PLAY DOUGH DAY

PLAYING MAKES YOU SMARTER! 

So I guess that means playing with play dough makes kids smarter!

September 16th is National Play Dough Day, but I think every day should be a play dough day in early childhood. Play dough is multi-sensory, engaging, creative, and open-ended. Play dough can be a tool just like a worksheet, video game, or PPT. Play dough also develops small motor skills which help children write. Here are just a few ways to integrate play dough into centers and independent learning in your classroom.
Comprehension
Let children make their favorite character and use it to retell a story.

Draw a scene from a story and add details with play dough.

Make something that you learned from the book.

Phonics
Rhymes – Make two objects that rhyme.



Sounds – Make objects that start with a consonant, blend, or diagraph you are working on.
Vowels- Make an object for a long vowel sound and short vowel sound.


Writing
Make something you like (or don’t like) and write about it.

Make something from a book you have read and write about it.

Make letter plates by writing letters with a permanent marker on plastic plates. Children roll play dough and make the letters on top.

Make letters (or words) using a bubble font. Children roll dough and fill in.


Make something that is a noun. How can you make it plural?

Math
Make objects that match numbers.

Make a set and then decompose it.

Demonstrate more, less, and equal.


Make lines, curves, and shapes.

Science and Social Studies
Reinforce information from a science or social studies unit with play dough. Children could make animals from a habitat, parts of a flower, tools of community helpers, healthy foods…endless possibilities!

Silly Putty
Here’s another idea a second grade teacher shared for keeping those fingers busy! She asks each parent to provide a container of silly putty that the children keep in their pencil box. If they finish their work early, they use the silly putty to create something that relates to a reading skill, math concept, science unit, etc.

SINGING LETTERS AND SOUNDS

Music is the most natural way to learn anything. Mary Ann Wolf (reading researcher) 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.

Hint!
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.


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.

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

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

Here’s a YouTube video of this song: 

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

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.

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

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://drjeanandfriends.blogspot.com/search?q=letter+tails

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.

EASY PEASY ABC MATERIALS

These tools are easy to make and will add hands-on fun to your curriculum. Wouldn't they be perfect for a learning center?

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.


PLAYFUL AND CHALLENGING PLAY DOUGH
Write letters on clear plastic plates, plastic placemats, sheet protectors, or leftover laminating film with a permanent marker. Make play dough from the recipe below. Children roll play dough and place it on top to make the letter. Can they make objects that begin with that letter? 

Homemade Play Dough
2 cups flour
2 cups
2 TB cream of tartar
2 TB vegetable oil
2 cups water
Food coloring

Mix ingredients together in a pan until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture forms a ball and sticks to the spoon. Cool and knead. Store in zip baggie

* Add unsweetened Kool-aid, vanilla, cinnamon, or other spices to give it an aroma.
Hint! You can even find a gluten free play dough recipe online.


Alphabet Cookies
*Let children press magnetic letters in play dough to make alphabet cookies.

Play Dough Pictionary
Each child will need a small ball of dough to play this game. Call out a letter. Children try and make something from their dough that begins with that sound. Take turns trying to guess what friends molded.


LETTER POPS
You will need jumbo craft sticks, magnetic letters, and E6000 glue (or similar craft glue) to make letter pops. Glue the magnetic letters to the jumbo craft sticks and you’re all set to begin.


Song Props
Pass out the sticks and have children hold up their letter as you sing ABC songs.

Letter Hunt
Ask children to walk around the room and match their letter on classroom print. Can they match their letter to an object in the room that begins with the sound?

Library Pointers
Place the letter pops in a can in the classroom library. Children choose a letter and then match it up with that letter in a book.

Making Words
Let older children get together with friends and make words with their letter pops.

Match Up
Make a set of letter pops with uppercase letters and a set with lowercase letters. According to the number of children in your classroom, use the appropriate number of uppercase and lowercase letters. Distribute uppercase letters to half the class and matching lowercase letters to the other half. Children can walk around the room and match up.

LETTER LAND

All aboard for Letter Land! The few days I’ll be sharing alphabet activities on my blog because this time of year the ABC’s seem to be the starting line in most pre-k and K classrooms.

