1-2-3 Come Do A Winter Craftivity With Me  

Having taken down all the decorations, plus sent home lots of wonderful student work that once festooned the walls, our hallways always look a bit bleak and bare after Christmas vacation. 

It's time to begin again, and since I live in Michigan where snow lasts well into March, I like to do a big snow theme in January.

With that in mind, I designed this sled-themed packet. 

The name sleds are a quick, versatile, and fun craftivity, that creates a super-cute, winter bulletin board or hallway display.

I’ve included letters which spell out “Brrr-illiant Work!” to use for a header.

I've gotten a bit more tech saavy and was able to use this beautiful, blue background paper to make the letters. 

Simply print, laminate, trim and hang on or above your bulletin board or wall display,

There are 28, black & white graphics of children to top a sled with; as well as full color, so that teachers can quickly and easily make an example to share. 

Choose your favorites or give children a choice. Younger children will find the rectanglular shape easy to trim, while older students can opt to cut around the picture.

Besides the 28 graphics, there are also 3 different style options: 1. Graphic with a face on the child, 2. Graphic with a blank face, so that students can draw on their own, and 3. Graphic with a white "photo circle" over the face, so that children can glue on a picture of themselves.

Younger children can simply color the picture, trim and glue to their paper sled with their name on it, while older students can use their sled to go along with one of the writing prompts.

There are three writing worksheets to choose from.

My personal favorite is: “Sledding With My 5 Senses”.

I share my examples, which i've included in the packet.  We close our eyes and pretend we are sledding, then discuss some things we might see, hear, feel etc. 

"Expand" these thoughts with older students. For example. "I see snow" is appropropriate for little ones; while "I see sparkling white snow" is expanded to include adjectives. 

This more descriptive sentence helps everyone "see" what the author does.  If your students are like mine, they will really enjoy "growing" a sentence. 

I’ve also included a “Come Sledding With Me” poem. Use the colorful poster for the center of your display.

"Oh no! Sloping snow. Here we go!"  This rhyming poem is chock full of over 20 Dolch sight words. Have older students use the black & white version to practice reading, along with a variety of other standards.

There’s a question sheet that you can share with your class. For example, "What words rhyme in the first stanza?" "Can you think of another rhyming word?"

Have older students write their answers on their BW copy of the poem.  I've included my completed sample to use as an answer key.

Another quick, easy and fun way to continue with the poetry genre, is having students make an acrostic poem, using the word sledding.

I’ve included an acrostic pattern, with a definition poster, plus an example to introduce your lesson.

Completed projects can be displayed with the name sled craft for a really cute language arts bulletin board. 

And woo hoo! Look at how many standards your students have practiced, all while enjoying making a name sled.

Since the 100th Day of school is just around the corner, today's featured FREEBIE is a quick, easy & fun little "Rip & Tear" craft to help you celebrate. 

Ripping and tearing strips of paper into small square scraps and then gluing them to their #100 worksheet, is not only fun for your kiddos, it helps strengthen their finger muscles.

Children can do a multi-colored "rainbow" 100, like my sample, or choose 2 or 3 colors and do an AB-AB or ABC-ABC color pattern. 

Completed projects make a sweet bulletin board. I've included a poster to use for the center of your display.

Well that's it for today.

The snow outside my office window is falling softly, and all over town children and teachers are rejoicing in having a "snuggle in"  snow day. 

Wishing you a sparkling day.

"If you listen carefully, the silence of the snow is beautiful." -Unknown

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

 1-2-3 Come Do Another Cat in the Hat Activity With Me

Just when I thought I was done designing Seuss "stuff" 'til next year, I'm back at it.  (Part of my "obseuss-ion" with this author?) Actually, it's all Paula's fault. (I say this with a big smile on my face, as I LOVE helping others.)

She's from Florida and asked if I had any March-themed activities to help practice alphabetizing.  She's working on that with her kinders, who are quite bored with the standard.

Since they were already "not interested", I certainly didn't want to make another "same-old" worksheet. 

What could I design that would be a hands-on kind of game that they'd find interesting?

One thing led to another and the result was The Cat in the Classmate Hat packet.

Paula LOVED it! I hope you can use it too. There are two main alphabetizing activities.

The large cat hat can be used as a game, independent center or whole group activity.

Print the stripe template off on red and white construction paper, so that you have enough stripes for however many students you have.  Laminate the paper and then trim.  

Make an alphabetical list of your students' names, so that when you pass out a strip to each child it will be the appropriate color. 

Then later, when you arrange their names in alphabetical order, they will show the correct ABAB color pattern like Seuss's hat. 

Children write their name on the strip.  For extra pizzazz, have them glue their photo next to their name.  Collect the strips and keep them in a Ziplock Baggie.

To play as a whole group game, or independent center, children arrange their classmates' names in alphabetical order on a brim of their choice:  "1-2-3 Come ABC with me!" , "__________'s students really stack up!", "Hats off to wonderful word work! We know how to alphabetize.", and "The alphabet begins with ABC. Numbers begin with 1-2-3. Music begins with do-re-mi and friendship begins with you and me."

