7 pages.

Getting your students excited about writing, and WANTING to write, can be a bit difficult.  I've found that if children have an interesting writing prompt to jump start their brains, they WILL be enthusiastic and get right down to business!  Give them a choice of any of these six, fun-scarecrow writing prompts, perfect for Daily 5 or your writing block.

1-2-3 Come Do Some SC Blend Activities With Me!

It's sometimes difficult to find interesting activities for teaching blends.  I decided since I was designing scarecrow items, I'd make some for the SC blend.

To introduce the SC blend, set a one-minute timer; challenge students to write down as many SC words as they can think of, before the timer rings.  I've included a worksheet for this, as well as one for how many words students can make using the letters in the word scarecrow.

The SC Word Blend packet includes 50 words that begin with the SC blend.  There's an anchor chart alphabetically listing them, + separate word cards you can put on your word wall or use for flashcards, alphabetizing, vowel sorting, or Memory Match and "I have; who has?" games. 

Combine them with the 50 SC pocket cards for  more activities.  The pocket cards feature dashed SC letters at the beginning of the word.  Students can trace them with a red dry erase marker. 

Add the scarecrow "Kaboom!" cards to make games even more fun. See the tip list of what to do with word cards to find out the directions.

I find that simply writing the words helps reinforce word recognition and usage.  So that this is not a tedious or boring activity, students can write the words in their own SC blend word book.

Encourage students to look up definitions for words that are new to them and include them.  There's a cover and recording page.  To make printing easier, I made 2 on a page. 

Another way to record words, is via the bookmark.  As students learn words they can add them to their list. 

There are also several worksheets, where students trace, write and alphabetize the words, fill in the SC blend to make words, as well as use the words to fill in the blanks to complete simple sentences. 

For more writing practice, there's a story-starter:  "No matter how hard Scarface, the scarecrow, tried to be scary, he just wasn't!" 

Encourage students to use as many SC blend words as makes sense; underlining them as they go.  Who incorporated the most?

Any of these activities would be great Daily 5 options, for the word work or writing portions.

This SC blend packet will be FREE for an entire year.  After that, it will become part of my whopping 184-page Common Core Scarecrow packet, in my TpT shop. Click on the link to pop on over.

If you're looking for more blend activities, click on the link to pop on over to that section of the site, where you can grab lots more FREEBIES.

I also spent some time searching YouTube for cute video clips reviewing the SC blend.  The only one I found worth taking a look at, was a 2-minute animated clip.  Click on the link above to take a look. 

Thank you for visiting today. I design and blog every day, so do stop by tomorrow to see the newest free items.  You may PIN anything you like. 

If you'd like to take a look at all of the wonderfully educational items that I spend way too much time pinning, click on the heart button to the right of the blog.  I have an entire board of word-related activities.

"Children should be allowed the time to enjoy learning to play, for it will definitely lead to playing to learn." 

1-2-3 Come Review The Alphabet With Me.

I like to do "regular routine" stuff with a different theme each month.  Even tho it's the "same old-same old" things are kept fresh and interesting by simply tweeking them for the seasons.  With that in mind, I designed 20 Letter of the Day anchor charts.  There are some for each month as well as a few extra's for popular themes.

If you’d like to use these each year, print, laminate and clip to your white board changing things up each month.  This is also a nice activity to use as a review if you post it on your calendar board.

Another option is to not laminate the pages and have children fill in the information.  When the page is complete, add it to your Letter of the Day binder. (I've included a cover for this. )

When you have done all 26 letters, put this student-made booklet in your classroom library.

Occasionally, you may want to run a page off for your students to work on for Daily 5 Word Work.

It's easy to make this a part of your morning routine, job chart, or calendar time. Using a dry erase marker, write the upper and lowercase letters in the boxes.  You can show correct formation of the letters, or choose a student to do so.

Ask students, “What sound does the letter make?”  Say the sound several times.  Ask them if they know any words that begin with that sound?  Write the words in the appropriate boxes.  Have students look at your word wall to see if they can find any more to add to the list.  Another question could be,  "Is this letter a vowel or a consonant?"

Make it personal, by also asking, "Do any classmates have a name that starts with that letter?"  You can either write their name on the paper or have the child with that name come up and write it. 

