1-2-3 Come Play Some Color Games With Pete and Me

To get my students excited about learning, I try to design things that feature a “hot button”.

Since they absolutely love Pete the Cat, I made these color games and activities with a shoe theme, inspired by 2 of their favorite stories: Pete’s “I Love My White Shoes” and Pete’s “Rockin’ In My School Shoes”.  

I'm featuring my 5 newest creations on the blog today, along with today's fun FREEBIE. 

First up, is the packet "We're Rockin' In These Color Shoes!"  which is a whole group game and assessment, as well as an independent center activity.

Use the 12, colorful posters featuring a wonderful variety of ethnicities, as a super-fun, non threatening way to individually assess colors and color words. 

My students can’t wait for their turn to show me what they know, as they get to play a game with their teacher.

The packet also includes black and white worksheets featuring 12 different children, so that students can color, cut and make their own game, which can now be used as a whole group assessment tool.

When everyone is done, simply call out a color. Children find those matching colored shoes, as well as the color word and place them on their worksheet. You can see at a glance who is having difficulty. 

Next up is the "Cool Cat Rockin' In My School Shoes!" color game, which includes spinners in color as well as black and white, with a "color me" bookmark.

You can also skip making the spinners (I use them for a center), and run off the black and white game sheet, which have the spinner already on the worksheet; simply "Print & Go!"  

I also made the "We're Rocking In Our School Shoes" color-me booklet, to not only reinforce colors and color words, but as a fun way for students to learn how to read and write their fellow classmates’ names.

To complete the first sentence on each page, Students fill in the name of one of their new friends.

There are 2 pages on a template to create a “just the right size” booklet.  Children color, trace and write the color words then color the graphics accordingly.

Besides the booklet, I’ve also included a colorful set of pocket chart cards featuring color words with matching colored shoes.

Another emergent reader "Cool Cat Shoe Colors" is a bit more advanced as it includes 20+ Dolch sight words; however, I keep it simple by setting this up like a worksheet, with just 3 pages.

Children read the simple sentences, fix letters that should be capitalized, and add end punctuation, then trace, write and color the color words and shoes.

For the cover, children color the cat their favorite color, color his shoes to match the color shoes they are wearing, then name their cat.

The story ends with children drawing a picture of the shoes that they are wearing. 

Finally, my largest Pete Color Packet ("I Love My Shoe Colors!") can be used for centers, games, and assessments.  

The main focus of the packet is having fun playing games using 20+ sets of colorful cards.

Besides depicting a huge variety of shoes, the cards include colorful cats, paw prints, and guitars. 

There are also word cards in matching colored ink, as well as sets in black ink so you can test comprehension.

Children enjoy using the cards for . . .

Sorting: Simply print and laminate the color-word sorting "mats" on a matching color of construction paper; have children pick X number of cards, then sort them by color.

Patterning: Children choose 2 to 3 colors or kinds of cards, then create a row of patterns. (ABAB, ABC etc.)

Math: Children can make groups/sets with the cards, and use them as manipulatives to count, add, subtract, and show greater & less than. I’ve included those math symbol cards as well as a “recording equations” worksheet.

Games: Most of the templates have 11 color cards on a full page pattern, so they are perfect for Memory Match and “I Have; Who Has?” games, or card games like “Go Fish”.  

Besides the individual card games, I’ve also included several whole group games like...

“Pete! Pete! Where are you? We think you’re hiding under a shoe!”;  "What's Missing?";  "Oh No! Pete's Lost A Shoe."; "1-2-3 Come Find Pete With Me" (a number recognition game) and "Cat-Cat Who Took Your Shoe", as well as a syllable, color-chant game.  

In addition to the games, I’ve also included 2 color-word worksheets, which can be used for an assessment.

There's also an Itty Bitty “My Colors” booklet, plus 2 mini-certificates of praise.

Use the activities for centers, as a whole group, partner fun, in small groups, or as an assessment tool.

Today's FREEBIE also features Pete's shoes, and is called Alpha-Cats.  I hope you find it useful. 

Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by. I usually don't post on Saturdays, but it pouring rain and my husband's taking a nap. 

Perfect time to dash off a blog article. Wishing you a relaxing and fun-filled week. 

"Anyone who thinks sunshine is pure happiness, has not danced in a gentle summer rain." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Do Some More Pete The Cat Activities With Me

Since Pete the Cat stories are so popular with students, I decided to design a “getting to know you” cat-themed writing prompt.

I think building a community in your classroom is one of the most important things teachers can do to ensure appropriate behavior, kindness, camaraderie and a team spirit.

One of the easiest ways to do this, is for your students to get to know their classmates. Thus the reason for “Check Meowt!”

Although this is a super-fun icebreaker for the first week of school, I continue to do “getting to know you” activities throughout the year.

No matter what grade I taught, whenever I tossed in a bit of craftiness to the lesson, my students were excited to get down to the business of writing.

They particularly enjoyed sharing things about themselves, interests, opinions, likes and dislikes.

In this packet there are several options.
Children can make the cat head, then complete that worksheet and attach it under the “Check Meowt!” header, or they can simply fill in and color the worksheet.

If your kiddos are crazy over Pete the Cat, then run the pattern off on blue paper, if not, a variety of crazy colored cats makes for a vibrant display.

There’s an easier version for younger students, as well as one with more questions for older children.

PK kiddos can dictate their answers to a reading buddy, classroom aide or the worksheet can be completed at home with the help of a parent.

The inspiration for this craftivity came from the song “I’m a Cat”, which is on YouTube. The link’s in the packet.

If you like it, why not play it while children work on their “Check Meowt!” writing prompt, or use it to introduce the lesson.

Completed projects make a cute bulletin board.

I’ve included several posters to use for the center of your display, as well as a color copy of the worksheet so you can easily make a sample to share.

While I was in the "creating cats" mood, I thought it would be fun to learn about, and practice the 5 senses with a cat theme as well.

This packet includes an Itty Bitty “My Cat” booklet, as a fun way to reinforce the 5 senses as this cool cat sees, hears, smells, & tastes things as he moseys along. When you pet him, how does he feel?

Children color their cover, complete the prompt by writing one or two words of what their cat saw, heard, tasted etc. then draw a picture.

Encourage older students to write short, but descriptive sentences and turn this activity into an emergent reader.

When students have completed their worksheet, they cut out the pages, put them in any order they want, then staple them to the “purr-fect” section on the cover of their booklet.

There are pages with word prompts for K-1, as well as ones with picture prompts for PK kiddos.

I’ve also included pages that go along with the story “Pete The Cat’s New White Shoes”.

Besides the booklet, the packet also includes:

* A colorful cool cat 5 senses poster.

* 2 “Label the cat’s senses” worksheets, with write-in, or cut & glue options. There are 2 size choices as well.

* For more practice, students can also think of one more thing their cat could see, hear, smell etc. and write those answers on the bookmark-size worksheet.

* There’s also an “I listen with my whole body” classroom management poster, as well as one for students to color. 

Today's FREEBIE also features Pete the Cat. 

Even before Pete the Cat made the saying "It's All Good!" popular, others felt the same way, like Glennon Melton, so I used her quote to make a cat-themed poster.

There's one in black and white for kiddos to color, as well as a colorful one for you to introduce the writing prompt with, then hang in the center of your display of students' work.

Using the worksheet, children write whether they agree or disagree with the quote and why. 

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

Praise the Lord that the 90 degree temps have flown the coop to be replaced with a wonderfully sunny, 70 degree day. 

Time to clear my brain and walk Chloe (my poodle pup).  Wishing you a fun-tastic day filled with everyone and everything you enjoy the most. 

"There is no elevator to success.  You have to take the stairs." -Unknown

Since my kiddos absolutely love Pete the Cat, I designed this Pete's "It's all good" poster to help motivate them to want to write.

