Polar Express and Learning Activities

It's Polar Express time!  This post is a roundup of how I teach reading, writing, and math through a thematic study about trains.

Polar Express KWHL Chart Trains

Polar Express Researching Trains

Polar Express Drawing Trains

Polar Express Drawing Modern Trains

Polar Express Train Completed Project

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Retelling Stories with Puppets

Young children love to use puppets and story props to retell a story.  These visual aids help increase motivation, oral language, and comprehension.  As an early childhood teacher, I use story props all the time.  And as a Nana K they are fun too!  It's always a bonus when our children can continue the play during center time.  I like to keep copies of the story pieces in my writing center along with popsicle sticks, so my children can make books and props of their own.

Over the years I've discovered if there are lots of characters in the story, then it's hard for the children to manipulate the different pieces.   So I found a solution!  Here is one way to make puppet stands for little hands.  

• Tape or glue your story props to large popsicle sticks.  
• Cut a small slit in the bottom of the cut.  
• Make the slit a little shorter than the end. 
• Put the popsicle stick in the cup.
• Ready to play.

The children can move the cups when retelling the story in a more hands-free way.  In fact, this works perfect for individual play too.  Let your child perform and retell their favorite stories using these puppets.  

WAYS TO ENGAGE YOUNG READERS

• Encourage them to add details to their story or even retell it a different way.  
• Add a different voice for each character.  
• Use the puppets for sequencing the story or for telling the beginning, middle and end of the story.  
• Ask them these questions.  
• How could they change the ending?  
• How could they change the setting? 
• Would they use different characters in their story?  

When they are finished playing, take the popsicle sticks out of the cups, stack the cups, and store in a small container or tub for future play.  You can also reuse the cups with other popsicle stick props story pieces. 

If you are looking for a fun gingerbread story for emergent readers, I just made this new packet.  It has several different options for printing the book including sizes, color, and black & white options to save ink.  If you want to view it on a computer then I've added the Power Point version as a bonus.

GINGERBREAD FOR EMERGENT READERS

It also includes:

• Sight Word Matching Game
• Sight Word Rapid Fluency Practice Sheet
• Read/Write Around the Room Cards
• Write Around the Room Recording Sheet
• Rhyming Word Sort Cards
• Flip the Rhyming Book
• I Have Who Has Cards
• I See Where Is Cards
• Math Graph

Click HERE to find out more about this packet.

CHECK OUT THIS WEBSITE FOR FREE STORY PROPS

Need more story props?  Here is one of my favorite sites to find story props for FREE.  The story props come in color and black & white. I download them then reduce them on my printer when using for the puppet stands.  How do I do that?  When you go to print, choose the multiple pages per sheet option.  It is usually under layout or preview.  I put 4 pages per sheet on mine, and it makes them the perfect size.  I also draw a circle or oval around them which makes them easier to cut out for little hands.

This site has all of your favorite stories including Brown Bear Brown Bear, Pete the Cat, The Mitten, Polar Bear Polar Bear, Silly Sally, and many, many more.

http://www.kizclub.com/stories.htm

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Reading With Your Child

Today was a cold and snowy evening as I sat down to blog.  I knew what I wanted to write, had pictures ready to post, when my phone lit up with a text from my daughter.  As I glanced down at my phone, I saw a snapshot into their lives today.  Texting and pictures are nothing out of the ordinary.  We text pictures back and forth every day.  Happy pictures, throwing a fit pictures, milestone reaching pictures, new tooth pictures, good night pictures.  I look forward to these pictures of my grandchildren.  I love being part of their lives and getting frequent updates in between our treasured Nana K times together.  But today's picture was so special to me.

In today's world of blogging, there are so many blogs that share insight or advice about being a parent or teaching children.  Most start with numbers.  5 things all parents should know. . .  10 ways to raise your child . . .  25 ways to get your child to . . . 7 easy ways to get your child ready for kindergarten. The lists go on and on about what to do or not to do with your child.  There are funny blogs sharing glimpses into the not so glamorous moments of parenting.  There are serious blogs that share the dangers or ramifications of our choices with our children.  There are viral posts that remind us that our babies will one day grow up in a blink of an eye and to cherish the time that we have. I know all about these blogs as my daughter shares her favorites with me.  Some make me laugh, some make me tear up, and some make me tell my daughter that only she can make the choices that are right for her child. Blogs and books are just glimpses into the lives of others and what worked for them.  Being a parent is rewarding, exhausting, fun, gut-wrenching, or as a I tell her, a "roller coaster" of emotions.  But oh what a miraculous ride it is.  Sometimes you will get it right.  Sometimes you will wish you had made better choices or decisions.  I know because I've been there.

