SELF CHECK GAMES

These games have a built in feedback. Children can play them over and over and you’ll make sure they are learning the correct information. These games can be played with a partner or individually.

Flippers
Why? letters, sounds, math facts, contractions, antonyms, etc.
What? spatula or pancake turner, corrugated cardboard, fun foam
How? Cut 3 ½” circles out of cardboard or fun foam. Write uppercase letters on one side and lowercase letters on the other. Place the circles on the floor or a table. Children name the letter on one side, and then flip it over to self-check.

*Write words on one side and glue matching pictures on the back.

*Write children’s names on one side and glue their picture on back.

*Put pictures on one side and initial consonants or vowels on back.

*Write questions on the front and the answer on the reverse side.

*Write antonyms on opposite sides.

*Write two words on the front and the contraction on the back.

Sharks
Why? numerals, math facts, phonics, contractions, etc.
What? heavy paper
How? Cut out paper sharks using the pattern on the following page. Fold down the top fin. Make a set on the body and then lift the fin and write the numeral. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljTTNTLWI0MEwwZ0k/view?usp=sharing

Touchdown
Why? math facts; number words, phonics, review questions
What? construction paper
How? Fold construction paper in half. Place a football pattern with the top of the pattern on the fold. Write math facts, number words, etc. on the front of the footballs. Write the answers on the inside.

Peeking Puppies
Why? words and pictures, upper and lowercase letters, antonyms, math facts and answers, etc.
What? construction paper
How? Cut puppies out of construction paper. Bend down the ear. Write one thing on the puppy’s body and write the answer under the ear.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljZGxkcDZmaFQ4UVU/view?usp=sharing


Use Your Brain!
Why? math facts, phonics, antonyms, etc.
What? poster board, hole punch, golf tee or pencil
How? Cut a brain out of poster board using the pattern on the following page. Punch 10-12 holes around the outside of the edge. Near each hole write a math fact. On the reverse side, write the answer to the math problem near the hole. Outline the shape with markers and decorate. The child sticks a pencil or golf tee in the front and then turns it over to check their answer.

*Two children can also play this game. One “pokes” and the other confirms.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljZVZ4VDhsU1czUUU/view?usp=sharing


Puzzlers
Why? rhyming words, compounds, math concepts, blends, etc.
What? paper plates, rhyming pictures, markers, scissors, zip bag
How? Cut paper plates in half using puzzle designs similar to those shown. Glue pictures that rhyme on each half. Mix up the pieces. Children say the words and match up the plates that rhyme. The game is self-checking because the pieces will fit if they match the correct pictures.

*Use hearts, kites, pumpkins, or other seasonal shapes to make puzzlers.

BRIDGING PLAY AND STANDARDS

Turn WORK into PLAY with learning centers!

Math – paper, pencil, adding machine tape
coupons, calculator, play money
graphs, posters
counting books, shape books

Science – charts, research books, identification books
science magazines, labeled collections
clipboard, pens, notebook

Dramatic Play – shopping list, chalk board
memo pad, pens, pencils
magazines, books
puppets, stuffed animals, babies to “read” to
junk mail, menus, catalogs
class phone book

Blocks – paper and markers to make labels and signs
blue prints, sticky notes
photos of different homes and buildings
block book, alphabet blocks

Art – Rebus direction charts, labels for materials
variety of art media, markers, paint

Table Toys – play dough, letter cookie cutters
play dough book, sewing cards
letter beads to string
paper, hole punch, scissors
letter stencils, colored pencils

Sand and Water – magnetic letters (hide in sand)
ping pong balls (write letters and
words on them and children
scoop with fishnet)

Playground – letter hopscotch
beach balls with letters
chalk board for keeping score
giant chalk to write with on sidewalk


Here's a poem I found on a paper plate after I did a workshop ten years ago.  Sad, but true today!  

Don’t Take away My Childhood
By Yolanda Richey, 2016


Don’t take away my childhood,
Let me run and play.
Don’t take away my childhood,
Let me learn in my own way.
Give me songs to sing
Give me time to dance.
Don’t take away my childhood,
I only get one chance -
To be a little child
Who loves to learn each day.
So don’t take away my childhood
Because my work is PLAY!

