HOW ABOUT A SURPRISE SACK?

All you have to do is put something in a bag and you’ll capture children’s curiosity and interest. Take a gift bag and hide a book, game, object, or prop that relates to a skill or theme you are working on and sing this song to the tune of “I’m a Little Teapot.”

Surprise Sack
What’s in the surprise sack?
Who can tell?
Maybe it’s a book or maybe it’s a shell.
What’s in the surprise sack?
Who can see?
It’s something special for you and me!
What’s in the surprise sack?
Who can say?
Maybe it’s a picture or maybe it’s a game.
What’s in the surprise sack
Look and see.
It’s something special for you and me!

Mystery Box
Hide something you want to talk about (book, natural object, etc.) in a box and play “20 Questions.” Children get 20 chances to ask yes/no questions to figure out what is in the mystery box. Tally the questions on the board to keep track.


*Use this as an opportunity to teach strategies that will help narrow the answer. For example: Is it living? Is it non-living? Is it something in your house? Is it a person? Place? Thing?

Imagination Bag
Give each child a paper lunch bag and explain that you are going on an imaginary trip. You can take a trip to the pumpkin patch, zoo, outer space, or any place that fits with their interests or a theme. Have them open their bags and look for something they might see on the imaginary trip. Encourage them to take turns naming objects and making imaginary places on the floor in front of them.

*Tie imagination bags into concepts you want to reinforce, such as letters, shapes, sounds, etc. For example: “Who can find something in their bag that is a square?”


Note! You're probably reading this and thinking that "Dr. Jean has lost it." I'm telling you from experience that the kids LOVE this imagination bag!

QUESTION PROMPTS

THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION!

One of the most powerful teaching strategies isn't something that you buy or plug in. Nor is it something you run off on the copy machine. It's the ability to ask GOOD questions that make children think. Here are some tips for challenging children’s thoughts and answers.

Open-ended – Ask open-ended questions, rather than “yes” or “no.”
Convergent questions have one answer, but divergent questions encourage students to make new connections and think outside the box.

Phrase Questions Clearly – Focus on one aspect at a time.

Acknowledge Responses - Avoid judging answers by repeating their response. “Good thinking!” “That’s close.” “I never thought about that before.” “Kiss your brain!”

How did you know that? Encourage children to “think out loud.” This will help peers develop higher thinking skills.

Probe – Extend students’ thinking by having them clarify an idea or support an opinion.

Give Time (Smile!) – Help children think about what they want to say and provide for individual differences by asking children to smile if they know the answer. Allow 3-5 seconds of think time.


CRITICAL THINKING CARDS
Download the attached question prompt cards. Glue to index cards, punch a hole in the upper left hand corners, and attach to a book ring. Color the edges of each card to indicate questions from simple to complex. Use to challenge children to think critically and creatively.



https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljVTNCemZnbUJVMVk/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-n2sk1JhhwMTdf0rxDX2Y2Q

*Hint! Color code the different levels. For example, you could outline level one questions with a green marker. Outline level two with a blue marker, and so forth.

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 118

 Many "Mini" Ideas from Minneapolis 2015

Picture Game Pieces (Katie from Little Falls) 

Use pictures of the kids that you have taken and turn them into game pieces. When they play any game they can use their own game piece and they'll actually be moving themselves. 
*If you have the bases from Candyland or Chutes & Ladders the pictures fit nicely into those. 

Singing Directions (Sandra Knap) 
Sing directions rather than repeating yourself.  (Tune:  "If You're Happy and You Know It")
Example: Grab a milk and sit down for a snack. 
Grab a milk and sit down for a snack. 
Grab a milk and sit down for a snack. 
Grab a milk and sit down for a snack. 
*Add, "Just like Alisa. Just like Jonathan..." 

Password (Megan Engelsgjerd) 
Practice sight words or CVC words by placing a sign on your door that says, "What's the password?" Write a new word each day and the students have to whisper it when they enter and leave the classroom. 

Word of the Day (Mairin Born)
Put a sight word each week (or day) in a clear nametag pocket. All week the kids must name the word or turn it into a sentence as a "ticket" to talk to the teacher. 

Spiderman (Jessica Schmidt)
That's when the children need to "glue" themselves against the wall. 

