GREAT TEACHERS 125

O'Canada! What a special memory from 2013! 

Kinderoos, Kindies, and Chikcadees

Aren’t these cute names for our little ones?

Comalya (Roberta Bondar, Kathy and Sandra)
Have a weekly “Comalya” when all the kindergarten students and teachers get together to sing.
*Comalya means “Come all ye!”

Rhyme Bag (Hieke Klapwyk)
Send home a brown “rhyme” bag with each student on Friday. They fill the bag with two items that rhyme. At show and tell time, each student removes one item from their bag. Classmates must guess what the second item in the bag is by naming objects that rhyme.

Stringing Words (Irene Bootsma)
Place pipe cleaners and letter beads in a center with a list of student names or sight words. Students string the beads on the pipe cleaner and then read the words.

Sight Word Game
On large craft sticks write sight words on one end. Write letters on clothespins. Children attach the letters on the craft stick to spell the word.

Grouping Game (Jean Broad)
The children wander about the class and the teacher calls out a number. They need to form groups with that amount and then sit down together. If there are children left over that’s O.K. They remain standing. The teacher reviews the groups and might say, “I see 1,2,3,4,5 groups of four. That makes 20. We have 2 extras so we know that 20 + 2 = 22.” Then call out another number.
Establish these rules before playing:
*Respect everyone.
*Never exclude anyone from joining your group.
*Be polite.
*Help others who need to find people for their group.
This helps children with problem solving, collaboration, number sense, oral language, etc.

Math Concept Maps (Louise Gavarkovs)
While children are waiting for the day to begin, let them create math concept maps on individual white boards with dry erase markers.
*Each child chooses what they are able to include. For example, older children could write number stories and younger children could draw sets.

Top Banana (Caroline, Tina, Megan)
The special helper of the day is the “top banana.”


Coffee, Tea, and Me - End of Year Celebration (Donna Petrocco)
Each child invites a guest to school. Set up coffee, tea, juice, fruit, and desserts. Eat and then share some classroom poems and songs. (Students take turns standing up in front of the room to share.) The teacher then passes out memory books for each child with the following:
Picture drawn by the student
Handprint poem
Santa letter
Writing samples
Poems from the teacher
Photographs of child throughout the year
The children look at their memory books with their adult.
*The teacher can stand back, observe, and smile!

Buddy Sticks for Clever Kids (Terrie Voldimer)
Have as many sticks as kids in a variety of colors. On the end of sticks put something for the students to match, such as letters, numbers, shapes, stickers, etc. Each child selects and stick and then the teacher can choose what they should match up. For example, “Find someone with the same shape and color as you.” “Find someone with the same sticker as you.”

Pinwheel (Laura Quinton)
To make a square, fold a sheet of paper diagonally and cut off the end. Fold in half diagonally again. Cut in on diagonal lines stopping 1” from the center. Hole punch every other corner and in the middle. Insert holes on a pencil or straw and put a little play dough on the end.
*Use for a review by writing vocabulary words, spelling words, math facts, etc. on the pinwheel.

Parent Observation (Misty Martin Gigliotti)
Prepare an observation sheet for parents who visit the classroom with the following:
-Is your child engaged in singing? Dancing? Listening? Hand movements?
-Does your child participate in activities? Centers? Are they playing alone, with a friend, friends? Are they watching other children play?
-Are they rushing through their work? Are they taking their time?
-What center did they visit first?
-Do you have questions about centers, the classroom, etc.?


Alphabet Shake
Put letters in the bottom of an egg carton. Insert a pompom and shake. The child opens and names the letter, sound, and a word that starts with that sound.

*You can make a similar game with numerals, shapes, words, etc.

      

GREAT TEACHERS 124

EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN INCLUDING THESE IDEAS FROM TENNESSEE IN 2011!

Bubble Words (Alysia Pitts, Woodbury, TN)

Use a bubble font to make sight words and place in a clear sheet protector. The children roll out play dough to make the words. (If you don’t have a bubble font you can just create your own words like I did below.)

Question of the Day (Mary McCarroll)
First, do a drum roll by slapping hands on thighs.
Second, count backwards from 10, 9, 8…0
Third, ask a question. 

Christmas Card Puzzle (Bobbie Jean Hurde)
Cut up old Christmas cards and place them in a brown bag or zip bag. Children shake up the bag and then put the puzzle together.

