Be First In Line and Get Ahead!

Are you looking for a quick and easy way to review or teach ordinal numbers in a fun way?

Simply run off, laminate and cut apart these cute ordinal number kid cards.  The clip art is by Laura Strickland.

Your students will be shining stars when they realize the child in line with the star, is the matching ordinal numbered child.

Pass the cards out and have 10 students sequence themselves, by appropriately lining up in the correct order, holding the right card. 

Continue to play until everyone has had a turn.

Make a mini bulletin board out of the cards, insert them in a pocket chart, or post them on the wall and use them as an anchor chart, near your calendar center, so they can be reviewed each day.

Click on the link to view/download Ordinal Number Cards

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

Scroll down for the promised "Jitters" Common Core packet! 

There are 2 articles today, because I have simply run out of time for back-to-school stuff!  Happy FIRST day for all of you who start tomorrow1

"Act enthusiastic and you become enthusiastic!” –Dale Carnegie

Making It More Meaningful and Memorable With Masks!

I have found that even the shyest of students become more vocal and less inhibited when they can "hide" behind a mask and "become" someone "different!

My Y5’s LOVED making and wearing masks. I’d have them partner up after a story, don their mask and retell it to the other “raccoon” or “bear”.

It’s a fun way to help ignite a child’s imagination and reinforce a Common Core State Standard at the same time.

It never ceases to amaze me how they really “get into” the “characters” of the story this way, and it’s so quick and easy to do!

The packet includes directions and patterns to make 30 masks.

Act out books, poems, nursery rhymes, and fairy tales.

Pass them out and when that character is talking in the book, have the child wearing that mask stand up, or read their “lines” like a reader’s theater.

Use them to count when you’re reading counting books.  As you read and count a new character stands up.  When you’re done, count all the characters forwards and backwards as they sit down.

Make them for special holidays and celebrations.

Finally, make a few of your own.   Laminate them, hot glue a Popsicle stick to the bottom and make your story time come alive!

Click on the link to view/download Mask Packet.

If there are some more masks you’d like to see, shoot me an e-mail, diane@teachwithme.com or leave a comment here and I’ll start a new list for a new packet.

If you're looking for more creative tips to enhance your story time, click on the link to view/download my Storytelling Ideas Book.  It's filled with 260 simple tricks to add some zing!

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

“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” –Richard Steele

1 2 3 Come PIN With Me!

I am a Pinterest Pinning Princess and LOVE that site! Click on the link to check out my pin boards.

It’s a super place to share and find ideas.  I, as so many of my students, am a visual learner.

A picture on Pinterest sends my mind into overdrive!

If you haven’t heard of Pinterest click on the link to check out the front page and prepare to go to Happy Land.

Pinterest, simply put, is pinning something of interest to a board.  Just as you would tack something "cool" on a bulletin board.

You can have as many, and any kind of boards that you want.   Mine are mostly about education, because that is what "interests" me. You give your boards a label so you can keep things organized.

People can pop over and check out your boards and "re-pin" something to theirs if they like it,  and so goes our wonderful techno-networking, flourishing in a frenzy of sharing some really interesting items and very creative DIY projects. 

(My "to do" list is beyond belief.  LIke I need another project!)

I just want to say thanks to all of the people everywhere who MAKE and TAKE the time to share all these super ideas; children are blessed daily by extra fun and creative lessons and brighter – happier looking classrooms, run by less-exhausted, more excited teachers.

We run our fingers through the Yellow Pages to find things, why don’t the Pinterest people categorize a list of people in a Red Book?

If you’ve wished for a list of other pinners who pin educational things, well wish no longer; Debbie over at Reachable Rainbows has a Pinterest Link-Up for you!

She’s made an Edu-pinner Directory, a

Primary Directory, an

Early Childhood Directory, and a

Kindergarten Directory.

Click on the link that fits you, scroll to the bottom of her BLUE list of other pinners, click on the blue “Click to enter” words by the "You're next!" phrase.

Copy and paste your PINTEREST URL into her form.

Click back to see that you are the next person listed on the list, and click on the link to make sure it takes you right to your Pinterest Pin Board, so everyone can see all YOUR cool pins!

