1-2-3 Come Do Some Lion & Lamb Activities With Me.      

The simile “March roared in like a lion then left like a lamb” basically holds true for weather here in Michigan.

Because of that, I designed an entire “lion & lamb” weather-themed packet, which is very versatile.

It’s chock full of a huge variety of activities that are suitable for different grades & skill levels. (PK-3rd).

I introduce March with Marion Bauer’s book, “In Like a Lion Out Like a Lamb”, which was the inspiration behind the “door dangler” writing prompt craft in the packet, as a lion comes knocking at a little boy's front door.

The story is wonderfully illustrated with short rhyming text, perfect for introducing metaphor & simile  to older students as well.

“March comes with a roar.  He rattles your windows and scratches at your door.
He turns snow to mud, then tromps across your floor.
March comes with winter clinging to his tail.
He scatters sleet and sometimes even hail.”

My Young Fives absolutely love the lion & lamb weather analogy, which is perfect for introducing a variety of weather conditions to them.

I designed a set of pocket chart cards for this, as well as made a collection of 32 photographs that depict a variety of "real" lion & lamb-like weather. There are 2-on-a-page for quick printing.

To whole-group assess their ability to identify, then classify the weather, I made a set of 6 lion & lamb Popsicle stick puppet pals. Choose your favorite or give children a choice.

They color, cut & glue a lion & lamb back-to-back, then insert a Popsicle stick.

Teacher shows a pocket chart, weather card. 

Students decide if that type of weather is a lion or a lamb, flipping their “puppet paddle” accordingly.

You can also ask them about their current weather, or to vote whether they think March will come in like a lion or lamb, as well as predict what the weather will be on the last day of March.

I"ve included 3 graphing extensions for this.

The photo-posters can also be used like the weather cards. What clues in the photograph make them think that the weather is lamb-like, or was the result of a lion-kind of day.  

The photographs can also be used to inspire a writing prompt, where kiddos pick a picture then make a list of adjectives that describe it, write a descriptive sentence, paragraph, poem or short story. 

For an awesome bulletin board, display the photo next to students' completed work. 

Younger kiddos can sort the pictures using the lion & lamb sorting mats.  Make an extra set and cut them into puzzles to use for an independent center. 

We also track the weather for the month of March with a "color, cut & glue" calendar worksheet, with a culminating math activity, which practices, counting, comparison, greater & less than, as well as tally marks & graphing.  

Older students can record their data and analysis in the March Weather Journal, which is an interesting & fun diary-type writing assignment.  

All of the activities come in color as well as BW for kiddos. 

I've also included a super-fun variety of writing prompt craftivities.

Didn't  matter what grade I taught, as soon as I tossed in a bit of hands-on craftiness, my students were riveted and couldn't wait to begin.  

The beauty of these "craftivities" is that they can be completed by little ones, as well as older students who will write more in-depth. 

So that they fit your students' skill levels, I give you a list of writing prompt suggestions.

Simply pick which one's appropriate for your students or give them a choice.  

I've also given you the ability to choose how you wish to display them. 

Children can make a booklet, horizontal/vertical display, or dangler that's suspended from the ceiling.

To slide in the poetry genre, I've also included a poster-poem for William Cullen Bryant’s “Stormy March”.

There are 100+ pages of games, centers, whole-group activities, anchor chart-posters, worksheets, and Venn diagrams.

Besides the black & white templates, so you can quickly & easily make samples, or do activities as a whole group with little ones, I’ve also included full-color patterns for all of the activities.

To save you even more time, I tucked in my completed writing sample templates, so you don't have to make up your own. 

If your students are like mine, they'll give their "best effort" because these prompts are especially fun for them. Added bonus: completed projects make a terrific spring bulletin board.

Today's featured FREEBIE is "Wind Tricks" ; a 31-page poetry packet, which includes the games "Windy Words" and "Blow Some Words My Way", along with a variety of quick, easy and fun "rhyme time" activities.  I hope you find it useful. 

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

The weather finally feels like spring today (high 60s) so out to the garden I go for some much-needed clean up.

"Why try to explain miracles to your kids, when you can just have them plant a garden." -Robert Brault

Smooth Sailing

There’s nothing like a game to get students interested in learning.

I try to incorporate several subjects when I design a game so I get more “bang for my time-buck” so to speak.

Smooth Sailing does just that.

It involves the science of weather and the math concept of skip counting + those valuable life skills children learn when they play games with other classmates and learn patience and cooperation etc.

4 different game boards have students skip count by 2's, 3's, or 5's.

I’ve also included a board for counting by 1’s for younger students.

The object of the game, is to get a sailboat safely through the various weather to the port.

There are 24 different sailboats to choose from, directions for the various games and 2 certificates of praise.

Encourage older students to skip count as they move their sailboats around the board.

Laminate the game boards so you can use them each year, or run them off so students can trace the skip counted numbers, take the board home and play with their families to reinforce lessons.

Click on the link to view/download Smooth Sailing Weather-Skip Counting Science-Math Game

Happy sailing!

Be sure and pop in tomorrow for some more teaching tips!