PD #21 VOICE BOX

 

Click to view PD #21 Voice Box

A “voice box” can be used to capitalize on children’s natural interest in dramatizing. They can all be actors and actresses as they practice reading, counting, sight words, math facts, and other skills with these creative voices. Write the different styles below on index cards and place in a small box labeled “Voice Box.” Invite different children to choose a card and then practice skills in that “voice.”

Three Bears
Speak papa bear style (with a deep voice), mama bear style (with a prissy voice), and baby bear style (with a wee voice).

Underwater
Put your index finger between your lips and vibrate as you talk.

With a Cold
Children hold their nose and read like their nose is stuffed.

Lip Sinc
Mouth the words.

Emotions
Read text with different emotions, such as happy, sad, angry, sleepy, etc. Which one fits the text best?

Pirate
Talk out of the side of your mouth. Grrr, matie!

Typewriter
Pretend to type with your fingers as you move eyes from left to right. Ding, and then “return the carriage” when you get to the end of the line.

News
Talk like a news reporter “on the street.”

Rock and Roll
Pretend to hold guitar and dance and sing.

Opera
Extend arms and sing words dramatically.

More!
Let children come up with their own creative voices.

You can download the fluency cards by clicking here:

 

Here’s a video where you can watch me demonstrate the different styles and strategies. The more dramatic you are, the more your students will get involved. 

 

Click here.

 

 

PD #20 BRAIN TOYS

 

 

Click to View Video for Brain Toys - PD #20

Today I’ve got some simple “brain toys” that could be used in a variety of ways in your classroom to release energy and promote active learning.

Noodle
You can get these swim noodles on sale now or at a dollar store. Cut them into 8” - 9” sections and store them in a plastic tub. Pass these out to your students give them a few minutes to “mess around” and pretend they are Luke Skywalker. Explain that whenever you say “Statue of Liberty” they have to freeze and hold their noodle up like a torch.

*Follow the Leader – Play some music and have the students follow along with you as you cross the midline and make other movements with the noodle.

*Air Writing – Use noodles to practice pre-writing strokes, letters, shapes, numerals, and so forth in the air with big movements.

*Massage – Brush noodles down arms or legs. Place the noodle on the floor and roll on it to give yourself a massage.


Therapy Bands
Purchase a large roll of exercise resistance bands and cut it into 18” sections. Cut these in half horizontally and give one to each child.

*Children can stretch the bands as they extend sounds in a word.

*Exercise with the bands as you count, say the ABC’s, read word wall words, spell, and so forth. Stretch above your head, behind you, vertically, etc.

Hint! You can purchase rolls of the exercise bands online at Target and many other stores.


Juggling Scarves
You can purchase scarves or buy netting and cut it into 9” squares. Begin by giving each child one square to catch and toss. Let them play catch with a friend. Can they toss it, clap one time, and then catch it? Let them think of other tricks to do with their scarves.

 

 

 

 

PD #19 TOY CAR MATCH

 Click for Video - PD #19

 

Talk about playful and challenging! Take a look at all these things you can do with toy cars. You can pick them up at garage sales or buy them for $1 or less at a dollar store. Use these cars for centers, games, and other activities in your classroom.

What? toy cars, sticky dots, marker

 

How? Put sticky dots on the cars and number them 1-10. Fasten your seatbelt and here we go!


Numerical Order
Write numerals on sticky dots and place them on the cars. Can children arrange them in order?

Place Value
Use cars for tens and ones.

Sets and Numbers
Make a parking lot with different sets of dots in each space. Children match up numbers on the cars with the correct space.

  

Roll and Add
Write numerals 1-12 on a long strip of paper. Children roll two dice, add up the numbers, and then move their car to the correct space.

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


Letters
Write lower letters on sticky dots and put them on the cars. Make paper houses with uppercase letters. Can they match the cars with the houses?

   

Phonological Awareness
Make a parking lot with three spaces. As you say a word children park the car according to where they hear the sound (beginning, middle, end) of the word.

 

 

PD #18 GIVE A CHEER

PD #18 GIVE A CHEER

Give me a cheer! Why? Cheers are a positive way to activate the brain and put a smile on children's faces. I can have a gym full of kids, and I can quickly get their attention with a cheer. The great thing about these cheers is that every child gets one - you don't have to be smart or wear cool clothes. These are some of the ones that work best for me:

Bubblegum Cheer
Pretend to open a piece of bubblegum and put it in your mouth. Start chewing as you wiggle your head from side to side. Place your palms by your mouth and extend as you slowly blow…one, two, three, four, POP!

Firecracker
Hold your palms together in front of you as if praying. Make a sizzling sound (ssssss) as you wiggle your palms up in the air like a firecracker going off. Clap them above your head, and then wiggle your fingers around and down like sparkles from a firecracker. Finish by making an “Ahhhh!” sound like the crowd watching a firecracker go off.

Click here for Firecracker Cheer Video

Hamburger
Pretend to make a hamburger by patting your palms together. Stick out your right hand as if placing a hamburger on a skillet. Make a sizzling sound and say, “Is it done yet?” Turn your hand over and say, “Not yet.” Repeat twice. After the third “Is it done?” give a thumbs up and say, “Well done!”

Roller Coaster
Start by pretending to go up the roller coaster with your hands in front as you make the “ch, ch, ch” sound. Pause at the top and then make three imaginary hills with your hands going up and down as you say, “Whooooo!” Finish by wiggling your hands in the air.

