Wednesday, December 5, 2012

FLYING HIGH IN THE MILE HIGH CITY


Last week in Denver someone described me as “pinterest gone wild”!  Another teacher called me Gaga Jean.  What fun!  Take a look at some of these terrific ideas they shared.  It’s so interesting to visit different parts of the United States because I always learn something new!

Hundreds Club (Bobbi Cure)
When a child counts to 100 they get their name under “Count to 100 by 1’s.”
When a child counts to 100 by 10’s they get their name under “Count to 100 by 10’s.”
When they count to 100 by 5’s they get their name under “Count to 100 by 5’s.”
When they can write to 100 by 1’s they get their name under “Write to 100 by 1’s.”
When all four are accomplished, they get a crown that says “100’s Club.”

Reading Glasses (Christine Thomas)
Pop the lens out of inexpensive reading glasses.  When you are doing a reading group those students get to wear the glasses.  Other students are not allowed to interrupt when the reading glasses are on!

Matching Games  (Christine Thomas)
Make a board game that looks like a parking lot.  Write uppercase letters in the spaces.  Children can “park” cars with lowercase letters or pictures matching sounds on the board.
*Make a haunted house where children match letters or numbers on the house with little ghosts.
Make a turkey body and then match feathers with alphabet letters.  They can also put feathers in alphabetical order.
Use a Christmas tree and let children match ornaments with letters or numerals.
Catch a Bubble  (Mary Rodriguez)
When you need students to be silent quickly, ask them to catch a bubble in their mouths.

Freeze, Please!  (Theresa)
Here’s another attention grabber.
Freeze, please!
Hands on your knees!

Munch Monster (BethAnn Lundahl)
Munch monster, munch monster,
Munch, munch, munch.
How about a “triangle”
For your lunch?
Munch, munch, munch.
Make a munch monster out of a swing trashcan, puppet, etc.  Let the children feed the monster shapes, numbers, letters, or whatever you are working on.

Voting Sticks  (BethAnn Lundahl)
Use popsicle sticks as “voting sticks.”  Let the children vote between two books or two activities by placing their popsicle stick in the cup of their choice.  Let them estimate which is greater or less than.  Count.  The majority rules!

Caterpillar Math  (BethAnn Lundahl)
Make a caterpillar head out of a paper plate using pipe cleaners for antennae and googly eyes.  Cut red and yellow circles out of construction paper and write the numerals 1-24 (or however many students you have) on them.  Children can line up in numerical order by placing their number next to the caterpillar’s head. 
*Can they walk like a caterpillar (a weaving line) to the playground without the caterpillar coming apart?

Shoe Club
Once a child can tie her shoes, let her write her name on the “shoe club” poster.  When someone needs help tying their shoes encourage them to find someone in the shoe club to help them.

Erase the Face  (Anna Grose)
This is a take off on hangman.  Draw a seasonal picture on the board, such as a turkey, snowman, etc.  Think of a word or phrase and make blanks for the letters.  Children guess letters.  If they guess a letter in the word the teacher writes it on the blank and gives a point to the kids.  If they miss a letter, then the teacher gets a point and you erase part of the seasonal object.

Flip Book  (Melinda Lascurain)
Turn a flip book vertically.  Glue the bottom flap on the bottom and outside edge.  If you use construction paper 8 1/2 x 11 paper cut in half “hotdog” style it will fit.  Students put a skill sheet inside and open all the doors.  They get to “cover” or “close the door” for items as you call them out.  They can all have the same card or make different cards.  Play until all “doors” are closed.
LOVE Book  (Jenni Willette)
Write the word LOVE on the front of a flip book.  Children open each flap and draw pictures or write words of what they love inside.