Woo Hoo for Debbie for this great idea and getting us organized!

Be sure and pin the cover of the directory to one of your pin boards.

It would be nice, if you have a blog, to give a shout out there too.  The more people, the more ideas, the more fun; so pass it on and play it forward!

Come on teachers/home school parents, aren’t we known for our uncanny ability to herd cats?

Let the creativity and excitement begin--PIN!

"Work is LOVE made visible." -Kahlil Gibran

A Great Back To School Book: Chrysanthemum!

I designed the Chrysanthemum packet to help reinforce LOTS of Common Core State Standards in quick, easy and fun ways.

As with The Kissing Hand Packet featured in yesterday's article, this packet reinforces Common Core State Standards: RI.K5,RI.K6,RI.K9,RI.K10,RL.K2, RL.K3,RL.K6, L.K1d, RI.1.9, RL.1.2, RL.1.3

The packet includes:

• A beginning-middle-end story map, that will help students retell Chrysanthemum
• A "favorite part" retelling "writing prompt" bookmark
• A compare and contrast Venn diagram with Hooway For Wodney Wat
  
  • Character, Setting and Event cards. (Laminate, put magnets on the back and put them up on your white board. Write down students' answers under the cards.)
  • Cover to label book parts + review author and illustrator
  • Question words activity sheet, reinforcing who, what, why, when, where & how
  • 2 cover templates for the following activity:

I use the book Chrysanthemum as a wonderful lead-in story that the nursery rhyme: “Sticks and stones may hurt my bones but names will never harm me” is simply NOT true’ as words can be very mean AND hurtful!

I Xerox off the cover of the book Chrysanthemum, by Kevin Henkes, and read the story.

Each time someone hurts Chrysanthemum's feelings, I pass the paper around the circle.

We each crumple up the paper, say "I'm sorry" and then smooth it out.  By the time I am done reading the story, the picture of Chrysanthemum is in shreds and full of holes as well.

We discuss the fact that words hurt, and even though we say that we are sorry and “smooth things out” with that person, we have still hurt them.

The words sort of leave “scars” on their heart and in their mind, just like the dilapidated paper visually demonstrates.

I cut out a large red paper heart and glue the poor shredded cover of Chrysanthemum next to a fresh cover, as a gentle reminder to think before you speak, as words DO make a difference.

I also want children to understand that being critical of each other and saying things like "I don't want to be your friend” and leaving them out of a group when they play, is also hurtful.

I'll ask them a question like: “How would you feel if Mrs. Henderson said that to you?”, or how would they feel if I gave everyone else a toy or piece of candy, or let everyone go out for recess and didn't let them go?  It really gives them a wake up call.

Chrysanthemum discusses making fun of a child’s name.  Hooway For Wodney Wat is a wonderful book that delves into bullying and making fun of a child with a speech impediment.

This is a great comparison-contrast book to work on that Common Core Standard, using a Venn diagram that once again brings home the fact that teasing is hurtful.

Click on the link to view/download Chrysanthemum Packet Thank you for visiting today. Hope you can pop back tomorrow for more helpful tips. Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find useful.

“All you need is a plan, a road map, and the courage to press on to your destination.” –Earl Nightingale

1-2-3 Come Do Some Kissing Hand Activities With Me

Since the first Kissing Hand Activity Packet was such a huge success, I decided to make another packet designed specifically around Common Core State Standards.

This packet will reinforce: Common Core State Standards: RI.K5,RI.K6,RI.K9,RI.K10,RL.K2, RL.K3,RL.K6, L.K1d, RI.1.9, RL.1.2, RL.1.3

It has a variety of fun reading and writing activities to go along with Audrey Penn's adorable story The Kissing Hand, about a little raccoon who doesn’t want to go to school. This is one of my all-time favorite back to school books.

This packet, is the first in a series of quick and easy common core packets, where I use kiddie lit to teach standards.  I'll be posting and blogging about these FREEBIES for the next few days.

