DOING DOTS

Subitizing is the ability to recognize numbers without counting. Dot cards can contribute to children’s understanding of number concepts, counting, composing and decomposing numbers, and a variety of standards. Take a look at all the ways you can use dot cards in your classroom.

Hint! Start with dot patterns up to 6 and then extend it to 10 when they are ready.
*Make sure to download dot cards on card stock or heavy paper.

One to One
Children match up pompoms, beans, erasers, pebbles, and other small objects with dots on cards.

Dot Flash
The teacher quickly holds up a dot card and then places it face down. The children hold up that number of fingers on their chest. Ask, “How did you know it was that number?”

Clip It
Children use the appropriate number of paper clips or clothespins to attach to the dot cards.

Copy Cat
The teacher holds up a dot card. The children try to reproduce the pattern with their own counters.

Sorting
Sort dot cards by amount.
Sort odd and even cards.

Line Up
Students line up the dot cards in numerical order from largest to smallest or smallest to largest.


Matching
Match dot cards with dots on dice.
Match dot cards with ten frames with the same amount.
Make puzzle games where children match dots with numerals or words.

Partner Count
Cards are placed face down on the table. One card is turned over and the first child to say the number gets to keep the card. The partner must count the dots to verify it’s correct.
*To make the game more challenging, ask them to say one more than the quantity of dots, one less, two more, etc.

Memory
Run off two sets of dot cards. Place them face down on the floor. One child at a time turns over two cards. If the cards match they make keep them and take another turn. If the cards don’t match, they are turned back over and the next child takes a turn.

Top It
You will need several sets of dot cards for this game. Shuffle the cards and lay them face down in a pile. One child at a time chooses a card. The child with the largest number of dots wins both cards. If they turn over the same amount they continue to draw cards until one player has a higher number.

It Adds Up
Two children have a set of cards and face each other. They each turn over a card and add up the amount. The first child to correctly say the answer gets to keep the cards.
*Tally to keep score.

Paper Plates
How about making some dot plates?

SKIP COUNTING

Skip counting is a powerful way to prepare children for multiplication. You can clap, snap, hop, or jump as you skip count by ones, two’s, fives, tens, and so forth.

Whisper Skip Count
You can also try this patty cake technique with a partner. Count by two’s by placing your hands on your shoulders as you whisper “one.” Shout “two” as you patty cake in the air. Whisper “three” as you touch your shoulders and then shout “four” as you patty cake…

For counting by three’s place hands on waist and whisper “one.” Hands on shoulders and whisper “two.” Hands patty cake and shout “three.” Whisper “four” with hands on waist. Whisper “five” with hands on shoulders. Shout “six” and patty cake…

Four’s – knees, waist, shoulders, patty cake

Five’s – toes, knees, waist, shoulders, patty cake


Counting by Two’s (Melanie Hope)
Have students identify body parts that come in sets of two. Stand and count by two’s as you touch the following body parts:
2 – hands on eyes
4 – hands on ears
6 – hands on elbows
8 – knees
10 – feet
12 – eyes
14 – ears….
You’ll be able to count to 100 by 2’s before you know it!


Tunes to Skip Count
Sing and skip count by 2’s to “Twinkle Little Star.”

Practice counting by 3’s to “Are You Sleeping?”

4’s “Row Your Boat”

5’s “The Bear Went over the Mountain”

6’s “London Bridge”

7’s “Ten Little Indians”

8’s “This Old Man”

High Five Book
Trace around each child’s hands on a 6” square and let them decorate it with markers or crayons. Make a cover that says “High Five Book.” Tape the pages together to make an accordion book. Number the pages 5, 10, 15, 20, etc. Read over the book counting by 5’s to 100.

*Make a “Piggie Book” by tracing around children’s feet. Number the pages 10, 20, 30, etc. and practice counting by ten’s with this book.

Macarena Skip Count
You can skip count by any multiple as you do the Macarena.

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.

AACCHHOO AND KKEERRCCHHOO!

Teaching children how to cover their sneezes and reminding them to wash their hands are two effective ways to keep them healthy during this flu season.
Put some baby powder in your hand and then pretend to sneeze on it. As the powder flies around make the connection to what happens when they don’t cover their sneezes.


The Sneeze Song
(Tune: “Pop Goes the Weasel”)
When I have to cough or sneeze
This is what I do. (Point finger.)
I hold my elbow to my mouth (Hold up elbow in front of face.)
And into it kerchoo! (Pretend to sneeze in elbow.)
KKEERRCCHHOO! (Say this line as you dramatically pretend
to sneeze in your elbow.)

