1-2-3 Come Do A Doctor Seuss Activity With Me

Right along with “March is Reading Month” our school celebrates Dr. Seuss.

By mixing reading with math, I get more bang for my time, so I thought I’d design an activity using Seuss’s book, “One Fish Two Fish”.

So that you can easily diversify your lessons, I’ve included two booklets in the packet.

The first one is an emergent reader, which is packed with over 40 Dolch sight words.

For your convenience, I’ve included a full color version, so teachers can quickly & easily make an example to share, as well as a black & white option for your students to color.

Using Seuss’s story for inspiration, I’ve included some of his rhyming words, so there are "bad & glad" fish, along with fish that are fat, with one wearing a yellow hat; as well as one with a star and another driving a car.

The last page is also very “Seuss-ical” as well: "From 1 to 10, from 10 to 1, counting is a lot of fun! From there to here, from here to there, you can count things everywhere!"

Except for numbers 9 and 10, there are two numbers featured on a "fish bowl" page, which is a nice time saver that conserves paper.

The other option, is a simple “trace & write” counting booklet, which practices numbers, plus number and color words.

Pressed for time? Assign the cutting and assembly of the booklet as homework, which is then returned so that students can complete one or pages each day, during your reading or math block.

When everyone is done, read the booklet as a whole group, or have children partner up and take turns sharing each page. 

Going along with the "One Fish TWO Fish" theme, there are TWO featured FREEBIES today!

The first one is a Seuss-themed reading log, which will help encourage students to read more during the month of March. 

FREEBIE number two is a 34-page "Cat in the Hat" themed packet. 

Review all sorts of standards with this quick, easy and fun Seuss-themed Cat in the Hat game. 

Print, laminate and trim the "food" cards.  These are mini cards that include upper and lowercase letters, numbers from 0-120,  number word cards, color words, 2D & 3D shape cards, 35 contraction cards, & 20 at family cards.

There's also a set of math symbols as well, so you can use the number cards for other math activities, like making up equations & solving them, plus showing greater and less than. 

Students can also sort the number cards into odd and even piles and sequence them. Play Memory Match or "I Have; Who Has?" games with the number word cards and their matching number cards.  These games also work for the shape and color word cards.

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

It's currently snowing here in Michigan, and while the frosted trees are quite lovely, I'm so very sick of winter and looking forward to some sunny spring days.

Wishing you a fun-filled "Seuss-ical" kind of week, as you enjoy reading from "here to there and everywhere!"

 “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” -Dr. Seuss (The Lorax)

1-2-3 Come Do Some "It Looked Like Spilt Milk" Activities With Me

Do you read "It Looked Like Spilt Milk"  by Charles Shaw?

It’s a terrific, springtime story for introducing your study of clouds, and helps children stretch their imaginations. 

Because my Young Fives really enjoy this story, I designed several cloud-themed activities for them to transition to, after we read the tale.  They are both featured on the blog today, along with an awesome FREEBIE.

Since "It Looked Like Spilt Milk" is perfect for practicing the “sequencing and retelling a story” standards, I designed a quick, easy and fun slider craftivity, which will help your students retell the story in the proper order.

There are 2 outside slider options to choose from.

One features a cloud, the other a square with a spilled milk "splat". 

I chose blue construction paper, to resemble the story as well as the color of the sky.

Pick your favorite or give children a choice.

Students color the story elements on the “slider strip” then cut and glue it together.

There are 2 "storytelling slider strip" options as well.
One, for beginning readers, has the pictures labeled, while the other strip's graphics are blank.

As they pull on the end of the “slider-strip” the various “cloud” pictures go through the “window”, so that children can take turns retelling the story to a partner or reading buddy, then take their craftivity home to share with their family, once again practicing these standards.

I introduce the lesson by reading the book ”It Looked Like Spilt Milk”, then share my completed "slider craft” with my students.

After I read the story, we retell the tale together, using the picture prompts on my slider.

I have them guess which story element they think comes next, before I pull the picture through the “window”.

My students now know what’s expected of them, and are very excited to transition to making an “It Looked Like Spilt Milk” storytelling slider of their own.

Storytelling sliders are also an easy & interesting way to assess comprehension.

