1 2 3 Come Do Some More "Oh, the Places You'll Go..." Suess Activities With Me!

Last week I posted a super-fun “Oh the Places I'll Go”  flip-the-flap, writing prompt HAT craftivity. 

While I was working on that packet, I also designed a craft featuring "little readers" as well as graphics depicting older students; however the packet was fast approaching 100 pages, so I decided to divide the crafts into 3 separate packets, which would then have less pages and a much lower price point.

This way, teachers could choose which writing prompt best suits their students and grade level.

Featured below, are the other two "Oh the Places" packets, which are not only perfect for March is Reading Month, Read Across America, or a Celebration of Seuss Week. but certainly appropriate at the end of the year, when students are "going places" by advancing into a new grade or graduating!

As with the HAT craft, these too, combine reading and writing with a bit of geography.

Children think of a place they’d like to travel to. Money is no object, so the world is literally at their feet.

Older students can do a bit of research, to find out about a fascinating place they’d like to travel to. (Thus the geography connection, as well as great research & technology practice!)

In the "Little Readers" packet there are 4, black & white graphic options of children reading a book. They come with and without faces.

The Students choose one, which becomes the “base”. They color, then cut it out. The hat "booklet" is glued to the top of the graphic of the child's head. 

So that teachers can quickly and easily make an example to share, I've also included full-color patterns.

The cover of the hat, comes with & without the question words: Who? What? Why? When? Where & How?

This flips up to reveal 3-pages of answers.

For one of my samples I used the same color scheme as the "Oh, the Places You'll Go" story.

To add a bit more interest, I also used those same colored markers to write in my answers.

I’ve also included a blank page template, so that students can consolidate their answers to one page, or write longer answers if they want. 

For this sample I used red to color in alternating stripes, for a more traditional looking Seuss hat. 

This is a great teachable moment to practice an ABAB color pattern as well.

Using white as my second color choice and not having to fill in those stripes also saved time.

The craftivity provides an interesting way to practice & reinforce the “5 Ws + 1 H” question words in a fun way.

I find this particularly helpful with my Y5s as they enjoy sharing, so when I ask if anyone has any questions they'll often say things like, "I want to make one" or "I have a hat like that" instead of asking a question. 

In all three packets I’ve included a poster with the questions, which you can use to introduce your lesson.

Afterwards, hang it up, so that older students can refer to it, or you could also read each question, then allow time for students to write down their answers.

As always, patterns come in both black & white for students, as well as color, so that teachers can quickly & easily make an example to share

You can leave the “child reading craftivity” as is, or have students glue it to the pattern featuring a stack of 2 suitcases. 

If you think this is too much coloring for your kiddos, simply snip off the bottom suitcase to give to another child.

A luggage tag for a student’s name, adds some 3D pizzazz. 

Completed projects make a terrific bulletin board or hallway display.

I’ve included a variety of posters in both packets, to enhance the display of your students' work. 

The quote posters are in plural form, as if your students are saying these popular phrases from the story. 

There are also letters for the caption: “Oh, the Places We’ll Go!” to add extra pizzazz, which are also included in all 3 packets.

Add a splash more geography and use the "globe" letters for the upper and lowercase O. 

I also had a lot of fun designing my first "background papers", which I've included in both packets as well. I hope you find them useful.

The other "Oh, the Places I'll Go" packet, featuring graphics of older students, is similar to the "Little Readers" one; however, there are two writing prompt craftivities in this packet.

One is a file folder suitcase.

Students color and trim the suitcase, then glue it to the front of a file folder, which flips down to reveal their completed 3-page writing prompt.

The writing provides an interesting way to practice & reinforce the “5 Ws + 1 H”, which are also in the Hat and Little Readers packets: Where would you like to go? When would you like to go? Who do you want to go with? Why do you want to go? What do you want to see? and "How do you want to get there?

The 2nd choice is a “Travel Trunk.” This booklet has 6 pages to it, where students answer the same questions listed above.

I’ve also included a blank page template, so that students can consolidate their answers to one page, or write longer answers if they want.

The trunk booklet can be left as is, or topped with a "student reading” graphic. There are 4 options children can choose from.

Students color and trim, then glue to the top of their trunk booklet.

Another option, is to glue their trunk booklet to the base of a stack of suitcases. 

This option can be left "as is" or can also be topped with one of the 4 ”students reading a book” graphics for a taller completed project.

