1-2-3 Come Be A Thing With Me!

Seuss was always on the loose in my classroom for March.

I think I own every book Dr. Seuss ever wrote.

One of my favorite theme days was Cat In The Hat Day.   It was school wide, so everybody was in on the fun.

I think it’s more interesting for students, if you can add a “craftivity” to a writing assignment, sort of like an illustration.

I think it motivates them to get down to the business of writing, so that they can go to the “craftivity” center afterwards to complete their assignment.

After reading the Cat In The Hat story, my Y5’s often said they liked Thing 1 and Thing 2 even better than the cat!

Since the duo is so popular, I thought it would be fun for students to become Thing 3.

I’ve designed 2 body templates for your students to color. One is a full body, as a small blue hand, which is the hair of Thing 3 will fit on.

Since older students have bigger hands, I also made a partial body template.

Children can take turns tracing each other’s hands on a blue sheet of construction paper, or you can have a room helper trace them, as well as cut them out.

I recommend the 2^nd alternative to expedite things with little ones, as well as insure that the hand looks like one, after they start snipping away.

Enlarge your students school photo, or take a head shot of them and print them off.

I pre-cut them into the shape of an oval, for the same reasons stated above.

Children glue their hand to the neck of Thing 3 and then glue their picture in the center of the hand., and then color their Thing 3.

This is the cover of their “Something” booklet.

Run off copies of the writing page. Students fill in their answers to the 6 writing prompt questions.

You can collect all of the pages and collate them into a class book, or mount their writing on Seuss-colored construction paper (red, blue, yellow, green) and then staple the pages next to their “craftivity” on a black-background bulletin board.

There are lots of Seuss borders available that will add the finishing touch around the b. board.

Click on the link to view/download the Thing Three Something Booklet.

Thanks for visiting today. Feel free to PIN anything you think others might find useful.

“Why fit in, when you were born to stand out!” –Dr. Seuss

1-2-3 Come Read With Me!

Just an FYI for those of you looking for helpful FREEBIES, my blogging friend Charity, from Classroom Freebies, is launching her newest endeavor; a magazine, entitled The Organized Classroom.

Her debut issue is free and chockfull of all sorts of helpful ideas, tips and tricks.

Click on the link to check it out. The Organized Classroom: http://www.theorganizedclassroomblog.com/index.php/magazine

There will be 12 issues targeting K through 8^th grade teachers.

Every issue will be about classroom organization, but with a different focus theme for each month.

She is super-excited to share with you, so I hope you have a moment to relax and read.

Thanks for visiting today.

“Knowledge exists to be imparted.” -Emerson

Scroll down for my TeachWithMe's Daily Blog article and freebie.

1-2-3 Come Tell Time With Me!

If you need a clock, telling time templates to make games and activities, or assessment worksheets for assessing analog and digital time, this is the packet for you.

Choose from a variety of digital and analog clocks to help you teach the Common Core State Standard:1.MD.3

The photo shows just a few of the fun types of clocks.

I've designed both large teacher clocks for demonstration purposes, as well as matching mini clocks for students to make and manipulate.

Run off and glue the clock templates to construction paper or a paper plate for durability.  Add paperclips or tag board hands for students to manipulate.

I've also included fraction clocks to show 5 after, quarter after, and half past, so that you can review this vocabulary and another Common Core Math Standard as well.

These clocks make nice telling time anchor charts to refer to.

Calling out a time and having students move the hands to make that time, and then holding up their clock, is a quick, easy and fun way to whole group assess.

There are a variety of blank as well as filled-in clocks so students have an opportunity to learn as they make their clock. 

I truly believe that "doing" leads to understanding.  Why give a child a pre-made plastic clock, when you can build their self-esteem, by having them make their own.

Writing in numbers on their clocks, will help reinforce time concepts as well.

I also have several different telling digital and analog time assessment sheets so students can record answers and give you a paper trail of accomplishment for their student portfolio's or file.

You can make these into games, by orally giving students a time for them to record on their answer sheet.

You can also hold up your clock and have students shoot up their hand to tell you what time it is, or use the assessments as an "I Spy!" the time activity.

Click on the link to view/download the clock templates.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything you think others might find useful.

"The whole purpose of education is to turn my errors into windows." -Sidney J. Harris

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

Whenever I design a lesson I try to theme it to something that is going on during the month I'll be teaching it.

Since February is Dental Hygiene Month, a lot of teachers do lessons involving teeth. 

I thought it would be fun to design a "Tooth Time" activity, so that you could review telling time to the hour. 

It's a nice plug in for your other dental activities, as it's always time to remember to brush your teeth.

There are 2 different ways to play the game.

For one game, students spin the tooth clock.  Whatever time they land on, they write down the digital time on their toothbrush log. 