So when she sent me this picture of a very special moment shared between a father and his child, it stopped me straight in my tracks of blogging.  What I was going to say didn't seem as important.  I knew my focus now.  I knew what to say.  As I looked at my precious 8-month-old granddaughter mesmerized with Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See, I smiled and was reminded of one of my favorite quotes by Emilie Buchwald.  "Children are made readers in the laps of their parents."

I could go on and on and give lists of what to do to get children to read.  I could give ideas on how to make the reading experience enjoyable for both parents and children.  I could make a list for teachers about the importance of read alouds.  Instead, I will just leave you with this picture and a reminder of what helps young children to become readers more than anything.  Parents make a difference.  It all begins with you.  Small moments shared together cuddled up with a book will do more to prepare your child for a lifetime of reading than any picture on Pinterest or suggestion from a blog.

To my daughter and son-in-law:  You're doing it right.  Breathe, enjoy our little M, and read on.

Nana K is very proud.

Take a Closer Look at November Blog Hop

Hi everyone! 

I am teaming up with some great teacher bloggers to bring you another Take a Closer Look blog hop featuring one of our favorite November products.  We want to give you a closer look and a FREEBIE from the unit to try out with your class.

I wanted to give you a closer look at my

FLIP THE FIVE AND TEN FRAMES AUGUST - DECEMBER BUNDLE

This is just a glimpse at the November frames included in the packet.  You can use them as 5 frames or 10 frames.  I invented these frames to keep the activity hands-on but without having to keep track of all the pieces.  Copy, laminate, and add velcro for your small group lessons. 

Use the anchor chart 10 frame student version or the larger cards for whole group instruction.  Students can color the black and white version too!

If you choose to copy in color, make enough for a small group (5-6), then copy the black and white version for the students to use in whole group, independent centers, or for homework.  Your parents will be able to see how the children use 10 frames to solve math problems.You can also copy the black and white version on colored card stock.

This packet comes with both color and black and white options, student printables, recording sheets,  and teacher story problems. 

  

Here is a freebie from my unit!

Download the preview file for the Flip the Turkey 10 Frame for FREE.

Like it? Love it?

Gotta have it?

We are throwing our stores 15% for the next two days to celebrate! 

And now, I'm sending you off to another amazing freebie! 

Hope on over to my blogging buddy's blog. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Five Little Turkeys Math and Literacy

Five little turkeys can be used to teach one-to-one correspondence, ordinal position, and combinations of 5.  I made DIY turkey puppets out of oven mitts that I found at the Dollar Tree.  I know - I live way too close to one :)  Let your children act them out using my math poem or put red solo cups inside them so one or two children can play the game.

MATERIALS NEEDED

• 5 brown or tan oven mitts
• 1 piece of red felt
• 1 piece of yellow felt
• I piece of orang felt
• 1 googly eye
• Glue gun

DIRECTIONS

• Cut out 5 red, yellow, and orange feathers.
• Cut out the beak and snood. 
• Glue the feathers, snood, beak, and eye on the turkey mitt.
• Ready to play!

LET'S LEARN!

I wrote a poem and made a pocket chart go with this rhyme last November.  You can find that post HERE to read about it and download the free activity.

Have fun teaching your students with this activity.  If you are a parent or a grandparent, have fun playing, learning, and making memories.

Let the Thanksgiving ideas begin!  Don't forget to sign up by email at the top right corner, so you don't miss any blogposts.

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10 in the Bed Math and Literacy Activities

Using songs, nursery rhymes, and chants to teach literacy and math skills can be fun and engaging for children.  These type of activities build oral fluency which will lead to reading fluency.  Children can also rewrite their own songs, poems, and chants based off of their favorite ones.  This is a new version of an old song 10 in the Bed.  

You can use this song to work on subtraction within numbers of 10 and focus on the skill of one less. The song is repetitive and the children can visually see and kinesthetically manipulate the monkeys as they sing the song.  By using a paint stick and clothespins it becomes a hands-on game that builds fine motor skills.  You can make several different versions of the bed.  For directions on making the bed below,  read my post about Five Little Monkeys Jumping of the Bed HERE.  