I’ve included a “Let’s “sequence the story” activity for this, where students color and trim the picture “windows” then glue them in the correct order on their worksheet.

There’s also a “Here’s What Happened…” writing prompt worksheet, as another way to check comprehension, plus practice sequential writing, hopefully using a variety of ordinal numbers and other transitions. 

Finally, I thought it would be fun to practice upper and lowercase letters with a "cloud alphabet", which also includes an "animal cloud" for each letter as well.

The "Cloud-Themed Alphabet Packet" includes:
* An “Alpha Clouds” (color, trace & write) booklet.

With 4 pages on one, to make a "just-the-right-size", mini booklet.

*An “ABC Animal Clouds” booklet, with the same above format.

* A boy & girl “Look at my cloud name” worksheet craftivity.

* 3 sets of alpha-cloud cards for upper & lowercase letters.

* 2 sets of animal cloud cards. There is a “cloud animal” for each letter of the alphabet.

* There are also matching animal word cards, which will provide more ways to play “Memory Match” and “I Have; Who Has?” games.

* Children can also pick a picture card and describe the animal using 1-3 adjectives OR…
* Pick a word card and use it in a sentence. OR…
* Students can arrange the letter and/or word cards in alphabetical order.

-Use the “Kaboom!” cards to add to the fun.
-Use the cover to make an “Itty Bitty” booklet.

* I’ve also included a 5-page, tip list of other games and things you can use the cards for.

* 2 poster poems to introduce the lesson

These activities can be used for independent centers, whole group activities, Daily 5 word work, early finishers, homework, or tossed in a sub tub.

Today's featured FREEBIE is a set of number posters.  

These anchor charts are perfect for a math bulletin board that you can refer to daily and review:

* fractions, colors, patterns, telling time, fact families, money, tally marks, ordinal numbers, measurement with a ruler, +1 addition, sequencing numbers, counting groups and sets of objects, and using a ten frame for addition or subtraction.

Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by. My feet have hit the floor running, as I'm watching 3 of my grandchildren today.

They are age 4, 2 and 1, so it will be a busy day of play, filled with lots of fun and giggles.   Wishing you a love-filled day.

"Becoming a grandmother is wonderful. One moment you’re just a mother. The next you are all-wise and prehistoric." ~Pam Brown

1-2-3 Come Do Some Activities For The "5 Little Pumpkins" Poem With Me

One of the seasonal poems I do for October, is “5 Little Pumpkins Sitting On a Gate”.   (Click this link to take a look at an animated version on YouTube.)

The poem is chock full of Dolch words, rhymes, has ordinal numbers and is a fun way to practice counting with little ones.

With that in mind, I made up some quick, easy and fun activities for the “5 Little Pumpkins”, which practice a variety of standards and am featuring 3 (hot-off-the-press) packets on the blog today. 

First up is a simple "flip the flap" craftivity, which is a super-fun way for students to read and share the "5 Little Pumpkins" poem.  

Besides the black and white templates for students, I’ve also included colorful patterns, so that you can quickly and easily make a sample to share.

Even if you don’t do this as a whole-group activity, you can whip one together for yourself to use as a storytelling manipulative, which will be a great visual for your students.

I’ve also included an “Itty Bitty” emergent reader booklet for children to color, cut and collate.

Have them pick a partner and take turns reading to each other, then encourage them to remember to read it to their families.  

Next up, is another quick "5 Little Pumpkins" craftivity. 

My kiddos absolutely LOVE making and wearing crowns, so I thought it would be fun to design 5 crown options for my own little pumpkins.

The patterns come in color as well as black and white.

Children color, trim around the crown, then glue the bottom to the center of a sentence strip, or length of card stock.

Bulletin board border also works really well, and adds extra pizzazz because you can choose either plain or a  Halloween-themed pattern. 

Afterwards I have my kiddos line up and we have a pumpkin parade, marching around the room to some spooky music. 

Finally, I created a jumbo, "5 Little Pumpkins" packet, with a nice assortment of simple activities which help practice a variety of standards.

The packet includes:

* 2 versions of the poem.
The original with the line “witches in the air”, as well as an optional poem which changes the line to “bats in the air”.