The Kissing Hand Packet includes:

• A beginning-middle-end story map that will help students retell The Kissing Hand
• A "favorite part" retelling "writing prompt" bookmark
• A compare and contrast Venn diagram where students compare The Kissing Hand to another of my favorite first day of school books, First Day Jitters!
• Character, Setting and Event cards. (Laminate, put magnets on the back and put them up on your white board. Write down students' answers under the cards.)
• "My Feelings" discussion, skill sheet, and graphing extensions.
• 1st day writing prompt
• Kissing hand poem introducing rhyming words.
• Question Words activity sheet, reinforcing the who, what, why, when, where, how words.
• Cover of book to label book parts + review author and illustrator

Click on the link to view/download The Kissing Hand Packet 2   It will be FREE for an entire year.  After that, it will become part of a big literacy packet in my TpT shope.

Stay tuned for a similar packet for First Day Jitters. For lots more activities forThe Kissing Hand click on the link to zip on over to that section ofTeachWithMe

I'm off for a swim to cool off! (90's today.) Hope you're enjoying a sunny summer day as well!

“Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway.” –John Wayne

1-2-3 Come Make A Name Map With Me!

I teach “mapping” as a writing strategy to my college comp students.  It’s a fun visual way for them to get their thoughts organized on paper, before they begin to write their essay.

A name map is a terrific way to introduce "mapping" to elementary students.  This is also an interesting icebreaker for the first week of school and a great way to get to know your new students.

Children think of a symbol that represents them and draw that in the middle.  I chose an apple as it’s sort of universal for school or teaching.

Branching out from the center symbol is a variety of things about the person such as hobbies, their favorite season, birthday, what they want to be when they grow up etc.

By having students use their two favorite colors to write their first and last names in the center of their object, everyone gets to know another “tidbit” about that person.

The completed activities make a wonderful back to school bulletin board too!  Make sure you do a personal one of yourself, so that you have a sample to show your students as a way to explain things, as well as a means for them to get to know their new teacher. Includes an explanatory note home to families.

Sharing name maps is a nice activity to do after reading the story Chrysanthemum, a wonderful back to school tale, whose main character is a little mouse named Chrysanthemum.  She loved her unusual name until she started school and everyone began making fun of her.  It's one of my all-time favorite back-to-school books and especially great if you need some stories to go with "bucket-filling."

My inspiration to do name maps, came from an art teacher’s “heart maps” that he did with his 4^th graders at Riverside Elementary.  Click on the link to check out their awesome endeavors.  I hope you and yours have as much fun making these as I did.

Click on the link to view/download Name Maps.  This packet is a special FREEBIE in my TpT shop. Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away!  For your convenience, my "Pin it" button is at the top on the menu bar.

“There’s few things as uncommon as common sense.” –Frank McKinney Hubbard

123 Come Color With Me!

One of the ways I counted up to 100 Day was with a cute gumball poster by Really Good Stuff. Each day I’d choose a quiet child to X off a gumball.

Because of this poster, I designed the “Wel-gum To our really sweet class” find your name skill sheet.

Learning how to recognize their name was one of my Y5’s report card standards, so we worked on this every day.

I made this worksheet a bit more special by including my last year’s school picture inside one of the gumballs.

When they found their name, I had them color the gumball their favorite FLAVOR, and then we graphed the results.

We discussed the difference between favorite flavor and favorite color, for many, this was their first introduction to graphing.

Everyone enjoyed learning something about their new friends.

This packet also includes 2 class books.  One the children trace and write the sentence about their favorite color.

To make the book more special, include their school photo as well.

I also made a class color book, by including pictures cut out from magazines of things of the various colors.

Each child brought a color picture in on that particular color day, as well as wore the appropriate color.

I took a class picture each Friday and also included that in our color book.

This packet includes the letter home, a calendar + a poster for your parent-teacher conferences.

Click on the link to view/download Wel-gum packet.

Thanks for visiting today.

Feel free to PIN anything you think others might enjoy.

“Never be too big to ask questions. Never know too much to learn something new.” – Og Mandino 

It's Time For Fall; It's Time For Poetry!

I love poetry and enjoy dabbling in it every now and then when I get time, or an idea pops into my head.

My editor at Mailbox Magazine sometimes had that on her list of assignments.

