These FREE Printables and Unit Studies for Eric Carle's Books will help you expand on what your kids are learning through these beloved books.
Happy Saturday! I know this is going to sound cliche and all, but seriously….where did the summer go?! August is only a couple of days away and most of my teacher friends are starting school either this coming week or the next. Oh summer…we loved you so!!!! Now it’s upward and onward and we’re getting …
One of the fun things that we did as a seminary class this year was have each student make their own Title of Liberty. Here's how I did ...
Fun ways to work on handwriting skills : developing the fine motor skills required for good handwriting. Apps and resources to help, along with activities
I mean...why WOULDN'T you use cootie catchers in your reading block? It makes perfect sense. Ok - remember last week how I was talking about doing a little spring cleaning with some of my TpT resources? Well, I did a little spring cleaning in my file folders on my computer as well. Yikes. Now THAT'S a bit of a rabbit hole. I got in a little deeper than I wanted to, but I figured I might as well finish the job. I got rid of a lot (a LOT) of cringe worthy products that just didn't make the cut anymore, and I got some major organizing done as well. BUT - you know what I found? THIS >>> It's a reading comprehension cootie catcher that I TOTALLY forgot I made! And since it resurfaced for me - I thought I'd resurface it for you! I'm sure I made it for you guys in the first place, but I can't for the life of me find it anywhere on the blog. There's actually 3 different versions. They have different comprehension questions that can be used with any fictional book. They work great as a quick partner review game. You can download them here! Find any long-lost things in your spring cleaning, lately? Pin and Share this freebie:
These following direction activities are directionality activities that can help kids learn directions or spatial concepts such as left, right, up, down, and compass directions (north, south, east, and west) with a motor component. This hands-on learning activity really gets the kiddos moving and learning! We’ve shared directionality activities before that help kids navigate and ... Read more
Use these Chrysanthemum name activities, name graph and name crafts to practice and compare names in preschool and kindergarten!
nam, Tyrannosaurus, T-REX, 3D Dinosaur Paper Craft | T-REX Tyrannosaurus, dinosaur origami, dinosaur origami easy, dinosaur origami оригами динозавр, origami dinosaur velociraptor, origami dinosaur pteranodon, origami dinosaur t-rex, 3d origami dinosaur, how to origami dinosaur, origami dinosaur pterodactyl, origami paper dinosaur, origami dinosaur raptor, origami dinosaur skeleton, origami dinosaur stegosaurus, dinosaur origami tutorial, origami dinosaur t-rex easy All Dinosaur Paper Craft free Download pdf CLICK HERE WORD FORMAT DOWNLOAD CLICK HERE Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Google Plus About zayconX This is a short description in the author block about the author. You edit it by entering text in the "Biographical Info" field in the user admin panel. RELATED POSTS
Worksheets are a snoozefest...try this Super Fun Engaging Activity for ANY SUBJECT + a freebie!
30+ Montessori Math Activities for Preschool and Kindergarten, Montessori math is full of hands-on learning activities, Montessori Math at Home, Montessori Printables and Montessori activities, plus, Montessori materials for home and classroom
12 interactive and fun games to teach self-control and build self-regulation skills for kids and teens. Strong skills for self-control are the foundation for success in and outside of the classroom.
Increasing reading fluency in our students is one of the main goals of any elementary school teacher. If they are not fluent readers, they are unable to gain meaning (comprehend) from what they are reading. There are a few components to being a fluent reader...
Fantastic ideas for occupying toddlers and preschoolers independently! Keep their little hands busy and out of mischief while you take care of things you need to do.
Discover a wide variety of engaging activities when teaching fractions. Cooperative learning strategies are used with many of these activities.
As teachers we know that vocabulary is pivotal in students’ success. When I was growing up, our vocabulary activities consisted of looking up definitions in the dictionary and copying them down on notebook paper. Do you think I truly understood those vocabulary words? Not. One. Bit. In order to truly understand vocabulary words and what […]
Hello There! It’s been a while since I have written a blog post but I’m back and will be posting more freebies regularly. I’ve been working on a TON of ha
Are you looking for some fun activities for kids with ADHD? Here are 7 activities that are sure to be a big hit with your children.
40+ high energy toddler activities that are the perfect ways to burn off energy. Great indoor activities for your super active 2-5 year old.
