1-2-3 Come Do Some Spider ABC Activities With Me

Although I really don’t care for spiders, it’s one of my students’ favorite themed-units.

I keep things non-creepy with nursery rhymes, fun stories and interesting crafts. Spiders are also a fun fall theme, if you don't do Halloween; or if you do, these spider activities are a fun educational activity for Halloween week or party day.

Each month I switch up my center and table top activities, with whatever theme we have for that week. Just a few simple tweaks and everyday practice becomes exciting and fresh. 

With that in mind, I designed these spider-themed activities to help my students practice upper & lowercase letters.

Each year my Y5s are super-excited to “get their turn” to visit these "new" October centers, and play the games; which make letter practice a lot of fun for them.

The Packet Includes:

*  Large and small patterns to make “Clippy the spider” an alphabet clothespin game. Use for a center, assessment, whole group craftivity, game for struggling students, or fun homework assignment.


This is an inexpensive game to make, as The Dollar Store sells packs of "hinged" clothespins. Students clip the lowercase letter clothespin, to the matching uppercase letter on the spider. 


Younger kiddos can simply practice one-to-one correspondence and match UC to UC or LC to LC letters. 


I've included a smaller pattern, as a super-fun way to practice as a whole group, which is also a quick and easy way to whole group assess. My Y5s love making their own spider and even name them!

Children get just one clothespin. Teacher calls out a letter, students find it and clip their clothespin, then hold up their spider.  You can see at a glance who is having difficulty. 
 You can use pipe cleaners or paper strips to make the spider's legs.  The packet also includes...

*  Spiderweb letter cards (separate upper & lowercase sets) to play a variety of games with: “What’s the Mystery Letter?”, “Kaboom”, “Memory Match”, “I Have; Who Has?” and “Flip It!”

 I’ve included a 4-page “tip list” filled with ideas of how to use the ABC cards + directions for the games that I know your students will really enjoy. 

There are also a variety of worksheets...

* 5 “trace & write” worksheets are a simple way to practice both upper and lowercase letters

*  “I spy!” is another whole group game that practices upper or lowercase letters, which I use as a quick, easy and super-fun way to whole group assess too. One student game sheet, can be used 5 times! 

*  The 3 “Spin to Win” worksheet games are especially fun for students. For your convenience I've also included an ...

* Assessment worksheet, where students match the lowercase letter to the matching uppercase letter, plus 2 individual assessment forms, one for uppercase and another for lowercase letters. You can assess 4 times with one recording sheet.

* The “Spider Slider” craft is one of my students' favorites. It's another fun way to practice and whole group assess upper or lowercase letters, as there is a "slider" strip for each.

To practice patterning, have students choose 2 or 3 different color crayons or markers, then trace the letters in an AB-AB or ABC-ABC color pattern.

You can do "double duty" by using the "Clippy" spider pattern as a slider too. 

Simply glue the upper or lowercase letter circle to the back, then cut slits in the spider's body on the front and insert the uppercase slider! 

When students are done "sliding" they can use a paperclip and fold up the strip, then clip away for the other game.

Finally...
* There's a “spiderific” certificate of praise (4 on a page) bookmark, which students can color.

Today's featured FREEBIE also has a cute little spider theme. "Shapin' Up With Spiders" will help your students practice 2D shapes.

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

It's October and temps hit 79 in Michigan today! (What?) I just turned the heat on yesterday when it was 47 outside.  No complaints though...

Time to go take my poodle pup Chloe for a romp.  Wishing you a blessed day.

"Education is the kindling of a flame; not the filling of a vessel." - Socrates

1-2-3 Come Do Some Letter Gg Activities With Me

I find that if my kiddos can compare the hard & soft Gg sounds side-by-side, with a variety of different activities, their reading and spelling of those words is much more successful.

A few little rules, lots of examples and fun ways to practice, will help reinforce the different Gg sounds.

So I created this packet. I started out with just the gorilla & giraffe flip booklets, but as I was designing, I also wanted to include other quick, easy, and fun activities, where students could practice in other ways. 

The variety keeps things fresh, while allowing for continued practice without reinforcement becoming boring.

Thus, the packet grew into jumbo size, as I combined both the hard and soft Gg activities into a BUNDLED packet.

They mirror each other, as the activities for the hard g have a matching soft g counterpart, which makes comparison super easy as well as fun.

