HANDY RHYMES

The ability to rhyme is a key to phonological awareness and learning to read. Children don't learn to rhyme in a day, but here are some ACTIVE ideas to engage them whenever you have a few extra minutes


Handy Rhymes
Have children extend their arms as they sing a pairs of words that rhyme. Sing to the tune of “Skip to My Lou.”
Top (hold out right hand)
Mop (hold out left hand
Those words rhyme.
Sun (hold out right hand)
Fun (hold out left hand)
Those words rhyme.
Kitten (hold out right hand)
Mitten (hold out left hand)
Those words rhyme.
Now, let’s rhyme some more…(Roll arms around.)

Rhyme Ball
You will need a ball, beanbag, or other object to toss for this game. Children sit or stand in a circle. The teacher says a word and then tosses the ball to a child. As the child catches the ball, she must say a word that rhymes.


Rhyme Detectives
Tell the children that they will get to be detectives and listen for words that rhyme. You say a word, and they put their pinkies up if they hear a word that rhymes with it. Pinkies down if the words don’t rhyme.
Cat - hat (pinkies up)
run - dog (pinkies down)

Rhyming Puzzles
Glue rhyming pictures on opposite sides of a 3” x 5” index cards. Cut a puzzle shape between pictures. Mix up and have children put rhymes together.


*Make games with socks, mittens, shoes, etc. where children use clothes pins to put the rhyming pictures together.



*Mr. Google has some great free printables with rhyming pictures.

Name Rhymes
Children love silly nonsense words, so make up rhymes with their names. Jason – bason – mason – pason
Mia – bia – ria – chia


Rhyme Bag Homework

Give each child a paper bag and ask them to bring in two objects that rhyme. (You could even make the bag into a backpack.)

Repeat this chant below as children share their items:
We’re going on a rhyming hunt and we know what to do.
We need to listen carefully and rhyme some words with you.
Say the words several times. Can children think of other words that rhyme?

*As a follow up activity ask children to draw pictures of things their friends shared that rhyme.

HUNTER'S MOON

I see the moon

And the moon sees me...

October 25th is a full moon and it's also called a HUNTER'S MOON because it lights up the sky.

From the time children are toddlers, most of them are fascinated with the moon. The moon is FREE and it belongs to EVERYONE! Wouldn’t it be interesting to have children look at the moon every night for a month with their parents and draw a picture of what the moon looks like? What a meaningful way for families to do a little science together.

Facts for kids about the moon:

The moon goes around the earth.

The moon has no light, but it reflects the sun’s light.

The light of sun on the moon creates the different phases of the moon.

That’s why it looks different to us throughout the month.

It’s called a new moon when you can’t see it.

When the moon gets a little larger at night it’s called waxing.

A full moon is when it looks like a circle.

As the moon gets smaller it’s called waning.

The moon is always up in the sky, but during the day when the sun is bright you can’t see it.

Here’s a neat website where you can get a calendar of the moon’s phases and other learning activities:
http://stardate.org/nightsky/moon.



*Let one child pretend to be the earth and stand in the middle of the room. Let another child pretend to be the moon and circle the earth.

*What other things can you see in the sky? Take children outside and let them draw pictures of the things they see.

*Is there really a man in the moon? The moon has craters that make it look like a face.
Give children uncolored play dough and let them make a moon/pancake. Have them make craters in their moon with a pencil eraser or the end of a marker.

Here’s a book from Scholastic with the phases of the moon:
http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/free-printable/science-printables/minibook-moon-phases



Don’t forget to read two of my favorite books GOOD NIGHT, MOON, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOON.

ADDITION POKEY

Addition Pokey
Put 1 finger in. (Hold up finger on right hand.)
Put 1 finger more. (Hold up 1 finger on left hand.)
Shake them altogether (Roll around.)
And then lay them on the floor. (Place on floor or table.)
Add them both together, (Bring hands together.)
And you don’t want to stall.
Now you have 2 in all.

2 fingers…3 fingers…4 fingers…5 fingers

*Do “Addition Pokey” with other facts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry-VVkLKKIE&index=1&list=PL7bsHC8DZJxh3UuXWDyOXZ1c_dGBUdxOA


Hands Up Math
Trace around the children's fingers and cut out. Glue the palms to a sheet of paper. Do not glue the fingers because you want to be able to move them up and down to demonstrate addition and subtraction.