You decide which version is appropriate for your students, or you could add extra variety to your display by giving students a choice. 

There are two featured FREEBIES today.

Since spring brings a buzzing of bees, I thought you'd like to have a "Parts of a Honey Bee" anchor chart poster. 

For the second FREEBIE, click on the link for some bee-themed math games.

Well that's it for today, thanks for stopping by. 

Woo hoo! The sun is shining and temps are in the 50s.

Even though spring has sprung, it still remains rather chilly here in Michigan. Wishing you a warm and wonderful day.

"Reading is dreaming with open eyes!" -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Do Some Dr. Seuss Activities With Me

Do you read “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”  by Dr. Seuss? It’s one of my all-time favorite Seuss stories.

“Oh the Places You’ll Go” is not only perfect for March is Reading Month, Read Across America, or a Celebration of Seuss Week. but the story is also appropriate at the end of the year, when students are advancing into a new grade or graduating!

With that in mind, I decided to combine reading and writing with a bit of geography, with this super-fun “Oh, the Places I’LL Go!” craftivity.

Children think of a place they’d like to travel to. Money is no object, so the world is literally at their feet.

Older students can do a bit of research to find out about a fascinating place they’d like to travel to. (Thus the geography connection, as well as great research & technology practice!)

The cover of this “flip-the-flap” hat, comes with the question words: Who? What? Why? When? Where & How? written on the stripes, which when flipped over, reveal the student’s answers.

For example, “Where would you like to travel to?”, "When would you like to go?", "Why do you want to go there?", "Who do you want to go with?", "What do you want to see?" and "How do you want to get there?"

The craftivity provides an interesting way to practice & reinforce the “5 Ws + 1 H” question words in a fun way.

I’ve included a poster, with the entire questions that you can use to introduce your lesson.

As always, patterns come in both black & white for students, as well as color, so that teachers can quickly & easily make an example to share.

There are also blank patterns, so that older students can write in their own words and title.

Completed projects make a terrific bulletin board or hallway display.

I’ve included a variety of posters that you can sprinkle among your students creations.

I rewrote a few of the story's most popular quotations in first person to match the "Oh,the Places I'LL Go!" writing prompt title, and put them inside speech bubbles, as if your students are saying them.

Besides the quote posters, there are two others featuring students reading their way to wonderful places.

I had a lot of fun designing background papers using the color scheme from the cover of the "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" book.

I thought maybe teachers would like to use them for their own personal creations, so I've included those as well.

I also designed a set of letters which spell out the caption: “Oh, the Places We’ll Go!” to add some extra pizzazz.

Simply print, laminate & trim; then hang above your display. 

To add a bit of a "geography look", I created several globes, which can be substituted for the capital and lowercase letter O.

You can leave the hat “as is” or have students glue their completed craftivity to the suitcase pattern.

A luggage tag for a student’s name, adds some 3D pop, when the top portion is glued to the handle of the suitcase, then bent up.

Today's featured FREEBIE also has a Seuss theme featuring the Grinch. 

Celebrate Seuss with these two rhyming & writing, Grinch-themed "craftivities". One features two writing prompts. 

Students think of things that make them grin like the Grinch,  jotting these down on the left side.  On the right side, they list things that make them "grinchly and grumpy".  

The other craft is a "doorknobber".  On the front, students glue their photo face over the Grinch's, after they color it.  On the back, they list all of the words that they can think of that rhyme with whatever word you assign.  I chose Grinch and Seuss. 

Samples of both are included, so you can easily show examples to your students to help explain what you want them to do.

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

The sun is shining, which makes the cold and windy weather almost bearable. 

Wishing you a wonderful week.

"When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it." - Henry Ford

1-2-3 Come Do A Doctor Seuss Activity With Me

Right along with “March is Reading Month” our school celebrates Dr. Seuss.

By mixing reading with math, I get more bang for my time, so I thought I’d design an activity using Seuss’s book, “One Fish Two Fish”.

So that you can easily diversify your lessons, I’ve included two booklets in the packet.

The first one is an emergent reader, which is packed with over 40 Dolch sight words.

For your convenience, I’ve included a full color version, so teachers can quickly & easily make an example to share, as well as a black & white option for your students to color.

Using Seuss’s story for inspiration, I’ve included some of his rhyming words, so there are "bad & glad" fish, along with fish that are fat, with one wearing a yellow hat; as well as one with a star and another driving a car.