The poems come in a colorful poster, as well as black and white “color me” worksheets.

One features the words for emergent readers, while another alternative for PK kiddos, has just the pictures.

* I’ve also included a fence and 5 pumpkin manipulatives for telling the “story”.

There's also a colorful set of pocket chart, sentence cards. (For both versions.)

* Plus pocket chart cards that feature numbers 1-5, with the number words, and a group of pumpkins showing that many.

* There’s a matching set with “cutting lines” so that you can make an independent puzzle center, as well as a set of ordinal number cards children can sequence.

* Plus a set of "Memory Match" cards, which can also be used to play “I Have; Who Has?” games.

* An “Out went the light” storytelling-pumpkin craft
* 5 pumpkin-themed worksheets

* A “5 Little Pumpkins” Itty Bitty booklet
* A “Pumpkins On A Roll” dice game
* 2 “I Spy” a number game sheets, which are wonderful for whole group assessing.

* A pumpkin “slider” craftivity, which will help practice numbers 1-5, 1-10, counting backwards from 10-1, as well as skip counting by 5s. And finally…

* Pete the Cat has a “5 Little Pumpkins” book out, so I’ve included a worksheet where students “trace the numbers” and color the pumpkins who are “rolling out of sight” on a skateboard.  This is today's featured FREEBIE.  Click on the link to grab your copy.  

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

We are losing some of our beautiful autumn leaves today, as it's windy with a misty drizzle. 

Just the kind of weather for a spicy hot cup of apple cider and a good book.  Wishing you a peaceful and snuggly day.

"There's something about autumn that lifts up our senses and reminds us to truly take a moment to notice all of the beauty that surrounds us, which we sometimes take for granted." -Unknown

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

Since the story Elf on a Shelf continues to be very popular, I wanted to make a few new elf-themed activities.

I think you'll really enjoy how many skills & standards you can cover with this cute Little Elf emergent reader packet!

The book incorporates 34 Dolch sight words, rhyme, end punctuation (period, question mark & exclamation point), descriptive writing, use of adjectives, plus the five senses.

To spice things up with a little math, I’ve also included 5 graphing extensions as well as...

An interesting and super-fun rhyming activity that matches the 5 pairs of words that rhyme in the story. I’ve included answer keys.

This can be done independently on the worksheet provided, or students can work in teams.

As another option, do a different set of words orally, by having students stand up.

You start the game by saying the word go. (I chose this word for the oral competition, because I found 135 words that rhyme with it.)

The first student gives a word; you write it on the board so there are no repeats.
If a child can’t think of a word, they’re out.

Play continues ’til there are no words left, or whoever is left can’t think of another word.

There's a teacher's edition in full color, as well as black line masters, with 2, as well as 4 pages, on a one-page template.

To further reinforce the 5 senses, I've also included boy & girl elves to color and label.

There's also a mini "cut & glue" similar version. It's an Itty Bitty booklet where children read, add end punctuation, circle the capital letters, underline the adjectives, trace & write the 5 senses words; then color, cut and glue the matching picture. 

Click on the link to zip on over to my TpT shop, where the 40-page, Little Elf packet is a dollar off for a limited time.

The featured FREEBIE today is the Santa's List packet.  Students write why they think that they should be on Santa's "nice" list. 

After students share their page, collect, collate, add the cover and make into a class book.

Includes a Santa's List poster to use as a good-behavior motivator, as well as a template for students to write a note to their Elf on a Shelf or to Santa.  These make fun Daily 5 writing activities.

Well that's it for today. My brain is on overdrive, brimming with all sorts of things I want to design.

I LOVE December and all of the themes.  My little ones make it even more magical. Wishing you a fun-filled day.

“Christmas gift suggestions: to your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect.”  - Oren Arnold

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

Are you studying 2D shapes?  If so, I think your kiddos will really enjoy learning & practicing with these super-fun, hands-on activities, featured in my newest packet: Scarecrow Shapes.

The packet is stuffed with a variety of hands-on fun for learning 2D shapes.

Here’s what you’ll get:

* An emergent reader, “The Scarecrow’s Nose”, which practices a variety of standards, and packs a lot of sight word clout, as I’ve included 33 Dolch words.

