1-2-3 Come Do Some Mitten Activities With Me
We are smitten with The Mitten, by Jan Brett. It's a Ukrainian folktale, and one of my kiddos' favorite winter books, that's perfect for practicing sequencing and a variety of other standards.
With that in mind, I designed The Mitten Literacy Packet, with quick, easy and fun "print & go" activities, games, and even a mitten craft.
The packet includes:
* A world map worksheet, where children locate the Ukraine as well as their own country and color it.
* A label the cover worksheet, with completed sample.
* Characters, setting and events, pocket chart cards.
* Story elements, plus beginning-Middle-and End parts of the story, worksheets.
* Worksheets for sequencing the animals.
* Several writing prompt worksheets, for summarizing the story and explaining your favorite part.
* Who-What-Why-When-Where-How? worksheet.
* Several games, including a set of Memory Match cards that you can play 3 additional games with.
* 5 Venn diagram worksheets, which are a fun way to practice comparison & contrast.
* A graphing extension.
* 21, pocket chart, sentence cards, which help review the story, as well as practice capitalization and end punctuation.
* There's a matching set of mini cards, to use for several other activities.
* 9, "We read The Mitten today. Ask me to tell you the story." bookmarks.
* "Mm is for mitten and . . ." beginning letter sound worksheet.
* Rhyme time worksheet, with matching answer-key poster.
* "How Many Words Can You Make?" worksheet with an answer-key poster.
* Keepsake hand print mitten craft, plus . . .
* 3 mitten-themed graphic organizer worksheets.
Whew! That covers a nice variety of stuff doesn't it?
Click on the link to zip on over to my TpT shop for The Mitten Literacy Packet.
Today's FREEBIE is a snowman acrostic poem packet.
It's a quick, easy and fun way to incorporate the poetry genre into your studies.
Besides the snowman arostic pictured, the packet also includes 5 other acrostic poem templates.
Completed projects make an adorable bulletin board too.
Well that's it for today. Wishing everyone a wonder-filled wintry week. Thanks for stopping by.
"Poetry is when emotion has found its thought, and the thought has found words." - Robert Frost
1-2-3 Come Do A Flurry Of Word Family Activities With Me
It's snowing right now and I'm so in the mood for more! My Y5's loved our January snow-themed activities, so I decided to incorporate some word family work with a snowflake theme. I hope you enjoy today's FREEBIE, which fits in nicely with Daily 5 word work. Completed projects make an awesome winter bulletin board too.
There are 4 large snowflake patterns. Run them off and give your students a choice.
There are also 70 word family snowflake cards, with 9 on a page for quick printing.
Choose the word family cards you want your students to practice, toss them in a container and have each student pick one.
They write that word family in the center of their snowflake. One of the facts that my kiddos learn about snowflakes is that although each one is unique, they all have six sides.
For this reason, you can choose to keep things simple and have your students think of just six words for their word family, or challenge older students to think of more.
I've included a variety of samples you can share with your students.
If you want them to practice alphabetizing, have children write their words on a sheet of scratch paper, alphabetize the words and then write them in alphabetical order on their snowflake, starting at the top and writing clockwise.
I've included a list of 70 word families, which has an alphabetical list of example words for each one. (This is a pretty comprehensive list, as I've included 987 words appropriate for school. )
You can share this list with your students if they become stuck, or if you want them to write more than six words on their snowflake. To build vocabulary, have children look up any words that they are unfamiliar with.
For more word work, there's a word family bookmark template. Students fill in the word family you want them to work on.
After they jot down as many words as they can think of, brainstorm as a whole group and write the words on the board.
Afterwards, students return to their seats and update their list. Have students save their word family bookmarks.
When you're done with word families, have students organize the bookmark pages in alphabetical order then add the cover and staple.
There's also a worksheet where you fill in the amount of words and sentences you want your students to write that incorporate the word family words.
Click on the link to view/download the Snowflake Word Families packet.
That's it for today. I'm off to go play in the snow! My poodle pup, Chloe, LOVES scampering through the sparkles. Wishing you a fun-filled and relaxing day.
"Advice is like snow - the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper in [it] sinks into the mind." -Samuel Taylor Coleridge
2 pages.