Give children a paper plate and ask them to make it look like their face. Remind them to look in a mirror to check out their eye color. When they’ve finished let them glue a tissue to their nose. Then they can trace around their hand and cut it out to glue on top.
Hint! This makes a cute bulletin board.

Washing Hands
Practice washing hands following the guidelines and teach children a song to make the task more fun.



Wash, Wash, Wash Your Hands (Tune: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")
Wash, wash, wash your hands
play the handy game.
Rub and scrub and scrub and rub
Germs go down the drain!


Mirror
Children love to look at themselves in the mirror, so place a mirror above the sink where children clean up. Remind them to sing "Happy Birthday" to yourself twice as you look in the mirror.

PEACE AND LOVE TO YOU TODAY

I am jealous of you today. I really am! Of all my classroom memories one of my favorites was watching the children open up their little valentines. "Look, I got a Minnie Mouse!" "See what Jamie gave me!" They were so thrilled. It's a reminder of what I always say about children being happy with plain vanilla. They don't need the world's fair or another toy or video game.

Peace and Love to YOU!
You can do this for your students and tell them to pass it on.
Peace (Make sign for peace.)
Love (Make sign for love.)
You (Point to someone.)

Love It Cheer

Make a heart with your hands (index fingers touching at the top and thumbs at the bottom) and extend from your heart.


Air Hug (Jane McPartland)
Say, “Give me an air hug.” Students open arms and pretend to squeeze.

Air Kisses (Beth Jenkins)
Kiss your fingertips numerous times as you scan the class. Blow kisses to all the children. Cross your arms across your chest and rub your arms as you say, “Feel the love.”

Thumbs Up Statements
Have students repeat positive comments as they stick up their thumbs.

I am a kind friend.
I am caring.
I am responsible.
I am polite.
I am a hard worker.
I am a helper.

AUTISM CIRCUIT

www.autismcircuit.net

The Texas Autism Circuit has created tools and techniques for students on the autism spectrum, but I guarantee you that these would be useful in any classroom. They explain how and when to use the tools and give you printable templates and resources.

Best of all - it's ALL FREE!

Behavior cue cards to reinforce verbal directions or quietly redirect a student.



First/then cards to use as a visual support for transitions.

Take a break card for when students might need a break or if they seem frustrated.



But wait, there’s more!!!

You’ll find ideas for collecting data,

helping children with time management,

and other social skills!

For every tool, you'll find an explanation of when and how to use it.  Take a look!

Tools

SOCCSS: Situation, Options, Consequences, Choices, Strategy,...

Behavior

· Social

· Classroom Organization

· Docking Station

· Key Chain Rules

· Help Signals
About

Choice Board
When to use: Choice boards are effective in many situations...

Token Board

When to use: Use when a student is ready to progress beyond...
Visual Countdown

When to use: Use to help with transitions from one activity...
Turn-Taking Card

I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS!

 Have you ever heard one of your students say, "I don't want to do this?" I love what Barbara Brown (a fabulous kindergarten teacher in Orlando) told me years ago. She said when her students say, “I don’t want to do this!” she responds, “I don’t want to do it either, so let’s just get it done and then we can do something fun.” 

There’s an important life lesson here. We all have to do things we don’t want to do. The best thing is just to do it and then you can focus on the things you want to do! (Get those assessments and reports DONE and then shut your door and sing and dance!)

Happie Sticks
Happie sticks can be a motivation for your students when they finish their work early. Write special activities on craft sticks and store them in a cup or can on your desk. Children get to choose one activity at a time, complete it, and then they can choose another stick. Here are some examples:

make a book

play a computer game

do a job for your teacher

play a board game

make something in the art center

draw on the board

read a book

help a friend

make something with play dough

You Get What You Get
Here is a song to sing when children complain about not getting the item that they want. It goes to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell.”

You get what you get.
You get what you get.
Just like in the gum machine,
You get what you get.

YOU'RE GOING TO GET A SPECIAL VALENTINE'S PRESENT!

My webmaster has set up a special link for you to download the FEBRUARY HAPPIES that Carolyn Kisloski and I wrote a few years ago.  It's easy peasy, free, and will make February lesson plans more FUN!

DON'T CRY OVER SPILT MILK

Yes, it really is DON'T CRY OVER SPILLED MILK DAY. I love this comment from dayoftheyear.com:

The main lesson of Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day is that you can take the time to look around you. Find joy in the small things and don’t worry about things that you don’t have control of! If something happens (spilled milk) don’t cry or yell. Take a deep breath and find your happy place!
This is a good concept to model and encourage in your students. When you make a mistake it's O.K. Pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and start all over again.

I thought it was important to model making mistakes in front of my students. "Oops! Let me try that again." If something we had planned didn't work out I'd say, "We'll try and do that another time." Things don't always go our way. That's life and that's O.K.

