1-2-3 Come Do Some Common Core Activities With Me and Spot the Fire Safety Dog

Since the Common Core Scarecrow packet was such a popular download, I thought it would be fun to design a fire-safety themed one. Thus Spot the Common Core Fire Dog was born. 

The packet includes patterns to make 4 Dalmatian matching games for: (upper & lowercase letters, numbers, shapes and colors). Students put a fireman's hat on the Dalmatian, then find the matching bone to put in his mouth. 

For example, Sparky, the shape Dalmatian has a 2D shape on his fire hat. 

Students find the matching bone with the shape word on it, and slide it under the slit of Sparky's mouth.  For another matching game, and to cover more standards, write the shape's attributes on the back of the bones. 

To complete the CCSS shape standard, and review spatial directions, have students place the dog bone above, behind, under, beside etc. 

I've also included a spotless dog for you to program for other things, as well as a black and white spotted puppy so students can color it. (Use as a topper for writing prompts etc.)

There are also blank fire hats and blank bones for you to program with whatever.  Use them for other games, name tags, or write a fire safety rule on each bone.

For even more practice, there are 16 "I Spy" worksheets.

Use them as a fun way to quickly and easily whole group assess: upper and lowercase letters, numbers, number words, colors, color words, shapes, and shape words.

I've also included 5 trace and write worksheets to practice writing upper and lowercase letters, plus numbers from 1-100.

Since so many fire safety rules begin with a contraction like "Don't play with matches."  I've included these Dalmatian-themed contraction action activities: an alphabetical list of 72 contractions, 24 pocket cards with fire-safety sentences using contractions, plus 3 contraction worksheets.

To grab some fun, click on the link to view/download the fall FREEBIE: Common Core Fire-Safety Themed Puppy Packet.

If you'd like to make a Dalmatian sock puppet to use with these activities, or when you read some fire-safety books that feature a Dalmatian fire dog, click on the link. A little square of cardboard inside the toe of the sock, makes the "talking mouth".

I made these each year with my students.  We used them to show spatial directions and share a fire-safety fact.  My kiddos also had fun showing how to stop-drop and roll using their puppy puppet.  

I've included a copy of our Puppey Pokey song, which was a great way to get the wiggles out! There's also a puppy adoption certificate.  My Y5's enjoyed naming their puppies and then introducing them to the class. 

We really enjoy the song: Who Let The Dog's Out, so we'd finish up our fire-safety day rocking out to that tune.  Click on the link for a You Tube listen.  LOVE the variety of dogs that they use in their animation. :-)

I hope you found something that your kiddos will enjoy.  Thanks for visiting.  Time for a little fresh air. 

I love the crunching sound as I tromp through fallen leaves.  The colors are looking pretty spectacular and there's a crisp coolness to the air this morning.  Wishing you a sunshine-filled day.

"When the world says, "Give up," Hope whispers, "Try it one more time." -Author Unknown

1-2-3 Come Play Some Math Games With Me

Just when I think I'm ready to move on to another theme, my brain shifts into overdrive and I come up with yet another apple idea that I just have to putz with.  Thus the apple math mats came about. 

Who'd have thought they'd take 2 days to complete.  My husband always tells me that I have no concept of how much time will be involved when it comes to one of my projects.  I think it's the driven perfectionist in me that always has to have things "just so".  

Any hoo, I hope you and your kiddos enjoy this apple math game as much as I did making it.  You can make a class set of apple math mats to use each year, or have your students make their own.

This apple "craftivity" is a super-fun way to reinforce addition and/or subtraction, and if you teach older students, I've also included a template to make a multiplication apple game. 

To play, students roll a dice to see if they will work on their addition or subtraction skills.  If they roll an even number they will add and use that side of the apple mat.  (I made this side red.) 

If they roll an odd number, they'll flip the mat over and use the subtraction side, which is yellow. (Note how the leaves and center ovals have to do with addition or subtraction.)

For their 2nd roll, they toss two dice to determine their equation, which they jot down on their recording sheet. 

Students can either use the paper seed tiles, some sunflower seeds, or pom poms as manipulatives to show "how many" on their mat. 