Looking for a quick and easy bulletin board for January, or need an interesting winter writing prompt? Run off copies of the New Year's resolutions template on white construction paper. Students complete the writing prompt, then trace their hand, color it, and add some rings decorated with flat-backed rhinestones. For that extra bit of pizzazz, glue their photo somewhere on their work, and mount on their favorite color of construction paper.
1-2-3 Come Frolic With Me: Winter Craftivities, Bulletin Boards and Games
I was really on a creative roll yesterday. All one needs to do is spend a little time on Pinterest and your brain will shoot into over drive! So many ideas and not enough time in my life to do everything I'd like to. Sound familiar?
While browsing, I found a wooden snowman used as a countdown to Christmas. I found versions of this idea all over, so not sure who was the originator, but I thought the moveable carrot nose would be perfect for the classroom.
It was fun designing a paper snowman face that can review upper and lowercase letters and numbers to 20. I've included a face for skip counting by 2's, 3's, 5's or 10's.
You can also simply make one for your calendar center and countdown the days in January.
These make a quick and easy way to whole-group assess too.
Call out a number/letter and have students move their snowman's nose to that position or... move your teacher sample to an uppercase letter, and have students find the matching lowercase letter on theirs.
For added pizzazz I ran the carrot noses through my crinkle machine. My Y5's called this the "Cruncher Muncher." It provided great fine motor practice as students turned the crank to get the paper through the rollers.
Poke a hole at the end of the carrot and use a brass brad to fasten the nose to the snowman. Click on the link to view/download the Snowman's Nose packet.
For more letter and number practice, have your students put together these winter pine tree puzzles. They can be done as an independent center activity, or you can make copies for your students.
Children cut the green number/letter tiles and then glue them in appropriate order on the boxed grid. For that extra bit of pizzazz, run the template off on blue construction paper and have students dot on "snowflakes" with a Q-tip.
If you celebrate 100 Day in January, this is a wonderful "craftivity" that makes a cool bulletin board. Caption: Mrs. Henderson's Kinders Are Doing Tree-mendous Work! Click on the link to view/download the Pine Tree Puzzles
Another awesome bulletin board for January, features a New Year's writing prompt.
Basketball, soccer and football are all sports where players score goals, so I thought it would be fun to have students write what their goals were for the New Year on the ball of their choice.
I've included a poster that you can put in the center of your bulletin board as a caption.
Besides the balls, there are also 2 writing prompt pages for journal writing, which includes one with a hockey theme. Click on the link to grab the New Year Goals Packet.
Another New Year's activity you can have your kiddo's do, is see how many words they can come up with, using the letters in Happy New Year. I've included a list of 267 words.
When students are done, share your list to see if there are any words that they aren't familiar with; have them write them on their paper and look them up. Click on the link to check out the How Many New Year activity.
Since the fact family houses have been such popular downloads, I designed an igloo "Frosty Fact Family Fun" packet. Choose whatever number you want your students to work on.
They write it in the center of the snowflake and then write all of the equations that they can think of, on the outer sections of their snowflake, to show that number.
Do one each day; to make their booklet, have students glue their snowflake to an igloo-shaped page. Add their photo for that finishing touch. Click on the link to view/downlaod the Frosty Fact Family Fun packet.
For More number fun, I think you'll enjoy the snowflake number cards. Use these for your word wall, a bulletin board, flashcards, games, or an independent center.
Print; laminate and cut into puzzles for even more ideas. I've also included 3 sets of snowflake tiles so students can sort, pattern and make groups/sets to match the number on the cards. Click on the link to grab the Snowflake Number cards.
Finally, I had a request from Karla out in Vermont, for penguin alphabet and number cards.
She wanted something small that her pre-schoolers could manipulate. She only needed numbers to 10, but I included a blank template for you to program with more.
There's also a list of ideas you can use the cards for, including games like "Kaboom!" Click on the link if you'd like a set of these mini-penguins.
Thanks for visiting today. Feel free to PIN away. My "Pin It!" button is at the top. As you can see I design and blog daily, so I hope you can stop by tomorrow to see all the newest FREEBIES, created by this brain that needs a shut-off button!
Silly Shaped Penguins
These shapely penguins make an easy center that’s a fun way to review shapes. My inspiration for the shoe-shaped penguin came from Merryn’s Crafty-crafted sight.
Her son painted his foot and made this adorable penguin. Click on the link to check out her other cute ideas and see Ethan doing this project.
