1-2-3 Make a Memory Book With Me.

I LOVE owls and that cute little saying: "Owl" miss... (you fill in what) so I designed an end-of-the-school-year packet with an owl theme using that play on words.  

I'm posting this a bit early, as there is so much to get done towards the end of the school year, that May  was always the month that flew the fastest for me.   If you've been contemplating making some sort of memory booklet, hopefully this will help you out. 

The packet includes several writing prompts for students to write about what they'll miss. 

Run off the cover and student page. Children complete the thought: "Owl" miss... and then illustrate their page.

Collect and collate the pages and bind them into a class book. 

When you share the completed story with your students, have each child read their own page.

Make a copy of your school composite and give each child an oval of themselves to glue on the tummy of the owl.

I've also included a note from the teacher if you're looking for just a little something.  Tuck it in their backpacks for them to discover when they get home.   You can add slits to the page and insert a lollipop if you want. 

"I learned a lot of knOWLedge this year.  Here's a list of my favorites:" is a simple and quick writing prompt bookmark students can color.  This too makes a nice keepsake, and works well for a Daily 5 activity.

There's also a class memory booklet, complete with autograph page, where friends can sign their name on the owl's tummy. 

The beauty of this, is that students can work on their memory book writing prompts for several days, finally finishing the last week of school.  It's a great "something to do" while you get one-on-one assessing done with your students.

I don't know about your state, but Michigan had the worst winter on record and schools all over have quite a few snow days to make up.  My grandsons' last day is June 19th.  Having some copy-ready activities to do can help save your sanity.

You can make their memory book even more special, by taking a last week of school photo of each child doing their favorite subject, activity, or at play during recess; and then have them include it somewhere in their booklet.

Click on the link to view/download the Owl Miss School Packet

To take a look at another FREE end-of-the-year memory book click on the link.  I've included a cover page for preschool, kindergarten, first grade, second grade and a generic one to fill in something else. 

If you run out of time, you can always send the booklet home for a parent to help their child fill out, especially if they complain: "I'm bored!"

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If you teach preschool or kindergarten and are looking for a graduation memory book FREEBIE, scroll down to the next article to take a look.

"A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings becasue it has a song." -Lou Holtz

1-2-3 Come Make An Owl With Me!

So Long School; Hello Summer is a writing prompt craftiviity I think your students will enjoy.

Students assemble their owls and then write what they'll miss about school under the owl's wings, or if you want them to have more room, they can cut and glue the "back" template and complete the writing prompt there.

You could also use this as a "graduation" activity and have students write about what they'll miss about pre-school or kindergarten, or whatever grade level they will be leaving.

Choose natural earth tone colors for your students to choose from, or for crazy-pizzazz, give them an assortment of bright colors to add a splash of wow to their work.

Glitter as well as wiggle eyes can also make things pop.

Adding a school photo to the leaf, helps easily identify work and makes the project even more of a keepsake.

I used a flower paper punch for the eyes. There are many available, and students enjoy this fine motor skill.

The owls look wonderful swirling and twirling when they are suspended from the ceiling in the hallway.

Click on the link to view/download the Owl Miss...Writing Prompt Craftivity.

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"How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something, but to be someone." -C. Chanel

1-2-3 Come Figure Out Story Elements With Me

Making The Very Hungry Caterpillar Story Dangler is a fun way to help students reinforce their understanding of content, as well as the following Common Core State Standards: L.K.2a, L.K.2b, RF.K.3a, RF.K.3d, RF.1.1a, RL.1.2,W.K.7,SL.K.2, RL.K.2, RL.K.3

The "craftivity" is an interesting way for students to show their ability to retell a story, as well as a gauge for the teacher to see if anyone needs help with comprehension.

The smile is the title of the story, and the circle is about characters and setting. The leaf with the egg on it = the beginning of the story, the apple = the middle of the story, and the 3D butterfly = the end of the story.

After reading the story, review concepts of print with your students. Discuss who the characters are, where the setting takes place, as well as what happens in the beginning, middle and end of the story.

When students can identify the important events from the beginning, middle and end of a story, their reading comprehension and writing ability improves.

This knowledge helps a reader understand how organization, sequence, and plot make a good story, so they hopefully will include it in their own writing.  (It's been said that "Good readers are also good writers.")

Here's How To Make The Hungry Caterpillar Dangler:

Cut lengths of yarn for each child. So they don’t get knotted, fasten them to a paper plate with a bottom and top slit cut out. Lay the yarn between the slits.

Make the eye, nose and antennae templates by cutting out the patterns and tracing them on an old file folder.

Older students can trace and cut out their own pieces, but it really expedites things for little ones, if these are already pre-cut by a room helper.

Run off the body parts on construction paper. To save paper, each child gets one body part. To hang them together simply run a piece of yarn across the back and tape each section to it.

