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

Are you familiar with the story Stellaluna, by Jannell Cannon?  It's a personal favorite. 

Don't have the book? Click this LINK for an awesome read aloud on YouTube.  This actress does a wonderful job bringing the story to life.

It's one of our favoirte fall stories, and perfect for practicing the "sequencing & retelling a story" standards.  

It's extremely current for today, especially in our very diverse classrooms.

Children easily identify with Stellaluna as she struggles with trying to fit in, and empathize with the conflicts that happen when people are asked to pretend to be someone that they are not.

While the premise of a bat trying to live with birds is a bit humorous, there is an underlying realization that Stellaluna is happiest when she discovers the joys of simply being herself, a bat.

With that in mind, I created these quick, easy & fun activities that will help your students sequence & retell the story.

You will love the versatility; as you can easily diversify your lessons with the variety of options.

As always, all patterns come in color, so that teachers can quickly & easily make examples to share, as well as black & white for students.

The packet includes:

          A bat craft perfect for teachers & librarians to make & use for a whole group activity, then later put up as an interesting bulletin board.

This is a nice big bat, and is created with two wing patterns, plus a body.

Simply run off the 3, full-page patterns on construction paper, trim & glue together.

Underneath Stellaluns, place the sequencing mat, using the "picture ovals" to sequence & retell the story.

I like to pass out these picture cards before I read the story, then when I get to that part of the story depicted by the picture, the child holding that card comes up to our Stellaluna board and attaches the picture. 

This really helps involve my students, and they absolutely love participating. 

You can attach the pieces with a magnet, Velcro, or a glue dot, or simply a piece of Scotch tape.

I laminate my pieces, so that I can use them each year. 

To solidify the sequence of the story, we retell it using the pictures on the poster. I ask questions like, "What's happening in this picture?"

For further reinforcement, and to give more children a chance, I again pass out the cards and see if they can sequence it.

You can also use the bat as  a whole group sorting activity, where the “picture ovals” are put on “Beginning, Middle & End” of the story mats.

I’ve included  “word labels” for your bat, as well as blank mats to position under the bat.

There is also a colorful pattern with the answers already inside the ovals.

I’ve done this for this activity, as well as the sequencing one. This way you have an answer key if you want to use these as independent center activities after doing them as a whole group.  

For writing practice, I've also included a "Branching Out" worksheet, where students write a few sentences about the beginning, middle & end of the story. 

Besides the large, teachers' bat, I designed a smaller bat craftivity, which is perfect for students.

There are 4 activity options to choose from:

1. Students sequence the picture tiles.

They color, cut & glue them to the ordinal numbered worksheet.

 After students have sequenced the pictures, they add a bat "topper" as well as a bottom bat "hanger".

2. Students can also do the same thing, only with the Beginning, Middle & End worksheet.

As you can see by the photo to your right, there are completed answer keys in both color & black & white.

I did this for the sequencing activity as well.

3. & 4. There’s also a “tracing” option for little ones, as well as several writing prompt activities for older students, such as:

"Did you like the story? What was your favorite part?" or " Would you like to be a bat? Why or why not?"

You could also list interesting bat facts, or write an autumn acrostic poem.

All of these options use the “bat topper” and the bottom “hanger” bat patterns.

To make things easier for younger kiddos, simply have them color, cut & glue on just the "topper" bat.

Completed projects make a cute bulletin board or hallway display.

I’ve included several posters to add extra pizzazz to your decorating.

To check & assess comprehension, there are 3 worksheet options, with answer keys.

All activities can be used individually, as a whole group, or in a language arts center.

Today's featured FREEBIE also has some bats, as well as spiders, leaves, an owl & turkeys.

It's a super-fun, fall matching game.

Students match the 2D shape to its counterpart on the bat, and other cards.

It's a wonderful activity for your math center, or something for early finishers to do.

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

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Don’t forget that all of my new products are 40% off for 48 hours.

Click this LINK to follow my shop & you'll be notified of these huge savings. 

We are having beautiful "Indian summer" weather in the 70s, so it's time to go play outside.

Wishing you non batty & stress free days.

"What we learn to do, we learn by doing." -Aristotle

1-2-3 Come Do Some Groundhog Day Activities With Me

Do you read ”Who Will See Their Shadow This Year?” by Jerry Pallotta?
It’s one of my students’ favorite Groundhog Day stories and perfect for practicing the “sequencing and retelling a story” standards. 

With that in mind, I designed this quick, easy and fun ”Who Will See Their Shadow?” “slider” craftivity, which will help your students retell the story in chronological order.   

The gist: A variety of animals are sick of winter and anxious for spring. Since the groundhog is sleeping, they wonder if they can make it come sooner by seeing their shadows. 

Each one takes a turn, causing all kinds of weather from a hurricane to a tornado, which makes this a great story to review all kinds of weather with your kiddos as well.

There are 3 outside slider options to choose from. Pick your favorite or give children a choice.

