1-2-3 Come Do Some Christmas Writing With Me

I truly believe that if you give an interesting writing prompt to students, or toss in a bit of craftiness, or make it a bit like a game, you'll grab their attention and they'll want to get down to the business of writing.

With these things in mind, I designed 4, rather creative, writing prompt packets for December. First up is my "Spin a Winter Story Story" wheel.

These 14 story wheels are easy-peasy for you, as you don't have to constantly think up seasonal writing prompts, and highly motivational for your kiddos. 

My students imaginations kick into high gear, creating some really awesome work.

So that you can use them every year, simply print, laminate, trim and attach a paperclip with a brass brad.

Children choose one, or several, of the 14-winter story wheels, then spin 3 to 5 times.

They incorporate those items into a short story or paragraph on the worksheet.

For more writing practice, I've included a "Spin a sentence" worksheet, as well as one where students spin 7 times, give those pictures a one-word name/description and then alphabetize those words on the worksheet. 

Next up is "How to Dress an Elf", where children practice giving directions. My students LOVE the crafty aspect of this writing prompt; completed projects make a super-cute bulletin board too.

Encourage students to use transitions, ordinal numbers + adjectives when they explain how their elf gets dressed.
I’ve also included a set of transitional words on mini cards.

For that finishing touch, we used opalescent white glitter, flat-backed jewels and pom poms to add a bit of pizzazz to our completed “elves”.

If your students enjoy The Diary of a Wimpy Kid, they're sure to get excited about this next creative writing activity.

Diary of a Wimpy Elf includes templates to make a “top secret” file-folder diary, a variety of diary pages, clip art badges to decorate their diary cover with, plus a selection of incentive “stickers” that they can earn.

I’ve also included 30 writing prompt ideas to jump start your students' minds. 

Finally, "Stuff It!" is a personal favorite and literally stuffed with lots of Common Core.

For the writing prompt portion of "Stuff It", students gather in groups of 3-4 and exchange their decorated paper stocking with each other.

Everyone in the group "stuffs" a Christmas compliment into their classmate's stocking, by writing something nice about that person. Encourage the use of adjectives.

These completed projects also make a nice, self-esteem building, December bulletin board, which is particularly appropriate if your school does the "Bucket Filling" program.

The other writing prompt option, is for students to "stuff" their stocking with a list of things they'd like to find in their stocking, if money was no object, or you could also write a realistic one.

Along with the writing prompts, students can also stuff their stocking with words that begin and end with the ST blend. 

 I've included an alphabetical list of 92 words that begin with st, as well as a list of 64 words that end with the st blend, plus matching mini-word cards.

There's also a set of 6 worksheets that are played as timed games, as well as an "I Spy a Shape" whole-group assessment game, plus a "Shapes on a Roll" dice game.

Today's featured FREEBIE is A Letter to Santa with a twist.

Instead of children asking Santa for something they want, they write on behalf of someone special to them, that they think deserves a present. 

Introduce the activity to older students with "If there really was a Santa, and he really could bring a special gift..."

I've included my sample that you can share to help explain what you want your kiddos to do.  Completed projects make a sweet "Christmas is Caring" bulletin board too.

Well that's it for today.  My feet have hit the floor running! I have lots more shopping to do, and our tree's still not up! 

Wishing you a day filled with energy, and lots of peaceful moments to breathe in the joy of Christmas preparations.

"May peace be your gift at Christmas, and all the year through." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Study Coins With Me

I'm always looking for quick, easy and fun ways to study the various standards and still include my theme. 

With that in mind, I designed this Christmas tree craft, that's decorated with coins. (penny, nickel, dime & quarter).

Run the tree template off on green construction paper, or use white and have students color.
Children pick a partner and take turns rolling the dice four times.

Their 1st roll equals how many penny ornaments they will glue to their tree, the 2nd roll is for nickels and so on.

Students color, cut and glue the matching number of coins to their tree.
This way, each tree will be trimmed differently.

After they are done “decorating” their tree, older students complete their math worksheet by adding up the total value of their tree, writing that on the star or trunk.