The last page is also very “Seuss-ical” as well: "From 1 to 10, from 10 to 1, counting is a lot of fun! From there to here, from here to there, you can count things everywhere!"

Except for numbers 9 and 10, there are two numbers featured on a "fish bowl" page, which is a nice time saver that conserves paper.

The other option, is a simple “trace & write” counting booklet, which practices numbers, plus number and color words.

Pressed for time? Assign the cutting and assembly of the booklet as homework, which is then returned so that students can complete one or pages each day, during your reading or math block.

When everyone is done, read the booklet as a whole group, or have children partner up and take turns sharing each page. 

Going along with the "One Fish TWO Fish" theme, there are TWO featured FREEBIES today!

The first one is a Seuss-themed reading log, which will help encourage students to read more during the month of March. 

FREEBIE number two is a 34-page "Cat in the Hat" themed packet. 

Review all sorts of standards with this quick, easy and fun Seuss-themed Cat in the Hat game. 

Print, laminate and trim the "food" cards.  These are mini cards that include upper and lowercase letters, numbers from 0-120,  number word cards, color words, 2D & 3D shape cards, 35 contraction cards, & 20 at family cards.

There's also a set of math symbols as well, so you can use the number cards for other math activities, like making up equations & solving them, plus showing greater and less than. 

Students can also sort the number cards into odd and even piles and sequence them. Play Memory Match or "I Have; Who Has?" games with the number word cards and their matching number cards.  These games also work for the shape and color word cards.

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

It's currently snowing here in Michigan, and while the frosted trees are quite lovely, I'm so very sick of winter and looking forward to some sunny spring days.

Wishing you a fun-filled "Seuss-ical" kind of week, as you enjoy reading from "here to there and everywhere!"

 “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” -Dr. Seuss (The Lorax)

1-2-3 Come Do A Seuss Craft With Me

It's "March is Reading Month" and Seuss is on the loose!

"You may have heard of Thing 1 and Thng 2.  They are a bit silly and a pretty bright blue.

I wonder though, if you've heard of Thing Three.  I doubt that you have because that would be me!"

And so begins the introductory poem that I wrote for a super-fun, Seuss inspired, writing prompt craft that I feel confident your students will really enjoy!

An added bonus is that completed Thing 3 projects make an amazing bulletin board.
I’ve included 2 posters for the center of your display.

This is easy-easy “print & go” prep for you, with a lot of bang for your time.

The packet is very versatile so that you can easily diversify your lessons.

Pre K kiddos can make their “Thing 3” and leave it at that, or dictate their answer to one of the writing prompts.  

Students can color my Thing 3 pattern, or use the blank-face pattern and draw their own. 

I made matching turquoise hair for my example, but for more variety, give children a choice of rainbow bright or neon colors, which make for an especially vibrant display.

You don’t have to, but to make it even more of a keepsake, have students trace one of their hands on a folded sheet of complimentary-colored construction paper, then cut once to make two hands.

Glue them to the sides of the back of Thing 3’s “belly” circle. Bend them a bit forward for some 3D pop.

For beginning or advanced writers, there are 11 writing prompt pages.
Pick your favorite or give children a choice. 

Another option is to make a “Things Journal”, doing all of the writing prompts.

Students can create their booklet on one day, then each day afterwards, complete a writing prompt page. 

Time constraint? Making & assembling the booklet can be done as a homework assignment, then returned to complete the writing in class.

Finished booklets make a nice keepsake and your “Writing Block” is taken care of for several weeks! Woo hoo.

I’ve found that when students get to share things about themselves, they are excited to get right down to the business of writing.

These interesting prompts not only do that, but they are also thought provoking.
I’ve actually had students who have no clue what they’d like to be, or places they’d like to go. They simply have never really thought about it.
When I tell them “The sky’s the limit” imaginations take flight.

How much you want students to write is up to you; share one “thing” or as many as three per prompt, leaving enough room on the bottom to illustrate one of their thoughts.

I chose 3 examples to go along with the "Thing 3" theme.
Be prepared for some enthusiastic writers to ask if they can list even more “things”!

As a fun way to get to know their classmates better, have a time of sharing when everyone has completed that prompt for the day.

Another booklet option reviews the 5 senses.
You can do this “instead of” the writing prompt pages or in "addition to"; creating a journal that will now last 3 weeks!