Children read the sentence, add end punctuation: (period, question mark & exclamation point).

They trace and write the shape & color word, trace and draw the shape, then color the picture.

There is a pattern with 2-on-a-one-page template, as well as 4-on-a-page to make an Itty Bitty booklet.

On the last page, children draw a scarecrow. The nose is their favorite shape and color.

* There’s a whole-group graphing activity to graph the results.

* I've also included a really cute “My Scarecrow’s Nose” slider craftivity. 

"Socrates" is not only super-fun, but a quick, easy, and interesting way to whole group assess 2D shapes.

I’ve included a full-page size, as well as a smaller, 2-on-a-page pattern.

* There's also 7 shape worksheets that practice a variety of standards, as well as ...

* 6 colorful pocket chart cards, plus a matching black and white set, so students can make a Shape Flip Booklet, plus ...

* 5 shape games along with ...

* 4 assessments using just one worksheet!  And finally,

* A bookmark-size, “color me” certificate of praise. 

This packet is a whopping 63 pages long. 

Click on the link to zip on over to my TpT shop to have a look: Scarecrow Shapes: Emergent Reader, Games, Worksheets & Craftivities and let the learning fun begin.

I hope your kiddos enjoy learning with "Socrates" as much as mine did. 

Today's featured FREEBIE is also another fun way to practice shapes.

Back in 2009, I designed Silly Shaped Penguins. 

Because it's one of my most popular downloads, throughout the years I've added to the menagerie. 

Since it's fall, I thought the Silly Shaped Owls were perfect for a fall FREEBIE.  Hope you enjoy them.  

Well that's it for today.  I have so many projects "in process" and scattered all over my desk , that I'm not sure where to begin. 

October is flying by way too fast! Wishing you an awesome autumn. 

"I craft so hard, I sweat glitter!" -Unknown

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

Ever since Disney came out with Monsters Inc, monsters have gone from something scary to something sweet, helpful and rather loveable.

Because these cute creatures are super-popular with children, I decided to design a few monster things for my October activities.

Thus, "Shapely Monsters" was born, and like Disney, my monsters are adorable.

This emergent reader, packs a lot of Dolch punch, as students practice color and number words, as well as 2D shapes.

Children read the simple sentences; trace & write the shape, color & number words associated with that monster, then color the “shapely monster” the matching color, adding the appropriate number of eyes.

For the last page, students design their own monster, using their favorite color, and draw on as many eyes as they are years old.

To cover another math standard, I’ve also included a graphing extension, featuring Marvin the marvelous monster who is helping to search for, count & color the various 2D shapes.

Besides the full-page booklet, to conserve paper & ink, I’ve also included 2-on-a-page templates to make a smaller emergent reader.  You can use the larger one as a teacher's edition.  

When everyone has completed their booklet, read it aloud as a whole group to practice concepts of print, then encourage children to share it with their family when they get home, to further reinforce colors, numbers and shapes. 

Shapely Monsters is one of Diane's Dollar Deals in my TpT shop.  Click on the link to zip on over.  

Today's FREEBIE also has to do with shapes, and features an assortment of fall-themed pictures.  I hope you enjoy it.  Fall Shape Matching Game.

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by.  There's a huge MOPS sale at a nearby church today!

I'm excited to search for some bargain-priced clothes and goodies for my grandchildren.  Wishing you an exciting day. 

"The monster was the best friend I ever had." -Boris Karloff

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 Writing Craftivities With Me

The key to getting children motivated to write, is simply giving them something exciting and fun to tease their imaginations and get the creative juices flowing.

Pumpkins in the News does that.  It's my latest, 29-page, writing prompt-emergent reader packet.  

I’ve included 2 class-made books: The Case of the Missing Pumpkins, as well as Our Class Pumpkins in the News.

To get the pumpkin rolling, there’s a “What can you do with a pumpkin?” poster, which includes two graphing extensions to cover more standards.

Children will readily share that you can eat and carve them, but are they aware that you can grow a record-breaking giant pumpkin, catapult them through the air, or turn them into a boat and sail them in a regatta?

All of these are popular contests and make headlines in the news.
I’ve included links to awesome videos to whet everyone’s writing appetites.