If students are making their own apple mats, I'd suggest having them color and cut out the seed tiles. This way they can continue to reinforce lessons by playing at home.  The paper "seeds" are pictured in the photographs.

If you want to have students do this activity as a whole-group and use your laminated mats, I'd use sunflower birdseed.  (As you can see by the picture, the sunflower seeds are just the right size!) 

Make sure you explain to your kiddos that these are sunflower seeds and not apple seeds, as sunflower seeds are sold by the bag. Give each child their own Dixie cup full, or sprinkle them on a paper plate in the center of their table.

For more practice, make an extra set of apples and put the game in your independent math center, along with 14 black or brown pom poms in a Ziplock Baggie.  (I always add 2 extra pieces to my games incase a few get lost.  Saves a ton of time searching for materials to make more.)

Students place the correct amount of seeds on their mat according to the numbers that they roll with the dice. (See photographs.)

After they have written the equation down on their recording sheet, they count up the total number of seeds to solve the addition problem, and take away the appropriate amount, to solve the subtraction one. 

Once they have jotted down their answer, they clear off their mat, and begin the game again by rolling one dice.

To help reinforce greater and less than, have students use the math symbol ovals, and place the < or > oval in the middle of their apple mat, which will now cover the plus or minus oval. 

Have students write these equations down on their recording sheet as well.  Click on the link to view/download the Apple Math Mats packet.

Thanks for visiting today.  My grandson's up from his nap and it's time for a snack and stroller ride.  Have a blessed day!

"Learn as much as you can while you're young, since life becomes too busy later." -Dana Stewart Scott

23 pages.

This apple "craftivity" is a super-fun way to reinforce addition and/or subtraction. If you teach older students, I've also included a template to make a multiplication apple game. 

1-2-3 Come Do Some Apple Math With Me

The last few articles have covered apple art, some apple science (apple facts and the apple life cycle) plus a bit of writing, so I thought it was time to throw in a little apple math.  I've designed some numbered apples from 1 to 100.  You can put them up all at once, or add one each day of school, as you count up to your 100th day celebration.  

Another fun way to reinforce counting, is with Willie the Worm.  His body is a numbered "slider".  Children trace the numbers and then insert Willie into their apple.  Call out a number, students slide the worm to that number. 

This is a quick and easy way to whole group assess, as you can see at a glance who is having difficulty.  I've also included strips for skip counting by 2's, 3's, 5's, and 10's for a non-boring way to practice. 

For just-the-right-size number fun, with an apple theme, click on the Apple Number packet.  The packet includes: Smaller numbered apples (1-120) that students can easily sequence.  Use these as anchor charts or a help poster for your students' math folders. The apple 1-120 individual strips, can be cut to form a number line. 

I've included 16 "What's Missing?" activity sheets, that are especially helpful for those toughy teen numbers. Run them off for students to fill in, or laminate and have children place number tiles on empty spaces.  The apple math symbols, allow students to use the apples to create and solve addition and subtraction equations, as well as show greater and less than.

Apples with numbers as well as number words, help with reading comprehension. Use them for games, pocket charts, or your word wall.  Skip counting by 2's, 3's, 5's and 10's is also included, plus 4 games, with the ability to create many more.  Click on the link to get the 35-page comprehensive Apple Number packet.

For more addition and subtraction activities, you'll enjoy the apple-themed 10-frame packet.

If you teach little ones just learning to count, or ESL students, they'll enjoy the 1-to-1 correspondence apple game.  I've included full-color cards, as well as black line masters if you want your kiddos to color their own. 

I used red, yellow and green pony beads as manipulatives.  This provides great fine motor practice as well.

Puzzles are also a fun way for students to practice sequencing numbers. 

I've included an apple as well as a pumpkin shaped puzzle in this packet. Run the apples off on red, yellow and lime green construction paper; give students a choice of what color they want for their apple. 

Children can simply put the puzzle together, or have them create an interesting mosaic picture, by gluing the pieces to a sheet of black construction paper.  (Make sure they leave a little space inbetween the pieces.) 

For that finishing touch, add their photo to the leaf.  To make it more of a keepsake, have students trace their hand for the pumpkin leaf.

There are 7 more apple-themed puzzles in another packet. Use the skip counting by 10's puzzles for older students.