Using your five senses to describe things you like seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching, makes for some wonderful descriptive writing too. Remind students to use plenty of adjectives.

As with some of the writing prompts, I’ve included my completed "5 senses" example pages, so that you can quickly & easily make a sample to share.

The student pages include a graphic for each of the 5 senses that they color.  Have them illustrate one of their thoughts on the bottom as well.

Today's featured FREEBIE also has a Seuss theme.  I designed this word work packet to go along with his book Green Eggs and Ham.

Did you know that Dr. Seuss wrote Green Eggs and Ham on a bet that he couldn’t write a book with fifty or fewer distinct words? 

After doing some checking, I discovered that the bet was made in 1960 with Bennett Cerf, the co-founder of Random House, and was for $50.  Ironically, even though Seuss wrote Green Eggs and Ham using EXACTLY 50 words, it's been reported that Cerf never paid up.

Green Eggs and Ham ranks in the top 3 best-selling Seuss books, so it's definitely worth reading.  I painstakingly found all 50 words in my copy, then alphabetized them in a handy list, as well as on an anchor chart poster. All but 8 of these words, appear on the Dolch word lists (6 of the 8 are nouns; the other six nouns in the story ARE on the Dolch noun word list!)  

Use the 50 word cards to play a variety of games like "Speed", Memory Match and "I Have; Who Has?". Students could also pick a partner, and play "Speed" against them, to see who can arrange their set of cards in alphabetical order first. The packet also includes a 2-page tip list of ideas, like Kaboom!

For writing practice, print, laminate and trim the cards.  Toss them into a Seuss hat and have students choose 2-3 and incorporate those words in sentences.  Remind them to use proper spacing, capitalization and end punctuation. 

So that children can practice long and short vowels, I've included two green eggs vowel sorting mats.

For some rhyming practice, run off the two "trace, write and alphabetize" worksheets, which use words that rhyme with Sam and green.  All of these activities are perfect for your Daily 5 word work block. 

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

March has roared in like a lion here in Michigan, so it's time for a cup of hot chamomile tea and a little reading by the fire. 

Wishing you a carefree, lamb kind of day.

"Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather, mixed with a positive attitude." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Do Some Apple Activities With Me

The 3 main characters in Dr. Seuss’s story “Ten Apples Up On Top” are a dog, lion & tiger, so I thought it would be fun for children to practice number recognition and counting to 10 with an animal "slider".

After reading the story, have students transition to this whole-group craftivity.

There are 6 BW pattern choices.

Two of each animal, plus I’ve included full-color templates so you can quickly & easily make a sample to share, helping explain what you want your students to do.

Simply run the patterns off on white construction paper or card stock and give children a choice.

They color their animal, then trim around the edges.

There are 4 apple slider strip options.
Two are in BW the others in color.

The apples are numbered as well as blank, so that students can write them in.

So that the "slider" is not pulled out, have children fold and glue the end. Wahla! Instant stop guard.

To play this whole-group game, call out a number.
“I see 6 apples up on top!”

Children gently pull on their slider, counting out 6 apples, then hold their animal pet in the air.

You can see at a glance who is having difficulty.

* Save the number 10 for last, then count all of the apples together one more time.

* Children lay their animal down, and point to each number as you count the apples to ten.

* Students exclaim: “Hooray! Ten apples up on top!”

* If you’re also learning how to count backwards from 10, do that next, by having children pull the apple slider back down, pausing at each number, looking at it and saying it.

* When you get to the end, have children crouch down with their critter and repeat the backwards sequence exclaiming:

“No apples up on top. 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-0. Blast off!”

* As they yell “Blast Off!” they jump in the air, and can quietly file out to their backpacks to put their animal slider away.

Have older students glue two apple strips together to count to 20 and work on those tricky teen numbers.

This is also a great activity and story to read for a substitute teacher. (Instant lesson. Just tuck in your sub tub). 

Today's featured FREEBIE also has an apple theme.

It's an inexpensive little gift you can give your kiddos on that first day of school, or during your apple unit. 

Click on the link to pick up your free packet today: Back To School Apple Puzzle Gift Baggies.

Well that's it for today. Hope you are enjoying your summer. Mine is going way too fast.

My mom's coming for a visit next week, so It's time to get some marathon cleaning and shopping done.

Wishing you a carefree day.

"Summer: Rest, Relax, Repeat!"