Friend Book (Barb Larkin) 
Make a friend book at the beginning for the year where each child has a page with their favorite book, names of family members, favorite food, color, etc. Towards the end of the year play a guessing game where you give three clues about one of the classmates and the children have to guess who it is. 

Mystery Person (Amy Keith) 
Parents fill out a sheet of paper with five clues about their child. (Begin with generals and end with specifics.) The teacher puts the clues on sentences strips and covers them up. One clue is revealed each day until they figure out who the mystery person is. 

Pretzel Legs (Tracy Hagen) 
Children sit down with legs spread out straight. The teacher says 3 "p" words and when she says "pretzel" the kids sit criss cross. 

Silence (Karen Reindl) 
Tell the kids you're going to play "silence." 
"Let's shake it out!" 
Stand tall and still and hold up one hand. Slowly put up one finger at a time. However, if they make noise before that stop until they are silent again. When you get to 5 or 10 everyone can clap. 

Behavior Management (Denise Clusian) 
Place a Chutes and Ladders board on your wall. When the children deserve it they "earn a spin." As they make their way to 100 they may have a slide just like in real life. “Oh, well! We'll have to work a little harder.” When they reach 100 the class votes on what they want for a reward/party. 

Rainbow Clap (Kammi O'Hara) 
Start on one side of your body and clap in an arch over to the other side. 

Self-Regulation (Sarah Mumaw-Flury) 
Put your idea in your hand and hold it up. 
Whisper your idea or the answer to the question in your hand and then hold it up. Release! 

Mystery Bag (Janie Lundstrom) 
Hide an object in a myster bag. Students have to ask questions to get clues about what is inside. 
*Give clues, such as it starts with (sound). 

GREAT TEACHERS 114

SEE IF YOU CAN FIND SOME "JEWELS" FROM MY 2012 WORKSHOPS.

Button Factory Language Unit (Ann Michael)
Ann used this favorite song as a springboard for the following activities:
Button box – sort, organize, match, describe
Button fashion show – children wear clothing with buttons
Button shirt – put a wide Velcro strip on a child’s shirt. Put Velcro on buttons and have children put the buttons on their shirt.
Button sweatshirt – teacher wears a sweatshirt covered with a variety of buttons and children describe the buttons

Classroom Management Trick (Alison Barnes)
Teacher: Give me one.
Students: One. (clap one time)
Teacher: Give me four.
Students: One, two ,three, four. (clap four times)
*You can do this as many times as you want mixing up the numbers. End by saying:
Teacher: Give me fingers to lips.
Students: (Put 2 fingers to lips and smile quietly.)


Take a Picture Walk (Lauren Martin)
This activity will help children learn to turn pages from the front of the book to the back. Use two fingers to mimic walking through a book as you chant:
Walking through the pictures.
Walking through with speed.
Walking through the pictures
And now it’s time to read.
Students close the book to the front and raise their hands to describe the pictures that they saw.


Animal Reading (Mary Baykouski)
Read predictable books using different animal sounds or whatever theme sound the children suggest.
For example: The Farm (moo moo)
The boy is on the farm. (moo moo)


Transition Song (Sharon Dudley)
Tune: La Cuckla Racha
Come to the carpet, come to the carpet.
La, la, la, la, la, la, la.
We are ready.
We are listening.
We are ready for some fun, story, math, etc.


Candyland Adaptation (Amanda Dalgleish)
Level one - Write the color names on the color cards.
Level two – Make new cards by writing color words in the same color as the word.
Level three – Make cards with just the word written in black.

More Skill Games with Candyland (Katie Spies)
Make Candyland cards with numerals, word wall words, math facts, etc. Put harder level words or facts on the double color cards.


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.


Waiting Gemstones (Dawn Corkran)
Let students pick a stone and decorate it. When they need help they lay their stone next to the teacher and return to their work until the teacher can help them. (Most of the time they will solve their own problem.)


Go Tell Puppy (Yolanda Coppedge)
When children have an issue, they tell it to the toy puppy in their calm down area.

Thinking Time (Maggie Silver)
Some children are much faster at identifying words. To give an opportunity to all the kids, when you come to a new word point to it and slowly say, “1, 2, 3, what word do you see?” That will give the children extra time to sound out the word.