Finally, when doing apple math, one can't forget to include shapes as well as graphing.  Both are accomplished in the Shapely Fall Graphs packet. 

I hope you found a few things here that you're excited about sharing with your students.  Do you have an apple activity that you could share with us?  I'd love to hear from you.  diane@teachwithme.com  or feel free to leave a comment below.

It's a rainy day, and although it's tempting to venture into some time-sucking fun on Pinterest, I'm off to higher priorities.  (Perhaps curling up with a good book!) Wishing you an apple-icious afternoon.

30 pages.

Print off Polly; laminate and trim.  Cut out an opening in her mouth; attach Polly to a container and have students "feed" her number "cracker" cards.

1-2-3 Come Do Some Fun Pattern Block Activities With Me

Carley, from Idaho, asked me if I had any pattern block activities for her kinders.  She was given 2 huge sets from retiring teachers and wondered what sorts of things she could do with them.  

I only had one activity, a (Monthly Pattern Blocks On A Roll dice game packet) so I thought I'd design a few more.  Three days and a zillion hours of work later, I came up with lots of fun pattern block FREEBIES!

So many, that this post is longer than I wanted, but I think you'll really enjoy some interestingly different pattern block goodies, as you kick back and relax a bit. 

Pattern blocks are a wonderful manipulative for all sorts of activities, and introduce students to a few more geometric shapes, like the rhombus and trapezoid. My Y5's especially enjoyed lying on their tummies and making long lines of various patterns. (ABAB, ABBA, ABC-ABC etc.)

Not that we need anymore "to do" things added to an already overwhelming list, but as long as your kiddos are playing with pattern blocks, they might as well learn the names of them. This is easily done through repetition and simply allowing children to play with them. 

Adding a few posters, so students can see the pattern block pictures through out the day, is an easy reminder of these new shapes.  Click on the link to view/download the Pattern Block Poster. 

I also made a set of Giant Pattern Block blackline templates.  Simply run them off on the appropriate color of construction paper, laminate and trim.  Punch a hole in the top and hang from the ceiling. 

For a center on the floor, make 6 of each piece and have students pattern and make pictures with them.  Suspend a trapezoid, hexagon, rhombus and triangle, in each one of the corners of your room and play 4-Corners at the end of a long day.

Another poster is a pattern block optical illusion.  Do you think the trapezoid on the top is bigger?  Chances are your students will think so, but it really isn't.  Both pieces are the same size.  Print and trim the pieces on a sheet of red construction paper to prove it to them.  Click on the link to grab it.

I've also designed a set of pattern cards for your pocket chart, with a matching blackline booklet your kiddos can make.   

There's also a set of Counting With Pattern Blocks, perfect for your pocket chart as well.  I've included a blackline template so you can make worksheets, or use as a center.

Practice counting, sequencing, making groups, plus numbers and number words, with the Pattern Block Number Booklet.

Make a laminated booklet for your math center and have students use dry erase markers to fill in the information,  or make a booklet for each child and have them work on a page a day. I've included a color + black & white cover if you'd like to do this activity.

Instead of placing real pattern blocks on the pages, they can draw them, glue paper pieces, or paste on stickers. 

If you'd like some pattern block stickers (They do exhist!) you can find them over at purefunsupply.com They come 900 in a package for just $8.68.

If you have access to an Ellison Die Cut machine, they have a template for each pattern block shape.  This is a quick way to make zillions of little pieces for all sorts of activities.  I laminate my construction paper before hand, so my paper pieces last longer.  I also make a bunch that are not laminated, so students can glue them to the above booklet, or on sentence strips to make various pattern combinations.  

If you don't have access to an Ellison, I also found a blackline pattern block PDF on Pinterest.   I don't like to directly link to a PDF, and would prefer to send you to that person's site, but there are no identifying credits printed on it. You could have a room helper cut them out for you and sort them into Baggies.

Want to play some games with pattern blocks? Click on the link for a variety of spinner and dice games using pattern blocks. 

I also made Rack Up A Stack. Students roll the dice to see which pattern block they need to stack on their mat. 