1-2-3 Come Do Some More Pete The Cat Activities With Me

Are your kiddos crazy over Pete the Cat? If you’re a fan, then these packets are for you! Today I'm featuring 2 of my newest creations featuring a cool blue cat.

Since my other name activities have been such a hit, I decided to make some with a cat-theme. These keepsake, name writing booklets enable me to assess my students’ abilities from that first day on to the last.

They are not only a quick, easy and super-fun assessment tool, but a great way to keep interest high as children continue to practice.

The booklets also provide me with something easy that I can share during conferences to show progress, and at the end of the year, with no added work on my part, children will have an awesome keepsake to take home.

They’ve also worked as a wonderful “stress buster” when I’m ill, or if an emergency arrises, as I’ve easily plugged them into my sub plans with no extra work or running things off.

My kiddos are also familiar with doing them, and where they are located, so it’s a real win-win.

The packet includes:

* 3 different keepsake writing booklets to choose from.
However, I specifically designed them all differently, so that you can make all of them for your students if you want.

All of the templates have 2 pages on one, so that the booklets are half size, which is less overwhelming, expedites coloring and ensures good effort, as well as saves on paper.

The first one is short. “My seasonal name writing booklet”, which features a page for fall, winter, spring and summer.
It’s perfect for when you need a “fill in” or have a sub.

The second booklet “I Can Write My Name With Different Stuff!” gives children an opportunity to write with different things: pencils, crayons, markers, pens and chalk.
They also have a picture to color.

Finally, the “My Monthly Writing Booklet” is a real keepsake, as it shows how children wrote their name on the first and last days of school, as well as each month.

The cat-themed graphic depicts something appropriate for that month, with several options for some of them. Mix and match to make a booklet just right for you.

Next up are my ever-popular "sliders".  I gave them that name because children “slide” a strip of paper through a “window” in a crafty little graphic, that displays numbers, letters, or 2D shapes.

The cutting & sliding are great for strengthening finger muscles too.

There are 5 cat graphics in this packet, (full-page & 2-on-a-page) as well as 3 different sizes for the sliders, so you can make more than one.

If you’re a big “Pete the Cat” fan, have children color their cats various shades of blue, or if you want your students to get in some cutting practice, run off the patterns on blue construction paper.

I’ve included shoe patterns as well. All of the cat patterns come with and without shoes.

There are “sliders” (number strips) for sequencing numbers from 0-10 as well as 1-30; plus a strip for counting backwards from 10-0 or 20-0, as well as strips for skip counting by 2s, 3s, 5s, & 10s.

There’s also a slider for uppercase letters, as well as lowercase letter strips, plus a strip of 2D shapes as well as a “shoe slider” that reviews colors/coloUrs.

Students trace the numbers/letters and color the 2D shapes/shoes on their slider strips. 
If you’re working on patterning, have children choose 2-3 colors to show an AB-AB, ABC-ABC color pattern.

My favorite thing about sliders is that they are a quick, easy and interesting way for me to review, as well as whole-group assess a variety of standards, by playing a “Show me the number, letter, color or shape” game.

Today's featured FREEBIE is a sweet treat idea. It's perfect for your students' first day/week of school, or something you can give them during those grueling tests, or whenever you need a little surprise treat.

Print off the star template (2 to choose from) and attach Starburst candy with glue dots.

While they're chomping away, have them write "I AM a star!" on the back and sign their name, then hang up as a positive "you got this" happy space.

Well that's it for today. My grandchildren are coming over, so it's time to change hats.

We'll for sure be coloring some Pete pictures!  Wishing you a super-groovy kind of day.

"A good day is a good day.  A bad day is a good story.  At the end of the day it's all good." - Glennon Melton

Here's a no-mess hand print craft that's sure to become a keepsake, with the added bonus that it helps kiddos sequence & retell Pete the Cat's "I Love My White Shoes" story.

  1-2-3 Come Do Some Pete The Cat Activities With Me

Are your kiddos crazy over a blue cat named Pete? Mine are; and one of their favorite stories is “I Love My White Shoes”.

