words in sentences without spaces." -Unknown
1-2-3 Come Do Some Coin Activities With Me!
Since President's Day is in February, I did a lot of coin related activities with my students during that month. We learned a bit about our US presidents at the same time practicing coin identification. 
I made up a set of coin anchor chart posters that you may find helpful. Print them off; mount on a variety of colors of construction paper; laminate and then affix a real coin using a glue dot. They make a nice bulletin board, as well as giant flashcards.
The packet also includes entire sheets of each coin, so that you can make manipulatives, games, and math centers.
There are also separate templates for each coin featuring the head and tail side. Simply fold, cut, glue and laminate. Punch a hole at the top and suspend them from the ceiling.
Several coin conversion posters are included as well. i.e. How many pennies make up each coin? This anchor chart is a fun way to practice skip counting by 10s, as I made lots of groups of ten pennies.
Another visual that I use is a coin Venn diagram. I believe that if a child has to compare and contrast the coins, it will help them identify them as separate units.
You can do these as a whole group, as an independent worksheet or partner activity. I pass out real coins for children to examine. Completed projects make a nice bulletin board. Making a coin Venn diagram also helps reinforce descriptive writing, as children use lots of adjectives while comparing.
Since putting a puzzle together, was one of our Y5's standards, as well as counting backwards from 10 to 1 and skip counting by 10s, I designed these coin-themed number puzzles.
Print and laminate for an independent center, or run them off and give children a choice. They color, trim, mix up their pieces and then put their puzzle together. For an interesting mosaic craftivity, have students glue their pieces to a sheet of construction paper, leaving a small space in-between each piece.
Ten frames are also wonderful for visual learners. With that in mind, I designed a set of 10 frames for pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters, plus extra tiles of each, so you can run them off and use them as manipulatives. Click on the link to view/download the 10 Frames Coin Packet.
There's nothing like saying "Would you like to play a game?" to grab your students' attention. I used dice to help my Y5's subitize, (Quickly identify how many in a group, without having to count.) so I designed the Coins On A Roll dice game.
Simply run off the coin bookmarks. Students pick a partner and take turns rolling the dice. If they roll a one they color in the penny. If they roll a two, they color in the second coin, which is a nickel and so on. However, if someone rolls a six, they lose their turn.
The first child who colors in all of the coins on ther bookmark is the winner. The game is also a nice opportunity to review ordinal numbers as well. Before the game starts, ask children what the first coin is, the last coin, third coin etc. is. Later, when children are done playing the game, for a quick whole-group assessment, have them cover the names of the coins and ask them to: "Point to the penny." "Now point to the quarter." and so on. Click on the link to view/download the Coins On A Roll dice game.
If your school requires you to send homework home, or if you need some coin-themed worksheets for early finishers to do, click on the link to view/download the 10-page Coin Worksheet packet. These are also great for Daily 5 word work or a sub folder.
For a more advanced activity, students can make a 
Flip For Facts File Folder. They are a simple and effective way to introduce research to early elementary students. Children search for interesting facts Online, choose their favorites, and then put them into their own words.
As with my other flip for facts file folders, I've included several pages of how to explain citations to your kiddos. Helpful links are also provided. The Flip For Facts File Folders are a nice pre-cursor to writing a report.
Finally, to help review coin facts as well as grammar, I designed 30 coin-themed grammar cards. Students circle letters that should be capitalized and add end punctuation.
You can do this with a pocket chart and call on students, or pass one card out to each child, to correct with a dry erase marker.
After eveyone has shared their card, have students choose 3-6 cards and rewrite the sentences correctly. This is a great Daily 5 word work activity.
That's it for today. Thanks for visiting. I hope you found a few things to help make learning about coins a bit more fun.
For all of my FREE coin activities, click on the link to zip on over to the money section of TeachWithMe.com
The wind is howling outside my window, so it's time for a well-deserved hot cocoa break. Wishing you a warm and snuggly day.
"Money isn't the most important thing in life, but it's reasonably close to oxygen, on the 'gotta have it' scale." -Zig Ziglar