Reading Station Puzzle (Mandy Collins, Rossville, TN)
You will need cardboard puzzles to create this center. Write sight words on the backs of the puzzle pieces. Also write the sight words on the cardboard puzzle frame. Children match words on the puzzle piece to the frame to complete the puzzle.

Word Bubble Map (Linda Jo Kincaid)
Use bubbles to help children blend sounds and read words. Make a bubble for each word family similar to the one shown. Write the answers on the back.

Walking Down the Hall (Carin Ragos)
Whatever theme you are working on (bears, butterflies, cars, etc.), invite the children to walk or move that way down the hall. If they are not quiet or can’t follow directions they have to walk like a “regular person.”

Weightlifting Count to 100 (Amy Gibson)
Pick up your weights and count 1-20 as you do bicep curls; 21-40 for shoulder press; 41-50 tricep press; 61-80 butterfly press; 81-100 overhead.
Wipe brow!!!

Caterpillar Finger Play (Linda Drake)
Here comes the caterpillar on the green leaf.
(Place one hand flat and use one finger from the other hand to wiggle across the flat hand.)
Inside the chrysalis for two whole weeks.
(Squeeze hand around caterpillar with thumb up.)
Out he pops as pretty as can be!
(Lock thumbs and flutter fingers.)
He is a butterfly as you can see!
(Move hands like a butterfly in the air.)

Diagraphs (Heidi Brunner)
Teach children these gestures to help them remember the sounds of “th”, “sh,” and “ch.”
“TH” – Stick your tongue out at the teacher. It is the only time you are allowed to stick your tongue out at a grown up!
“SH” – Hold your finger next to your lips like you are going to tell someone to be quiet.
“CH” – Put one hand down flat and use the other hand to pretend to chop something.
Sing the blends to the tune of “The Wheels on the Bus.”
The T and H say /th/ /th/ /th/…all the time.

Soul Train Scramble
Place letters in students’ names or sight words on a magnetic board. Play the ABC song by the Jackson Five. Students have until the end of the song to unscramble the letters to make the word.

Rhyming Game (Kim Thurston)
Teacher says, “I’m thinking of a word that rhymes with “hat.”
The students can’t guess using the word. They have to describe the word.
Students say, “Is it an animal that says meow?”
Teacher says, “Good guess, but that’s not it.”
Students say, “Is it an animal that flies?”
Teacher answers, “Yes, it is a bat.”

Color Game (Maureen Goonan)
What are you wearing? (Children stand and do the motions for the color they are wearing.)
Red – just stand up and touch your head.
Blue – touch your shoes.
Green – look real mean.
Yellow – wave to a fellow.
Purple – draw a circle.
Brown – act like a clown.
Black – pat your back.
Pink – blink, blink, blink.
White – look at the light.
Orange – peel an orange.
You’re great cause your colors are straight and
you’re cool because you learn at school!

White Board Clipboard (Suzi Burton)
Attach a large butterfly clip to individual white boards for each child. Voila! Clipboards!

Category Game
The children repeat after the teacher:
“Pink is a color.” (Children repeat.)
“Purple is a color.” (Children repeat.)
“A square is a color.” (Children yell NO!)
Adapt for shapes, objects in a house, rhyming words, numbers, and other categories.

GREAT TEACHERS 123

HEY, HEY, WHAT DO YOU SAY?  IS THERE A NEW IDEA HERE FOR YOU TODAY?

Puppet Password
Have a class puppet that gives a password every day. For attendance, the children say the password instead of “here.” Select a password that is the subject for the day, such as “Pilgrims,” “winter,” etc. You could also use a sight word or a vocabulary word.
Use this chant to introduce the password:
Mr. Mouse, Mr. Mouse (or whatever your puppet is),
Oh, what do you say?
What is the password for today?
Pretend to let the puppet whisper the password in your ear. 

*You can also let the puppet go home with a student each weekend and come back Monday with a story and pictures. Keep the stories in a class book.

Hot Number! (Nola Faulkner)
The teacher picks a random number between 1-10. That’s the number that is the HOT NUMBER. Students stand in a circle and one by one count by ones from 1 – 10. The student who says the hot number can jump or cheer and then must sit down. Keep counting from 1-10 until one child is left.