You can demonstrate  what you want children to do, by first playing this as a whole group activity, explaining rules for alphabetizing along the way. 

I've included a recording sheet if your students choose to take the "Speed" challenge, to see who can assemble the hat in correct alphabetical order the quickest.

Make an extra set to hang up as a bulletin board or hallway wall display. There are 9 "brim" options for you to choose from. 

The packet also includes a mini cat hat activity for your students, along with a worksheet to help them alphabetize their classmates' names.

They can choose to put their hat on a cat template, a photo of themselves, or pick a head pattern and draw a face on it.

There are 9 faceless head templates they can pick from. Children color, trim and glue their hat on top.  

These completed projects also make an adorable bulletin board.  Click on the link for the Cat in the Classmate Hat packet. 

Thanks for visiting.  As usual, my day is flying by me. I have got to put my adult hat on, and get to the grocery store, so I can wear my chef hat and dream something up for dinner. 

It's dreary and cold, and I'd much rather snuggle in and play.... Wishing you a wonderful week.

 "Today was good; today was fun; tomorrow is another one!" -Dr. Seuss

1-2-3 Come Make A Name Ornament With Me

I'm not sure about your kiddos, but as the last day before vacation neared, I could sense the energy levels climbing.  To help them stay focused, I always tried to do a few hands-on "craftivities" that my students would really enjoy, but also wanted to include standards to keep the administration content as well.

With that in mind, I designed the Keepsake Name Ornament packet.  It's a quick, easy & fun Christmas ornament that helps reinforce your students' names, letter recognition, vowel identification, capitalization, graphing, counting and addition!  Woo hoo! 

This would be a wonderful center on the last day before vacation, or a special "craftivity" to do for your Christmas party day. 

I've included upper as well as lowercase letter tiles that your students trim and glue to a strip of construction paper.  I used red & green, but just one color looks nice too.

While children are at lunch or recess, laminate your students' completed projects and have a room helper cut them out, punch a hole at the top & add a yarn tie.

Gluing on a school photo makes them even more special, and even though the ornament spells their name, have them write their name and the date on the back.

For some math fun, I've included two point value charts, so your students can practice a bit of addition, by adding up the point value of their letters. 

Use the chart with point values to 4, with younger students, and the chart with numbers to 26, for older students. Because their total will be large, have children figure out the place value of their name using this grand total.

There's an ornament worksheet to record their answer, along with other data, so that you can review consonants and vowels as well.  Students can color this ornament, or simply run off on a variety of colors of copy paper.

Vowels are also reviewed, with a graphing extension. There's a graph for the total number of letters in your students' names too.   As you can see, I've packed in all sorts of math extensions in this simple ornament "craftivity".

To add to the fun, I've included a "secret" coded Christmas message that you can challenge your students to solve.  Students refer to the point value poster to figure out what the sentence says. 

Make it a "speed" game, and see who can decode the message first. To save you time, I put two on a page for quick printing, and included an answer key.  Click on the link to view/download the Keepsake Name Ornament activities. 

Thanks for visiting today.  As always, my December days fly by.  I've got to get to the post office today or my family in Wisconsin, won't get their goodies in time for Christmas.  Wishing you a stress-free day.

"May voices join with the multitude of the heavenly host to proclaim His glory. May hearts be filled with His everlasting song of joy and peace this Christmas season."  -Unknown

10 pages.

Here's a quick, easy & fun Christmas ornament that helps reinforce your students' names, letter recognition, vowel identification, capitalization, graphing, counting and addition!

17 pages

Venn diagrams are a quick, easy and fun way to help students understand the concepts of comparison and contrast.  These apple Venn diagrams are an interesting way to learn about your students, as well as an enjoyable way to practice name recognition and letters.

1-2-3 Come Do A Few More Apple Activities With Me...

I know that I said I was done designing apples for awhile, but I found a few more notes while cleaning off my desk, and one thing led to another, 'til 4 mini apple packets were knocked off.  I hope you enjoy them.  The desk is cleared and just waiting to be filled with all sorts of other fall fun . . . where to begin?

I always get a few requests for some worksheets that connect-the-dots for a variety of things.  Raesha, from Arizona, wondered if I had any connect the dots with skip counted numbers. 

She's reviewing skip counting by 5's and 10's with her firsties and thought these would be fun. 

I chose an apple theme for my template and included numbers from 0-10, as well as numbers from 0-30, plus apples for skip counting by 5's and then 10's. 

Since I had the template designed, I also made a connect the dots for uppercase letters and another for the lowercase letters.  Click on the link to view/download the Apple Connect The Dots packet.

Another request came from Rachel, over in Wisconsin.  She wanted a quick and easy way to whole-group assess a variety of standards, to see where her kinders are at. 

My favorite way to whole-group assess is with an "I Spy!" game.  I designed these with an apple theme.  Students spy uppercase letters, lowercase letters, shapes, and numbers. 

They trace the letter/shape/number called, and then raise their hand.  You can see at a glance who is having difficulty. 

Students enjoy this form of assessment, and you know where the majority of your students are, without a whole lot of time invested testing. 

