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

Since Pete the Cat stories are so popular with students, I decided to design a “getting to know you” cat-themed writing prompt.

I think building a community in your classroom is one of the most important things teachers can do to ensure appropriate behavior, kindness, camaraderie and a team spirit.

One of the easiest ways to do this, is for your students to get to know their classmates. Thus the reason for “Check Meowt!”

Although this is a super-fun icebreaker for the first week of school, I continue to do “getting to know you” activities throughout the year.

No matter what grade I taught, whenever I tossed in a bit of craftiness to the lesson, my students were excited to get down to the business of writing.

They particularly enjoyed sharing things about themselves, interests, opinions, likes and dislikes.

In this packet there are several options.
Children can make the cat head, then complete that worksheet and attach it under the “Check Meowt!” header, or they can simply fill in and color the worksheet.

If your kiddos are crazy over Pete the Cat, then run the pattern off on blue paper, if not, a variety of crazy colored cats makes for a vibrant display.

There’s an easier version for younger students, as well as one with more questions for older children.

PK kiddos can dictate their answers to a reading buddy, classroom aide or the worksheet can be completed at home with the help of a parent.

The inspiration for this craftivity came from the song “I’m a Cat”, which is on YouTube. The link’s in the packet.

If you like it, why not play it while children work on their “Check Meowt!” writing prompt, or use it to introduce the lesson.

Completed projects make a cute bulletin board.

I’ve included several posters to use for the center of your display, as well as a color copy of the worksheet so you can easily make a sample to share.

While I was in the "creating cats" mood, I thought it would be fun to learn about, and practice the 5 senses with a cat theme as well.

This packet includes an Itty Bitty “My Cat” booklet, as a fun way to reinforce the 5 senses as this cool cat sees, hears, smells, & tastes things as he moseys along. When you pet him, how does he feel?

Children color their cover, complete the prompt by writing one or two words of what their cat saw, heard, tasted etc. then draw a picture.

Encourage older students to write short, but descriptive sentences and turn this activity into an emergent reader.

When students have completed their worksheet, they cut out the pages, put them in any order they want, then staple them to the “purr-fect” section on the cover of their booklet.

There are pages with word prompts for K-1, as well as ones with picture prompts for PK kiddos.

I’ve also included pages that go along with the story “Pete The Cat’s New White Shoes”.

Besides the booklet, the packet also includes:

* A colorful cool cat 5 senses poster.

* 2 “Label the cat’s senses” worksheets, with write-in, or cut & glue options. There are 2 size choices as well.

* For more practice, students can also think of one more thing their cat could see, hear, smell etc. and write those answers on the bookmark-size worksheet.

* There’s also an “I listen with my whole body” classroom management poster, as well as one for students to color. 

Today's FREEBIE also features Pete the Cat. 

Even before Pete the Cat made the saying "It's All Good!" popular, others felt the same way, like Glennon Melton, so I used her quote to make a cat-themed poster.

There's one in black and white for kiddos to color, as well as a colorful one for you to introduce the writing prompt with, then hang in the center of your display of students' work.

Using the worksheet, children write whether they agree or disagree with the quote and why. 

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

Praise the Lord that the 90 degree temps have flown the coop to be replaced with a wonderfully sunny, 70 degree day. 

Time to clear my brain and walk Chloe (my poodle pup).  Wishing you a fun-tastic day filled with everyone and everything you enjoy the most. 

"There is no elevator to success.  You have to take the stairs." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Do Some Cat in the Hat Craftivities With Me 

Seuss's birthday is on March 2nd, so my school kicks off our March is Reading Month with a super-fun Cat in the Hat Day. 

With that in mind, I designed a plethora of Seuss hat-themed activities.  Here are 3 of my kiddos' all-time favorites.  

First up  is a place value  “Cat in the Hat” game. I print and laminate a class set so that we can play a whole-group place value game.

Students take turns calling out a 2 or 3-digit number.  Using a dry erase marker, students write the number on the hat brim and then place that many number tiles in the appropriate columns.

This is also a quick and simple way to whole-group assess. When students have filled in their mat, they raise their hand. You can see at a glance who is having difficulty.

The hat and number tiles come in a large, full-page size, as well as a smaller, 2-on-a-page pattern to conserve paper.

I’ve also included a 3D “Cat in the Hat” place value craftivity, that makes an interesting manipulative for an independent center, assessing, or playing a game with a partner.    

Next up is a quick, easy and super-fun, Cat's Hat AT Word Family packet, filled with a variety of interesting activities to help practice the at family of words.

The packet includes:

* An at word family poster.
* A “My Cat Pat” emergent reader flip booklet with a full-color teacher’s edition.
* A set of “Pat the Cat” pocket chart cards

*An at family, “Cat in the Hat” slider craftivity, featuring 16 words.
*4 worksheets.

* A “My Itty Bitty Book Of at Family Words” booklet.

* Picture and word cards to use as an independent center.

* You can also use the cards for a Memory Match or “I Have; Who Has?” game. 
* I've also included black and white “Trace, Write & Color” puzzle cards, with a matching set in full color for a center activity. 

Finally, the next cat hat craftivity is very versatile, as the "Classmate Hat" can be used as a game, independent center, whole group activity, bulletin board, writing prompt or reading log.

There are "brim" options for preschool to 2nd grade, as well as several generic ones to fit whatever.

Besides the “Alphabetize Your Classmates” game, the packet also includes a mini cat hat craftivity, with a variety of brim options for that too.

Students choose to put their hat on a cat pattern, an enlarged photo of themselves, or they can pick a head pattern and draw a face on it.

I’ve included 9 faceless head templates they can pick from, as I find this helps little ones with size, however you can always opt to have children draw their own.