I’ve also provided a worksheet where students break down the total of each coin.

For more advanced math practice, have everyone share their total, write them on the board, and figure out how much all of the trees are worth.

Also included, are several worksheet options for different levels of study, including one that reinforces color words.  The photographs of completed samples help clarify things.

Completed projects make an awesome bulletin board too. Caption: "Cent-sational Math Work".  

Click on the link to zip over to my TpT shop to have a look: Christmas Money Tree

The other money activity that goes hand-in-hand with this one, is my "Christmas Cookie Dough" packet. 

The packet includes an emergent reader, with several options for you to choose from, including 2 sizes.

The first one is a “cut & glue” the appropriate coin to the page, the other version already features a picture of the coin.

Students read the simple sentences, filled with 20 Dolch sight words. I’ve switched up the pronouns for that teachable moment as well.

They trace & write the coin words, as well as the values, and color words, then color the cookies accordingly.

I’ve also included a “Sum Cookies” craftivity, which makes an awesome interactive bulletin board, or wall display.

Children choose which cookies they want, then color, cut and arrange them on their aluminum foil “cookie sheet”. When they are satisfied with how things look, they glue their cookies down.

Using the “cookie key” or referring to the pocket chart cards, students figure out the price of all of the cookies on their cookie sheet, writing an equation showing the price of each cookie, then adding to solve the problem.

I’ve included a spatula to show their work, which is attached to their cookie sheet.
When everyone is done, collect and number the cookie sheets, then display them, along with the spatula answers.

For more math practice have children figure out how much the various sheets of cookies cost, writing their equations and solutions on the worksheet.

Students can do one a day, or however many you want them to do. They check their work, by flipping up the spatula flap.

Finally, there’s a cookie matching game. Depending on ability, students simply match a cookie to a cookie.

Older kiddos can match a cookie with its value, to the matching coin card, and/or the coin word card.

There’s also a certificate of praise as well: “When it comes to coins, you’re one smart cookie!” 

Today's FREEBIE also features coin identification.   It's a set of poster-poems. I hope you find them useful.

Well that's it for today. All this talk of cookies, brought on the cravings. 

Time to grab a mug of milk and dunk my favorite--chocolate chip . . .  Wishing you a delicious December.

"Never spend your money before you have earned it." -Thomas Jefferson

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

Looking for some gingerbread-themed activities that practice a variety of standards?  You've come to the right place. Hopefully you'll find something useful in today's assortment.

No matter what grade I taught, my students LOVED making glyphs.
They are a quick, easy and fun way to practice listening and following directions.

They also provide a "hard copy" to use as proof that a child does or doesn't.
Completed projects make an adorable bulletin board, as each one will be different.

To practice data collection & analysis, as well as process of elimination, have students try and figure out who made some of the gingerbread glyphs. 

Click on the link to zip on over to Diane's Dollar Deals in my TpT shop to have a look:Gingerbread Glyph.

Another Dollar Deal is this 6-piece gingerbread man puzzle.  It's a quick, easy and fun way for your kiddos to practice numbers 1-6.

Print off the numbered, "color me" gingerbread pattern, along with the base.  Students color, cut him apart, then choose a partner to play the puzzle game.

Children take turns rolling a dice. Whatever number they roll, they glue that piece of their gingerbread man to their worksheet.

You can also skip the gluing part, so that students can continue to play the game at home, or make this a center activity that you can use every year and run off on brown construction paper, laminate & trim.

Are you studying digital and analog time to the hour and half hour? Then "It's Time For Gingerbread" might interest you.

Use the clock cards as flashcards, puzzles & games. 
There are also 3 options for an analog gingerbread clock to use as a spinner game, or for whole-group assessing.

If you're going to use the gingerbread man as a clock, have children attach a large and small paperclip with a brass brad.

Simply call out a time. Children manipulate the paperclips to show that time.
I've also included an assessment worksheet, a "Kaboom!" game, plus 2 cover options to make an Itty Bitty "My Telling Time" booklet. 

