1-2-3 Come Make A 10 Frame Booklet With Me!

I've had quite a few requests for more 10 frame activities, so I designed this 10 frame packet that can be used in a variety of ways.

Print the pages, laminate and use them as anchor chart posters or large flashcards to refer to and do group activities with.

I incorporated quite a few math concepts along with the 10 frames. 

Students put an X on the appropriate number in the group/set.

They trace and write the number and number word however many times you want them to, and count that many dots and identify the pattern in the first 10 frame.

In the second 10 frame, students make that many marks, bingo dots, or place that many stickers in the boxes.

Children also circle that number in the sequence, and then add +1 more to the number, to get the next number.

Besides whole group-oral math activities, you can make several sets and put them in a math center. 

Students can complete the pages with a dry erase marker. 

Children could also use manipulatives instead of markers to fill in the ten frames.

Students can play games by choosing a partner and playing "Speed" to see who can complete the 10 frame booklet the quickest or simply sequence them in order, seeing the +1 factor, as they go.

Make a workbook for each child. For your math block or a quick tabletop lesson, students can work on a page a day.

When everyone is finished, read the booklet together to review the math concepts, as well as the various aspects of reading.

Click on the link to view/download the 10 Frame Activity Packet.

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"Teachers spend hours working on lessons to capture their students' attention, but all a little spider has to do, is crawl across the window screen." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Make A Father’s Day Card With Me!

Since Father’s Day is in June, daddies often get jipped out of a homemade card that their child made in school, so I always made time to do this as a center during the last week of school.

I set up a table with all of the “ingredients” and while I was working on assessments or all of those other end-of-the-year jobs teachers need to get done, my little ones enjoyed making something special for their papa.

Now a days you need to be sensitive to children who don’t have a dad. 

Even though their father might not live with them, they still might have contact, so you don’t want to leave them out. 

Children who didn’t, I asked if they wanted to make a card for their grandfather or someone else special in their life.

I’ve included 2 different blank puzzle piece templates for this purpose. 

You can write in the word, or the person’s name for them, so they can glue their torn paper pieces on top of the letters.

You could also use the blank template for Mother’s Day, Secretary’s Day, or to thank a special volunteer  as well.

To make the cards, run off the puzzle piece template on a variety of colored construction paper.
Students choose one and cut it out.

To make this more of a keepsake, print your class composite and cut students’ pictures into ovals, so they can glue them somewhere on their card.

Cut 1/8th inch wide strips of a variety of colors of construction paper.

Students choose a color, and rip and tear their strips into a pile.

I chose rip and tear, not only because the mosaic effect looks cool, but because it is an outstanding fine motor activity for strengthening finger muscles.

Have children "trace" one letter at a time, with a glue stick, and then place the torn pieces of paper on it, one piece at a time.

Children sign “I love you” along with their name.  

I told my students to save the card for Father’s Day, but I doubt they did.  Little ones are always so excited to share whatever they’ve made as soon as they get home.

Click on the link to view/download the "I Love My Dad To Pieces" Father's Day Card.

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"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." -William Butler Yeats

1-2-3 Come Make A Slideshow With Me

Whenever May rolls around, teachers are always left saying: “I can’t believe how fast the year has flown!”

With just a few weeks left, there is still so much to do, especially if your kiddo’s are graduating, or you want to plug in all of the pictures you’ve taken throughout the months, in a sweet end-of-the-year slideshow.

I think it’s especially heart-warming when little ones sing a few songs and a slideshow is also presented. (I recommend IMovie for this, as it's pretty user friendly.)

I feel this is most effective at the end of the program, with perhaps one quick, happy and uplifting or humorous song that your students sing to complete the show.

You certainly want to end on a joyous and positive note, so mom’s are not overly tearful that their baby is growing up too fast, as some  “graduation” songs, are sure to have parents asking: “Do you have a Kleenex?”

I spent countless hours searching the web, for lists of songs that teachers have shared in chat rooms and on their blogs that they felt were great choices for their graduation programs and end of the year slideshows.

With the latest update there are now 150 songs!  For easy reference, I listed them alphabetically, and included the artists.  To find any of the songs, simply Google them.

I also included several different singers for a few of the same songs.  I love Judy Garland's original Over The Rainbow, but my personal favorite is IZ rendition singing it with his ukulele.

I also spent several hours on YouTube looking for memorable performances from children singing a variety of songs at their graduations, and included the links so you can get the words.

While searching, I found some cute songs creative teachers made up, to popular tunes, like New York New York, The Adams Family, and even an Army Drill Echo Chant.  They are so cute. I've included the lyrics, along with a few other poems and their links.

I hope this makes your May a bit less hectic for you. Remember to relax and enjoy the day, it really does zoom by!

On a less crazy note, I also discovered that many teachers simply had their students sing a few of the songs they sung everyday, as a sort of “Welcome To Our World” this is what we do every day idea.

Several commented that parents really enjoyed this, and they didn’t have to teach their little ones a bunch of new songs for one day. 

Others chose to have students sing a patriotic song that they already knew from a Constitution Day activity or could easily teach them.

Whatever you decide to do, I hope you have a wonderful time.

Click on the link to view/download the list of 150 slideshow songs for the end of the year or for kindergarten or preschool graduation + extra's.

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"You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend." -Paul Sweeney