With that in mind, I designed a variety of Pete-themed activities to practice an assortment of standards.  I'm featuring 2 of them on the blog today.

First up is a whopping 125-page jumbo literacy packet which I just finished this morning! Woo hoo. Thrilled to be done is an understatement!

It's chock full of a huge assortment of activities for you to choose from.

The packet includes:
* A variety of Worksheets
* Writing prompts plus a class-made booklet

* “Sentence writing” activities, which practice beginning capitalization and end punctuation, along with . . .
* Graphic organizers, plus 2 graphing activities, as well as . . .
* Helpful Literacy Posters to introduce and explain things. 

All of my literacy packets include at least one, quick, easy and fun craftivity.

* The “My Shoes Are . . .”  kitty craft is a personal favorite.

Completed projects make a really cute bulletin board or hallway display.

* The “Let’s Text!” activities are for “Making Connections“: (text to self, text to text, text to world).

I've included BW patterns for your students to fill in, as well as matching colorful posters to use to help explain things. There are also . . .

* “Cat Comprehension” activities that include a cute "Popsicle Stick Pete Puppet", which children make & manipulate to answer "Yes!" and "No!" questions about the story (28-question sheet included).

* Lots of super-fun “Word Work” and vocabulary-building activities, games, worksheets, and a word booklet, as well as 50+ word cards for all of the words in the story, most of them are Dolch sight words! 

For more word practice there's the...
“Feed The Face” Cat Craft as well as a
* “Syllable Sorting” word mat. 

"I Love My White Shoes" is perfect for teaching "Cause & Effect" so I've included...
Cause & Effect activities with black and white worksheets for students, a full color version to use as a whole group, plus an answer key. 

* There are Activities comparing “I Love My White Shoes” with “Rockin’ In My School Shoes” plus more

* Comparison-Contrast activities with Venn diagrams.

* Another literacy standard is . . .”Sequencing the events of the story”, so I designed a variety of worksheets, including an ordinal number booklet along with a set of colorful pocket chart cards.

I’ve tried very hard to include a variety of materials suitable for PK-2nd, so you can diversify for the various skill levels of your students; helping the strugglers, while challenging others.

Simply choose which activities are appropriate for your students, then “print & go!”  For PK kiddos do the activities as a whole group.

Use the packet for morning work, table top lessons, centers, early finishers, homework or a sub tub. 

As a back to school special, this packet is on sale for just $8. That's $3 off.  If you'd like to purchase it, please send me an e-mail at dianehen@teachwithme.com as the packet is not available in my TpT shop. (Just click this LINK and my e-mail request will pop up.)

Finally, Pete's "I Love My White Shoes" is also great for teaching and practicing "how to sequence and retell a story", since this packet was already huge, I decided to make the Pete's Story Telling Slider a separate item.  This too, is not available in my TpT shop. If you'd like to purchase it for $2.50 click the LINK to let me know.

There are several slider options:
* Check comprehension by having older students color, cut and glue the pictures in the correct sequential order on their slider.

* For PK kiddos the picture "cards" are in the correct order, or skip the cutting and gluing steps and have little ones simply color the slider with the pictures already on the strip. 

Besides the water graphic option, there's also a slider with a picture of bucket.

I’ve also included a full-color copy so that you can quickly and easily make a teacher’s sample to share with your students, helping to explain what you want them to do.

As children pull on the end of the “slider” the various pictures go through Pete’s “neck window”, so that students can take turns retelling the story to a partner or reading buddy, then take Pete home to share with their family, once again practicing these standards.

I’ve also included a color as well as BW “Here’s What Happened…” writing prompt worksheet, as another way to check comprehension, plus practice sequential writing.  

Today's featured FREEBIE is also a Pete the Cat craftivity.

This one's sure to become a keepsake as I’ve included a heart pattern that says: “This is the hand you used to hold when I was only _______ years old.”

Children write in their age, trim and glue it to their hand print paper, which says: “We read ‘I Love My White Shoes.’ Please ask me to tell you the story.” 