Finally, since 2D shapes is also a standard for us, I designed a gingerbread house craftivity, as well as a gingerbread cookie game and put them in a "Shaping Up With Gingerbread" packet. 

For that finishing touch, we sprinkled colorful confetti on the rooftop. 

Today's featured FREEBIE also has a gingerbread theme.  It's a set of number puzzles.  I hope you find them useful. 

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by. My grandchildren are due any minute, so it will be a day filled with crafts and giggles.

Wishing you lots of love-filled moments. 

"Grandmas are moms with lots of frosting." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Do Some Gingerbread Man Story Elements With Me

If you read the story The Gingerbread Man to your kiddos, then I think you’re going to enjoy the oodles of easy-peasy, “print & go” activities in my latest literacy packet, which practices a variety of skills and standards, in quick, interesting and fun ways.

There are 3 class-made books, with writing prompts that are sure to motivate your kiddos to want to get down to the business of writing: Gingerbread On the Run, You’re the Man, & Taking a Bite Out of Literacy.

The packet also includes:

* A keepsake “gingerhead” craftivity.

* Worksheets: “Gingerbread can-are-have”, “Describe your gingerbread adjective practice, gingerbread 5 senses, noun-verb-adjective worksheet, plus a beginning-middle-end graphic organizer.

* A “We’re Goin' On A Gingerbread Hunt” activity, with 18 ”fix the sentence” cards, which practice end punctuation & capitalization.

* Gingerbread story slider craftivity, which practices sequencing & retelling a story. Includes color, plus black and white slider strips.

* 6, “Elements of a Story” pocket chart cards, plus a different, black and white version for students. They can fill in and turn into a “flip strip booklet”.

* 2 sets of sequencing cards. Use them to play games with.
Students can also color, trim and sequence them into an Itty Bitty booklet.

* 40 traceable word cards from the story.

* 3 graphing extensions

* 4 Venn Diagrams. A quick, easy & fun way to practice comparison & contrast

* “How to catch a gingerbread man”, and “How to make a gingerbread man” writing prompt worksheets.

* A retell the story, “color me” bookmark, plus 4 other colorful ones.

* Comprehension discussion questions, or use as a worksheet.

* Science experiment, with matching writing prompt.
"Why didn’t the gingerbread man jump in the river and swim?"
"What do you think would happen to a cookie in water?" Let’s see…

* -an word family gingerbread man slider craft, with 13 traceable word cards and a matching worksheet.

* Rhyme Time: How many words can you think of that rhyme with gingerbread? Includes an answer key with 50 words, and finally . . .

* A “Riddle Me” gingerbread note, plus a certificate of praise. 

Click on the link to zip on over to my TpT shop to take a look at this whopping 95-page packet of fun.

Don't need all that, but are looking for a "sequencing" The Gingerbread Man activity?

Then you'll like The Gingerbread Man Story Wheel.

It comes in a full color version, so you can use it as a center activity, as well as black and white, so students can make their own. 

I've also included a puzzle version, for another center activity.  Both the wheel and puzzle have the two different ending options. 

One where the fox eats the gingerbread man, the other where he escapes and continues to run. 

The featured FREEBIE today is a sweet, keepsake ornament.

The snowmen were made from a child's fingerprints.  I've included a poem-note as well:

"If you look a little closer you will see,
that these are very special snowmen made with TLC.
Their bodies are my fingerprints, so that you can recall
Christmas ______ when my hand was very small."

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

With a big family to buy for, I'm out the door for the rest of the day, shopping 'til I indeed drop.  Wishing you a happy day.

 "I'm not a shopaholic. I'm simply supporting the economy." -Unknown

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

DJ Inkers is one of my favorite clip artists.  Her gingerbread house is so cute, that I went on a designing frenzy, creating all sorts of gingerbread-themed activities. 

I like to have a lot of matching items in my classroom and centers, so if we think alike, perhaps you too will enoy adding some of these items to your gingerbread activities this month. 

