Word finds are a quick, easy and fun way to build vocabulary, while reinforcing letter recognition and spelling.

1-2-3 Come Exercise Your Brain, and Play Some Apple Games With Me!

Yesterday I shared "Apples on a Roll" to help reinforce numbers and math skills.  Today I have 2 more freebies: an apple maze and an apple word find.   I designed several mazes according to skill level, from super simple for PK kiddo's, to difficult for older students, or something to challenge "early finishers" with. 

I enjoy designing mazes and word finds, within a themed object, like the apple.  These are quick and easy table top activities, or something to plug in, for those students who manage to get everything done in a short amount of time, and are forever asking: "What can I do now?"   Mazes are great practice for spatial awareness, and higher-level thinking with logic, plus a wonderful fine motor skill, as children navigate from beginning to end.

Click on the link to view/download the Apple Mazes.

For more "a-maze-ing" fun, click on the link to view a plethora of online mazes; suitable for a computer-center activity.

My students also enjoyed word finds.  I made them for every unit, as they are a quick and easy way to reinforce letter recognition and spelling.  Kids love them and they are an excellent way to review the vocabulary that you want to build for that particular theme.

For our apple unit, we started by labeling the parts of an apple; these provided our new vocabulary words, which went up on our word wall.  Searching for them in a word find was a fun way to reinforce them.  Click on the link to view/download the Apple Labeling "craftivity".

There are zillions of word finds available online, as well as a nice selection of word find generators. I used to create my own word finds, by typing in all of the words first, and then filling them in with letters before and after.  This was pretty time consuming, so I switched to using a generator to make an "instant" word find. Simply type in a list of words, and then click submit. 

A downfall of most of the automatic programs, is that they create only using CAPITAL letters.  This is not how teachers want students to search for a word, that they have learned to spell appropriately.  This also proves near impossible for little ones who are just learning how to match upper to lowercase letters.     A-Z Teacher's Stuff     is my favorite program. It offers both upper and lowercase options, shapes, fonts and spatial find options.  In my apple word find, I have included Johnny Appleseed.  I have not found a program that allows me to do both upper and lowercase in the same word find, so I use the result as a "teachable moment" by asking students: "What's wrong with johnny appleseed's name?"  Looking for: "It should be capitalized."  Click on the link to view/download the Apple Word Find.

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"The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery." -Mark Van Doren 

1-2-3 Come Play An Apple Game With Me!

When I design a game for my kiddo's, I try to involve a variety of standards, so that I'm really making great use of time.  Using dice to play games, helps students subitize (pretty soon they are able to recognize that 5 spots = the number five, without having to count the dots).

Besides subitizing, Apples On A Roll helps students with number recognition, putting together a puzzle, 1-to-1 correspondence, basic life skills of getting along with others, and waiting your turn etc.  By running off the apples on red, yellow and green construction paper, you can also review that science fact.

Print off the apple template on white construction paper, laminiate and trim; and then print out the apple "puzzle pieces" on the various colors, laminate and cut the individual numbered pieces.  I keep each puzzle in a separate Baggie, and then put all of the smaller Baggies into one large one.

Children choose a partner and take turns rolling the dice.  Whatever number they land on, they put that piece on their apple puzzle template.  The first one to complete their apple, or the one with the most pieces on their apple when the timer rings, is the winner.

If you'd like to throw in some addition practice, add black lines to make 6 more "slices".  Write in numbers 7-12.  Children now use a pair of dice and add numbers together, placing the higher numbered puzzle pieces on their apple.

Click on the link to view/download the Apple Puzzle Game.

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I blog every day, so I hope you can pop back tomorrow for more apple freebies.

"The future belongs to those who believe in the bearty of their dreams."  -Eleanor Roosevelt

8 pages. If you're doing a busy bee theme, then you'll enjoy this bumblebee 10 frame packet.

Be sure and check out our other 10 frame packets; we have lots!

1-2-3 Come Make A Barn Manipulative With Me

My Y5's LOVED "sliders".  I designed them for every theme and for a variety of report card standards (shapes, letters, numbers, words etc.) They provide wonderful fine motor skill practice, and are a quick, easy and fun way to whole-group assess.  I named them "sliders" because students "slide" their answer strip up and down to locate the correct response.

I've had quite a few requests for lessons revolving around a farm theme, so I thought I'd whip together a barn slider.  Have students glue their head over the farm girl/boy who's peeking out of the door, to make this extra special. 

There are traceable word cards featuring various farm life holding a shape.  I've also included traceable, shape-word cards as well.  Teachers can flash a card, students then manipulate their slider to find that shape and shape word on their sliders. 

Print off extra sets of the cards so children can play  Memory Match or "I Have; Who Has?" shape games. For further reinforcement, run off the "My Shapes booklet". Children trace and write the shape word, as well as trace and color the shape. 

Click on the link to view/download the Who Let The Shapes Out Barn Packet.

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"Some of the best lessons we ever learn, we learn from our mistakes and failures.  The error of the past is the success and wisdom of the future." -Tyron Edwards

17 pages.

Students manipulate their barn sliders to show the shape + shape word that the teacher is asking for.  Glue a student's face over the farm girl/boy to make this extra special.  A quick, easy and fun way to whole-group assess.

8 pages. Common Core State Stadards: 1.MD.3a

Print, laminate and trim for a wonderful review & assessment tool. This digital owl clock, makes a nice companion to the analog owl clock. 

1-2-3 Come Tell Digital and Analog Time With Me!

I was pretty happy; after I got done with the Whooo knows the time? owl clock. Everyone I showed it to thought it was cute.

A friend commented that she felt a smaller version might be better for students.

I know that some teachers might not have the time for their kiddo’s to create the larger ones, so I decided to make mini Whooo knows the time? owl clock PADDLES. My “coin paddles” are one of our most downloaded items, so perhaps these will be a winner too.

While frogging around gluing the analog owl to the Popsicle stick, I thought why not put a digital one on the back, so teachers could review both Common Core State Standards. (1.MD.3a) They can use the big one and call out a time. Using dry erase markers, children draw the hands on their clock, and the numbers on the digital side, and then hold it up. Does it match the clocks that the teacher is holding? You can whole-group assess in seconds!

Print off the colored ones, or run off the black and white template on white construction paper. Students color their owls any color they want. Laminate and return to them to cut and glue to a Popsicle stick, gluing the analog owl on one side and the digital clock on the other.

If you want to use your owls each year, instead of having students make their own, print off the colored owl template and laminate.

Mr. Clean Erasers do a nice job of cleaning dry erase, and even permanent marker off laminate! Students only need a small square of the eraser, so cut your Mr. Clean ones in 8 pieces.

You could also make a few of the big clocks and have students partner up. One plays the teacher, and the other shows their student-paddle.  This is a great way to pair up a strong student, with a struggler, for more one-on-one review time.

Click on the link to view/download the large owl analog clock, the owl clock paddles, and/or the large digital owl clock.

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“There is no failure except in not trying.” –Elbert Hubbard     It’s also nice to remember and remind, that failure is NOT permanent!

9 pages.

If you are doing a frog theme, you'll enjoy this 10 frame frog packet.

Be sure and check out our other 10 frame activities; we have lots!

6 pages.

Review shapes with this fun spinner game.  A black & white + labeled spinners are also included.