Simply put, I know this “stuff” works because it’s worked for me.
My students are focused and engaged, enjoying learning some tricky things. I can use these centers year after year, which is a huge time saver. Win-Win.

The packet includes:
* A super-fun gorilla & giraffe flip booklet. So that teachers can quickly & easily make an example to share, I've included full color templates, as well as black and white so that students can make their own. 

The "mouth" of the gorilla and giraffe flips up to reveal pages of a soft or hard Gg graphic, along with a "trace & write" word.

There are a variety of page options, featuring words beginning with that sound, as well as the sound within the word. 

Choose your favorites or run them all off and give children a choice.

* The packet also includes 60 picture word cards with a tip list of games you can play, plus other ways to use them, as well as a nice selection of
* Posters, which you can use as anchor charts and a way to introduce the lesson.

* There are also a variety of "Word Work Worksheets", which includes alphabetizing as well as word searches. As with all of my packets, answer keys are included. Here are some more things that are included...

* 36 Ekonin Box cards with matching letters, makes for a  quick, easy & fun independent center.
* “Mixing Math With Literacy number PUZZLES.

* "Going to the Zoo” alliterative, “hard & soft Gg” story craftivity, packed with Dolch sight words.

The reading passage is sprinkled with hard & soft Gg alliteration, which is  sure to tickle your students' tongues.

My kiddos LOVE reading this aloud, and enjoyed making their own "open the door" worksheet. 

* Giraffe & Gorilla word booklets for hard & soft Gg words. My kiddos keep these in their writing notebooks. (Colorful teacher's version, plus black & white patterns for students).

* “Feed the Gorilla & Giraffe” craft, with 194 (hard & soft Gg) word cards. (Snack crackers).The mini cards feature a banana (which gorillas love), as well as some acacia leaves, which giraffes are fond of.

I put the "head" on a Boutique Kleenex box, so that the "mouth" of the gorilla and giraffe goes over the oval opening in the box.  I cut the mouths using an Exacto knife.

My students actually ask to play this game they enjoy it so much! Woo hoo.  

Choose which words you want to reinforce, print the pages, laminate and trim.  Pass them out to your students. We gather in a circle and sit on the floor.  I hold both boxes. 

Students show their word card and everyone reads it together.  If you want, they can also point out the vowel that helps give the word its sound, or explain that this is a word that's an exception to the rule, or that this word contains both sounds.  They "feed" their card to the appropriate animal.  Play 'til all of the cards have been "eaten". 

I often do this as a quick review before lunch. (Munch a bunch of cards before lunch!) 

Besides using the cards for "feeding" the animals, you can also use them for an independent center, where children sort X number of cards onto a gorilla or giraffe sorting mat. 

Older students can pick 3-6 cards and use them to make up sentences which they record on their worksheet.

You can use the variety of activities for...
* A whole group
* An independent center
* Partner fun
* Homework
* Lessons for a sub folder
* A simple & quick time-filler or something for early finishers

* Assessments
* A game
* Something fun for ESL students or children who need extra help.

Today's featured FREEBIE is also a letter activity. The Alpha Cats packet is perfect any time of the year.  Fun for a pet theme, and especially teriffic if your students are Pete the Cat fans, as these little kitties are wearing shoes!

Besides the upper & lowercase letter cards, there are also a few worksheets, plus I've included a 3-page tip list of ideas for using the cards, including the Kaboom game.

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

My husband's brother flew in from Denver, so it's time to put on my hostess hat. Wishing you a happy day, filled with many memorable moments.

"It's all about quality of life. Finding that happy  balance between work, play, family and friends." -Phillip Green

1-2-3 Come Make An Alphabet Wheel With Me  

Alphabet Wheels are a quick, easy & fun way to practice letters, and build the vocabulary needed to give an example of a word, with that beginning sound.

They feature 7 nouns that begin with that letter, and come in black & white, as well as full-color, so that you can use a colorful one for an independent center and use the black & white pattern for a whole-group or individual word work activity, where kiddos make their own.

Alphabet wheels are perfect for letter of the day/week activities. 

I've also tried to use popular themes so that you can revisit the wheels or feature them with your apple, leaves, gingerbread, turkey and snowmen etc. themes.

Another idea, after children have gone through the entire alphabet, is to have them make their own alphabet wheel that starts with the first letter of their name.