Choose another child to circle the letters in the “Find it” section. This is a good time to point to each letter and say the letter or sing the alphabet song.  Click on the link to view/download the Letter of the Day Packet.

If you're looking for more alphabet activities, click on the link to zip on over to that section of our site to grab some more FREEBIES.

Thanks for visiting today.  I design and blog daily so I hope you can stop by tomorrow to check out the newest FREEBIES.  Feel free to PIN anything.  To ensure that "pinners" return to THIS article, click on the green title at the top; it will turn black, now click on the "Pin it" button located on the burgundy menu bar.   If you'd like to take a look at all of the wonderful-educational items, that I spend way too much time pinning, click on the heart button to the right of the blog.  I have an entire board on just alphabet stuff.

"The life you live is the lesson you teach." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Do Some Fun Football Activities With Me.

I discovered long ago,that if I could incorporate a theme of something that was popular with my students, I'd grab and hold their attention.  It seemed that my little guys had more difficulty focussing than the girls did, so I often offered choices when I could. 

Because sports was always a "hot button" and 'tis the season for the start of football, I decided to dream up some activities with a football theme.

I thought it would be fun to do something with the -all family of words and make a game of it. 

Students choose teams and then work either independently or with their group, to think of as many -all words before the timer rings.  Each word is worth 1 point. 

To get in some math practice, have students figure out how many touchdowns and field goals they achieved with their word list.  i.e. 7 words = 7 points = 1 touchdown.  Any "extra" words can be counted to make a field goal. 

A field goal = 3 points for 3 words. i.e. One team thought of 11 words.  They scored 1 touchdown (7) and 1 field goal (3) and had 1 extra point left.

I've provided score card - posters, if you'd like to keep track and post the results. 

There are blank templates, so you can program other word families, if you'd like to keep this idea going. 

After I got the -all word family football packet done, I wanted to make Bingo cards as another way to review the words. 

However, I had less than 24 words and could not make a Bingo card, so I thought I'd add the -ick word family to the football packet, because you kick a football. 

80 pages later, (!) the packet was completed, but my entire day had slipped away, so I certainly hope you find it useful.

Another fun way too reinforce these new words is via a word search. 

The packet includes the same activities for both the -all AND -ick word families. 

There are pocket word cards, traceable word cards, covers so students can make Itty Bitty booklets, alphabetizing worksheets, plus trace-write-color-cut & glue worksheets. 

Also included is a fill in the word sentence worksheet; 30 different Bingo cards, so your entire class can play; words on footballs + Kaboom bomb cards to play Memory Match and "I have; who has?" games. 

There are also posters, blank templates for you to program with whatever, and 2 "craftivities"  like the football -all word family slider pictured.  Many of these activities work well for your Daily 5 Word Work.

Click on the link to view/download the -all & -ick Word Family Football packet.

To go along with the football theme, I also designed a 10-frames football packet.  Click on the link for this FREEBIE.

Because of several special requests, I also designed a 1-2-3 Count Footballs With Me, 10-frames easy reader. 

Because these booklets are based on a 10-frame, they are nice extensions for the matching 10-frames packets. 

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.   If you'd like to see all of the terrific-educational items that I PIN, (Almost all of them FREEBIES!) click on the heart to the right of the blog. 

Time for a much-needed break.  I'm off to do who knows what.  Decisions-decisions-decision.

"There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as though everything is a miracle." -Albert Einstein

1-2 3 Come Do Some Skelton Activities With Me!

Since it's October, it seemed fitting to plug in a few skeletons, so I was diddling around with the idea of making a math packet around the play on words "Numb Skulls." 

If you don't do Halloween-themed things, the skulls are perfect for a pirate theme too, or perhaps you can use them as centers when your kiddo's study about bones and the human body.

I think your students will enjoy rolling 2 dice to make additon or subtraction equations on their "Numb Skull" and then solving them.  They write in their answer and color that many teeth. 

Students can play independently or with a partner.   Once I started designing with the skulls, more ideas kept popping into my brain, 'til I had a whopping 46-page Numb Skull packet that covers a variety of Common Core State Standards!