Polite Partner Share (Meghan Burkholder)
Before reading a story, do questioning and partner talk. The kids turn to a partner and say:
Eyes to eyes.
Knees to knee.
It’s nice that you
Are partners with me.
After sharing their thoughts they thank each other. It’s also a great way to practice taking turns when talking.

McDonald’s Cheer (Michelle Sanders)
Ba, da, ba, ba, ba.
I’m loving it! (Arms overhead like the golden arches.)

Fun Rules (Jackie Fursman)
*Hoods cannot be worn unless it rains or snows inside the school.
*You can only run in the school if there’s an elephant or tiger chasing you.
*You can only lie down if “I” do.
*Ask three before me when I’m at the reading table.

1, 2, 3, Show Me! (Joy, Olathe, KS)
Using individual white boards the teacher asks a question and the children write a response. The teacher says, “1, 2, 3, show me!” Children quickly hold up their slate and show the teacher.
Sample questions: Write the number 15. Write the letter Mm. Write 5 tally marks. Write the number that comes between 2 and 4.

Three Star Sentences (Joy, Olathe, KS)
To help kids learn the mechanics of sentence writing they can earn 3 stars. They get a green for using a capital at the beginning; a yellow for spacing between words; a red star for punctuation.



Doubles Don’t Give Me Trouble (Sarah Jackson)
(Tune: “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad”)
1 + 1= 2, 2 + 2 = 4, 3 + 3 = 6, 4 + 4 = 8, 5 + 5 = 10, 6 + 6 = 12
Now I know my doubles,
They don’t give me any trouble!
7 + 7 =14, 8 + 8 = 16, 9 + 9 = 18, 10 + 10 = 20, 11 + 11 = 22, 12 + 12 = 24

Focus Finger Play (Pat Kesler uses this before handwriting. It wires up the brain!)

Two tall telephone poles (Fists touching with index fingers pointing up.)

Across them a wire was strung. (Touch middle fingers.)

Two little birds hopped on ((Put thumbs up on middle fingers.)

And sung and sung and sung. (Swing fingers.)



Push the Wall
One teacher’s occupational therapist suggested that when children are waiting in the hall you tell them to put their hands on the wall and try to “push it down.” This builds upper body strength, releases energy, and focuses children’s attention.



Tummy Reading
Here’s another easy suggestion to help children build upper body strength. Let them do “tummy reading.” Children lay on their tummies and prop themselves up with their elbows as they read. Try it and see how it strengthens those arm and shoulder muscles.

Friday Dance (Tarsha Walker)
Come on, everybody let’s take a chance. (Motion arm “come” as you move from left to right.)
It’s time to do the Friday dance. (Thumb over shoulder as you dance.)
Clap your hands (clap)
And stomp your feet. (stomp)
Come and do the Friday dance with me.
It’s Friday! (Throw arms in the air.)
It’s Friday! (Throw arms in the air.)
It’s Friday! (Throw arms in the air.)
YEAH!

Bubbles (Erin Yarborough)
To help children remember to walk quietly in the hall, tell them to hold a bubble in their mouths. When you get to your destination they can “pop” their bubbles.

GREAT TEACHERS 122

JUST A-SWINGING IN VICKSBURG, MISSISSI[[I 2013

What Is a Sentence (Jennifer Williams)
(Tune: “Where Is Thumbkin?”)
What is a sentence?
What is a sentence?
A complete thought.
A complete thought.
It starts with a capital letter.
It starts with a capital letter.
And ends with a punctuation mark.
And ends with a punctuation mark.


Show Me Punctuation (Jennifer Williams)
Teach children the following motions for punctuation marks.
. Hand out like “stop.”
? Shrug shoulders.
! Show muscles.
Teacher says a sentence, and the students show the correct punctuation.
I like to ride my bike. (Hand out STOP.)
Do you like to ride a bike? (Shrug shoulders.)
That’s a big snake! (Show muscles.)


Book Sort (Sheila Scott)
Use pictures from old book order forms to do the following:
*Children cut out pictures of books and sort into genres.
*Put books in ABC order.
*Make predictions about books.

Full body Listening (Gloria Pettitt)
Teacher says, “1, 2,3, eyes on me!”
“Full body listening!” 1. Feet on floor
2. Hands in lap.
3. Mouth closed.
4. Ears open.
5. Eyes on speaker.
Students show the action or point when saying the steps.