On the back of the wheel they can write the other picture words along with their name: “Kk is for kite, key, kangaroo, king, koala and Kaiden!”

I've also included a worksheet where students trace & write the words then put them in alphabetical order. 

So that you can give them a try, the first alphabet wheel, "A is for Apples and..." is FREE.  It's today's featured freebie as well.

I had a request for "bundling" the alphabet wheels.

I’m always happy to bundle up packets particularly for the alphabet, so you can get a nice price break and save more.

I’ve bundled 13 alphabet wheels A-M together, then another bundle for the rest of the letters N-Z., so instead of being a dollar each if bought separately, they are now only .50 cents.

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

We've been having some chart-topping temps again for September, so it's time to go water my garden.

Wishing you a happy-go-lucky kind of day. 

"Be a rainbow in someone's cloud." - M. Angelou

1-2-3 Come Have Some Fun With Chrysanthemum And Me

I thought I had finished up designing some quick, easy and fun activities to go with the story "Chrysanthemum", 'til I had a request from Erin in Idaho.

Her preschool has adopted the "Bucket Filling" program and she wondered if I could tie that concept in with the "Chrysanthemum" story. 

Great idea Erin, and easy-peasy to do, as the theme of "Chrysanthemum" is all about being kind, and careful with the things you say.  Thus "Bucket Filling With Chrysanthemum" was born. 

After reading the story, children transition to making a list of “bucket dipping” moments in the story, as well as “bucket filling” times on the 2 worksheets.

I’ve also included color copies so you can do this as a whole group activity as well.

The packet also includes several posters: “We are a bucket-filling classroom”, “Easily Fill A Bucket By . . .” plus a “Please Don’t Be A Dipper”.

The “Chrysanthemum’s ABCs of Bucket Filling” worksheets help build vocabulary while practicing letter sounds.

These can be done individually, or use the colorful ones with a whole group.

I’ve included answer keys with lots of alliterative options: “Aa: aid, applaud, ask, award, advise, affirm, acknowledge…”

Finally, students can use the little Chrysanthemum "bucket cards" to encourage each other.  There’s a set in color so that you can leave your students a compliment or note as well. 

I was now in the Chrysanthemum mode again, so I also designed some Chrysanthemum-Themed Alphabet Number Puzzles.

Because the story is all about this little mouse’s name, I like to transition my kiddos to some name writing activity afterwards.

These puzzles provide a super-fun way to do that, plus children get in some uppercase alphabet practice too.

They're a real “sanity saver” as children are happily engaged coloring, cutting, then putting their puzzle together.
While they work independently you are freed up. Woo hoo!

The puzzles mix math with literacy, as they help practice sequencing numbers from 1-10, working on those toughie teen numbers, as well as skip counting by 10s.

Simply choose which number concept is most appropriate for your students.

For a fun back to school bulletin board, have children mount their puzzle to a sheet of construction paper leaving a little gap between each strip, which will create an interesting mosaic effect.

I’ve included 2 “ABC 1-2-3 Look Who’s In The Class With Me!” posters to use for the center of your display. (Plus preschool, kindergarten and 1st grade as well).

There’s also a colorful Chrysanthemum puzzle (1-10, 11-20, & counting by 10s) to use as an independent math center, plus an additional name writing worksheet where children finish drawing Chrysanthemum.

Finally, while I was putzing with this, another name activity popped in my head, so I created a quick, easy & fun "color, cut & glue" name craft, which provides wonderful fine motor practice, plus assists children in learning how to spell their name as they begin to recognize those letters.

Completed projects make a sweet back to school bulletin board too.  Besides the name craft, the packet also includes:

* Separate upper & lowercase letter cards, as well as a set of cards with both the upper and lowercase letter on one card.

Use them for Memory Match and “I Have; Who Has?” games. 

I’ve also included a 4-page tip list of other ideas for the cards, including the “Kaboom!” game as well as . . .

* A variety of letter worksheets plus…
* Some simple letter games like "What Letter Did Chrysanthemum Hide Today?" and "What's Missing?", as well as several dice worksheet games.

Today's featured FREEBIE is a set of 10 Classroom Management Posters.  I hope you find them useful.

Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by. Time to move on to another theme. 

Hmmm... shall I start working on "Chicka Boom" or "If You Take A Mouse To School" stuff? Stay tuned.  I'll be doing both before August disappears.

 Wishing you a carefree, happily lazy kind of relaxing day.   

