LET'S MAKE SOMETHING!

We are so busy trying to give children things we didn’t have ~

that we are failing to give them what we did have!!!

Isn’t that a profound quote? We are in such a hurry to push children and academics that we often fail to remember that they are just little children. Over the next few days I'll have posts with activities that you can use in your classroom or share with your families.

You will find games, songs, crafts, recipes, and activities to build lasting memories in young children. UNPLUG the electronics and PLUG into good old-fashioned FUN! And, the amazing thing is you will actually be nurturing children’s brains with these multi-sensory activities. You will be engaging the WHOLE child as you develop oral language, social skills, large and small motor skills, and emotional well-being.

Here's a link to download all the activity cards:

file:///Users/jeanfeld/Downloads/ActivityCARDS-DrJeanJuly2015-4.pdf

Special thanks to Carolyn Kisloski (Holding Hands and Sticking Together – ckisloski.blogspot.com) for her magic touch with the graphics and design!



The link goes to the first set of cards called LET'S MAKE SOMETHING!
You'll find some simple craft projects and homemade toys that children can enjoy making and playing.

1. Wonder Watchers

2. Hummers

3. Paper Plate Party

4. Magic Wand

5. Cardboard Rollers

6. Magazine Puppets

7. Box Top Puzzles

8. Sewing Cards

9. Sweet Baby

10. Sock Puppets

11. Flannel Board

12. Art Easel

13. Play Dough

14. Play on with Dough

15. Goop

16. Flubber

17. Giant Bubbles

18. Mud Pies

19. Shaving Cream Painting

20. Silly Putty

SEE YOU LATER, ALLIGATOR

Here's a good-bye chant that will end your day on a positive note. Write the words on a poster and have the children chorally read before they go home.

Good-bye Friends!
See you later, alligator!
After while, crocodile!
In an hour, sunflower!
Maybe two, kangaroo!
Gotta go, buffalo!
Adios, hippos!
Chow, chow, brown cow!
See you soon, baboon!
Adieu, cockatoo!
Better swish, jellyfish.
Chop chop, lollipop.
Gotta run, skeleton!
Bye-bye, butterfly!
Better shake, rattlesnake.
Good-bye, my good friends!

Hint! Sing the song to the tune of "Down by the Bay." 

http://drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2005/05_May/seeYouLater.pdf

This chant also makes a great class book that I've made many times through the years. First, I enlarge the words and put one line on each page. I make two copies of each page since there are 15 lines and usually at least 25 children in a classroom. After singing the song several times I let each child choose an animal and illustrate it for our book. Sometimes we do a little research on the internet if they are not familiar with an animal. I encourage the children to use lots of colors and to fill in the page. I let them dedicate their book and then add the school's name as the publisher and the copyright date. The children all sign their names as “Illustrators,” and then I punch holes and bind with book rings. I use the extra pictures on the cover, “The End,” “Comments and Compliments,” etc.




Here’s a variation of "See You Later, Alligator." Donna Henry’s first grade class at Portsmouth Catholic School came up with a lot of rhymes in “Todaloo.” Why not challenge your class to come up with their own original verses?

Todaloo
Bye bye dragon fly
Toodaloo tennis shoe
Wave to me bumble bee
Give a hug ladybug
Time to bale blue whale
Catch the bus octopus
Gotta scat alley cat
Take care teddy bear
Hit the road old toad
Time to swish gold fish
Hit the course race horse
Catch a cab hermit crab
You’re a love turtledove
We had fun bubblegum
We had a laugh giraffe
Good luck rubber duck
Take a boat billy goat
Vamoose Mr. Moose
Never fear reindeer
Time to go black crow
Come again, red hen
Learned a lot tater tot
See you later, alligator
After while crocodile.

WE SAY THANK YOU TO YOU!

Everybody likes to be appreciated. Here are some simple ideas you can use to thank parent volunteers and school helpers at the end of the year.

Sing and Sign Thanks
Teach children this song to the tune of “Happy Birthday.” Use a sign language dictionary to learn appropriate signs.
We
Say
Thank you
To
You
(Repeat twice)
We say thank you
For helping.
We say thank you to you!


Elvis Thank You
Get out your microphone. (Hold a fist by your mouth.)
Wiggle your hips.
(Pretend to twirl your microphone around.)
Thank you! Thank you very much!