Hint! You might want to make this with one hand for the younger children.

Math Mat
You will need heavy paper cut in a 10" square. (I used a file folder.) Draw a line horizontally down the middle and then divide the top section in half as shown. Children make sets in the upper sections and then bring them together in the bottom. I tell the children the horizontal line in the middle is like the "=" sign. What's on top has to equal what's on the bottom.

MATH SIGNS

A math specialist one told me how important it was to have the children look at the signs when they are doing math. Most children know how to work the problems, but they often forget to look at the sign first. Here’s a little rap to make it more fun.

Stop, look, and think,
Before you add or subtract.
Pay attention to the signs
When you do your math!

Plus sign, plus sign,
What do you say?
Put them together.
Join sets, I say!

Minus sign, minus sign,
What do you say?
Subtract a set.
Take it away!

Equal sign, equal sign,
What is your game?
The amount on either side
Is always the same.

Look at the signs before you begin,
And your answer will always win!

Hint! Here is a tool that can help children solve word problems. Fold a sheet of paper into fourths. Open and fold in half. Cut half way up one creased line as shown. Make a “+” on the right and a “-“ on the left. Lift flaps and write key words for adding and subtracting. For example:

Addition: plus, in all, altogether, how many, sum

Subtraction: less, minus, left, take away, fewer, difference

MATH FACTS Musical Chairs
Place chairs in a circle and PUT A MATH FLASHCARD ON EACH CHAIR.  Play some music for the children to march around. When the music stops they have to identify the ANSWER TO THE EQUATION where they are standing.

*Make the game more difficult by putting several coins for the children to count.


MATH MATS
Math mats are a “hands on” way to give children concrete experiences with addition and subtraction. Trim a file folder to make a 12” square. Draw a line down the middle of the square as shown. Draw a line down the middle of the top section. Explain that the line in the middle is like the equal sign in an equation. What is on the top has to equal (be the same as) what is on the bottom.

Note! Poker chips, small toys, natural items, small erasers, and other objects can be used with the math mat. You can also make smaller math mats from an 8" square.

Addition
Demonstrate how to use counters to make a set in the top left section and a set in the top right section. Count. Pull down the objects into the bottom section and count how many altogether.

Subtraction
Use counters to demonstrate subtraction.

WACKY WAYS WTH WORDS

Here are some activities you can do with seasonal words, sight words, or spelling words throughout the year.

Mixed Up Words
Take vocabulary words, Halloween words, or spelling words and mix up the letters. Challenge children to figure out the words and try to write them correctly on their paper.

Hint! Colored pencils or smelly markers make this so much more fun.

Word Makers
Give children a seasonal word or vocabulary word. How many other words can they make using the letters in that word? (This might be a good activity for children to do with a partner or in a small group.)

Picture Words
Challenge children to write words in a way that reflects their meaning. For example, write “spooky” in shaky letters, “fall” in letters that go down, “colorful” with many colors, “candy” decorated with sprinkles, etc.



Mystery Word
Choose a word each day as a “mystery word” that relates to the season or holiday. Write it on the board and then tape a sheet of paper over it so they have to “take a peek.” At morning meeting discuss the meaning of the word. Can they dramatize the word? Can they use it in sentences?

Word Search
There are several free websites where you can create your own puzzles with specific holiday or seasonal words.

MARVELOUS MAGNETIC LETTERS

Magnetic letters are kind of like comfort food in early childhood. They have been around forever and they can be used in a multitude of ways from preschool to primary grades. They are inexpensive, plentiful, and they are REAL – as opposed to the screen.

Letter Monster

Make a letter monster out of a milk or orange juice jug. Cut an opening in the side of the jug and then make a monster face similar to the one shown with felt and art scraps.

*Feed the monster all the letters you know.
*Feed the monster the letters in your name.
*Feed letter monster all the red letters. Can you name them?
*Feed the monster the letters of your favorite color.
*Choose a letter. Can you write it? Can you draw a picture that starts with that sound?
*Grab a handful of letters. How many words can you make?
*Make sight words with the letters and feed them to the monster.

Can You Find Bottle? 

