SINGING LETTERS

Music is the most natural way to learn anything. Mary Ann Wolf (one of the top reading researchers in our country) recommends singing alphabet songs with young children. She explains that songs act like an umbrella and “place holder” in the brain. When the letters and sounds make sense to the children, they have a “place” to go.

There are many ways to introduce alphabet songs, but it might be helpful to introduce a new song each week. Sing it every morning to start your day, and then use it as a brain break during the day. The next week you can teach the children another song and then review the song you sang the previous week. Write the titles of the songs as you introduce them on a sentence strip and add a picture clue. That way you can let children choose different songs and repeat them.

Visual Connections
As you sing alphabet songs, it will be helpful to connect the visual with the auditory. You can use alphabet cards or point to the letters in your classroom.

Stop and Touch
Here’s another technique that will help children connect with the letters as they sing. Have the children stand and dance as you play an alphabet song. Stop the music on a random letter. At this point, children must tiptoe around the room, find that letter, and touch it. Continue playing the song stopping at several random letters.

Note! This is a fun way to teach self-regulation and to help children make a physical connection with the letter name and symbol.


LETTER TAILS (Tune: "Gilligan's Island")
This is one of my favorite alphabet books that Barb Smith created several years ago. It's good for letter recognition, phonics, and visual closure (recognizing the whole from the part).

This is a tale about the letter A.
It makes a special sound.
/a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ A!
Let’s learn another sound.

This is a tale about the letter B….

You can download the book here. If you’ll glue the cover to the front of a pocket folder and put the pages in clear sheet protectors the book will last for a long time.



http://www.drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2013/09_Sep_css/pg06.html

Hint! This is a great book to put in your listening center with the song.

Here’s a YouTube video of this song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rEzOQn5ElM

Singing Names
Insert children’s names in the song:
D for Darren /d/ /d/ /d/
E for Erin /e/ /e/ /e/
S for Sammy /s/ /s/ /s/
H for Hannah /h/ /h/ /h/

Singing Environmental Print
Adapt the words for environmental print:
M for MacDonald’s /m/ /m/ /m/
L for Legos /l/ /l/ /l/


HAPPY BIRTHDAY LETTERS
Who doesn’t like birthdays? Children will love dancing and singing this song.

Happy Birthday Letters
Yo, A,
It’s your birthday.
Let’s all read
Like your birthday.
/a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ /a/
/a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ /a/
Yo, B…etc.

*Have children stand in a circle and act like rappers. When the letter that their name begins with comes up in the song they get to jump in the middle of the circle and dance.

Letter Birthday Hats
Let the children make birthday hats from sentence strips and wear them as you sing “Happy Birthday Letters.” (Our old stick pony is modeling the birthday hat for you.)

Birthday Cake
Draw a birthday cake on a magnetic board and sing the letters as you place them on the cake:

Yo, M, it’s your birthday.
Let’s all sing like your birthday
/m/ /m/ /m/ /m/ /m/ /m/
/m/ /m/ /m/ /m/ /m/ m/

Here’s a link so you can download the birthday cake.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljNTdjZWVlZzR5Zmc/view?usp=sharing

Rapper Necklace
Cut letters out of heavy cardboard. Let children decorate them with fake jewels, glitter, or stickers. Punch holes in the letters and tie on string. Children can wear these as you sing this song.





More?

Clap, jump, hop, march, tip toe, and make other movements as you sing the ABC's.

LIBRARY AND LISTENING CENTER

WHY?

The library should be inviting and interesting because you want the children to fall in LOVE with books. In the library area children can also develop oral language listening skills and reading readiness skills as they explore new concepts. 

Materials:

Books (all sizes shapes, subjects)

Comfortable seating (pillows, beanbag chairs, small rocking chair)

Book rack and shelves

Magazines

Travel brochures

Flannel board and stories

Puppets

Sensory books

Maps

Picture books

Menus

Dictionary

Pictures and posters

Class made books

Listening center


Rainy Day Reads – On rainy days open a large golf umbrella and put books under it.





LISTENING CENTER

The listening center will enable children to reread books and make connections between illustrations, print, and words.

Materials

Listening station

Headsets

Recordings of songs

Books

Pointers

Paper, pencils, crayons

WRITING CENTER (AND TECHNOLOGY)

WHY?

Emergent literacy will flourish in a writing center. Children will develop a positive attitude about writing with a variety of blank books and tools. Remember, scribbles are how the writing process begins, so whatever the children do should be celebrated.