MERRY MATH

A package of pompoms, bows, erasers, or other small items from a dollar store and you're set for "merry math."

Materials: pompoms or other small objects

Sorting
Ask children to sort the pompoms. What was their sorting rule? Can they sort them another way?

Patterns
Use the pompoms for making patterns.




Estimating
Have children estimate the number of each type and then verify by counting.

Math Mat
Children place the correct amount on the trees.



Match Dot Cards
Pompoms are a perfect one-to-one activity for younger children.

Touch and Tell
Materials: foam numbers
Place numbers in a bag. Children reach in, feel a number and try to identify what it is. They can take it out to confirm and then write the number.


Number Hunt
Put numbers in a box of Styrofoam packing or sand. Children search through the Styrofoam packing and color off the numbers as they find them.

Stampers
Materials: stamp set
Stamp a pattern, stamp out math facts, or stamp a set.

JOLLY HOLLY WRITING

Today you'll find some books to "entice" children to write. I know some schools don’t allow “holidays,” so I tried to focus on a “winter” theme as much as possible. I mean, who can object to winter????

WINTER WRITING
Napkin Books

Materials: holiday napkins, paper, stapler

Cut paper the size of the napkin. Insert 4-6 sheets of paper in the napkin and staple at the top as shown. Place these in the writing center for creative writing.

Note! The front of the napkin could also be used as a story prompt.


Sticker Story

Materials: holiday stickers, paper, pencils, pens

Let children choose a sticker and put it in the middle of a sheet of paper. Challenge them to write a poem or story or draw a picture around the sticker.


Giving Book

Materials: paper, rubber band, seasonal pencil, advertisements and catalogs, scissors, glue

Fold 3 sheets of paper in half. Punch 2 holes about 2 ½” down on the crease side as shown. Insert a rubber band in one hole and slide one end of the pencil through the loop. Slide the other end of the pencil through the other loop. Let children draw or cut out pictures of items they would like to GIVE to family members and friends.


Holiday Card Center



Materials: paper, pencil, envelopes, markers, crayons, stickers, scrap paper, etc.

Place the writing materials in a tub. Make a seasonal picture dictionary similar to the one shown. Add a class directory with students’ names and photos. Teach children how to fold a sheet of paper into fourths to make a basic card. Invite them to make holiday cards for family members and friends.

Note! You could also ask them to make cards for school helpers and volunteers.


Letters to Santa

Some of you may not be able to do this, but an open center where children could write letters to Santa might get them excited about writing.

Note! There are several free templates for these letters on the internet.

CUT, STRING, SEW, SNIP

Keep those little hands busy with these materials. They'd be great for a center, take home activity, morning tubs, etc.

Note! I picked up most of these supplies at the dollar store.

Cookie Cutters
Materials: cookie cutters, pencils, scrap paper, scissors

Children trace around the cookie cutters on scrap paper and then cut out with the scissors.




Children can hole punch and then use the shapes to make ornaments or a necklace.

Paper Plate Sewing Cards
Materials: holiday plates, hole punch, yarn



Punch holes around the outside of the plates. Let children “sew” yarn through the holes.

*You can also make sewing cards out of old greeting cards.


Play Dough Writing

Let children make a pancake with the play dough and then write with a golf tee. This will strengthen those little fingers as they practice writing letters, numbers, shapes, words, etc.

Bells
String bells on pipe cleaners and string to make jewelry.



Gifts for the Birds
Materials: pipe cleaners, cereal with holes

Let children string cereal on pipe cleaners. Twist the ends to make a circle and hang outside for the birds.

Cut It Out
Materials: catalogs and advertisements

Put catalogs, coupons, advertisements, etc. in a center with scissors, glue, and paper.
Children can cut out objects they would like to “get or give” and glue them on a paper.

WELCOME TO MY PUMPKIN PATCH

I might be an "old lady," but I'm still a kid at heart when it comes to Halloween. This was always a happy time of year for me and for my children.