"Children must be taught how to think, not what to think."-Margaret Mead

1-2-3 Come Do Some More Valentine Activities With Me

I love Valentine's Day; it's one of my favorite parties at school too, so I'm constantly dreaming up new ideas to make the day special, while still learning standards.     Today I'm featuring 3 of my newest creations. 

“Valenteens” are goofy little heart people that feature a ten-frame. 
I designed the craftivity to showcase teen numbers, which can be toughies for kiddos. However, because of the blank templates provided, you have the option to simply make a silly valentine, or one with numbers 1-12, for younger students.

Children can create a boy or girl "valenteen", by where they glue the bow.
The bows come blank, as well as printed with a teen equation.

There is a blank full-size heart pattern, so that children can draw their own silly face, as well as 10 hearts with a variety of faces for them to choose from.

I’ve also included a 1/2 heart pattern. Print and fold on the dashed line. Keeping the paper folded, students cut on the black line and then unfold their paper to reveal a large heart.   My students are always amazed at this, adding to the fun of our lesson.

There are 4 options for the 10 frames: a blank set, a set with numbers, a set with hearts, and a set with numbers & hearts.

If you choose the blank set, children can make X’s & 0’s (hugs & kisses), use stickers, bingo daubers, or draw and color shapes to fill in the boxes.  For that finishing touch, I’ve also included gloved hands and shoe templates.  

You don’t have to have legs, but I think they add to the silliness of the “valenteens”, plus accordion-folding paper is a fun fine motor skill, that helps strengthen finger muscles.

I included links for the "My Funny Little Valentine" song, so you can play it while your kiddos work on their creations. 
There’s also a poster of the refrain, as well as an “Our Funny Little Valenteens”  poster to use in the center of your bulletin board display. 

Next up is the "Hh is for Hearts" alphabet wheel. I'm currently in the process of making one for each letter, and introduce them when the theme is appropriate.    

Dollar Deal Alphabet Wheels, are a quick, easy & fun way to practice letters, and build the vocabulary needed to give an example of a word, with that beginning sound.

They feature 6 nouns that begin with that letter, and come in black & white, as well as full-color, so that you can use a colorful one for an independent center and use the black & white pattern for a whole-group or individual word work activity, where kiddos make their own.

Finally, The “100 Chart, Heart Art” is a very versatile activity, as I’ve differentiated the directions for PK to 2nd grade. 

“Mystery Math”  hidden pictures, are a quick, easy & fun way to practice recognizing some of those big numbers that kiddos often trip over, when learning how to write and count numbers.

Using a 100s chart so students are seeing numbers in proper sequence, helps them wrap their head around a variety of math patterns, and is especially helpful to visual learners.

I’ve included a 100s chart worksheet without directions, so you can do this as a whole-group, “Listening & following directions” activity.  For younger kiddos, simply call out the numbers they need to color. 

I feel even young children can gain number sense by doing this as a “monkey see-monkey do” activity.

I’ve also included a set of spatial directions for you to read to older students: “Find the number 66. Color that box and the box that is UNDER it.”

There’s also a worksheet that includes the numbers to color, if you want to use this as a homework assignment, table-top activity, independent center, or something for early finishers.

To practice double digit addition and subtraction, there's a worksheet where students have to solve problems to find out what numbers they are supposed to color.

Completed projects make a cute February bulletin board.   Use the “We LOVE Mystery Math!” poster in the middle of your display.  

The featured FREEBIE today is a set of valentine 10-frames.  A nice "go along" to the Valenteen 10-frame craftivity mentioned above. 

Besides the 10-frame cards, the packet also includes heart-themed, counting tiles, plus math symbols and number cards, so that you can make equations and play a variety of games. 

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by.  Wishing you a blessed day filled with lots of "warm fuzzy" moments.

"Doubt thou the stars are fire; Doubt that the sun doth move.  Doubt truth to be a liar, But never doubt I love." -William Shakespeare

1-2-3 Come Do Some Letter Activities With Me

Because my Y5s study the alphabet all year long, I like to plug in some themed, letter activites each month.  The single-letter alphabet wheels are perfect for this. 

In the falll I feature the Aa is for apple,  Ll is for leaf,  Pp is for pumpkin  and Tt is for Thanksgiving turkey wheels. (Click on each title to have a look).

