1-2-3 Come Do Some 3D Shape Craftivities With Me

So that my kiddos can better understand the cylinder shape, and make that word part of their vocabulary, I make windsocks several times during the year.

They absolutely LOVE making them, plus, they’re easy-peasy for me, look fantastic suspended from the ceiling, and take just a short amount of time.

It seemed only appropriate to make one specifically to highlight examples of real world cylinder shapes.

There are two patterns to choose from which show graphics of a variety of cylinders your students should be familiar with.  Pick one, or give children a choice. 

You can also use one as a worksheet for children to color at a later date or use for homework, early finishers or tuck in your sub tub.

While students are happily coloring, I point out that the cylinder is made up of the flat, 2D rectangular shape, which they are now working on, but when rolled, will turn into a 3D cylinder. This simple fact never ceases to amaze them!

To transform this worksheet into a windsock, simply add some colorful strips of paper for the "tails". I cut mine one inch wide, the length of the construction paper, using a paper cutter.

My sample incorporates all the colors of the rainbow, but students could choose any colors they want.  Color choice is also an interesting way to practice AB-AB or ABC-ABC patterning.

To get in some writing practice have students write the names of each example on a colorful strip before they glue them down.
They could also write attributes on the strips.

Gently roll the paper & staple into a cylinder shape. The front will show examples of real world shapes, while a poem ("Cylinders here. Cylinders there. I spy cylinders everywhere" is on the back.

Punch 2 holes on either side, add a yarn loop & suspend from the ceiling.

I’ve included a poster for the center of your display.  I print two and glue them back to back, so I can suspend along with the windsocks. 

We always get lots of compliments, which really helps build self-esteem and a sense of pride in their work. 

Today's FREEBIE also helps review 3D shapes.  My son Steven, started juggling at a young age; now as an adult, he’s quite skilled and shared with me, that a true master can juggle a variety of objects, that are different sizes and weights.

One of his sillier stunts, was juggling a roll of toilet paper, a plunger and a bowling ball!
This was especially entertaining for little ones, as evidenced by their giggles and clapping.

Steven’s juggling escapades, inspired me to design these quick, easy and fun “Let’s Juggle 3D Shapes!” worksheets, as an interesting way to review the sphere, cube, cylinder & cone.

Patterns come in black and white, featuring a boy as well as a girl juggler. The air above them is blank.

Students fill that space, by coloring, cutting, and gluing whatever 3D shapes they have chosen, from a selection of examples on another worksheet.

Children must choose at least one of each shape, then as many others as they want to fill in the rest of the empty space.

Afterwards, using the shape key, they label the various shapes with a letter.

I’ve also included 2, colorful & completed posters, which you can use as examples to help explain what you want your students to do.

When everyone is finished, have students share their poster, pointing out their favorite object that’s being juggled and what type of 3D shape that is.

Since they are all different, completed projects make a cute bulletin board display.  Fun for a math center, homework or a sub tub too. 

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by.

It's going to be rather hot and muggy, so I need to don my gardening hat and give my flowers a much-needed drenching! 

Wishing you a fun-filled day with whatever you have to juggle.

"Life is a juggling act that sometimes requires you to drop everything." -Linda Poindexter

1-2-3 Come Do Some 3D Shape Activities With Me

Besides learning 2D shapes, another of our Y5 standards is to be able to recognize, name, and give an example of the 3D shapes: cone, cube, sphere & cylinder.

Instead of learning each one independently, I teach all four of the 3D shapes at the same time. 

To help my students learn this vocabulary, I used glue dots to stick a small, solid 3D shape on my calendar display. 

It takes just a few seconds to point to each one and have my students say the name 3 times. They enjoy using their normal voice for the 1st time, a loud voice for the 2nd time, and then they whisper the word. 

I switch things up and sometimes ask them to say the shape words in a grumpy voice, high-pitched squeaky voice, or whatever.   In october we use a monster, Dracula, witch and ghost voice.  They learn this vocabulary very quickly.

