1-2-3 Come Make A Glyph With Me

If you have never made a glyph with your students I highly recommend you give it a go with one of these quick, easy and super-fun fall glyphs.

My latest creations are an apple glyph and scarecrow glyph.

No matter what grade I taught, my students absolutely LOVED making glyphs, which is saying a lot because besides 4th, 6th & 7th grades, I've taught them ALL, beginning with PK all the way up through college freshmen!!

Glyphs 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, which comes in handy during parent-teacher conferences, and selecting the yes or no box on a student's report card. 

Completed projects make an adorable bulletin board, as each one will be different.

I've included a colorful glyph poster in both the apple & scarecrow packets, to use for the center of your display.

Glyphs are also an interesting way to get to know your students and build a classroom community, so the apple glyph is wonderful for a back-to-school icebreaker as well.

Both packets include several posters you can show to explain directions, which is particularly helpful for younger children.

To practice data collection & analysis, as well as process of elimination, have students pick a partner and try to figure out which glyph they made.

I’ve designed the glyph directions in such a way, that you can easily tweak them to fit your needs and levels of your kiddos, making things super-simple, or a bit more challenging for older kiddos in order to test their listening skills as well as comprehension.

Be sure and make a sample of your own, so your students can get to know you as well. 

After everyone is done with theirs, you can share yours and practice inference by asking them questions. 

Last fall I designed a pumpkin glyph you may also want to check out.

All 3 of these glyphs are part of "Diane's Dollar Deals".

Today's featured FREEBIE also has an apple-pumpkin theme.

Just like glyphs, my students really enjoy making Venn diagrams, which are a siimple, quick and fun way to practice comparison and contrast writing.  They too make an awesome bulletin board. 

This Venn diagram compares apples with pumpkins and is an easy way to reinforce all sorts of science facts.

Children can do these individually or with a partner. If you teach younger kiddos, doing one together in a whole-group setting is beneficial.

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

I'm watching 2 of my 9 grandchildren today, so we're going to visit Robinette's Apple Orchard and pumpkin patch.

One of the many reasons why I love fall here in Michigan. 

Wishing you a fun-filled day.

"Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadows of your wing." -Psalm 17:8

1-2-3 Come Do Some Apple Math With Me

I never mind putzing a bit to make a math center because once you’re done making your activities things are easy-peasy.

I designed this packet so students are empowered because they set up the center, do the activity independently, check their work via the answer-key posters, make corrections if needed, then put things back where they belong. 

No more prep for you, so you’re freed up while children are happily engaged.

Plus you can reuse this “apple-icious” math center every year. Woo hoo!

I keep my apples with a pipe cleaner stem in a large ZipLock Baggie and have included labels so you can separate the 0-10 apples from the 11-20 ones.

I created the patterns in such a way that you can easily diversify your lessons, while practicing a variety of standards such as:

* Sequencing, patterning, number recognition, counting forwards & backwards, +1 addition, -1 subtraction, groups/sets, subitizing, sorting odd & even, number word recognition, plus greater & less than.

There are so many independent center options that I've included a list of suggestions.

For example, I have one set of apples where I've glued the number leaf and mathcing oval set of seeds to an apple, which is labeled with that number word.

For this math center students count and string that many beads on the pipe cleaner stem, which matches the appropriate numbers on the apple.

They can use all one color, or show me an AB-AB or ABC-ABC color pattern. 

For another activity, the leaves and center options are laminated, then individually cut out. 

Children match the leaves and various centers to the appriate apple.

Even though I'm not teaching reading to my Y5s, I still put the number words on the leaves and apples.

They enjoy these games so much, that the continued repetition of seeing number words associated with a specific number, eventually sinks in by association, so many start reading those words on their own!

You can also use the patterns to make a set of apples without a pipe cleaner stem. I simply glued on a strip of brown paper.

We use this set for sequencing the numbers from 0-20, as well as sorting them on the odd or even number mats. 

To reinforce the fact that apples can be red, yellow and green, I make a set of each color. 

Students can make matches with the apples, (great for "Memory Match" or "I Have; Who Has?" games) as well as showing a row of color patterns. 

For another set of apples, I glue a blank white oval to the center. 

Children pick a number leaf, place it at the top then use black or brown pony beads to make a group of that many "seeds", which practices counting, making groups/sets, number recognition, plus one-to-one correspondence!

Besides using the variety of pattern choices for activities in your math center, you can laminate a class set of blank apples, as a quick, easy and super-fun way to whole group assess.

Call out a number. Using a dry erase marker,  students write that number on their leaf, and make that many "seed" dots on the center oval, then place that many "seed beads" on the pipe cleaner stem. 