A second roll, tells them how many of that pattern block they need to stack. Stacks can get pretty high if they keep rolling the same number. 

If their stack falls, children put only the spilled pieces back in the pile.  Because my Y5's tended to be pretty clutzy, you may want to make a rule that children only have to put one or two spilled pieces back, and only those from the column that they are working on, just in case another stack tumbles because they accidently bumped it.

The child with the most pieces stacked in one pattern block column can be the winner, or the one with the most stacks, or the one with the most total number of pattern blocks stacked. 

To practice addition, give students the point value card, so they can add up the points in each stack, as well as a grand total.  I've made the easier-to-stack pieces worth only 1 point, for easy counting, as well as higher point values for pattern blocks that are more difficult to stack.  I've purposely given these values of 2, 3 and 5 points, so that students can practice their skip counting skills. 

There's a recording sheet for them to show their work.   Click on the link to grab it. Rack Up A Stack: Pattern Block game.

Another game-like challenge, is to have students use the pattern blocks to see how many ways they can make a hexagon.  I chose this shape because it's a standard for many, and often a "toughie" shape to remember for lots of kiddos.  Click on the link for the Hexagon Challenge With Pattern Blocks packet.

As with anything we studied, I liked to throw in some hands-on "craftivity" as another way to immerse my kiddos in whatever concept we were working on. 

With that in mind, I made Pattern Block Pals.  (Blockheads!) I think they turned out pretty cute and hope you like them too. 

There are blank pattern block "head" templates, so your students can draw on their own faces, ones with a traceable word on them, plus ones with sweet faces. 

They look great as a boarder, bulletin board, or suspended from the ceiling against a hallway wall.  As a writing extension, have students list things on the back of their blockhead that also have that shape.  For example, on the back of a rhombus students could list kites, jewelry etc.

A caption for your display could be: "Mrs. Henderson's Kinders Are Really Shaping Up."  or "So Many Patterns, So Little Time." or "Pupil Pattern Blockheads With Personality". Click on the link to view/download the Pattern Block Pals packet.

Pattern blocks are not just for younger children either.  They are a wonderful way to explain fractions to students as well.  While doing research, I found quite a few great YouTube videos, demonstrating fractions using pattern blocks.  Click on the link to take a look.

I always do a bit of surfing to find out what's out there; (no sense in reinventing the wheel) I found some excellent pattern block resources and all of them are FREEBIES! Holly and Heather over at prekinders have over 20 free pattern block picture mats in full color, as well as black and white. 

I especially like using a black and white template, because it not only saves on printer ink, but forces students to search for the shape and not just rely on finding the correct color.   Note that they've included a caterpillar and butterfly in their packet; perfect for an independent center, if you're studying that life cycle.

ABC Teach also has a big variety of pattern block picture mats: toys, animals, flowers, and some really interesting and challenging patterns like the one pictured. 

I was really excited to find a complete set of FREE pattern block mats for upper & lowercase letters as well as numbers 1-10 over at Make Learning Fun.  They too offer full color or black and white.  Each link will take you to their respective sets. 

If you don't have a set of colorful "real" pattern blocks (besides wooden, they now come in plastic and foam, as well as magnets) and would like to do some cut and paste activities with paper pattern block pieces,  Make Learning Fun also has a separate, full-page template of trapezoids, rhombuses, triangles, hexagons and squares. 

Click the black and white template of your choice, and simply run off on the appropriate color of construction paper. The link for their  "Printable paper pattern blocks" appears after both the letter and number pattern block options.  

If you're looking for some "complete the pattern cards", Erica, over at Confessions Of A Homeschooler, made a nice set of pattern block mats.

Lory's 2nd Grade Page, also has some color as well as blackline "complete the pattern cards" + a really cute shape monster muncher game.

Erica also made a set of pattern block alphabet letters in color, as well as pattern block numbers 1-20 

Unlike Make Learning Fun, you don't have to click on each individual letter, but just one download for each complete set.  Because they are different from Make Learning Fun's sets, I have both, to add more variety to my centers.

She just completed a black and white set of pattern block letters as well.  Click on that link if you want the blackline version.

Finally, if you do a solar system or space theme, you'll want to take a look at Learning Resources' 32-page  FREEBIE, filled with pattern block skill-building activities and games.