I like the more finished 3D look of giving children two of each body section. To attach, they flip their pieces over and put them in a line with ½ an inch of space between them.

Children rub glue on the back, lay the yarn on top and then glue the other half over it. I wanted the leaf to be 3D, so I only glued half of the leaf together, and let the other half stick out.

To represent a butterfly egg, I fastened a mini white pom pom to the right side of the leaf with a glue dot. I also wanted to make the butterfly 3D, so I folded the wings up on either side of the thorax.

Rub glue on just the thorax area and press the other thorax over it. Fluff the wings and they will look like the butterfly is flying.

Pass out the pieces to the children. They fill in the information and assemble their Story Dangler. Punch a hole in the top of the head and make a yarn loop.

If you want to cover even more standards, have students add another circle or make a heart to tell why they liked or did not like the story, or compare this story to another caterpillar or butterfly story and state which one they liked better.

These look adorable hanging from the ceiling (if you have front and back pieces) or hung in a row on the wall if you used Scotch tape.

Click on the link to view/download The Very Hungry Caterpillar Story Dangler.  Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.

For another Very Hungry Caterpillar activity, scroll down to take a look at the next blog article.

"Garbage in, is garbage out! Pay attention to what you read, listen to, and watch." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Flip Flop With Me!

Tis the season for flip flops! I thought it would be fun to use them to make some fun CVC word actiities.

I put a CVC word on one flip flop and then "flip-flopped" it, (wrote it backwards) to make a new CVC word.

Surprisingly, a lot of the flips made real words and not just nonsense words, but even the nonsense words are a valuable resource and fun for your kiddo's.

I also ran into quite a few palindromes (words that are spelled the same backwards and forwards), which is an interesting vocabulary word for your students to explore as well.

The 63-page CVC Flip-Flop Word Activities Packet will help you with Common Core State Standard:RF.K.3c

The Packet Includes:

• Over 450 CVC word flip flop cards (Use for your word wall, games, puzzles, Daily 5 Word Work etc.)
• 2 pages of blank flip flops that you can program with whatever
• 11 sorting mats so students can sort CVC words in a variety of ways: real-nonsense, noun-verb, palindromes etc.
• Flip flop "Kaboom!" cards for games + 3-pages of tips & ideas of how to use the CVC flip flop cards
• "Add A Letter" worksheet to make CVC nonsense words into real words. Have a discussion if this new letter changes the vowel sound to long, and what letters words don't usually end with ( c, j, h, f, etc.)
• A CVC word booklet students can make
• A CVC vowel sound game +
• A certificate of praise.

Click on the link to view/print the CVC Word Flip-Flop Packet.

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"Sometimes we are all too quick to count the days, that we forget to make the days count." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Lace And Learn With Me!

The more ways you can get students involved in shapes, the better the chance of the recognition-light bulb finally going on.

Lacing is fun for little ones, as well as an awesome fine motor skill.

These "Lace To Learn" shapes are quick and easy to make.

Simply run them off on card stock, laminate, trim and punch holes. 

Students can lace in and out through the holes with a long piece of yarn or ribbon with the tips taped, or a big shoestring is also fun.

Have children say the shape several times as they lace.

I've labeled the shapes with traceable words, so that tracing them with a dry erase marker is also great word reinforcement.

When students have completed their project, ask them to name 1 or 2 attributes that they discovered while they were lacing.

Click on the link to view/download the Learn While You Lace 2D Shape Activity.

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"They believed they could, so they did!" -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Play A Telling Time Game With Me!

I keep telling myself "April showers bring May flowers" to help chase the dreary-drip feelings away, because of all the incessant rain we've had here in Michigan for the last 4 days straight.

I do love how the air smells, but still, a little sunshine would certainly be welcome. 

Since it was pouring outside, I decided to make a rain game to help students review and practice telling time to the hour in one game, and telling time to the half hour in another. (Common Core State Standard: 1.MD.3)

Students spin the clock spinner.  Whatever number they land on, children write the digital time at the top of the raindrop, and then draw hands for that time on their analog clock as well.

If the paperclip spinner lands between two numbers they may choose either.  The first one with all of their raindrops filled in and colored is the winner.

If you want everyone to practice completing the clocks, then have those who have finished, color the children or the turtle on the page 'til everyone gets done.

If you'd like to review simple addition, instead of using the spinner, have students use 1st one, and then 2 dice to achieve the time.

Click on the link to view/download It's Time To Play In The Rain.

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"A person's most useful asset is not their head full of knowledge, but a heart full of love, an ear ready to listen, and a hand willing to help." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Celebrate Earth Day With Me!

My Y5's enjoyed learning how to care for our planet more than on just Earth Day.  I took an entire week to teach them how even little kids could make a difference by simply turning the water off while they brushed their teeth, as well as not being a litter bug. 

We were always amazed at how much small trash we cleaned up from our playground and fenced in areas, as we went outdoors for "Operation Clean Up!"

