1-2-3 Come Do Some Pussy Willow Activities With Me
"Fun With Pussy Willows" is another "From my Heart to your Hands" FREEBIE.
Spring is such a fun time to be outside, breathing in the beauty of nature, as things start to bud, bloom and grow.
Pussy willows are one of the first signs of spring here in Michigan, so I like to gather a bunch and bring them into the classroom for my kiddos to touch.
They exclaim at the softness of the little puffs, and can certainly understand how these lovely branches got their name.
With that in mind, I designed this "Fun With Pussy Willows" packet. I hope you enjoy the activities, as much as I did creating them.
The packet includes:
. 2, intersting legends about how the pussy willow got its name. You can read these as part of your introduction as well.
. A pussy willow craft.
Students can draw a few “twig” branches on their paper and create their own pussy willow pattern, or for younger kiddos, who need a bit of guidance, you can run off my pattern on construction paper.
A bright blue or gray blue color looks like a spring sky, but to add variety to your display, you could give children a color choice.
So the "branches" of the pussy willow stand out, have children trace a thick, brown line over them using a brown crayon.
There are two options for making a pussy willow picture, and both look stunning.
One is made by pulling a pinch of cotton from a cotton ball, then balling it up a bit, and gluing it to the oval sections on the branches.
For less mess, I squirted a dollop of Elmers glue on a paper plate.
Children then dip their Q-tip into the glue and put a dab on the oval sections of their paper, then press the cotton in place. Older students can simply use the glue bottle.
I filled in the entire paper using just half of a cotton ball. As you can see by the photographs, the wonderful 3D results are quite realistic.
The other option is to have children make a "keepsake" picture, by dipping their pointer finger into a dollop of white, acrylic paint, then pressing their "print" onto the oval sections.
For this picture, I added a 3D effect by gluing a real twig to the center branch of my pussy willows.
While the paint is still wet, sprinkling on a bit of opalescent glitter really adds a lovely finishing touch to the picture.
I've included a little poem, inside of a heart, which children can cut & glue to the bottom left corner of their picture:
This pussy willow's special, as you can plainly see. I made it with my fingerprints, with lots of TLC. It's bringing springtime wishes, with love to you from me.
The packet also includes...
. Letters that spell “Pussy Willows” to use as a caption for your spring bulletin board or hallway display.
I made the letters using background paper featuring various pussy willow branches.
. Since April is Poetry Month, I thought it fitting to include a pussy willow poem, which you can use as the center of your display.
I love the stanza "...and I'll rub spring across your cheek." which provides th perfect opportunity to teach about metaphor.
Students can also try their hand at writing poetry, by coloring, and filling in the acrostic poem worksheet.
An acrostic is a poem where the first letter of each line is used to describe that word.
Acrostics provide wonderful practice for descriptive writing and learning about adjectives & synonyms, as well as being a nice vocabulary builder.
Students can use just one word as I did (especially because the S & L letters are used twice), or they can use several words or even a partial sentence or phrase.
The letter I proved a bit challenging, so you might tell students that they can use the I as a pronoun, as in "I like pussy willows." However, the word Interesting also works.
Here’s an example of another acrostic for the word spring, where I used phrases rather than single words.
Splashing in puddles
Plants are blooming
Rainbows in a sunny sky
I see buds sprouting
Nests are being built
Gray clouds threaten rain.
No matter what grade I taught, all of my students really enjoyed writing acrostic poems.
.There are also 3 additional worksheets, which include a Venn diagram comparing pussy willows to kittens.
Any of these worksheets, as well as the acrostic poems, can be added to your bulletin board display, and look really nice hung with the pussy willow craft, topped off with the "Pussy Willows" lettering.
Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by.
I'm wishing you a fun-filled spring, touched by many soft & tender moments.
For more springtime activities click this LINK.
"Spring is a lovely reminder of how beautiful change can truly be."
1-2-3 Do Some Carrot Activities With Me!
Since spring has supposedly sprung, although you wouldn't know it by the cold and snowy weather we're having here in Michigan, I thought I'd whip together a few carrot-themed activities.
My Y5's loved carrots and dip as a snack. I'd often put some sort of "craftivity" involving carrot counting, or graphing as an extension, into our morning lessons, and then finish up with the carrot snack as a reward for a job well done.
This packet includes a carrot fold open card that's nice to give as a spring note to parents, or use it to have students record their writing prompt inside.
Snipping the carrot topper is a wonderful fine motor skill as well. The template is symmetric so you can review that concept too.
The "Spring Spiral" is also a great cutting skill. I've included a left-handed spiral too, so that your "lefties" will have an easier time.
These spiraling carrots look great hanging from the ceiling.
I've included several graphing extensions + upper and lowercase bunny-carrot cards that you can use as a spring border, or to use for Memory Match games or to play "I Have; Who Has?"
Click on the link to view/download the carrot activity packet.
Thanks for visiting today.
Feel free to PIN anything that you think others may find worthwhile.
"I bet You know a thing or two. You're super smart; I'm proud of you!" -Dr. Seuss
1-2-3 Come Tweet a Writing Prompt With Me!
Since tweeting is all the rage, I decided to hone in on that motivation, to get students to write about a variety of things on a daily or weekly basis, using this quick, easy and fun "tweet" form.
There are 10 different tweet forms for you to rotate through, plus a blank one for you or your students, to make up their own tweet topics.
The last entry on every form is "Feeling." Students think up 3 adjectives that describe them that day, which further reinforces the important use of description in student writing.
If you have the time, have students partner up and share what they've written, as a means of expressing, venting and getting to know each other.
Click on the link to view/download the Sweet Tweet writing prompt packet.
Thanks for visiting today. Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find helpful.