Whew!  That's a lot of fun with pattern blocks.  Thanks for visiting today.  As always, feel free to PIN away. 

 “It is a happy talent to know how to play.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

1-2-3 Come Do Some More Cat In The Hat Activities With Me

I love the hat that Dr. Seuss created for his cat.  It's the perfect vehicle for all sorts of interesting activities.  I've designed a few more for today's article that cover a variety of standards.  I hope you enjoy them. 

I've had a few requests for more place value items, so I designed the Cat Hat Place Value Mat activity.  After running off the hat template, you can make it more durable and add some red to the hat,  by gluing it on a sheet of red construction paper, then trim and laminate.

Run off the number tiles on Seuss colors like red, yellow and turquoise.  Each number needs its own color.  Laminate and trim. 

I would do this as a whole group activity, so every student needs 10 of each of the 3 kinds of number tiles.   Store the set of 30 tiles in a Ziplock snack Baggie and make a class set.  By having 10 of each in the Baggie, you’ll have extras incase students lose one.

Have students take turns calling out 3-digit numbers.  Using a dry erase marker, children write that number on the hat brim and then put the correct number of tiles in the appropriate columns.  This is a quick, easy and fun way to whole group assess.

The packet also includes a certificate of praise.  Click on the link to view/download the Cat Hat Place Value Mat

For more math fun with the cat's hat, I designed a How many ways can you show a number, Popsicle stick activity.  There are several ways to use the Seuss Hat for different number games. 

Students can put the "How many ways can I show the number ______." hat brim strip, on their hat and then place all of the Popsicle stick equations, that make that number, on their Seuss hat.

Children place the Popsicle sticks on the hat in such a way, that they look like an ABAB striped pattern.

Students can show addition and subtraction as pictured, or to expedite things, just addition OR subtraction equations.

This is an easy and fun way to whole group assess a variety of concepts. 

I've included number tiles from 0-120 with a blank sheet for you to program with even higher numbers.  I've also included pages so students can work on fact families.

Besides using the hat for math, I made a few hat activities for language arts.  The Cat Hat AT family slider, is a fun way for students to see the various AT family words that they can make by pulling on the "slider."   Click on the link to view/download the Cat Hat AT slider craftivity.

I will read... is a hat bookmark that can be used as a writing prompt.  Share my example with your students and challenge them to write verses of their own. 

I've alluded to a variety of Seuss books in my poem. "I will read with Mr. Brown; I will read upside down.  I will read with duck feet; I will read because it's neat."

Challenge your students to figure out which books I've used.   Click on the link to view/download the I Can Read Dr. Seuss bookmark-writing prompt.

After reading The Cat in the Hat, review story elements with this Cat in the Hat language arts packet.

The packet includes pocket cards, a beginning-middle-end graphic organzizer, plus sentence strips to sequence the story. 

Students arrange the sentences in the correct order and glue them to their hat. 

Click on the link to view/download the Cat in the Hat story elements packet. 

Finally, because the punctuation pocket cards have been so popular, I decided to tweak this idea, and make the "cards" into stripes for the cat's hat. 

Run off the cat hat template on red construction paper. 

Run off the sentence strips on white copy paper.   Students underline the letters that need to be capitalized and add punctuation.  They cut their stripes and glue them to their hat in an ABAB pattern, leaving room so that the hat will look like it has alternating red and white stripes. 

If you want, have students re-write the corrected sentences on the red stripes.  So that each students' hat could be different, I made up 108 sentences from a variety of Dr. Seuss stories. 

Completed projects make a nice bulletin board.  A caption could be: "Hammer, slammer, whammer; ___________'s class really knows their grammar!"  Click on the link to view/download the Cat's Hat Grammar "craftivity" packet.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.  To view more Seuss activities, scroll down for other articles and more Dr. Seuss FREEBIES.

"I like nonsense; it wakes up the brain cells." -Dr. Seuss

1-2-3 Come Do A Few More 100 Day Activities With Me.