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

In the second game students practice their math skills. 

Children roll first one dice, 'til they have filled in their tooth clock from 1-6.  When they have accomplished that, they roll two dice and add them together, so they can fill in the remaining times.

Click on the link to view/download the Tooth Time Games.

Thank you for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find helpful.

Do you have a Dental Hygiene lesson you could share with us?  I'd enjoy hearing from you: diane@teachwithme.com or post a comment here.

"No one is useless in the world, who lightens the burden of it for anyone else." -Charles Dickens

1-2-3 Do A Patriotic "Craftivity" With Me.

Need something quick and easy for President's Week?  I have 2 patriotic star templates that I think your students will enjoy.

One is generic so you can use it for any patriotic holiday, or Constitution Day etc. The other is perfect for President's Day/week. Both have writing prompts on the back.

Students rip and tear strips of red, white and blue construction paper and glue the pieces to their star, trimming around the edges when they've completed it.

For the President's Day star, they take it a step farther and collage it with whatever pictures and words they choose from the sample template.

Students complete the writing prompt of their choice, cut out the star, and glue it to the back of their collage.

Make it more personal, and add a bit of pizzazz, by having your students glue their class photo somewhere on the back as well.

Punch a hole in the top and suspend from the ceiling.

Click on the link to view/download the Patriotic Star.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything that you think others might find helpful.

Do you have a President's Day activity you could share with us?  I'd enjoy hearing from you: diane@teachwithme.com or leave a comment here.

"Education is not received.  It is achieved." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Study Lincoln and Washington With Me!

If you're still looking for some quick and easy activities for President's Day on Monday, you've come to the right place.

My Y5's loved making and wearing crowns, so I whipped off one that takes just a few minutes to put together.  Run off the Lincoln & Washington template. 

Students glue it to a sheet of red or blue construction paper and trim around the edges.  Cut 3 inch wide red or blue construction paper strips the length of extra large construction paper.

Staple a strip and 1/2 together to make a quick headband.  Students glue their Lincoln/Washington picture to the middle. Measure a strip to fit snuggly around the student and staple so that the picky points are on the outside.  This way the band won't scratch or get caught in hair.

If you don't want to make a crown, this picture makes a nice poster.  Hang and use as a writing prompt for students to write about which President they like the best and why.

Click on the link to view/download the President's Day crowns. 

Another simple President's Day activity will help your students understand the concept of comparison and contrast.

Whenever I teach this form of writing, I always introduce it with a Venn Diagram.

I've included a Venn diagram so students can compare Lincoln to Washington, or Lincoln to Kennedy.

There's also a trivia sheet to help students think of ideas.

Click on the link to view/download President's Day Venn Diagrams.

Finally, I always liked to have a few Tabletop worksheets for students to do.  Since some of my kiddo's were still struggling with upper and lowercase letter identification in February, I continued to play "I Spy!" games.

They are a quick and easy way to whole group assess, and students love doing them.

Simply run off the Lincoln and Washington templates.

Have a quiet child start the game by calling out a letter.

Children search for the letter and circle it.  As soon as they've found it, they shoot their hand in the air.

A quick glance around the room will ascertain who knows their letters and who doesn't.

You can walk around glancing at papers, while children are searching for letters, to make sure they are circling the correct one.

Click on the link to view/download Lincoln and Washington "I Spy A Letter" worksheets.

 For more President's Day activities, click on the link to go to that section of my site.

Thank you for visiting.  Feel free to PIN anything you think others might find helpful.

"Try not to over think things, lest you create a problem that wasn't there in the first place." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Make A Shape Booklet With Me

The Dollar Shapes Up is a fun, quick and easy way to review Common Core State Standards: L.K.2a, L.K.2b, RF.K.3c, L.1.2b, RF.1.1a, K.G.2

Show students a real dollar bill and ask them, "What shape is inside the center of the dollar? Who is the president that is pictured here?"

Tell them that they are going to help shape the dollar up, because the booklet that they will be working on, is all messed up.

The booklet includeds the hexagon, pentagon and octagon shapes. If you don't cover those, simply leave those pages out.

Students trace and write the shape word, trace and draw the shape, circle the capital letters in the sentences and then add the end punctuation. 

Children cut and glue the various shapes to their matching one in the booklet.

These shapes are all INSIDE the dollar.  As an added activity, run through spatial directions by having students put a shape above, behind, beside, between, under etc. so that you are reviewing that Standard as well.

Click on the link to view/download The Dollar Shapes Up easy reader booklet.

Thanks for visiting today.  Do you have a President's Day activity you could share with us? I'd enjoy hearing from you: diane@teachwithme or leave a comment here.

Feel free to PIN anything you think others might find useful.

" People don't always need advice.  Sometimes all they really need is a hand to hold, an ear to listen and a heart that understands." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Make A Venn Diagram With Me!