Envelope Puppets (Cybil Richmond)
Cut envelopes in half so you can insert your hand to make a puppet. Use in science to identify living/nonliving things, biotic/abiotic factors, physical/chemical properties, etc.

Sparkle Spelling Game (Gloria Pettit)
Students stand in a circle. The teacher says a spelling word. The students go around the circle saying one letter each. After they spell the word, the next student says the word. The next student gets “sparkled” (all students yell “sparkle” and that student sits down). Keep going until only one student is left.

Memory Game (Beverly Buice)
“I’m going on a grip and I’m going to take…”
The first student names something that starts with A. The next student repeats the sentence and the first answer. Then the second student adds something that starts with B. This continues until you get to Z. This game helps students develop listening skills, sequential order, and their memory.

Graphic Organizer Puzzle (Ashley Salina)
Make a puzzle out of a math mat to demonstrate parts and the whole.

Punch Out Spelling (Suzanne Artman)
Cross over and punch letters to spell a word. Clap hands at the end while saying the word as you clap the syllables. Kids then say the number of syllables. (say, spell, say)

GREAT TEACHERS 121

"Ooookkkaaalllahhhoommmaaaa!!!" 2011

Back to Back
Every child needs a partner and touches body parts as the teacher calls out:
back to back (touch backs)
shoulder to shoulder (touch shoulders)
elbow to elbow
knee to knee
head to head
wrist to wrist
feet to feet
hip to hip
Continue calling out vaious body parts...
End with "bottom to chair" as children sit down!

Can You Dig It? (Rachel Lawrence)
Hide magnetic numerals in a sand table. Each student is given a sheet with math facts appropriate to their level. During math centers they have to do their facts and then dig out the answers (magnetic letters) in the sand.

*You can also hide letters and have children spell words.

Spelling Trays (Rachel Lawrence)
Prepare "spelling trays" in plastic drawers. Children choose a tray and then take it to their desk and spell words using one of the materials below:
*Wikki sticks
*magnetic letters
*puzzle letters
*black light pens (security pen with black light key chain)
*alphabet stickers
*alphabet blocks
*dry erase board

Let’s Look Important! (Diane Ringer)
Use this idea instead of criss cross applesauce.
Would you like to know how to look important? Put your right hand over your heart like this. (Demonstrate)
Put your left hand across your chest and fold your arms like this. (Demonstrate)
Lift up your chin and smile importantly. Now look at all my important people!

Song Requests (Heather Cline)
Make a box for song requests. Children write their favorite song on a sheet of paper and put it in the box. Pull requests each morning and sing.

End of Day Chant (Linda Wood)
Sit in a circle criss cross applesauce and start the chant with this rhythm:
Slap knees two times
Clap two times
Snap two times
Clap two times
“Linda, Linda, what do you say?
What did you like at school today?”
The child has to tell what they liked best that day. It’s a good way to remember what they learned as you reinforce oral language.

A Fuzzy Little Caterpillar (Leanne Hutchison)
(Tune: "I Had a Little Turtle")
A fuzzy little caterpillar wiggled right by me. (Wiggle index finger.)
He wiggled long. (Wiggle finger away.)
He wiggled short. (Wiggle finger close.)
He wiggled right at me. (Wiggle finger at your face.)
I put him in a box. (Cup hands.)
"Don't go away I said!" (Point finger.)
But when I opened up the box
There was a butterfly instead! (Clasp thumbs and wiggle fingers like a butterfly.)

*You can adapt this song for "I had a little tadpole...I put him in a jar... Don't go away I said. . But when I opened up the jar a frog hopped out instead!"

Surprise Can (Julie Wiegman & Anne Greer)
Each week place a different letter on top of a paint can. (You can purchase an empty paint can at Lowe's or Home Depot.) Select one child each night to take home the surprise can. Ask parents to assist their child in finding four items at home that begin with the letter. Put the four itmes in the can along with clues about each object. At school the next day, the child (with help from the teacher) gives clues as classmates try to guess what the objects are. Example: This is something that is a fruit. This is round and red. It grows on a tree. A-Apple!

GREAT TEACHERS 120

KISS PRINCIPLE - KEEP IT SIMPLE!

Quiet Creatures (Jennifer Olayo)
You’ll need a large pompom, small pompom, googly eyes, and a foam heart or flower to make a quiet creature. Glue the small pompom to the large one for a nose. Add eyes and stick the heart on the bottom for feet. Children take out their quiet creatures during quiet activities. If they talk they lose their creature. When they finish they can whisper quietly to their creature.