"The task ahead of us, is never as great as the Power behind us." -Unknown
1-2-3 Come Do All Sorts Of Fun Activities With Elmer, Horton and Me!
I am so excited to share this 42-page Horton and Elmer activity packet with you. I've been working on it all week, and it's finally done! Woo Hoo!
I've tried to design things around quite a few Common Core State Standards so you'll be able to review all sorts of things.
Since students have to compare and contrast, explain data etc. I thought it would be fun for students to compare 2 of my favorite elephants: Horton and Elmer.
The packet includes:
Click on the link to view/download the Horton and Elmer Activity Packet.
Thanks for visiting today. Feel free to PIN away. For more Horton FREEBIES scroll down to check out a sweet Horton writing prompt "craftivity."
"A person's a person no matter how small!" -Horton, from Dr. Seuss's book Horton Hears A Who
1-2-3 Sport A Mustache With Me!
Anyone know why a mustache is so popular right now? I see them everywhere, in all sorts of novelty, craft and stationery stores.
Well, because they are the "it" thing right now, I decided to whip up a big-yellow fluffy-Lorax one!
Making a mustache/moustache to launch a writing prompt, is an interesting and "Suessical" way of doing things. I think your students will enjoy it.
Make a sample, cover your nose, and ask your students in a deep voice: "I mustache you, would you save a Truffula tree?" Thus begins the fun writing prompt "craftivity."
For an adorable bulletin board, take everyone's photograph wearing their mustache and put it next to their writing.
Your bulletin board title could be the same question you asked: "We mustache you, would you save a truffula tree?"
Flank the board on either side, with 2 colorful truffula trees.
Make them out of strips of neon-colored tissue paper, and rolled up green bulletin board paper for the trunk. Stripe it with brightly colored border.
Or you could really make them sturdy with PVC pipe. Mrs. Lodge, a very creative librarian, did just that. I LOVE her Truffula trees! Click on the link for directions.
As a surprise, while you're "truffulling" why not whip together some Truffula pencils. I think students would think it rather cool, to write about saving a Truffula tree, with a Truffula pencil! These were made by Jin Yong. Click on the link to get directions over at the inspiring Under The Cherry Tree Blog.
Click on the link to view/download the Lorax Mustache writing prompt craftivity.
Thanks for visiting today. Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find helpful.Do you have a Seuss idea you could share with us? I'd enjoy hearing from you: diane@teachwithme.com or post a comment here.
"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose!" -Dr. Seuss
1-2-3 Come Write With Me! Waddle You Write About?
I love using a poster as a segue for a writing assignment. Dr. Seuss's "Lucky Duckie" quotation is a great vehicle for that.
It's from his book Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? which is a wonderful story for discussing the theme of contentment, and being happy with who you are.
"Thank goodness for all of the things you are not! Thank goodness you're not something someone forgot...That's why I say, "Duckie! Don't grumble! Don't stew! Some critters are much-much, oh, ever so much-much, so muchly much-much more unlucky than you!"
Print off the poster and share it with your students. In a discussion before hand, brainstorm why a person is lucky. What things do they have, that others who don’t live in America, or who are poor, don’t have etc.
Print off the cover for the class book + the writing prompt page for each of your students.
Remind them of beginning capitalization, end punctuation and spaces between their words and you have covered 3 common core standards.
Students trace the beginning prompt and then complete the sentences: "I think I'm a lucky ducky because..." and "I'm glad I don't..."
Collect and collate the pages and share the completed book with your class, by having each student read their page when you come to it. If you don't want to make a class book, you can use the duck template and make an adorable spring bulletin board for March is Reading Month.
Here's How: Run off the ducks on yellow construction paper.
Students cut them out and then write why they feel they are lucky.
For more pizzazz, add a wiggle eye. student photo, feather, and a 3 dimensional beak. Mount the ducklings on a blue background bulletin board, so that the ducks look like they are swimming in a pond. Add clouds to the sky.
Glue the poster to a sheet of pastel construction paper and put it in the middle of the board. Add some toilet paper roll “cat tails” for a 3D effect + some pastel polka dot or striped bulletin board boarder for that finishing touch.
Click on the link to view/download Dr. Seuss Lucky Ducky Packet.
Thanks for visiting today. Feel free to PIN away.
"Today you are you; that is truer than true, there is no one else that is youer than you." -Dr. Seuss
1-2-3 Come Hatch Some "Craftivities" With Me
I Hatched, is an easy spring writing activity that makes an adorable bulletin board or hallway decoration.
Your students will not only have fun with this March/April writing prompt, but will learn more about their classmates and possibly about themselves as well.
Simply run off my chick and egg templates. Students cut them out and fill in the information.
I’ve included a letter home to parents, as younger children don’t always know any more than the month they were born in, and some don’t even know that. You could also send this activity home to be completed over spring break, and then share on the day children return.
The “favorite activities” pennant adds more flair and an additional writing extension. I’ve included 6 graphing extensions to reinforce that math standard and so students can visually “see” their classmates' answers.
Add feathers; wiggle eyes and straws to jazz things up and you hopefully have “eggs-actly” that little something you’ve been looking for to spice up your writing block.
To reinforce verbal acuity skills and learn more about their friends, have students share their creation with the class, after everyone has “hatched” their egg, then hang them in the hallway for that finishing touch of springtime.
Click on the link to view/download the I Hatched Springtime Writing Activity
Each year our preschool hatches baby chicks in their classroom. It's a fascinating experience they share with my Y5s.
I found a short baby chicks hatching video (1:13) on YouTube, if you'd like to share it with your kiddos before or after they do the "I Hatched" craftivity.
Thanks for visiting. Do you have a spring writing prompt or craft that's a favorite? Would love to hear from you. diane@teachwithme.com or feel free to leave a comment below.
"If you want to feel rich, count the things you have that money can't buy." -Unknown