Comparison and contrast is an important concept for children to understand.  An easy way for them to visualize this and get their thoughts organized is through a Venn diagram.

Comparing and contrasting coins, will help your little ones remember them.  By examinining and analyzing the similarities and differences, something will stick in their mind to help them differentiate.

I've made a coin Venn for each of the combinations of comparison.  (i.e. penny with a nickel, penny with a dime and penny with a quarter etc.)

Students choose two coins, cut and glue them to their Venn diagram paper, so that they overlap a bit, and then write their results above the coins.

Click on the link to view/download the Coin Venn Diagrams.

Thanks for visiting today.  I hope you can pop on over tomorrow for a few more President's Day activities.

Feel free to PIN anything you think others might find useful.

Do you have a coin activity you could share with us?  I'd love to hear from you: diane@teachwithme.com  or leave a comment here.

"One small positive thought in the morning, can change your entire day!" -Unknown

1-2-3 Build A Log Cabin With Me!

Are you looking for something quick and easy for President’s Day on Monday?

I designed several that I think your students will enjoy.

Since counting to 100 by 10’s is a standard, I wanted to design something with skip counting in mind, that would take the “same-old, same-old” out of having students keep reciting that sequence of numbers.

I decided to build Lincoln’s log cabin and number the logs. I’ve also included a template that counts by 5’s to 100 as well.

Simply run off whichever templates suit your needs, on light and dark brown construction paper.

You can review rectangles and triangles with your students as both shapes are represented.

Students cut out their pieces and glue them to a sheet of blue or green construction paper.

To add a bit more pizzazz, give each student a penny, and have them stick it inside the doorway, so that when they open the flap, President Lincoln can greet them.

Click on the link to view/download Lincoln’s Skip Counted Log Cabin.

I hope you can pop back tomorrow for another idea for President’s Day.

Thank you for visiting today. Feel free to PIN anything that you think others may find helpful.

“My life is backwards! I get up tired and I go to be wide awake!” -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Do A Whole Lot Of Math With Me!

It took me quite a few hours to design these math anchor charts, but it was well worth the effort as I think they turned out pretty spiffy.  I hope you enjoy them.

Print and laminate.  They make a terrific math bulletin board that you can refer to daily.

Laminate extra sets so that your students can cut them apart and make them into puzzles.
I’ve made a puzzle grid so students can use this as a template to place their pieces on.

They are great for games too.  Two sets can be used to make a Memory Match game.  Since there are 13 pieces to each poster, it would be a good idea to only have students Match 2 posters at a time.

Toss 2 cut up number posters into a container.  Have each child take out a piece and play “I Have; Who Has?”  A student with the #1 crayon can ask for any other piece to start building the puzzle on the floor or on the white board, if you decide to attach a magnet. Play continues ‘til however many puzzles you are working on, are completed.

Have students use the greater and less than symbols between the posters.

Review: fractions, colors, patterns, telling time, fact families, money, tally marks, ordinal numbers, number words, measurement with a ruler, +1 addition, sequencing numbers, counting groups and sets of objects, and using a ten frame for addition + these Common Core State Standards: K.CC.2, K.CC.4a, K.CC.4b, K.CC.4c, K.OA.1, K.OA.3, K.OA. 4, K.OA.5,  K.CC.6, K.CC.7, 1.MD.3, 1.G.3, RF.K.3c

I’ve made a blank 10-frame for you to run off so that students can show you addition or subtraction answers, after you give them a variety of equations.

Call out a question and have students use the anchor charts to point to the answer and then explain it.

Give students 2 different colored bingo dot markers and have them complete the ABAB pattern that’s on the 10-frame.Using the bingo dot markers have students show you their answers to equations you put on the board.

Ask children to compare the coins and see if there are other combinations that I could have used to show that number.Can they think of anything else that they do/use at school that could be added to the chart to explain that number.

Make two sets of posters and play “Speed” Students choose a partner; mix up the cards and see who can put theirs in order first.

Explain the fractions and reinforce the vocabulary that goes with it.   Call out a number and everyone begins counting from there. Sequence the cards backwards and “blast off.”  Have students sort the pieces into their matching piles.  i.e. students put all of the clocks in a pile and sequence them. 

Wow! So much covered with a simple poster! Woo Hoo!   Click on the link to view/download the Math Anchor Charts

Thanks for visiting today.  I'm off to add some things to my pin boards.  I know what I think will take a few minutes, will likely turn into an hour, as there is so much "pinspiration" out there and it's quite addicting.  One pin leads to another, and then I hop over to that board, and all of a sudden the morning's gone! Anyone else out there on the same page?  Have a good one.

"When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know, but if you listen, you have the chance to learn something new." - J.P. McEvoy