Initially, I noticed that when I pointed to the plastic ball, some of my students were saying spear, instead of sphere, so listen carefully  and correct. To help reinforce the sphere as well as the other 3D shapes I use a beach ball.

You can buy them at The Dollar Store.  Using a permanent marker I drew each shape on a section of the ball, along with its name.  In just a few minutes everyone gets a turn to catch & toss the ball. 

Wherever their hands land, they point to and share the name of that shape. Since it's so light weight and travels slowly, even if a toss bonks someone or something we're safe. 

Since my kiddos absolutely LOVE this activity, I have beach balls for letters, numbers & the other 2D shapes.

We also make cubes with plastic waffle blocks.

Another super-fun thing we do, that takes just a moment is when my kiddos are transitioning, I'll say: "I spy a cube? Who else sees it?"  We then recognize various cubes around the room. 

I also have an extra set of the solid shapes and sometimes put them in my pocket, then when we are in the hallway on bathroom break. I'll hold one up 'til someone notices that I have a shape. That child gets to decide how many times (1-10) we hop on one foot and say the name. 

It's a great way to get the wiggles out while waiting. You'll find that there are lots of teachable moments in the day to cram in a bit of learning in fun & interesting ways.

Besides the above tips, I designed a jumbo 3D Shapes packet, which is filled with a nice assortment of activities to help learn, reinforce, review & assess.

The packet includes:
* A “My 3D Shape (trace, write & color) Booklet”
* A “Flip the Flap” Craft: So that you can choose different skill levels, there are several options, which will practice the solid shape, its name, a real world example, as well as attributes. 

Simply choose which is right for your kiddos . Besides black & white, patterns also come in color, so that you can quickly & easily make an example to share.

* Also included, is a 3D Shapes: Popsicle Stick Puppet Pal, which is a quick, easy & fun way to whole-group assess, at the same time reinforcing attributes.

Children become 3D shape detectives. You read clues from my list.  As students listen, they decide which shape is being described, then hold up that shape on their puppet stick. 

Teachers can see at a glance who is having difficulty.  Jot yourself a note, and work with these kiddos later. 

The packet also includes:

* Pocket Chart Cards
* Posters plus...
* Venn Diagrams, which are one of my favorite ways to teach comparison & contrast.  Because I teach all 4 shapes at the same time, this is a quick, easy & fun way to reinforce differences, so that students can easily describe & identify the shapes. 

Older students can do these individually or partner up to complete a worksheet, while younger kiddos can complete one as a whole group activity. There are also a number of ...

* Centers as well as...
* A variety of "Print & Go!" Worksheets.  One of my students favorites is "I Spy Real World Shapes", which is a color, cut & glue activity.
* Some of the worksheets & games double as interesting & fun Assessments.

*The 3-piece "match me up" Puzzles, plus the number strip Puzzles are another way to immerse children with the shapes.  The strip puzzles reinforce number recognition plus counting from 1-20 & skip counting by 10s.  I love hitting several standards with one activity.

There are activities for a variety of standards such as: sorting, patterning, graphing counting, attributes, groups/sets, simple addition & subtraction, as well as greater & less than.

I've also included a number of simple GAMES:
* “What Shape’s Hiding?”
* “ Four Corners”
* Memory Match
“ I Have; Who Has?
* “What’s Missing?”
“I Spy!
“* 3D Shapes on a Roll!”
* Spying Real World Shapes!
* “What Shape Am I?”

Finally, there are templates you can use as paper manipulatives.  Simply print, laminate & trim.  Students can pattern, sort, count, show groups & sets, as well as make equations & do simple addition & subtraction problems using the math symbol "tiles". 

The packet can be used for morning work, review, assessing, centers, whole-group activities, early finishers, homework or something for your Sub Tub. Click on the link 3D Shape Activities to zip on over to my TpT shop to take a look.

There are two featured FREEBIES today, both help reinforce the 3D shapes as well. One is a set of 3D posters that come in a variety of sizes so that you can use them as anchor charts, flashcards, bookmarks or for games. 