First up is a gingerbread house "flip open" writing prompt card. When you flip the house open, it reveals a completed writing prompt, where students write what it’s like to be a gingerbread cookie, or what it’s like to live in a gingerbread house.

Another option is to send the worksheet note home, for the entire family to take part in. 

They glue a family photo to the square and everyone signs their name. The caption reads: “Merry Christmas from our house to yours.”

For that finishing touch, have them write the number portion of their address on the gingerbread house. Completed projects make an adorable winter bulletin board.  

Older students can draw their family, or glue a photo to the front, then do the writing prompt on the back. 

Next up is a gingerbread place value game packet, which is a quick, easy and fun way to practice, as well as whole-group assess.

Print off a class set of the colorful place value mats, laminate & trim.
Call out a number and have children break it down using a dry erase marker. 

I've included manipulatives, in 3 different sizes, so that you can "show" the number in a more visual way too. 

Another fun way to practice and whole group assess, is with the gingerbread house "sliders".

Call out a number; students pull on the "sliders" 'til the appropriate numbers appear in the windows.

You can see at a glance who is having difficulty.

Staying with math, students can also practice fact families with the Gingerbread House Fact Family Fun packet, which includes games, centers and worksheets.

Finally, to cover reading, I designed the Gingerbread House Emergent Reader packet,Gingerbread House Emergent Reader packet, which practices spatial directions, a Common Core Standard.

Students read the simple sentences, add end punctuation, trace and write the spatial direction words (above, under, beside, left, right, between) and then color, cut and glue the gingerbread cookie to the appropriate place.

The cookies are in 2D shapes.
When everyone is done, read as a whole group to cover concepts of print.

I've also included a "Where's the Gingerbread Man?" game to further reinforce spatial directions. 

The featured FREEBIE today, also features a gingerbread house. 

It's an upper and lowercase letter slider craft, which is a quick, easy and fun way to whole-group assess. 

For that finishing touch, we sprinkled colorful confetti on the rooftop, which looked like little bits of candy. I bought a bag at a party store for just $1.50. 

To review and practice patterning, I had my kiddos trace the letters on the "slider strips" in an ABAB (red & green) color pattern.

Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by. It's time for me to switch gears and do some painting. 

I'm making 3 animal pictures for a zoo-themed nursery, for grandchild #7.  Wishing you a marvelous day, filled with memorable moments.

 "And I had but one penny in the world. Thou should’st have it to buy gingerbread." –-William Shakespeare, Love’s Labours Lost

1-2-3 Come Do Some Gingerbread Reading & Writing Activities With Me

Here’s a super-fun activity that you can do with your kiddos, after reading the story The Gingerbread Man.

I LOVED designing "Gingerbread on the Run" a writing- activity packet, and hope you have oodles of fun with your kiddo's doing these interesting things.

Beforehand, put up the wanted posters in your room.

Run off the masters and put the notes, signs and clues in a variety of places in your school: cafeteria, library, office, gym, whatever...

Get your principal, secretary, cafeteria staff, librarian... in on your adventure and give them a clue card.

After reading the story, tell your students that you are going on an “ed-venture” looking for the gingerbread man and to be on the lookout for clues of his where abouts.

As you arrive at the various destinations have adults say something like: "Oh no! You just missed him, but he left this clue!”

After you make the rounds, return to your classroom to find a note on your door that the gingerbread man left.

While you are gone, have a helper set up gingerbread or cookie treats for your kiddo's snack, and read the note(s) that the gingerbread man left.

I've also included 2 different class-made books. For one, students write a page of their adventure, and on the other one, they tell where they’d run to if they were a gingerbread cookie and why they’d go there.

There are templates for students to do this separately or in groups. They can draw pictures or take a photograph.

There's also a graphic organizer, where students name their gingerbread man, draw a picture of him, then use adjectives to describe him.

Sweet Colors is a wonderful way to review colors and color words, and is a nice addition to your other gingerbread activities.

I've included an emergent reader booklet, with two cover options, where students read the simple sentences, trace and write the color words, then color the gingerbread cookies, as well as the open-letter words that matching color.