I felt that tracing a student’s foot with their shoe on, was an easier-no mess project to take on with a bunch of little kids, and still makes a nice keepsake.
Have your students stand on a sheet of black construction paper and trace around their shoe with a piece of chalk. A room helper cuts these out and then traces them on white copy paper so that they can cut a smaller white foot for the center of the penguin.
Students glue this together, along with their beak and feet, which can simply be triangles of orange construction paper. Use the manipulatives to get the wiggles out and do The Penguin Pokey. Click on the link to view/print The Penguin Pokey.
Help students review their body parts by having them put their penguin on their thigh, hip, waist, wrist, shin etc.
Their penguin can also help them review spatial directions and you can whole group assess as you tell your students to put their penguin behind them, over their palm, on their right side etc.
The silly shaped penguins, as well as the shoe penguins, make an adorable January bulletin board. Captions can be:
"Things are shaping up in _________________'s room." "Things are taking shape in kindergarten." "Waddle on down to room 206 to see what's shaping up!" "The shape of things to come with ______________________'s first graders." "Penguin Power Prints!"
Teachers can make a set to show the students and then do a graphing activity of which is their favorite. So each child has a set, do this as a daily center activity for the week. End with the shoe penguin and sing a round of The Penguin Pokey using the manipulative.
I also made an easy-reader booklet: Look It’s A Penguin! to go along with these goofy little guys. Students read the sentence, trace and write the shape word, color the silly-shaped penguin, and finally trace and draw the shape.
The last page says: This penguin is in the shape of my shoe, a keepsake especially for you. There’s also a graphing extension + shape flashcards that students can make into an Itty Bitty booklet.
Click on the link to take a look at Silly Shaped Penguins.
Are you looking for more penguin-themed ideas?
Shapes are also reviewed under the wings of this adorable penguin booklet and squencing numbers with this fish-gobbling cutie is also lots of fun. Both can be found in my Winter Art and Activity Book.
Thank you for visiting today. Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find helpful.
"The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery." -Mark VAn Doren
A Colorful Martin Luther King Bulletin Board
Happy Martin Luther King Day to those of you who will be celebrating his birthday this coming Monday. My apologies for not getting this article published a few days ago as planned.
I saw making snowflakes out of strips of paper on Pinterest. (Wow can that be addicting!) Click on the link to check out my pin boards. You can find the original cute idea at Mrs. Carroll's Blog Spot Parade. She made them on powder blue paper with pattern blocks.
Snowflakes are unique like people. They are the same, but different, so I thought they’d be a great segue into Martin Luther King Activities.
Because people are beautiful and special no matter what color they are, I thought a beautiful blizzard of colorful flakes would make an interesting bulletin board.
Sesame Street’s We Are Different; We Are The Same is a great story to read & discuss to go with this activity, as the snowflake’s template is the same, but all of the flakes are also different in some way. Older students could list ways they are different and ways that they are the same as their classmates on the back strips of their snowflakes.
Involve math by having students create a pattern on one strip. I used a snowflake and heart paper punch. These can be pre-cut by a room helper, or let students strengthen their hand muscles by punching 3 of each shape.
By making copies of students’ school photos, you can add charm to your board as well as make this a real keepsake project for parents, while creating an ABCABC pattern.
Another pattern is made when students choose 2 different color markers to write their name in an ABAB pattern on the 2nd strip.
Let students know that Martin Luther King had a dream and explain to them what his dream was. You can listen to his dream speech at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V57lotnKGF8 These other You Tube videos are all extremely short and will add interest to your day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=8AyF9Idh_iE I have a dream quote with soothing background music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiF2aAx0kds&feature=related Cool motion typography. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNAy6Bhij8A Music video picture montage of Martin Luther King http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA7WCHfVRfc As part of the “I Have A Dream Project” people were asked what their dreams were. I especially liked this one.
No matter how young, most students have a dream to be “something” when they grow up. Brainstorm ideas with your students and write them on the board so they know how to spell their “dream careers.”
Write the sentence, “My dream is to be a/an ________________.” Children fill in the blank with what they want to be when they “grow up” and write their completed sentence on the 3rd strip.
If you’re not celebrating Martin Luther King Day, you can always save this idea for next year and have students write a resolution/ goal or promise on the strip.