The other is an emergent reader: "Community Helpers Shape Up!"  I hope you find them useful.

I also found a cute 3-minute YouTube video where Exie the excavator is building a city with 3D shapes. Click the link to have a look.

Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by.

PTL the clouds have burst and the sky is soaking my thirsty garden. 

A wonderful respite from the hot & muggy weather we've been having. Wishing you a refreshing day.

"Some people feel the rain; others just get wet." -Roger Miller

1-2-3 Come Do Some 2D & 3D Shape Activities With Me

So that my students are interested and engaged, I’m always looking for different and creative ways for them to practice shapes.

Today's blog showcases my brand new puzzle game, along with the "oldie-but goodie" Lorax craftivity, just in time for a "Celebration of Seuss" for March Is Reading Month coming up.

First up are the 3 & 4-piece puzzles that feature 2D and 3D shapes, their attributes, as well as a “real world” example.

SHAPES INCLUDED:

* 2D shapes: circle, semi-circle, oval, square, rectangle, triangle, hexagon, pentagon, octagon, rhombus, trapezoid, heart, star, & crescent.

* 3D shapes: sphere, cylinder, cone, cube, pyramid, rectangular prism & triangular prism.

Simply pick which shapes are appropriate for your students, then print the colorful patterns on card stock, laminate and trim. 

I’ve also included black and white templates so that students can make their own puzzles.

Children can put them together in an independent puzzle center. To make this a self-correcting activity, number the back of each piece: 1a, 1b, 1c etc.

Make an extra set to be used for a Memory Match or “I Have; Who Has?” game.
i.e. “I have the triangle word piece, who has the shape and “real life” example pieces?”

Students can also sort them into 2D and 3D shapes.  I’ve included 2 sorting mats for this.

For a whole group comprehension activity, toss the shape pieces into a container.
* Children choose one and give the attributes.  The color-copies have them listed, where as the BW patterns have this section of the puzzle blank.

OR…
* Children can give 3 clues about the shape card they are hiding; their classmates guess which shape they think is being described.

OR…
* Toss the “real life” picture pieces into a container. Students pick one and tell what shape it is. OR…
* Toss the word pieces into a basket. Children pick one, read the shape word, then draw a picture of that shape on the board.

To practice the “spatial direction” aspect of this standard as a whole group, have children pick a shape piece.
Call out directions for children to follow. i.e “Place your shape above, below, between, on, behind " etc.
You can see at a glance who is having difficulty.

Students can also pick a piece and go on a shape hunt; listing,then totaling up how many items they found in your classroom that are that shape. I’ve included a worksheet for this.
 
Besides using them as individual puzzle pieces, I designed a variety of covers for both the 3-piece and 4-piece puzzles, so students can make an “Itty Bitty” 2D and/or 3D flip booklet.

These make a fun homework assignment, something for early finishers or struggling kiddos; as well as an interesting lesson for your sub tub. 

Next up is "Shapin' Up With The Lorax";  a quick, easy and fun craftivity, with a variety of game options.
It's one of my most popular shape craftivities.    

There's also an emergent reader, which practices capitalization and end punctuation too.

I’ve provided both 2D shapes as well as the four, 3D ones. 

Make a set to use for a bulletin board display. We always get tons of compliments on ours.

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.

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. 

There are TWO featured FREEBIES today: a 31-page, 2D-shape poster pack   as well as a 10-page, 3D shape set.

They come in a variety of sizes, so you can use them for anchor charts, a bulletin board, flashcards, centers & games.

I've also included a bookmark of the 2D-basic 6, & 3D-basic 4, which students can tuck in their math journals. 

Well that's it for now.  Thanks for stopping by.

It's 27 degrees out and snowing, so don't think spring will be along any time soon here in Michigan. 

Perfect weather to snuggle in and dream up some spring activities as an escape. 

Wishing you a cozy day.