Are you looking for some 100 Charts?  You've come to the right place.  I have two packets available.  There's a dozen fill-in-the-missing number 100 charts packet, + a packet with fill-in-all-of-the-missing even or odd numbers 100 charts, an empty 100 grid chart, so your students can fill it in, a traceable number 100 chart for younger kiddo's, as well as a filled-in 100 chart, that you can use to play games with. 

Click on the links for the Missing Number 100 Charts and/or the 100 Charts For 100 Day packet. Now for some activities to do with the 100 charts:

Make the filled-in 100 chart into puzzles.  to be fair, make sure that all of the puzzles have the same amount of pieces. I suggest 6-10 depending on your students' ability.

If you want to use these each year, laminate a class set.  Normally, we didn't have more than 25 in Y5's and K, so I always laminated things in groups of 30, that way if one got damaged or pieces got lost, it was nice to have extra's.

Challenge your students to be the first one to put their puzzle together.  To easily organize and find the proper pieces for the appropriate puzzle, print the 100 chart on 30 different colors of paper. (To get 30 colors, I used a variety of shades of standard colors: lime green, turquoise, hunter, emerald, etc. ) Laminate and trim into a variety of different shaped puzzle pieces. 

Keep each puzzle in its own Baggy.  To make putting their puzzle together a bit easier, print off the filled-in 100-grid on white card stock and laminate.  If you want to make the puzzle making a bit harder for older students, give them a blank 100-chart. Students place their puzzle pieces on the grid.

Roll 100 is another activity that you can do with a 100 chart.  Run off a filled-in 100 chart for each student.   Children choose a partner or play in groups of 3-4. Students roll 3-5 dice (depending on how much time you have) and add them up.  They X off that many squares on their 100 chart. The first one to X-off their entire grid, is the winner.

100 Chart Speed! Run off the empty 100 chart.  Say, "Ready; set; write to 100!" Students fill in their empty 100 chart as quickly as possible.  The first one done is the winner.  Can they do it in less than 100 seconds?

Give students a filled-in 100 chart and have them design a picture by coloring in numbered boxes. They can then make a number code for students to follow, so that they can color in the mystery picture. 

I've made one for a heart, (It's in the 100 Day With Ants packet.) as well as one that reveals the number 100. Click on the link for the Mystery Picture For 100 Day.

Using a traceable number 100 chart, have students trace the skip counted numbers in a different color, so that they can easily see how to skip count to 100 by 2's, 5's, or 10's.  Click on the link to view/download the 100 Chart Activity Packet For 100-Day.

I have an older traceable 100 day chart packet, that I did years ago, before I had all of the software programs and fonts that I use today.  I think your kiddo's might enjoy making the Gabby Apple "craftivity."  Gabby will help your students count to 100 as they trace the numbers.  Add some wiggle eyes for that finishing touch.

Do you need a 100-Day crown for your kiddo's to make, but would like it to involve some sort of standard?  How about shapes and graphing?  Students choose 8 crayons to color the various 2D shapes on their 100 number. 

Children use the same color for the same shape.  ie all of the squares are yellow.  They also color the shapes on their graph those matching colors. Students count each type of shape on their 100 number and then X-off that many squares on their graph. 

Have students write the total number of each shape on the left of their graph, and then add the numbers, for a grand total of how many shapes were part of the 100 picture. 

Did they count the number 1 rectangle and the 4 ovals that made up the zeros? Which shape had the most?  Which had the least?  

When they have completed this activity, students cut out their 100 number, being careful to keep it in one piece.  It's a good idea to demonstrate this, and then give children a reminder as you're cutting out your sample.  Students choose their favorite color of construction paper and glue their number to it. 

They trim once more and glue their 100 to the front of a paper headband, or bulletin board boarder.  Wrap around child's head and then staple. My Y5's LOVED crowns.  We'd get in a line and march around the room to get the wiggles out, while singing "Happy 100 Day To Us" to the tune of Happy Birthday. (Happy 100 day to us.  Happy 100 Day to us.  Happy 100, Happy 100, Happy 100 Day to us!"   Click on the link to view/download the 100-Day, shape graphing activity packet. 

Tally marks are also another fun way to have students count to 100,  and then afterwards, skip count by 5's to 100.  I made two "Tally Ho!"  worksheets that students can choose from.  Click on the link for the 100 Tally Ho Tally Mark packet.