For December, I created the Ee is for elf, and Gg is for gingerbread ones.

The Dollar Deal Alphabet Wheels, are a quick, easy & fun way to practice letters, and build the vocabulary needed to give an example of a word, with that beginning sound.

They feature 6 nouns that begin with that letter, and come in black and white, as well as full-color, so that you can use them as an independent center or individual word work activity.

Vowels, have word examples for both long and short vowel sounds.

I've also included a worksheet where students trace & write the words in alphabetical order.  

Besides the individual letter alphabet wheels, I also have a collection of 20 seasonal alphabet wheels, which cover all of the upper and lowercase letters. 

As you can see from the photo, there's a gingerbread man and a mitten alphabet wheel for winter. 

Besides the alphabet wheels, another fun way to practice letters is with my elf slider.

There’s nothing quite like a quick and easy little craftivity, to make practicing a variety of standards fun.

The paper elf can be used as a “slider” or turned into a "belly booklet”.

I’ve also included an easy-peasy “color me” option, where you can skip the craft, or simply do both.

Your kiddos will also enjoy making the little mini, belly booklets.
There are 3 options:

* Upper & lowercase letters that students trace & write, with enough room for older kiddos to write a word at the top and bottom;

* Numbers 1-12, where students also trace & write (play the Twelve Days of Christmas carol, while they’re working).

* There’s also a shape booklet. Here students trace, draw & color the 2D shapes, then trace & write the shape word.

Each booklet is on a one-page pattern, so students could make all of them, over a period of a few days, for a really big belly book!

* The “sliders” are a quick, easy and super-fun way to whole group assess a variety of standards as well.

* There’s a slider for: numbers 1-10, 1-30, counting backwards from 10-0 & 20-0, as well as skip counting by 2s, 3s, 5s, and 10s; plus one for upper case letters, another for lowercase, and finally one for the 2D shapes.

* Choose which one you want to work on. I have my kiddos trace the letter & number strips in a red and green, ABAB color pattern, and color each shape a different color.

To whole group assess, simply call out a letter, number or shape. Students “slide” to it, and hold up their elf. 

You can see at a glance, who is having difficulty. Click on the link to zip on over to my TpT shop and have a look: Elf Slider & Belly Booklets

Today's featured FREEBIE is a gingerbread-themed 10 frames packet.  I hope you find it useful.

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by. TpT's 20% off Cyber Sale continues through midnight tonight.  Type in the code SMILE for an extra 10% off. 

As for me, I'm dashing through the snow today, to get some more shopping done. Wishing you a delightful day.

"He who doesn't have Christmas in their heart, will never find it under a tree." - Roy L. Smith

1-2-3 Come Do Some Alphabet Activities With Me

I'm working away at the ever popular alphabet wheels. I featured Aa is for Apple in September, and Pp is for Pumpkin in October.

For November, I just completed Ll is for Leaf, Tt is for Turkey and Vv is for Veterans.

Since we continue to work on the alphabet throughout the year, it's nice to add something new to my Alphabet Center activities each month.

Because of the seasonal themes, the Alpha Wheels are  a perfect addition, and my kiddos LOVE making them.

I enjoy them, because they are a quick, easy & fun way to practice letters, and build the vocabulary needed to give an example of a word, with that beginning sound.

They feature 6 nouns that begin with that letter, and come in black & white, as well as full-color.

Use a colorful one for an independent center and use the black & white pattern for a whole-group or individual word work activity, where kiddos make their own.

You'll find that your students will look forward to making and collecting them. 

For writing, vocabulary building and alphabetizing practice, I've also included a worksheet where students trace & write the words then put them in alphabetical order.

Click on the pictures or hot links above, to zip on over to my TpT shop to have a look.

I sincerely hope these alpha-wheels make letter practice more fun for your kiddos. 

Fittingly, the featured FREEBIE today, is an alphabet packet, with a set of alphabet cards & poster which you can play games with.  I hope you find it useful.

That's it for today. A work crew is coming in to put a new window in my office, so I don't get to "play" today, but it's time and money well-spent, as I won't be freezing all winter!

Wishing you a relaxing day.

1-2-3 Come Do Some Letter Aa Activities With Me

Woo Hoo for Diane's Dollar Deals!  I'm featuring two, apple-themed ones, on the blog today. Dollar Deal Alphabet Wheels, are a quick, easy & fun way to practice letters.