Once I Had a Pumpkin
(Tune: “Lassie and Laddie”)
Oh, once I had a pumpkin, a pumpkin, a pumpkin.
(Hands over head like a pumpkin.)
Oh, once I had a pumpkin with no face at all.
With no eyes and no nose and no mouth and no teeth.
(Point to facial features.)
Oh, once I had a pumpkin with no face at all.
So I made a jack-o-lantern, jack-o-lantern, jack-o-lantern.
(Draw a jack-o-lantern in the air.)
So I made a jack-o-lantern, jack-o-lantern, jack-o-lantern.
With big eyes and a big nose and big mouth and big teeth.
(Draw facial features in the air.)
So I made a jack-o-lantern with a big funny face.

*Draw a jack-o-lantern on the board as you sing the song.


Pumpkin Paint
Mix equal parts of flour and salt. Stir in orange tempera paint. (Obviously, if it’s powdered, you will need to add some water, too.) Add a spoonful of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to the paint and stir. Children can paint a pumpkin, pumpkin pie, or whatever they want. Their painting will be textured and smell good, too!

Pumpkin Seeds
Before carving your pumpkin, have the children estimate how many seeds they think it will contain and write down their estimations. Have the children separate the seeds and count them. Who guessed more? Who guessed less? Who guessed the closest amount? Cook some of the seeds by rinsing them and frying them in a little butter and salt. Save some of the seeds to plant in the spring.


Paper Plate Pumpkins
Make pumpkins out of paper plates. Choose five children to hold the pumpkins as you say the rhyme. You could also cut pumpkins out of felt and use on a flannel board.




Pumpkin Play Dough
Make homemade play dough and add red and yellow food coloring to make it orange. Let the children knead in pumpkin pie spices. They’ll have fun making pumpkins, pies, and other characters.

Hint! Add pumpkin pie spice to make aroma play dough.

Math Games
Make games where children seriate pumpkins from large to small or put pumpkins in numerical order.

AVOCADO AND AUTUMN 


http://bit.ly/drjeanHalloween
AVOCADO Halloween!

Form the pumpkin
Carve the pumpkin
Jack-o lantern, funny jack o lantern

Form the mummy
Wrap the mummy
Walk like a mummy

Form the skeleton 
Dance the skeleton 
Shake your bones

Form the brew
Cook the brew
Stir the brew - oooooo

Form the cave
Go in the cave
Bats and spiders

Put on your costume
Go trick or treat
Eat the candy eat all the candy

Form the avocado
Peel the avocado
Guacoween – happy Halloween!




http://bit.ly/drjeanAutumn
AUTUMN AVOCADO

Form the tree 
Falling leaves
Rake the leaves

Form the pumpkin
Cook the pumpkin
Pumpkin pie – make pumpkin pie

Form the scarecrow
Dress the scarecrow
Dance the scarecrow

Form the apple
Dip the apples – make candy apples
Eat the apple 

Form the football
Throw the football
Catch the football

Form the nut
Crack the nut
Squirrels eat the nuts

Form the avocado
Peel the avocado
Guacamole - eat the guacamole and have an awesome autumn!

HANDS ON ABC'S

Throw those worksheets away and get ready to PLAY with these hands-0n projects.

HIGHWAY LETTERS
Highway letters are a "rabbit trap" to engage kids and reinforce a variety of skills and different age levels. You can purchase a book with these or download them free at makinglearningfun.com. I put mine in clear sheet protectors because it’s cheaper and easier than laminating. You can also punch holes at the top and tie on string so the children can wear them like letter vests. 

http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/RacecarABCcards.htm

Here are just a few ways you can use the highway letters with different age levels throughout the school year.

Toy Cars - Let children drive over letters with toy cars.



Writing - Trace over the letters with dry erase markers. Erase and use again and again.

Hint! Put a green dot where they start and a red dot where they stop.

Play Dough - Roll play dough and place on top of the letters.

Songs - Pass out letter vests to children. Let them stand up when their letter is sung in the song.

Phonics - Practice blending C V C words. (consonant, vowel, consonant) with vests. Add the “silent e” to words to change the vowel sound.

Chunking - Start by asking children who are wearing “a” and “t” to stand. What does that say? Ask “m” to stand in front of “at.” What does that say? Tell “m” to go away and have “r” stand in front of “at.” Have children suggest other letters to stand in front of “at.” Reinforce other word families with this strategy.