Birthday Do Dah (Mary Lehman
(Tune: “Camptown Racers”)
Our friend name is age years old
Do dah, do dah. (Wave scarf up and down on “do dah.”)
Our friend name is age years old
Oh, do dah day.
Let’s all shout “hooray!”
It’s a special day.
Our friend name is age years old
Oh, do dah day.
*Take scarves, streamers, or just wave your hand as you “do dah” the person’s age.

Ear on the Door (Shannon Kennady)
Put a big ear on the door and when children start to tattle say, “Tell it to the ear.”

Tattle Stopper (Linda Rossiter)
Pick up some old tax forms at the library. When children start to tattle hand them a form and tell them to fill it out and then bring it back to you.

*You'll have to save this idea for December!
Letters to Santa (Shannon Kennady)
Have children write letters to Santa and then let older students (class buddies) respond to them. Put the letters in the freezer and then take them out and return them to the children. Explain that the letters are cold because they just arrived from the North Pole!

If You Can Hear Me (Susan Paulus)
If you can hear me, clap once.
If you can hear me, clap twice…
*Continue until all children are engaged and listening.

Transitional Breathing (Katie Saucier)
Smell the roses – hold a pretend bouquet of flowers and smell them.
Blow out your candle – hold up one finger like a birthday candle and blow it out.

Flip Book

Make a flip book as shown. Draw an egg, tree, cave, or other animal home on the front flip. Open and draw a critter that you would find in that habitat. Hold up to the light to see your little critter in its home.

Sentence Structure (Lisa Ruff)
Make the love sign with your hand. Your thumb is the capital.
Your pointer finger asks if it makes sense.
The little finger is a reminder for the punctuation mark at the end.
Check to make sure you LOVE your sentence. You need all three fingers to love it!

Hall Chant (Melanie Griffin)
Teacher: Are your hands ready for the hall?
Students: Yes, yes, yes they are. (Put hands behind back.)
Teacher: Are your feet ready for the hall?
Students: Yes, yes, yes they are. (Stomp feet.)
Teacher: Is your mouth ready for the hall?
Students: Mmm, mmm, mmm. (Mouth closed.)

GREAT TEACHERS 119

LOOK WHAT THE WIND BLEW IN THE WINDY CITY IN 2015!

Finger Math Game (Karen Rosenkranz)
This “show me” game can be used for math facts 1-10. The teacher says a number like “5” and holds up one finger. The other children show 4 fingers. The teacher can easily see who knows the facts.

Porcupine Words (Mica Ike)
Students collect “porcupine words” that are prickly, sticky, and hard to pronounce. Make porcupine folders (folder with colored porcupine on it) so children can write the words.

Ask Me Badges (Jenna)
Pass out badges that say “Ask me! I can help!” for students to wear during independent work. Students must go to “ask me” friends before coming to the teacher. This empowers low level students and it’s good for high level students to explain concepts.

Popcorn Freeze Dance (Debbie Mendelson)
Here’s a great game for a literacy brain break. Write sight words on small, yellow pieces of paper and crumple them up to look like popcorn. Store these in a popcorn container from the dollar store. Play music and encourage creative dancing/movement. Stop the music and the children have to freeze. Children who are totally frozen get to pick up a piece of popcorn and read the word. After several children have had a turn put the music back on.

20 Questions (Megan Pacella)
The star student gets to bring in a mystery object. The rest of the class can ask 20 questions to try and guess what the mystery object is.  

Picture/Word Charts (Kathy Kilgore)
Use picture/word charts around the room for students to practice asking questions. Students take turns asking questions and the answer has to be on a picture/word chart in the room.

Park That Comment (Jess Pesola)
This idea will help you with students who have tons of stories or interjections. Create a parking lot from a poster for ideas, questions, and stories. Students write a word or phrase on a post it and put it in the parking lot to remind them. Come back to the parking lot comments at the end of the lesson. 

Busy Baskets (Alicia A. Rivera)
This idea works for students who finish first or have behavioral issues. Fill several small baskets with magnetic letters, numbers, color blocks, etc. Students can put the letters in order, numbers in order, or reproduce a block pattern. This will keep them engaged until you are ready to do the next activity.