YES...it's February 8th and YES I am late blogging, but I have the BEST excuse and some of you know what it is and others...well...maybe you are not following me enough to know my personal life, but I am going to share some of it right here...right NOW!!! My 4th grandchild was born on Thursday, January 26th...so now I have Brady (9), Marra (almost 7), Aria (4) and Ava (almost 2 weeks old).  YES...I am the proud Mimi of 4 beautiful, talented grandkids that light up my life everyday.  Yes...I was away from my business life a bit in order to hang out with my middle daughter, who BTW was born on Valentine's Day in a snowstorm almost 39 years ago, and help her care for Ava, her second child.  YES...my heart is full...YES... cupid has brought another bundle of love and joy to our family and YES...I am finally ready to share some of my all time favorite Valentine's Day Activities.
Some are freebies that can be found in my TpT shop Sunshine and Lollipops while others are inexpensive paid resources from my shop and yet others are ideas that I have used throughout my many years of teaching pre-k, first and second grade.

1.  Valentine's Day Crown and OptionalCard:   

This my all time favorite craft and it can be differentiated as needed in that you can pre-cut the various pieces and set them up so each child can create the crown independently
(I did it this way for my younger granddaughter).  You can have them color the center of the crown and then glue it to a sentence strip or pre-cut paper as there is a black and white copy of the "BEE MINE" that can be cut out or you can give each kiddo what they need to make the crown and have them cut and glue everything (great for OT) or maybe you would even want to use all the images as tracers and go with it in that direction.  Whatever way you choose, there is one thing I am certain about and that is that your kids WILL LOVE MAKING THIS! 

   

                                                                                           
                                                                           






Be sure to check out the Dollar Spot at #Target to pick up some foam heart stickers and Valentine's Day stickers to add some additional fun!

   

Even a 4 year olds can have some fun creating this crown with stickers while working on fine motor skills to get ready for #Kindergarten!!

Everything you need is included in this Freebie...well...I take that back...you will need glue, scissors, stickers(optional),pipe cleaners (optional) and LOVE!




















Optional Card:  The option to make a card is also included. If you take a picture of each child wearing the crown, you can then either glue the picture onto the frame provided, add some stickers and have your kiddos write a message on the inside or add the picture electronically to the frame and add stickers...the choice is yours!

2.  Free Beginning Sound Matching Fun  Here is another Free resource that I created for my daughter's SpEd Kinders.  It is a fun way to reinforce matching letters to beginning sounds that your kinders or pre-schoolers will enjoy completing.  Simply color the hearts that show a match of a beginning sound to the picture that begins with that sound in the same color. For example:  A and apple would be colored the same.                                                                                                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                             

  

3.  Valentine's Day Fun Packet or Math and Literacy Activities  Fun packet of Valentine themed activities for first grade that can be used as morning work, quiet time work, for early finishers or any other way you might want to use these sheets!  

 This can be used a s a cover and the packet can be made into a booklet for each student!

Here is a photo with a compilation of the some the activities that are included in this resource!

















4.  We are Good Friends  This is a mini unit on friends and friendship that can really be used anytime during the school year.  When I taught first and second grade  I used it during the month of February. It would also be great to use in the beginning of the school year when students are beginning to get to know each other or at the end, when they have established some great friendships. It includes ideas for use and directions on how to implement this into your curriculum as well as a parent/family letter.

Here is a sampling of some of the ideas included with this resource.

6.  I LOVE you More Than...  I love this more than chocolate candy and the beach so sandy...such a fun activity to think about what you love and then make a Valentine for your family or someone special. It contains an original poem for Valentine's Day and lots of other goodies! It can be used for Mother's Day as an original poem for Mother's Day is also included. Check it out...it is a DOLLAR DEAL!

                                                                                This the page for students to use to write their ideas for Valentine's Day! Below is an computerized sample!

7. New Valentine's Day Math and Writing Activities for 1st Grade

This new resource is right off the press and ready to go for Valentine's Day. 

It includes math addition and subtraction up to and including 10...there are a few that have sums that are 11 and 12.  A word Search with answer key, Writing frames including poetry type frames and lots of fun for you kiddos. It can be used for math and literacy stations as well as guided math even work on writing, writing workshop and more!  Enjoy!