There’s also a "Spin to Win" bookmark - coloring game, plus a“Match the color to the word” worksheet.  Click on the link to zip on over to my TpT shop to have a look at Gingerbread Colors.

Today's FREEBIE features a pair of gingerbread "sliders".  They are a quick, easy and fun way to practice and whole-group assess, a variety of standards. 

Such as: sequencing numbers from 1-10, counting backwards, skip counting by 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s, upper and lowercase letters, as well as 2D shapes.

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by.  Time to switch gears and get ready for a baby shower. 

This will make our 7th grandchild!  Feeling very blessed.  Wishing you a love-filled day.

"Having a baby is a life-changer.  It gives you a whole other perspective on why you wake up every day." -Tayor Hanson

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

“Gingerheads” are a quick, easy and fun craftivity with a variety of game options, that will help reinforce 2D shapes. 

If you look closely at the photographs, you will see that the eyes and noses of the gingerbread "cookies", match the 2D head shape.

Make a set for an independent math center, so students can practice 2D shapes; cut another set in half, and use as puzzles--this is an interesting way to review symmetry too.

The bows, with the shape word in the center, are matched to the appropriate gingerhead.
Place a bow on the top to make a girl, use them as a bow tie for a boy.

Play 4-Corner FREEZE! Which helps practice a variety of life skills, like listening and following directions, as well as the 2D 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.

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

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

Besides the 5 games, I’ve also included a 2-on-a-one-page template, so children can pick their favorite and create their own gingerhead. There’s a graphing extension as well, plus directions for the games.

I used white puffy paint for the trim.
It looks so real, and adds that finishing touch.

Children name their gingerhead, write what shape it is, along with its attributes on the back. 

Click on the link to zip on over to my TpT shop to take a look: Gingerheads, A Gingerbread 2D Shape Craft.

The featured FREEBIE today, is a sweet set of gingerbread-themed alphabet cards.  I hope you find them useful. 

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by.  Hopefully we can get our tree up, which is a big enough job for one day. 

We'll save decorating for the next.  Wishing you a delightful day.

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

Since the story Elf on a Shelf continues to be very popular, I wanted to make a few new elf-themed activities.

I think you'll really enjoy how many skills & standards you can cover with this cute Little Elf emergent reader packet!

The book incorporates 34 Dolch sight words, rhyme, end punctuation (period, question mark & exclamation point), descriptive writing, use of adjectives, plus the five senses.

To spice things up with a little math, I’ve also included 5 graphing extensions as well as...

An interesting and super-fun rhyming activity that matches the 5 pairs of words that rhyme in the story. I’ve included answer keys.

This can be done independently on the worksheet provided, or students can work in teams.

As another option, do a different set of words orally, by having students stand up.

You start the game by saying the word go. (I chose this word for the oral competition, because I found 135 words that rhyme with it.)

The first student gives a word; you write it on the board so there are no repeats.
If a child can’t think of a word, they’re out.

Play continues ’til there are no words left, or whoever is left can’t think of another word.

There's a teacher's edition in full color, as well as black line masters, with 2, as well as 4 pages, on a one-page template.

To further reinforce the 5 senses, I've also included boy & girl elves to color and label.

There's also a mini "cut & glue" similar version. It's an Itty Bitty booklet where children read, add end punctuation, circle the capital letters, underline the adjectives, trace & write the 5 senses words; then color, cut and glue the matching picture. 

Click on the link to zip on over to my TpT shop, where the 40-page, Little Elf packet is a dollar off for a limited time.

The featured FREEBIE today is the Santa's List packet.  Students write why they think that they should be on Santa's "nice" list. 

After students share their page, collect, collate, add the cover and make into a class book.

Includes a Santa's List poster to use as a good-behavior motivator, as well as a template for students to write a note to their Elf on a Shelf or to Santa.  These make fun Daily 5 writing activities.

Well that's it for today. My brain is on overdrive, brimming with all sorts of things I want to design.

I LOVE December and all of the themes.  My little ones make it even more magical. Wishing you a fun-filled day.

