Items filtered by date: August 2012

Getting Boxed In, Can Be Educational AND Fun!

The 50-word Elkonin Box Packet was such a popular download; I decided to do another packet.

More Elkonin Boxes includes 19 more word templates.  I drew these words from the Dolch noun word list.

I also made a sheet of blank Elkonin Box templates, so that students could try their hand at writing a word at the top and then segmenting the word into individual phonemes underneath.

I believe that by providing a template, students are empowered, instead of being frustrated, as my Y5’s often had a difficult time drawing boxes.

This also expedites the exercise and allows children to concentrate on the lesson at hand.

Click on the link to view/download Elkonin Box Packet #2

In  Introduction To Elkonin Boxes I give detailed instructions of how to guide your students through segmenting simple CVC words and then moving on from there.

This packet includes 3, 4, and 5 Elkonin box blank templates.

Unlike the first two Elkonin Box packets, these do not have pictures, and are boxes that are equal in size.

I also give you a variety of quick and easy ideas of things you can do with the Elkonin boxes,that are sure to not only turn light bulbs on, but get your students excited about segmenting words.

Click on the link to view/download Introduction to Elkonin Boxes.

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“Never know too much to learn something new.” –Og Mandino

9 pages. 3, 4, and 5 box Elkonin box templates with directions of how to introduce children to the concept of using them, as well as a variety of fun things to do with them. Common Core State Standard: RF.K2b

Getting To The Core With A Box

If someone asked me what was the most Googled Word or phrase that was "hit" for my site,  I would easily answer Elkonin Boxes.

If you are not familiar with them, they are a huge help in teaching the Common Core State Standard: RF.K2b as they are simply "boxes" that are a visual representation that helps students count, pronounce, blend and segment syllables in spoken words.

The 20-page packet includes 50 word templates + 3, 4, and 5 letter box blank templates, for teachers/parents to use in a variety of ways.

• Elkonin boxes can be used to teach phonemic awareness by having students listen for individual sounds and marking where they hear them in the boxes.
• Each Elkonin box in an Elkonin box card represents one phoneme, or sound.
• Elkonin boxes are a physical segmentation of words into phonemes.

• I make my boxes a bit longer when a digraph or blend is involved because it fixes the spelling in a child’s mind. (I think this helps them with decoding and spelling, as phonemes count as one sound not one letter.)
• There are many activities that teachers can do with Elkonin boxes, but the main activity teachers usually use them for is to 'stretch' out words, identify similar or different sounds and then guess at spelling.
• I’ve made an alphabetical list of some of the more popular words for kindergarten and first grade.

• You can use them as skill sheets or run them off and laminate them and use them as a center activity, or flashcards.
• Students can use counters, chips, or unifix cubes to mark the boxes or run the masters off on copy paper and have students use a bingo dot marker or write in the letters.
• There's also a writing master, where students are given a word to break down and then they use that word in a sentence. 

Here you can remind students to separate their words, capitalize the beginning word and use end punctuation, which are  Common Core State Standards: RF.1c, L.K2a, and L.K2b.

Any of these Elkonin Box worksheets make great "Word Work" for Daily 5 activities too.

Click on the link to view/download Elkonin Boxes

Do you have an activity that you use Elkonin boxes for, that you could share with us? I'd enjoy hearing from you. diane@teachwithme.com or leave a comment here.

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"What comes from the heart, goes to the heart."-Samuel Taylor Cooleridge

Writing Prompts From A Poster!

Well the creative juices were flowing last week when I diddled around with a song to teach Common Core Standards.  I didn't think I could get more fun than Old MacDonald helping out with vowels.

I putzed with the idea of making up a poster to help students do a bit of creative writing.  Kids love posters, and as the saying goes "A picture is worth a 1,000 words" so why not use one to stimulate writing those words.

I thought by making an interesting and thought-provoking poster, teachers could use it as a segway into several writing prompts their students would enjoy diving into.

Older students could write about the symbolism and what the poster means.  Teachers could explain this to lower elementary.

Even young children can think of other things in the classroom that could give advice and tell what advice they would give.

After discussion, let them choose an object and complete a sentence, like the poster, making an illustration. Have them cut and glue their contribution to a class tag board poster.

This would make a nice "Word Work" activity for Daily 5.

Older students can make their own poster, using their room or another room in their home or school as the example.

What a hoot to do the cafeteria, gym, locker room, kitchen, basement or garage!

Click on the link to view/download Wisdom From The Classroom Poster.

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"Nothing has a better effect upon children than praise." -Sir Philip Sidney

Old MacDonald Had Some Vowels!

Well, I've written several blog articles using kiddie lit to help teach the Common Core Standards, as well as class-made books and art activities.  I thought is there a song that children know that I can use to teach Common Core?

That got me to thinking of what song do most children know? Old MacDonald came to mind, and as soon as I sang E-I-E-I-O, I thought of vowels! So, the Old MacDonald Had Some Vowels song-booklet was born.

It's 7 pages and covers the Common Core State Standards:RF.K1a, RF.K1b, RF.K1c, RF.K3b, RF.K3c, RL.K.10 woo hoo!

As I stated above, because most children are familiar with the tune of Old MacDonald, this booklet is a fun way to guide them into learning about long and short vowels.

In case you have some children who are from other countries and cultures, or live here and are not familiar with Old MacDonald, obtain a picture book of the original as well as a CD of the song. 

Introduce both to your students, so that you can also compare and contrast the two.  Get the wiggles out by having children choose an animal and prance around for a few minutes as animals, before you get down to business, then begin your lesson.

You should already have introduced vowels to your students and done letter sorting between consonants and vowels with them.  I have several activities, posters, puzzles, and packets that you can obtain lessons for this. Simply click on my Vowel link.

Students are able to read the repetitious simple sentences, because they are filled with common Dolch sight words.

The pictures help them guess the new words that begin with the long or short vowel sound that they repeat to the tune of Old MacDonald.

Cutting and gluing a matching picture helps them practice much-needed fine motor skills, which makes this a nice independent reading center or Daily 5 activity.

Instead of the familiar E-I-E-I-O of the old favorite, children are learning all of their vowels by repeating them through out the story-song: A-E-I-O-U. 

Animals and songs are favorites with children; combine them, and you have a winning combination for learning!

Click on the link to view/download Old MacDonald Had Some Vowels

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""Things can be different only if you can make them different." -Unknown

1 page. Symbolic wisdom from classroom things. A fun poster to hang in your classroom, sure to generate comments. This is a nice writing prompt. Have older students explain the meaning.

7 pages. Common Core State Standards: RF.K1a, RF.K1b, RF.K1c, RF.K3b, RF.K3c, RL.K.10 Because children are familiar with the tune of Old MacDonald, this booklet is a fun way to reinforce long and short vowels.

 Ready. Set. Action!

Having to write a simple sentence with a noun and verb, with appropriate capitalization and end punctuation is now a standard for even our youngest students.

This can be a pretty big mountain to climb, as some of them are just learning how to write their name and to identify the letters of the alphabet, so I thought why not cover all of these standards in a fun way with an alliterative class-made alphabet book!

The 36-page Name & Action Verb and Noun Class Book packet, is perfect for first graders, and something that can be done later in the year for kindergartners and makes a great Daily 5 or reading or writing center activity as well.

The packet covers the Common Core Standards: RF.K1a, RF.K1c, RF.K1d, RF.K3a, RI.K.5, RI.K.6, L.K1a, L.K1b, L.K2a, L.K2b I'm very familiar with Kindergarten standards, and I know some of the first grade standards over lap, but I don't have a handle on all of them. Sorry I don't have the numbers for you. 

Students write a simple sentence using a letter from the alphabet that starts with the letter of their name.They underline the capital letter of the beginning word, as well as the ending punctuation. So that you have a complete alphabet book with all of the letters, you can also assign a letter to each student, and allow them to make up a name.

To make sure they have included an “action word” (verb) and a “thing word” (noun) they need to underline those as well. Children then illustrate their page.

I chose to make this an alliterative book because I think tongue twisters are not only more fun, and a bit more challenging for first graders, but they help reinforce the Common Core Standard RF.K3a where students demonstrate basic knowledge of letter-sound correspondence, by producing the primary or most frequent sound for each consonant.

If you think this is too difficult for your PK’s or K’s, simply have them think of any verb or noun and simply work on that skill, rather than make it too complicated.

I suggest sitting in a circle around the white board and brainstorming each child’s words, as a whole group, which would help the light bulbs go on via repetition, as you are continuously working on the same concept over and over with different letters, with everyone helping you until you have completed the task.

You could also send the page home as a home-school assignment, and let parents work one-on-one with their child.  For that finishing touch, add a photo to make the book even more interesting.

You can run off the last page so everyone can work on their letter skills.  Have them trace and then write their letters and then pair up with a partner and quiz each other on which letter is which.  I've also included a certificate of praise.

When everyone has completed their page, laminate and collate them into a class book. Make sure that you do a sample page of your own.  My students are always surprised to find out that I too, have a first name.

When they are done, they can choose one question to ask the class: What the action verb was, what the noun was, what was the name of the end punctuation or what letter was capitalized?

Students will enjoy “playing teacher” and you will be reinforcing several standards in a fun way, as each child shares their page! Click on the link to view/download Name and Action Class Book

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“See everything; overlook a great deal; correct a little.” –Pope John XXIII

36 pages. Common Core Standards:RF.K1a, RF.K1c, RF.K1d, RF.K3a,RI.K.5, RI.K.6, L.K1a, L.K1b, L.K2a, L.K2b Your students will enjoy writing and illustrating their own alliterative page for this class alphabet book using a noun and action verb in their