1-2-3 Come Do Some Horton The Elephant Activities With Me

The first week of March we do a lot of Cat in the Hat activities to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday. For the rest of March is Reading Month, I sprinkle in activities for some of his other popular stories, like Horton Hears A Who.  This blog article features 4 of my new packets. 

First up is "Hangin' Out With Horton".  Since so many teachers have the 5 senses as one of their science standards, I decided to make this sweet flip booklet featuring Horton because he HEARS a Who.

The pages of the booklet act like a "stem" for the clover that Horton is holding. Each page features one of the senses.
Students complete the simple writing prompts by filling in what Horton sees, hears, tastes, smells, and feels.

This can relate to the story, or be whatever they imaginations dream up. 

The last page is also up to them, as they finish the sentence: "Horton...

For that finishing touch, have them glue their school picture to the clover. They are now an official member of "Whoville". 

Next up is Horton Hears, which also reviews the 5 senses and matches the above packet.  

The packet includes . . .
* An alliterative and "tongue twisting" writing prompt craftivity
* Alliteration and tongue twister definition posters
* A class mini book: “Horton Hears A Who. How About You?”

* “We spy an elephant’s eye and these Ee words:” posters, with matching worksheet
* Horton’s senses whole group activity, with matching individual worksheet

* Label the elephant poster, with matching worksheets
* 5 photo-posters of elephants, featuring one of the 5 senses

* “My favorite sense” writing prompt with a “What’s Your Favorite Sense?” graphing extension
* “If I had to give up one of my senses it would be . . .” writing prompt with graphing extension plus a ...

* “Where might an elephant walk?” photo-poster, with matching writing prompt. 

An elephant is my favorite animal, so I'm also big on the Elmer stories by David McKee. 

I thought it would be fun to design a packet with both pachyderms , and just finished up-dating Horton & Elmer Fun.  This 102-page jumbo packet includes:

* 4 “Craftivities”
* Games
* Pocket chart cards

* Worksheets
* Posters
* Writing prompts

* Graphing activities
* Venn diagrams
* Itty Bitty color booklet

* Rhyming activity
* Lollipop certificate of praise plus
* Bookmarks.   

Finally, I just finished the "I Saw An Elephant" packet today. 

I designed these color activities specifically to go with Horton, but I kept this packet generic, so that it would work anytime of the year, and fits in nicely with a zoo or animal theme as well.     

It's differentiated for PK-1st grade, plus I've also included the UK "colours" and "grey" spelling options.

The packet includes a variety of posters, games, writing prompts, pocket chart cards for 12 colors, with a matching bookmark.
My students keep theirs in their writing journals.

There's also an emergent reader, “Elephant Colors” booklet, filled with lots of Dolch sight words, plus  a "favorite color elephant" graphing extension, with matching “color me” worksheet.

Besides the Memory Match games, there's also 2 options for a “Roll and Color” dice game, with numbers 1-6 for PK children, plus a game sheet for numbers 1-12 with addition practice and two dice, for older kiddos.

To mix math with literacy, there are full color, plus black and white number puzzles (sequencing numbers from 1-10 for PK kiddos, plus skip counting by 10s to 100 for older students.

There's also a set of Color mixing (primary to secondary colors) pocket chart cards, with a matching black & white template for students to color, which I staple together as a flip booklet.

The “mixing colors” elephant craftivity will be a big hit. My students absolutely LOVED mixing colors with finger paints.

They got so excited when a new color appeared as if by “magic”. The results are awesome and make an interesting bulletin board. A caption could be: “Mixing It Up In (Kindergarten)”. 

Today's FREEBIE also features Horton. It's a sweet writing prompt craftivity, that includes the puppet craft, plus 22 writing-prompts!

Well that's it for today.  I hope you still have some time left in your busy March schedule to fit in some fun with Horton. 

The weather's hit 60 today, so the dreary snow is finally melting like crazy!  Woo Hoo; I can smell spring in the air.  Wishing you a wonderful day. 

"Life stands before me like an eternal spring with new and brilliant clothes." - Carl Friedrich Gauss

1-2-3 Come Do Some Dr. Seuss Activities With Me    

 Seuss is on the loose and I'm celebrating with some super-fun Seuss-themed activities. Today's blog features some of my favorite ways to practice standards using a Seuss hat.