8.  Two Other Great Ideas to Try  

• Have a Compliment or Kindness Jar during February or any month, for that matter.  I always placed the "jar" on a counter where it was easily accessible so children were able to write compliments about a classmate.  At the end of the day, I would simply pull a few out and read them to the class. This was also done during our morning meeting.  The jar I used was decorated for Valentine's Day and I simply had a pencil/pen and heart-shaped sticky notes or paper next to the jar for students to write their compliments. If you notice that not everyone is getting a compliment, be sure to add some of your own so there are always smile!

         Here is one I made for Kindergarten that was created from a clear flexible plastic container.

         Easy Peasy!

This ties right in with another post about Kindness on my blog. You might want to check this out as well!!

• Fun with Candy Conversation Hearts: There are tons of ideas to use conversation hearts. You can measure with them, count them, graph them by color, write sentences using the words on them, put them in a jar to guess how many and....drum roll pleeeeaaaase...my all time favorite for Kindergarten is to give each child or pair of children one box of conversation hearts.  
  
  Then have each pair guess or predict how many hearts are in the box and write their predictions or guesses on the top of a paper heart that you have created.  After they make predictions and write them down, have them count how many WHOLE hearts are actually in the box to check their predictions and write that number down. Next have them sort the heats by color on their heart. After, discuss the results of their predictions and numbers of colors they have the least or most of in their box.  As numbers will vary, ask the kiddos why they think the numbers are different. You can also do this as a whole group or make a whole class graph of the colors found and then count how many there are of each color and ultimately how many hearts there are all together.  
  

There you have it...some ideas to bring the LOVE back into teaching.  Happy Valentine's Day and if you have some ideas that you have used, please give them a SHOUT OUT in the comment section. Happy Valentine's Day!  Don't forget to share the love!!

Continue reading

Share:

 Can, Have, Are Anchor Chart for Kinders. I scribed and they showed their learning and ideas about butterflies!

One of my all time favorite Units to teach is/was my butterfly unit #ilovebutterflies.  I always adored those fun hands on type lessons and when they included crafts...Well even better as I was right there ready to get down and dirty...slip and slid in the mud, get those magnifying glasses out and search high and low for those wiggly creatures...YEP...you guessed it caterpillars.  I love the excitement and curiosity of primary children as they learn about insects or other creepy crawly BUGS!

Years ago, we did a butterfly unit in second grade and raised butterflies...the kiddos LOVED this and we did so many activities to support this science life cycle unit. The class especially LOVED and were so excited when we released the butterflies. We would put out a half of a water melon and watch them go back and forth from the watermelon to the bushes and trees and then fly off into the distance. Creepy, Crawly, Joy, Fuzzy and all the rest, who were given names, were never to be seen again, but once in awhile a student would think they saw "theirs" fluttering away on the playground! 

A few years later it was decided that this unit would be a first grade unit...so, as a looping teacher, who looped with first and second grade....I taught this unit again and again and again in first grade and was able to stretch into second grade to nurture the excitement and curiosity of young minds at work!

Now...I am helping my daughter (I volunteer 2 days /per week in her classroom), who teaches Kinders and we are adapting these lessons, that I created, for Kindergarten. OH and before I forget, my granddaughter also raised and released butterflies in nursery school this year. I guess you can't get enough of butterflies.  

So...because #ilovebutterflies so much....actually all science lessons, just need the time to go through all my files so I can share all of them...that may take more years than I have left on this earth, I have included some great #craftivities using butterflies for your classroom use...the ideas are free.  You will just have to follow the directions, which I am pretty sure you will not have any trouble doing.

So here you go:

1.  Paper plate Butterfly sequencing activity.

• You will need a white paper plate divided into 4 sections depending on students, you can have them use rulers and draw the lines or pre-draw before the activity.
• Pre-cut leaves and thin brown strips for branches (only if you are working with younger students).
• Colored tissue paper cut into small squares(I ordered a box of pre-cut tissue squares from Lakeshore and it has lasted me 5 years!!!)
• Various pasta shapes. I used Orzo for the egg on the leaf, Rotoni for the caterpillar, Shell pasta for the chrysalis and Bow Tie pasta for the butterfly!
• Glue
• Patience

We made sure that this activity with SpEd Kinders was extremely structured. We did the activity step by step together at the table.

The tissue was used for the grass and flowers....Voila! Here are the children's finished products!

2.  3-D Butterflies

•  For each child you will need:
• A piece of tinfoil
• 2 pieces of colored tissue paper
• Thin Markers
• Small foam shape stickers
• Clothespin
• Pipe Cleaners
• Patience

Give each child the tissue paper and stickers. The students were taught about symmetry and butterflies so they were trying to make their butterflies symmetrical...I am not so sure how symmetrical they were,but hey we are only in kindergarten.