Oh Well!
It's helpful to teach children strategies for coping when things don't go right. Role play spilling milk, losing a game, and other incidents. Teach children to say, "OH, WELL!"


IT LOOKED LIKE SPILT MILK
Life has ups and downs and the world keeps on changing, but this book by Charles Shaw is a classic.

This was a book my students wanted to hear/see again and again. It was also fun to go outside and look for objects in the sky. Tie in with descriptive writing by having your students draw pictures and write what they saw in the clouds.

Art
Fold blue construction paper in half. Have children put a spoonful of white paint in the middle, fold, and then rub. Open. Dry.
What does their spilt milk look like? Have them write a story about it.

I think my picture looks like two angels dancing...or maybe cherubs kissing!


P.S. I hope you don't spill your milk today!!!!

UMBRELLA DAY

National Umbrella Day is celebrated across the nation each year on February 10th. On this day, we honor one of the world's most useful inventions, the umbrella! Not only does the umbrella help keep us dry from the rain, but it also protects us from the heat of the sun. Umbrellas can also be used as a fashion accessory.

Who thinks of silly holidays like Umbrella Day? But did you know that you could actually "entice" children to read with an umbrella? Next rainy day place a large golf umbrella in a corner of the classroom. Put some popular books under the umbrella and explain that two children at a time can get under the umbrella and read together.

What else?

Vocabulary
Introduce other names for umbrellas, such as parasol and brolly (British).

Brainstorm
What are some different types of umbrellas? (paper cocktail umbrellas, patio umbrellas)

What are some different uses for umbrellas? (shade on a sunny day, cane, carry things, protection)

Writing
Write 4 facts about umbrellas.

Write how you would feel if you were an umbrella.

Art
Let children use the scrap box to design their own umbrellas.

P.S. Tomorrow is "Don't Cry over Spilled Milk Day." Discuss what that statement means and encourage the children to give examples.

NATIONAL CHILDREN'S DENTAL HEALTH MONTH

Well, you learn something new every day, and I just learned that February is National Children’s Dental Health month. How timely with all the Valentine candy!

There’s a great website with lots of free activity sheets in English and Spanish to get you started. The daily calendar is my favorite.

https://www.ada.org/en/public-programs/national-childrens-dental-health-month

Here are some other websites with free lesson plans:

https://www.dentalcare.com/en-us/patient-education/childrens-dental-health/lesson-plans



https://www.dentalcare.com/en-us/patient-education/childrens-dental-health/lesson-plans

Vocabulary
What is a dentist? What is a hygienist? What is plaque? What is decay? What is a filling?

Brainstorm
Why do we need teeth? What do we use our mouths for?

Guest Speaker
Call your personal dentist and ask her if she’d like to visit your class to discuss good oral health. You might be surprised that she’d be thrilled to be invited and will bring each of your students a toothbrush and toothpaste.

Tooth Puppet
Let children make a “happy tooth puppet” and talk about nutritious foods. What foods cause decay?

T-Chart
Have children make a t-chart of foods that are good for teeth and foods that harm teeth.

Dental Health (Stephanie Velasquez)
Glue the cut out of a white tooth on a colored sheet of paper and place in a clear sheet protector. Let the children color the tooth with a dry erase marker to represent the “germs" on the tooth after they eat. Children use a toothbrush to erase the germs.

This Is the Way We Brush Our Teeth
(Tune: “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush”)

This is the way we brush our teeth,
Brush our teeth, brush our teeth.
This is the way we brush our teeth
Every morning and evening.

First the fronts and then the sides.
Don’t forget the tops and inside.
First the fronts and then the sides.
Don’t forget the tops and inside.

This is the way we brush our teeth,
Brush our teeth, brush our teeth.
This is the way we brush our teeth
Two minutes twice a day.

Now we have happy teeth,

Happy teeth, happy teeth.
Now we have happy teeth
Give a great big smile!

WHO IS HONEST ABE?

There's a special birthday for a beloved President that you won't want to miss next Wednesday. His personal life was more than sad, but he rose above it and left a wonderful legacy for our country.

Abraham Lincoln
(Tune: “Pop Goes the Weasel”)
Abraham Lincoln, past President, (Point to a picture of Lincoln.)
Loved and honored by many.
To help us remember this famous man,
We put his face on a penny.
Hold a penny in your hand (Hold up a penny.)
And his face you’ll see.
He always tried to tell the truth.
He’s Honest Abe to me.

*Download the book to go with the song at drjean.org.

*For homework have the children "interview" their parents to find out what they know about Abraham Lincoln. Why is he called "Honest Abe"?