GREAT TEACHERS 113

Yes, indeed, there were some great teachers with great ideas in North Carolina in 2013!

Envelope Factory
This is how teachers take an idea and milk it for all its worth! I’ve showed you before how to cut an envelope in half to make a puppet. Look how this can be used to reinforce Standards.

*Put a period on one side and a question mark on the other. When the teacher makes a statement, children hold up the period. When the teacher asks a question, the children hold up the question mark.
*Write “fact” on one side and “opinion” on the other side.
*Write “fiction” on one side and “non-fiction” on the other side.
*Write “yes” on one side and “no” on the other side for a quick review.


Letter Pops (Kristi Moore)
Glue upper and lowercase letters on jumbo craft sticks. Children can match letters that go together.

*You could also use these for helping children find a partner.


Silent Math (Cindy Lang)
While students are waiting for the restroom or drinking fountain, one student shows the person beside them a number on their fingers and then a function sign (+ or -) and another number. The friend will answer by showing the correct number of fingers. Continue playing until everyone is back in line.


Syllable Stepping (Michaela White)
As a way to transition and line up students, have them step out syllables and sounds. Every student stands in place. The teacher (or student helper) calls out a word. The students move according to the syllables they hear.
Ex: arctic – 2 syllables – walk 2 steps in line
*Segment sounds (CVC words, etc.) by stepping for each sound and then sliding as you blend the sounds.


Twister (Traci Branch)
Use a Twister mat and write words, numerals, letters, etc. on the circles. Write the words on the spinner and let the children play.
Hint! A shower curtain can be used to make the game with a homemade spinner.


Word Family Step Book (Gaye Vitolo)
Staple a step book at the top and cut up as shown. Write a different rime on each section and then challenge children to write all the words they can that end with that sound.
*Use for long vowel, short vowel, and r controlled.
*Use for tenses or place value.

Question Strategy (Jamie Turnage)
Students tap their brain to think of the answer to a question and then blow the answer in their hands. They all release the answer on the count of three.


Wolfpack Cheer (Julie Earnhardt, Lisa Byrom, Joan Munn)
Stick index finger and pinky up in the air and then touch middle finger and ring finger to your thumb to make the “wolf.” Children can make fingers “bark” as they give a silent cheer for their friends.


Schoolwide Vocabulary Parade (Tammi and Tiffany from Manchester El.)
This is a one month project. First, each child chooses a word and writes a proposal with the word, the definition, a sentence, and a picture.
Kindergarten – nouns
1st Grade – verbs
2nd Grade – adjectives
3rd Grade – multiple meaning words
4th Grade – similes
5th Grade – idioms
Based on their word, each child creates a hat that they wear on a special day and they parade around the school.


Word Wall Wednesday (Joan Munn)
Ask questions about words on the word wall. Assess by having the student write down their answer on a “ticket.”
*On “Thinking Thursday” do math word problems.

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?

GOT A MINUTE?

If you've got 2 or 3 minutes after you've read a story or taught a lesson, these are some quick ways to assess learning and recall information. These ideas can be adapted for fiction or non-fiction literature, math, science, or social studies. All your students will be engaged and can reflect on what they've learned. That's a win/win!!

Sign Language
Teach children sign language for “yes” (make a fist and nod it up and down) and “no” (extend middle and index finger from thumb and open and close. As you ask questions, children respond with the appropriate sign.

Schema
Teach sign language for "connection" (thumbs make circles with index fingers and join like a chain). Discuss that when they connect what is in the book with what is in their brain they make a "schema." If they've made a "schema" they can show you with their hands. Call on random students to explain how they connected personally with the book.

Show Me
You will need two index cards. Write “yes” on one and “no” on the other. Children place these on the surface in front of them. As the teacher asks questions, the children hold up the appropriate word.

Envelope
Seal an envelope and cut it in half. Write “yes” on one side and “no” on the other side.

Stump the Teacher
Explain to the children that they get to be the teacher and ask you questions. Remind them to think about what they want to ask you before raising their hand. They must also know the answer to the question they are going to ask.

PUNCTUATION PAYS

What Is a Sentence (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.