Spelling Words - Slowly call out sight words or spelling words. (Stretch out the sounds.) Children come up if they are wearing that sound and make the word.

ABC Order- Children arrange themselves in alphabetical order according to the letter that they are wearing.

Hint! You can also play “I Have – Who Has?” with the letters. For example: “I have A. Who has B?” “I have B. Who has C?”


ALPHABET CUPS
Write letters on the sides of bathroom cups. Let children explore and experiment building with the cups.


*Make a matching game where they match upper and lowercase letters.
*Challenge children to make words (or their names) with the cups. 

Hint! Store in a Pringle’s can.


Letter Man
Letter Man (or you could make a Letter Lady or Letter Monster) is easy to make and sure to capture your students’ interest. You’ll need a small swinging trashcan, felt scraps, googly eyes, pom poms, craft glue (E6000 works great), and magnetic letters.

Decorate the trashcan to look like a man similar to the photo. Spread magnetic letters out on the table. If children can identify a letter they can “feed” it to (put it inside) Letter Man. What a fun way to assess the letters that children know!

*What’s My Sound?
Place the letters inside Letter Man. Children can take turns pulling out a letter, making the sound, and saying a word that starts with that sound.

*Alphabet Center
Put Letter Man (full of letters), paper, and pencils in an alphabet center. Children take turns choosing a letter and then trying to write the letter.

*Feed Letter Man
Ask children to feed Letter Man all the letters that are blue… feed Letter Man all the vowels… the letters in alphabetical order…and so forth.

*Words
Have children spell their name or sight words and then feed them to Letter Man.

*Sing this song to the tune of “I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” as you put letters in the trashcan.
I know an old man who swallowed a (name letter).
What would he say if he swallowed a (name letter).
(sound), (sound), (sound) – (name letter).P.S. If you missed my FB Live yesterday on alphabet letters you can watch it today.

EGGS, EGGS, EVERYWHERE!

One of the fun things about this time of year is using those inexpensive eggs in your classroom. If things are cheaper by the dozen, then here's a dozen ideas for you!

Reading Games
Write an upper case letter on one half with a permanent marker and the lower case letter on the other half.



Give children small pictures of objects to put into appropriate eggs.

Put antonyms on eggs for children to match.

Write synonyms on eggs.

Reinforce compound words with eggs.

*Ask older children to write the synonyms, antonyms, and compounds after matching them.

Write two letter words on eggs. Children make words and then read them. Can they use the word in a sentence?

Write onsets (consonants or blends) on one half and rimes (word endings) on the other half. Children twist around and read words. You could also ask children to write the words.

Make puzzles of sight words and put them in the eggs. Children put the letters together, read the word, and then write the word.

Make puzzles of simple sentences and challenge children to put the words together and read the sentence.

Put random letters in the egg and ask children to see how many words they can make and write from the letters.

Write a poem about spring on a small sheet of paper. Fold it up and put it in the egg.

Math
Write numerals or number words on the eggs. Children fill with the appropriate amount of beans or paper clips.


Children match up dots or number words with numerals.

Place a certain number of small objects in the eggs (2-10). Children dump out the objects and then write all the combinations they can make.

Give children a variety of objects. Ask them to predict if each object will fit in an egg or if is too big. Sort the objects after testing if they will fit.

Use the eggs for addition and subtraction problems.

Reinforce place value by writing numerals 1-9 on the eggs. Children put the eggs together and then say the numeral.



Science
Let children draw pictures of all the animals that come from eggs.

Place objects in the eggs, such as popcorn kernels, cotton balls, bells, etc. Children shake the eggs and predict what is inside.
*Make two eggs with like objects for children to match the sounds.

Musical Instrument
Put dried beans in the eggs and tape to a plastic spoon to make maracas.

Spoon Relay
Give children a large spoon and an egg. Can they get their egg from one point to another without dropping it?

Yummy Snack
Put small crackers, raisins, cereal, grapes, or other healthy snacks in the eggs.



Sensory
Place eggs in a water table or sand box for pouring and measuring.