Activities that develop early math skills are our favourites! We love working on our number recognition, counting skills, subitising and 1:1 correspondence. This “Build a City” activity…
My Story Sandwich is a fun literacy activity perfect for your next book report! Students complete the sandwich pieces by adding the components to their story including the title, author, characters, setting, problem, plot, author's message (for that extra crunch!), and resolution. Students can inc...
Writing stories together can be a great exercise for little ones to develop storytelling, literacy and writing skills. Connect storytelling and yoga by asking kids to write stories about their favorite yoga poses. Use our Mountain Pose template to help kids develop proper story structure!
Ensuring students know the value and power of their courage is crucial for upper elementary students’ social-emotional learning and growth. Get easy-to-implement ideas, courage activities, suggested titles for books on bravery, and courage lesson plans to help you create a classroom community where
I love using hands-on activities for multi-syllable words because it helps keep it engaging. These activities are easy to prep and store.
Free Line up songs for kindergarten classroom management. Make transitions easier with fun chants.
Spending the first week of school teaching classroom expectations and procedures is essential for a successful year. Glue is a tricky school supply for many little learners and there definitely needs to be instruction dedicated to teaching learners how to use this tool.Glue BottlesWhen learners are not taught how to use their glue correctly things
Subitizing activities support the development of number sense. Come learn 5 ways to integrate subitizing activities into your every day classroom routines.
One of the best things to do on the first day of school is plan cooperative learning activities where students can get to know one another.
Teaching themes in literature made easy and effective! Read how I teach theme and the theme activities I use on this post, free resource included!
Lesson 26 Captain Moroni and the Title of Liberty Preparation • Items needed: a national flag or pictures of the flag, patriotic music such as “The Star Spangled Banner” (Note: Hymn CD&…
Don't have time in your day to reach every student? My 10 Minute Reading Intervention resource can help you squeeze in lessons that are fast & effective!
9 Ideas for Camping Themed Classroom Activities It’s June. And I am a tired teacher. Haha. Anyone else? This meme pretty much sums up how I feel at the end of the year. If that's the case, then why bother with camping themed classroom activities at the end of the school year, you ask. You'd think I would be too tired for a mini room transformation, but here I am--doing the dang thing. But let me tell you..it was so SO worth it. I promise! I hope you get some ideas from this post to create your own end of the
Note: This blog post contains resources from our TpT store and our Amazon Associate store. --------------------------------------------- Grab Your Free Vocabulary Word Search for the book, If You Take a Mouse to School! Before we jump into these exciting activities, make sure to download the free vocabulary word search that pairs perfectly with If You Take a Mouse to School! It’s an excellent way to help your students reinforce key words from the story while having fun. Download it here and watch your students engage with the text in a whole new way! --------------------------------------------- Now, let’s explore some creative activities that will make If You Take a Mouse to School a memorable experience in your classroom. These ideas are no-prep, easy to implement, and designed to keep your students engaged and excited! 1. Decorate a Shoe Box as a Lunch Box Let your students get creative by decorating their own shoe boxes as lunch boxes, just like the mouse in the story. They can fill them with drawings or cutouts of their favorite school snacks. 2. Yo-Yo Fun Bring some yo-yos into the classroom and let the students try their hand at this classic toy, just like the mouse does in the book. It’s a great way to build hand-eye coordination and have some fun! 3. Chalkboard Writing Set up a mini chalkboard station where students can practice writing just like the mouse. You can have them write letters, numbers, or even draw pictures related to the story. 4. Simple Science Experiment Replicate the mouse’s science experiment in class! Choose a simple and safe experiment, such as mixing baking soda and vinegar to create a fun fizzy reaction. The students will love it, and it ties directly into the story. 5. Build a Block House Provide students with building blocks and challenge them to build a house just like the mouse does in the book. They can work individually or in groups to create their masterpieces. 6. Write Your Own Story Have your students write their own version of the story. What would happen if they took their favorite animal to school? Encourage them to be creative and illustrate their stories, too! 7. Read Aloud to a Friend Pair up your students and have them read If You Take a Mouse to School to each other. This is a great way to build reading fluency and confidence. 