Finally, besides all of the math activities associated with 100-Day, I thought it would be interesting for you kiddo's to do some word activities as well. 

Using the letters in one hundred, challenge your students to make a list of as many words as they can think of before the timer rings in 100 seconds. 

I've included my alphabetical list of 105 words.  You can share them with your students and encourage your kiddo's to look up any words that they don't know.  This is a wonderful Daily 5 activity. 

I did some research to see what are the longest recorded words, and included my discoveries in this packet.   Did you know there's a word with 100 letters in it?  Surprisingly, that's not even the longest one!    Click on the link to view/download the 100-Day Word Challenge.

Thanks for visiting. Feel free to PIN away.  

"100 days, 100 days, 100 days of school today; so clap and sway, and say, hurray! 100 days of school today." -Jack Hartmann

1-2-3 come Enjoy Winter Wonderland With Me!

Oh my!  It's  really snowing hard, and the winter wonderland swirling outside my office window is spectacular!  We are supposed to get 17 inches! Woo hoo!  As long as it's winter it might as well snow.  There's always the added excitement of a snow day right? So bring it on!

Making templates for my daily tabletop lessons, was a real time saver for me.  The repetition empowered my Y5's, as they were familiar with the format and could get right down to business, without wasting time with a lot of directions.  To keep things fresh and interesting, I simply changed the clip art. 

With this in mind, I designed monthly Fun With Number Worksheets.  They review a variey of standards in an interesting way.  I used a graphic organizer-format, that's especially beneficial for visual learners. The different clip art (snowmen, snowflakes, mittens, Martin Luther King, penguins, New Years etc.) added variety.

Print, laminate and trim the number cards 1-120.  Toss them into a basket.  Have a child choose one, as the number students will use to fill in their worksheet with.  When kiddo's are done, they can exchange their paper with another child to correct.  (Saves you time, and provides extra practice for your kiddo's.)

You can also use these for your sub folder, homework practice, something for early finishers, or assessments.  Click on the link to view/download the January Number Fun Packet.   If you'd like the Big Bundle number fun packet (105 pages!) that includes all of the months, click on the link.

If you're working on +1 simple addition with your little ones, I think you'll enjoy the snowy +1 Snowman booklet. 

Students trace and write the numbers, circle the number in the sequence, add +1 to arrive at a new number and then cut and glue X number of snowflakes around the snowman. 

I've also included a graphing extension.  Click on the link to grab it. +1 Snowman Addition booklet. 

Finally, help review analog and digital time (to the hour and half hour) with the Time For Snow snowman clock matching game.  Print the snowman template on white construction paper; laminate and trim.  Run off the hatband-time words, the digital time-rectangles and the analog clocks; laminate and trim.

Students choose a time and then match all of the pieces and parts to complete that snowman.  Make an extra set and glue together for a "Time For Winter" bulletin board. 

Run off the analog clock and digital time box templates, on glossy photo paper.  Children trim and glue to their snowman, to make a dry erase digital and analog clock. 

Teacher calls out a time and students draw hands on the clock and write in the digital time in the box, using a dry erase marker. 

Children hold up their snowman when they are done.  This is a quick, easy and fun way to whole-group assess. Students erase that answer and the teacher calls out another time. 

Play continues 'til you have reviewed all of the times to the hour or half hour.  Click on the link to view/download the Time For Snow matching game.

Thanks for visiting today.  I'm off to unbury my snow shovel.  Wishing you a warm and snuggly day.

"Snow provokes responses that reach right back to childhood." -Andy Goldsworthy

1-2-3 Come Plan A Christmas Party With Me

The day before any vacation can be pretty wild, as children are bound to be filled with lots of energy.  Their excitement for the season finds some of them not sleeping well, so you have cranky pants to deal with too. 

Because of this, I planned all sorts of educational games and especially fun activities for the last day before Christmas break.  Our official "party" was "supposed" to take place at the end of the day.  Let's face it, when it's Halloween or Christmas time, the entire day might as well be a "party" and by the time the "end of the day" rolled around, my Y5's were also pretty much done and tired as well. 