We had wonderful discussions of other things we could do and what they as a family were already doing.

A creative way to have students write about how they reduce, reuse or recycle, helping to take care of, and love our earth, is by making the "I Love The Earth" personal writing prompt "craftivity."

Students cut and colored their planet earth and glued it to a heart, where they wrote what they did to help out.

I traced my students' hands and they drew a self portrait to make this a real cute keepsake, as well as an awesome hallway display.

Click on the link to view/download We Love The Earth craftivity.

You can use the Happy Earth Day poster as a center for your spring bulletin board, and then scatter the portraits around it. 

The cans on the poster have letters that say: We Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.  Make a copy of your students' school pictures and have them glue it to the lid.

Click on the link to view/download the Earth Day poster.

"My Family Recycles!" Is a quick and easy writing prompt bookmark. Students color their recycling tub and symbol and jot down all of the things their family does to recycle.

Click on the link to view/download the Earth Day bookmark.

Finally, an interesting way to have students examine the importance of recycling, and see what they can do, is to take a look at what their family throws out.

This packet includes a letter to parents, recording data analysis sheet + graphing extensions and a writing prompt craftivity, to pull it all together.

Click on the link to view/download What's In Your Garbage? Earth Day activities.

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I hope you and yours enjoy being keen and "going green!"

"Life is a great big canvas and you should throw all the paint you can on it." -Danny Kaye

1-2-3 Come Reduce, Reuse and Recycle With Me!

April 22nd is fast approaching.  Do you need a little something to plug in for Earth Day?

I've been busy designing some quick and easy writing prompts, craftivities, and a game, that I think you'll enjoy.

Making a class book is a fun way to get your kiddo's excited about writing. Each child completes their page; you collect and collate them.

Students complete the thought for each of the 3 sentences. How do they reduce, reuse andrecyle to help our earth?

Remind them about capitalization, spacing and punctuation, so that you cover those standards as well.

When you share the completed book with your class, have each child read their own page.

Add some pizzazz by having students color the illustrations and then glue their own school photo over either the girl or boy's face.  Click on the link to view/download the Earth Day Class Book.

Another way you can have students write about reducing, reusing and recycling, is to have them make this simple, but striking Earth Day dangler.

The recycling symbols and hearts are glued together to form 3 sides; one for each R word. Students write how they reduce on one heart, how they reuse on another and finally how they recycle on the 3rd one.

Hang from a yarn loop so the writing prompt "craftivity" twirls and dangles from the ceiling.

Click on the link to view/download the Earth Day Writing Prompt Dangler.

Finally, I made an Earth Day game that helps review clock numbers, simple addition, and things that can be recycled.

Students roll first one, and then two dice, to get a time-to-the-hour number that they write on their clock. 

They then glue the matching numbered item that it is "time to reduce, reuse or recycle."

Click on the link to view/download Earth Day: It's Time To Recycle Clock Game.

For more Earth Day "craftivities" scroll down to the next article.  Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything you think may be helpful to others.

"It is not the IQ, but the I Will, that is most impoortant in education." -Unknown

1-2-3 come Study Butterflies With Me!

One of my very favorite science units was butteflies.  There is so much interesting science involved.

To help you with assessing the life cycle of a butterfly, I made up some anchor chart-posters, as well as traceable butterfly life cycle word cards with matching pictures.

There are several different life cycle charts for the various levels of a student. 

PK kiddos can simply color their poster; older students can color, cut and glue to the matching template or label the blank chart.

Use the traceable word cards on your word wall and/or have students sequence them in the proper order and make an Itty Bitty booklet.

Make several sets of the cards and have students play Memory Match or "I Have; Who Has?"

Click on the link to view/download the Life Cycle of a Butterfly cards, or the Life Cycle of a Butterfly anchor chart-posters.

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"The aim of education should be to teach the child to think, not what to think." -John Dewey

1-2-3 Come Learn About The Weather With Me!

Do you include the study of weather during your calendar time?

The calendar offered me the opportunity to teach my students about the daily weather in simple, quick and easy ways.

My Y5's enjoyed dressing the weather bear according to what was going on outside with Mother Nature. 

They also looked forward to taking their turn to put the thermometer outside and then bring it in and read it to the class.

We did a variety of graphs, including recording the daily weather for each month and then making comparisons and contrasts to the month before.

Studying weather also built their vocabulary and helped them understand and practice using adjectives, so I decided to make a trace and write easy reader as a nice review of that.

Picture clues help students read the text as they trace and write the weather words.

I've also included a graphing extension, a data collection sheet of the daily weather for a month + 10 traceable weather-word cards and matching picture cards, with a cover to make an Itty Bitty booklet.

These activities make nice Daily 5 and word work lessons as well.

Click on the link to view/download the Weather Easy Reader Booklet.

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"If we succeed in giving the love of learning, the learning itself is sure to follow." -Sir John Lubbock