The head is glued to the top of their (traced then cut out) blue hand, with their thumb being the "tail".

The colorful shoes glued to the cat's "legs" (their fingers), will help them sequence the story in the correct order.  

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

It's another rainy morning, but I'm glad for the respite from the super-hot and humid days all week long.  Wishing you a refreshing day.  

"When life throws you a rainy day, play in the puddles."

1-2-3 Come Do Some Name Writing Activities With Me

“Elmer” by David McKee, is a wonderful story about the beauty and importance of diversity. This colorful, patchwork elephant, enjoys making others happy and is an instant favorite of my students.

Inspired by this heartwarming character, and because I’m always looking for quick, easy and fun ways for my students to practice writing their names, I designed some name writing activities featuring a patchwork elephant.

The packet includes:

* Several posters
* 5 worksheets
* 3 different name cards as well as . . .

* Colorful name tags
* Several games plus . . .

* 3 super-cute craftivities
The mosaic letter craft is a personal favorite. 

Children color the squares inside their initial then cut it out.  On another day, they color the patchwork elephant and complete the worksheet.

When everyone is done, children choose their favorite color to glue their creations on. Completed projects make a sweet bulletin board.

When you take your display down, collate the pages in alphabetical order and add the cover for an awesome class book. 

My Y5s absolutely love painting with watercolors. It's an easy-peasy center for me, so I created an elephant watercolor craft using a coffee filter.

Students can write their name around the circle, or cut out the elephant, mount it to a paper "blackboard" and write their name with colored chalk. 

Writing their name with sidewalk chalk outside the school, is also a super-fun activity for your students.  

The other name craft is a "so proud pennant".  Children write their name on the pennant color of their choice.

They color the patchwork elephant however they want, then attach the pipe cleaner "staff" around his nose. 

The pipe cleaner can be bent up a bit so that this is a free-standing place marker, or keep them flat and scatter them on a bulletin board. 

Besides these craftivities, the packet also includes . . .

* 5 options for a class-made name booklet with inside pages plus covers.

There are two, 2-on-a page booklets. The one pictured in the mosaic craft, as well as this one, which features a child's favorite color as well.

My personal favorite is the big "color me" elephant featuring a child's initial.  And finallly, I've also included ...

* A mini certificate of praise. 

For more name writing practice, check out this other name writing packet in my TpT shop which makes a super keepsake. 

As long as my students were learning to write and recognize their names, I decided to make practicing especially fun, with this assortment of activities.

Since some of my kiddos came in with just a scribble, I also wanted to show their progress and how much they had improved by the end of the year.

I needed a simple assessment tool for the beginning of the year as well, to see where my students were at, that was also fun for them and easy for me.

With these things in mind, I designed several monthly keepsake booklets specifically for name writing practice. 

Finally, I created a "color-me" name writing practice packet too, because my kiddos are simply too young to keep track of a portfolio, and I don't need more work collecting and filing "stuff" for it. 

Because coloring is great for strengthening those weak finger muscles, I drew "color me" pictures for each month and put 2-on-a-page to make a "just the right size" booklet.

At the end of each month, they write their name on the appropriate page and give their best effort coloring the seasonal picture.

The booklet provides a wonderful look at the progress children are making, and is perfect to share during conferences.
At the end of the year my students have a wonderful keepsake to take home. 

Today's featured FREEBIE is from my Name Writing Activities With An Elephant packet mentioned above. 

I've pulled the reminder poster, the "Don't get behind practicing" name cards, plus the 2 "trace me" alphabet bookmarks (one with uppercase letters, the other with lowercase). Use them for practice, then later as an assessment tool. 

Click on the picture to zip on over to grab today's FREEBIE: Name & Letter Practice With An Elephant.  

Well that's it for today. I'm happily snuggled in my office creating new stuff, as a storm rages outside my window.

We so needed the rain and I love the sound of the thunder.  Wishing you a refreshing and relaxing day.