Punctuation Sticks
Use jumbo craft sticks or paint sticks for this activity. Draw a “.” “?” and “!” on the end of each stick with a marker. Write simple sentences on the board. Take one stick at a time and place it at the end of a sentence. Children practice reading with that expression.

ABC?
Say the abc’s according to the punctuation marks.
A B C.
D E F ?
G H I J!
K L M ?
N O P !
Q R S T.
U V W?
X Y Z!

Statements and Questions
Seal envelopes and cut in half as shown to make a puppet. Make a period on one side and a question mark on the other side. If the teacher says a question the children hold up the question mark. If the teacher makes a statement they hold up the period.

Glass Pebbles
Let children use glass pebbles to find punctuation in books and magazines.
*Can they tally how many periods, exclamation, and question marks they find on a selected page?

YES/NO QUICKIE

If you've got 2 or 3 minutes after you've read a story or taught a lesson, these are some quick ways to assess learning and recall information. These ideas can be adapted for fiction or non-fiction literature, math, science, or social studies. All your students will be engaged and can reflect on what they've learned. That's a win/win!!

Sign Language
Teach children sign language for “yes” (make a fist and nod it up and down) and “no” (extend middle and index finger from thumb and open and close. As you ask questions, children respond with the appropriate sign.

Show Me
You will need two index cards. Write “yes” on one and “no” on the other. Children place these on the surface in front of them. As the teacher asks questions, the children hold up the appropriate word.

Envelope
Seal an envelope and cut it in half. Write “yes” on one side and “no” on the other side.

Schema
Teach sign language for "connection" (thumbs make circles with index fingers and join like a chain). Discuss that when they connect what is in the book with what is in their brain they make a "schema." If they've made a "schema" they can show you with their hands. Call on random students to explain how they connected personally with the book.

Stump the Teacher
Explain to the children that they get to be the teacher and ask you questions. Remind them to think about what they want to ask you before raising their hand. They must also know the answer to the question they are going to ask.

WHISPER AND RELEASE

Some children need more “thinking time” than others. When students blurt out the answer, it deprives some students of that time. These strategies will also develop self-regulation and encourage your students to think of divergent answers.

Whisper and Release
Have children hold up their hand and whisper their answer in their fist. When most children have responded say, "1, 2, 3, release!" Children open their fist and whisper their answer.

Thumbs Up Thinking
Explain that you are going to ask a question. If they know the answer they can put their thumb up next to their chest.

*If they know more than one answer, they can put up a finger for each additional thing they know.

Pop Up Q & A
To review information, divide children into partners. Ask the question or give a math problem. Students discuss the answer with their partner and then stoop to the ground. When all the groups are squatting down, the teacher says, “One, two, three!” Children pop up and say the answer. If they arrived at different answers, let the class evaluate the correct response.

Pick Sticks
Ask each child to write his/her name on a large craft stick. Color one end green and one end red. Place the red end in the bottom of a can. Ask a question, and then choose a stick. That child gets to answer the question. Return their stick to the can with the red end up.

Me Too!
Teach children sign language for “me too!” (Extend thumb and pinky finger and place the middle three fingers on your palm as you point your thumb toward your chest.) Tell children when you are reading a book they can use the sign to let you know they’ve had a similar experience.

CRITICAL THINKING CARDS

Many times when teachers are evaluated they are criticized for not using higher order questions. I’ve created these prompt cards that may help you improve in this area. You can download them and then cut out the ones that are most appropriate for your grade level. Glue them to index cards, punch a hole, and attach them to a book ring.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljVTNCemZnbUJVMVk/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-n2sk1JhhwMTdf0rxDX2Y2Q 

*Hint! Color code the different levels. For example, you could outline level one questions with a green marker. Outline level two with a blue marker, and so forth.

THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION

Isn’t it interesting that one of the most powerful teaching strategies is frequently overlooked? Between screens and assessment, there is the hidden secret of asking GOOD questions. As simple as it may seem, that’s something we can all practice and improve in 2025.

Why ask questions?

*Spark children’s interest

*For assessment

*To evaluate teaching effectiveness

*To see where students are to set new goals

*Evaluate children’s level of understanding

*Motivate students to seek information

*To encourage children to see new relationships

*To challenge children to think critically

*To help students make personal connections with the information

*To encourage communication and learning among students

*To summarize and evaluate


Here are some general tips for asking good questions:

Open-ended – Ask open-ended questions, rather than “yes” or “no.”
Convergent questions have one answer, but divergent questions encourage students to make new connections and think outside the box.