To expedite this center, and to make sure little ones can make a symmetric snowflake, I’ve made a template.
Students choose a color and put 2 strips on the template. Have 2” pieces of scotch tape stuck around the table.
Children use 1 piece to adhere the 2 strips together that form the X. They then place the 3rd strip down the middle and use the 2nd piece of tape to stick that strip to the other 2.
You can opt to use glue sticks, but I find that little ones rub glue all over the strip instead of one place, a lot of glue gets on the desk and is wasted and they take so much more time, or they don’t use enough glue and when they bring their snowflake up to be hung it is falling apart.
The snowflakes look awesome on a navy blue or black background. Your caption could read: “A Beautiful Blizzard of Brrr-illiant Work!” OR “We’re All Different; We’re All The Same!” OR “We’re Snow Special No Matter What Color Or How Flakey!”
Whenever I have a center where I want to make sure that I have a variety of ALL the colors on my b. board, I cut out only enough strips to make a class set of whatever with a few extra.
I assign a tabletop activity for students to accomplish first and then they transition to the art center when they are done.
The students who get down to business and stay focused get a wider variety of color choices.
My “pokey Joes” choose from the remaining colors. This has proven to be an incentive for some students, and I don’t end up with an all pink and purple b. board.
Click on the link to view/print the template, pix, and directions. Martin Luther King Snowflakes
Are you looking for some more Martin Luther King activities? Click on the link to see the quickie projects in my Martin Luther King Mini Unit.
Whatever you're doing this coming Monday, I hope it's simply marvelous!
December Does Double Duty
A Snowflake December Bulletin Board Idea You Can Keep Up For Your January Bulletin Board!
Since December seems to simply fly by, I like to make one of my bulletin boards wintry so that I can leave it up through January.
This snowflake bulletin board does the trick, gets your students writing as well + involves their families!
Here’s how:
Click on the link to view/print a copy of the “My family is ‘snow’ special!” Snowflake December Bulletin Board pattern.
If you'd like a copy of my sample, click on the December bulletin board Family Snowflake sample link.
Run off copies on white construction paper and send home along with a note to families explaining the December bulletin board.
Click on the link to view/print December Bulletin board snowflake letter home to parents.
Cover the bulletin board with royal blue or navy paper and spray with silver or opalescent glitter.
They sell it by the can in most craft stores for less than $2.00 a can.
The smell can be a bit over powering, as it's alcohol-based, so you may want to run a fan, or open a window briefly, and then follow up with a few spritzes of cinnamon air freshener. The sparkling effect will be worth it!
To add a 3-D effect, twist some silver or white crepe paper around the edges or add white sparkly garland. Twinkle lights look festive, if you have a plug nearby.
Tissue paper, plastic, or white tag board-die cut snowflakes, that are suspended from fish line and dangling from the ceiling, just above your bulletin board, will also add interest and pop. I have a dozen like the ones pictured, that I purchased in a package at The Dollar store.
Hang your December bulletin board “caption” above the board. Use an Ellison die cut machine to cut out black letters that spell: Brrrr-illiant work! Or “_________________’s class is ‘snow’ special!” OR “Snow special sentiments from ________________’s class.” OR “Let is snow!” OR “A blizzard of Brrr-illiant writing!”
Sprinkle your students’ snowflakes in an interesting pattern across the bright blue background. Your students will enjoy seeing their family's pictures displayed through out the month, as well as have their self-esteem built by having their wonderful writing up on the wall!
Be sure and check out the other December bulletin board ideas in more blog articles by scrolling down. Tomorrow I'll have one last one that's just beautiful, so be sure and pop in!
As always, if you have a December bulletin board idea you'd like to share, I'd enjoy hearing from you! diane@teachwithme.com
Quick & Easy Tips For Your Winter Bulletin Boards
Do you need some budget-conscious ideas to put a bit of “pop” and “pizzazz” into your winter bulletin boards? Here’s how you can add some flair to your creations. These things are usually deeply discounted after the holidays, just in time to decorate your classroom and hallway!
1-2-3 Come Make Some Shaving Cream Stuff With Me!
If you haven't heard of using shaving cream in the classroom yet, you and your students are missing out on a lot of fun. Yes, it's a little bit messy, but oh the joy of hands-on learning.
Clear the work tables, or student desks and have children don a paint shirt. Shake up a can of shaving cream (they sell a variety at The Dollar store) and squirt a few big dollops in front of each child.