Materials

Table and chairs

Pens, pencils, crayons, markers

Variety of paper (colored, notepads, different shapes and sizes)

Envelopes

Blank books

Sticky notes

Junk mail

Book order forms, magazine inserts, tax forms (available at library)

Chalkboard and chalk

Dry erase board and markers

Magic slate

Stamps and ink pad

Scissors, tape, stapler

Picture file

Picture dictionary

Class list

Magnetic letters

Clipboard

Used greeting cards

Clipboard
Children will definitely enjoy writing and collecting data with a clip board.



Directions: Each child will need a 9” x 12” piece of corrugated cardboard. Attach a butterfly clip, insert paper, and let the writing begin!


TECHNOLOGY CENTER

Computers are a common part of our everyday lives. Children can use computers to read, write, illustrate, take tests, practice math facts, watch science videos, etc. The opportunities for learning are endless!

Materials

Computers

Paper, pencils

MARCH HAPPIES

MARCH HAPPIES will be like finding a pot of gold! There are handshakes, cheers, a clean up song, a treasure pirate ship, an egg flip book, a writing prompt “How to Build a Nest”, and “smiles of spring.”

Here's your free link so you'll be ready when March Marches in:

07-March

https://bit.ly/drJFreeMar

TODAY IS SUNDAY

This is an old camp song that's good for helping children learn the days of the week. And, yes, going forwards and backwards is actually good for the brain.

Today Is Sunday
Today is Sunday. (Put hands in arm pits and flap
Sunday – chicken. like a chicken.)
All you lucky children,
Well, that’s O.K.

Monday – peanut butter (Extend left hand and spread peanut butter with right hand.)

Tuesday – snap beans (Snap fingers.)

Wednesday – soup (Pretend to slurp soup.)

Thursday – ice cream (Pretend to lick a cone.)

Friday – hotdogs (Slap hands together.)

Saturday - pizza (Extend palm in air as if carrying a pizza.)

Click to view

Here's a link so you can download a free book to go with the song:

Click to download

Write the days of the week on seven paper plates as shown. Let children draw the foods in the song. Pass these out to seven children and let them stand in front of the room and hold up their plate at the appropriate time in the song.

Calendar Time
Every morning you can sing this song and insert specials for the day.

Today is day of the week.
Day of the week music (P.E., art, etc.)
All you lucky children, well, that's O.K."


My Favorite Foods
Fold two sheets of paper in half and staple to make a book. The children can write a different day on each page and then draw their favorite foods. (The teacher who shared this idea years ago said one little boy who was a picky eater drew macaroni and cheese on every page!)

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME

Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Take me out to the ball game. (Hand in fist as if cheering.)
Take me out to the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts (Hold up one palm and then other.)
and Cracker Jacks.
I don’t care if we never get back, (Shake head “no.”)
For I’ll root, root, root for the home team. (Cheer with hand in the air.)
If they don’t win it’s a shame. (Open up palms and shake head.)
For it’s one, two, three strikes (Hold up fingers as you count and
You’re out! then stick up thumb like “out.”)
At the old ball game.

Click to listen and view on YouTube

Cracker Jacks Book
Cut the front and back off a bag or box of Cracker Jacks. Cut paper the size of the bag and give each child a piece. Let them draw and write what prize they would like to find in a box of Cracker Jacks.

Skill Baseball
Take four paper plates and write "Home," "First," "Second," and "Third" on them. Arrange them in a diamond shape on the floor. Cut 4" circles out of heavy paper to make flash cards for this game. You can write words, math facts, letters, or any skill you want to reinforce. Write "home run" and "out" on a few. Divide the class into two teams. One child at a time comes up to home plate as the teacher pitches (holds up) a flash card. If the child can identify the information she moves on to first. If she doesn't know the answer that's an "out" for her team.

*You might want to have a 5 run limit per inning or the game could go on and on.

Piggy Peanut Relay
Children take off their shoes and one member from each team at a time picks up a peanut in their toes and walks to a designated spot and back. They can't use their hands, but it's fun to watch them try to manipulate the peanut with their piggies.
(If children have peanut allergies, you might be able to use another small object such as a counting bear.)

Root?
Use this "teachable moment" to talk about the different meanings of the word "root." Can children think of synonyms for "root"? 