8. Play a Game of Soccer Take the lesson outside for some physical activity. Just like the mouse, your students can kick around a soccer ball and enjoy a bit of recess. It’s a fun way to tie in the story with some movement. 9. Shoot Some Hoops Set up a mini basketball hoop in your classroom or gym and let the students try shooting baskets, just like the mouse. It’s another fun way to bring the book to life! 10. Snack Time! Host a snack time in class where students can enjoy a small treat. Discuss what snacks the mouse might have brought to school and why they chose their own snacks. 11. DIY Mouse Puppet Create simple mouse puppets using paper bags or socks. Once the puppets are done, students can use them to act out scenes from the book or create new adventures for the mouse. 12. Paper Plate Mouse Craft Turn a plain paper plate into a cute mouse face! Students can use markers, construction paper, and googly eyes to bring their mouse to life. It’s a fun and easy craft that ties back to the story. 13. Dress Up as the Mouse Why not dress up as the mouse for a day? You can wear gray clothes and even make a simple mouse ear headband. Encourage your students to dress up too, and make it a fun classroom event. 14. Review School Rules Use the story as a springboard to review school rules. Have students complete sentences like, “If you take a child to school, they should ___________.” It’s a great way to reinforce positive behavior. 15. Classroom Print Walk As you read the book, have students look for and point out words and numbers in the illustrations. Afterward, go on a print walk around the classroom to find real-life examples of print in their environment. Before you scroll on down to watch some great videos, don't forget to grab your free activity HERE. --------------------------------------------- You may also like these videos: An animated read aloud of If You Take a Mouse to School by Laura Numeroff. Reader's Theater Mouse Puppet Paper Plate Mouse (Alter the Easter Bunny LOL) DIY Mouse Costume Perhaps you could show up to school as a mouse? Wear gray pants and a gray jacket :) Mouse Trap Online Game Mouse Trap From our Amazon Affiliate store: If You Take a Mouse to School If You Take A Mouse To School Puppet & Props U-Build Mouse Trap Game You may also like this blog post: Shelly Anton is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. ** This means there are Amazon affiliate links in these blog posts. This does not mean you pay a dime more when you purchase a product through the link. It just means I am trying to save you valuable teacher time by making it easier for you to find great resources for your students, and I earn a few cents for my research and time. Thank you for all you do for kids!
Idioms for everyday use introduces more than 230 common idioms. The hands-on worktext format helps individuals both to understand the idioms and to use them with confidence in their own communication. learners will eagerly follow the light-hearted stories-illustrated with cartoons that provide entertaining and instructive visual interest and will benefit from the variety of activities that will help them communicate natrurally using english idioms.
Fun STEM activity for outdoor play and makes a great science lesson! (Includes a printable rocket template).
We love connecting projects to books, and we're always inspired by the amazing group of bloggers who participate in the Virtual Book Club for Kids (you can also check the club out on Facebook) as the group comes up with some great extension activities each month. This month's author was Leo Lionni. We chose to read and do a project using a book we've really been enjoying lately, A Color of His Own. This is the sweet tale of a little chameleon who is looking for one color to stay all the time, but keeps running into that challenge that chameleons change color. In the end, he winds up finding a friend to always be with so they can at least always be the same color together. I've used this book in the past as a primary teacher. It's a great way to talk about friendship and also about what makes us each unique. My boys have been loving the simple tale and the colorful illustrations this spring. For our activity extension we decided to use cray-pas and watercolors. I love how colorful this art technique can be. I sketched several chameleon outlines onto white drawing paper using permanent marker. (I'm including a printable copy here in case you just want to print one out, or use the printable to trace onto thicker paper.) Afterwards the boys and I each colored in a chameleon using the cray-pas. Big Brother and I thought about ways to create different patterns. Little Brother focused on just coloring his in, using mostly one color. After we were done coloring, we watercolored on top of the cray-pas. The watercolor doesn't stick to the cray-pas, and fills all the white spaces around it. We all had different strategies for painting. When they were done I cut the three chameleons out and we hung them in our play room. I love how they are a set but each one unique. That's part of what can also make this project a great classroom activity, especially for the start of a school year. Or turn it into a fun family project, with each family member creating a chameleon to represent themselves. What Leo Lionni books does your family enjoy? Have you read this one yet? This post may also have been shared at some of these terrific link parties.