After they have completed the decorating of the tissue paper, They put the tinfoil as the bottom layer and squeezed the paper together as shown.  They decorated the clothespin and made the antennae or a short pipe cleaner.

It was then assembled with a little help from the adults and voila...there is your cute little butterfly!

       

3. Butterfly Life Cycle Sequencing Crowns, which can be found in my Butterfly resource on TpT Sunshine and Lollipops  It is all ready to print and use!!!

• For each child you will need:
• A butterfly template copied on card stock in different colors ( I pre-cut these for the Kinders due to fine motor limitations). However, depending on your class, you can differentiate. 
• Strips of paper for sequencing and creating the headband.
• Sequencing pages, which are differentiated in my resource. You can pick individually for each child depending on their needs.
• Scissors
• Crayons
• Glue
  

Add crumpled tissue paper to cover the dots on the butterfly!

Cut out the sequence sheets provided.

After gluing the strips of paper on the sides to form the headband part on the activity, glue the picture in order 1,2,3,4!  We did need to trim the edges of the headbands a bit before fitting onto the kiddos' heads, but they were sooooooooo cute!!

So here are a few of my favorite activities to use with thisMini Butterfly Unit.. or any butterfly unit for that matter...Oh and there are still a few little secrets in my Butterfly Resource....I mean I can't divulge all my deep dark secrets! Enjoy learning about butterflies and these crafts and ideas!

Continue reading

Share:

It is a NEW YEAR or maybe just the end of a report period and that time of year when we are assessing sight words in our classrooms or at home.

We have done this many times before, but it is now the second semester...the scenario might go like this.

⭐We check the first set of words that our Kinders or Firsties and maybe even second graders should know or you thought they knew and you find out that the words have disappeared into thin air after winter break..."Where did they go?" you ask yourself and perhaps panic sets in and you realize that maybe some of your kiddos need a bit more practice on certain words or EVERY WORD...don't panic...you remember this post from a while ago and then you see it has been updated with even more ideas than before and you JUMP FOR JOY and realize this IS the answer you have been waiting for...!! AHHHHH YES...more ideas to try!

Calmness sets in and you sit down with a cup of JOE and read the post feeling totally saved and ready to go!

I remember when my daughter was in 1st and 2nd grade the teacher would send home spelling words and/or flashcards to review to learn the words that were expected for those grade levels.

I also remember how much my daughter hated to use these flashcards and/or review the spelling words. 

I remember her bouncing, jumping and walking around the room or house as we practiced these words.

We even wrote them with colored soap crayons in the tub!! Now that was an experience worth seeing, but she did learn those spelling words!!

However, I, on the other hand was racking my brain to come up with ideas so I did not pull out my hair practicing these word with her!!

That was about 26 years ago and before I taught full time as a first and second grade teacher. 

I had taught part time, but not everyday.  It was my daughter's reaction to practicing these words that I decided to come up with a list of ways to practice spelling and/or sight words with your child.

When I became a full time teacher, I gave this list to parents to use in place of flashcards.

They also had fun coming up with their own ideas as well, which were so creative!

In fact I even challenged parent's to be creative and share ideas that they used to practice words.

In today's world with early age sports, video games, pre-school cheerleaders, tablets, i-phones and such, it is even more important to devise ways to practice words in a hands on or kinesthetic way.

Of course there are many spelling and sight word programs that can be used on electrical devices, but not all children learn tethered to a device.

Let's remember Howard Gardner and his Multiple Intelligences.

So, I thought I would share with you some ideas I have created, over the years,  to practice words whether they are spelling words, vocabulary words or sight words or even names.

I would be crazy to think that you have never heard of these ideas and I am sure...no actually positive that you may already be using or have seen some of these posted elsewhere, but I can assure you that some of us have been recommending these strategies for years!!!

Some are not new, but, then again, some may be new to you and worth a try!

I don't know if you are like me, but I can always use a little refresher course on pretty much everything because I usually see some ideas that I completely forgot about!

Above are some ideas that can be found in my Teachers Pay Teachers shop in the packet entitled :

Sight Word, Spelling Word Work Fun Bundle for K, first and Second...it is an "oldie but a goodie!"

Along with these ideas are also worksheets to practice spelling and sight words.

Here is also a list of other tried and true ideas you might want to use:

• Write words in shaving cream on a cookie sheet...fun for everyone!
• Form words using Play-doh.  
• Form the words using pipe cleaners or Wiki Sticks. 