Pictures and Letters
Integrate writing by having the children make thank you cards with various art media.



"Thumb" Body Thanks You!

Gift Certificates
Here are some certificates that Carolyn Kisloski created.

You can download 6 free ones in the preview or order the whole set.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Gift-Tags-Gift-Cards-and-Gift-Ideas-2542953


Want more ideas?
Kudos Bar – “Kudos to you!”
Snickers – “Nuts about you!”
100 Grand – “A million thanks for all you did!”
M & M’s – “You’re marvelous and magnificent.”
Mint – “You ‘mint’ the world to us.”
Hershey’s Kisses – and Hugs, too!
Lifesavers – “You were a lifesaver this year!”
Apple – You’re the “apple” of our eyes.
Ice Cream Cone Coupon – You’re the best scoop! Thanks!

WE'RE GREAT!

Here's great song for a positive memory at the end of your school year. It's a natural way to introduce vocabulary words and positive character traits.

We’re Great!
We’re great, but no one knows it.
No one knows it so far.
Some day they’ll realize how wonderful we are!
They’ll look at us, and point at us,
and then they’ll shout, “Hurray!”
Let’s cheer how we’re wonderful beginning with A.

A- We’re awesome.
B- We’re brave.
C- We’re creative.
D- We’re dynamic
E- We’re enthusiastic
F- We’re fantastic.
G- We’re gifted
H- We’re honest
I- We’re imaginative
J- We’re joyful.
K- We’re kind.
L- We’re lovable
M- We’re magnificent.
N- We’re nice.
O- We’re outgoing
P- We’re polite.
Q- We’re quick.
R- We’re responsible
S- We’re special.
T- We’re terrific.
U- We’re unique.
V- We’re valuable.
W- We’re wonderful.
X- We’re excellent.
Y- We’re youthful
Z- We’re zany!

http://bit.ly/drjean_Great

Hint! One teacher said each child decorated a poster with a letter and word. The children came out on stage with their letter at the appropriate time as they sang the song.

Class Book
On the front of the notebook or pocket folder write “We’re Great!” Write a
different letter of the alphabet on each page. Tell the children that you want them to help you make a special dictionary with WONDERFUL words that describe special people just like them! Use the words from the above chant to start your dictionary. Add words that children suggest.

SUMMER SKILLS KITS

As summer approaches, I know you’re brainstorming ways to encourage children to read, write, and practice skills over their summer vacation. Here are a few projects that may encourage your students to continue to practice sight words.

Note! You can adapt these activities to letters, math facts, or other skills you want the children to master.

Treasure Boxes
Ask parents to send in empty mint cans. Cut paper into 1 ¾” by 3” rectangles. Have children write sight words on these rectangles and store them their containers.

Hint! Explain that lifetime words are words you will need to be able to read all your life. They are like a “treasure” because they will belong to you forever!!!


Word Pockets
Seal envelopes and cut in half. Cut down 1” from each side and fold down the flap as shown. Punch holes in the sides and tie on a piece of string or yarn. Give children strips of paper cut 2 1/2” x 4” on which to write their sight words. Students can take the words home in their little pockets for summertime practice.



How about some games parents and children can play with the flashcards?

Hide and Seek
Hide the words around the room. Children find them one at a time, bring them to you, and read them.

Sentence Makers
Children choose a word and use it in a sentence.
*Older students could write a sentence.

Sidewalk Words
Children practice writing words with chalk on the sidewalk.

Sort the Words
Put all the one letter words together, two letter words, three letter words, and so forth.
Sort the nouns and verbs.
Sort the words by syllables.

Can You Find?
Can you find the words in a book? Can you find them printed on food labels or other things around the house?

sightwords.com is a website I'd definitely recommend to parents. It's a good free resource.

SUMMER FUN JOURNAL

You will need a pocket folder for each child for this summer writing activity. Remind the children what wonderful writers they have become and how important it is for them to keep writing over the summer. Explain that many famous writers started keeping diaries and journals just like them when they were young. Motivate them to make their own “Summer Fun Journal” so they can record all the special things they will be doing over the summer.

Provide the children with markers, crayons, construction paper, and other art media to decorate the front of their pocket folders. (You might suggest they title it “Summer Fun.”) Run off copies with the attached writing prompts or create your own based on the interests of your students. You might even want to ask your class to brainstorm topics for these journals.

Hint! Be sure and include some blank paper at the end.