Another plus for these worksheet-games, is that students can take them home and use them several more times, as they play with their parents, continuing to reinforce standards in a fun way.  

Click on the link to view/download the Apple-Themed "I Spy" packet.

I continued to reinforce name recognition with my Y5's through October, and tried to think of a variety of ways for them to practice finding and writing their names.  With a big apple unit in September, it seemed only fitting to do something with apples.

Print a copy of the apple name game template and then write your students' names on the inside. 

I also include my own name, so that I had a sample to share and show, as I explained what I wanted my kiddos to do. 

Every year some of my little ones were amazed that I had a first name (Diane). They simply thought of me as their teacher Mrs. Henderson. 

I guess it was sort of like asking the question: "What's your mom's name?"  To which most of them would reply: "Mommy." :-)

Students find and circle their name, write it on the bottom and then, because I was teaching them that apples came in three colors, I'd have them trace their apples with those 3 color markers or crayons.  Completed projects make a cute bulletin board. ("The Apples Of Mrs. Henderson's Eyes!" )

I've also included an apple card template for you to use as name tags and/or games. Print a few copies of the apple card master; write your students's names on one set and then run off on yellow construction paper. 

Print another set on white card stock and trim.  Each child colors their own apple and then glues their photo in the middle.  Collect, laminate and trim.  Use the photo apple cards with the name apple cards, to play Memory Match or "I Have; Who Has?" games. 

You could also put both sets of apple cards on a split ring and use them as flashcards, to help your students learn the names of their classmates, as well as how to read their names.   Click on the link to view/download the Apple Name Game packet.

Finally, I made some apple puzzles, that make an easy and inexpensive little gift for the 1st week of school, or whenever. 

I've included 3 different header cards for your treat Baggies, as well as a black and white template, so that your students can color their own puzzle. 

When they are done, have them cut out their puzzle, mix up the pieces and challenge them to be the first one to complete their apple puzzle. 

I've also included a blank template to help young students easily put their puzzle together.  Click on the link to view/download the apple puzzle packet.

Thanks for visiting today.  The sunshine is calling and I'm happily answering.  See you later apple-gator.

"We can teach from experience, but we cannot teach experience."  -Sasha Azevedo

4 pages.

This "find your name" craftivity, is a simple, quick, and easy worksheet for students to do at the beginning of the year, or during your apple studies.  Use the blank template  and write your students' names inside the apple.  Students find and circle their name, and then write it on the bottom.  Following the directions, they color the apple.  Completed projects make an interesting bulletin board. 

1-2-3 Come Do Some Back To School Activities With Me

As children head back to school, it's helpful if you can do some early assessing with your kinders and firsties to see where everyone's at, yet that can be time consuming and really not all that fun for your kiddos the first week of school, when they're already antsy sitting through rules, regulations and procedure talks. 

With that in mind I designed the puppy packet using the adorable clip art of DJ Inkers. 

It's a wonderful back to school packet that you can use for a variety of activities. 

Fill in your students' names on the "Look who's been spotted" worksheet.  I've included templates for preschool, kindergarten and 1st grade, plus a blank one to write in whatever you're teaching. 

Students find their name and color the circle their favorite color.  Be sure and include your name on the heart. 

Having simple worksheets like this gives your students something to do, and allows you a few minutes to work one-on-one with them.

To quickly and easily whole group assess where your students are at, play the "I spy" games for numbers, shapes, plus upper and lowercase letters. They'll have fun and you can see at a glance who's having difficulty.

The packet also includes 2 writing prompt activities.  I've designed these as extra large bookmarks, with 2 on a page. Students can choose one, color it and complete the prompt.

It's a quick home-school connection that lets parents know what their child did that day. 

I've included completed samples for you to share as well.

Another writing activity is D is for dog.  Students can roam the room and spot items and words that start with the letter Dd. 

If you do Daily 5 this is a nice option.

The packet also includes a Whose Name Is On The Bone? activity.  Because my Y5's were learning how to recognize their name, I filled a dog dish (I bought mine at The Dollar Store) with paper bones that I had written their names on. 

For a few minutes each day, I'd hold up a bone and the child who recognized their name would bark.  I know it sounds silly, but they absolutely LOVED this.  As time permitted, we'd do 3-6.  To help get the "wiggles" out, after they had sat through whatever else I had planned for carpet time, I'd play the song Who Left The Dogs Out?  

They'd pretend to be puppies and crawl around on all fours singing and barking 'til the song ended.  I'd reign them in and we'd transition to our next activity. (Too cute and rather hilarious!)

Click on the link for a nice YouTube video featuring the song and cute dog animation.  Who Let The Dogs Out?  For a shorter version, sung by kids and showing some nice dance moves for them to imitate, click on this link: Who Let The Dogs Out?

As another simple fill-in, I've also included 4 dog-themed bookmarks in color as well as black and white, plus one you can give for good behavior.

Click on the link to view/download the Back To School Puppy Packet. Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.  

Work's done for today, so I'm off to play.  As always, summer is flying way too fast!!!

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep." -Scott Adams

27 pages.

This is a wonderful back to school packet that you can use for a variety of activities.