I priced them at only a dollar, so that you can afford to collect all of the individual alphabet wheels.

They feature 6 nouns that begin with that letter, and come in black and white, as well as full-color, so that you can use them as an independent center or individual word work activity.

I've also included a worksheet where students trace & write the words in alphabetical order.  

Click on the link to zip on over to my TpT shop to take a peek at the Aa is for Apple Dollar Deal Alphabet Wheel.

The other Apple Dollar Deal is an emergent reader: Aa is for Apple. It's filled with beginning letter Aa nouns. There are 6.

It's also packed with Dolch sight words and great practice for pronouns, as well as end punctuation.

Students read the simple sentences using the pictures as clues, and then add the appropriate end punctuation. (period, question mark, exclamation point).

They trace and write the Pp word, then color the picture.  There are 5, mini-strip pages, to a one-page template.

Students trim, collate and staple to the front of their "Aa is for apple" cover to make a flip booklet.

I've also included matching picture and word cards to play games like Memory Match and "I Have; Who Has?".

They come in color as well as black & white, so that you can use them as an independent center for Daily 5 Word Work, or children can make their own game to practice at home. 

Students can match picture to picture, or picture to word.  They can also alphabetize the word cards and use them to write their own sentences.

As with the individual alphabet wheels, I've priced these emergent readers at only a dollar, to make them affordable, so that you can collect all of the flip booklets in this series. 

Click on the link to pop on over to my TpT shop to have a look: Aa is for Apple Emergent Reader.

The FREEBIE today also has an apple theme.  It's called Apple Adjectives.  On the worksheet, students describe the outside and inside of an apple.  You can do the same with a pumpkin. 

It's a quick, easy & fun way for students to practice descriptive writing and the use of adjectives. For your convenience, I've included a completed sample.

Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by. It's a bit chilly, but the sun is shining through the lovely fall-colored trees. 

A perfect day for a walk in the woods with my poodle pup Chloe.  Wishing you a fun-filled day. 

"Happiness is a warm puppy." -Charles Shultz

1-2-3 Come Do Some Super-Fun Alphabet Activies With Me

Whether you do a letter of the week, or review a letter a day, I think you & your kiddos will enjoy my newest creation: The Letter Aa packet.

I know there are a zillion letter activities out there, but I think I've come up with some really creative & different ones, that will help make learning the alphabet especially fun.

I’ve incorporated a variety of standards for reading, writing, and even tossed in some math, so that you get more bang for your “time buck”, as you can review additional things besides one letter of the alphabet.

This is the first in a series of letter packets.

Countless hours went into designing it, because I wanted to create a format that I could use with every letter.

The consistency, will empower students, as they can get right down to business because they know what to do.  

This independence builds confidence, which leads to self-esteem.

Teaching’s a breeze because you don’t have to waste time continuing to give directions or explaining what you want your kiddos to do. 

Children are responsible & accountable, which frees you up to work one-on-one with strugglers.

The packets are a big & loaded with lots of variety.

There are activities to suit various levels, as well as practice reading & writing skills at the same time.

Simply choose what’s right for you and build your lesson plan.  

You’ll have plenty left over, to use in a sub folder, as homework, independent centers, or for early finishers.

The packet includes:

* Posters & anchor charts
* Emergent readers

* Lots of Worksheets
* Pocket chart cards
* and a variety of Games.
* There are also several "craftivities" such as the letter pennant.

Children decorate their pennant with things that start with the letter Aa.  They can use stickers, pictures cut from magazines, words, letters, & clip art.  

* There are Bookmarks
* Puzzles
* A Song
* A Maze
* and a Word Search.

Another thing that I included in the packet are “Learn & Earn” brag tags. I think your kiddos will really enjoy collecting them. 

There's one for each letter of the alphabet, plus a star-student one to hand out, when they've learned all of the letters. 

Simply run the tag template off on card stock, trim, punch a hole at the top and attach them with split ring. 

You can buy 8 in a package at The Dollar Store.  There are large teacher tags, which you can use as flashcards. 

The split ring makes it easy for children to flip through, so you can play "Flip & Find". You hold up your letter tag & children see who can find theirs the fastest. 

You can also ask for the letter that is before or after the letter that you're showing them.

* There are a variety of writing prompts too. My personal favorite is the Letter Aa Post Card. 

Children fill in the blanks with things that begin with the letter Aa. Grab a teachable moment with "How to address correspondence".