Wearing my Santa hat and jingle bell necklace, I told my students that we'd be doing extra special lessons, games, crafts etc as part of our "party" and that we'd be having a great time all day, ending quietly with our gift book exchange and snack.  I never once had a child say: "When is the party going to start?"  They were also happily focused, busy learning all day, just in a different way. 

Behavior was wonderful, because they got the chance to get the wiggles out throughout the day. Gross motor activities were a part of our report card standards, so even our dancing and prancing around was legit.  To keep children calm, I also played soothing Christmas music throughout the day. 

I've compiled a list with brief explanations, of all of my favorite classroom Christmas games that I've played with my students over the years.  They are quick, easy, educational and fun.  Most of them require little or no preparation.  (Woo hoo!) I ho-ho- hope you find something that will fit in perfectly for your party day.    It's so important to give students brain breaks to keep them refreshed.  Click on the link to view/download the Christmas Games packet which includes 36 games!

I've up-dated the packet to include stationery for students to write how many words they can think of using the letters in Merry Christmas. 

Give students 5-10 minutes to work on this individually, then have them work in groups of 3 or 4 to combine their lists.  Remind children that they can make more words by adding an s or es to make plurals.  (A teachable moment.)  Contractions are another option, or ask students how many of their classmates' names can be made with those letters.

What team had the most?  Put my list on an overhead; did they think of words that weren’t on my list?  Have them guess-timate how many words are on the list and then have them count them to see who has the closest guess. (I thought of 657!)

Make a copy of the list and have students circle all of the words that they don’t know.  For whatever time remains, challenge them to look up  as many words as they can and then share one or two with the class. 

Here are a few other table top lessons you could plug in to cover standards in a game-type fashion; also, any of the winter alphabet cards that I've been posting, would work well.  All those letter packets include a 3-page tip list of ideas, including games to play. 

If you're set for party day, but want something for that busy first day when you return after break, any of these snowman themed activities would also work. 

This snowman matching game is a lot of fun and reinforces numbers, number words, counting and tally marks.  It also includes a keepsake "craftivity."  Click on the link to view/download the Snowman Number Puzzles.

 Help reinforce upper and lowercase letters + numbers from 1-20 with an "I Spy" game.  Teen numbers are sometimes toughies for little ones.  Practicing with an "I Spy" game makes it more interesting.  My Y5's enjoyed playing "I Spy" daily. It was a fun way for them to practice, as well as a quick and easy way for me to whole-group assess. 

Teacher starts by calling out a number or letter; students trace it and then raise their hand when they are done.  I could tell at a glance who was having difficulty. Play continued with different children taking a turn to choose the number or letter for classmates to find. 

The worksheet served double-duty, as I'd tell my students to take it home to play again with a family member, this time circling the letter/number.  Click on the link to view/download the Snow Spy packet.

Finally, students catch on fast to the concept of small-medium and large, as well as the difference between a 2D and 3D shape, when they can do a hands-on craftivity. 

This was the reason behind  "Snowman Melt"  "My snowman was 3 snowballs, 3 spheres with a hat, now he's melted into 3 circles that are flat!"  Click on the link to view/download it.

For more games and activities click on the link to visit Miss Mary's Victorian and Vintage archive.

If you're looking for some online Christmas games for your kiddo's to play as a computer center,  I found a site that lists over 1,000. 

Make sure you play any online games first to make sure that they are age and content-appropriate for your kiddo & educations.  

For more ideas and FREEBIES, check out my winter Pinterest boards.  They are themed and filled with lots of creative fun.  I spend a lot of time searching the web for interesting and educational FREE stuff, so you don't have to.  You can also click on this December link to pop on over to that section of TeachWithMe.

Once there, you'll find categories for the following: Christmas, Elves, Gingerbread, Ornaments, Reindeer, Santa, Snowmen, Snowflakes & Wreaths.  Lots of these activities would also be terrific for your last day or Classroom Christmas party, particularly the ornament section if you're looking for a quick craft to do as a center.

That's it for today.  I hope you found some "We're Winding Down" tips and FREEBIES for those last few days before you can collapse, rest, rejoice and get energized for next year!   Feel free to PIN away.

"A good conscience is a continual Christmas." -Benjamin Franklin