Lots of the items are very versatile.  The number cards with number words, can be cut into puzzles, or run off so students can make an Itty Bitty Counting booklet, which is a nice activity for your Daily 5 word work.

You can also use them for a Memory Match game, or to play "I Have; Who Has?"  Add the "Kaboom!" bomb cards to make things more exciting. 

The packet includes:                                                            A Numb Skull slider, where students trace the numbers from 0-30, or insert a skip counting by 2's, 3's, 5's, or 10's number strip. 

There's also a slider for counting backwards from 10 to 0 and 20 to 0.

I've included several games as well. There's A Numb Skull addition and subtraction game, plus  a Count to 100 Numb Skull game, where students add the dice that they roll and then  X-off that many skulls 'til they have added their way to 100.

Skull number cards from 0-120 also provide options for even more games.  Since the numbers are at the top of the skull, play a game of "What number am I thinking of?"

Students choose a card and then give classmates clues.  i.e. "My number is odd. It's greater than 20, but less than 27.  When you add 11 and 10 together, you'll know my number.

I've also included matching math symbol cards, so students can make equations. Use the blank skull cards to program with whatever, or to make groups/sets for the equations students create.

There are some Trace and Write the numbers from 0-120 worksheets, as well as quite a few What's Missing worksheets for numbers 0-120, plus all of the skip counted numbers.

There are several puzzles that you can use in a variety of ways, as well as Odd Todd and Even Steven skeleton sorting mats.  When students have completed whatever you deem appropriate, give them a certificate of praise for a job well done.

Click on the link to view/download the Numb Skull Math packet. 

Since I get quite a few requests for telling time activities, I decided to whip together a Numb Skull clock and a few telling time to the hour and half hour games too.

This packet includes analog as well as digital time cards that you can use as flashcards, or to play games with.   Click on the link to view/down load the It's Numb Skull Time packet.

Well that's it for today; thanks for visiting.  I'm off to take a drive in the country with my hubby. 

The fall colors have peaked and a windy afternoon with a bit of rain, threatens their ability to cling onto branches for too much longer. 

Even though it's a bit chilly, a nice cup of apple cider at our farmer's market will warm things up.                                                                                      Wishing you a lovely day.

"One man who has a mind and knows it, can always beat ten men who haven't and don't." -George Bernard Shaw

Getting To The Core Is A Real Treat And Not All That Tricky With This Cute October Booklet

My Trick Or Treat easy reader, is a fun way to reinforce the Common Core Standards: RF.K1a (Following words from left to right, top to bottom and page by page.) RF.K1c (Understanding that words are separated by spaces in print.) L.K2a (Capitalizing the pronoun I and the 1^st word in each sentence.) and L.K2b (Being able to recognize and include ending punctuation.)

Simply review these standards with your students and point them out as you explain the booklet.

Students read, trace and write the sentence.  On the first page they illustrate what they will be for Halloween.

On the following pages, children color the sight word and then trace the letters, then cut and glue them to the word box.

This “cut and glue” aspect of the booklet is a terrific activity for word work for Daily 5.

If you want to expedite things, skip cutting and gluing the booklet together.

Instead, simply have your students write the letters in the boxes and use the cut and glue pages as worksheets for Table Top, or Daily 5 at a later date.

When choosing sight words, I incorporated many words from the Dolch word lists when I wrote this easy reader booklet. This covers the Common Core State Standard: RF. K3c

I've also included a page of manipulatives for you to laminate and use Velcro or magnet strip so that the booklet can become an interactive read aloud that you can later sequence with your students.

To incorporate math, tally your students' favorite Halloween candy and graph the results on the bar graph provided.

Traceable flashcards are also included + a certificate of praise when children can read the booklet independently.

Click on the link to view/download My Trick or Treat Easy Reader Booklet.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find helpful.

“Children need models rather than critics.” –Joseph Joubert

Halloween Triangles

One of the shapes that my Y5’s had a bit of difficulty with was a triangle; not sure why, but more often than not that was the toughie.

They often enjoyed playing “I Spy” and trying to find a shape in the real world, so I decided to think of some fun triangle shapes that they might see on Halloween, and the booklet,  Halloween Triangles was born.

I introduced the easy reader ike this:

“Uh Oh! It's Halloween and these spooky triangles can be seen! Count them if you dare!”