 "An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest." -Unknown

This is a special FREEBIE in my TpT shop.  Click on the link to grab your FREE copy today. "Keep Our Earth Bright And Beautiful" color game for Earth Day.

15 pages.

"Elmer" by David McKee is a wonderful story about the importance and beauty of diversity. It's one of my students' favorite back to school books.

1-2-3 Come Have Some Fun With Chrysanthemum And Me

I thought I had finished up designing some quick, easy and fun activities to go with the story "Chrysanthemum", 'til I had a request from Erin in Idaho.

Her preschool has adopted the "Bucket Filling" program and she wondered if I could tie that concept in with the "Chrysanthemum" story. 

Great idea Erin, and easy-peasy to do, as the theme of "Chrysanthemum" is all about being kind, and careful with the things you say.  Thus "Bucket Filling With Chrysanthemum" was born. 

After reading the story, children transition to making a list of “bucket dipping” moments in the story, as well as “bucket filling” times on the 2 worksheets.

I’ve also included color copies so you can do this as a whole group activity as well.

The packet also includes several posters: “We are a bucket-filling classroom”, “Easily Fill A Bucket By . . .” plus a “Please Don’t Be A Dipper”.

The “Chrysanthemum’s ABCs of Bucket Filling” worksheets help build vocabulary while practicing letter sounds.

These can be done individually, or use the colorful ones with a whole group.

I’ve included answer keys with lots of alliterative options: “Aa: aid, applaud, ask, award, advise, affirm, acknowledge…”

Finally, students can use the little Chrysanthemum "bucket cards" to encourage each other.  There’s a set in color so that you can leave your students a compliment or note as well. 

I was now in the Chrysanthemum mode again, so I also designed some Chrysanthemum-Themed Alphabet Number Puzzles.

Because the story is all about this little mouse’s name, I like to transition my kiddos to some name writing activity afterwards.

These puzzles provide a super-fun way to do that, plus children get in some uppercase alphabet practice too.

They're a real “sanity saver” as children are happily engaged coloring, cutting, then putting their puzzle together.
While they work independently you are freed up. Woo hoo!

The puzzles mix math with literacy, as they help practice sequencing numbers from 1-10, working on those toughie teen numbers, as well as skip counting by 10s.

Simply choose which number concept is most appropriate for your students.

For a fun back to school bulletin board, have children mount their puzzle to a sheet of construction paper leaving a little gap between each strip, which will create an interesting mosaic effect.

I’ve included 2 “ABC 1-2-3 Look Who’s In The Class With Me!” posters to use for the center of your display. (Plus preschool, kindergarten and 1st grade as well).

There’s also a colorful Chrysanthemum puzzle (1-10, 11-20, & counting by 10s) to use as an independent math center, plus an additional name writing worksheet where children finish drawing Chrysanthemum.

Finally, while I was putzing with this, another name activity popped in my head, so I created a quick, easy & fun "color, cut & glue" name craft, which provides wonderful fine motor practice, plus assists children in learning how to spell their name as they begin to recognize those letters.

Completed projects make a sweet back to school bulletin board too.  Besides the name craft, the packet also includes:

* Separate upper & lowercase letter cards, as well as a set of cards with both the upper and lowercase letter on one card.

Use them for Memory Match and “I Have; Who Has?” games. 

I’ve also included a 4-page tip list of other ideas for the cards, including the “Kaboom!” game as well as . . .

* A variety of letter worksheets plus…
* Some simple letter games like "What Letter Did Chrysanthemum Hide Today?" and "What's Missing?", as well as several dice worksheet games.

Today's featured FREEBIE is a set of 10 Classroom Management Posters.  I hope you find them useful.

Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by. Time to move on to another theme. 

Hmmm... shall I start working on "Chicka Boom" or "If You Take A Mouse To School" stuff? Stay tuned.  I'll be doing both before August disappears.

 Wishing you a carefree, happily lazy kind of relaxing day.   

"Children must be taught how to think, not what to think."-Margaret Mead