“Christmas gift suggestions: to your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect.”  - Oren Arnold

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

Because my Y5s study the alphabet all year long, I like to plug in some themed, letter activites each month.  The single-letter alphabet wheels are perfect for this. 

In the falll I feature the Aa is for apple,  Ll is for leaf,  Pp is for pumpkin  and Tt is for Thanksgiving turkey wheels. (Click on each title to have a look).

For December, I created the Ee is for elf, and Gg is for gingerbread ones.

The Dollar Deal Alphabet Wheels, are a quick, easy & fun way to practice letters, and build the vocabulary needed to give an example of a word, with that beginning sound.

They feature 6 nouns that begin with that letter, and come in black and white, as well as full-color, so that you can use them as an independent center or individual word work activity.

Vowels, have word examples for both long and short vowel sounds.

I've also included a worksheet where students trace & write the words in alphabetical order.  

Besides the individual letter alphabet wheels, I also have a collection of 20 seasonal alphabet wheels, which cover all of the upper and lowercase letters. 

As you can see from the photo, there's a gingerbread man and a mitten alphabet wheel for winter. 

Besides the alphabet wheels, another fun way to practice letters is with my elf slider.

There’s nothing quite like a quick and easy little craftivity, to make practicing a variety of standards fun.

The paper elf can be used as a “slider” or turned into a "belly booklet”.

I’ve also included an easy-peasy “color me” option, where you can skip the craft, or simply do both.

Your kiddos will also enjoy making the little mini, belly booklets.
There are 3 options:

* Upper & lowercase letters that students trace & write, with enough room for older kiddos to write a word at the top and bottom;

* Numbers 1-12, where students also trace & write (play the Twelve Days of Christmas carol, while they’re working).

* There’s also a shape booklet. Here students trace, draw & color the 2D shapes, then trace & write the shape word.

Each booklet is on a one-page pattern, so students could make all of them, over a period of a few days, for a really big belly book!

* The “sliders” are a quick, easy and super-fun way to whole group assess a variety of standards as well.

* There’s a slider for: numbers 1-10, 1-30, counting backwards from 10-0 & 20-0, as well as skip counting by 2s, 3s, 5s, and 10s; plus one for upper case letters, another for lowercase, and finally one for the 2D shapes.

* Choose which one you want to work on. I have my kiddos trace the letter & number strips in a red and green, ABAB color pattern, and color each shape a different color.

To whole group assess, simply call out a letter, number or shape. Students “slide” to it, and hold up their elf. 

You can see at a glance, who is having difficulty. Click on the link to zip on over to my TpT shop and have a look: Elf Slider & Belly Booklets

Today's featured FREEBIE is a gingerbread-themed 10 frames packet.  I hope you find it useful.

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by. TpT's 20% off Cyber Sale continues through midnight tonight.  Type in the code SMILE for an extra 10% off. 

As for me, I'm dashing through the snow today, to get some more shopping done. Wishing you a delightful day.

"He who doesn't have Christmas in their heart, will never find it under a tree." - Roy L. Smith

1-2-3 Come Do Some Gingerbread Puzzle Craftivities With Me

First up, is a sweet gingerbread puzzle game.  It's a quick, easy and fun way for your kiddos to practice numbers 1-6.
Print off the numbered, "color me" gingerbread pattern, along with the base.

Students color their gingerbread man, cut him apart, then choose a partner to play the puzzle game.

Children take turns rolling a dice. Whatever number they roll, they glue that piece of their gingerbread man to their worksheet.

If they've already rolled that number, it becomes their partner's turn.
The first one to assemble their gingerbread man is the winner.

You can also skip the gluing part, so that students can continue to play the game at home.

Another option, is to run a class set off on brown construction paper; color and laminate.
Before I cut the pieces apart, I add white puffy paint trimming.

It really looks like frosting!
So that I can reuse them every year, I keep each puzzle in its own Snack Baggie, and the laminated worksheet bases in a file folder.

This Dollar Deal has a full-page pattern, as well as a smaller, two-on-a-page gingerbread puzzle.