1-2-3 Come Get Ready For Winter Recess With Me

Do your little ones take "forever" to get dressed for recess or to go home? Do they put their mittens on, only to have to take them off, because they haven't zipped their jacket? Do they put their boots on first and then get their feet stuck inside their snowpants?

I found that if I put a poster up in the hallway that listed the articles of clothing that should be put on first, second and third etc. my Y5's not only got ready so much faster, but I had a teachable moment for them to learn about ordinal numbers. 

So children know the order of how to get dressed, show the poster and explain the order.  To help review the ordinal steps, ask children why they think putting on winter clothing in a specific order is important.  

I included the line about socks, because for some unknown reason, many of my little ones were peeling them off along with their shoes wasting more time.  Print off several posters and put them up in various locations in your hallway by your students' lockers. 

Wahla! No more wasted time taking stuff off and starting over again using up valuable recess time.  Before the helpful poster, many of my kiddos barely had time to play, because recess was only 15-minutes long, and they burned up most of those precious minutes getting ready to waddle out the door. 

Dressing quickly had another incentive.  I hung up a sticker chart of who got done the quickest.  The first three done, got snowflake stickers; 10-stickers meant a trip to the treasure box. 

This incentive was truly motivational and really got things moving quickly.  I don't think the sticker was as much of a big deal, as the fact that my Y5's were highly competitive and merely wanted to be the first one done and out on the playground.

If you'd like to try this, I've updated the file to include a chart.  Simply add your students' names, explain the concept, get some stickers, hang the chart and let the racing begin.

To reinforce the order of how to get dressed, as well as review ordinal numbers, I designed a worksheet where students match the article of clothing to the order it should be put on. 

For vocabulary building and word recognition, I've also included a worksheet where students label a boy or girl who is dressed to go outside.

So that you have samples to share with your kiddos, I've completed the two worksheets for you to use as anchor charts to easily explain what you want your students to do.

Another dilemma for my Y5's, was getting the correct boot on the appropriate foot.  I had a room helper cut silver Duct tape squares with me.

We stuck them on the right toe of everyone's right boot and taught students to put their right boot on FIRST. (The one with the silver square on it!) 

This was not only a terrific time saver, but helped save my sanity as well.  Click on the link to view/download the This Is How We Get Ready! winter poster packet.

I hope these items help your students get ready fast, so that they can get outside, get those wiggles out, and have a great recess; with the added benefit of learning from a less exhausted teacher.   

Thanks for visiting.  It's time to brave the minus windchill factor and take my poodle pup out.  All she needs is her leash; if only getting my grandchildren out with us were that simple.  Wishing you a fun-filled day.

"Perhaps the wind wails so in winter for the summer’s dead. And all sad sounds are nature’s funeral cries for what has been and is not." -George Eliot (Spanish Gypsy)

Let's Go! Let's Get Out In That SNOW!

Yesterday I updated and posted the ordinal number winter poster packet to rave reviews. (Thanks!  So glad you liked it. I guess lots of teachers & parents were in the same boat. )  This sort of “What goes on next?” always helped my Y5’s and expedited things, so we could waddle out for recess before the bell rang to come back in!

I decided to follow that up by updating an emergent reader booklet on the same subject, that will help you review Common Core State Standards: RF.K1a, RF.K1c, RF.K3c, L.K2a, L.K2b

Like the poster, the booklet helps your students identify winter clothing words and the order clothes should be put on. Students correct the sentences by adding ending punctuation and a capital letter to the beginning word.

They trace and then write the ordinal number, as well as the article of clothing that is put on.

Students use pictures as clues to read the sentences, as they cut and glue other pictures to the matching numbered boxes.  This packet is great for your Daily 5 word work activities.

There are 58 words in the booklet, 30 of which are Dolch sight words. I've included 58 traceable word cards to practice with, as well as worksheets involving contractions also found in the booklet, plus some word work with compound words.

Since the booklet is all about getting ready to go out to play in snowy winter weather, I thought it would be fun to see how many compound words starting with the word snow, I could come up with. 

Can you think up more than my 15?  I’d love hearing from you!  I still don’t understand why snow pants is not a compound word! Anyone have an answer to that?  diane@teachwithme.com or post a comment here.

The packet also includes:

• 58 traceable word cards + covers to make Itty Bitty Booklets.
• 8 matching picture cards (Great for playing Memory Match or "I Have; Who Has?" games.)
• A graphing extension
• + 4 skill sheets, which include: Match the word from the story to the picture.
• An alphabetizing worksheet
• A compound word worksheet. (Trace and write 15 new words that begin with snow.) and
• A contraction worksheet +
• A certificate of praise when students can read the booklet independently.

Click on the link to view/download the Let’s Go! Let’s Play In The Snow Easy Reader Booklet Be sure to scroll down for yesterday's article "This Is How We Get Ready" if you missed it, and grab the matching FREEBIES.

Thanks for visiting. My feet have hit the floor running today, as my Christmas decorations need to be taken down and packed away, along with a myriad of other things.   Anyone else hate that job? 

“Leave as little to chance as possible.  Preparation is the key to success.” –Paul Brown