I always run my “creations” by my husband Dan.  He’s great with word choice, and making things have the correct amount of syllables and still make sense!

Through all sorts of laughter, he helped me so much with The Colors Of Fall; I simply had to add his name to the “credits”.

I tried to include poetry, nursery rhymes, and other easy readers that rhymed as part of my genre each month, so that my Y5’s would get used to hearing rhymes.

Eventually I would pause, during the reading of a poem, and leave the rhyming word off, waiting for them to fill it in.  It never ceased to amaze me how adept they became at this.

I’ve included the poem on a separate sheet of paper, for you to read and hang up, as well as the booklet.

You can simply read it to your class or print off copies and have them trace and write the color words in their matching colors.

After you read the story, ask students what else they see in fall that are each of the colors.  Perhaps you can have each student design their own page as a class book.

Click on the link to view/download The Colors of Fall

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

“Every child is an artist.  The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” –Pablo Picasso

123 Come Color With Me!

Color words were an important part of my word wall.

My Y5’s easily learned these because I included them in so many easy reader booklets, which really helped build their self-esteem.

This booklet Helps with Common Core State Standard: RF.K.1b

Students TRACE, WRITE, COLOR, & GLUE their way through 10 color words. (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, black, brown and white.)

It’s really a fun way to reinforce learning how to read, write and spell color words while reinforcing cutting skills as well as listening and following directions!

You can work on one page a day (perfect for Word Work for your Daily 5 activities) or one a week if you do "Color of the Week" like I did.

This is a great booklet for a portfolio as well, because it shows student improvement.

If you feel that color words are part of your "high frequency word list" then this activity would also help with Common Core State Standard: RF.K.3c

Click on the link to view/download My Color Words

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you can pop back tomorrow for more back to school ideas.

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

“What comes from the heart goes to the heart.” -Samuel Taylor Coleridge

"They may not be easy to see, but these are 5 things I want you to know about me!"

That's what the sentence says at the top of the paper.

It's a quick and easy icebreaker for the first day or first week of school, that’s also a terrific writing prompt for September, and fun way to get to know your students.

When completed, they make a cute back to school bulletin board too!  Make sure you do one yourself, so you have an example to share with your students, so they know how to do the assignment, as well as get to know their new teacher a little better too.

Older students can draw their own self-portraits in the blank oval.  So that they don't feel overwhelmed drawing themselves, remind them that this is just a section of their face from the nose up, or even just their eyes.  You can also give students a choice of the other 17 facial tops to fill in and color.

They should color their hair and eyes to represent themselves.  I find that younger students are less overwhelmed if they have this sort of template to follow and have a bit more fun with the activity, if they don’t have to start from scratch.  You also won’t have to listen to whining: “I can’t draw a face; or “I don’t know how to draw.” 

Little ones also tend to draw a tiny circle instead of a big one, or they draw an entire stick body.   You can include the template in your “Welcome to school summer letter” or Open House packet, and have students return them on the first day of school, so they can share with their new classmates right away.

Another plus of doing it this way, is that parents can help little ones write down the 5 things.  Some teachers like to have an Open House activity that students can do with their families.  This would be perfect.

Another option, if you don’t do a summer letter or Open House,  is to hand them out the first day of class and have students put them in their backpack or "Take Home" folder, for a home-school connection, to be returned in the next few days.

Make sure you provide time to share their completed projects, so everyone gets to know each other.  No matter what my students’ ages, I always had them applaud each child’s sharing. This is a big deal for many “shy” kiddos.  Writing in different colored markers also jazzes things up.

If you have the time, turn this into even more of a keepsake, by having a room helper or students trace eachother's handprint on flesh-colored construction paper.  Fold it over and cut once for 2 handprints.

Have students glue their paper hands  “holding” their writing prompt, in such a way that they can fold the wrist portion over and have them "flop" open to reveal their writing.  

You can punch a hole in the top and hang them back-to-back and suspend from the ceiling or line them up as a cute border, just below the ceiling in the hallway.

Click on the link to view/download  5 Things Icebreaker Portraits   Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away!

"By learning, you will teach; by teaching, you will learn." -Latin Proverb