When they are done, they hold their apple in the air.  You can see at a glance who is having difficulty.

This is an inexpensive and easy enough craft, that students could also make their own apple, then take it home for continued practice there.

Today's featured, apple-themed  FREEBIE, is another fun way to help your students practice number recognition, counting  and sequencing. 

As with my other math centers, I keep each one of the puzzles in their own ZipLock Baggie.  I hope your kiddos enjoy these apple strip puzzles as much as mine do. 

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

I'm heading out to the farmer's market.  Mmmm mmmm I can just taste that apple cider.

Wishing you an awesome autumn.

"Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why!" -Bernard Baruch

1-2-3 Come Do Some Apple Crafts With Me  

Although I’ve seen a variety of 3D apple and pumpkin crafts using paper strips to form the sphere, I could not find a pattern anywhere on the web.

After a few hours of diddling around, I came up with this simple “print & go” apple craftivity, complete with several pattern options and step-by-step directions using photographs of the various stages.

Few teachers have the luxury of simply making a craft just for fun; so to incorporate some science standards, one of the options is to make a “label the apple” craft.

I’ve included labeled templates for little ones, as well as blank ones, so that older students can label their own pieces.

You can also opt to simply make an unlabeled apple, with the “skin strips” going all the way around the "core", which is a toilet paper tube. (Love recycling!)

Completed apples are free standing and make adorable centerpieces.

I’ve also designed the stem as a “looped handle”, so that the red, yellow & green apples look amazing swirling & twirling in the air, suspended from the ceiling on various lengths of yarn.

This craft goes perfect with my "Parts of an Apple Emergent Reader" packet. Click the link to have a look.

There’s a full-color copy for teachers, as well as a black & white version for your kiddos.
Choose the 6-on-a-page size, or the 12-on-a-page pattern to make Itty Bitty booklets.

* I’ve also included a set of 8 pocket chart cards, plus a colorful poster that labels the parts of an apple.

* There are 3, black line worksheet options, for students to color and label the parts of their apple too.

Today's featured FREEBIE is one of my personal favorite apple crafts. Even though this craftivity is quick, easy & fun, it definitely has the "Wow!" factor.

"Apples can be red, yellow and green. These are the prettiest apples you've ever seen."  is the little poem that's in the middle of the apple.

I've included a large, full-size teacher's apple, that you can use as a sample to explain things to your kiddos, then later, place it in the middle of your apple display or bulletin board.

Using a crayon sharpener & broken peeled crayons, have students "shave" separate piles of red, yellow & green shavings. 

They pinch a bit and then sprinkle the 3 colors on top of their apple cut out. Both of these activities, provide super, fine-motor skill practice, that helps strengthen those finger muscles.

Cover with a sheet of wax paper, press with a warm iron for a few seconds, then gently peel off the paper.

My kiddos often squeal with delight at how awesome their apple turns out.

Take that teachable moment to explain secondary colors, as the red crayon melting into the yellow will create a nice orange color.

Each apple is different; which makes for an amazing bulletin board that never fails to get lots of ooohs and ahhhs, from students and staff who pass by.

Well that's it for today. Thanks for popping in.  It's a beautiful autumn day in the 70s, so time to go crunch some leaves.

Chloe, my poodle pup is wagging her whole body in anticipation.  Wishing you a delightful day.

"If a year was tucked inside of a clock, then autumn would be the magic hour." - Victoria Erickson

1-2-3 Come Play A Pumpkin Dice Game With Me

Since my Apple Puzzle Games have been so popular, I decided to create a pumpkin-themed one too. 

The pumpkin puzzles are a quick, easy and super-fun activity that you can play as an independent center, or as a whole group where children play individually or with a partner.

The games  will reinforce numbers 1-6 for PK kiddos, while older students can use the 1-12 number puzzle to practice addition.

There are several ways to play.

To reinforce the fact that pumpkins are not only orange but can be red, yellow, green whitish tan & even blue, I have my students color with those six crayons.

So that each students’ work is different, children decide which numbers are what colors.

Because of the variety, completed projects make a sweet bulletin board.

I've included photographs of real colorful pumpkins, along with a poster to scatter among your students' work.

I've also included larger, full-page pumpkins so you can create independent Center Games as well.

Simply print, laminate & trim. I keep each puzzle in a ZipLock Baggie.

For this center, students roll the dice and place the matching numbered piece on the pumpkin base.

There are a set of 3 puzzles for numbers 1-6, and another three with pieces 1-12. 

I made multi-colored puzzles (see photo), but you can make yours all one color or whatever...

