NURSERY RHYME CRAFTS

Jack and Jill
Trace around the puppet pattern on heavy paper. Challenge the children to make the puppet look like “Jack” on one side and “Jill” on the other side. Attach a straw and use as a puppet.

What happened after Jack fell down? Here’s more to the story!

So up got Jack
And said to Jill
As in his arms he took her.
You’re not hurt, brush off that dirt.
Now, let’s go fetch that water.
So up got Jack and
Up got Jill to fetch that pail of water.
They brought it back to mother dear
Who thanked her son and daughter.

Humpty Dumpty
Give children the oval shape and scrap paper. Have them tear the scrap paper into little pieces and then glue it on the oval to make a collage. Attach a stick and use it as a puppet.


What happened to Humpty Dumpty?
So the good children got
Some tape and some glue
And they fiddled and faddled
Til’ he looked like new.
Then they carefully placed him
Back on the wall
And said, “Humpty Dumpty,
Please don’t fall!”



HUMPTY DUMPTY'S TROUBLES
How about some new Humpty Dumpty rhymes? Thank you Alex May (webmaster)!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7X1r5fT-BM


Here's a version where the children can fill in the missing rhyme.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJiVJyGWb_A


Baa Baa Black Sheep
Cut the sheep and the tops of the 3 bags of wool from the front of a file folder. Insert colored paper starting with black. Remove the black paper and then fill in the appropriate color word. (This would be something for the teacher to make and use with the children.)
Baa baa green sheep
Have you any wool?

Would you like patterns for the above craft activities?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljTHpaLUk4MXVJY1k/view?usp=sharing


Websites
Here are some good websites where you can download free nursery rhyme posters:
curry.virginia.edu/go/wil/rimes_and_rhymes.htm
enchantedlearning.com
prekinders.com

HAND OF KNOWLEDGE AND CHARACTER GRAPH

Need something new to replace a worksheet?

Hand of Thoughts 

Children trace around their hand and write a story element (Who, what, where, when, why) in each finger.

*Children write five things they learned from a science or social studies lesson.


Character Graph



Draw the outline of a body similar to the one shown. Label with “see,” “hear,” “think,” “say,” “feel,” “go.” After reading a story use the character graph for children to recall details.


Star of Knowledge

Make a large star and write a concept in the middle. Children add facts and details in each point of the star.

*Write a number in the middle and five facts that equal that number.

VERBS, VERBS, ACTION WORDS

If you can DO it, then it's a verb!

Verbs, Verbs, Action Words 

Verbs, verbs, action words
Things that you can do.
I’ll say a word, and if it’s a verb,
Show what you can do.
Run (Children run in place.)
Fly (Children pretend to fly.)
Dog (Children shout, “That’s not a verb.”)

Continue calling out verbs for the children to pantomime.


Charades
Let children take turns acting out verbs as their classmates try and guess what they are doing.


Pass the Story
Write verbs on index cards and place them in a sack. Have the class sit in a circle and begin passing the bag around. The first child chooses a word and begins the story by using that verb. The second child chooses a word and adds to the story with their word. Continue passing the bag as children add to the story using a verb from the bag.



Catch and Tell
Have children think of an action word in their head. The teacher throws a ball or beanbag to a child. That child states the verb they are thinking of and then passes the ball to another friend. Children continue passing the ball and saying verbs.

Say What?
Write simple verbs on the board. Invite children to come up and add different endings for their friends to read and then use the word in a sentence.

*Cover the end of a fly swatter with white paper. Write different endings on the paper (ing, ed, s). Children place the ending by verbs and read the new word.

SINGULAR AND PLURAL

Standards may come and go, but singular and plural forms of nouns will always be in the curriculum. 

Singular and Plural
Write the name of common classroom objects on the board. Cover the end of a fly swatter with white paper. Write the letter “S” on the paper as shown. Children take turns adding the “s” to the end of the words and saying the plural. Can they use it in a sentence?

Blocks
Cut paper the size of rectangular and square unit blocks. Write common nouns on the rectangles and tape to blocks. Write “s” on a square and tape to a square block. Children read nouns and then add the “s” block and read the plural.




Unifix Cubes
Place sticky dots on cubes and write letters on them. Make a list of common nouns. Children make the words with the cubes and then add “s” at the end and read the word.

Singular and Plural (Tune: “This Old Man”)
One is book, 2 are books.
One is cook, more are cooks.
Add an “s” to the end of a word
Makes it plural, haven’t you heard?
One is toy, two are toys.
One is boy, more are boys.
I’ll say a word, then you add an “s.”
You make it plural - do your best!
Car Star
Dog Log
Cat Hat
Ball Wall
Coat Boat
*Let children suggest other words to sing in the song.

T-Chart
Children draw a T-chart on a sheet of paper. On the left side they write the singular form of nouns. On the right side ask them to write the plural form. Can they read the words?


Oops!
Make up inappropriate sentences and when the children hear you say something wrong they can say, “Opps!” Have them repeat the sentence correctly.
Teacher: “We have 12 boy here today.”
Children: “Oops! We have 12 boys here today.”