Fill a large plastic bottle with salt or sand. Insert magnetic letters and shake. Children shake the bottle and try to identify letters.
*Give them a grid with the alphabet letters. They can color in the letters as they find them in the bottle.

Letter Pops 

Glue magnetic letters to jumbo craft sticks. Children can use these to match letters on classroom print. They can also find objects in the room beginning with
that sound.
*Can they find some friends and make a word with their letters?
*Have children hold up letters as you sing alphabet songs.
Hint! E6000 is the BEST glue for these projects. You can find it at any of the big box stores. Make sure you use it at home because it is toxic and should not be around children.

Play Dough 

Put magnetic letters in a center with play dough. Children can make “pancakes” and then press the letters on them.
*Make sight words and press them in the play dough.

Sand Box Treasure - Hide magnetic letters in your sand table. Children can take a magnet and try to identify letters they “attract.”
*Can they make the sound? Can they think of a word that starts with that sound? Can they write a word that starts with that sound?

Letter Password - Place several letters you are working on around your door frame. As children leave the room, ask them to touch a particular letter. (You could also ask them to touch the letter they hear at the beginning of particular word.)

Letter Match Up - Create a class alphabet book by having children draw pictures for each letter. Children find magnetic letters and match them up in the alphabet book.

Shadow Letters - Place letters on a copy machine. Have children match up real letters with their shadows.

Letter Hunt- Hide letters in the classroom. Children will love to go on a “letter hunt.” Can they identify the letters they find?
Can they make a word with the letters they find?

Touch and Tell - Place a magnetic letter in a sock. Can children reach in the sock and identify the letter by feeling it?

Building Words - Demonstrate how to build words with magnetic letters using a document camera.

Alphabet Soup - Place magnetic letters in a mixing bowl. Children take a big spoon and scoop out some letters. How many words can they make with their letters? Ask the children to write the words they can make.

Letter Tin – Place magnetic letters inside a cookie tin. Make three lines with a permanent marker on the inside of the lid. As you call out sounds children place the letters on the lines to make CVC words.
Hint! Place in a center for children to make and write word families.

Letter Play - Let children play with magnetic letters on a cookie sheet or file cabinet.

WORD CHANTS

What’s the good word?

Have you heard?

Vocabulary, dictionary,

I’m all about words!

   

How about some activities to help children remember sight words, spelling words, vocabulary, writing, and standards. 

Note!  *Most of the ideas can be adapted for kindergarten through elementary grades.

Purposeful practice for automaticity (aka repetition) is essential to skill mastery. The problem is when you drill children they get bored and don’t pay attention. Here are some chants and movement strategies to practice sight words, spelling words, and vocabulary words. 

Clap and Snap – As you spell out words clap on the consonants and snap on the vowels.

Jumping Jacks – Do jumping jacks for each letter in a word.

Palm Pilot – Hold up one palm and trace the letters in a word with the index finger of the opposite hand. After making the letters say the word and “take it to the brain” by pretending to run your fingers up your arm to your brain.
                                    
Back Writing – Stand in a circle and spell out words on your neighbor’s back. Erase before writing a new word.

Cheer Words – Step back and forth as you clap and spell out words.
      Give me an “E.”
      “E”
      I’ve got an “E” you’ve got an “E.”
      Give me ….
      What’s it spell? (Shout out word.)
                                                             
Disco – Finger up in the air and move it across your body as you say different letters in a word. Hands on hips as you say the word.
                                                                                              
Patty Cake – Children face a partner. They say the word as they clap. They cross and tap partner’s hands on each letter. Then high five and say the word in the air.

Air Writing – Children use their finger, foot, knee, tongue, elbow and other body parts to spell out words in the air.

March – Children march and swing arms on each letter. They salute and say the word at the end.

                 
Body Writing
Tall letters (b, d, f, h, k, l, t) - touch your head
Tummy letters (a, c, e, i, m, n, o, r, s, u, v, w, x, z) – touch your tummy

Toe letters (g, j, p, q, y) – touch your feet
For example:
      H – touch head
      O – touch tummy
      P – touch feet
      Clap as you say the word “hop.”

Your Turn – Let children come up with their own creative ways to practice spelling words.

ELEPHANTS NEVER FORGET!

Here's a new video from my webmaster to help put those sight words in children's brains.

https://bit.ly/drJElephantNarrated