Looking for something cheap, simple, and easy to do in your traditional classroom or to share with your families? A bag of large, dry lima beans, a permanent marker, an Altoids tin, and you are all set to reinforce phonics, sight words, and math concepts.
First, use permanent markers to write the consonants in blue and the vowels in red on the beans.
*Use for making CVC words.
*Use for word families.
*Use for writing word wall words.
*Use for practicing spelling words.
*Use with a friend. One person makes a word and the other person must read it.
*Put the letter beans in alphabetical order.
*Use for word families.
*Use for writing word wall words.
*Use for practicing spelling words.
*Use with a friend. One person makes a word and the other person must read it.
*Put the letter beans in alphabetical order.
*Draw ten beans from the tin. How many words can you make with the ten beans? Write them down.
Write numerals in black and math signs in green.
*Put beans in numerical order.
*Sort odd and even numbers.
*Use for greater than and less than.
*Use for addition and subtraction problems.
*Use for place value.
*Make sets.
*Represent number bonds.
*Sort odd and even numbers.
*Use for greater than and less than.
*Use for addition and subtraction problems.
*Use for place value.
*Make sets.
*Represent number bonds.
Here's another simple activity with lima beans. Draw a line down the middle of a plastic bag with a permanent marker. Insert beans in the bag. Ask the children to count the beans in the bag. Slide the beans from one side to the other to make different combinations. Can they write down the different combinations?