Sports Day
Invite children to wear T-shirts of their favorite team to school one Friday. Those who play baseball, soccer, or another sport could wear their uniforms. Children could also bring balls and sports equipment for a special play time.

Hint! Make visors of your favorite baseball team from paper plates.

ANIMAL CRACKERS

Some things like animal crackers never go out of style!

Animal Crackers
By Dr. Holly
Lions, and tigers, and bears, oh, my!
In my box that’s what I spy.
Take them out.
Should I run?
No, I’ll eat them!
Yum! Yum! Yum!

Descriptions
Pass out an animal cracker to each child. Encourage them to write descriptive sentences about their cracker. I see… I smell… I feel… I hear… I taste!

Tag Along Book
Cut the front and back off a box of animal crackers. (Be sure and leave the string attached.) Cut paper the size of the box. Give each child a sheet and ask them to draw a zoo animal or write a description of a zoo animal. Put their pictures between the front and back of the box and staple to make a book.
Hint! This is called a tag along book because they can hold it and it will tag along with them!

Math
Use zoo animal plates for simple addition. Children make sets in each ear and then join them together and count the sum. You can use math counters, buttons, popcorn, or cereal.

Vocabulary
What does it mean to be a carnivore? Herbivore? Omnivore? What are you? Do some research to find out eating habits of different zoo animals.

Sorting
Use animal crackers, toy animals, or pictures to sort zoo animals. Ask children what sorting rule they used. Can they think of another way to sort the animals?

Put Me in the Zoo
Do a language experience chart where children fill in the sentence:
If I were in the zoo I would be…
Let them draw pictures of which animal they would like to be. Why did they choose that animal?

Zoo Treats

You will need graham crackers, animal crackers, and peanut butter to make this snack. Children put a small amount of peanut butter on the graham cracker and stand animal cookies up on it.
*You can using icing or honey for children with peanut allergies.

HI HO LIBRARIO

Children can learn the parts of a book as you sing this song to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell.”

The author writes the book. 

The author writes the book.

Hi ho librario 

The author writes the book.

The illustrator draws the pictures… 

The publisher makes the book… 

The copyright tells the date…

Here are two simple books you can place in your writing center for independent writing.

Little Books
Place four to six pieces of paper on top of each other. Staple the four corners. Cut into fourths, and you’ll have four little books.

Fold and Staple
Fold two sheets of paper in half and staple. How easy is that!!!! (Sometimes I'll place a white sheet on a colored sheet and then fold and staple.)

Story Stick Starters
Everybody gets writer’s block every now and then. These story sticks might be the cure to prompt your students and motivate them to write.

Cut 3” circles out of each color of construction paper. Let the children cut out pictures of people, places, and events from the magazines and newspapers. You will need 5-10 of each. Glue the pictures of people to the orange circles, the pictures of places to the green circles, and the pictures of events to the yellow circles. Tape the circles to jumbo craft sticks and place them in a cup or can.

Invite the children to choose a stick of each color to help them write a story. The orange will be the WHO/the main character. The green stick will be WHERE/the place. The yellow stick will be the WHAT/the plot.

*Use photos of classmates, the teacher, famous people, animals, etc. for the WHO sticks.
*To encourage informative writing, tie in the story sticks to units of study or current events. For example, you could use pictures of Presidents, habitats, or environmental issues.
*Let two children work together to write a story.
*Place the sticks in the writing center for independent work.

Hint! For younger children use the story sticks to encourage oral language. Make sticks with interesting characters or objects and let them choose one or two and create a story using them.

CLASS BOOKS

You’ll find some of the most popular books in your classroom will be those that students collaborate to make. What a perfect way to motivate your students to write and read as you reinforce standards. 

Consider these components when making collaborative books with your class:

Dedication – Encourage children to “dedicate” books. Copyright Date – The date you make your book.

Publisher – Your school, city, and state.

Authors and Illustrators – Have children sign a group page as authors and illustrators of the book.

ISBN – Include an ISBN number and bar code on the back.

The End – Everybody can read this page!

Comments and Compliments – Let children have turns taking the book home for one night. Their parents can then write their “comments or compliments” about the book on that page. (You could also pass the book around to different classes in your school and they could write remarks on this page.)

*Older students could do a “Table of Contents,” “Index,” or “Glossary.”
*Place class books in your school library, public library, a hospital, etc.
*Have a “drawing” at the end of the year so each child gets to keep one of the books.

Concept Books
Reinforce concepts you are working on, such as letters, shapes, science themes, friendship, etc. to make class books.