On the crazy creative side, how about the discovery of an alien pumpkin, or a pumpkin that could talk or grant 3 wishes?

Trust me, your kiddos will WANT to get right down to the business of writing! Woo hoo.

The crafty part of the project is a newsprint pumpkin.
Coloring newspaper with crayons or markers, creates a super-interesting and awesome look.

Completed projects look amazing swirling & twirling from the ceiling.  I've included several "header" cards to choose from, as a title for your display.

Little ones can search for all of the letter Pp’s and circle them.

I’ve also included several worksheets for more letter Pp practice.

Toss in a bit of shape review, with the pumpkin’s facial features, and practice spelling names via his smile. 

The emergent reader has 6, mini pages on a one-page template, to create a "just the right size" booklet, which comes in color for a teacher's edition, as well as black & white for your kiddos.

There's also a pattern with 12-on-a-page to make an Itty Bitty one.  It's packed with plenty of Dolch sight words.

I've included an optional 7th page that says "Happy Halloween".

If you don't include it with the emergent reader, you could give them to your kiddos on party day.

They are today's featured FREEBIE.  Click on the link to grab a copy in both black & white as well as color.

Well that's it for now. Thanks for stopping by. It's my sincere hope that your own little "punkins" enjoy these craftivities.  It's a gorgeous 70 degrees today; the leaves are finally starting to turn.

The fresh air floating in from my window is beckoning me to come play.  I shall succumb.  Wishing you a peaceful day.

"I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion." - Henry David Thoreau 

1-2-3 Come Do Some Pumpkin Life Cycle Activities With Me

Since the Life Cycle of an Apple packet, was so popular, I decided to make a matching one featuring a pumpkin's life cycle.

You’ll love the versatility, as it’s appropriate for a variety of ages and levels, with lots of options.

The Life Cycle of a Pumpkin emergent reader, is great non-fiction practice that reinforces plenty of sight words, as it includes 37 from the Dolch word lists!  Picture prompts help with the rest.

I’ve included a color copy for teachers, as well as a student copy in black & white.

Children trace and write the life cycle words, read the simple sentences, color the pictures, then cut & collate the pages into a “just the right size” booklet.

There’s a template with 6 on a page, as well as one with 12 mini-pages on a one-page template, so that you have the option to make Itty Bitty booklets, that are a real paper-saver.

To assist with reading, review the life cycle of a pumpkin with the 12 colorful pocket chart cards.

There’s a set featuring wonderful clip art, as well a set with real life photographs.
Use the smaller sets to play a Memory Match or Speed (sequencing) game.

I also made a bookmark-size template (with 4-on-a-page) for your students. 

You can also review the life cycle with a colorful pumpkin poster.  I've included a black line version your kidos can do as a worksheet.

The 6, pumpkin craftivities, also reinforce the life cycle.
Nothing like a hands-on artsy activity to get your kiddos excited, and completed projects make an awesome bulletin board or hallway display.

Because they are quick, easy & fun, and so different from each other, you could do several.

For example, do the flat Jack-o-lantern life cycle as a homework assignment worksheet, and the pumpkin life cycle wheel as an independent center or whole group activity. 

The pumpkin wheel craftivity is my personal favorite; the green stem acts as a pull-tab to easily rotate the pumpkin to show the various stages.

All of the crafts come in full-color so you can make a quick sample to share, as well as black & white for your kiddos to color.

If you do the “Oh My! Pumpkin Pie” craftivity, spritz with pumpkin-cinnamon air freshener! Your room will smell wonderful.

The ”life cycle-circles” come in 2 sizes, as well as black & white, plus full-color options, with and without word labels.

The packet also includes 15 posters featuring real photographs of the various stages of a pumpkin’s life cycle, which make a lovely bulletin board display, or simply share them with your kiddos to introduce or review the stages.

I think photographs really add to a lesson, as it's always amazing to me how many of my little "punkins" have never been to a pumpkin patch to pick out their pumpkin, or are even aware of the fact that pumpkins, like apples, come in more than one color. 

Click on the link to zip on over to my TpT shop to take a look see at this 85-pager: Life Cycle of a Pumpkin packet.  It's my sincere hope that you & your sweeties enjoy these activities as much as mine do.