Your students will enjoy reading, tracing, writing, counting, and coloring the Halloween triangles.

They’ll have fun during "Tally Time" and then afterwards, graph childrens opinions of what triangle character was their favorite.

I’ve also included 10 traceable word flashcards for students to practice or cut out and use with other sets, to make new sentences.

Great for "word work" during Daily 5 activities.

This is a cute rhyming booklet, (rhyming is a Common Core Standard) that packs in a lot of skills, as it incorporates math with reading in a fun way.

Click on the link to view/download Halloween Triangles.

Thanks for visiting today. Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find useful.

“Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss it you will land among the stars.” –Les Brown

This Old Man Is A Scarecrow!

One of my favorite themes in the fall was scarecrows.  It’s a great non-Halloween theme for those schools that don’t celebrate that holiday too.

I liked to involve music and gross motor movement whenever I could, to help make learning extra fun and get the wiggles out at the same time.

Incorporating rhyming songs via music with a beat, helped children get the hang of things quickly.

This Old Man is a terrific vehicle to introduce counting.  After reading that story, and playing the CD, I told my Y5’s that they were going to pretend to be scarecrows.

I showed them how a scarecrow would stand, and pointed out the 2 scarecrows we had propped in the corners of our room.

I demonstrated how to slap, clap, and snap and asked them if these words rhymed.

After passing out the manipulatives I read the teacher's edition of This Scarecrow; the students did the movements.

Afterwards, children transitioned to their desks to read, trace, write, count and spy numbers of scarecrows completing their own booklet.

Once everyone was done, we read the booklet as a whole group to reinforce concepts of print.

Click on the link to view/download This Scarecrow

Something Extra:

My favorite scarecrow "craftivity" I did with my Y5's was the "Personal Scarecrow"

I pre-cut large sheets of construction paper into the various shapes.

Students cut and glued smaller shapes to the body portion of the scarecrow.

We reviewed them as they assembled their scarecrow.

For the head, I enlarged their school photograph on the copier. 

When you enlarge to that size, it becomes pixilated so their face really does take on a  burlap-scarecrow kind of appearance!

For great fine motor practice, have students snip  yellow pieces of construction paper so that they look like straw.

Children glue these behind the end of the sleeves and pant legs.

I used brass brads so that the arms and legs were "jointed."  The scarecrows could dance and prance down the hallway wall.

I wrote a poem for Mailbox Magazine that I posted under the scarecrows. You can imagine all of the cool comments we received.

Click on the link to view/download the Personal Scarecrow

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find helpful.

Do you have a scarecrow idea you could share with us? I’d enjoy hearing from you! diane@teachwithme.com or leave a comment here.

“Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” –Mark Twain

Fall Into Some Fun Common Core Writing For Fall!

I LOVE combining art with creative writing.  I call these activities “Craftivities” and when you can mix in a little science at the same time, that's a real win-win.

Craftivities also make simple and easy bulletin boards or hallway displays that are pretty outstanding.

These fall writing prompts will help you teach several Common Core State Standards. They are listed and explained below.

Draw an oak tree on brown bulletin board paper with bare branches so that you can hang the leaves and acorn writing prompts on it, and scatter the squirrels underneath.

The leaves say: I see... I hear... I smell... The acorns say: I taste... and the squirrels say: I feel... (Older students write the entire sentence; younger students trace the first few words.)

Display the tree on a wall in the hallway.  You can use the caption: Our 5-Senses Creative Writing Oak Tree OR Using Our 5-Sense In The Fall.

If you want this to appear a bit more 3-D, twist brown lunch bags into strands, and use duct tape to attach them to the branches and down the trunk.

Run the oak leaves off on a variety of colored construction paper, as this will look better than brown leaves, even though oak leaves turn brown when they lose their chlorophyll.  Mention this fact to your students.

Gather students in front of the whiteboard. Review what the 5 senses are.  Brainstorm with them about using their 5 senses to see, hear, smell, taste and feel different things typical of the fall season.

Review beginning capitalization of words, Common Core State Standard: L.K.2a, as well as ending punctuation. Common Core State Standard: L. K. 2b, and RF.1.1 as well as L.1.2b for 1^st grade.