I have been at this rodeo a LONG time and I want you to know there is NO one correct way to introduce letters or teach children to read. Just take a look around you and you’ll see people of all ages who know HOW to read and they learned TO READ with a variety of different approaches, materials, and reading programs.

Many people ask me questions about how to introduce letters. Should you do capital letters first? Is there a specific order you should follow? There is NO definitive research to support one particular strategy. Children come to you with so many varied experiences and skills that one size will not fit all. There are two principles that I think are important.

First, make it authentic! Teach letters in context and connect with children’s names, units of study, nursery rhymes, and other interests. For example, a trip to the pumpkin patch would be the perfect time to talk about Pp. Talk about the letter Jj when you say Jack and Jill. If your football team is the Falcons discuss the letter Ff.

Second, make it playful and challenging. Use hands-on activities, songs, movements, and games to stimulate multiple senses. Blocks, play dough, puzzles, and magnetic letters are much more REAL than a worksheet or computer game.

Finally, remember that children take it in and take it in and take it in – and then something comes out! They don’t all learn in the same way at the same time, so you have to provide a variety of opportunities to learn. The key is to keep it fun and make them feel successful.

I've got some simple tools that will provide children with multiple experiences in learning letters. Purposeful practice for automaticity (aka repetition) is important for skill mastery so you will want to do these activities many times.

Note! Although I’ll be focusing on alphabet letters, please “harvest” these ideas and make them work for the age and interests of your students. For example, if your children are proficient with alphabet knowledge, use these ideas for sight words. For younger children adapt these activities for learning colors and shapes.


LETTER PUPPETS

Envelope Puppets
Seal an envelope and cut it in half as shown. Write the uppercase letter on one side and the lowercase letter on the other side. Sing the “Hokey Pokey” with the letter puppet.

You put your (letter) in,
You take your (letter) out,
You put your (letter) in
And you shake it all about.
You make the (letter sound)
And then you put it down.

*Listen up! Tell children when you say words starting with that sound they can hold up their puppet. When you say a word that doesn’t start with that sound they should keep the puppet in their lap.

*Have children write a letter on one side and draw an animal that begins with that sound on the reverse side.




*I Have - Who Has Alphabetical Order?
Seal 13 envelopes, cut them in half, and then write the letters of the alphabet on the envelopes. Pass out one or two envelopes to each child and have the child with A say: I have A. Who has B?
The child with B says: I have B. Who has C? And so forth.

*Let children hold up their letter as you sing different alphabet songs.

*Use these puppets to make CVC words.

Paper Plate Puppets
Staple two paper plates together 3/4 of the way around. Write a large uppercase letter on one side and a lowercase letter on the other side. Or, just write the uppercase and lowercase together on one side. Children wear these on their hands and hold them up when their letter is sung in an alphabet song.

*You can also use these to make CVC words or sight words.


http://bit.ly/drjeanLetterLand

PLAYING WITH LETTERS

PLAYING WITH LETTERS is meant to be a resource that you can use with any reading or alphabet program that your school has selected. The ideas can be adapted for circle time, learning centers, small group instruction, take home activities, brain breaks, or transitions to provide children with learning opportunities throughout the day. Think of these activities as a spoonful of sugar to make those skills and standards “taste” more fun!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lG6M8DVJP2umDSVMAdv5uq1vF0l3XjBo/view?usp=sharing

The activities in our book are organized around these categories:

Touch and Tell (Multisensory)

Teaching Transitions

ABC Tools and “Toys”

Let’s Play and Learn Games

Letter Land (Classroom Print &Alphabet Books)

Ready to Write

Letter Centers

Singing Letters and Sounds

Alphabet Poetry Book

NOTE!

Many teachers question how they should introduce letters. Should you do capital letters first? Is there a specific order you should follow? There is NO definitive research to support one particular strategy. Children come to you with so many varied experiences and skills that one size will not fit all. However, there are two principles that we think are important.

First, make it authentic! Teach letters in context and connect with children’s names, units of study, nursery rhymes, and other interests. For example, a trip to the pumpkin patch would be the perfect time to talk about Pp. Talk about the letter Jjwhen you say Jack and Jill. If your football team is the Falcons discuss the letter Ff.

Second, make it playful and challenging. Use hands-on activities, songs, movements, and games to stimulate multiple senses. Blocks, play dough, puzzles, and magnetic letters are much more REAL than a worksheet or computer game.