WHAT'S A NOUN?

Every sentence has a noun, so let's find out more about them!

(TUNE: She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain)
A noun is a person, place, or thing. Yee haw! (Fist in air.)
A noun is a person, place, or thing. Yee haw!
A noun is a person. (Point to a person.)
A noun is a place. (Point to a place in the room.)
A noun is a person, place, or thing. (Point to a place.)


Wacky Sentences
Write nouns and picture clues on 5 index cards and verbs on 5 index cards. Place them in lunch bags labeled “nouns” and “verbs.” Children choose a noun card and a verb card and write a sentence using the words.

Hint! They love to use nouns with their teacher’s name, principal, and other stars.

Noun Sort
Fold a sheet of paper into fourths. Write “people, animals, places, things” in the sections. Give children old newspapers and catalogs and ask them to cut out pictures of people, animals, places, and things and glue them in the appropriate section. Can they label their pictures?


Noun Hunt
Give children a clip board and challenge them to find all the nouns they can in the classroom. They can write the words or draw pictures.
*For homework ask them to make a list of the nouns in their home.

Noun Names
Make name cards for the students in your class from 8” sentence strips. Write each child’s name and glue their picture on the card. Use these for writing prompts in a center.

MAKE UP YOUR OWN HOLIDAY

You know how much I love all holidays and celebrations, so when my webmaster told me about National MAKE UP YOUR OWN HOLIDAY DAY I wanted to do a blog about it. It was founded by Thomas and Ruth Roy of Wellcat Holidays and is celebrated on March 26. That gives you several weeks to plan this creative day with your students.

Note! You might have heard me say that children don’t need the world’s fair because they are happy with plain vanilla. Keep this in mind as you create your own holiday. Something as simple as “sitting where you want” or “chewing sugarless gum” or “singing as you read” can make any day more interesting.

WHY? To break the monotony of school by inventing, naming, and celebrating something that gives your classroom family JOY! It will be a way to build friendships and make memories.

HOW? Let children brainstorm simple things that make them happy. It could be a pet, a game, a food, a song…anything! Vote on a specific concept that will involve the whole class.

WHAT? Think of a name for your holiday. Make banners announcing your holiday. Think of costumes, games, foods or other ways to celebrate.

Here are a few suggestions from CHATGPT, but I bet your class could come up with some that are better and more unique to their age and interests.  (I'd love for you to email your ideas to drjeansongs@gmail.com.)

🎨  Creativity Celebration Day

·       Everyone invents a craft or art project

·       Design your own holiday logo and flag

·       Make up a theme song

 

🍕  Favorite Things Festival

·       Everyone chooses their favorite food, game, movie, or dessert

·       Decorate based on favorite colors

·       Share why you picked your favorites

🌎  Around-the-World Day

Each person “creates” a country:

·       Make a flag

·       Invent traditions

·       Serve a snack from that country

🦸  Superhero Appreciation Day

·       Create your own superhero name and power

·       Design capes

·       Do “hero acts” (kindness challenges)

 

📚 Storybook Holiday

·       Make up a holiday legend

·       Create a special character (like Santa, but unique!)

·       Write and illustrate a short book

🌞  No-Complaints Day

·       Put a coin in a jar for every complaint

·       Celebrate at the end with something fun if you succeed

 

👑  Royalty for a Day

·       Each person gets crowned

·       Make a royal decree

·       Fancy dinner with silly etiquette rules

 

I'M A READER!

Reading is like anything else - the more you do it, the better you will become. Here are some engaging ways to encourage independent reading.

Mirror Reading
Let children read books to themselves in a mirror.
                                             

Read to a Star
Frame photographs of sports figures, politicians, or musicians that children are familiar with in the classroom library. Children choose a book and then read it to their favorite star.

Pick a Pal
Place a basket of books and small stuffed animals or puppets in the center. Children choose a book and read it to a toy.

Whisper Phone

Phonics phones are perfect for children to hear themselves read. You can purchase these or make one out of PVC pipe. 

Hint! Teach the children how to make a phone with their hand. If they cup one hand around their ear and the other hand around their mouth they can hear themselves read.

Book Nooks
Here is another "genius" idea from Carolyn Kisloski.

Divide the class into partners for reading. Change the partners often, sometimes matching students with partners on their reading level and sometimes mixing levels. Each pair draws a craft stick with a special reading nook on it which will be their reading spot for the day. Some special places could be underneath tables, by the teacher’s desk, on the rug, in special chairs, or in the hall outside of the classroom. Students can take turns reading one book to each other or take their book bin to their nook and read quietly for the entire independent reading time. After one student reads a book, the partner must ask the reader one question about the book and give the reader one compliment about her reading.

*Invite another class, either at your grade level or another grade level, to read with your students during a special reading time. 

Partner Chant
As children face their partner and begin to read have them repeat this chant:
     Hand to hand (shake hands)
     And feet to feet (touch shoes)
     I’m glad that you
     Are partners with me!

After reading they can close with this chant:
     Hand to hand 
     And feet to feet
     Thank you for
     Reading with me!