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 Chrysanthemum Activities With Me

One of my students’ all-time favorite back to school books is “Chrysanthemum” by Kevin Henkes. 

It provides the perfect introduction to name activities, as well as reinforces the importance of speaking kind words.

With that in mind, I designed this jumbo Chrysanthemum literacy packet, which is chock full of a huge assortment of activities for you to choose from.

The packet includes:
* A variety of Worksheets
* An assortment of super-fun writing prompts

* Lots of posters

* Non-fiction: Interesting facts about chrysanthemum flowers, with follow up research challenge & poster to record their personal “fact finding”.
* “Bio Blip” for Kevin Henkes, an author activity

* “Let’s Text!” Making Connections activities: (text to self, text to text, text to world).

* Word work booklet with vocabulary-building activities, plus 30 word cards from the story.

* Cause & Effect activities
* Comparison - Contrast activities with Venn diagrams plus a personal favorite of mine the . . .

* Chrysanthemum “Promise Pledge” Bulletin board display and writing prompt activity with . . .
* 30 “I Promise” photo name cards. 

If you enjoy crafts, then I think you'll really like the . . .

* Simple paper chrysanthemum flower craft, which you can do at the beginning of the year for back to school, or save for Mother’s Day.

I've included a pattern with a leaf that says: "A mum for my mom" as well as "A mum for my mum."   

As you can see by the photographs, the results are truly awesome.

Even if you don't do them as a whole-group craftivity, make some up to add extra 3D pop & pizzazz to your bulletin board display of students' Chrysanthemum work.  There's also a . . .

* “Color Me" Flower Petal Power name poster plus . . .

* Mazes, Word Finds, “How Many Words Can You Make?” and “I spy my name!” game sheets, as well as . . .

* An alphabetical list of 300 words in Chrysanthemum's name!

* Bookmarks
* Name writing-coloring pages
* “Sticks & stones may break my bones…” posters, discussion & writing prompt activities and finally . . .

* 4 real photograph posters of delphiniums, plus 30 picture posters of chrysanthemum flowers. 

Use them to introduce the story, for descriptive writing prompts, or adjective practice, and for your bulletin board or hallway display. 

Whew! that's a whole-lotta literacy--in all, over 100 fun-filled pages!

Today's FREEBIE also features this sweet little mouse as well as a raccoon named Chester. 

The worksheets are based on 2 of my favorite back to school books: "The Kissing Hand" by Audry Penn and "Chrysanthemum" by Kevin Henkes.

Since the first week of school, especially that 1st day, can be exhausting, I designed these 2 "color me" worksheets, as a fun, quiet and independent little something children can do at the end of the day.

They're a real sanity saver, as kiddos are happily engaged coloring and writing their names, while you have a few peaceful minutes to get things ready for dismissal.  I hope you find them useful.

Well that's it for today. Not really complaining about summer weather, but these 90+ degree days have me seeking air conditioning, so I'm missing being active in my garden. 

That being said, I am getting a lot of designing done. Wishing you a fun-filled day.

"When the weather is hot keep a cool mind; when the weather is cold keep a warm heart." -Ajahn Brahm

1-2-3 come Do Some Chrysanthemum Activities With Me

“Chrysanthemum” by Kevin Henkes, is one of my all-time favorite back to school books.

It’s perfect for a variety of ages, and especially wonderful as an introduction to name activities, as well as discussions about teasing, bullying and “filling buckets”. 

With that in mind, I enjoyed making a variety of Chrysanthemum-themed activities appropriate for PK-1st grade. I'll be sharing 3 of them in today's blog along with a sweet back to school FREEBIE. 

Because I like to mix math with literacy, I designed the Chrysanthemum Name Comparison Math Craftivity, where students compare their name with Chrysanthemum’s.

I’ve included a simple PK version which can be done as a whole group, with an older elementary buddy, or done as homework with the assistance of a parent.

There’s also a template suitable for kindergarten, 1st and 2nd, which involves some easy math, where students can show how they figured out their answer.

Use the vowel, consonants and syllable posters to help explain things, then hang up for students to refer to.

These can also be used as part of your display, as completed projects make an adorable bulletin board, or hung as a border on a hallway wall. 

I’ve included 2 “Mixing Math & Literacy” display posters for this as well. 

For extra pizzazz, punch a hole at the bottom and tie on a yarn "tail", or curl a white pipe cleaner and attach.

There are 10 border options to choose from.

Give your students a choice, or run off 2-3 of each of the worksheets so you have a nice variety in your display.

Girls can add a bow to their mouse, and boys can opt to leave it off if they want.

For an added splash of color, mount the worksheet on a variety of colors of construction paper before students glue their mouse head to the top. 

Next up, is another quick, easy and fun “print & go” name craftivity. I call them "sliders".

Simply choose which name slider you want your kiddos to make. There are 6 options.
I like my students to get some practice in making choices, so I run all of them off.

I’ve included black and white patterns for kiddos to color, as well as templates in color, so that you can quickly and easily make examples to share.

Mounting them on construction paper gives a splash of color and makes them sturdier.
Run off the boxed “slider strips”, as well as the blank strips and trim.

Children color Chrysanthemum, then write their name on the “slider” strip, by writing a letter in each box.

If you have PK kiddos who don’t know how to write their name, you can have slider strips already written for them, or provide a name card for them to copy.

I’ve included 6 matching name cards if you’d like to use these. 

Finally, I designed a Chrysanthemum-Inspired Class Name Booklet.

At the beginning of the story, her parents explain why they named her Chrysanthemum, so I thought it would be fun to send a note home and ask parents why they chose their child’s name.

Parents fill out the worksheet and their child colors it.  After everyone has shared their page, collate the contributions, add the cover and you have a very interesting class-made book.

Run off the "inside" pages and give children a choice. There are 7 girl-themed pages, plus 7 for boys.

I share Dr. Seuss’s story “Too Many Daves”, then include those pages, along with the rose-quote poster in our booklet as well.

We make several class books each month.  They are always a favorite in our classroom "book" basket, and a big hit with parents at conferences.

Adding a school photo to each page makes things extra special. 

Today's featured FREEBIE is also perfect for back to school. I not only give my students a little surprise treat on the 1st day of school, I do a little something extra special the entire week.  

For a quick, easy and inexpensive treat bag, fill up a Snack Baggie with Lucky Charms cereal and include my little note.  There's also 2 "header" options if you want to put 1 at the top of your bag.  

Well that's it for today. My mom's visiting from Wisconsin, and I hear her stirring on this beautiful morning, so time to switch gears and go play outside.

"Tears of joy are like the summer rain drops pierced by sunbeams." - Hosea Ballou