Finally, remember that children take it in and take it in and take it in – and then something comes out! They don’t all learn in the same way at the same time, so you have to provide a variety of opportunities to learn. The key is to keep it fun and make them feel successful. 

HINT!  You’ll also be able to adapt many of these strategies for other skills, such as sight words, math concepts, etc.

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 111

I’m sharing more good news and good ideas with you today!

Sharing Good News (Jessica Williams)
Write children’s names on craft sticks and place in a jar that says “Good News.” The teacher starts every morning by sharing her own “good news.” The children clap or cheer for her. Next, she pulls a stick and the class sings, "Tell me something good!" That child shares their good news and then the class does a cheer. The teacher pulls the second stick and they sing, "Tell me something good" and then cheer. Do three children each day and then put those who have had a turn in an envelope and start all over again when everyone has had a turn.

Whisper and Release Questioning Strategy (Mary Claire Porter)
When the teacher asks a question have the children blow their answer into their closed fist. When the teacher says, “What is it?” they “release” their answer by opening their hand and saying the answer out loud.


Name Bingo
Play BINGO using children’s names and googly eyes. Write children’s names on sentence strips and give them googly eyes. “I spy the letter R. “ If children have an “R” in their name they cover it up with a googly eye.

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.


Eating the Alphabet (Yolanda Coppedge)
You will need upper and lowercase magnetic letters, a bowl, spoon, and alphabet cards. Each child uses the spoon to scoop out a letter. They have to name the letter, make the sound, and say something that starts with the sound before matching it to the alphabet card.

ABC Tune (Marina Attix)
Did you know that you could sing the ABC’s to the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” It’s great because L M N O P don’t end up sounding like “a lemon and a pea.”


Class Pictionary
Each day choose a different letter of the alphabet and write it on a large sheet of paper. Let the children cut out objects or draw pictures of things that start with that sound. Be sure and label their pictures. After introducing all 26 letters, put the pages together to make a BIG BOOK PICTIONARY for your classroom. Don’t forget to add a page for illustrators and the publisher (school, city, and state). You could also let the children dedicate the book and make a page that says “The End.”


Silly Band Writing
This is the coolest idea with silly bands. Explain that when you go for a ride in the car you have to wear your seat belt. When you write you have to put a seat belt on your pencil. Put a silly band on your wrist, hold your pencil, and then loop the silly band around the pencil. It will stabilize the pencil and make it easier for the children to write.
*A teacher also suggested holding the lid of the marker in your hand when you draw to get the correct grip.

Who Stole the Sound? (Candice Hall)
Adapt “Who Stole the Cookie?” to letters. Write letters on cookie shapes and place them in a bag. Pass the bag around and as children pull out a letter say:
Who stole the letter sound from the cookie jar?
Child’s name stole the letter sound from the cookie jar!
Who me?
Yes, you!
Couldn’t be.
Then who?

GREAT TEACHERS 108

These ideas are almost like seeds that you can take and grow into your own activities. 

Advisors and a WAITING Chair (Melanie Goodwin)
Two children are selected to be “advisors” for the day. During guided reading/workstations students ask a partner or one of the “advisors” before sitting in the “waiting chair” to ask the teacher. “Ask three, then me!” They have to wait until the teacher can get to them and often leave because they figure it out while waiting. This really helps eliminate disruptions during guided reading!

Mr. Tuttles (Karen Campbell)
Take a mirror and put a hat/head on top and add arms and legs to create “Mr. Tuttles.” Children tell Mr. Tuttles their tattles!


End of Year Gift (Julie Bright)
Ask each child to bring in a pillowcase. Use a T-shirt transfer to put this saying on the pillowcases:
Now I lay me down to sleep.
I’ll count hands instead of sheep.
Of all the friends I made
In (teacher’s name) first grade.
The students use fabric paint to put their handprint and write their name on all their friends’ pillowcases.


Insects (Katheryn Lambert)
(Tune: “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”)
Head (point to head)
Thorax (point to chest)
Abdomen, abdomen (rub torso).
Head, thorax, abdomen, abdomen.
Two antennae (wiggle index fingers by temples)
And six legs (three fingers extended on each side)
Head, thorax, abdomen!
*Use the concept of two antennae and six legs to discuss symmetry and odd and even numbers. “We know our insects need six legs. Should I use one leg on this side and 5 legs on the other? No! It would be all lopsided!”