Students color, trim and glue their hat on top of their head.  Completed projects make an adorable bulletin board.

I've included a worksheet for alphabetizing practice, plus a "Speed" game challenge, recording sheet.

Since the hat templates are blank, you can also have students write a list of their favorite Seuss books. Older students can put their list in alphabetical order.

Another idea is to “Stack a Hat” using the stripes as a reading log to jot down each book they read during March is Reading Month or the number of pages they’ve read each week.

You can also use the blank hat for a writing prompt of your choice, or have students list the reasons why they like to read, or specifically why they enjoy reading Dr. Seuss books. 

Patterns come on a full-page, as well as a smaller, 2-on-a-page size, to save on paper. 

The FREEBIE today also features Seuss. It's a set of silly Dr. Seuss songs that I made up.  I hope you find them useful. 

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by.  As much as I've up-dated, tweaked and designed, I still have a huge "to do" pile sitting on my desk. 

So I'm certainly happy that March has 31 days in it, providing more time to cram in some extra-fun spring themes.  Wishing you a sunshine-filled day.

"The beautiful spring came; and when nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also." -Harriet Ann Jacobs

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

I'm back, with some more "Cool Cat" activities that will go nicely with any cat-theme you may have going on.  The story element packet is also perfect for Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes, or Pete the Cat's Rockin' School Shoes. 

The packet includes a variety of activities to help review and practice story elements, and includes pocket cards for character, setting, and event.

Two graphic organizer options, help students write about the beginning, middle and end of the story. 

There are 6 Venn diagrams as well, that will help introduce comparison and constrast to your students. 

Venn diagrams are a quick, easy and fun way to visually show students similarities and differences. 

Children can practice this form of writing, by comparing two different cat characters, 2 different cat stories, and/or compare their shoes with a friend, or even the cat's. 

Practice graphing, by having children fill in the color shoe that they are wearing.  

For more color practice, I've included a trace and color word worksheet too.

There are also four, "I Spy a Word" games, featuring 56 words. ( Most of them from the Dolch word list.) 

All of these words appear in Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes story.  The "I Spy a Word" worksheets, are a simple and quick way to whole group assess word recognition. 

Choose students to call out a word.  Children find that word and then cover it with the little tennis shoe card. 

If you don't want to use the game each year, simply have students circle the word when they find it. 

For more practice, have them write the words in alphabetical order on the back of their paper.  You could also have students use the word in a sentence. 

Finally, in keeping with the Pete the Cat stories, there are 3 posters (including a poster-definition of what "the moral of the story" means). So that students can practice reading the repetitive lines, hold a poster up when you come to that part of the story.  

Click on the link to view/download the Cool Cat Story Elements and More packet. 

Since all of the other "story sliders" that I've designed, have been such popular downloads, I couldn't resist making one for Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes.

To make one, simply run my cat pattern off on blue construction paper.

Students trim and add a bit of color for some pizzazz.

Run off the slider strips and sequencing pictures on white paper.  Pre-cut slits on the cat. (I used an Exacto knife.) 

Children color the pictures, cut them out and then glue them to their "slider" in the correct sequential order of the story. 

When everyone has completed their cat creation, review the story, by retelling it, via the pictures on the slider, adding details when appropriate.  Encourage students to share their cat slider with their families, so they can once again retell the story. 

Click on the link to view/download the Pete the Cat Story Slider. 

Thanks for visiting today.   It's one of those perfect-weather days.  My grandson is up from his nap, so it's time for a stroller ride.  Wishing you a love-filled day.

"Believe you can, and you're half way there." -Theodore Roosevelt

1-2-3 Come Build Self-Esteem With Me

"Filling buckets" seems to have really caught on in a lot of schools.  I know we have this program in our school as well.  The idea is to encourage positive behavior.  Children catch on fast and see how easy and rewarding it is to express sincere kindness, appreciation, and love on a daily basis. 

With that in mind, I wanted to think up a quick and easy end-of-the-year "bucket filler" so to speak, that would help promote a child's self-esteem.   Thus the Classmate Compliment Cat Craftivity was born. (Try to say that tongue twister three times!)

Here's How:

Run off the lined paper pattern.  Students accordion fold it following the lines.  This provides wonderful fine motor practice.  Students color and glue their cat to the top of the folded paper. 

Pass out a different color marker/pencil to each student.  Children pass their "compliment cat" to another child to write something nice about about them on one of the accordion-folded sections.

They continue passing 'til everyone has signed something on every child's cat, finally ending up with their own. 

So students get a special compliment from their teacher, make sure you are part of the signing,   Add the finishing touch by having students glue a piece of colorful bulletin board boarder to the top.

Give students time to read the nice things their classmates had to say about them, then have children accordion fold their papers back up and fasten with a paperclip to take home.

Skip refolding and let the compliments dangle; display them on a bulletin board, (cover with paw print wrapping paper) or hang in a long row on a hallway wall.  Your caption could be "A purr-fect way to end our day." or "'Paws"ing To Write."

The packet also includes a bookmark that you can pass out to everyone after they have completed their projects. 

Click on the link to view/download the Classmate Compliments Cat Craftivity packet.

Finally, if you're new to the "Fill A Bucket" idea and would like to add this to your teaching bag of tricks, click on the link for a sweet "Fill A Bucket" song by the Learning Station.

 This link has all of the Fill A Bucket books for children, with some free resources, coloring pages, puzzles, and activities. 

My personal favorite is their alphabetical bucket filling checklist.  

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.  If you're looking for more end-of-the-year activities, click on the link to zip on over to that section of my site. 

I always end with some sort of matching quotation.  While looking for one, I found this cute quote-card that fits the idea of giving compliments and filling buckets perfectly. 

Blessing to you and yours, today and always!

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