Phrase Questions Clearly – Focus on one aspect at a time.

Acknowledge Responses - Avoid judging answers by repeating their response. “Good thinking!” “That’s close.” “I never thought about that before.” “Kiss your brain!”

How did you know that? Encourage children to “think out loud.” This will help peers develop higher thinking skills.

Probe – Extend students’ thinking by having them clarify an idea or support an opinion.

Give Time (Smile! ) – Help children think about what they want to say and provide for individual differences by asking children to smile if they know the answer. Allow at least 3-5 seconds of think time.

Pause – Pause a few seconds after students have responded. This may encourage them to think more deeply or to elaborate.

Come back tomorrow for some specific strategies that are easy to implement and could have powerful results!

SURPRISE SACK

Want a new trick to capture your students' attention this week? How about a surprise sack to capture their interest and curiosity? Take a gift bag andhide a book, game, object, or prop that relates to a skill or theme you are working on and sing this song to the tune of “I’m a Little Teapot.”

Surprise Sack
What’s in the surprise sack?
Who can tell?
Maybe it’s a book or maybe it’s a shell.
What’s in the surprise sack?
Who can see?
It’s something special for you and me!
What’s in the surprise sack?
Who can say?
Maybe it’s a picture or maybe it’s a game.
What’s in the surprise sack
Look and see.
It’s something special for you and me!

Mystery Box
Hide something you want to talk about (book, natural object, etc.) in a box and play “20 Questions.” Children get 20 chances to ask yes/no questions to figure out what is in the mystery box. Tally the questions on the board to keep track.



*Use this as an opportunity to teach strategies that will help narrow the answer. For example: Is it living? Is it non-living? Is it something in your house? Is it a person? Place? Thing?


Imagination Bag
Give each child a paper lunch bag and explain that you are going on an imaginary trip. You can take a trip to the pumpkin patch, zoo, outer space, or any place that fits with their interests or a theme. Have them open their bags and look for something they might see on the imaginary trip. Encourage them to take turns naming objects and making imaginary places on the floor in front of them.

*Time imagination bags into concepts you want to reinforce, such as letters, shapes, sounds, etc. For example: “Who can find something in their bag that is a square?”

Surprise Video!

Here's a new story and download that Alex May (webmaster) has created.  He's getting pretty amazing with AI!

https://bit.ly/drJKitesNarrated

BUT WAIT - THERE'S MORE!

Yes, indeed!  I've got a few more activities with envelopes.

Yes-No
This is great for a quick review. Have children write “yes” on one side with a green crayon and “no” on the other side with a red crayon. When you’ve got a few extra minutes have the class use these to answer simple questions. You can quickly gaze around the room and see who has the correct answer.

Question – Statement
Put a period on one side and a question mark on the other side. Children hold up the period if the teacher makes a statement. The question mark is held up for a question.

Fact – Opinion
Write “fact” on one side and “opinion” on the other side. As the teacher says facts and opinions, the children respond by holding up their envelope.

Book
Write riddles or questions on the front of envelopes. Put the answers on index cards and insert in the envelopes. Hole punch and bind several to make a book.

*At the beginning of the school year have children write descriptions about themselves on the outside of the envelope and then put their photo inside.

Pull and Read
Cut the left end off the envelope. Write children’s names on 9 ½” sentence strips. Glue their picture on the right side. Pull out one letter at a time for children to predict whose name it could be.

*Write sight words, vocabulary words, or sentences for children to pull and read.
*Write math equations with the answer at the end.

Word Puzzles
Write words (or children’s names) on the front of an envelope. Write the same word on a sentence strip and cut between the letters to make a puzzle. Place the letters in the envelope for the children to put together.

Skill Cards
Cut envelopes in half. Cut a ½ slit down each side and fold the top section down as shown. Use these to store flash cards of skills children need to work on such as letters, numbers, sight words, math facts, and so forth.

Note!  Here's the video I did if you want to see these activities demonstrated: 

 http://bit.ly/drjean_classenvelope