There are also 2 slider strip options: one with just the animal graphics, and the other with the animals and their weather word.

For example, when the chicken saw her shadow it rained; when the polar bear saw his shadow there was a blizzard.

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

As they pull on the end of the “slider-strip” the various animal characters 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.

Even if you don't have time for everyone to make a slider, make one for yourself, as it's a great tool for reviewing a story.

I introduce the lesson by reading the book ”Who Will See Their Shadow?”, then share my completed "slider craft” with my students.

So that you can quickly, and easily make an example, I’ve included full-color patterns.

After I read the story, we retell the tale together, using the picture prompts on my slider.
I have them guess which animal character 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 a “Shadow” 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, (BW & color) as another way to check comprehension, plus practice sequential writing, hopefully using a variety of ordinal numbers and other transitions. 

Today's featured FREEBIE also has a Groundhog theme.

Click the link for the quick, easy & fun "Fickle Phil" Groundhog Day lunch bag craft. 

Well that's it for now.  Thanks for stopping by.  I hear the snowplows zipping up and down the roads, sure wouldn't want that "way too early" morning job. 

Wishing you a prosperous day. 

"Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face." -Unknown

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1-2-3 Come Do Some Frog-Themed Craftivities With Me

Woo hoo for some of you lucky duckies who are now basking in the sunshine, enjoying the start of your vacation.  For those of you who are still in school for a few more days, or even weeks, boy have I got a super-fun, frog-themed packet for you! 

Even the vacationers can enjoy it, as this whopping packet not only features end-of-the-year stuff, but matching back-to-school activities as well! 

The versatility continues because it includes templates for Pre K4 through 3rd grade, so you can make things specific to your grade level! 

Getting students to WANT to write and really enjoy it, is one of my hot buttons.  With that in mind, I stuffed the packet with lots of creative writing prompt choices with an adorable frog theme that encompasses "leaping" into summer, a new grade, and a new year in school. 

There are 18 writing prompt craftivities in all, with lots of options for both the end of the year, as well as for back-to-school.   I enjoy drawing frogs; and had a fun time creating some real cuties.  "Ferdinand" is a fat and sassy frog that's a "peek-over". 

Run him off on lime green construction paper.  Students trim and add colorful details with crayons, then glue him to the top of their "I'm leaping" writing prompt for the end of the year, or choose another topic and use the blank frog pattern, for back-to-school.  I've included a "Look Who's Leaping" poster to use in the center of your bulletin board when you display your students' finished projects.

"Fred" is another fun-frog craft.  Here the writing prompt is written on his "tongue".  You can display Fred with a "flat tongue" or include some great fine-motor practice, and have students curl it, by rolling the paper strip on a crayon. 

For that finishing touch, I've included some "flies".  There's a "This stuff stuck. Look what I learned!" end-of-the-year pattern, as well as one that says: "I had a delicious summer.This is what I did..." for back-to-school. 

"Jose'" is a "belly flipping" writing prompt frog.  There are 8 cover options.  Four for the end-of-the-year, and 4 for back-to-school. 

Jose' can be done as a whole-group, class-made book, where everyone contributes a "belly page"  or as an independent writing prompt, where each child makes their own booklet.  The "Before We Go We'd Like You To Know" booklet gives advice to next year's kiddos. 

The "Frogtastic Memories" can be turned into a quick, easy and fun end-of-the-year Memory Book, by simply having students write pages about the favorite things that they did in school or during the summer.  

"Frankie" and "Fern" are the cute Frog Face Flip book twins.  Frankie sports a bowtie, while Fern wears a bow on top of her head.  Their "face" flips up to reveal a writing prompt. 

There are 5 to choose from, plus a blank one to program with whatever, and a sample for you to share to help explain to your students what you want them to do. 

As with "Fred" this too can be done independently, or as a whole-group, class-made booklet.  The back-to-school "I'm 'hoppy' to be me" writing prompt is a personal favorite.

I've also included a "We're flipping over leaping into a new grade!" poster that you can use for the center of your bulletin board display. 

There's a poster for pre k4 through 3rd grade, plus a blank one to fill in with whatever. 

If you've followed me, you know that I like to incorporate things with a play-on-words.  It's a fun way to expand horizons and build vocabulary. 

Since a frog says "Ribbit!" I decided to make a "Ribbit, Write It, Read It" writing prompt using the word "riveting" as the twist.

Students write about their "ribbiting" summer or "ribbiting" things that they enjoyed during the school year, inside "Rodney's" circular-frog belly. 

I've included a definition-poster for introducing the word riviting, along with a "Ribbit; Write It; Read It" poster for the center of your display. 

If you're not into "craftivities" I've also included lots of quick, easy and fun coloring-page, writing prompt worksheets. Simply print and go.

There's a sampling of some of them in the photo.  The "So long school, hello summer" or "So long summer, hello school" worksheets, where the froggy is opening a 3D school door to reveal the writing prompt are especially cute. 

There's a similar writing prompt with a different frog, that may be more appealing for older students. 