First up, word families. The "Stackin' Up Word Families With A Seuss Hat" packet includes 39 word families! Not surprisingly, a lot of these words appear in Dr. Seuss’s stories!

Simply choose the word families that your students are working on.  

Use them for a bulletin board display, your word wall, centers, games, assessing and worksheets! 

Next up are the "Flipping Over 2D and 3D Shapes!" emergent reader booklets.   

Students read the simple sentences, underline the capital letters and add end punctuation.

They trace and write shape words, then trace, color and draw the various shapes.

Gluing the top square to their cat’s hat, then snipping on the lines, creates a "flip the flap" booklet.

I really think it’s important for students to not only be able to identify the various shapes, but pick them out in real life and give examples. 

With that in mind, I designed both booklets with graphics of real life things.

When everyone is done, read the booklets together as a whole group, to reinforce concepts of print.

I specifically used lots of Dolch word pronouns for more teachable moments. I’ve also included a graphing extension.

Finally, I created some Seuss-hat, telling analog & digital time to the hour and half hour activities for the "It's Time For Seuss!" packet.

There are dice games, worksheets, an anchor chart, cat clock craftivity, clothespin clip game, sequencing time "Speed" game, pocket chart digital & analog time cards to the hour and half hour, an Itty Bitty Time booklet, praise certificates and an assessment!    

The featured FREEBIE today is a Seuss hat writing prompt with a "Seussism" quote poster. 

Use the poster to introduce the lesson, then display it in the center of your bulletin board display, surrounded by your students' completed hats. 

Simply run off the template. Students write the things that they enjoyed doing the most during their day at school, writing something on each stripe of the cat's hat.

They write their name in the oval on the bottom.  Add a school photo for that finishing touch.

Since a lot of teachers decorate with Seuss for back-to-school,  I’ve also included a template for that special first day.  

Well that's it for today. Time to get busy with Horton and Green Eggs & Ham stuff!  

Wishing you a non-crazy, carefree day!

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go!" -Dr. Seuss

1-2-3 Come Do Some Dr. Seuss Lorax Activities With Me   

Ever since the movie came out, my students absolutely love the Lorax. He's such a cute little fluff ball, and the inspiration behind my "Shapin' Up With The Lorax" packet.   

This craftivity is quick, easy & super-fun and includes a variety of game options.

There's also an emergent reader, which practices capitalization and end punctuation as it reviews shapes.

I’ve provided 2D shapes (circle, oval, square, rectangle, triangle, hexagon, pentagon, octagon, trapezoid, rhombus, heart, star & crescent), as well as the four, 3D ones: cone, cube, cylinder andsphere. 

Make a set to use for a bulletin board display.

Make an extra set; cut them in half, and use as puzzles for an independent math center and an interesting way to review symmetry.

Play 4-Corner FREEZE; a game that practices a variety of life skills, like listening and following directions, as well as the 2D/3D shape vocabulary, plus recognition, and counting backwards from 10 to 0.

My kiddos absolutely LOVE this game. Easy-peasy for me, and only takes a few minutes, so it’s perfect for the end of the day. I’ve included directions in the packet.

You can also use the Lorax shapes as big flashcards. Hold one up. Children call out what shape it is, along with its attributes, like the number of vertices.

Play “Who’s Missing?” Display a set on the wall. After children leave, take one away. In the morning, children guess which one is missing.

I’ve also included a 2-on-a-one-page template, so children can pick their favorite shape and create their own Lorax.

There are 2 mustache options: “I ‘mustache’ you a question. What shape am I?” is written on one, the other is blank.

For a cute keepsake idea, students can use their hand prints as the mustache, and add accordion-folded legs and arms. (Super fine motor practice!)

Have older students write attributes on the back. 

Next up is a Telling Time With The Lorax Game, which practices analog and digital time to the hour.

There are several ways to use the packet.  Make a large Lorax teacher’s clock to use as a whole-group assessment tool. 

You can also have children make their own, mini (4-on-a-page pattern) Lorax clock, to whole group assess in another way.

Ask children to show you 11:00 or whatever time. Sitting at their desk/table, they manipulate their paperclips to display that time.
You walk around the room making sure children have the correct time.

Another option: Instead of using paperclips, children can use a dry erase marker to draw hands on their clock, to show you the time, then erase it with a tissue.

The “clocks” can also be used as spinners to play the “It’s Truffula Tree Time!” game.

To use for a math center activity, laminate the full-size truffula trees, and medium-size spinners, and attach a large paperclip with a brass brad.