Tell them to smooth it out to make their very own "whiteboard!" Using their index finger as a "pencil" have students write letters, numbers, or draw shapes. This is a super-fun way to whole group assess.
As you call out each letter, number, shape or whatever, students draw that on their board. When you've checked everyone's work by simply a glance, have them "erase" their board by smoothing it over, so you can call out something else for them to write/draw. After you review, give your students one last dollop for them to write their name or draw whatever they like.
An extra bonus is that the shaving cream takes off sticky glue residue, as well as crayon and ink marks. Depending on the fragrance you chose, your room should smell simply wonderful. The cream also makes your kiddo's hands feel smooth and soft. Take a teachable moment to talk about friction, as students rub the table top or their desk. The shaving cream will disappear, and their hands will feel warm.
Shaving cream is also an excellent "frosting" or "snow" for winter craftivities. The results pack a huge "Wow!" affect and were some of my students' favorite artwork. They make an outstanding decoration for your hallway, but hang them above any one's reach, so little fingers aren't tempted to poke the fluffy "snow." To make the "snow frosting," mix equal parts of Elmer's glue to non-menthol shaving cream; mix quickly to whip up a frothy-goopy consistancy.
Students take spoonfuls, plop them on their project and then smooth with a Popsicle stick. Shaving cream craftivities need at least 24-48 hours to dry, depending on how thick the artwork is. Here are 2 of my all-time favorite shaving cream creations.
Shaving Cream Frosted Cookies Ornament: I have my students cut their cookie out of light brown paper, frost it, and then add their photo to the middle.
If you have an Ellison Die Cutter at your disposal these cookies are adorable cut into your student's initials. Add a few real candy sprinkles and these honestly look so real, and good enough to eat! Frosted Cookie Ornament pattern
By far, my favorite craft that I ever made with my Y5's was the shaving cream snowman. I hung my students snowmen as a border, just under the ceiling in the hallway. We always got zillions of compliments and everyone wanted to know the secret of the awesome looking snow!
Before hand my students drew their snowman on a pre-cut piece of tag board. Little ones have a tendency to either draw way too small or way too large, so demonstrate drawing 2 simple circles “just the right size.” For really little ones, I suggest having these pre-drawn and have included a template for you. Make sure students have written their name in the corner of their creation.
I collected a large tub of pieces and parts to decorate the snowmen via a note home making a request, searching my house, taking apart jewelry and going junking.
Put several scoops of “stuff” in paper bowls and set 2 on each table. Give students 5-10 minutes to pick out 2 eyes, 1 nose, something for a mouth and 3-5 items for their snowman's buttons.
It’s very important to have children design their snowman BEFORE you give them a dollop of shaving cream, because they need to work rather quickly spreading their “snow” with a popsicle stick. It’s helpful if they arrange their parts on the side, so that they don’t forget what they chose for each feature. They get so excited when they get the “goop” that they sometimes forgot and this really helped in the past.
I also did the shaving cream board, discussed above a day or two before. This really helped to avoid children's curiosity of how shaving cream felt and they got down to the business of creating a snowman, instead of getting off task and simply playing with the shaving cream.
Mix up a huge bowl of “fluff” and use a wooden spoon to give each student enough dollops so they can “frost” their snowman. I also demonstrate how this is done. When they are satisfied with the results they gently plop their pieces in the appropriate places.
Remember to remove the bowls of decorations before you give them the frosting to avoid children taking more and putting it all over their snowman, instead of making it look like a snowman. After they have completed decorating, set aside in a designated "keep out!" drying area.
You will need at least 24-48 hours of dry time. When you return to school they should have dried and really “puffed” up! They look simply amazing! Click on the link to view/download the Shaving Cream Snowman “craftivity.” I hope you have a delightful time with these ideas. If you take pictures, I'd LOVE to hear from you and see your "mess-terpieces!" diane@teachwithme.com
Thanks for visiting today. Feel free to PIN away. To check out all of the creative-educational things I spend way too much time pinning, click on the big heart to the right of the blog. I have lots of winter boards. I blog and design daily, so I hope you can pop in tomorrow for even more FREEBIES.
"If you don't mind smelling like peanut butter for several days, peanut butter makes good shaving cream!" -Barry Goldwater