Challenge older students to put the puzzles together without the help of a base.

If they become stumped, they can refer to the "pumpkin challenge" chart for assistance.

Another Idea:

The packet also has a “header” card if you’d like to make these as an inexpensive gift for a fall or Halloween treat bag.

The headers come in color as well as black & white.

It’s a super-simple, party day activity that children can do independently, which allows you to be freed up. Woo hoo for an easy-peasy "sanity saver"!

Students are happily engaged putting their own personal puzzle together.

When they’re done, they pick a friend to play the dice game with; using the base that they built their puzzle on, which they’ll now color for the “Roll & Color” dice game.

You can have these pre-cut by a parent helper, or to make the activity last longer, have children cut out their own pieces, getting in some scissor practice which will help strengthen finger muscles.

There’s also a 4-on-a-page blank pumpkin puzzle so that you can program however you want.

Today's featured FREEBIE is a selection of fall-themed worksheets that help students practice graphing, at the same time reviewing 2D shapes.

I've included black & white patterns for children, as well as colorful answer keys.

My students really love graphing, so I hope yours will too.

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

It's going to be another hot one today in the 90s (!) unheard of for Michigan at the end of September, but it beats snow.

Time to go water my wilting flowers. Wishing you a fun-filled day.

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

1-2-3 Come Color With Me

I'm always looking for quick, easy and fun ways for my Y5s to practice writing their names, so I designed this crayon-themed name writing packet where children can reinforce identifying colors at the same time. (Multi-tasking time saving bonus! Woo hoo.)

The packet includes a booklet with enough room so that students can write their name as many as 3 times.
This can be done all at once, or over a period of time, so that the booklet shows added improvement. Great for sharing at conferences!

There's also a set of name cards. Write your students' names on the unlined card so they can refer to it when they're making their booklet.

For added practice, laminate the lined cards, so students can practice writing their name with a dry erase marker.

I've included pocket chart-size color cards too. Use them as flashcards and post so that children can refer to this "anchor chart". Nice for your word wall.

There's a matching bookmark- size with 6-on-a-page to give your students. The "My Favorite Color Crayon Is . . ." worksheet provides another name writing opportunity as well.
Completed projects make a sweet bulletin board.

My kiddos absolutely love "spying" their name, so I've included an "I spy my name" color-me worksheet, as well as a certificate of praise kiddos can color after they've finished their name booklet.

Today's featured FREEBIE also has a crayon theme.  The saying, "For 'crayon' out loud!" was the "pinspiration"  behind this  20-page, classroom management  For Crayon Out Loud packet  that I hope you'll enjoy. 

There's a lot you can do with it, from a simple reminder poster hung on a bulletin board, to games and behavior management.

The packet includes:

* A For "crayon" out loud please raise your hand! Reminder poster

* A For "crayon" out loud class rules poster

* Crayon bookmarks

* A blank poster with a crayon border,  for you to use as stationery or fill in your own rules

* Crayon badges, perfect for name tags. 

* A behavior modification checklist (A quick and easy way to communicate with parents at the same time having students  be accountable, and take responsibility for their actions.

* Behavior traffic light crayon boxes. A little something different than the popular traffic light classroom management technique.

*Student crayon (Use with the traffic light program or as a bookmark, or run off on different colors of construction paper and write in the matching color word, then put up on your word wall.)

* 3 dot-to-dot behavior modification crayon sheets.  These are a quick and easy way to help students stay focused and on task. And finally...

* A set of crayon color cards, which you can use for labels and games.

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

Wishing you a rainbow bright and stress free day.

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

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

Fall is my favorite season.  I love sweatshirt weather, hikes in the woods where trees flaunt their spectacular colors, hayrides, and sipping hot cider while shopping the bountiful harvest at a farmer's market.  

While munching a juicy honeycrisp apple, I thought it would be fun to have my students compare the various seeds of a few of the items on display here. Leftovers would also  provide a nutritious snack too.

Thus the "Exploration of Seeds" packet was born, and mixes a bit of science with a variety of math skills: data collection & analysis, sorting, comparing & contrasting, predicting, guess-timating, counting, sequencing, greater than, less than & equal to, plus graphing.

I've also included a descriptive worksheet as well as an emergent reader, so you can add a splash of language arts and reading as well.

There are also 19 photo posters.

Scatter them around your students' investigations to make an interesting bulletin board, or use them as flashcards to check comprehension after you've done your investigation.

Students could choose one and practice using adjectives to describe the photo, or use several as writing prompts.

You can do the exploration activities as a whole group, or set things up as a center and have students work independently on their own seed worksheets.