• Spell words using letter beads on pipe cleaners or using sticker letters on paper.

Here my Grandkids are spelling their names with sticky letters

• Put copies of the words around the floor and ask the child to jump onto a certain word and spell it without looking( feet covering the word).

• Use an Etch-a-Sketch and write the words.

• Write words on the  i-pad or computer.

• Paint the words on an easel.

• Type the words in different fonts on the computer.  The        to      have    from   like

• Write the words in sand in a tray or right on the beach with a shell if it is summer time.

• Cheer the words...vowels arms up, consonants arms down...this was a favorite with my class! You can even buy or make pom-poms for spelling words or have a Brain Breaks and spell the words! if the word is  T O...it might look like this:

T

O 

It gets more fun as the words get longer and longer. For a Brain Break you can write words on the board...sight words....spelling words or even vocabulary words and have a blast cheering and spelling those words.

• Spell the word using different voices...For example:  mouse voice, Elvis voice, old person voice, robot voice, opera voice, cowboy voice, baby voice or any other voice you can think of to use that might be a little silly. I even have some great Silly Voice Sight Word Games on TpT for the fist 100 Fry Words that would be super to play at home or school or even Homeschool and also for the second set of Fry Words: Here you go!

• Spell the words in Cheerios, Fruit Loops, M and M's, Skittles...if the word is spelled or read correctly, eat the word!( or switch to beads or buttons and give a piece of candy as a reward so a sugar high is not created!)  I have also put copies of the word in muffin tins and kiddos toss a small candy into the tin and then read the word.  If it is correct, you get to eat the candy. If not leave it there and when you do know it the reward is more!

• Sky write the words saying each letter as the word is written in the "sky".  We have been known to imagine and visualize that our favorite color is spraying out of our pencils or fingers when writing the word...great for handwriting practice as well!!!

• Form the words using pasta or broken spaghetti.

• Form the words using Unifix blocks or Legos.

• Write Letters with sidewalk chalk.

• Have you tried writing sight words in the SNOW? We have...this is with a mat underneath, but if you now it will be snowing, get out there and have some fun with your child's sight words...if you are a homeschooler...what a fun way to learn your words!!!
  

• Circle or find your words in books, magazines and newspaper or online and write them in a notebook.

• Hide the words around the house and then have your child find them and read them.

• Stamp your words with alphabet stamps.

• Cut letters that you need to spell your words from Magazines or type up the letters, cut them a apart and scramble them and then spell them...Look for my new Scrambled Egg Sight Word Game coming SOON!!!

• Use letter tiles and baggies.  Put tiles in the bag to spell a word and unscramble it to spell it correctly.

• Use a paintbrush with water and "paint" them on the sidewalk.  better be sure to read the words before the sun dries it up!!

• Put magnetic letters for each word in a bucket filled with water and have children pull the letters out and spell the word correctly....or no water!!! A variation is that you pass the bucket and everyone chooses, without looking 3 letters and the letters accumulate see if children can make words with the letters! 
  

• Use packing peanuts and put the letters or whole words into a basket with the packing foam peanuts and pull them out and read or spell the words.

• Give each child a letter or a baggie of letters to a group of students and have them form a HUMAN Word with their letters.  
  
• Snowball Fight...this is a great way to bring some winter fun into the classroom.  Write a certain number of sight words on blank white paper. So if you have 16 kiddos in your class, (wishful thinking!) you will write 16 different words on the paper. Then crumple each up into a ball or pretend snowball.  

Give explicit rules about throwing and playing. I have been known to say the following: Toss carefully so the ball aims at knees or below, toss lightly so we are safe, and stay within this area.

Then each child gets a "snowball" and the "fight" begins with everyone tossing for a few minutes 1 or 2 is plenty.

Then ring your chime and everyone carefully picks up a snowball and sits on the rug. Each child reads their word as you go around the circle...then repeat as many times as needed to get a break and learn the words!  PS My kiddos LOVED this!!!

New Ideas from Readers:

• Here is an idea from Margo Gentile! She commented that it is a good idea to write the words you would like your children to know in places that they will see the words frequently. For example, Use lipstick and write the on the bathroom mirror...thanks for sharing this awesome idea!!

I hope this brings a little sunshine your way on this cold winter day( if you live in a place where it is snowing or cold today)!  Please let me know if any of these strategies helped your students or children spell or learn their words!  Also comment with your tried and true ideas and link up your SIGHT WORD resources below!!!


You might also be interested in Variations of the game BANG!

An InLinkz Link-up   

Continue reading

Share: