Getting to the Core

Learning About Months and Seasons

1-2-3 Come Learn About Seasons and Months With Me

At the end of the year, I liked to make a list of lessons I wanted to expand on for the fall.

months of the year activities, calendar activities, calendar lessons, activities for the seasons, season booklet, month booklet, daily 5, calendar lessons, common core calendar, common core months, common core seasons, I'd take an item a day and search the Internet for new and fresh ideas through the summer.

months of the year activities, calendar activities, calendar lessons, activities for the seasons, season booklet, month booklet, daily 5, calendar lessons, common core calendar, common core months, common core seasons, One of the topics I listed quite often was calendar. There just never seemed to be enough time to include everything I wanted to, during calendar time.

So that this activity did not get too long, I'd do a bit in the morning, some in the afternoon, and then tie everything up at the end of our busy day.

months of the year activities, calendar activities, calendar lessons, activities for the seasons, season booklet, month booklet, daily 5, calendar lessons, common core calendar, common core months, common core seasons, There is so much important "trivia" that can be covered in quick easy reviews during calendar time.

I also liked to supplement what we covered in some additional activities relating to days of the week, months, and seasons.

Because these were words on our word wall, short independent activities were perfect for Daily 5.

months of the year activities, calendar activities, calendar lessons, activities for the seasons, season booklet, month booklet, daily 5, calendar lessons, common core calendar, common core months, common core seasons, With this in mind, I designed "My Book Of Months" as well as "My Book Of Seasons."

They both cover a variety of Common Core Reading Standards as well as the math concepts of counting, ordinal numbers andpatterning.

Children read the simple sentence, trace and then write the number, month and season words. They circle the capital letters and add end punctuation as well.

Students color the puffy words in an ABAB pattern with appropriate colors for that particular month. i.e. red and green for December.

Children also complete the sentence by adding something they see during that month, or like to do during that season.

calendar activities, activities for studying the months of the year, 4 seasons activities, emergent readers There are also additional writing extensions in the season booklet, as students tell what their favorite season is and why, as well as what month they were born in.

These booklets will be free for an entire year, after which time they will be combined and updated into an emergent reader for my TpT shop: Months & Seasons Emergent Reader With Matching Posters Packet

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"You can't start a fire without a spark." -Bruce Springsteen

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VBS Kingdom Crafts

1-2-3 Come Make Some Vacation Bible School Crafts With Me

Having taught 3-year-olds in Sunday school, I discovered there is not a whole lot out there for this age group.

VBS crafts, Christian crafts, crafts for Sunday school, castle craft, shield craft, Bible verse crafts, paper lantern directions, praying hands crafts, crafts for preschool, star wand crafts, VBS crafts, vacation Bible school crafts Crafts, that came with pre-packaged programs, were way beyond their skill level, attention span and time available.

Vacation Bible School programs were not really much different. They had wonderful activities for older kiddo's, but again materials and crafts for this age group were lacking.

The director of our Children's ministry, asked me if I could design 5 quickie crafts with Bible verses for the 3,4, and 5 year-old age group for this year's VBS.

They group them together, as it's never that big of a group, despite having anywhere from 100-200 kids.

VBS crafts, Christian crafts, crafts for Sunday school, castle craft, shield craft, Bible verse crafts, paper lantern directions, praying hands crafts, crafts for preschool, star wand crafts, VBS crafts, vacation Bible school crafts I love designing crafts and helping out, so this was a no brainer "Sure!"

Since I've had several requests for Christian teaching materials, I thought I'd post these, as they turned out really cute.

Their theme this year was Stand Strong in the Kingdom, so I made castles, crowns, and knight shields, however these crafts are general enough that they could work for just about anything.

VBS crafts, Christian crafts, crafts for Sunday school, castle craft, shield craft, Bible verse crafts, paper lantern directions, praying hands crafts, crafts for preschool, star wand crafts, VBS crafts, vacation Bible school crafts So people wouldn't have to go out and buy a bunch of stuff, I designed the crafts trying to use materials I knew were readily available.

To make all of the projects pictured, you'll need: construction paper, card stock (for the shields), aluminum foil, scissors, glue sticks, crayons, rhinestones, glitter, curling ribbon, foam, a stapler, hole punch, brass brads, pipe cleaners, tooth picks, Elmer's glue, sticky notes, scrap paper (to use as work mats, newspaper works wonderful) and gold glitter.

VBS crafts, Christian crafts, crafts for Sunday school, castle craft, shield craft, Bible verse crafts, paper lantern directions, praying hands crafts, crafts for preschool, star wand crafts, VBS crafts, vacation Bible school crafts I find it best with this age group to skip giving directions. Simply hold up your sample and say, "I'm so excited! We're going to make a castle today!"

Whatever craftivity you are doing with little ones, do NOT pass out all of the materials at once.

This is not only overwhelming for them, they also won't sit still long enough for you to say, do this first, only using these materials. ie for the castle:

1. Pass out castle. Have them cut out. Have them pre-cut for 3's.
2. Pass out pre-cut triangles. Have them glue the triangles to the castle.
3. Have them cut the door. Remind them not to cut this completely out, but STOP so there's a hinge. Show sample at each step.
4. Pass out the door verse and have them glue it behind the castle door.
5. Pass out turrets. Have them roll the turrets. Staple to the castle.
6. Pass out brown crayons to color the door and write their name on their castle.
7. Read the verse together and explain why they did the project, so they can share that info with their parents.

I thought it would be cute to add a toothpick flag. These can be pre-made; ask the child where they want their flag.

VBS crafts, Christian crafts, crafts for Sunday school, castle craft, shield craft, Bible verse crafts, paper lantern directions, praying hands crafts, crafts for preschool, star wand crafts, VBS crafts, vacation Bible school crafts Scotch tape it to the back. Do not let 3's hold the toothpicks.

I made the flag with a sticky note. No glueing necessary and it wraps right around the toothpick!

Children who finish early can work with a helper learning their verse.

Preparation for these projects is simple. Run off the templates on construction paper, and pre-cut the smaller pieces to expedite things.

I traced a child's "praying" hand once on a folded sheet of paper and then cut once to make 2.

For the "lamp unto my feet" you need to fold the yellow lanterns in half horizontally for easier cutting. I traced a child's foot with their shoe on.

Click on the link to view/download the Kingdom Crafts.

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"So many books; so little time." -Frank Zappa

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Community Helper Activities 4

1-2-3 Study Community Helpers and Shapes With Me!

Whenever I'm working on a theme, I try to design things that cover a variety of standards.

2D shapes, hexagon activities, shape activities, 2D shape activities, 2D shape lessons, shape booklet, easy reader booklet shapes, common core shapes, pentagon activities, octagon activities, Daily 5 Making a booklet featuring community helpers that would incorporate the 8 2D flat shapes, that students need to recognize, was a lot of fun.

I could have listed a lot of community helpers who work with a rectangle shape, but thought a teacher using their blackboard, was the most appropriate.

2D shapes, hexagon activities, shape activities, 2D shape activities, 2D shape lessons, shape booklet, easy reader booklet shapes, common core shapes, pentagon activities, octagon activities, Daily 5 This activity will help with the Common Core State Standard:K.G.1 as well as a variety of reading standards.

Students read the sentences; trace and write the shape word, trace and draw the shape, and then cut & glue the appropriate picture to the box.

The booklet makes a nice Daily 5 activity.

Click on the link to view/download the Community Helpers Take Shape easy reader.

2D shapes, hexagon activities, shape activities, 2D shape activities, 2D shape lessons, shape booklet, easy reader booklet shapes, common core shapes, pentagon activities, octagon activities, Daily 5 After I completed the 2D shape booklet, I thought it would be fun to design a community helper easy reader featuring 3D shapes.

Click on the link to view/download Community Helpers Shape Up.

2D shapes, hexagon activities, shape activities, 2D shape activities, 2D shape lessons, shape booklet, easy reader booklet shapes, common core shapes, pentagon activities, octagon activities, Daily 5 Thanks for visiting today. Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find useful. My "Pin it" button is at the top of the page.

"Be a rainbow in someone elses cloud." -Maya Angelou

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End of the year thank you cards for volunteers

1-2-3 Come Make a "Berry" Special Card With Me!

Are you looking for a quick and easy "craftivity" card to say thank you to special volunteers, room helpers, secretaries or perhaps a student teacher?

strawberry crafts, activities for the last week of school, activities for the last day of schoo, thank you cards for volunteers, thank you gifts for secretaries, thank you gifts for student teachers, mothers day activities, mothers day crafts, mothers day cards, fathers day cards, fathers day activites, fathers day gifts. I think you'll enjoy this "berry" special strawberry, perfect for the end of they year and summery weather.

Run off the cover and inside of the card on red construction paper.

If you are making more than one card for a number of people, have students sign the master first and then run it off.

Include a group photograph to make it even more special.

Choose a student, perhaps the child of your room helper, and trace their hand on a folded sheet of green construction paper.

Cut once and add the 2 "leaf" sprays to the top of the cover.

So that the card flips up, hinge the two strawberries together with a staple.

If this is a gift, you may want to include it with a basket of strawberries that are in season and rather inexpensive at this time.

strawberry crafts, activities for the last week of school, activities for the last day of schoo, thank you cards for volunteers, thank you gifts for secretaries, thank you gifts for student teachers, mothers day activities, mothers day crafts, mothers day cards, fathers day cards, fathers day activites, recipe for chocolate covered strawberries,fathers day gifts. This card also makes a sweet keepsake card for Mother or Father's Day. Simply have students write Happy Mother's Day or Happy Father's Day on the back of the cover that flips up.

A fun activity to do with your students, is to melt chocolate in a mini crockpot or microwave and have children make chocolate covered strawberries for mom, dad, or those special volunteers.

Click on the link for an easy recipe. Chocolate covered strawberries.

Click on the link to view/download the Volunteer Thank You Card.

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"Be the light that helps others see!" -Unknown

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Community Helper Activities 3

1-2-3 Come Do More Community Helper Activities With Me!

Since the other community helper activities have been such a huge hit, I decided to design a few more. If you missed the other 2 community helpers articles, simply scroll down. They come after the strawberry and sailboat blogs.

community helpers, community helpers activities, community helpers lessons, community helpers writing prompts, common core community helpers, list of community helpers, alphabetical list of community helpers, community helpers alphabet booklet, community helpers interview, community helpers daily 5, community helpers class books, Taking a photograph of the individual makes their page extra special.

community helpers, community helpers activities, community helpers lessons, community helpers writing prompts, common core community helpers, list of community helpers, alphabetical list of community helpers, community helpers alphabet booklet, community helpers interview, community helpers daily 5, community helpers class books, I've included a clipboard template, with an interview form for students to follow and fill in. Completed pages also make a nice class book.

Click on the link to view/download the Community Helper Interview writing prompt.

community helpers, community helpers activities, community helpers lessons, community helpers writing prompts, common core community helpers, list of community helpers, alphabetical list of community helpers, community helpers alphabet booklet, community helpers interview, community helpers daily 5, community helpers class books, Finally, I made a Community Helpers Alphabet Booklet.

Students color, trace and write the upper and lowercase letters and then write down a community helper that begins with that letter.

If you need help thinking of community helpers and their occupations, I've compiled a list of over 300 and put them in alphabetical order from astronaut to zookeeper.

Click on the link to view/download the alphabetical list of community helpers.

Click on the link for the Community Helpers Alphabet booklet that your students make. For those of you who don't study community helpers, but would like to make a generic alphabet booklet, I've included a different cover for you.

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"Everyone should have a blood type of Be Positive!" -Unknown

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