While you're over there, I'd so appreciate it if you'd click the "Follow me" button. That way you'll know when I post FREEBIES, & Diane's Dollar Deals.

Thanks in advance; I'm excited to reach 700 followers.  I always design a special freebie when I hit a "milestone". Speaking of FREEBIES, the featured one today is also about pumpkins. 

I call it "Peekin' in a Pumpkin" because you can literally peek inside the paper plate pumpkin "window", and see "pumpkin guts". 

On the front of the paper plate, students draw a Jack-o'-lantern.  My kiddos absolutely LOVE doing this craftivity, and the results, suspended from the ceiling in the hall, are simply "spook-tacular!"

We get lots of "ooh ahh" comments too.

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by.  The trees are just starting to turn, so it's time for a nature walk.

My poodle pup, Chloe, will be thrilled.  Wishing you a relaxing day; I hope it's invigorating as well.

"When the wind blows through a wood, its mass is cut and closed by every leaf, forming a train of jittery vortices in the air." -Alice Oswald

1-2-3 Come Sing and Learn With Me

Do you sing “5 Little Apples In an Apple Tree” during fall?  It’s one of my kiddos favorites, and a great way to practice all sorts of math skills! 

They especially enjoy the fingerplays I've added, and like it so much, we continue to sing 5 Little Apples through November, as we add other songs to our autumn repertoire.

I added an extra stanza to the end. I figured if a child ate 5 apples, especially green ones, they'd probably end up with a tummy ache; thus the line: "Did I eat 5 apples without a break? Uh oh! Tummy ache."

Besides singing the song, I wanted to do some follow up activities that would also reinforce a variety of standards, so I designed the 5 Little Apples Activities packet. 

I think you’ll really like the versatility, as it’s appropriate for PK-1st and especially helpful for ESL children.  Simply pick & choose what’s right for your group.

The packet includes :

* An emergent reader, which includes a full-color copy for teachers, as well as a black & white one for your students.

Children read the repetitive sentences, trace & write the number & number word, then draw that many apples on their tree. 

To make this a sweet keepsake, I have my kiddos press their index finger on their choice of a red, yellow or green stamp pad, to make their apples. 

If you like that idea too, you'll want to include the optional last page:

* I've also included a set of Pocket chart cards. As you read the poem-chant with your kiddos, you can take an apple away.

Continue reading by simply changing the 2 cards that have a number on them.

To reinforce subtraction with my kiddos, I have them hold up a "high five" hand. 

As apples fall we "fold" one of our fingers down. 

I say: "5 apples were on the tree.  One fell down; that left..." They say and show me 4.

* There's also a variety of Games:Memory Match, I Spy, Where's Wiggles? ( which practices ordinal numbers as well as spatial directions), plus I Have-Who Has?; Speed, Kaboom & an Apples on a Roll (dice game).

* Some posters, including photographs of real apples.
* Math-related worksheets with the 5 Little Apples theme. 

Pick the level that's appropriate for your kiddos.

* My personal favorite, is an apple slider craftivity, with two options: a simple slider with numbers from 1-5 for PK kiddos, as well as one that skip counts by 5s.

* The number puzzles are also suitable for different ages and levels.

I hope your kiddos enjoy this song-poem as much as mine do. As you can see, it’s a quick, easy and fun way to cover all sorts of standards. 

Click on the link to pop on over to my TpT shop to have a look see at this 57-pager that's chock full of fun, and only $3.50: 5 Little Apples Activities

The featured FREEBIE today, is a quick, easy and fun way to learn more about your students, as they practice their address, which I think is extremely important, and fits right in with our Fire Safety activities this month. 

Click on the link for the "My Home" writing prompt craftivity.  Completed projects make an adorable "Our Classroom Neighborhood" bulletin board too.  

Well that's it for today.  I'm anxious to start designing other fire safety stuff, plus pumpkin and scarecrow activities!

Be sure and pop back tomorrow to see what I got accomplished. For now, it's time for a computer break to decorate my house for fall, before Halloween has come and gone! Wishing you a weekend filled with super-fun autumn activities.

"Let your life lightly dance on the edges of time, like dew on the tip of a leaf." - Rabindranath Tagore