"It's only cold if you're standing still." -Unknown

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 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 Very Hungry Caterpillar Activities and Crafts With Me

My life seems to be flying by!  Can anyone else out there relate?  I had planned to get these cute little caterpillars done the first week of April, but the past few days filled up with so many other responsibilities, that the caterpillars had to stay in their "chrysalis state" 'til now. 

I hope you can still use them, or as the life of a pack-rat teacher goes, tuck these ideas away for next year.  Since so many people read The Very Hungry Caterpillar, I wanted to use Eric Carle's cute litter critter as a spring board to studying a variety of other things. 

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.  A friend of mine liked them so much, that she plans to make 3 (a different one each week).

In 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. 

For example, for the Zz letter, 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.  

I glued just the thorax portion to the last "body" circle and bent the wings up so that the butterfly looks like she's flying.

Older students could also make a list of a food the caterpillar could eat that begins with that letter.  You may want to read Lois Ehlert's book Eating the Alphabet (Fruits and Vegetables from A to Z) to give students some ideas.  Click on the link to view/download The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats the Alphabet packet. 

If you'd like to review just the life cycle of a butterfly, you'll want to take a look at The Life Cycle Of The Very Hungry Caterpillar packet.  Students trace and write the words, then color, cut and glue the pictures. 

If you look closely, you'll see that I glued down just the thorax with this butterfly too, so it looks 3 dimensional, like the larger one above.  Click on the link to view/download it. 

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats a Rainbow, reinforces colors as well as the days of the week.  Before hand, brainstorm what kinds of things the caterpillar could eat that are the various colors.  Write these words on the board to help children with spelling.

Students trace and write the color words and complete the sentence with something the caterpillar ate that was that color.  Adding end punctuation reviews another standard.  

Children then draw and color a picture.  I've included my sample so that you can quickly make one to share with your students. Click on the link to view/download The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats a Rainbow packet.

You may also want to read one of the following books for some great examples of rainbow-colorful food: I Eat A Rainbow, by Bobbie Kalman;  Can You Eat a Rainbow? by Anastasia Suen;  and/or  I Can Eat A Rainbow, by Annabel Karmel.   

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats Some Numbers includes counting from zero to ten, where students trace and write the numbers as well as the number words.  I've  included a butterfly pattern to glue to the last section if you want.

There are also caterpillar "body" circles for skip counting by 2's 3's, 5's, and 10's. 

In all of the packets there are patterns for the caterpillar's head if you want it to be made out of construction paper, as well as a pattern that students can color, like the "Skip count by 10's" caterpillar in the photo.

Click on the link to view/download The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats Some Numbers.

Since I have many requests for shape craftivities, particulary 3D shapes, I thought I'd make The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats Some Shapes. 

This is the largest packet, as I've included a caterpillar that reviews 2D shapes, as well as the days of the week.  For this caterpillar, students trace and write the shape words, as well as draw the shapes. 

I've included a butterfly pattern with the various shapes sprinkled on the wings, if you'd like to include that on the last "body" section.  For a cool 3D effect, fold the wings up and glue only the thorax portion down.

Another caterpillar, is a cut and glue the 2D shapes on the "body" circles.  Besides the standard 2D shapes, you can also choose to include the hexagon, pentagon, & octagon, and/or the pattern block shapes: rhombus and trapezoid. 

There's also a separate caterpillar that simply eats all of the 3D shapes. As with the above activity, students cut and glue the 3D shapes to the "body" circles.  Click on the link to view/download The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats Some Shapes.

Finally, rather than make a caterpillar that covered story elements using this pattern, I made a graphic organizer - worksheet, to change things up a bit. 

To save you time, I included a template with the answers, so that you can make a quick sample to share with your students. Click on the link to view/download the graphic organizer for The Very Hungry Caterpillar's story elements. 

Thanks for visiting today.  As always, feel free to PIN away.   

 "Everyone is like a [caterpillar].  They start out ugly and awkward, and then morph into beautiful and graceful butterflies that everyone loves." -Drew Barrymore