I've included samples for both, and each one has prompts for both seasons. Completed projects make darling bulletin boards too.

One bulletin board display that's especially adorable, is the frog on a lily pad.  I made the water lily flower out of a coffee filter.  In the top photo I simply scrunched the filter. 

In the bottom picture I folded it into 1/8ths, then folded it one more time, snipping the end to create scallops. When you open it, it looks just like a large flat water lily. 

I edged it with a pink watercolor marker, then spritzed it with water so it smudged into the paper.  Easy-peasy with awesome results. 

You have a nice teachable moment to discuss fractions, while children are following your step-by-step directions and folding their filter.   The final writing prompt craftivity features "Fritz".  This frog sits on a pail of sand. 

I cut an oval out of sandpaper and glued it to the bucket, so that it looks filled!  Children write things they'd like to do over the summer.  The back-to-school writing prompt option tells what they've done during the summer and what they'd like to do in school. 

I realize this "bucket list" idea is all over Pinterest, but I've been doing it way before TpT or Pinterest came into being.  Click on the link for my original "Summer Bucket List" FREEBIE. It's in a FREE summer writing prompt packet with 6 other fun "craftivities".

Besides writing prompts, there are lots of end-of-the-year AND back-to-school themed "goodies" stuffed into the packet, with templates for Pre K4 through 3rd grade.

One group features another play-on-words using "toad-ally" for totally, which fits in perfect with my frog/toad theme. 

I had fun designing a few writing prompts, as well as goodies using this fun word.   There are color, as well as black & white covers for the mini-flip booklets and notes, as well as 2 posters and some labels.  

"Brag Bracelets" are another "goodie". They are super-fun to make and wear.  I designed one that says: "I'm Leaping!" and another with "Welcome!" on it. 

Simply run off the pattern and trim using a paper cutter.  Slit a toilet paper roll up the side and cut it into sections, the width of the pattern. Children glue to their "slap bracelet" folding the edges under.  It's the perfect size for little ones, and the bent shape keeps it on their arm!  When other kiddos ask them about their bracelet, they can "brag" that they made it and are "leaping" into a new grade. Nice little self-esteem builder! 

If you're looking for a quick, easy and inexpensive little end-of-the-year, or back-to-school treat to give your students, take a look at my "tiny tags". 

These are sweet little notes from the teacher, that you can attach to a "Flavor Ice" Popsicle (They sell them 50 to a pack for only $2.95!).

Putting them on a  Fruit Roll Up (sticky frog tongue!) or attaching to a Snack Baggie is also fun.  The Dollar Store sells a package of 12 gummi rainbow frogs that would also work.

I've also created a cute, keepsake-photo magnet.   Laminate them for durability.  The Dollar Store also sells magnet strip.  (I'm a frequent shopper there; can ya tell?) 

I've also included a variety of bookmarks suitable for the beginning, as well as the end of they year.  They come in color, as well as black and white. 

One is a writing prompt that students complete (nice bucket-filler activity), while another they color for one of your in-coming students.  

My personal favorite is the keepsake photo bookmark, but the foreign language (Hello-Goodbye) ones are also really cute. 

Another "goodie" in the packet are the "color-me" certificates for pre K4 through 3rd grade, (there are 4 styles to choose from, or give your kiddos a choice), plus there are 2 word-art frog-shaped posters that I created using Tagxedo.com.  I've included my silhouettes, so that your kiddos can also make their own.  

Well that about covers this frog-themed packet, which is a whopping 201 pages (!) and on sale now for just $6.95 (regularly $8.95).  It took me a zillion hours to finish, but I think it was well worth the time. Click on the link to pop on over to my TpT shop and let the fun begin. 

As always, I try to include a few FREEBIES from the packet as well.   You can get the frog-word art posters, the word-art certificates (for pre-K4 through 3rd grade) stars and labels, plus the brag bracelets by clicking on the link: frog-themed end-of-the year mini packet.

To grab the FREE frog back-to-school banners, click on this link. The end pennants come in color as well as black line, and have templates for Pre K4 through 3rd grade.  The frog-face pennants spell out "Welcome" and are in black and white, so that your kiddos can color them, taking ownership of helping to decorate their new home-away-from-home classroom.

This year's kiddos can make the banner to welcome your new students in the fall, or the new kids on the block can do it.  Either way, it's kid-made and will look awww-dorable. Well that's it!  Whew! That's a lot of frog stuff! 

I apologize for such a long post.  Thanks for hanging in there if you've read to the end.  I'm just so excited to share my latest "mess-terpiece".  You should see my office; it's a pile of craft supplies and samples...everywhere! 

Thanks for visiting today.  It's clean up time.  Maybe I'll hum the "clean-up song" that my Y5's used to love singing.  On second thought, the sun is shining and a warm breeze is beckoning to me to come play.  I think I will. Wishing you a delightful day, crammed with creativity.

"For life to get easier, you have to get better." -Billy Cox