Log Cabin Snack – Give children pretzel twist sticks and a spoonful of peanut butter or cream cheese. Children try to build a log cabin by stacking the pretzels with the peanut butter.

*Use cream cheese if there are peanut allergies in your classroom.

Penny Inspection 

Let children look at pennies with a magnifying glass. How are the pennies alike? How are they different? Encourage children to describe the different scenes on the pennies.

Rubbings

Make rubbings of pennies.

Penny, Penny

Three children leave the classroom. The other children cup their hands as if holding a penny. The teacher hides the penny in one child’s hand. When the three children return to the room, they walk around the room and open their friends’ hands. The first one to find the penny gets to choose 3 new friends to leave the room and she gets to hide the penny.

Time Line 

Give children a sentence strip. At the left write the year they were born. Write each additional year up until the present. Children take the time line home and try to find a penny with each year’s date.
 

Did you know? If you look closely at pennies minted from 1959 to 2008 you can see Lincoln's statue in the Memorial.

In 2009 they introduced four new designs celebrating the bicentennial of Lincoln's birth year.

Birth in Kentucky Formative Years in Indiana




Professional Life in Illinois Presidency in DC


In 2010 the shield design was coined.

DO YOU KNOW THE VOWEL FAMILY?

Here's a song that introduces the long and short sounds for the vowels. Making manual signs for the letters or holding up letters will help add the visual connection as you sing.

The Vowel Song (Tune: “Are You Sleeping?”)
A makes two sounds. (Echo each line.)
/A/ and /a/.
/A/ for apron, /a/ for apple.
/A/ and /a/.
/E/ and /e/ - eagle and elephant…
/I/ and /i/ - ice cream and inchworm…
/O/ and /o/ - open and octopus…
/U/ and /u/ - ukulele and uncle…

The long vowel sounds are easier for children to remember because "they just say their name." Here's a song that will help put those short vowel sounds in the brain. Of course, the letter U will be their favorite!

The Vowel Family (Tune: "BINGO" - Just for Fun CD)
Aunt Aggie had an allergy
and she would always sneeze-o (Pretend to sneeze.)
/a/a/a/a/a/ /a/a/a/a/a/ /a/a/a/a/a/
And she would always sneeze-o.

Grandpa Eddie stayed in shape
and he would exercise-o (Pretend to lift weights.)
/e/e/e/e/e/ /e/e/e/e/e/ /e/e/e/e/e/
He liked to exercise-o.

Baby Izzi had chicken pox
and she would always itch-o. (Scratch body.)
/i/i/i/i/i/ /i/i/i/i/i/ /i/i/i/i/i/
And she would always itch-o.

Cousin Otto’s throat was sore
And this is what he’d say-o. (Put hand on throat.)
/o/o/o/o/o/ /o/o/o/o/o/ /o/o/o/o/o/
And this is what he’d say-o.

Uncle Unk wore underwear
and it did stink-o. (Hold nose.)
/u/u/u/u/u/ /u/u/u/u/u/ /u/u/u/u/u/
And it did stink-o.

Let the children use the attached pattern to make vowel puppets. Tape the letters to craft sticks or glue to an envelope that's been cut in half.


https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljRjhzN3oxNFliSEU/view?usp=sharing

Five Little Vowels (Adapted from "Monkeys and the Alligator")
Five little vowels swinging from a tree (Hold up 5 fingers.)
Teasing Mr. Alligator, “Can’t catch me! (Point finger.)
You can’t catch me!”
Along came Mr. Alligator quiet as can be (Open and close arms.)
And snatched that A right out of the tree.
/a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ (Make sign language A with hand.)

E…I…O…U

*Draw a tree on a magnetic board and remove magnetic letters as you say the chant.

MAKE A CLOUD

This is one of the coolest, easiest, most amazing science experiments that you can do in your classroom. (My husband was even impressed!!) Several teachers had told me about this activity, but seeing is believing and I finally got a bar of Ivory soap and gave it a try.

You will need:

1 bar of Ivory soap

1 plate (paper or glass)

microwave

Directions:

Put the bar of soap on a plate. Place in the microwave for 90 seconds. (I actually only did it for 70 seconds.) Observe. Talk about magic! The soap will turn into a mass that looks like a fluffy cloud. Remove, cool, and then explore the texture.

Hint! Invite the children to record what the soap looks like before and after microwaving.
*What caused the change?
*How does it feel?
*Can they still use it like soap?


There are many informative books about clouds, as well as whimsical tales like CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS, IT LOOKED LIKE SPILT MILK, and THE LITTLE CLOUD.


I also found some free videos and resources if you want to learn more about clouds:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCumUup9vWQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhLT11hKyok

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAqeFSa60TE

http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-clouds.htm