(How to Be a Friend Like Rainbow Fish)

Song Books
I also love to take songs and use them to make books with children. You can ask the children to close their eyes as they listen to the song and then make pictures in their brain. Invite them to draw their picture and then cut out words to the song and match them up with the pictures. Don't worry! It always turns out beautifully!

You can also type words to songs ahead of time and let each child choose the sentence they would like to illustrate.

Here are some other interesting topics for making books with your students:

THE BEST THING ABOUT ME

HEROES

OUR WISH BOOK

CELEBRATIONS

WHEN I GROW UP

JOKE BOOK

HOW TO BE A FRIEND

WHAT I DIDN’T DO OVER THE SUMMER

WHAT I DIDN’T GET FOR CHRISTMAS

A MAGIC CARPET RIDE

DREAMS

THINGS THAT BUG US/SCARE US

KNOCK! KNOCK!

MY NIGHTMARE LOOKS LIKE

I AM…

I LIKE…

I CAN….

I SEE….

MY WORST/BEST DAY EVER

IF I WERE THE TEACHER I WOULD…

IF SHOES COULD TALK

THE DAY ANIMALS TALKED

WHAT TO DO WHEN A BABY CRIES

IF I WON THE LOTTERY

HAPPINESS IS…

LOVE IS…

I’M WORKING ON…

IF I WERE IN CHARGE OF THE WORLD

I WISH I WERE…

IT’S NOT FAIR

WHAT DOES THE PRINCIPAL DO ALL DAY?

WE WOULD LIKE TO TELL THE PRESIDENT…

LET'S GO FLY A KITE!

Let's go fly a kite!

Five Little Kites
One, two, three, four, five little kites (Hold up fingers as you count.) Flying up in the sky (Fly fingers in the air.)
Said “hi” to the clouds as they passed by, (Pretend to wave to clouds.)
Said “hi” to the birds, said “hi” to the sun, (Wave.)
Said “hi” to the airplanes, oh what fun. (Wave.)
Then “swish” went the wind, (Move hand down in a
And they all took a dive: swooping motion.)
One, two, three, four, five. (Hold up fingers one at a time and count.)

Click here to download this book on my website.

Click to view Five Little Kites on YouTube

Paper Plate Kite
Cut the inner section out of a paper plate. Decorate the rim with markers. Glue tissue paper streamers to one side. Punch a hole and tie a piece of string on the other side. Go outside and run to make your kite fly.

Kite Experiments
Let children make kites out of lunch sacks, plastic bags, and other materials. Have them predict which one will fly best. Experiment to see which one is best. Why did some work better than others?

Kite Tales
Ask each child to write a story about what it would be like to be a kite. What could you see? What could you hear? How would you feel? What would you do? 

Lion or Lamb?
Explain the quote, “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.” Every day ask children what kind of day it is, and then let them color a “lion” or a “lamb” on the calendar. Graph "lion" and "lamb" days and compare at the end of the month.

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.

GET ON MY CLOUD

You can spend a lot of money on science equipment for your classroom, or just go outside and look up in the sky and you’ve got a lesson that will intrigue your kids. Clouds, glorious clouds! They change daily and are great way for you students to be scientists as they observe, predict, and record.

Let’s Get Started

Ask your students what they know about clouds.

Are all the clouds the same?

Why are there different kinds of clouds?

Why are most clouds white?

What makes clouds move?


HOW CAN WE FIND OUT?

This is a perfect springboard for demonstrating how to find new information by searching on the internet, going to the library, asking their parents, and so forth.

Cloud Watch
Give children clipboards, blue paper, and a white piece of chalk. Go out on the playground and challenge them to draw the clouds in the sky. Can they predict what the weather will be?

My Cloud Book

Fold 2 sheets of paper in half and staple to make a cloud book for each child. Ask them to write the name of a different cloud on each page and illustrate it. (Older children could write descriptive sentences.) On the last page ask them to name their favorite cloud and tell why they like it.

Class Graph
Each day look at the sky and graph the type of clouds in the sky.

Flip Book
Make a flip book with the four basic clouds. (Put “flip book” in my search engine to see how to make this book.)

Cotton Clouds
Challenge children to make the different types of clouds out of cotton.



Homework
Look at the sky with your parents. Name the cloud formations that you see.


Types of Clouds

Cirrus Clouds
Cirrus clouds look like wispy streaks high up in the sky. If the sky is blue with a few cirrus clouds it’s going to be a nice day.