I've included a letter home to parents asking for donations, so that you can study the seeds of a pumpkin, apple, sunflower, and watermelon, as well as kernels of corn.

If your students are like mine, they will absolutely LOVE these hands-on activities.

As a busy teacher, being able to combine science with math and language arts is a wonderful time-saving bonus.

Today's featured FREEBIE is a "My School Daze Selfie".    Do you have your kiddos draw a self portrait?

Why not hop on the "selfie" rage and use these cute worksheets for your kiddos to do their work on.  They're sure to become a keepsake.

Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by. The warm breeze on this lovely September afternoon is calling my name. 

Time to take my poodle pup Chloe, for a walk and declutter my brain.  Wishing you an awesome day filled with everything you most enjoy.

"Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall." - F. Scott Fitzgerald

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

One of the reasons I decided to do “Diane’s Dollar Deals” is because I love the feeling I get when I go into The Dollar Store and find all sorts of goodies for my classroom for just a dollar.

I excitedly pick something up and say “I can’t believe this is only a dollar!” then happily drop whatever in my cart.

I’m hoping to give you that same feeling when you purchase one of my dollar deals.
They’re still the same high quality as my other “stuff”, but only a dollar.

* This 52-page number fun packet is my newest Dollar Deal creation and includes a set of large, colorful posters, as well as a smaller set with 2-on-a-page.
Use them as anchor charts, a border, bulletin board or flashcards using them as an easy way to whole group assess too.

Print an extra set to use for an independent math center.
Students can sequence the cards or sort them into odd & even piles.

You could also make an additional set, cut in half or in quarters for a puzzle center as well.

* I love when “stuff” matches in my room, so I made a set of little cards perfect for sequencing, sorting, or playing Memory Match or “I Have; Who Has?” games.

* The black and white “color me” booklet also matches.
Students color the picture, then trace & write the numbers and number words, then circle the number in the sequence.

There are covers so that you can make a counting booklet from 0-10 or 0-20. You could also make two separate booklets for each set.

I can’t begin to tell you how much I love having a little workbook for my students.

It’s an easy-peasy Friday for me when students do a page in their various workbooks once a week. Everything’s kept in a folder which keeps things neat and organized.

Little workbooks are perfect for conferences, showing what we’re working on as well as improvement. Then at the end of the year, kiddos take home their folder and have a wonderful keepsake. 

Today's featured FREEBIE is an apple math mat.  There's addition on the front, and subtraction on the back.  You can also show greater & less than equations.

The dice and manipulatives make things extra fun. Once you make a set, you'll have a super-fun math center you can use for years. 

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

Two of my 9 grandchildren are coming over today, so it's time to put my Nana hat on and get ready for a fun-filled day. 

Wishing you one as well.  Filled with lots of hugs and giggles.

"Children are a living message sent to a time we will not see." - Neil Postman

1-2-3 Come Do Some Number Recognition Activities With Me

Because my Young Fives absolutely love making and collecting “Itty Bitty” booklets, I designed a set for each individual number 0-10.

I call them Itty Bitty booklets because there are 4-pages on a one-page pattern, making this little book “just the right size” for small hands and pint-size attention spans.

The booklets are a real time saver for me, as once students have completed one, there’s no need to repeat directions. Children feel empowered and can get right down to business.

Cutting on the dashed lines helps strengthen finger muscles and dexterity, while collating their booklet practices sequencing and counting.

You can start with zero, or save that booklet as a little something to do on a “Zero the Hero” Day, as you count up to 100.

I’ve designed the pages in such a way, that you pick the pattern pages most appropriate for your students and “design your own” Itty Bitty booklets, this also makes it easy to diversify your lessons.

You can keep things very simple and make just the 3-page booklet with a cover, (first worksheet) or add as many of the other 9 page options you’d like.

The booklets are great for morning math, an independent math center, or homework, and work well for a math journal, interactive notebook or portfolio.

I've included a pocket as well as labels if your students have a math journal.  During "Back To School" sales when supply stores are offering 15 cent notebooks as loss leaders,  I stock up so my kiddos have a notebook for a variety of things.

Easy-peasy for me, fun for them, and everything's organized in one place. Notebooks are an excellent way to show progress at conferences and at the end of the year students have a nice keepsake. 

Students color and tape the "pocket" to the inside of their math journal, then tuck their Itty Bitty booklets inside.  You can also opt to put them in a small, manila envelope. 

I've also used smaller envelopes that I buy at The Dollar Store. Students glue one to a section of their notebooks that feature work on that specific number, then tuck that Itty Bitty booklet at the bottom.