Using a dry erase marker, children play with a partner, spinning the paperclip to see what time they will trace on the truffula tree trunk.

The winner of the game, is the first one to fill in all of the times, or who has the most times traced when the timer rings.

So that children practice numbering a clock, I’ve also included mini-blank clocks without numbers. 

When students spin, they not only trace the time on their truffula tree, they also write that number on their mini clock worksheet.

I’ve included 2-on-a page templates of the game, so that you can play this as a whole group activity too. 

Children can play with a partner or in a group of 3-5.  Each student makes their own truffula tree, has their own blank clock, and shares the spinner. 

Today's FREEBIE also features Seuss's Lorax.  It's a super-cute writing prompt. Making a mustache to launch a writing prompt, is an interesting and "Suessical" way of doing things. I think your students will enjoy it.

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 are asking: "We mustache you, would you save a truffula tree?" 

Flank the board on either side, with 2 colorful truffula trees, made out of strips of neon-colored tissue paper, and rolled up green bulletin board paper for the trunk. Stripe it with brightly colored boarder.

Well that's it for today.  I can't believe spring is just around the corner, as it's bitter cold today and the bleak view out my window is still snow covered! 

Wishing you a wonderful week!

"Life is like a mustache.  It can be wonderful or terrible, but it always tickles!" -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Do Some Cat in the Hat Craftivities With Me 

Seuss's birthday is on March 2nd, so my school kicks off our March is Reading Month with a super-fun Cat in the Hat Day. 

With that in mind, I designed a plethora of Seuss hat-themed activities.  Here are 3 of my kiddos' all-time favorites.  

First up  is a place value  “Cat in the Hat” game. I print and laminate a class set so that we can play a whole-group place value game.

Students take turns calling out a 2 or 3-digit number.  Using a dry erase marker, students write the number on the hat brim and then place that many number tiles in the appropriate columns.

This is also a quick and simple way to whole-group assess. When students have filled in their mat, they raise their hand. You can see at a glance who is having difficulty.

The hat and number tiles come in a large, full-page size, as well as a smaller, 2-on-a-page pattern to conserve paper.

I’ve also included a 3D “Cat in the Hat” place value craftivity, that makes an interesting manipulative for an independent center, assessing, or playing a game with a partner.    

Next up is a quick, easy and super-fun, Cat's Hat AT Word Family packet, filled with a variety of interesting activities to help practice the at family of words.

The packet includes:

* An at word family poster.
* A “My Cat Pat” emergent reader flip booklet with a full-color teacher’s edition.
* A set of “Pat the Cat” pocket chart cards

*An at family, “Cat in the Hat” slider craftivity, featuring 16 words.
*4 worksheets.

* A “My Itty Bitty Book Of at Family Words” booklet.

* Picture and word cards to use as an independent center.

* You can also use the cards for a Memory Match or “I Have; Who Has?” game. 
* I've also included black and white “Trace, Write & Color” puzzle cards, with a matching set in full color for a center activity. 

Finally, the next cat hat craftivity is very versatile, as the "Classmate Hat" can be used as a game, independent center, whole group activity, bulletin board, writing prompt or reading log.

There are "brim" options for preschool to 2nd grade, as well as several generic ones to fit whatever.

Besides the “Alphabetize Your Classmates” game, the packet also includes a mini cat hat craftivity, with a variety of brim options for that too.

Students choose to put their hat on a cat pattern, an enlarged photo of themselves, or they can pick a head pattern and draw a face on it.

I’ve included 9 faceless head templates they can pick from, as I find this helps little ones with size, however you can always opt to have children draw their own.

Students color, trim and glue their hat on top of their head.  Completed projects make an adorable bulletin board.

I've included a worksheet for alphabetizing practice, plus a "Speed" game challenge, recording sheet.

Since the hat templates are blank, you can also have students write a list of their favorite Seuss books. Older students can put their list in alphabetical order.

Another idea is to “Stack a Hat” using the stripes as a reading log to jot down each book they read during March is Reading Month or the number of pages they’ve read each week.

You can also use the blank hat for a writing prompt of your choice, or have students list the reasons why they like to read, or specifically why they enjoy reading Dr. Seuss books. 

Patterns come on a full-page, as well as a smaller, 2-on-a-page size, to save on paper. 