By The Daring English Teacher When teaching a novel, I love to mix things up and throw in a fun, creative, or collaborative activity that engages students as they analyze and interpret the novel’s theme, characters, symbols, or conflict. This allows me to enhance my students’ understanding of the novel, and it gives them a break from the day-to-day routine of reading and reviewing that often accompanies novel studies. Providing students with fun and engaging, yet still rigorous, activities enhances their understanding and fosters a love of reading. Here are three fun activities that you can easily incorporate into any novel study. This is one of my favorite, go-to collaborative activities. Collaborative posters are a great way to review key concepts, analyze symbols and motifs, and brainstorm for essays, and they require little planning. Before class starts, write one character, symbol, setting, motif, or element from the novel in pencil in the corner of each paper. When class begins, have students form groups of 2-4 students, and provide each group with one of the pieces of paper. Then, instruct your students to record the item, information, and quotes from the book on the poster. For this assignment, you can focus on the author’s use of symbols within the novel. You will select a variety of symbols in the novel and assign the symbols to different groups. It is okay if multiple groups are assigned the same symbol. Instruct each group to title their poster with the symbol, write as many details about the symbol as they can think about (this includes what it stands for), and record up to two different quotes illustrating how the author uses the symbol in the novel. I recently did this activity with my Romeo and Juliet unit, and it was a hit. The students were prepared for their essays, and they developed a deeper understanding for the play. Once students are done with the posters, display them throughout the classroom and have the students complete a gallery walk recording the information. This activity is great because it requires students to analyze their assigned topic, while at the same time reinforcing the importance of collaborative work. Even better, this activity gets students up and moving! As an alternative to making posters, this assignment also works very well with post-it notes. Simply provide your student groups with multiple post-it notes, and have the groups write information on the post-its. Then, have students post the notes on the board for the gallery walk. This option is especially beneficial when you want to have a gallery walk, but do not have the time for making posters in the classroom. You can also read about collaborative brainstorming ideas in this blog post. A fun and creative character analysis project you can complete in your classroom is a mock job fair in your classroom. To prepare for this activity, students either select or are assigned a character from the novel. They assume the role of this character and create a resume for this character listing strengths, accomplishments, and skills. To prepare for this activity, I usually teach students about resume writing, provide them with a list of power verbs, and give them a resume template. After students create their resumes, I host a mock job fair in my classroom for one day. During the mock job fair students are assigned to one of two groups, and the groups rotate between interviewer and interviewee. The students assigned to the interview role are given a set of interview questions to ask their candidate. As the candidate responds, the interviewer records the responses. After the interview is over, the students switch roles. This is one of my favorite activities for my Of Mice and Men unit because the students get to explore the characters on a deeper level. Once the activity is over, students write a brief argument piece about whether they would hire that character for the job. After I read an essential chapter with my students, I like to take a day or two to reflect on the reading, analyze what happened, and make sure that my students understand the importance of what they just read, and a creative comic strip assignment is ideal for this. One of the best times to assign this activity is right after a major conflict or at the peak of the story so that students can really analyze the novel's conflict. I like doing this activity with my students when we read Fahrenheit 451 because it helps them understand the conflict more. When assigning a comic strip assignment, make sure students focus on more than just drawing pictures by requiring them to include quotes from the novel as their dialogue. In addition to quotes, students should also write narration, cite their quotes in MLA format, and dedicate an entire box to the novel’s conflict. You can download this FREE, EXCLUSIVE resource to use in your classroom with your next novel study! For more fun, yet rigorous, activities that you can use with any novel study, check out my Novel Unit. This resource is 99 pages and is filled so many activities that you can use them throughout the year for multiple novel studies. From introductory activities to use before reading, to differentiated writing prompts with built-in scaffolding to use as you read, to post-reading cumulative assignments, and everything in between, this novel unit is my go-to resource when I'm in a pinch and need an activity. Click HERE to check out this resource. Here are some additional resources to help you teach the novel! The SuperHERO Teacher - Workbook for Any Novel Unit Study Grades 7-12 Addie Williams - Novel Study Package - Use with ANY NOVEL Presto Plans - Assignments for Any Novel or Short Story Secondary Sara - Chapter Study Guides: Student-Made Activity for ANY Novel