Have students spell simple words phonetically, drawing on knowledge of sound-letter relationships, or write a list of words from your brainstorming session on the white board having students help you spell them as you write them. Common Core State Standard: L.K.2d for kindergarten and L.1.2d for 1^st grade where they use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.

Review what a noun, verb and adjective are, with older students.  Keep things simple for PK students and have them TRACE the beginning words and complete the sentence with 1 noun and a period.  K’s can add nouns and verbs; older students can add adjectives as well.

Make sure that you do an example yourself, explaining the parts of speech, grammar and punctuation as you go. RF.K.1a (Point out to students that they are reading words from left to right, top to bottom and page by page.) RF.K.1c (Point out that the words are separated by spaces and remind them to make sure they have a finger-space between their words too.)

Students can add color to their cut out pieces.  Remind them to include their names.  For a bit more pizzazz, you can also add glitter.  Use this as an incentive for students if they give their best effort and do their work correctly.

To give variety to your “wall board,” I have designed two squirrels.  You can run off both kinds and give children a choice.  Sprinkle the squirrels around the bottom of your oak tree.

If you don’t want to make a bulletin board, or hallway tree mural out of these writing prompts, you can collate the pages together to make a class book.  I’ve provided a cover for you if you want to do that.

You can also suspend the various similar pieces back-to-back from fish line and hang from the ceiling.   Click on the link to view/download 5-Senses Oak Tree Creative Writing packet.  Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find helpful.

"It takes time to save time." -Joe Taylor

 Ready. Set. Action!

Having to write a simple sentence with a noun and verb, with appropriate capitalization and end punctuation is now a standard for even our youngest students.

This can be a pretty big mountain to climb, as some of them are just learning how to write their name and to identify the letters of the alphabet, so I thought why not cover all of these standards in a fun way with an alliterative class-made alphabet book!

The 36-page Name & Action Verb and Noun Class Book packet, is perfect for first graders, and something that can be done later in the year for kindergartners and makes a great Daily 5 or reading or writing center activity as well.

The packet covers the Common Core Standards: RF.K1a, RF.K1c, RF.K1d, RF.K3a, RI.K.5, RI.K.6, L.K1a, L.K1b, L.K2a, L.K2b I'm very familiar with Kindergarten standards, and I know some of the first grade standards over lap, but I don't have a handle on all of them. Sorry I don't have the numbers for you. 

Students write a simple sentence using a letter from the alphabet that starts with the letter of their name.They underline the capital letter of the beginning word, as well as the ending punctuation. So that you have a complete alphabet book with all of the letters, you can also assign a letter to each student, and allow them to make up a name.

To make sure they have included an “action word” (verb) and a “thing word” (noun) they need to underline those as well. Children then illustrate their page.

I chose to make this an alliterative book because I think tongue twisters are not only more fun, and a bit more challenging for first graders, but they help reinforce the Common Core Standard RF.K3a where students demonstrate basic knowledge of letter-sound correspondence, by producing the primary or most frequent sound for each consonant.

If you think this is too difficult for your PK’s or K’s, simply have them think of any verb or noun and simply work on that skill, rather than make it too complicated.

I suggest sitting in a circle around the white board and brainstorming each child’s words, as a whole group, which would help the light bulbs go on via repetition, as you are continuously working on the same concept over and over with different letters, with everyone helping you until you have completed the task.

You could also send the page home as a home-school assignment, and let parents work one-on-one with their child.  For that finishing touch, add a photo to make the book even more interesting.

You can run off the last page so everyone can work on their letter skills.  Have them trace and then write their letters and then pair up with a partner and quiz each other on which letter is which.  I've also included a certificate of praise.

When everyone has completed their page, laminate and collate them into a class book. Make sure that you do a sample page of your own.  My students are always surprised to find out that I too, have a first name.

When they are done, they can choose one question to ask the class: What the action verb was, what the noun was, what was the name of the end punctuation or what letter was capitalized?

Students will enjoy “playing teacher” and you will be reinforcing several standards in a fun way, as each child shares their page! Click on the link to view/download Name and Action Class Book

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away. 

“See everything; overlook a great deal; correct a little.” –Pope John XXIII