*Encourage students to add photos, brochures, or other special keepsakes.

*Add a line for the date on each page.

*Tell your students you’d love to see their journals when the come back for the new school year.

Note! For younger children encourage parents to have their children illustrate the topic and then dictate sentences for their parents to write.



Here are some summer writing prompts.

I like summer because

My favorite book is

This is one of my chores

My family is going

This is what I like to do outside

These are my favorite summer foods

My goal for this summer is

These are my friends

I wish

When it’s hot I

These are games I like to play

This is what I like to wear in the summer

This is my favorite place to play

These are my favorite toys

My worst day ever

My best day ever

I can’t wait for school to start because

FREE Summer Journal
Carolyn Kisloski created this free download a few years ago and it’s a wonderful way to encourage children to write over the summer.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Summer-Writing-Prompts-Journal-2521920

SUMMER READS AND FAMILY FUN CALENDAR

Reading is like anything else. The more you do it, the better you will become. Here are a few ideas to get children started on a summer reading adventure.

Library Card
What better gift can you give your students at the end of the year than a library card? Take a field trip to your local library or ask the children’s librarian to visit your school and describe all their summer reading activities.


Summer Reading List
It’s easy to do an internet search and find a suggested reading list for your grade level. Parents would probably appreciate this when helping their child choose books to read over the summer.

*I think this summer reading challenge at Scholastic.com is perfect for any reading level:

https://www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/raise-a-reader-blog/reading-challenges-kids.html

This summer’s reading challenges will encourage kids to expand their learning horizons this season and beyond. Packed with fresh new ideas for summer reading fun, your child will be inspired by the limitless wonder found in books. Variety is key to encouraging reader engagement — for young readers, reluctant readers, and avid readers alike! 

This reading challenge consists of 10 badges for children to color in as they complete each reading goal. With fun-filled stories to read on-the-go and bright new books to enjoy under the sun, who says summer reading has to feel like a chore? 

Family Fun Calendar
Here’s a summer calendar that you can run off for your students. Glue it to a heavy piece of cardboard and attach a string so it can be hung up in their home. Read over the activities to motivate your students, and then let them decorate their calendars with markers or crayons.

http://www.drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2014/05_May_css/pg05.html

Bucket of “Fun” 
You can buy sand buckets or just use a plastic cup like I did. Punch holes and add a pipe cleaner handle. Let children decorate their “buckets of fun” with markers, stickers, etc.

Make a list of activities that children can do with their families over the summer to reinforce skills you’ve worked on during the school year. Cut into strips and place in the buckets. Send the bucket home with a note encouraging the parents to let their child select a strip each day and do the activity.

Some examples might include:
Read a story with your parents. Tell what happened at the beginning, middle, and end of the story. What do you think will happen next?
Play a rhyming game. How many words can you think of that rhyme with "can"? "Pot"?
"Book"? "Coat"? "Sheep"? "Like"?
Trace around your hand and your foot. What can you make out of them?
Count as high as you can. Can you count by 2's, 5's, and 1O's?
Ask your parents to teach you a song they learned when they were your age.
Look in your kitchen pantry. How many labels can you read?
How many ways can you move? Can you hop, skip, jump, gallop, tiptoe, walk
backwards?
Can you draw a circle, oval, square, rectangle, and triangle? What other shapes can
you draw?
Write a special letter to someone in your house.
Look at some of your baby pictures. How have you changed?
Find something that begins with these letters: B, H, S, M, L,
Draw a picture of your neighborhood.
Make a list of 5 things that are non-living. Make a list of 5 things that are living.
Do you have a library card? Visit your library and check out some books.
Do a job around the house.
Write your name on a piece of paper - first, middle, and last. What are your initials?


End of Year Letter
Give parents with a positive lasting impression by sending a letter similar to the one below. It might be thoughtful to send a picture of their child along with the note.

Dear ______,

Lucky me to get to spend this special year with your child! (Child’s name) has worked hard and has grown in many ways. One of my favorite memories is (something unique about the child).

I appreciate all the support and encouragement you have given (child’s name) at home. Behind every great student is a great family!

Saying good-bye is bittersweet. “Bitter” because I will miss (child’s name), but sweet because I am so proud to have been a part of his/her life! Please keep in touch because I know the future holds many wonderful things for your child and your family!

Remember to read and laugh every day this summer!

Fondly,