Cumulus Clouds
Cumulus clouds look like puffy white cotton balls in the sky. When they turn dark it means it’s going to rain.

Stratus Clouds
Stratus clouds look like a dark blanket in the sky. Look for rain or snow when it is cold.
Nimbus Clouds (Also known as cumulonimbus)

Nimbus Clouds (Also known as cumulonimbus.)
Nimbus clouds are dark and have rain or snow falling from them.

*FOG
Can you walk through a cloud? Yes, you can! Fog is a cloud on the ground so when you walk in the walk you are walking through a cloud!

Come back tomorrow and I'll tell you how to make a cloud!

WHAT'S A THINK PAD?

These THINK PADS are easy to make and can be used in multiple ways.

Stack 6 sheets of paper on top of each other. Staple each of the corners as shown. Cut vertically and horizontally in half to make four “think pads.” Make several dozen of these. To begin give one to each child. Keep the others in the writing center. Explain that if they do a lot of thinking and writing they are welcome to get another pad.

Use these pads for some of the activities below:

Notes
Children can use these to take notes as they listen to a book or watch a video. They can draw, write words, or simply scribble. Encourage them by commenting, “You’re taking notes just like the big kids do in high school and college! Isn’t it fun to know how to take notes to help you remember?”

*Great for science or social studies!

What can you find out?
Collect non-fiction books about a topic that you will be studying in your class. Place the books on a table along with think pads, paper, and pencils. Let two children work together and take notes to look in the books and see what they can find out (learn) about the topic. 

Written Response
Older students can use think pads to write the answer to math problems or other questions.

Scavenger Hunt
Use think pads to find different objects in the classroom that relate to reading, math, or science standards. They might go on a scavenger hunt for objects that start with “CH.” How many ovals can they find? Can they make a list of nouns? Can they find objects that a magnet will attract? 

Brainstorm
If children finish their work early they can brainstorm or doodle on their think pads.


Sticky Notes
Children also love sticky notes to write reminders to themselves, notes to friends, etc.
Note! Sometimes physicians or dentists will donate these to your class.

SKILL BLIZZARD

Let’s see how we can tie in these charming snowmen with skills and standards!

I’m a Little Snowman
(Tune: “I’m a Little Teapot”)
I’m a little snowman (Bend knees.)
Short and fat. (Extend arms in a circle.)
Here is my broom and (Hold out right hand.)
Here is my hat. (Touch head with left hand.)
When the sun comes out (Slowly melt to the ground.)
I’ll melt away.
But I’ll be back another day!

I’m a snow lady, (Bend knees.)
White and round. (Extend arms in a circle.)
In my hat and apron (Touch head and waist.)
I don’t make a sound. (Index finger on lips.)
When the sun comes out (Slowly melt to the ground.)
I’ll melt away.
But I’ll be back another day!

*Download this book at drjean.org.

How To
Let children discuss how to make a snowman. Dramatize making a snowman by rolling a big ball, and then a middle size ball, and then a small ball for the head. Fold two sheets of paper in half and staple. Have children write a book about how to make a snowman.



Before and After
Have children fold a sheet of paper in half. Ask them to draw a picture of a snowman before it melts on the left. Can they draw a picture of the snowman after it melts on the right? What makes a snowman melt?

*Give children cartoon frames to illustrate a snowman melting.


Snowman Addition

Draw snowmen on poster board similar to the one shown. Laminate. Children make sets (or write addends) in the top two balls and then put the sum in the bottom ball.

Snowball Math

Fill a clear jar with snowballs/cotton balls. Let each child estimate how many snowballs are in the jar and write their name and answer on a sheet of paper. At the end of the day count the snowballs. Who guessed more? Who guessed less?
*Let the children use the “snowballs” to make sets or to do addition and subtraction problems.


Frosty’s Magic Hat
Make flashcards for letters, numerals, words, math facts, or other skills. On several cards draw a black hat. Explain that when Frosty’s magic hat appears the children get to stand up and dance around. This is an easy game that you can play during transitions if you only have a few minutes.

Snowball Seriate
Cut different sizes snowballs (circles) out of cardstock. Let children seriate them from largest to smallest.


Counting Snowmen
Cut out 10 or 20 snowmen from heavy paper. Write the numerals 1-10 (or 20) on their bodies. Mix up the snowmen and then have the children put them in order.