Swat (Whitney Rhyne)
Write letters, words, etc. on chart paper or board. Have 2 children come up at a time to race and find the letter the teacher calls out. Each child is given a fly swatter and the first one to “swat” it wins a point for their team.


Who Let the Letter Out? (Whitney Rhyne)
Have the class squat down as you begin they song. They get to “pop up” when the letter that their name begins with comes up in the song. This is great for beginning sounds and teaches the kids what letters their friends’ names begin with.


Friendship Tools (Liz Watras)
Use sign language (aslpro.com) to teach children these words:
Ask
Trade
Wait
Share
Include
Stop
When they have a problem they can use the tools and signs to work through the conflict.


Donut Vowels (Robin Davis)
Make donuts out of foam and decorate with markers. Write letters on each side of the donut. Next, put a vowel in the middle of a small paper plate. Children place the donut hole over the vowel and sound out the word.

Buddy Time (Robin Davis)
Put matching pompoms in a can and let each child draw a pompom. They match pompoms to find their buddy.


Tablecloths (Angie Barnett)
You can use flannel back tablecloths for everything. They are sturdy and won’t slip on the carpet. Just have the kids take off their shoes.
Keypad – If you draw a keypad children can jump their phone number, cafeteria number, or use for number recognition.
Popcorn Words – Write words or letters on popcorn shapes. Children jump around identifying letters or words.
Keyboard – Make a keyboard and use for letter recognition or spelling words.
Graph – Draw out a bar graph and use or comparisons.


Hall Chant (Theresa Malone)
My hands are hanging by my side
I’m standing straight and tall.
My eyes are looking straight ahead.
I’m ready for the hall.


Itsy Bitsy Spider (Sharon Howard)
After singing the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” let children change what kind of spider it is. It could be happy, mad, mean, angry, silly, pretty princess, etc. Then children decide how that spider would go up the waterspout.


Bread and Butter (Sharon Howard)
When you walk down the hall and go around a post or pole say this chant to the tune of “Frere Jacques”:
Bread and butter
Bread and butter
Toast and jam
Toast and jam
Peanut butter jelly
Peanut butter jelly
Cheese and ham
Cheese and ham

PICNIC BOOK

Sometimes children like big books and sometimes they like little books. This book is so much easier to make when you tell the story about going on a picnic.

Make a picnic book by telling this story:

Let’s go on a picnic. First we need a picnic basket.
(Fold the paper in half.)

Next, we need hotdogs.
(Fold the paper in fourths.)

We also need hamburgers.
(Fold the paper into eighths.)

We’ll need a picnic bench to sit at.
(Open so it’s folded in half. Bring one bottom flap to the fold. Turn
over and bring the other bottom flap to the fold.)

A picnic is more fun if we share it with a friend. (Tear down middle crease
until you reach the fold.)

Now all we need is a book to write a story about our adventures on our picnic.
(Hands on top of bench, bend down, and fold around to make a book.)

  

Use for: letter books, word families
reading the room, writing the room
fact families
shape or color books
unit or theme
spelling words (picture/sentence)
friends’ names and phone numbers
opposites, story elements
original stories

Hint! Let children decorate an individual cereal box to store their picnic books.

 

Picnic Books - https://bit.ly/drJPicnicBks

Narrated version: https://bit.ly/drJPicnicNar

BROCHURES

Giving children a “brochure” to write in is much more "inviting" than a blank sheet of paper.

Directions: Fold a sheet of paper into thirds to create a brochure.
*Or try this easy version: roll paper into a burrito/circle and “smush” flat.

Brochure / Step Books - https://bit.ly/drJBrochureStep

Narrated version: https://bit.ly/drJBrochureNar

Use for: 

story elements (title, favorite character, beginning, middle, end)
consonants or vowels (capital, lower case, pictures; long a, short a, aw sound)
all about me
assessment
field trip, vacation, place they’d like to visit
unit or theme (K-W-L)
sorting (pictures, letters, words, syllables)
fact families
biography (facts, accomplishments)
letters with lines, curves, lines and curves
inflicted endings
drawing a body