MATERIALS

Paint stick

10 clothespins
1 piece of felt
Free printable
Glue gun 

MATH LEARNING ACTIVITIES

• one-to-one correspondence
• counting
• subtracting one from a set
• decomposing numbers (taking the number 10 - monkeys and breaking the set into 2 parts).
• 9 on the bed 1 off the bed
• 8 on the bed 2 off the bed
• 7 on the bed 3 off the bed
• 6 on the bed 4 off the bed
• 5 on the bed 5 off the bed
• 4 on the bed 6 off the bed
• 3 on the bed 7 off the bed
• 2 on the bed 8 off the bed
• 1 on the bed 9 off the bed

The monkeys on this printable are a smaller version than the ones in Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed to allow 10 to fit on the bed.

You can also use duct tape and cover the paint stick to make a bed.  There are so many different colors of duct tape to choose from now.  Check out the Dollar Tree.  They carry duct tape in different colors.  The rolls do not have as much on them as the ones you find in Target or Walmart, but you can buy a variety of colors for smaller projects.  Here are some examples on Amazon.

WORDS TO THE SONG

There were 10 in the bed and the monkeys said, "Roll over. Roll over."

And they all rolled over and one fell out. 

There were 9 in the bed and the monkeys said, "Roll over. Roll over."
And they all rolled over and one fell out.
There were 8 in the bed and the monkeys said, "Roll over. Roll over."
And they all rolled over and one fell out.
There were 7 in the bed and the monkeys said, "Roll over. Roll over."
And they all rolled over and one fell out.
There were 6 in the bed and the monkeys said, "Roll over. Roll over."
And they all rolled over and one fell out.
There were 5 in the bed and the monkeys said, "Roll over. Roll over."
And they all rolled over and one fell out.
There were 4 in the bed and the monkeys said, "Roll over. Roll over."
And they all rolled over and one fell out.
There were 3 in the bed and the monkeys said, "Roll over. Roll over."
And they all rolled over and one fell out.
There were 2 in the bed and the monkeys said, "Roll over. Roll over."
And they all rolled over and one fell out.
There was 1 in the bed and the monkey said, "Good night!"

Want the words to this in a book format?  CLICK HERE for the FREE printable.

Another option is to let the children paint their own with Do-A-Dot Rainbow Markers .

 

 Want to make a fancy bed?  Use doll clothespins, extra long popsicle sticks, and a piece of felt or material.

MATERIALS NEEDED FOR BED

4 round doll clothespins

2 Extra Jumbo Craft Sticks

4 short popsicle sticks

Small piece of material or felt

Glue gun

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Monsters Math and Literacy Activities

Monsters can be funny, silly, and educational too.  Here is a fun twist on Five Little Monkeys.  It teaches counting, one-to-one correspondence, addition, subtraction, cardinality, and number sense too!

As always, nursery rhymes, chants, and poems are powerful literacy tools too.  Remember to sign up by email in the top right corner, so you don't miss any blog posts.  

Disclosure:  Amazon links are included.

MATERIALS NEEDED

• 5 colorful pom poms
• 10 pipe cleaners
• Dot markers
• 5 googly eyes
• 5 clothespins
• 1 paint stick
• glue gun

DIRECTIONS FOR MONSTERS

• Cut the 10 pipe cleaners in half.
• You need 4 - 1/2 size pipe cleaners for each monster.
• Fold the smaller pipe cleaners in half.
• Twist together.
• Glue pom pom onto twisted pipe cleaner.
• Glue onto the front of a clothespin.
• Add googly eye.
• Ready to play!

BED DIRECTIONS

• Lay a piece of large scrap paper, plastic table cloth, or copy machine lid on table.
• Children use dot markers to paint their beds.
• Let dry.
• Ready to play!

TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES

Use the prop to teach literacy, fine motor, and math skills just like in The Five Monkeys.

After the children learn the chant (download FREE printable for words), give them opportunities to play using the prop in the traditional manner.  Then use the prop for listening and following directions.

• Put 1 monster on the bed.
• Take 1monster off the bed.
• Put 3 monsters on the bed.
• Take 2 monsters off the bed.
• Take the 1st monster off the bed.
• There are 5 monsters on the bed.  
• How many do you need to take off so there are only 2 monsters still on the bed.

No time to make the monsters?   I have included a FREE printable with friendly paper monsters to use along with a reading book, math printables, and literacy tips for reading the book.   CLICK HERE.

Here are some of my favorite, fun monster books.

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