Three Cheers
Give me cheer number one! (Children yell and cheer in a regular voice.)
Give me cheer number two! (Children cheer a little softer.)
Give me cheer number three! (Children wave their arms and do the silent cheer with their mouth wide open but not making a sound.)


This is where you can download the cheer cards. Introduce one each day and then put it in the box. When you need a cheer, just pull one out.

 

Click here for link to Cheers Cards

I've got several videos where I demonstrate the cheers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWPA-jYdWe8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hsOFYEMSvI

Cheers in Spanish

I’m so excited to share these cheer cards that Carla Ureno (El Paso ISD) created! It’s not easy to translate some of these things into Spanish, so Carla needs to KISS HER BRAIN!

P.S. And thanks to Teacher Toni for updating the graphics. She made them the perfect size to put on a ring.

Click to download - Cheers Cards - Spanish Version

¡Que las disfruten! 

 

 

 

 

PD #17 MAGNETIC LETTERS

Magnetic letters are inexpensive, durable, and plentiful. Best of all they are REAL (as opposed to a screen)! These activities can be adapted for many different skills and age levels.

Click to view Magnetic Letters Video - PD #17

Can You Find Bottle? 

Fill a large plastic bottle with salt or sand. Insert magnetic letters and shake. Children shake the bottle and try to identify letters.

*Give them a grid with the alphabet letters. They can color in the letters as they find them in the bottle.


Sand Box Treasure

Hide magnetic letters in your sand table. Children can take a magnet and try to identify letters they “attract.”

*Can they make the sound? Can they think of a word that starts with that sound? Can they write a word that starts with that sound?

*Hide the letters in Styrofoam packing. Add a clipboard, paper, and pencil for children to write the letters as they find them.


Touch and Tell
Place a magnetic letter in a sock. Can children reach in the sock and identify the letter by feeling it?


Letter Password
Place several letters you are working on around your door frame. As children leave the room, ask them to touch a particular letter. (You could also ask them to touch the letter they hear at the beginning of particular word.)


Letter Tin
Place magnetic letters inside a cookie tin. Make three lines with a permanent marker on the inside of the lid. As you call out sounds children place the letters on the lines to make CVC words.

Hint! Place in a center for children to make and write word families.

Alphabet Soup
Place magnetic letters in a mixing bowl. Children take a big spoon and scoop out some letters. How many words can they make with their letters? Ask the children to write the words they can make.

What’s My Letter
Have children cup their hands and then distribute a letter to each. Children give clues to help their friends identify their letter.

For example: My letter is made with two straight lines. You hear it at the beginning of turtle and at the end of bat. What’s my letter?

*Number socks for older students and let them record their answers.


Letter Hunt
Hide magnetic letters around the classroom as the children hide their eyes. Explain that they can only find one letter at a time. They have to bring the letter to the teacher, identify it, and then hide the letter again.


Fistful
Put magnetic letters in a lunch bag. Ask children to reach their hand in the bag and pull out a fistful of letters. How many words can they make with those letters? Ask them to write the words.


MAGNETIC LETTER MUSIC VISUALS

These visuals will engage children’s attention in the letters as you sing.

The Letters on the Bus
Draw the shape of a bus on a magnetic board. Place letters in the bus as you sing this song to the tune of “The Wheels on the Bus.”

The A on the bus goes
/a/ /a/ /a/
/a/ /a/ /a/
/a/ /a/ /a/
The Aon the bus goes
/a/ /a/ /a/
On the way to school.

 

 

If you have a toy bus, write the letter on an index card and tape it to the bus as you sing. 

 

 

 

 

 

PD # 16 "EYE" CAN

Click to view PD #16 - "Eye Can"

Read THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD to your students at the beginning of the school year. Remind them that in your classroom everyone says “I Can” because you are AmeriCANS!

What? Pringle’s can, paper, googly eyes, craft glue (E6000)

How? Cover the can with paper and glue on googly eyes. Pass the “eye can” around the room as each child says a sentence beginning with “I can…”

Hint! If a child says, “I can’t!” just place the can in front of them and remind them that “I can!”

I Think I Can
This is a great song to sing to encourage children to always give it a try. It goes to the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It.”

I think I can are words I like to say.
I think I can are words I like to say.
In time I’ll get it right if I try with all my might.
I think I can are words I like to say.


How Does My Teacher Feel About Me?
Practice this chant and then use it to focus children's attention.

Teacher says:
“How does my teacher feel about me?”
Children respond: 

“I’m as special as special can be  (Open and close fingers like stars twinkling.)
because my teacher believes in me!” (Hug self.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PD #15 PLAY DOUGH PLATES

Click to View Video for PD #15 Play Dough Plates

Play dough is multi-sensory, engaging, creative, and open-ended. Talk about PURPOSEFUL PLAY! These play dough plates are a perfect way to strengthen those small muscles and reinforce letter recognition.

What? plastic plates, play dough, permanent marker

How? Write letters on the plastic plates with a permanent marker. Children roll the play dough and place it on top of the letters. Challenge them to make something that starts with that sound.

Hint! I traced around the letter on the front and back of the plate. You can use upper case letters, lowercase letters, or both like I do.

Number Plates
Write numbers on plastic plates. Children can roll play dough and place it on top of the numbers and then make sets to equal that amount. Can they make different combinations of six?

Shape Plates
You can also make shape plates for the children to reproduce.