My Alphabet Wheels have been so popular, that I wanted to make a set for each individual letter.

There's a color copy for the teacher, as well as a black & white one, so that students can make their own.

Each packet will also have an alliterative story. 

This packet features "Going Ape".  Counting how many featured letters are in the story, will provide additon practice as well.

Besides a letter story and alphabet wheel, each letter packet will also have a "_______ is for . . ." flip booklet.

These are emergent readers that help reinforce pronouns too. 

The background picture features something that begins with that letter.  For the letter Aa I used an apple.

* A 100 chart hidden letter provides more math practice.
* There's also a class book writing prompt and
*  A Word Work booklet plus

*A cute certificate of praise, with 2 on a page to save paper.

Have students keep them all together, and when done staple their "Letter Achievement" booklet together.

* Also included is an “I found the sound” activity as well as
* A “growing” alphabet booklet (As you study a new letter that page will be added to this Itty Bitty “Alpha-bits” booklet.

My Y5s really enjoy making "Itty Bitty" things that are "just the right size" for them.  With that in mind, I designed a "Pocket Full Of Practice". 

Since lined paper is really inexpensive because of the loss leaders supply stores have, (I picked up a pack of 100 sheets for just a quarter) I decided to have my kiddos fold a sheet into a pocket, to hold "small stuff" that they completed from the letter packet. 

Everything is in one place, things don't get lost in the bottom of a backpack, and parents have a nice little keepsake. The paper pocket full of practice, is also included in every letter packet.

Because these packets are over 100 pages each (The Aa packet is a whopping 140 pages long!) I will not be "bundling" them, when they are all finished. 

I will however, sell them for only $3.00, instead of the usual $4.95 for packets with this amount of work. As an added bonus, the first 48 hours they will be on sale for just $2.50.  

So that you can take advantage of the savings, if you are a follower of mine, you will get an e-mail notification from TpT when I post a new packet.   Click on this link to pop on over to my shop.

Since it's September, and "apple time" here in Michigan, today's FREEBIE is a sweet little "You Can Count On Willie" craftivity. I hope you like it.  Click on the link to grab yours today.  

That's it for now. TGIF!  My brain has been on overload working on alphabet "stuff" so it's time for a much-needed break. 

I'm not sure what that might be, but here's wishing you a wonderful weekend.

 "I'm learning the power of going away for the weekend and keeping myself company." - Zoe Saldana

1-2-3 Come Make An ABC Flip Booklet With Me

The Alphabet-Word Puzzles, continue to be very popular, as well as the other matching packets.

My latest creation, ABC Flip Booklets, also match, which makes for nice coordinated center/station activities.

These “Flip Booklets” are a quick, easy & super-fun way to review lowercase letters.

They come in both color & black line.  Color, so that you can make a sample to share, or an entire set of laminated ones, to use as a center/station activity. 

Make an extra copy, put them on a split ring, and tuck in your classroom library.

The flip booklets also come in black and white, so children can color & create their own.
Assign a flip booklet, each time you’ve practiced that group of 4 letters.

Students can draw their own pictures on the blank template or color the black & white patterns.

So that you have more examples, and can build more vocabulary, I designed the black & white and full color sets, with different pictures.

Besides drawing or coloring a picture underneath a “flap”, another option, is to have students alphabetize the words of the pictures that are inside each letter.  They write these under the flap.  

For your convenience, I’ve also provided completed sample templates, with an alphabetical list of the words under the appropriate flap, so you can easily laminate and make a set for a reading or word work center. 

The packet is 37-pages and can be found in my TpT shop.  Click on the link to pop on over: Alphabet Flip Booklets. 

I sincerely hope that your students really enjoy practicing lowercase letters, beginning sounds, and vocabulary building, with an ABC flip booklet.

As always, I have a FREEBIE for you today as well. 

This was a Pinterest inspired idea from a homeschool mom who put masking tape on her carpet to create a parking lot for her boys. 

I wanted to make something permanent that teachers could use in their classrooms, so I made templates. 

My kiddos LOVE this activity.  Click on the link to grab this super-fun FREEBIE: Park It! An Alphabet Matching Game.It!

Thanks for visiting. It's time for a much-needed break, and to take Chloe, my poodle pup, for a walk before it rains. 

Wishing you a carefree day, filled with marvelous moments.