The FREEBIE today also features Seuss. It's a set of silly Dr. Seuss songs that I made up.  I hope you find them useful. 

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by.  As much as I've up-dated, tweaked and designed, I still have a huge "to do" pile sitting on my desk. 

So I'm certainly happy that March has 31 days in it, providing more time to cram in some extra-fun spring themes.  Wishing you a sunshine-filled day.

"The beautiful spring came; and when nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also." -Harriet Ann Jacobs

1-2-3 Come Do Some Dr. Seuss Activities With Me 

Seuss's birthday is March 2nd, so I'm featuring 3 of my all-time favorite writing prompt "Seuss-tivities" that have recently been up-dated. 

First up is the perfect "go-along" to Dr. Seuss's book, "Oh The Places You'll Go". This packet features 3, quick, easy and fun writing prompt craftivities.

On the large bucket, students think of 5 places they want to go, then write the place, followed by what they want to see there, or what they want to do while they are there.

There’s also another writing prompt option of “Oh the top 5 things I want to do are…” 
I’ve included a full-page pattern, as well as a smaller, 2-on-a-page template to conserve paper.

The 3rd prompt is a mini-bucket “slider", where students think of all of the things they'd like to do, and jot them down on a strip of paper.

This can be for the month, year, in 5, 10, 20 years, or a list of all they want to do before they die. They include this time commitment on their hat.

Students can color their large bucket to look like an upside down Seuss hat, or color the stripes however they want.

Some of my students used the color scheme featured in the “Oh The Places You’ll Go” story: pink, powder blue, purple, light green, orange and yellow.

Completed projects make sweet bulletin boards for March is Reading Month or a Dr. Seuss celebration. 

Another writing prompt craftivity to also go along with this book, is my hot air balloon, which turns out absolutely "awww-dorable" making a wonderful keepsake.
Completed projects look terrific suspended from the ceiling, swirling and twirling.

I've designed it with 3 different writing prompt balloons, so that it's 3 dimensional; however, you can simply do just one with your PK kiddos, and display them on a cloud-filled bulletin board.

I do this during my "Celebration of Seuss" week, but it's also a super-fun activity for the end of the year when students will be "sailing into the next grade".

With that in mind, I've also included a set of posters for your display.  There's one for preschool-4th grade, with several generic and blank options for anything else.

I've also included blank balloon patterns, so that you can program with a different writing prompt, making it suitable for back-to-school as well.

There's a large, full-page pattern, as well as a smaller, 2-on-a-page template to conserve paper. 

Finally, "If We Ran The Circus" packet, is based on Dr. Seuss's book "If I Ran The Circus".   

After reading Dr. Seuss’s If I Ran The Circus, have students transition to either of these interesting writing prompts.

One is a class book. There are two writing prompt options, plus a blank page for you to program with whatever.

Students complete their page and illustrate it.  Collect and collate the pages and add the cover. There are two options.

Read your class book aloud by having each student share the page that they wrote. I keep our class-made books in a basket in our classroom library.  It’s one of my students’ favorite “go to’s”.

Remember to display your class-made books for conferences too. They are a great resource to show improvement.

The other writing prompt is a circus tent “craftivity” with 3 tent options in black and white.

Students color and cut out their tent and attach their "If I ran the circus..." paper to the edges, bending it so that their tent is now a 3D cylinder. (Don't forget to review that shape.)

For that finishing touch, students glue their photo to the face of either a clown or a ringmaster. Punch holes on either side, add a yarn loop and suspend from the ceiling.

You can also opt to simply have students use the tent as a “header” gluing their writing prompt underneath.  Completed projects make a cute bulletin board.

I’ve included a circus clown poster to use for your display, as well as full-color tents, plus my 2 completed writing prompt samples, so that you can quickly & easily make examples to share. 

The featured FREEBIE today also has a Seuss-theme. 

I bought some darling clip art on etsy an made a set of Dr. Seuss Number Puzzles.  I hope your kiddos enjoy them!  

Well that's it for today.  Time to go throw some salt on my sidewalk, so I don't break my neck taking the dog out. 

Looking at all this snow, one would never guess that it's the tail end of February here in Michigan!

Wishing you a warm and cozy day.

"As he approached his 28th birthday in February 1840, Dickens knew himself to be famous, successful and tired. He needed a rest, and he made up his mind to keep the year free of the pressure of producing monthly installments of yet another long novel." -Claire Tomalin