There’s enough variety so that you can also make extra booklets. For example, there are 2 “color me” pages which feature all of the numbers.  One is a selection of cute "number people", the other depicts children holding a number.

Pick one for your initial Itty Bitty booklet, then make an extra “color me” booklet with the other pattern pages. Instead of featuring just one number, this Itty Bitty booklet would showcase all of them.

Since the pages are small, coloring is simplified and not overwhelming. My students often ask if they can do more than one page at a time.

Another idea for an extra booklet, is to make an “Amazing Numbers Maze Craze” booklet, featuring all of the number mazes. As with the color booklet, I’ve included a cover for this extra option. 

The mazes would also make a fun math center.  Laminate a set and have students complete the mazes with a dry erase marker.

These extra options are wonderful tucked in your sub tub, something for struggling students or early finishers.

Besides the booklets, I’ve also included a “Snap To It!” Snap or Unifix Cube math center activity, where children use one of the 2-on-a-page worksheets as a reference, while putting cubes together to make that number. 

I have my kiddos count how many cubes they used.

A mini matching page is an option for their Itty Bitty booklets and has children working on patterning.

There's also a set of jigsaw number puzzles. Run the pattern off on 4 colors, laminate and trim.

Sort the puzzles so that each puzzle includes all four colors, then keep each one in a ZipLoc Baggie in your math center. 

There's also a mini page option for students' Itty Bitty booklets.

Today's featured FREEBIE is another way that my students enjoy practicing numbers and counting.  

These bubble dot numbers can be used for individual worksheets (there are  2-on-a-page for quick printing) or add the cover and make into a number booklet.

Students use a bingo dauber to dot the bubbles counting as they go. They can also choose two crayon or marker colors and fill in the dots showing an ABAB pattern.

Make an extra set to use in a math center where students can place objects on the dots counting as they fill up the pattern.

Students can also sequence the cards.  Make an extra set and cut them in half or quarters and use as puzzles.

Another idea is to color your own set with school or classroom colors then laminate and use as anchor charts or flashcards. 

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

I've finally survived a terrible cold, so need to tackle a long (oh my gosh am I behind) to do list.  Wishing you a productive and stress-free day. 

"The future of the world is in my classroom today!" -Ivan Walton Fitzwater

10 pages

These bubble dot numbers can be used for individual worksheets (there are  2-on-a-page for quick printing) or add the cover and make into a booklet.

1-2-3 Come Be A Number Detective With Me!

Asking my kiddos if they would like to become a number detective, gets their attention, accompanied by a rousing “Yes!”.

Thus begins my students’ enthusiastic search for numbers, that would reveal a secret one hidden inside their 100s chart.

My Y5s enjoy this activity so much, I decided to design an entire packet of "mystery number worksheets".

So you can diversify your lessons based on skill level, there are two sets of “find the number & color the box” worksheets in the HIDDEN NUMBERS packet, which help reinforce numbers 0-10.

The first set is for beginners. Students look for boxes that have the designated number inside, then color them, which when all filled in, should reveal a larger, “hidden mystery number”.

The number they are looking for is in the box at the top.
They also write that number and circle it in the sequence at the bottom of the page.

The second set of worksheets is more difficult, as students are not searching for a specific number, but look for the numbers that are listed in the “clue key” on the right.

They find these numbers then color in those boxes, to reveal a hidden “mystery” number.

The bottom of these worksheets provide more math practice, which cover a variety of standards.

I’ve included colorful answer keys, which you can use to explain what you want students to do, plus use as anchor charts or large flashcards.

For the beginner set, I did not fill in the bottom answers, so that you can place one on your white board and fill in the information as a whole group activity.

I call on a student to come up and fill in the answer, then we discuss it.

The 2 sets give you the ability to diversify your lessons, which can be done as a whole group or independent center activity.

To conserve paper, and reuse each year, I laminate a set for our math center. Students use Dry Erase markers, then erase with a cloth.

The worksheets are also great for morning work, early finishers, homework, math journals or a sub tub.

I’ve included a cover, should you want to collate the collection to make a booklet. 

Going along with the detective theme, today's featured FREEBIE is a set of apple-themed "I Spy!" worksheets.

They are a quick, easy and super-fun way to practice a variety of standards, as well as whole group assess. 

The packet includes game sheets for numbers, letters and shapes. 

Call out a number/letter/shape. Students find, and circle, color or trace it, then raise their hand.  You can see at a glance who is having difficulty.

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

I've been battling a very bad cold, so it's time for a cup of chamomile tea with honey and a bit of rest.  Wishing you a relaxing day.

Just because you find one bad apple, doesn't mean you should give up on the whole tree." - Unknown